The definition of witchcraft varies according to culture, religion and the time of history.

Definition of witchcraft according to Dictionary Merriam-Webster
– The use of witchcraft or magic
– Communication with a demon or family
– An irresistible influence or fascination
– Wicca

Witchcraft practitioners understand that the definition is much more complicated and detailed than this.

Witchcraft in the academic world

In the academic community and the definition raised by the social anthropologist EE Evans-Pritchard, witchcraft refers to the belief observed in central Africa that certain individuals have the innate ability to make things happen by the strength of their thoughts and emotions, particularly jealousy.

These individuals may or may not be aware of their own power. A sorcerer to help the individual repair the damage it could have caused.

Dr. Evans-Pritchard himself acknowledged that this definition does not correspond to common use. The magical acts that imply the physical manipulation of tools defined them as sorcery.

European witchcraft in history

Historians of European history identify witchcraft as the ability to cause changes or damage through thought, together with the use of tools, amulets and other materials, actions, spells and rituals.

Witchcraft was materialist magic Bruges were dealing with everyday life (marriage, conception and childbirth, healing, fertility and health of harvests and livestock, obtaining sufficient income to pay invoices, home protection and property, perhaps the defeat of a rival) as opposed to some superior ideology or ideology; although many witches were very spiritual.

In general, although not always, it was something that common people did to get ahead, although it was rumored that a rich lord could bring a witch from time to time to maneuver politically.

From this point of view, witchcraft can be used to damage or cure, but historically it only applied to the harmful type.

Those who practiced magic in the name of the community without specific negative connotations could be called «cunning people» instead of witches.

Many witches who were imprisoned and killed had been at some time respected and cunning people, although many others were simply unfortunate people who caught someone’s attention in a mistake.

Witchcraft was associated with heresy and apostasy against these religions in Christianity and Islam, especially during the Middle Ages. This practice is considered an alignment with Satan or with the enemy of his God.

In particular, Christianity has considered witchcraft practitioners as voluntary recruits in the Satan’s war against their God.

It was believed that these witches had made a pact with the devil and that they had been endowed with a family demon spirit to help them havoc in the people of God. This belief helped feed the witch hunt from the past that have come to be known as burning times.

A modern definition

The modern and western definition of witchcraft refers to the combination of knowledge and skills, that is, the trade, which allows to manipulate reality in a positive or negative way through the use of personal energy in the form of thought or emotion focused, the launch of spells and the creation of magical objects with natural materials.

Wicca religion is a religion based on witchcraft. Sometimes wicca and witchcraft words are used interchangeably, but they are not synonyms. Although all active wicans practice witchcraft as part of their religious observance, not all witchcraft practitioners are wiccanos.

Witchcraft is a spiritual practice that can be observed in the context of religion, but it is not a religious practice in itself.

Some witchcraft practitioners do not profess any religion. Others may belong to one of the many modern pagan religions, or may belong to one of the Abrahamic religions.

Diversity in witchcraft

Modern witchcraft has many different flavors, but some traditions have similarities.

Witchcraft is often used in the modern context as a general term. Many witches practice the most traditional forms of witchcraft, but combine them with magical and spiritual practices that are also found in modern witchcraft, shamanism and alchemy. Some embrace the ideologies of the new era with greater or lesser enthusiasm.

Most witchcraft practitioners will argue that witchcraft is not supernatural, but simply one of the many ways in which humans take advantage of nature.

The energy used in witchcraft can be compared to the electricity channeled in a cable to illuminate our homes or on the fire in a combustion engine to boost a vehicle. Witchcraft works with the forces of nature to obtain the desired result.

As such, witchcraft cannot make anything happen that could not have happened naturally if the situation had been adequate.

Although some witches believe that the ability to practice witchcraft is a hereditary feature, most witches agree that anyone can practice witchcraft if they are willing to devote time to learn and practice the necessary skills for it.

While some witches learn the crafts of parents or grandparents, many learn on their own or other undepented witches. The majority of individuals and individual witches do not accept students who are not related to them until they are 18 or even 21 years old.

Some witches practice in those in various sizes or in circular groups. Many lonely witches practice alone or only with close relatives. Most of those who practice group witchcraft also do so alone.

The different traditions and spoils of witchcraft have different norms that govern the practice, and the lonely witches also establish norms that must follow them.

These norms may vary greatly from one tradition to another. Some prohibit the use of witchcraft for personal benefit, while others insist that if you can’t use witchcraft to help yourself, you can’t help anyone else.

Some prohibit the use of witchcraft to interfere in the free will of another person or to harm someone. Others say that letting an evil still without obstacles or without punishment is a crime in itself. The phrase «If you can’t hexen many circles,» if you can’t curse, you can’t cure «or» if you can’t curse, you can’t cure. »

Most believe that any energy you send, positive or negative, will return to you in some way, although the details may vary greatly. Some believe that these natural return laws can be eluded by certain actions or rituals, while others believe they are unavoidable.

The only constant seems to be the experience and definition that each witch has of witchcraft and its associated rules is unique.

Different sorcerer trades

There are many witchcraft styles, more than we can cover here. Some are more practical, others more spiritual, some are religious and others are atheists or animists. Many witches combine multiple types of witchcraft and magic styles within their practice.

Witchcraft is the manipulation of natural forces to cause changes for practical purposes. There are innumerable ways to do it.

See:

• Wicca,
• Wicca Diamana,
• Witchcraft in the kitchen,
• Rural witchcraft,
• Jeweler’s,
• Hedge sorcery