how do you define a witch?

[Draka]

A witch is someone who feels and acknowledges their own presence and power in the world. S/He recognizes a connection with all around them, and therefore, uses that connection to enforce a change. Be it through "magical spellwork" or through "meditation" or merely through "directed thought", a witch exerts her/himself to affect a change. This change may be for healing, for social reasons, for financial reasons, ...for many different reasons. It is the ability to affect change that is the important thing.

 

[Somkid]

I knew many self-proclaimed "witches" when I lived in the States but none of them could quite (or wanted) to explain it to me. most of them seemed to have their heads in another world or were heavily medicated but in any case I couldn't make sense of any of it.

 

[Kcnorwood]

hey all. i'm putting this in comparative religion because i'm interested in everyone's views on this.

for my dissertation, 10,000 words, i have decided my dissertation title will be "In the modern world, how does one define a witch?"

i have until 10 months from now to do my research and write it up, so plenty of time but i want to get started soon.

my current reading list is:

Witchcraft Today - Gerald Gardner
Witchcraft Tomorrow - Doreen Valiente
Satanic Witch - Anton LaVey
Witcha, A Book of cunning - Nathanial J Harris
Mallious Maleficarum, "The Hammer of the Witches" - Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger
Triumph of the Moon - Ronald Hutton.
What Witches Do - Janet & Stuart Farrar

I will also be doing some interviews with friends of mine who are witches, and sending some questionnaires to covens/Pagan groups that i know of, as well as posting it online for the Witches of various forums i frequent to answer.

Anyway, that's what i have to read, but i'm also interested in how other people see witches. so please, everyone feel free to have a bit of a rant and discussion

The concept of the "witch" can be found in EVERY world culture and language in some form or another. Be it kahuna, hexe, strega, bruja, baobh, bacularia or makhsheyfe; the thought that lies behind it is still the same.






Modren Witch: A witch is a member of a particular spiritual construct often based on an amalgamation of different religious concepts and practices -and- who practices magic/sorcery within the scope of this faith. The Pagan community and other Earth based spiritualities make it clear that the practice of magic is the distinguishing factor for the description of witch. Basically it is a mutually exclusive relationship that states: not all Pagans are witches and not all witches are Pagans.


[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, Trebuchet MS]Generic Witch: It simply states: a witch is a person who practices sorcery. Sorcery can include a variety of aspects such as healing, divination, magic, alchemy, necromancy, spells, herbs, meditation, etc. These practices are often an avenue within an established spiritual structure. It is the Generic interpretation that is the common link among the cultures worldwide. [/FONT]

 

[Tau]

so Gerald Gardner, arguably the father of Modern Witchcraft, is what exactly in your universe?

A pseudo witch that doesn't exist.

Men cannot be real witches, the very idea LOL

 

[Tau]

reversing this, would you say women can only be witches? ie, they can't be druids or warlocks?

that said, warlock traditionally means oath-breaker, so many disassociate themselves with that term.

Edit: you see, a lot of the witches i have spoken have said that they were not brought up witches, they broke away from traditional religion, and as such, they find that the religion they turned to - Witchcraft - is in part the breaking of gender roles and stereotypes, as well as an investment in a spiritual path. do you find this to not be the case? of course, some groups of Dianic Wiccans in America would completely disagree with me.

I agree with the lesbian Dianic Wiccans that only women can be witches, but I don't think they have to be lesbians..not sure it's a requirement, but I got a wig and some false breasts and thus ready to infiltrate them...for the furthering of *ahem* my spirtual quest hehe

Women can't be druids, druids were men, women were priestesses or witches.

I don't see why we have to break gender roles....but then some men are born rather feminine and women masculine so its a toughie for me...go easy on me I am an ultra conservative at heart, but I recognise the need for the greater good, this involves tolerance holism and mutual respect, I am trying to exorcise my right wing authortarian super ego, blame my facistic police officer father (bless him) and Catholic upbringing...o yes I am a Catholic technically...shhhh.

