Witchcraft 101: What is Witchcraft Anyway?

To kick off our Witchcraft 101 series, I'm going to take us back to the absolute basics. I know there are a lot of good books and blogs out there that offer wonderful definitions of what Witchcraft is, and what it isn't, but I wouldn't be a very good 101 teacher if I started off with slightly advanced work, without laying out the ground knowledge first. So here we go!

What Witchcraft Is:

Witchcraft is a nature based religion. We worship a God and a Goddess, who can go by many different names.

Witchcraft is a healing religion. Most people who find the path to Witchcraft, through positive forces, are natural healers. We help heal each other and the world.

Witchcraft is taking control of the subtle energies that surround us to make our lives and the lives around us better.

Witchcraft is a diverse religion. There is no one right way, and no one wrong way, to go about practicing the craft. 

Witchcraft is a life affirming religion. We accept all forms of life, human, animal, plant, etc., and we also accept all forms of love. We do not discriminate based on sex, age, race, or sexual orientation.

What Witchcraft Is Not:

Witchcraft is not devil worship. While there are some darker forms of witchcraft that involve things like that, this blog focuses only on Paganism and Wicca, and in those two religions, to quote a pretty amazing movie witch, "There is no devil in the craft." Satan is a purely Christian concept. While there are amazing Christian witches out there, in Wicca and Paganism, there is no such thing as Satan/the devil. This is not to say that there is no evil in the world. You would have to be blind and naive to think there is no evil in the world, but we will reserve that conversation for another post.

Witchcraft is not about hexes and curses. On this blog, I will teach about curses and darker forms of magick, but only because I believe you have to understand how curses work, and you have to understand how a curse is brought together, to be able to combat it. However, the forms of Witchcraft I teach are meant to help, not harm. Most modern witches are of the same belief; help, not harm.

Witchcraft is not about animal sacrifice. In Wicca and Paganism, all forms of life are considered sacred. Most modern witches are proud pet parents. We would never consider harming our babies.

Witchcraft is not an exclusionary religion. We do not believe that anyone can set limits on how someone loves, who someone loves, or how someone worships. All people are welcome in the craft, no matter what that person's life story is.

What Does All of This Mean?

Well, in a nutshell, this means that Witchcraft is not what most people think it is. It is an open, and accepting religion that isn't going to condemn you for living differently than societies standards. It isn't an evil religion that will cause you to lose your soul, nor do we even ask you to barter with your soul. A soul is one of the most valuable assets you hold, and you should never, ever gamble with it. You were born with a moral compass, and if you are in tune with it enough, you will know what seems correct. Over the next few days, I'll be discussing things like ethics, worship, religious practices, and deeper beliefs. I hope you'll stick around!

Have questions? Been on the path long enough to know this stuff, but need help with more day to day, or even deeper stuff? Send an email to naturallywitchy@gmail.com with the subject line "Ask Luna" and ask away! Please let me know in your email whether it is okay for me to feature your question here on the blog or not. Even if you would rather just keep your question between you and me, I'll be more than happy to help answer questions!