The true origins (meaning not the popular notions) of Witchcraft date back to the beginnings of man, and his observations of the world around him. He noted the inherent patterns in the world, night follows day and day follows night yet again. Some understand the shifting patterns in nature as the "spiral dance," ever repeating, yet always changing. "The dance of the double spiral, of whirling into being, and whirling out again... Life and death [are] a continuous stream... The spiral dance was seen also in the sky: in the moon, who monthly dies and is reborn; in the sun, whose waxing light brings summer's warmth, and whose waning brings the chill of winter." (Starhawk, 17)

With the recognition of the Earth's spiral patterns also came the fear off the unknown. Night followed day and day followed night, but what if it were not always so? Superstition began to form at the occurence of an "abnormal" phenomenon. For example, a thundering storm approaches and man knows not the cause of this storm. And from this understanding of other forces came the acknowledgement of higher beings, able to do what man could not. A higher power than humanity. An acknowledgment of Gods. (Note: "Gods" here should be understood as entities powerful enough to control weather, not an actual specifically recognized deity.)

These are the origins of Witchcraft and Magick. What better way to appease an angry storm God than through honor and respect?

As villages and cities progressed, so did the art of Witchcraft. Tribe Shaman lead hunts, and through communion with the natural forces around them, animals willingly sacrificed their lives for the survival of the tribe, other beings of nature. The people began developing ways of foretelling the unknown future and therefore suppressing the fear that it brought. At first it was simple methods, such as reading dust trails left by the wind. But other systems soon began to evolve, as patterns and energy was further understood. (This progression can be noted in the Mother Goose "nursery" rhymes. Patterns of nature are shown to foretell the polarity of forthcoming energies: positive/negative, goodluck/badluck, and so on.)

The Craft became an art based on working with natural energies and natural tools to benifit life. Magick developed from observation of nature and reasoning through natural patterns. Magick is a rational and reasoned working, not a cluster of superstition and spiritual hallucinations. For example, to wear the claws of a bear (which are capable of tearing a man's flesh to tatters) was to take on the strengths and virtues of the bear. (Just as by wearing a crusifix, one is more protected from temptation.)

Acknowledgement of higher powers than self occupies many levels. Ancestors within the Craft are revered, for we are largely based on what our ancestors learned and passed on. The reverence of ancestors is found in all cultures, depicted by burial rights and sacred burial grounds, from those of the Native Americans to the consecrated cemeteries that rest beside Churches. Witchcraft in itself recognizes no specific deity, and ancestors are not treated nor thought of as Gods themselves, but they are honored out of thanksgiving and appreciation of the skills and knowledge they passed on. (As for Paganism in general, which is a cluster of religions, observation of nature showed that life sprung from females, and therefore it stood to reason that the Creator was also female.)

The recognition of acquired traits is also seen in the reverence of ancestors. Traditionally, the witch would pick a certain ancestor (their Guardians) and honor that ancestor by learning the life and traits of that person, and therefore gaining that person's merits. (Guardians are the witches spiritual companion and protectors.)

Science began to develop more rapidly as a result of the Witchcraft. Scientists and crafters alike began to investigate deeper into the reasons behind the magick. Note: some of what was once considered magick is no longer considered magick, for example, magnetism! One such "magick" technique was to rub morning dew from a Hawthorne tree on a maidens skin to keep her handsome. Science investigated this and found that the leaves of the tree contain an astringent. The dew, by sitting on the leaves all night, acts as a medium and transfers the chemical to the maiden, reducing wrinkles and tightening the flesh over the muscle. Science is developed from the observation factors of the art of Witchcraft, and takes the art to more detail. (Today science dismisses magick as superstition and fantasy... so obviously magnetism is superstition too! Truthfully, magick makes people afraid because science has as yet been unable to label it.)

Furthermore, not only did science evolve from the Craft, but so did other magickal and spiritual systems, including Shamanism, Ceremonial Magick, even Christianity.

What is now called the Christian religion,
has existed among the ancients, and was not absent
from the beginning of the human race.
~St. Augustine

Many wonder at all this and where the fear of Witchcraft came in. Witches were noted to be able to manipulate a situation better, usually not through use of magick, but simply more understanding of human nature and more detailed observation. Magick was assumed to be the cause, however. Manipulation equals power, and power causes fear of the individual with power. The morality of the magick became obsolete, it no longer mattered that it was used to promote life.

From the fear came persecution. In the predominantly Christian society, Witchcraft is largely blown out of proportion with regards to magick. Magick is only one-tenth of a witches life, the primary focus is not magick, but harmony with nature and the environment, both internal and external. Because magick is the most mysterious part of the witches life, it is also the most notorious and feared. The daily parts of a witches life are omitted: working, sleeping, eating, loving, raising children, ect. The ordinary, common sense, workday world is made to seem secondary, when it is in fact the magickal practices that are secondary. It is all sacrificed in favor of a more "intriguing" subject. Consequently, by giving undue attention to what outsiders see as superstitious or supernatural (to what they regard as curious and unorthodox) a distorted portrait is painted: one in which magick and mysticism take up a far greater portion of life that is true. It is the fallacious myths surrounding magick, (and hence linked to witchcraft which is by far not the only magickal system,) that is the basis for stereotypes and persecution.

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