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Witchcraft refers to the use of certain occult and spiritual practices to seek the assistance of the supernatural powers in resolving the problems whose solutions can not be achieved through the known rational means. The process involves reciting prayers and performing rituals in a certain specific format or craft. Prayers and rituals when performed with utmost sincerity and faith do quite often fructify into the desired results. Since there is no reasonable explanation for the manifestation of the result, they are termed miracles or magic. Witchcraft is therefore considered synonymous with magic.



Witchcraft has existed since man was born and he had to struggle for his survival against the unpredictable and unmanageable forces of nature such as famines, rains, floods, epidemics or some other occurrences at personal level which could not be easily explained. Witchcraft had all the more reason to exist in the medieval times when human knowledge was still at a rudimentary stage and there appeared no other solution to day-to-day problems that confused and befuddled the people of those times.



In their desperation to seek the desired results, some times the practitioners of the witchcraft went out of the way of prayers and resorted to certain extreme practices and rituals such as the use of blood and so on or invoking evil spirits for help. Moreover witchcraft, like every other branch of knowledge, was manipulated and misused by vested interests. A few such cases here and there gained wide spread notoriety and provided the ecclesiastic powers, which commanded influence in formulating the secular policies of the kings and rulers of those times, an excuse to brand the witches or wizards as agents of the evil or Satanic powers. Now Satan is considered the greatest enemy of the Church and therefore God. Consequently any person who was suspected to be indulging in witchcraft was hounded out and persecuted with the punishment of death through hanging or burning at stake.



Persons accused of practicing the witchcraft were labeled as heretics. Once caught, the victim was coerced into confessing his crime through inhuman tortures and was either hanged or burnt alive during the inquisition. The law against the witchcraft was further exploited by the vested interests to score personal vendetta or to snatch the property or land of victims. Some influential persons in the society, in collusion with the priests, would manage to arouse suspicions against their targets as being witches or wizards. They victims were arrested, made to confess and killed.



Witches were generally portrayed as ugly old hags so as to make them the target of dislike and hatred, but the matter of fact is that they were and still are quite normal men and women and in some case witches were and are quite pretty and presentable ladies.



The witches used scrolls for witchcraft in those times. Some of them survive even today. Besides the spells, the witches also used some herbs and animal parts to make potions to cure some diseases and heal the wounds. Potions were brewed in cauldrons in order to combine them properly. Cauldrons were often made of wood, but other materials such as stones were also used. These potions, though denigrated as superstitious, were quite efficacious in those times as they are equally efficacious now.



A widely used tool of witchcraft was a broom. The use of broom can be traced to the peasants, both men and women, who used them to fertilize their crops. They would, then, ride on the top of them as horses.



In some cases, the priests were genuinely concerned about the souls of the ‘witches’ and burnt them alive for their salvation. The case of Joan of Arc, who was later canonized as Saint Joan is one of the most glittering examples of such acts of papal fanaticism. She was branded as a heretic or a witch and burnt alive on stake.

Native American witchcraft was basically allied with the religious beliefs of the natives of the region. In fact religion and witchcraft were alike in many ways. Both the witchcraft and the religious beliefs held the nature sacred. Many of their symbols and ideas came from nature. Old religion was closer to the spirit of the Native American traditions and witchcraft.



Each region of Native America had its unique kind of witchcraft which used different kinds of amulets and charms. They had their own rituals and masks. The practitioners of witchcraft wore costumes specific to the region. They had their own carvings, totem poles and performed ceremonies according to the area where they lived. In spite of all these regional differences they all shared a sense of awareness and oneness with their land, plants and creatures of Native America.



They looked to their land for providing them the raw material for their magic and witchcraft. The material included herbs, stones, feathers and bones besides articles for preparing the medicines, tools and other instruments such as charms, costumes and masks. The witches had deep faith in the power of nature and tried to maintain a sense of unity with its invisible forces.



The witches and medicine men used several methods and tools to diagnose the ailments of the patients such as crystal rocks and using their trembling hands in a state of trance. Some times they chanted some sacred hymns while diagnosing the diseases.



The shamans, usually women, served the community by performing ceremonies to cure several diseases and ward off evil influences over the weather and the harvest. Herbs used to be an important medium of curing the sick persons.



There is also a reference to a sacred pipe which was very important symbol of witchcraft. Sacred pipe symbolized the medicine wheel and all the four directions in the same space. Pinches of tobacco along with some grains were placed in the pipe which was also used for lamenting.



Owl had a very important place in the witch craft of those days. Owl was considered a symbol of bad luck. An owl sent by a witch could not be killed.

