WitchCraft and Wicca
Is Witchcraft and Wicca the same thing? Is being a Witch the same as being Wiccan?
In todays "New Age" movement the answer to both of these questions for most is 'yes'. But if you ask someone these same questions that has practiced Witchcraft/Wicca for more than the past five to ten years, the answer you get will most likely be 'no they are not the same thing'!
So what is the difference?
Well, lets see, Wicca in and of itself is a fairly new
religion, I guess you could almost say it was started
by Gerald Gardner. There are those that will dispute this, and that is their right. (Please remember this is my path and my beliefs:)
Anyway, Gardner is one of the first that brought
Wicca back to life, or atleast brought it out of the
dark and into the light for the world to see.
Wicca
does have roots, its basic belifes, in the ancient and in Witchcraft also. But
to most that have parcticed wicca for more than a few
years they will tell you that there is a difference
between Witchcraft and Wicca. Those that are fairly
new to wicca oh say the last five to ten years new,
they probably have not learned enough to honestly know
that there is a difference between the two. And there are still many Wiccans that do not know the difference. Education is the key.
What is the difference...? Well the main difference is
that Witchcraft is a craft...a practice of
witches...magick, herbs, midwifery, spells, healing a life craft.
You say that Wicca has all that...yes it does, the big
difference is that Wicca is a way of life, it is a
RELIGION...a reverence of the Creator, of the Lady and
Lord, of nature and adheres to the Wiccan Rede...harm
none.
Witchcraft is not a religion.
In witchcraft there are no rules, so yes there is good
and bad preformed. Please remember that it is not Witchcraft that is black or white, positive or negative...it is the practitioner of the craft.
But in Wicca one has to follow the
rede and thus can not or should not harm any one or
thing unless it is to protect ones self or loved ones.
A witch can be a Wiccan, and a Wiccan is a witch, but
to practice witchcraft you do not have to follow the
religion of Wicca...is this helping or confusing you? I truly hope it is helping.
If you feel a little confused then please check out the link or click where it says to I think the FAQ page will help. This will take you to a FAQ at another site. I am trying to get permission to add it to my own page...giving credit where credit is due becasue I am a fan of the author of the FAQ you will see on her page.
You see so often on the many sites I visit there is no understanding of the difference of Wicca and Witchcraft. If you visit the link I have provided here you will also find FAQ's about:
Is A male Witch a Warlock?
Do Witches worship trees?
What makes a Witch a Witch?
And much, much more!!!
Please
to see more, but come back here and visit more too:)
Note: Most Witches/Pagans/Wiccans I know do not like titles such as witch or wiccan because it is to confining. If I have to label myself I say I was born a witch, but I choose to be a wiccan:) Personally I like the phrase solitary Practitioner:)
Blessed be
