WITCHCRAFT:

1) a family of Pagan magico-religious traditions deriving from pre-Christian Europe.

2) European-diasporic folk Magick.

3) Sometimes used by Wiccans as a synonym for Wicca.

4) the practice of Magick.

5) the craft used by Witches, which is Magick. Especially, that utilizing personal power with the energies of natural objects.

(See also: WITCHCRAFT, Witchcraft, Wicca, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

Witchcraft: Among modern practitioners Witchcraft can be defined as the practice of magick and Paganism as it relates to pre-Christian European Paganism. The arts of Witchcraft include herbalism, divination, magick, ceremonial ritual, healing, potions, and spirit-world contact (familiars, elementals, etc.). Witchcraft, as depicted by the Church during the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods, is considered by many modern Witches to be a deliberate distortion of the facts.

(See also: Witchcraft, Magic, Shamanism, Paganism, Wicca)

Witchcraft:

From “wiccecraeft,” the craft of being a witch. Notice that “craft” has no specifically religious connotation.

(See also: Witchcraft, Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

CEREMONIAL WITCHCRAFT: A  tradition of Witchcraft with an emphasis on Egyptian and/or Qabbalistic  Ceremonial Magick.

(See also: CEREMONIAL WITCHCRAFT, Pagan Organisations, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary, Wicca, )

HEREDITARY WITCHCRAFT:  An unbroken family tradition, passed down through the generations by their ancestors from the ancient Pagan Mysteries; many Hereditary Witches do not consider their traditions Wiccan; some others have admitted that they only began using the term Wicca to describe their family traditions because what they'd read about Gardnerian beliefs and practices fit more or less closely with their own beliefs and practices. Hereditaries are also often referred to as FamTrad, or Family Traditionalists - a Tradition passed down within the family and hence by hereditary descent.

(See also: HEREDITARY WITCHCRAFT, Pagan Organisations, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary, Wicca, )

KITCHEN WITCHCRAFT: A tradition of Witchcraft with an emphasis on the practical side of religion, magick, the Earth, and elements.  Much of the tradition is very similar to Stregheria (Strega) and practitioners work out of hearth and home, using only what they would have on hand for daily routines to perform rituals and spells. The home is sacred to a Kitchen Witch and cooking and herb magick play a fundamental part in their practice. Kitchen Witchery is a way of including Witchcraft beliefs into everyday life.

(See also: KITCHEN WITCHCRAFT, Pagan Organisations, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary, Wicca, )

NATURAL WITCHCRAFT: Witches who practice some forms of witchcraft adeptly without formal training or study, likely due to training received in past lifetimes are Natural witches. Many of these witches become Witches later in life and engage in the pursuit of  formal training, religious instruction and expansion of areas of skill, however some choose to remain practicing Natural witchcraft and do not adhere to any pagan religion.

(See also: NATURAL WITCHCRAFT, Pagan Organisations, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary, Wicca, )

WITCHCRAFT: The craft, or magickal arts and practices, of witches; as with witch, and Witch, the lower-case or upper-case letter indicates witchcraft as a practice outside of (lower-case), or as an intrinsic part of (upper-case), a religious belief or practice.

(See also: WITCHCRAFT, Pagan Organisations, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary, Wicca, )

TRADITIONAL WITCHCRAFT:

Hereditary or traditional Witchcraft or Wicca, which includes the Gardnerian and Alexandrian Traditions and their branches and offshoots via Gerald Gardner and/or Alex Sanders;

Sometimes used to distinguish Traditions that claim initiatory descent from hereditary or traditional Witchcraft via persons other than Gerald Gardner or Alex Sanders; distinct from Wiccan practice.

Sometimes used to refer to any Tradition that follows a specific body of rites and practices - including admittedly modern revived or reconstructed Traditions, especially ones that focus on a particular ethnic or cultural background - in order to distinguish between "Traditional" and "Eclectic" Witchcraft.

(See also: TRADITIONAL WITCHCRAFT, Pagan Organisations, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary, Wicca, )

HEDGE WITCHCRAFT: A non-initiated solitary practice of Witchcraft that focuses on the traditional European, especially British Isles, role of Witch as healer, midwife and seer for a community. Highly intuitive, Hedge Witchcraft emphasizes the practical role of magick in daily living over the religious doctrine and it is acceptable for Hedge Witches to be self taught and eclectic in the spiritual aspects of their faith.