Traditional witchcraft is a religious belief system that has been handed down to us through our traditions and conventions. Traditional witchcraft predates most of the main religions of the world. Some people claim that this knowledge originated several millennia ago, as far back as Paleolithic period.



Though the witchcrafts across the world may have some regional and social dissimilarity, one common feature that runs through the witchcrafts of all the societies is that it is an earth based religion.



Traditional witchcraft is close to what is generally called paganism which is basically the worship of nature. Witchcraft and paganism, as we all know are opposed by Christianity.



Witchcraft in Ancient Times



The mainstay of the people in ancient times was agriculture which depended upon the seasons. The seasons, in turn, were associated with the movement of Earth, Sun and Moon. The people believed in spirits and gods and goddesses and they associated them with Earth, Sun and Moon.



The agriculture year ended with the completion of harvest and sowing of new seeds for the crop in the New Year. This is the reason why Pagans and traditional witches consider Samhain as the agricultural year.



Believers in traditional witchcraft do not follow any guide book, nor do they believe in a singular god or deity. They believe in an all powerful nature. The practitioners of traditional witchcraft have their covens. They select the coven leaders on the basis of their knowledge and experience.



They believe in the existence of spirits and in the equality of all the living beings in the universe. They also, at the same time, recognize their different status. Though they believe in the existence of the deities, yet they call up only the spirits for assistance.



Witches consider that although the spirit world and the physical world are linked, yet they are separate. The only time this veil of separation between the two worlds becomes thin is on the night of Samhain.



Traditional witches use witchcraft in a very practical way. For example, they use herbs to cure the diseases. They may also use hexes and curses in certain cases.

Traditional witchcraft attaches great importance to pentagram and use it for protection, healing and magic. Pentagram itself symbolizes the basic elements such as the earth, fire, water, air and spirit.

Goddess Venus



One such goddess is Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. Her statues are found all over the world. Her pictures appear on greeting cards sent by the lovers on every possible occasion.



Venus is the Roman counterpart of Aphrodite. She was originally associated with gardens and fruitfulness, but she took all the attributes of Aphrodite later on. She loved god Vulcan. Her temple is built in the city of Lavinium where her cult is widely followed.



Venus took many incarnations As Genetrix, she was known as the mother of the Roman civilization. As Venus Victrix, she assumed the role of a warrior. As Venus Felix, she is regarded as the goddess of fortune. Julius Caesar believed that his family of Juli directly descended from Venus.



Like Aphrodite, Venus had love affairs both with several mortals and divine personalities. She procreated with Mars, the god of war. Venus is always depicted as a paragon of youth and beauty with a curvy body and knowing smile.



Yet another popular god is Herne, the god of wild hunt. He is also regarded as an aspect of Cernunnos, the Horned God. There goes a story in Berkshire, England that Herne was a hunter. He was employed by King Richard II and became his favorite. He aroused jealousy among the other men who conspired to accuse him of poaching on the King’s land. He was falsely charged with treason and declared an outcast. He was so anguished that he hung himself from an oak tree, which later became known as Herne's Oak.



According to another lore, Herne goes out hunting every night chasing the game of Windsor Forest.

Like Herne, Artemis is regarded as the Greek goddess of the hunting and childbirth. Artemis was the daughter of Zeus and the Titan Leto. Her twin brother was Apollo and like her brother, Artemis had several divine traits.



As a huntress Artemis is often portrayed as carrying a bow and a quiver full of arrows. It is an interesting paradox that while she is a huntress, she is also a protector of forests and its young creatures. She was fiercely protective of her divine virginity. She felt outraged if someone tried to violate her chastity.

Loki: Norse god of pranks and chaos



When you are at discord with your friends or when the things go out of balance, you have to seek the blessings of Loki, the Norse prankster god. Loki is considered god of tricks in Norse mythology. He is mentioned as the Prose Edda meaning a "contriver of fraud". He is also described as a member of the Odin clan.

Loki, in fact, is not a full-fledged god. He is just a demi-god. His assistance is invoked when there is a need to create trouble for other gods, men and the remaining world.

Loki can change his form and appearance as often as he likes. He can take the form of an animal or change his sex. He meddles with the affairs of other just for the fun of it. There is an anecdote that Loki once disguised himself as a milkmaid and spent eight years milking cows and nobody could find the truth about him.

Loki was married to goddess Sigyn, but he could have sex with anyone that struck his fancy. Once he disguised himself as a mare and mated with a powerful stallion. He thus mothered Odin's magical eight-legged horse Sleipnir.



Demeter, Dark Mother of the Harvest season



Demeter is the goddess of grain and harvest in Greek mythology. Her daughter Persephone attracted the eye of Hades, the god of the underworld who abducted her. Demeter became so furious that she caused the crops on the earth to die and go dormant.

