What are Witches? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Merry Meet and Bright Blessings. I was asked to write this by several seeking the path and not sure what is and is not part of what I personally follow. I was born into this and am still learning at 33. I pray I never stop learning. So, let me begin. 'Pulling out a large oak chest, climbing up on it and laughing' This is my soap box. Merry Meet, This is a common greeting among friends and family that follow a similiar path. Our path?.. that is what you have come to this page seeking. Each of us, deep inside, seek certain things, feel certain things to be right deep down inside of our core. In Wicca/Pagan/Traditional Witchcraft, we seek to follow the paths that our ancestors sought. What we are not: 1. We do not hate or seek to harm any. 2. We do not follow Satan in ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM. 3. We do not bow down to symbols. 4. We do not take from the earth more than we need. 5. We do not push our beliefs on others. What we are: 1. We seek knowledge and harmony with the elements; Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Void. Humans, animals, plants, all are comprised of these. 2. We believe that nothing can be created by Man(God) alone. All things are created by male and female. 3. We pray to the Goddess AND God. 4. We seek to live, to learn, to love, to leave a lasting legacy upon this earth. 5. We seek to be reborn again into another path, another stage of learning. 6. We seek to use our knowledge for the betterment of all; man, animal, earth, beyond. 7. We seek honesty within ourselves to know when we need help and when we can help others. 8. We do not follow blindly. We are the ones that ask why, how,, etc. 9. We do wear a symbol as it is a reminder of the elements. It is the pentacle. NOT to be confused with the upside down version used by Satanists. 10. We respect all and know that they make their choices for a reason. Though we may not agree we do NOT push our beliefs on another. We are many things, most of all we are human. Created knowing there is more to life and seeking it in our best way. There are many roads to one place. Yours may be different than mine. I do believe that we have these things listed above in common, though our expression of it differs. Magick You are probably asking, "Where does the magick come in?" Magick is when you are born. When you see a sun rise and feel its power flowing through you. When the moon rises and you shiver and it is not from the cold. There is magick all around you. If you seek it, if you allow to flow through you.. you may find more than you dreamed. If you have come here seeking spells of manipulation, such as 'love spells', seek elsewhere. They harm, they interfere with the free will of another. In good and in bad all that you do will come back on you times three. This is part of the pattern of life. Other religions, such as Christianity, call this the Trinity. Parallels (A few in passing) Many religions have borrowed from the ancient religions. Witchcraft, meaning path of the wise, has more in common than you think with your current path. It should not be confused with the New Age Religion of Wicca. Wicca means to bend and is a more passive religion. Francinsense and Myrrh, traditional gifts given to the Christ Child were sacred herbs/scents used in earliest of Pagan/Witch Ceremonies. One represents the Goddess, the other the God. Christmas Christ was not born at Yule, the Winter Solstice. The Yule was celebrated by Pagan/Witches for centuries prior to the starting of Christianity. The powers of the day moved this holiday to the Yule to convert more Pagan/Witches. Red and Green Candles at Christmas. On every Pagan/Witch Ceremonial table will be found these symbols. Each also representing the Goddess and God. Historically Historically, We were the keepers of sacred flames, the healers, midwives. The wise ones in the village that were sought in times of need. Then the world started to change. People started to see knowledge as power. A power that harmed. They turned the word meaning 'Wise' into one meaning 'Evil'. Those lacking in knowledge aligned this knowledge of the elements with that of Satan as they felt it could not be goodness. Witches/Pagans were hunted, burned alive in the name of one God. A God created out of fear. They did many things in the name of this God that drove a wedge down between the two classes. Those that sought knowledge were driven out, or forced to confess and submit to a cleansing fire (Being burned alive). Major works of history were edited creating versions that attacked those 'undesirables' such as Witches/Pagans. Even the Bible was edited by King James. The line 'thou shalt not suffer a prisoner to live' was changed to 'thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live'. He was angry that there was a group of Witches/Pagans that did not think that a King ruled by the Right of God. That he was still a mortal. Funny thing is, he not only got away with it but this text is used in the majority of Christian Churches today. I will get off of my soap box now. 'soft laugh' If you have any questions please seek advice from someone or from books. There is a wonderous amount of knowledge out there.. you will find what you seek and more. All of the webrings on the front page of my site link to other sites related to this path. I do invite look, however; you to not limit your search to this path. Seek all. Take from each path what feels right in your soul and leave the rest. Then journey on again. Bright Blessings, Merry Part, Summer Storme