Is it possible to practice witchcraft and Wicca?
You already understand that witchcraft is a different thing from any of the other neopagan belief systems that make use of witchcraft. Good - I got less splaining to do! Every kind of neopaganism, including Druidry, Odinism, and Wicca - uses their own version of witchcraft.Witchcraft is also distinct from Voudoun (Haiti), Santeria (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico), Candomblé (Brazil), and other religions of the African diaspora that make use of witchcraft.Witchcraft, sometimes called simply the Craft, is a vast pool of principles, practices, rituals, and techniques that can and often is practiced on its own. It is not a religion any more than leathercraft woodcraft, model building, or landscaping are religions. There is no need to force a craft to follow a spiritual narrative - that would make it a religion.People who practice the Craft often do so with no more “belief system” than something like this:Magic exists, andI can use it.To look at it another way, prayer and meditation are part of many religions; so a person can be Catholic, Methodist, Shinto, or Hindu and also pray. A person can be Zoroastrian, Muslim, Lutheran, or Seventh-Day Adventist and also meditate.The practices of prayer and meditation are tools or techniques used to advance one’s spiritual goals; and they can be used with religions across the board, regardless of the dogmas and doctrines of those religions.You can, for these reasons, practice witchcraft, keeping in mind that for an individual, nobody is better qualified than you to decide what magic means, and how you go about making it work. And at the same time, you can practice Wicca, keeping in mind that the belief systems of Wicca may shape how you understand and use witchcraft.Wicca is particularly aggressive as calling all its adherents, male and female alike, as “witches,” which doesn’t necessarily make them one. It does, however, open the door for the person to do the research, work, and discovery to become a competent Craft practitioner; sometimes a person just needs a gentle push to take their first steps through that door. Pointy hats off to Wicca!You may hear the saying, “all Wiccans are witches, but not all witches are Wiccans.” As a personal note, I would suggest giving others the respect and the space to walk their own path. Both their witchcraft and their religion (if any) may differ greatly from yours, but that doesn’t make it wrong, just different. And different is okay; in fact, it’s practically the point!
Is it possible to practice witchcraft without going to hell?
The Gospel of Bartholomew“And the devil said unto Hades: Why affrightest thou me, Hades? it is a prophet, and he hath made himself like unto God: this prophet will we take and bring him hither unto those that think to ascend into heaven. 17 And Hades said: Which of the prophets is it? Show me: Is it Enoch the scribe of righteousness? But God hath not suffered him to come down upon the earth before the end of the six thousand years. Sayest thou that it is Elias, the avenger? But before he cometh not down. What shall I do, whereas the destruction is of God: for surely our end is at hand? For I have the number (of the years) in mine hands.”"At this cry, the angels tore the brass gates of Hell to pieces, while I shattered the iron bars. I went in and pummeled Hell with one hundred blows, and bound him up with unbreakable chains. I brought out all those awaiting, then I returned to the cross."(If you read this gospel, it talks of Hell being sealed, Satan being confined within it, all others released. No more may enter. This is where the Apostle's Creed gets that Jesus descended into Bell for three days. If any of Christianity is true, this is true. You cannot go to Hell.)Ok, now what does the Bible day about witchcraft? Nothing. The term used in the Bible is a wilful mistranslation of the word “poisoner”.Can we be sure?How to Nail Your Enemies: Ancient Egyptian Spells DecipheredAncient Egyptian Handbook of Spells DecipheredThe Handbook of Ritual Power is a Christian spellbook from around 700 AD and would have been used by the Catholic and Coptic churches at that time.The Gospel of Thomas states:Jesus says: (1) "This heaven will pass away, and the (heaven) above it will pass away. (2) And the dead are not alive, and the living will not have died.Jesus says: (1) "The Pharisees and the scribes have received the keys of knowledge, (but) they have hidden them. (2) Neither have they entered, nor have they allowed to enter those who wish to. (3) You, however, be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves!"Jesus says: (1) "Come to know what is in front of you, and that which is hidden from you will become clear to you. (2) For there is nothing hidden that will not become manifest."(Not exactly the words of one not steeped in mystery tradition)So, to answer your question, nobody is going to Hell but if you want to make sure you aren't, practice witchcraft. You must be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves, and be steeped in the mystery traditions.
Is it illegal to practice witchcraft?
Witchcraft the religion is not illegal and from my understanding of American law never could be without some *very* serious legal rearrangement - shredding the constitution for example. Witchcraft the practice is certainly legal in most parts of the United States but that is a bit irrelevant since it would be almost impossible to separate it from the religion in a court of law you could therefore never be prosecuted for it. Where you will get into trouble is if you threaten to cause people harm with it or allow or encourage people to believe you will cause them harm, whether physical or mental. There is no special 'Witchcraft law' for this, you will be nailed for harassment or similar charges just as if you threatened people with anything else. You will not be able to claim freedom of religion in this case neither will you be able to claim in a court that 'magic isn't real'. That may be the court's position but they will just tell you that although magic isn't real the distress you can cause by threatening people with it is very real. The other way you can get into trouble is if you are accused of fraud. This can be either criminal or civil. Fraud is a criminal offense but you may simply be sued for the loss you have caused. This is unlikely to happen unless you act as a 'professional' Witch - such as a paid fortune teller or spell-caster. Note that simply not charging does not always mean in law that you are not offering a professional service. If you will be charging or offering a service to the general public you will want to be insured against all liabilities and it is always good advice to seek professional legal advice in your locality before setting up a business, especially a niche business which may have peculiar laws or regulations attached. That just about covers it except to say that I'm not a lawyer and this is just my interpretation of American law which to be honest I'm not too familiar with. None of the above is pro legal advice blah blah blah you know the score. A final word. Despite what some popular authors insinuate about Witchcraft it's not all fun and games. Put as much care into researching every aspect of Witchcraft as you do into researching the law behind it (smart move) and you'll be fine. Take it slow, there's no rush and make sure you always know more than you need to rather than less.