She did get back her daughter but the later had eaten six pomegranate seeds. She was, therefore, cursed to stay underworld for six months of a year. This is when the earth dies, beginning at the time of the autumn equinox. It becomes green and the life begins to flow once again at Ostara.

Age of Aquarius - the ‘‘New Age’ of mankind

Astral Plane - the world of the supernatural

Autumn Equinox - one of the four lesser Sabbats

Chakra - the spiritual energy centers of the human body

Challenge - tests courage before initiation into witchcraft

Charge - commands given by the Goddess to the High Priestess

Coven - a coven is a gathering of witches

Curse - the use of supernatural power to inflict harm

Exorcism - the expulsion of demons from a possessed body

Elizabethan Age - known as an era of intellectual growth and Renaissance. Intellecual growth led to persecution of the witches and believers in the witchcraft.

Fairy Ring - a powerful site where whitches perform spells

Goddess Venus - the goddess of love and beauty

Lycanthropy - the ability of a witch to change into an animal

Oath of Wicca - a binding oath to protect Wiccan secrets

Pagan - relating to non-orthodox religion

Pentacle - the pentacle is a witchcraft symbol

Sabbat - the name given to the principle festivals

Scarab - considered as a symbol of continuation of life through rebirth. Ancient Egyptians consider the scarab beetle a sacred insect

Solo Witch - a solo witch is a witch that practices witchcraft alone

Triple Goddess - the principle female deity of witch craft

Wand - a magickal rod used to perform magick and witchcraft

Witchcraft - in Europe the term witch is described as male or female shamans

Witch Hazel - were used as divining and dowsing rods to locate water or ‘witch’ a well or find hydration.

A spell is an act of powerful and focused volition that rallies all the emotional and mental energies combined with prayers, incantations and certain ritualistic steps directed to achieve some positive goals. A spell may be in the form of a prayer, writing, speech, action, dancing, drawings or sketching. It involves a kind of magical occurrence, which does not mean any sleight of hand, esoteric mumbo jumbo or trickery that is seen every day. Magick or spell is a creative and transformative performance. It involves intense, powerful and pinpointed concentration over thoughts, intentions, emotions and incarnating them into reality. The altruistic aim is to bring about a health, happy and useful change in the life of the seeker.



In casting a spell, a witch takes a huge responsibility upon herself, because as a Wicca she knows the basic tenet of witchcraft, which is, that what you do or send comes back three fold to you. A constant meditation, practice, worship and performance of rituals permeate the very psyche of the witch with that magical spell that is reflected through her persona, her physiognomy, especially her eyes and her voice. There were wise women in ancient cultures and there are many even now who are honored and respected for their service to the community through spell casting, healing, counseling, mentoring and providing succor to the suffering.

A novice in spell casting needs guidance, both verbal and written, in performing the rituals. Once you have gained sufficient experience and success, you can devise your own system. Initially the pre-written rituals may appear awesome and intimidating.



The preliminary step in casting a spell is to draw a circle. This is a sacred space, a special zone between the two worlds, an area that is prohibited against the entry of unwanted elements. It serves as your exclusive energy field. You need to clean and purify it thoroughly by sweeping it and burning incense to create the necessary spiritual ambience.



One way of protecting the circle from unwanted or elements or evil energies is to build watchtowers, corner posts or quarters around the circle to guard against the transgressors into the sacred domain.

Having prepared the temple, it is time to install or invoke the spirit, the deity, the god or the goddess. You can usually invoke those deities, which represent the energies that you want to permeate your rituals. There are various pantheons, which you can research to locate the deities to preside and energize your ritual.

Since you have a specific goal for your spell, you need to raise the relevant energy for casting it. It is this energy that empowers and drives your spell. Concentrating upon a candle flame, dancing or chanting some incantations can raise the energy.



Now that the energy has been raised, you can use it to cast the specific spell. Having done that you must express your gratitude to the deity through worship or celebration of his assistance in your cause.

The task having been performed, the energy raised has to be grounded back. Usually the total quantum of energy raised is spent in casting the spell, but some may remain unutilized. Release the remaining energy into the earth. You can visualize the dispersal of energy making its way through the earth.



You also need to thank the deities for guarding your circle through the watchtowers or quarters. Dismantle the towers that you set up around your circle.



Finally, you should release your circle as well. This will restore the space its original natural character to be used for routine and workaday activities.



Now you can celebrate the occasion by eating cake and drinking ale, which is another way of saying that you can take the food. This also means that you have returned to your day-to-day world.



These are just guiding posts and need not necessarily be followed as such. You have to be creative in devising the steps in consonance with the nature of spell and your goals.