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Witchcraft: Modern Witchcraft
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Witchcraft (... called Wicca or simply the Craft) is part of the modern, dynamic religious movement known as Paganism. It is a nature-centered religion which honors a Goddess and usually a God, and uses magic as a tool of personal and global transformation. It draws on religious, political, and scientific traditions throughout history, from Paleolithic Goddess-worship through astrology, Jungian psychology, feminism, and quantum physics. It is characterized by a deep respect for all living things, acceptance of personal and social responsibility, attunement to natural rhythms, healing, achieving balance between all aspects of the self and society, a sense of play and wonder, and the celebration of sensuality. It is a positive, life-affirming spirituality.
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Witchcraft, in various historical, anthropological, religious and mythological contexts, is the use of certain kinds of alleged supernatural or magical powers. A [W]itch is a practitioner of witchcraft, and may be male or female. While mythological witches are often supernatural creatures, historically many people were ... accused of witchcraft, or claimed to be witches. Witchcraft still exists in a number of belief systems, with many modern practitioners.
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Modern day Witchcraft is hard to describe in general. There are many forms to suite ones needs or what one wants to believe. There is no central authority or doctrine. No holy book to refer to. There are many different traditions and rituals. Which god dictates ones opinion and style or gods are worshiped. One common belief is that nature is to be worshiped and is sacred. Many look to the whole earth in general as god. Others look outward to the stars and planets.
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This is the most radical work to date by Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone, arguably the world's leading experts on the subject of Modern Witchcraft and the Neo-Pagan movement. It is nothing less than their detailed analysis of the way Witchcraft has evolved into the worldwide religion that it is today...and their vision of its future. The authors do not create or endorse a specific Witchcraft tradition, but rather identify a system that is at the root of all of the existing paths within Witchcraft. They show how Wicca is a modern, non-dogmatic dynamic tradition still in a state of evolution-a Priesthood based on connection with the Divine and service to humanity. Here is a book for anyone interested in Wicca, from seekers just beginning on the path of the Old Ways to those thirsting for more knowledge about its inner practices.
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Modern Wicca emerged in the 1950s, after the last British laws against Witchcraft were repealed, when Gerald Gardner published several books describing the Craft traditions into which he'd been initiated. Gardner was motivated by a concern that the Craft was a dying art. Much to his surprise, he found many other underground covens in existence. Gardner, with the help of Doreen Valiente, developed the tradition which bears his name, combining elements from his own coven's work with Rosicrucianism, mythology, Masonry, folklore, and many other sources. Variations on Gardnerian Wicca developed almost immediately, especially in the U.S., as practitioners created systems which met their particular needs. There are now roughly ten major traditions in the U.S., with thousands of variations.
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Modern Witchcraft