Witchcraft VS Religion

Before we get started, I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that the stigma created around witchcraft is vastly outdated. Coming from as far back as the witch trials almost 500 years ago. Unfortunely people like to look for someone else to blame for their problems. Usually blaming the local ‘witch’ or the neighbour they dislike for putting a ‘spell’ or ‘curse’ on them.

I’m not saying spells & curses aren’t real. But what is not real, is the way witchcraft is perceived to be. What people think witchcraft is, is not what it really is.

Let’s just take a look at ‘flying on a broomstick’ for example. Now we instantly think of a witch using her magical powers to fly around the sky. But in reality, ‘flying on a broomstick’ was just the average housewife masturbating with the handle end. Although, that broomstick was smothered in mind altering herbs such as; cannabis, mugswort and nightshade mixed with butter or lard to increase the absorption of the herbs into the bloodstream. Hence the flying part as they flew off into an orgasmic bliss.

The Beer Brewers

Another theory behind ‘witches’ is that these women were actually beer brewers. They were single ladies that did not wish to be wed to a man or have children. With a big cauldron which they would use for brewing and a cat to chase a way any mice or rats that might taite their product. They even worn pointy hats so that they could easily be seen at the market place.

The theory is that men wanted to take back the beer for themselves. Putting these women in their ‘rightful’ place, at home baring children and playing housewife. Isn’t it interesting how things get misconstrued over time. Our history books are like one huge game of chinese wispers.

Male Witches

Although witches are often protrayed as women, they were not all women throughout history. Today you may hear someone refer to a male witch just as a witch or even Warlock.

Lucid tales were told and people whispered about coven’s of men and women meeting at midnight to have sexual intercourse with the Devil and wild flights. It has since been suspected that there was an onimnet used by this group that contained mercury, which could induce a sensation of flying upon someone.

Where Does Religion Come In?

When we talk about religion we are covering so many different beliefs, feeling and perceptions. As many as there are people on this planet in fact. In a way, everyone has their own religion, even if they subscribe to a religion that many others do.

This is because everyone has their own interpretation and belief system that they subscribe too. If you were to ask followers of any religion what their beliefs are, or what parts of the religion they agree or disagree with; they may each say something a little different. Subsconsciously and even sometimes consciously, many people will adopt particular things they like within their religion and ignore the thing they do not like.

When we look at the fundemental parts of every regilion, or belief in spirituality in any way. They always consist of the same things, such as; be thankful for what you have, treat people with kindness and love, be kind the earth and your surroundings.

Witchcraft is becoming increasingly popular as a ‘new’ religion, but actually it’s as old as time. You could actually look at witchcraft as a combination of many religions, old and new alike.

In particulary those that have;

1. Eastern philosophies.
2. Magical practices like alchemy.
3. Nature worship.
4. Belief that thought and emotion effect matter.

