Paranormal Sightings....

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Wiccans and Witches......



The terms Wicca and Witchcraft can be used interchangeably, but there is a subtle distinction. Wicca is a contemporary Neo-Pagan religion and Witchcraft is the practice of natural magic. Not all Wiccans are witches, and not all witches are Wiccan.

Wicca is a Neo-Pagan religion with many traditions that date to pre-Christian (and prehistoric) Earth religions. It is based on a deep respect for nature and the certain knowledge that we do not have the right to exploit it for our own gain. Wiccans are deeply concerned with conservation and ecology, and as in all Neo-Pagan religions, Wiccans believe that both animate and inanimate objects possess a spirit which forms part of the Whole. Note that we do not use the term "spirit" in the Judeo-Christian sense of a "ghost," but rather that essence which every object possesses that links it to nature and makes it an inalienable part of the universe.

Wicca is a celebration of the life-forces of nature as personified by the Goddess and her consort, the God.

Wicca may includes the practice of magic which is defined as the process of causing change through the focusing of our natural powers. It is important to note that magic is natural. There is nothing supernatural about it. They use certain tools such as spells, visualization, chants, candles, amulets and meditation to help them focus their power, but the power comes from within -- it is not in the tools. Their ancestors knew how to use it effectively, but it is a largely forgotten art in modern times.

Witchcraft is widely popular in the middle ages. Many were burn at stake if they were proven to be a witch, but mostly didnt undergo a fair trial. Probably the most obvious characteristic of a witch was the ability to cast a spell, a "spell" being the word used to signify the means employed to accomplish a magical action. A spell could consist of a set of words, a formula or verse, or a ritual action, or any combination of these. The most important part of a spell is of course the energy the practitioner puts into it; this being done in a variety of ways by many different people Spells traditionally were cast by many methods, such as by the inscription of signs or sigils on an object to give it magical powers, by the immolation or binding of a wax or clay image (poppet) of a person to affect him or her magically, by the recitation of incantations, by the performance of physical rituals, by the employment of magical herbs as amulets or potions, by gazing at mirrors, swords or other specula (scrying) for purposes of divination, and by many other means.