Witchcraft
Let's begin with what isn't witchcraft.....
Many people only are aware of witches from tv and movies. And I can promise you that there is a BIG difference between fiction and reality. We don't fly around on broomsticks, we aren't fighting demons, and we don't hold amazing movie powers. If we did, everyone would be witches for one, and two I'd definitely be rich and certain presidents would not have been....
If you are expecting to have movie-type powers, you are going to be disappointed. Magick is amazing and powerful but it is still grounded in reality.
Witchcraft is also simply a practice, everyone can be a witch. There is sometimes this silly idea that one is born a witch or came from a long family of witches. That is all movie fiction as well. It is a craft, anyone can practice witchcraft.
And as with any type of craft, there are those who have a natural inherent talent and those who have to work really hard. Drawing for example, some can pick up a pencil and suddenly draw a masterpiece, others need to take classes and struggle and practice really hard to make something decent. Most people fall in between. For most people, you need to put time and effort into it, practice your practice!
What is witchcraft?
Ask a thousand different witches this question and get a thousand different answers!
The question isn't that simple as it seems.
Witchcraft is a practice that many different paths claim and approach differently. There is no set dogma, rules, beliefs, or structure for witchcraft as a whole. Witchcraft can differ greatly based on the path, group, or individual witch.
Witchcraft is not a religion but a practice, a CRAFT. You can be any religion or claim no religion and still be a witch and practice witchcraft.
Are all pagans witches? No.
Are all witches pagan? No.
Wicca is also not the same as witchcraft. This is a huge misconception and many people do use the term interchangeably, but this is incorrect! Wicca is a religion that does include the practice of witchcraft as part of its religious practice.
All Wiccans are witches, but not all witches are Wiccan.
I myself, am a witch but I am not Wiccan.
What binds all of witchcraft together is the practice and belief in magick.
That still doesn't exactly clarify things because the term magic can also have many different definitions and individual meanings depending on the path & individual.
The dictionary definition of magic:
noun- "the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces."
adjetive - "used in magic or working by magic, having or apparently having supernatural powers."
verb - "move, change, or create by or as if by magic."
Definition of supernatural:
"(of a manifestation or event) attributed to some force beyond sceintific understanding or the laws of nature"
to move, change or create
My definition of magic would be to manifest, create, direct, or inspire a change be it physical, mental, emotional, or worldly using intent and one or more sources: energy, ritual, tools, spirits, ancestors, Earth, the universe/stars/zodiac, or deity.
At the heart and soul of magic, it is all about using intent to manifest something.
That in itself is the definition of a witch. A person, who practices magick.
A witch is a person who manifests, creates, directs, or inspires a change; be it physical, mental, emotional, or worldly using intent and one or more sources: energy, ritual, tools, spirits, ancestors, Earth, the universe/stars/zodiac, or deity.
That is a pretty vast definition because it can cover so many different styles and ideas within the craft. I am going to attempt to break this down further so you can have a better understanding.
Part One:
First, let's discuss the elephant in the room, is there a right answer & a wrong answer?
This answer is not so black and white. I think that in many ways there are correct answers and wrong answers.
If you believe that you can chant a spell and physically grow wings and jump off the tallest building and physically fly like a bird.... you will fall to the ground and die. It doesn't matter how much faith you have in it.
But let's discuss the afterlife. No one 100% has a scientific answer for what happens if anything. We can only say what makes sense to us and what feels correct. I could be correct and everyone else with a different idea be wrong, or vice versa. Or we could all be right individually or all partially right in some way.
A blending of different views. Viewpoint is a funny thing. Our eyesight is a wonder, you and I could both be looking at the exact same scene from the same location and still see things differently. From what our individual minds choose to pick up on and notice, to what it chooses to remove and skip over (which it truly does this!), to the perception of time even! How generally men can't see all ranges of color as well as women can. No two people are ever truly looking at the exact same picture!
Or we can even discuss this concept as different languages. There is no correct language or word for something. All language was just created by humans.
If I say "this is an apple" and someone speaking french says "Ceci est une pomme"
We are both still discussing the same piece of fruit.
Perhaps it is the same way. We are all talking about the same thing but using different words and having a slightly different view of it?
I definitely have my unique view that I feel is correct. But instead of going "THIS is the correct way! Rawr!" I think it is better to say, "This is the correct way for me, this is my truth"
As long as no one is being harmed, to each their own.
Part Two:
Where does the magick come from?
I think this is where we begin to differ as witches first and foremost. As I explained in my definition, magick can come from:
energy, ritual, tools, spirits, ancestors, Earth, the universe/stars/zodiac, or deity.
Some witches may feel that magick comes from one of these single sources, and another witch may feel it can come from multiple or even all.
For example, I have known many witches who believe magick and spells are just petitions to the spirits, ancestors, gods. You are merely asking them and they grant it or not depending on many different things. That is far different from what I believe which is that the magick comes directly from within me & I am creating it. (see part one on how things can differ)
I would definitely suggest figuring this out first before you begin practicing magick.
Energy: this can mean different things as well. I see it as the connectivity between and within all things. It is life, the spark, the Goddess, motion and action, the pull. The unseen force that connects all things.
Ritual: Some view magick needs ritual to work, specific actions to be created.
Tools: The use of specific items or that the energy/magick comes from the items themselves
Spirits: This can be anything other worldly, such as fae, mythological creatures, shadow beings, demons, angels, guides, elements, etc....
Ancestors: Some believe their past relatives can aid them
Earth: nature
The universe/stars/zodiac: either through astrological correspondences or energy
Deity: the gods if you believe in them
There are other things as well but I believe they would fall under these categories in some way.
Part Three:
How they go about practicing....
The ways a witch works magic can be just as vastly unique.
The "flavor" of ritual can depend on the individual witches' path, religion, teachings, beliefs, culture, etc... These rituals usually call upon symbols, superstitions, talismans, energy, positive thinking, meditation, deities, spirits, elements, tools, etc...
All a witch needs is themself. Their body, intent, and energy. But ritual, tools, spells, outside energies, symbols, etc... can all add to their magic to ease the work and enrich it.
One way to look at it is, you can tell someone simply "I love you", and that is all you truly need to do and at times that is absolutely perfect in every way! But other times surprising someone with their favorite meal, a gift, a massage or hot bath filled with flower petals, etc... really amazes them, makes them feel loved and special. And at other times just a simple hug or squeeze of the hand with no words spoken can fill someone with all that same emotion. That is the heart of magick to me.
There are different needs and purposes for specific things and moments. And just like everyone has their own unique "love language" that which speaks to you and makes you feel loved the most, so do witches have their own unique path to making magick!
There are lots of different types of witchcraft paths. It can be a spectrum where the lines may blur and mix together between the different styles but the intent is still there at the core.
On one end you have more folk magic, green witchery, hearth/kitchen witchery. This style of witchcraft is often much more loose and open, more based on tradition, folklore, and intuition. A theme of using what you have on hand and making use of common household items or nature is commonplace. I feel it is less of a dramatic flair, fewer rules, and order, it can be getting your hands dirty messy, more simplistic in the actual magical workings.
From there I think you have more of the eclectic witches, more of the cultural traditions, more of the loose eclectic Wiccans, candle magic, sigils, elemental, herbal, crystal magic. There is a little bit more structure to their rituals. They may be more apt to want specific tools or ritual items. This style may often resemble the first while pulling from more traditional and ceremonial sources as well.
Lastly you have more ceremonial or traditional magick which is much more elaborate. It is very specific and follows a very ritualistic format.