Some History...Long before Christianity the world was populated by people who believed in the world around them and the things it could or couldn't do.
They had Gods and Goddesses of the hunt, for farming, for weather, for darn near everything. They lived in empathy with nature and all it's beings, they were Pagans. Now, Pagan is a general term for various nature religions, in the same way that Christianity is a catch all name for the many sects of that religion, ie. Protestant, Catholic etc...The purpose of this page is not to go too deeply into the religious aspects of the craft, but to give those of you who desire to know more a little understanding of the truth and the history.
As Christianity became more and more prominant throughout Europe and as more and more Pagan rituals and symbols were absorbed into the Christian faith (witness the Presbyterian use of the old Celtic Cross) as a way of helping the Pagan converts feel more comfortabl;e with their new faith, the Pagan religions slowly began to recede into the hills and other hidden places until it all but disappeared. But there were those who kept their practices alive in secret and the old ways were passed down through generations.
In Medieval times, Witches were deemed heretics and in consort with the devil, and were tortured, hung or burned at the stake. The Salem witch trials were horrible to be sure, and caused by nothing more than hysteria and vengence. 19 people died during the Salem hysteria, 19 innocents. I have been to Salem and saw the memorial to these brave souls, and it is moving indeed. But most of the deaths of witches occured in Europe. We who practice the craft know these as the burning times. They covered a three hundred year period and approximately 100,000 persons were put to death, mostly women. In 1486, two men, Heinrich Kramer, and James Sprenger, published what became known as the definitive manual on how to hunt and identify and then dispose of a witch. It was called The Malleus Maleficarum (or Witches Hammer). It was certainly responsible fo the spread of the witchcraze as it was widely published, and it launched the craze as an attack mostly on women due to it's highly antifeminine tone. There were other witch-hunter manuals before and after this one (ie. Nider's "Formicarius" in 1438) but as Sprenger and Kramer were both dominican priests, and the Malleus had been published with a papal bull, it had the pretsige and weight necessary to become the major influence on the witch hunts.
Is it any wonder that the craft went underground after this? It has only come out of the hidden places and into the public eye again within the last few decades of a more (hopefully) enlightened time.
A Little Bit About the Craft...
Witchcraft, or Wicca, as it is more commonly called by those who practice it, today follows as closely as we can the paths and beliefs of those who came before us. There are many many varying sects of Wicca, each with its own rituals and purposes. The following is only a general guide to what it is all about. I make no claim that my ways are the definitive, know-all way to practice the faith of Wicca. And I certainly dont propose to know the BEST way to practice, but this is MY way, and My beliefs, and the way that I have learned and been taught.
The one guiding rule, or commandment, if you will, in Wicca, is called the Wiccan Rede. Two simple sentences that sort of say it all...
,b>Eight words the wiccan rede fulfill
an it harm none, do as thou wilt.
If you think about it, it is terribly demanding, but gives total freedom. It tells us to live our lives as we will, do whatever we want, think and act as we want, total freedom. BUT, it says, dont hurt anyone, or anything. That's a tall order, and we live our lives by it. It covers everything in our lives, from our jobs, to our diets, to our spells. We have to think twice before casting any spells, or working any magics--to be sure it will not have a negative affect on someone or something.
Along with this Wiccan rede is the belief in the Threefold Law of Karma, that is that everyting we do will be returned to us, threefold. If we do good, it will be returned to us, 3 times as good, and vice-versa for harm.
We call upon this Law often within our magic, both to give our magic more power, and also to protect ourselves and others from any inadvertant harm.
Speaking of protection...the classic circle on the floor, with a pentacle drawn within it that you see so often interpreted so badly in terrible b-movies does have a real existence in Wicca. It is a cirle of protection, however, and not the evil doorway for demons that it is so often portayed as. The pentacle itself, is horibly misinterpreted. It has become, in popular belief, a sign of the devil. And, yes, I have had people refuse to help me in stores, or such, when I have worn one. Prejudice is no fun thing, I can tell you. The pentacle is an ancient symbol whose five pointed star signifies the four elements and the spirit. In Wiccan, we commonly wear it with the fifth point facing up. The common use of it in certain 'devil worshipping' sects is with the point facing down. And even that is a bastardized and horrible misuse of our symbol. It is like the Christian cross being shown upside down. We are as offended by this misuse of our pentacle as a Christian would be to see his cross misused. But I digress, we draw this circle and charge it with all the good power of nature and of our Goddess and God to protect ourselves from harmful or negative forces that might be loooking for a unwary soul to mess with. Yes, magic and witchcraft is a good, white thing, but there are dangers in dealing with the other planes, and there are dark forces out there. I dont recommend casual playing with anything in these planes, whether it be invoking spirits, or playing with a Ouija board. There are plenty of other things for the casual practioner to do that doesn't involve direct dealing with other planes. Just keep in mind that because these planes are invisible, you cant see what's there. You wouldn't cross a street without being able to see the cars, would you?
