An Examination of the Misunderstandings of Witchcraft

What comes to mind when someone mentions the word “witch” to you? Do you think wild naked women dancing around a bonfire in the middle of the woods? Devil worshippers perhaps? Those that sacrifice animals to a pantheon of Gods and Goddesses? Witchcraft and it’s practitioners are some of the most widely misunderstood individuals of all time. It is human nature to fear things that we don’t understand; to cast out individuals who don’t conform to the regulations and standards we have placed on our societies, and that is precisely why witches have been seen in such a negative light for hundreds of years. What exactly is witchcraft, what do its practitioners believe, and what effect has the misunderstanding of witchcraft had on societies in the past few hundred years?

Witches and witchcraft have both fascinated and terrified people throughout time, going by different names but all having one craft at its core: the use of sorcery and magic. But what exactly is witchcraft and how is it used? To start, witchcraft is not a religion. It is a practice, and those who use it call themselves practitioners. Witchcraft uses what the earth provides; to use and become in tune with the positive and negative energies in all living things. Most witches choose to use their craft to send out positivity through spells and incantations, much like Christians do in prayers, or Buddhists in meditation. People also often believe that witches are satan worshippers, and while some witches do, Satan is a Christian concept and is not a requirement for being a witch. Witches can have any religion, although paganism, Wicca, and other earth based religions are most popular among witches.