witch v wiccan

Joined : 30 Oct 2007 Posts : 7

The main differences between witchcraft and wicca is that wicca is a modern take on a centuries old way of life. In the beginning the wise or cunning folk knew how to cure illness with their knowledge of herbs and natural remedies and were conversant with the phases of the moon and when was the optimum time to plant various vegetables and other crops. When christianity raised its head it didn't like the high esteem and reverence that was afforded to the wise folk, so it branded them as evil and in league with the devil and that anyone who had dealings of any kind with such people would burn in hell along side them. (cheek!)

So witchcraft continued "underground". People would still consult with the wise folk but in secret. I won't bore you with the full history but in the mid 20th century Gerald Gardiner a practitioner of "wicca" a name he invented for a strain of the craft that he developed hit the headlines and started a pagan revolution stirring up great interest in the subject.

Wicca is Goddess based where various Deities are called upon to aid with rituals and spells and are to a point worshipped. Wicca is also usually practiced in covens with a high priestess and or Priest where a great importance is put on rituals and flambouyant ceremonies and alot of structured details.

Witchcraft is a wholely natural practice where the elements of air, fire, water, earth, and spirit along with their associated energies are called upon either individually or collectively to aid with rituals and spells without feeling the need to give them some kind of human form. Humans are the ones destroying this amazing planet after all. Witchcraft is usually practiced alone by Solitaries or Hedge/Kitchen Witches in the privacy of their homes with basic tools and little ceremony but with amazing results! They follow a path that they carve out for themselves. This is not to say that Witches don't work with others, they do but it in a much less formal manner.

Obviously this is just my opinion, but if you would like to know any more about it i will be happy to try and answer any questions, or you can just google the subject as there are thousands of sites out there in cyber space all with varying view points.

Blessed be

Joined : 30 Oct 2007 Posts : 51

The word wytch in old cornish just means old

the wise folk
wre the few who reached old age.
the average life span was about 35 to 45..
as this was average.. this means some died at age 1.. some at 2 etc etc.. so some
a VERY small number lived baybe 80 years..

to a society of young but disease ridden people ( dont forget, it was usual to die from a tooth absess) old people were few and strange..

HOWEVER
they also accumulated a mass of information ..
like debie said
cures.
remedys
called the OLD craft.
the OLD ways
in cornish Wytch craft
Wytch ways

Debbie is correct in her stance on christianity

the majority of old christian churches in the UK were built over pagan religious sites.

PAgen rituals...
oester mid winter
harvest
midsummer

were all TAKEN as christian festivals..
so that local people were slowly integrated in to christianity
and paganism and the old ways were not just shunned.. but attempts to kill them off were obvious

Catholic church being the lead in killing off the old ways..
still today
the robes of the priest in the church, ( well the green robes) carry the face of the green man...

Joined : 07 Jun 2008 Posts : 1

Debbie, l wonder if you could help me please, friends of mine keep saying l am a White Witch, what is a White Witch, and why would they say that, they also say l have a bright orb around my body, for which they say, l am someone they feel safe talking to, l psycoanalise everything around me, and a certain male partner of a friend of mine said, stop psycoanalising me, l cant help it, l seem to see future before they do, and have helped loads of people straighten their lives out before it is too late, and they have split, l cant expain how l manage to do this, it would seem l have a gift.
I have the ability of seeing through guilty people real easy, and it puts a real strain on my own relationship, as l see things they dont, especially the guilty part to life, how am l able to read people so easily, l have never pre-judged anyone, but l seem to be able to read their thoughts before they get chance to sometimes say or do stuff, its kind of freaking me out a bit.
I have always seen shadows, we have loads of them in the house, my daughter has a shadow cat that follows her every where, one of her teachers at school, got real freaked out, when she asked my daughter if she could see what she could see, it made the teacher very tearfull, and she had to take the remainder of her day off. I used to think l saw them mostly when l was depressed, but l am no longer in that state of mind.
Can you or anyone else help me out, l dont mind being called a White Witch, but how do l find out more information about it. Why have the shadows picked me?
Smile

Joined : 30 Oct 2007 Posts : 7

Hi Angel
well your friends may have their own ideas as to what a "white witch" is, as the gifts you discribe are usually attributed to psychics and clairvoyants more than actual witches, although someone can easily be both. Being a witch is more of a choice we make about the path that we will follow and the beliefs we will hold, a religion for want of a better word, where as having a sixth sense is usually beyond your control and is something you will have been born with this includes the shadows you see which i believe you're seeing the physical and spiritual realms simultaeously. if you want help to develope your gift contact you local spiritualist church and they will usually be able to place you with a circle (a group of people the same as you and all developing their skills). if you want to know more about being a witch your local library should have at least a couple of books on the wiccan path as well as the history of witchcraft my favorite book is "inner magic" by Ann-Marie Gallagher.
i hoped this helps you and you find your path
blessed be