(See also: HEDGE WITCHCRAFT, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

KITCHEN WITCHCRAFT: A tradition of Witchcraft with an emphasis on the practical side of religion, magick, the Earth, and elements. Much of the tradition is very similar to Stregheria (Strega) and practitioners work out of hearth and home, using only what they would have on hand for daily routines to perform rituals and spells. The home is sacred to a Kitchen Witch and cooking and herb magick play a fundamental part in their practice. Kitchen Witchery is a way of including Witchcraft beliefs into everyday life.

(See also: KITCHEN WITCHCRAFT, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

PICTISH WITCHCRAFT: The study and practice of the religion of the Picts, the pre-Celtic inhabitants of northern Scotland. Pecti-Wita is concerned with all aspects of prosperity, growth, abundance, creativity, and healing, and honors the Celtic Dieties. The main tools in Pecti-Wita are the Staff and the Athame or Dirk. Pecti-Witans use a "Keek-Stane" which is, in effect, a scrying stone or the equivalent of a crystal ball. Also known as Pecti-Wita, Wita.

(See also: PICTISH WITCHCRAFT, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

CEREMONIAL WITCHCRAFT: A tradition of Witchcraft with an emphasis on Egyptian and/or Qabbalistic Ceremonial Magick.

(See also: CEREMONIAL WITCHCRAFT, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

HEREDITARY WITCHCRAFT: A Tradition passed down within the family in an unbroken line and hence by hereditary descent. Many Family Tradition Witches do not consider their traditions Wiccan; some use the term Wicca to describe their family traditions because the beliefs and practices fit more or less closely with Gardnerian or Alexandrian Wicca. Also known as Hereditary Witchcraft. Hereditaries are also often referred to as FamTrad, or Family Traditionalists.

(See also: HEREDITARY WITCHCRAFT, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

TRADITIONAL WITCHCRAFT:

Hereditary or traditional Witchcraft or Wicca, which includes the Gardnerian and Alexandrian Traditions and their branches and offshoots via Gerald Gardner and/or Alex Sanders;

 A Witchcraft tradition that claims initiatory or hereditary descent through a familial or other line;

 Any Witchcraft Tradition that follows a specific body of rites and practices collectively as distinguished from solitary eclectic Witchcraft or Wicca practitioners.

(See also: TRADITIONAL WITCHCRAFT, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

Alexandrian Witchcraft:

A variety of Gardnerian Witchcraft founded by British magician Alex Sanders.

(See also: Alexandrian Witchcraft, Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

Anthropologic Witchcraft:

Anything called “witchcraft” by an anthropologist, usually referring to (a) the practices of independent (real or supposed) magic users who are suspected of at least sometimes using their magic outside of their society’s accepted cultural norms, and/or (b) a perceived state, often involuntary, of being a monster who can curse people with the “evil eye.” Definition (a) is what the word “wicce” probably originally referred to, annoying as that may be to modern Wiccans.

(See also: Anthropologic Witchcraft, Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

Classic Witchcraft:

The practices of the persons often called “witches” (if seldom to their faces) in pre-medieval Europe, to wit: midwifery; healing with magic, herbs and other folk remedies; providing abortions, love potions and poisons; divination; casting curses and blessings, etc. A Classic Witch’s religion may well have been irrelevant to his or her techniques. After the monotheistic conquests, most survivors were — at least officially — Christians (or Moslems in Spain and Portugal). Some may have retained a certain amount of pre-Christian/Islamic magical and religious tradition. Classic Witches have continued to exist to this very day, in ever dwindling numbers, mostly in the remotest villages and among the Romany or other Traveling Peoples.

(See also: Classic Witchcraft, Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

Dianic Witchcraft:

(1) A postulated medieval cult of Diana and/or Dianus worshipers.

(2) Term used by some henotheistic Neopagan Witches to refer to their concentration on the Goddess.

(3) Term used by some Feminist separatist Witches to describe their practices and beliefs.

(See also: Dianic Witchcraft, Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

Ethnic Witchcraft:

The practices of various non-English-speaking people who use magic, religion and alternative healing methods in their own communities, and who are called “witches” by English speakers who don’t know any better.

(See also: Ethnic Witchcraft, Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)