 

[Mike182]

I agree with the lesbian Dianic Wiccans that only women can be witches, but I don't think they have to be lesbians..not sure it's a requirement, but I got a wig and some false breasts and thus ready to infiltrate them...for the furthering of *ahem* my spirtual quest hehe

Women can't be druids, druids were men, women were priestesses or witches.

I don't see why we have to break gender roles....but then some men are born rather feminine and women masculine so its a toughie for me...go easy on me I am an ultra conservative at heart, but I recognise the need for the greater good, this involves tolerance holism and mutual respect, I am trying to exorcise my right wing authortarian super ego, blame my facistic police officer father (bless him) and Catholic upbringing...o yes I am a Catholic technically...shhhh.

well, gender and witchcraft will certainly come up in my dissertation, so thanks for your posts

 

[Kcnorwood]

I agree with the lesbian Dianic Wiccans that only women can be witches, but I don't think they have to be lesbians..not sure it's a requirement, but I got a wig and some false breasts and thus ready to infiltrate them...for the furthering of *ahem* my spirtual quest hehe

Women can't be druids, druids were men, women were priestesses or witches.

I don't see why we have to break gender roles....but then some men are born rather


Who told you this crap?

 

[Willamena]

how do you define a witch?

Veeeeeeewy cawefulwy.

 

[DallasApple]

I define a witch as a human being..with certain beliefs..That has to fight against pre-ideas about him/ her which are normally lies involving negativity..

Love

Dallas

 

[Troublemane]

You forgot the dravidian witch, from pre-aryan-invaded India. Which I have long suspected may be from the same root word as "druid" and "dryad".:angel2:

Oh, and the book by Kramer and Sprenger, the "Witches' Hammer", is one of the most amazing pieces of imaginitive fiction, clearly devised as an open ended means to blame anything on anyone, and to justify torture to the most horrific degree. If I recall, there is justification for torture because a witch cannot feel pain. I also recall there being in that book a lengthy explaination for men's nocturnal emmissions as due to succubi who visit them in the night and steal their sperm, then shapeshift into male form, aka incubi, and inject stolen sperm into a sleeping woman. After all, everyone knows how from town to town there are children born of a married couple that will resemble the male neighbor rather than its father? This is obviously the work of a witch, acting as an agent of satan to cause confusion!

...it gets better from there. Nah, kramer and Sprenger are NOT good authorities on defining witches, but its still a good idea to include them in your research. If only to show the depravity of those who caused the "burning times".

 

[michel]

For me, a witch is someone who actively participates in magical spellwork. That's a broad definition for me, since magic is not something sequestered to a ritual. In my normal usage of the term, it refers to pagan--as defined as nature based spirituality--magic.

In other words, there really is no difference between someone participating in baptism and another participating in a water-cleansing spell. But "witch" has certain connotations that have been ingrained in me through experience.

I like your second paragraph; to me, a witch is one who believes that he/she is able to tap in to using some power that we cannot see.

 

[Mike182]

You forgot the dravidian witch, from pre-aryan-invaded India. Which I have long suspected may be from the same root word as "druid" and "dryad".:angel2:

Oh, and the book by Kramer and Sprenger, the "Witches' Hammer", is one of the most amazing pieces of imaginitive fiction, clearly devised as an open ended means to blame anything on anyone, and to justify torture to the most horrific degree. If I recall, there is justification for torture because a witch cannot feel pain. I also recall there being in that book a lengthy explaination for men's nocturnal emmissions as due to succubi who visit them in the night and steal their sperm, then shapeshift into male form, aka incubi, and inject stolen sperm into a sleeping woman. After all, everyone knows how from town to town there are children born of a married couple that will resemble the male neighbor rather than its father? This is obviously the work of a witch, acting as an agent of satan to cause confusion!

