So you want to become a witch?

That’s amazing! My first tip to you is to do some research. Read as much as you can! Learn all about different paths, traditions, deities, etc. Luckily, we live in a world with unlimited resources. Which can be very intimidating, I know so I’ll offer you a simple introduction, a Witchcraft 101 if you will. What is witchcraft?

The craft of the witch - magic, especially magic utilizing personal power in conjunction with the energies within stones, herbs, colors, and other natural objects. And contrary to popular, misguided belief it has nothing to do with Satanism. While Paganism is General term for followers of Wicca and other magical, shamanistic, and polytheistic Earth-based religions, not all who practice witchcraft consider themselves to be Pagan. Then, there is Wicca. Wicca as a religion was introduced by Gerald Gardener in the 1950’s. Over the years, this has broken off into new traditions. Wicca is not an ancient religion, but Gardner did incorporate some old esoteric knowledge into his original tradition, including Eastern mysticism, Kabballah, and British legend. A reminder also, that Wicca is the religion, Witchcraft is the practice. You don’t have to be Wiccan to practice Witchcraft, and you don’t have to practice Witchcraft if you’re Wiccan. What is a “path”?

Listing off all of the different paths of witchery is quite the feat, due to the ever-expanding amount of them. Very common paths include eclectic, occult, syncretic, folkloric, and reconstructed.

Examples of paths include: Eclectic – Usually personal and experiential and pulling from many different pagan paths, a sort of “melting pot” of paganism. Occult – A search for forbidden or hidden knowledge. Syncretic – A blend of pagan and (usually) non-pagan beliefs. Folkloric – Practice that is influenced by legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are cultural traditions. Reconstructed – Practice that is constructed (or reconstructed) using literature, archeology, music, etc. of a particular people using a single pantheon.

All pagan faiths fall somewhere on a spectrum of these paths. Giving you limitless possibilities.

What are some common Pagan Faiths? The following are a few of the more Widely known Pagan faiths. Most of which all share the following qualities: They are nature-based and believe in immanence. They are polytheistic. And they recognize divine femininity.

Wicca – The most recognizable pagan faith in non-pagan circles. It emerged in the 1950s and 1960s with Gerald Gardner at the helm but has evolved into a rich diaspora of faiths including Alexandrian Wicca, Dianic Wicca, Kemetic Wicca and Judeo-Paganism. Some of the major components of Wicca include rituals, ceremonial magic, and the celebration of Sabbats. Druidism – A pagan faith with a large following. It is built on practices of Celts from the Iron Age. Like Wicca, Druidism includes ceremonies (rites) and the celebration of seasonal changes. Ásatrú – Also called Heathenry, this is a modern reconstruction of Nordic/Germanic Paganism. Which includes ancestor worship, offerings (called Blots), and feasts (called sumbels). Hellenism – This faith is a reconstruction of Greek religion and practices, including the Twelve Olympian Greek gods. Hellenic practices include ceremonies and offerings. Kemetism – This faith began as a reconstruction of ancient Egyptian beliefs and practices but has evolved to include components from other African religions. The practices are too diverse to summarize here. Native American faiths – Traditional faiths practiced by Native Americans are also extremely diverse. Many share several components, including a connectivity between the natural and spiritual worlds.

So there’s a starting point for you. Learn as much as you can, find the path, faith, tradition that speaks most to you and make it your own. I hope my information was helpful and I look forward to assisting you more on your journey.

Blessed Be ~~Belladonna