Bottomline Witchcraft:

A monotheist approach to the occult

Many people have asked, “What does it mean to be a Witch?”  Consulting Webster’s Dictionary it means “1: one that is credited with usually malignant supernatural powers; especially: a woman practicing usually black witchcraft often with the aid of a devil or familiar: SORCERESS -- compare WARLOCK

2: an ugly old woman: HAG 3: a charming or alluring girl or woman

4: a practitioner of Wicca.   The first definition is the most enduring, bringing with it a lingering negativity to the concept of witch.

My definition of Witch is 1:  one who is connected to The Source at all times and is able to use this connection to manifest that which she desires for herself and others; 2:  a metaphysician who understands the concepts of universal law and effectively applies them; 3:  working with love, light, and focused intent, she brings about healing, personal development, and great abundance; 4:  one who helps people see clearly for their good when they can’t see clearly for themselves.

The negative connotations of the word “witch” dates back to ancient times, with the persecution of witches being politically motivated.  Under the guise of acting in accordance with “God,” thousands of people were executed in hideous ways.  The moral majority of the time determined that the practice of The Craft was against God, while the torture and murder of women and children was done in the name of God.   The witches of the time were regularly consulted for healing, divination, and midwifery, giving them much influence over the community.  The local leaders instilled fear into the population to override the confidence in the witches. 

The witches were said to be in league with the devil.  It’s interesting to note that there is no devil in Witchcraft.  Rather, there is the “Horned One” with antlers of a great buck.  He is the lord of the animal kingdom and representative of the primal force.  A symbol of fertility, virility, and all that is wild, this horned god was misinterpreted in order to serve the purpose of those in authority.  The horns themselves were symbolic of supernatural forces and the power of divinity.  The statue of Moses by Michelangelo dons horns in the spirit of the original interpretation.  Yet, from then on, horns were incorrectly associated with devil-worship, mischief, and negativity. 

Due to the flexible nature of The Craft, practitioners define witchcraft and the role of a witch differently, depending upon the basis of their belief system.  There is no prescribed way of worshipping as with many of the Christian religions.  Many are polytheistic, worshipping the God and Goddess, or many gods and goddesses.  It involves performing elaborate rituals in order to conjure enough energy to manifest a desired outcome.  Rituals are psychodramas designed to facilitate entrance into an altered state of consciousness.   Ornate tools are used in the course of worship and ritual – chalice, wand, athame, incense, and pentacle – that symbolize water, earth, fire, air, and spirit respectively. 

There is also a connection to Nature and the cycles of the seasons.  The Sabbats are connected to the Wheel of the Year, and each turn of the wheel is representative of the energy the seasons bring.  This Witches’ measure of time symbolizes life themes such as death, rebirth, fertility, and harvest.  The awareness of these special times of year allows a more intense relationship with the stages of life that are common to humans and their energies.

Wicca is the most common form of Witchcraft and its resurgence has made the term a standard association for the layperson with someone who practices The Craft.  For ethical practitioners, the Rede “do what thou whilst, as long as it brings harm to none” is the primary guideline.   The Rule of Three is also a key element, wherein what you put out comes back to you three times; an important consideration when deciding what to conjure.  There is a complex system of correspondences used for spellcraft, such as moon phase, colors, and aromas that allow the Witch to focus on specific intents.  The words of the spell are spoken in order to send the desired outcome to The Source.  The act of performing a spell, that is, focusing intently on a desired outcome, verbally asking for what is wanted, using the appropriate corresponding energies, and sending it out into the ether, is a way of manifesting through force of will.

My practice and understanding of The Craft began by using the techniques described above. While these techniques are effective for many followers of The Old Religion, it is possible to move beyond the necessity of tools to attain that which they are ultimately intended to conjure.  I began reading works by experienced Witches such as Buckland, Cunningham, Gardner, Grimassi, Martello, Valiente, and West.    After pouring over many volumes of occult literature, it was evident that much of the information was repetitive.  The approaches being discussed were limited and felt restrictive.  From these, several commonalities and universal concepts were identified and extracted.

The basic concepts made sense.  Having representations of both the male (the god) and female (the goddess) aspects of The Source forced awareness of the duality of energy.  This is evident in many forms and guises:  good and evil, yin and yang, positive and negative, male and female.  It takes both the male and female life force to procreate in the material world, yet there was something missing.  I understood how various gods and goddesses from Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythology were associated with certain desires, such as the goddess Aphrodite being called when a love spell is required.  Yet it felt as though the power of The Source was being diluted or even negated in this dualistic scenario.

To enhance my understanding of the broader scope of Paganism and Witchcraft, I read “Drawing Down the Moon:  Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today” by Margot Adler.  This is a must read for those who are searching for how they fit into the occult movement.  While I could relate to the base beliefs expressed by some witches highlighted in the book, I found that in my heart, I was monotheistic.  I’ve known since childhood that a firm connection to God, or The Source (named this in order to remove any particular religion’s connotation of what God is), is a necessary condition in order to manifest anything in life. 

My definition of a Witch is one who is adept at manifesting her will by way of a direct link to the divine energy or Source.  Focus and concentration, unwavering faith in The Source, and knowledge of Universal law and the movement of energy are required to manifest one’s desires.  Many say that they are a witch by virtue of studying the motions of ritual and the cycles of the seasons, but few are capable of materializing their will.

The way to manifestation is to ask for what you want and have total faith that it will come, by Divine will.  State your desire, always with harm to none or, if you prefer, under grace in a perfect way, then prepare to have the situation manifest.  For example, if you ask for more business to come your way and you own a gift shop, buy more wrapping paper as a gesture of faith that there will be more customers coming in and purchasing gifts that need to be wrapped.  By doing so, you are displaying faith in the power of the Infinite Spirit.  Everything is available to you – your perfect mate, your perfect house, your perfect job – all you need do is ask.  No ritual required.

Use your imagination to open intuitively to what you should do next in order to manifest your desire.  Ask The Source to reveal your next move, and then follow it without question.  A Witch knows how to listen to messages that come from Spirit.  Nothing is out of reach.  A strong belief in miracles is essential in leading a magickal life.

For some, the ritual is part of the fun of being a Witch.  As long as you understand why you’re performing the ritual and what is behind it, and as long as it is assisting you to attain an altered state of consciousness needed to muster the energy that connects with The Source, then go for it.  If you’re looking to increase your ability to be able to conjure your desires or have your questions answered anytime anywhere, then learn to connect instantaneously with Spirit and trust that it will transpire.

Happy conjuring!

Diane Wing

Copyright 2004