13 Everyday Activites That Are Witchcraft

1. Blowing Out Candles To Make A Wish On Your Birthday Cake.
   Each time you close your eyes and visualise your wish before blowing out your candle on your birthday cake, you are practicing witchcraft. This is a basic candle spell that has been practiced for centuries by cultures all over the world. Now you know this, you could add a little jazz to your birthday wish and pick a coloured candled related to your wish or even annote the candle before your birthday sing song. Whenever you have a birthday chances are someone made you a cake or dessert with candles in it!
2. Stargazing/Night Scrying.
   Do you ever look up at the stars at night? This is called Night Scrying. Without even knowing, you’re looking for hidden messages, meanings and even visions from the stars. The darkness of the sky helped our minds to fall into a trance like state so we can be more receptive to the energies around us. You can use night scrying for anything you seek guidance with. Some people use it to communicate with deities, guardians, guides, spirits and your highest self ancestors.
3. Cooking Meals With The Intention Of Filling Those Who Eat It With Love, Warmth, Healing, and Positivity.
   In witchcraft, intention is our most important thing and if you love cooking for people to fill them with happiness and joy, the chances are your food is graced with a garnish of magical energy. By creating something to nourish another with intention is sharing positive magical art.
4. Wishing On A Shooting Star.
   Have you ever seen a shooting star and made a wish? Visible meteor showers have the power to enhance our magic by putting our intentions out for the universe to hear you. Don’t you just love that enchanted feeling it leaves you with too!
5. Lighting Candles In Honor Of Loved Ones.
   We are often called to light a candle to honor the memory of our loced ones. This is another for of candle magic which is crossing over into necromancy by communicating with the spirit realm to let them know they are loved and missed. Many religions and cultures from all over the world use this type of ritual at memorial services.
6. Cloud Watching/Sky Scrying.
   Throughout the day, you may find yourself staring at the clouds looking at the different shapes and pictures they make. This is actually a way of practicing divination known as ‘Sky Scrying’ or ‘Ceromancy’. It is very similar to Night Scrying, but instead of stars you gaze upone the clouds for the hidden messages and meaning.
7. Burning Incense With The Intention Of Cleansing Your Space.
   Burning any kind of incense with any kind of intention is a way of practicing witchcraft and banishing negative energies. Even if you’re burning inscene to cover up a nasty smell, you are burning it with intention and removing the negative energy from your space, without realising it you’re also freeing yourself of other negative energies. Incense represent all four elements and are a powerful tool for witchcraft. Their resin comes from the earth. The plants that are used to produce the resin on the incense would of needed water to grow. We call upon fire to be able to use our incense and the smoke is a representation of air. You can add to the effect by reciting a chant or performing a spell in correspondence of your intentions.
8. Wishing On Coins In A Fountain.
   Often when you see a water fountain you’ll also see a layer of coins across the bottom where people have cast a coin into the water and made a wish. This is actually a well known basic wish spell. If you would like to add some extra magic next time you go to make a wish you would try saying a wishing rhyme at the same time.
9. Celebrating The Changing Of The Seasons And Lunar Phases.
   Many different people from all different cultures and backgrounds admire the seasons changing around them and even the phases of the moon. Admiring these cycles and celebrating them in anyway is a magical art. This s because nature is the source of all magic and it is constantly cycling magic throughout. The cycle of the moon and other astronomical events contain so much natural magical powers and many witches harness these powers for their own magical practice.
10. Working With The Energy Of Crystals.
    Many witches, although not all, work with crystals in their magical practices. The stones a ‘normal’ person may wear as a piece of jewellery is seen in a completely different way by someone that believes in magic. Because they come directly from the earth and they are such an incredible thing to be formed, the contain an abundance of magical properties.
11. Creating Natural Herbal Remedies.
    If you use any kind of herbal remedies, tinctures, teas or salves, they are all created from the nature, mostly using the elements Earth anf Water, which are two of the most helaing elements. If you work to make herbal remedies, tinctures, tea, or salves you probably love the elements of Earth and Water. In ancient times you would of been known as a Witch Doctor.
12. Daydreaming/Visualizing Your Future.
    If you find yourself gazing off into space, day dreaming or visualising your future, then you are calling upon the magical powers of manifestation. Daydreaming can also present us with hidden meanings, messages & insights.
13. Going Out Into Nature To Ground, Center & Relax.
    By going out into nature with the intention of grounding, relaxing, healing and centering yourself is an act of recharging your energy or magic within you. Witches have the ultimate respect for nature and the power it holds, treating it with care and always giving more than we take.

Coming To A Conclusion

When we look at all of this information. We understand that witchcraft is not what it is protrayed to be. It is actually just a sense of being in tune with yourself and your surroundings. Being able to call upon your intuition and respecting the powerful magic that is held within nature. Everyone has magic within them. Everyone is a ‘witch’. But if you know about your magic, that makes you more powerful than some would like, so they’d rather keep you in the dark.

Living life in this way is how humanity was meant to exist. We were meant to live by the cycle of the moon. Take a look at the tides on the shore, they are affected by the moon. The sap within trees is sucked up during a full moon. Some farmers choose to harvest their crops under a full moon because of the energies of the moon affecting the quality of the crops. One example of this are the ‘Sister’s of the Valley’; they harvest their hemp during a full moon and if they have products that are produced from hemp that has not been harvested under a full moon; they are sold at a reduced rate.

Why Target Witches?

So why is there so much hate targeted towards witchcrafts? Especially within religious cultures? When actually, if you compare everything side by side like this, the fundementals are the same. A lot of the regilious practices and traditions include magical practices and it makes you wonder where they got these practices from and why do they use them in the particular way they do? People that are celebrated within religion are more relatable to the healers of the world and the people practicing witchcraft also, because they often intuitive and able to heal with the powers of mother nature.

But for me, witchcraft lets you walk your path freely and create a lifestyle that suits you. As long as you give more than you take and you remember that everything will always come back to your in threefold, so be careful with what you put out into the world.