My particular path follows a very nature oriented path. The rest of this website will show you more of how I interact with nature and Mother Earth. But basically, I believe in living as harmoniously and as close to nature as possible. No, I dont live in a cave. I live in a very normal house, but I listen to the wind in the trees, I watch for changes in weather patterns, I 'speak' to animals, meaning I pay attention to what the animals are doing to warn me of approaching visitors, or to show me where there might be fruit trees, or whatever. I believe wholeheartedly in faeries, and elves and gnomes, and what others call mystical creatures. I look for their presence all the time. And I can help you learn how to spot them if you are interested. But, one word here, they won't show themselves to only the curious, you have to have a healthy respect for them and their places as well. All creatures are welcome at my home. I dont use pesticides, or chemicals in my garden if at all possible. I don't use poisons for rats, or things (I have cats instead). My animals, I have 10, are partners in my home, not mere pets--although there is one who is sort of the boss, he is my familiar, and he just couldnt be more familiar...(Please note, that my familiar passed away a few years after the first writing of this page. He is with The Goddess now.)...You can find out more about familiars in my "Language of the Animals" page. I am aware of the phases of the moon, and I use them to help determine the best time for certain magical workings. I work solitary most of the time. I just want to say to those of you interested in Wicca as a faith. Dont be afraid to go solitary. Where I grew up, there were no other Wiccans, and I didnt grow up in a place where it would have been even possible to express my alternative beliefs. I was forced to find my own way to the path that made me happy. There are those wiccan sects that believe that the only way to be a witche is through initiation by other witches,and that if you aren't intitated by another witch, you will never be a true witch. That sort of leaves all those living in areas where there is no access to covens, or even new age supply stores sort of out in the cold, doesnt it? To be a witch, I believe, is to believe in Wicca, to pursue the path as much as you can given your geographical limitations, and to live by the Wiccan Rede. But one word of warning, if you do pursue a solitary path, go slowly, dont try to invoke a spirit the first night you do any work. Start small, work your way up. Read first, read as much as you can, whenever you can. Find out as much as possible. I have listed some books below to get you started, all of which I find to be very sincere. Find out about the craft first, it's philosophy, it's history, etc...be sure it is the right path for you. There are other nature religions out there that may suit you more, who knows. Read as much as you can and find out. Blessed Be!
The following are some books to learn more about the history and philosphy of Wicthcraft
- Witchcraze: A New History of the European Witch Hunts
by Anne Llewellyn Barstow ( an incredible history of the witch hunts) - Witchcraft:The Old Religion
by Dr. Leo Louis Martello ( one of the first I read) - The Witches' Goddess and The Witches' God
by Janet and Stewart Farrar - What Witches Do:The Modern Coven Revealed
by Stewart Farrar - The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess
by Starhawk - Wicca: A Guide For the Solitary Practioner
by Scott Cuningham ( a wonderful book by a wonderful author. Scott Cunningham unfortunatley passed on in 1993 after a long battle with a combination of illness, including the lymphatic cancer he had beat 10 years before. He had written many, many books before his death, I recommend them all. Others will be listed in the others pages of this site, but if you ifnd something by him that strikes your fancy, know that it is well worth reading.) - Celtic Myth and Legend
by Charles Squire - Power of the Witch: the Earth, the Moon, and the Magical Path to Enlightnement
by Laurie Cabot with Tom Cowan ( Laurie Cabot is 'The Official Witch Of Salem", and the founder of The Witches' League for Public Awareness. I had the pleasure of meeting her once at her store in Salem, called Crow Haven Corner, although I am quite sure she doesnt remember me.) - Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today
by Margot Adler
History and Reference The Croft Medieval Housekeeping Wytche's Kitchen Medieval Gardening Care for Body Mind Soul Spells For the Season The Grimoire The Language of Animals Links Wytche's Award Webrings
