Three Differences Between Contemporary Witchcraft and Traditional Witchcraft
Three Differences Between Contemporary Witchcraft and Traditional Witchcraft
Traditional Witchcraft is the practice of ancient and native folk beliefs, and the spiritual and magickal practices, of Europe and those of European decent.
Contemporary Witchcraft is blends these practises and beliefs with modern traditions and other religious or spiritual systems, typically neo-paganism.
Traditional Witchcraft is more group oriented than its Contemporary “younger half-sister”, which tends to cater to solitary practitioners.
The practice of natural medicine, folk medicine, and spiritual healing is common in both, however a contemporary witch may also practice New Age and modern alternate healing practises.
Gathering in the City
Gathering in the City
So you live in the city and/or an apartment eh? Don’t despair!
It is harder to walk a nature path if you live in an urban area, or in an apartment, but there are options available to you. Waiting for the once a year chance to go to a campground takes a lot of patience. Let us also not forget most parks and campgrounds are nature reserves, national parks and the like, meaning you cannot gather there, not even ONE stick! If you are in the city, you will have to get quite creative in looking for places to gather or practice wort cunning and wildcrafting. Here are a few suggestions:
- Vacant lots. Do check for “No Trespassing” signs first!
- Ditches. I know, icky, but you will be amazed at what you can find growing in a ditch. Looking out the window of my RV, I see sunflowers & tansy growing tall in the ditch across the street, and that is just at first glance.
- Schoolyards, playgrounds, neighborhood parks. Some cities do not mind a certain amount of picking in such places, so check local bylaws.
- Do you have family or friends who hate to work… Continue reading
Some differences between Traditional, and Contemporary, Witchcraft and Wicca
Some differences between Traditional, and Contemporary, Witchcraft and Wicca
The Wiccan Rede is not used in Witchcraft.
There is no Threefold Law, though there is something like the concept of the Law of Return or the Law of Attraction.
Knives and such are NOT used during any invocations or summonings. Why would you hold a weapon in your hand when inviting someone or something to your ritual?
Circles in the Wiccan or Ceremonial sense are not cast.
Witches do not create sacred space as in Wicca. Witches believe that all space is sacred; as such they acknowledge the sacredness of a space, and the spirits that reside there. Some different methods are used such as Compass Round, Digging the Bloody Acre, Laying or Raising the Hedge.
There is no Lord or Lady in the Wiccan sense. Witches know and understand that some deities are archetypes, some are part of some greater universal spirit, and others are separate individuals in their own right. Some are older, some are younger, and some are “stronger”. A few are primal (going back to creation, or being a part of creation). Some gods may have once been ancestral heroes as well. While sometimes other spirits… Continue reading
Why do I have to meditate?
Why do I have to meditate?
Why Meditate?
I know, I know. Meditating can be very difficult. Meditation takes time, at least a half-hour a week, better an hour a day! With the busy schedules people have today, especially if you have a family, finding time can be very difficult. Then once you do find the time, that’s when the neighbor decides to mow his lawn, or the dog starts barking, or the phone rings because you forgot to turn the ringer off. Finding QUIET time is even harder than finding any time at all. Finding the right music to play, heck deciding whether or not to play music at all, can be frustrating. The positions are awkward and sometimes downright painful, especially if you are a slouch. And meditation is HARD. You just can’t get good at it the first few times, period. It takes practice and patience and work. In a culture where people leave their TVs on at night; many of us have become uncomfortable with the sound of our own minds. I have met people who are afraid to try meditation because they are literally afraid of their own mind and what they might THINK. Meditation… Continue reading
To Fly By Night
Hoofprints in the Wildwood
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