Witchcraft FAQ

Witchcraft in itself is not a religion, but rather a lifestyle that charters harmony with nature and use of magick for the good of mankind. Witchcraft formally recognizes no deity, and therefore can be incorporated into any religion. For a more detailed page on the differences of Witchcraft and Wicca visits Lady Ashlynn's Witchcraft and Wicca are they really the same thing?

Wicca, unlike Witchcraft, is a religion that recognizes a Deity, the God and Goddess. Wicca is a pagan, nature-based religion, comprised on some Craft lore, Ceremonial Magick, and other spiritual principles collected together. Wicca conveys harmony with nature, betterment of self and other and communion with the God and Goddess (the deities recognized in Wicca). Again, see Witchcraft and Wicca are they really the same thing?

Witches cannot be Satan worshipers because they do not believe in Satan, and one cannot worship what one does not believe is real. Satan is a Judeo-Christian deity, and hold no position in Witchcraft (unless the Craft is paired with Christian beliefs).

The Pentacle (which is a equal five-pointed star, pentagram, in a circle) is not a Satanic symbol when it is upright, with a point at the top center. It is a symbol of equality of the Elements of Spirit(top), Water(upper left), Fire(lower left), Earth(lower right), and Air(upper right). The circle represents the universe, showing that all within the universe is made up of one of these Elements or a combination of them. Satanists take the Pentacle and invert it , so that Fire, the Element commonly associated with Satan and destruction, and Earth, the Element associated with material wealth, are at the top, while Spirit is at the bottom, symbolically inferior. Some Satanist use an upright but uneven Pentacle, where the point of Spirit is made smaller and the lower points of Fire and Earth are made proportionally larger, again showing Spirit as less important than Fire or Earth. This uneven Pentacle also leaves Fire and Earth on the bottom, which mirrors Satan's location (not rank) of being below, when compared to Heaven and God. One will never find a true witch using an unequal Pentacle, and rarely an inverted one (and when it is inverted it is used under a entirely different meaning).

No. Again, Witchcraft is not a religion, and therefore may even be combined with Christianity. Most witches, however, are not Christian for it is Christians who persecute witches most. Therefore, the majority are not Christian and those that are usually keep it hidden from others in their religion for fear of persecution.

Witches honor and respect all life forms, and blood sacrifices are not part of the practice of Witchcraft. Other magickal systems may promote blood sacrifice, but witches take part in no such rituals.

Yes, witches cast spells, and they often work. Spell casting is not the dazzling light show portrayed in movies and TV programming. Rather it is the use of the mind to give a purpose to the natural energies that surround us. Spells are the name given to thoughts that direct energy for a specific purpose, and therefore prayer is also a spell. It is energy sent out to complete a purpose (even if it goes through a Deity). To ask if spells work is to also ask if prayer works.

Magick is a tool, it is neither good nor evil. Like a tool it is the purpose of the user behind the tool that dictates the intent the tool is to be used for. Guns, for example, do not kill people out of hate, anger, or sport. It is the person holding the gun that makes that gun seem evil, when it is truly the wielder that harbors the evil. The same goes for Magick, it can be used positively or it can be used negatively, and neither potential makes it either good or evil.

What is possible that is not within nature? Magick is not supernatural, it uses the natural energies that are within all things and around all things. If it was not within nature it could not be done!

Witchcraft is not a form of a cult, which is defined as:
1: formal religious veneration: Worship
2: a system of religious beliefs and ritual
3: a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious
4: followers of a religion based on the dogma set forth by a leader or small group of leaders
All of the definitions show that a cult is a religious body, and Witchcraft is not a religion. The Craft has no one leader and has no religious doctrine that supports a specific God or Goddess. It is not spurious, for the Craft has origins of over 20,000 years, which most certainly indicates that Witchcraft is not a fad.

The stereotypical witch from the media is far from accurate. They do not have big noses, ride brooms, have pointed hats, etc. Witches look just like everyone else. The fact is they are all around, and it is hard to identify them because they in no way look out of the ordinary. Many witches go out of the way to look "normal" in order to avoid persecution and discrimination.

The term witch is not gender specific, it is used to describe both the male and female practitioners of Witchcraft. Witchcraft puts no boundaries on gender, the males and females of the Craft are biologically equal. While one may, of course, surpass another in skill and practice, male and female capabilities hold equal ground. It is within the popular religious systems that gender separation is found.

There are erroneous connotations within the terms "black" and "white," which imply good and evil. To ask if one is a "good" witch or a "bad" witch is to ask if one is a "good" Catholic or a "bad" Catholic. There are good and bad people in all walks of life, and neither Witchcraft nor Christianity nor Hinduism is exempt. And to tell them apart is but to be able to tell any good person from bad person. Some are deceiving in their actions and would lead you to believe that they are good in nature, and so it is with the Craft as with all paths.

Witches understand the law of cause and effect; if you break the law you go to jail, if you kick a dog you are going to get bit. Witches understand that their actions are their own and no one else is to blame for the consequences. Also may live by the principle of "recoil" that is present in all the energy patterns of our universe: "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." Hence, whatever energies, be they positive or negative, are in some fashion returned equally. Wiccans hold two similar laws, the Rede and the Three Fold Law. The Rede states, "An ye harm none, Do as ye will." To live by this principle is to never intentionally harm another life form, including one's self. The Three-fold Law states that whatever energies one puts out is returned three-fold. This is an exaggeration of the "recoil" principle, but still compels one to put out positive energies instead of negative.

Some believe their power great enough to evade or prevent their energies from returning to them. But how does one so obviously small in the vast universe believe themselves capable of opposing the universe? Some do not care what happens to them. Whatever their reasons their energies will be delivered back to them. To attempt to fight the entire universe is foolhardy. For diverted energy only "loops back around" to join with the further incoming energy, and eventually the amount will be too great to be diverted.

Witches are in general largely accepting of sexuality. Sex is not seen as sinful for it is natural. This does not imply that witches promote foolish sex without love or protection, only that it is not viewed as wrong to display love and affection through physical contact. The myth of large orgy sessions among witches derives from their openness to sexuality, but is not true. Heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual are all generally accepted within the Craft, for showing love is a good thing, and to say love can only be shown to one gender is viewed negatively.

Witches do not actively recruit people, they allow others to find their own paths. Should one happen upon a witch and wish to learn more about the Craft, the witch will most likely educate that individual, but it is entirely up to the person to find the witch and ask questions. Should the person decide they wish to learn more, it is then on them to begin reading and investigating further, and the relationship may develop as teacher and student. Witches do not attempt to convert people.

There are countless resources on learning more about Witchcraft and Pagan religions. Information can be found on the internet, in Craft news letters, and a vast selection of literature. IRC servers have many Craft related channels in which witches, pagans, and philosophers meet to discuss ideas and beliefs. One needs only to look. A bibliography can be found here with a large list of books on the Craft and related topics.

A witch is a person who attempts to live in harmony with nature and its surrounding energies, by using actions, magick, and sound judgment to the betterment of others. Witches are usually generous, kind, and affectionate people willing to help one in need. They are everywhere working to aid mankind and the planet.