Can you be Christian & still practice Witchcraft?
Have you ever thought of developing your spiritual gifts in a Christian way? Charismatic churches tend to be more open minded when dealing with certain spiritual gifts. One Christian author named Graham Cooke has a book called "Developing Your Prophetic Gifting." You may be more apt to experiencing the baptism of the Holy Spirit as well. While you may not currently be involved in a church that supports the development of those gifts, there are other Christian resources you can to turn to. The problem with deviating outside of Christianity is that you also open yourself up to communicating with demonic forces. At one time in my life, I practiced witchcraft. It opened up a whole spiritual world that was outside of what God intended. Over time, I actually began to hear demonic voices. Also keep in mind that the bible does not condone witchcraft or the worship of nature. Both wicca and witchcraft will lead you down a path that is not meant for those who believe in Jesus Christ. It would be wise to develop your gifts within Christian parameters. Here are some bible verses for reference: Deuteronomy 18:10 - 12 "Let no one be found among you who...practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord..." Deuteronomy 4:19 "And when you look up into the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars -- all the heavenly array - do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven."
Is witchcraft actually real and possible to do and how do I find spells that work?
Is Witchcraft real and possible?Yes, Witchcraft is real if one believes in it, and is possible to practice if someone is able to use their belief of magic and power of intention/mind. The result is a manifestation of energy, which we call a spell.How do I find spells that work?There are no set spells that simply ‘work’. It is the person casting them which puts the effort, intention and meaning into the spell which makes the spell work. It is not the structure, words/incantations, tools or objects used which makes a spell successful. It is the mind of the person which utilises it. Magic can be successful without any of the things above being involved because the main core aspect of magic is your mind itself.
Is it possible to be Wiccan without being a witch?
It is a matter of what people choose to call themselves.Wicca is a religion.A “witch,” not capitalized, is a practitioner of magic.Many witches are not Wiccan. Someone who practices magic may belong to any religion or none.Because the practice of magic is an intrinsic part of the Wiccan religion, many Wiccans have reclaimed the word “Witch” to describe themselves. When the word “Witch” is used as synonymous with “Wiccan,” it is generally capitalized.Some Wiccans prefer not to use this word to describe themselves, because of its negative connotations and/or because they feel that magic is not the most important part of their religion.
How can you tell if a person practice witchcraft or voodoo?
Through prayer. Add: Don't mean to cut down anyone here, but one thing needs to be made clear...voodoo or witchcraft is nothing of God. It's the calling of spirits, in more times evil spirits. Even though some people play with it and think it's funny, there are some areas, (very strong in some parts of Africa and some in N.O.) that it is practice very seriously and is not something that should be taking lightly or considered a form of worship. I'm sorry but I just had to say that. But as far as someone playing witchcraft, I would say you shouldn't worry about it as long as you don't get involved.
I want to start practicing witchcraft. What are the most basic ideas and practices I need to know?
You can start anytime and anyhow you wish, but there are a few things some people don't quite realise sometimes when it comes to witchcraft.Magic isn't immediateWitchcraft does not create the same effects as portrayed in movies and can be dangerous. Anything can and will backfire if not careful and this can cause negative energy and attract negative beings such as spirits.Many also seem to forget that spells and such do not have immediate tangible effects. Witchcraft is the manipulation of energy in your spells to create effects. Making a spell for love will not guarantee they will fall in love. It will make the two people be able to bond better, think about each other more occasionally or perhaps can strengthen a relationship, but will not make both of them lovers. It can give them an intention, but it is up to the people to act upon it.Anyway, a lot of people, especially beginners, do not realise Spirit working (working with spirits, talking to spirits and having spirit friends) is very parallel to Witchcraft. Both deal with energy and they both have similar basics (meditating, Energy manipulation, astral ingredients, etc). Of course this doesn't mean the Witch has to know Spirit Work, but knowing how to communicate with spirits can help a lot in your practices, especially when you need astral objects like dragon scales, bats blood and such. Even simple objects as well, like fur. If you can't get it in your physical realm, you can get an astral one. It both works the same.As for tips, you should learn energy manipulation and find out what type of magic suits you. Learning how to cleanse yourself, your space and meditating is also a very common thing witches do, so its good to know how to do them. You also need to know how to protect yourself too. Look up wards and Pentacles as well. This can stop negative energy and entities (spjrits) from harming you.