...it gets better from there. Nah, kramer and Sprenger are NOT good authorities on defining witches, but its still a good idea to include them in your research. If only to show the depravity of those who caused the "burning times".

that's pretty much how i'm gonna use it

 

[Tau]

Who told you this crap?

You met a real druid then Kcnorwood?

LOL Because...I don't think you have!

Witches were women, all else is modern fabrication by people who should grow up.

Neither druid nor witch exist anymore, well not in the west, a witch was not someone who simply 'cast' silly dream world spells, real witches were essential to communites as I outlined earlier, they were herbalists and lore tellers and midwives and doctors, not hocus pocus merchants to the naive and gullible.

Weak.

 

[Azakel]

You met a real druid then Kcnorwood?

LOL Because...I don't think you have!

Witches were women, all else is modern fabrication by people who should grow up.

Neither druid nor witch exist anymore, well not in the west, a witch was not someone who simply 'cast' silly dream world spells, real witches were essential to communites as I outlined earlier, they were herbalists and lore tellers and midwives and doctors, not hocus pocus merchants to the naive and gullible.

Weak.

Crap, look into some cultures and what they believe. I lot of the wiseMEN are called Witches. Gender doesn't mean anything here. Show us some prof of what you are saying to, show some sources for your info.

 

[Tau]

Crap, look into some cultures and what they believe. I lot of the wiseMEN are called Witches. Gender doesn't mean anything here. Show us some prof of what you are saying to, show some sources for your info.

Sorry?

Gender doesnt mean anything?

Oh I think it does...male witches...what a load of old crap lol.

Go research it yourself child, I am just posting an opinion I dont know where to begin to get the relevant sources, my great gran was a witch, you don't learn real witchcraft from a book or online lol only the feeble minded do....weak.

Its a state of mind, one that only females can enter into, by virtue of what nature has given them and NOT men, honestly....

 

[Azakel]

Sorry?

Gender doesnt mean anything?

Oh I think it does...male witches...what a load of old crap lol.

Go research it yourself child, I am just posting an opinion I dont know where to begin to get the relevant sources, my great gran was a witch, you don't learn real witchcraft from a book or online lol only the feeble minded do....weak.

Its a state of mind, one that only females can enter into, by virtue of what nature has given them and NOT men, honestly....

I have, and in many culture men and women can both be Witches. I think that's what you don't understand. Though you say it is just your opinion yet you call what other are saying crap and calm it to be true with no proof yet other I believe have shown info and proof yet still lol them like a little child.

 

[Gentoo]

Sorry?

Gender doesnt mean anything?

Oh I think it does...male witches...what a load of old crap lol.

Go research it yourself child, I am just posting an opinion I dont know where to begin to get the relevant sources, my great gran was a witch, you don't learn real witchcraft from a book or online lol only the feeble minded do....weak.

Its a state of mind, one that only females can enter into, by virtue of what nature has given them and NOT men, honestly....

I'm going to take this as sarcasm. I am glad that you say that you're posting an "opinion" and admit to not having researched it at all though.

 

[Tau]

I'm going to take this as sarcasm. I am glad that you say that you're posting an "opinion" and admit to not having researched it at all though.

Take it as you like Gentoo.

No research is necessary, like I said like Druidism, you wont learn Witchcraft from a book...end of.

 

[Kcnorwood]

Take it as you like Gentoo.

No research is necessary, like I said like Druidism, you wont learn Witchcraft from a book...end of.

You have no idea what a fool your making yourself out to be, you really should do some research before you keep making more stupid statements..... well if thats at all possible. Can you make any more sexist statements? Research is required without it your just being stupid.

 

[Tau]

You have no idea what a fool your making yourself out to be, you really should do some research before you keep making more stupid statements..... well if thats al all possible. Can you make any more sexist statements?

I am the fool?

When all Druids were dead by the 5th century and Druidism was an oral tradition, no writings exist at all, only celtic myth and legend?

Get real...