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Author Topic: Non wiccan witchcraft?  (Read 26732 times)

xraccoonx

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Non wiccan witchcraft?
« on: July 25, 2011, 07:38:46 am »
I've been interested in learning witchcraft for a long time and have read almost anything my library has in stock. Coming from a small town in New Zealand there are not a lot of, ( if any ) people I can talk to about this without being laughed at or being called a 'satan worshiper'. Most of the books I have read are Wiccan 101 books, my problem with this is that no matter how much i try, I just don't find myself believing in deities. I am not a religious person, however I do believe in the energy of nature and such things to date unexplained by science.

Are there any other "atheist" (I use this word in want for a better one) witchcraft practitioners out there who could help me get started or point me in the right direction in becoming a practitioner.

I am very hazy when it comes to Esbats and Sabbats ( are these only religious Wiccan or Pagan ceremonies or are they a part of the craft (witchcraft) ? Are rituals and self dedications Wiccan? How does a non Wiccan witch set up their altar ( No deity statues etc ) ? Where does the religious aspects of Wicca itself end and witchcraft as a practice begin?

Any help I could get would definitely be appreciated and much needed to help my confusion!
:)

benvarry

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Re: Non wiccan witchcraft?
« Reply #1 on: July 25, 2011, 07:55:03 am »
Quote from: xraccoonx;7942

I am very hazy when it comes to Esbats and Sabbats ( are these only religious Wiccan or Pagan ceremonies or are they a part of the craft (witchcraft) ? Are rituals and self dedications Wiccan? How does a non Wiccan witch set up their altar ( No deity statues etc ) ? Where does the religious aspects of Wicca itself end and witchcraft as a practice begin?

 
I'm an atheist magic-worker so I'll try to answer your questions as best I can.  

Sabbats/Esbats are essentially religious (specifically Wiccan, with some having pre-Christian (but still religious) origins).  If you're an atheist, why bother with festivals that honor the Gods?  Although I suppose some might say these holidays can be adapted to celebrate only the natural world and changing of the seasons, in which case they could suit an atheist quite well.

Rituals are definitely not Wiccan, nor are self-dedications - but of course it all depends on your intent.  If your ritual involves calling on the God & Goddess, then obviously it isn't well suited to atheists.  Similarly, you wouldn't want to dedicate yourself to a god/goddess if you don't believe in them.  But there's nothing to prevent you from dedicating yourself to a particular path of magic or spirituality.

I don't have an altar, but I can imagine how one might be modified for an atheist's purposes.  Instead of having representations of deities, you could have representations of the four (three, eight, whatever) elements, or you could simply use it to display items that have magical significance to you.  You certainly don't need all (or any) of the traditional Wiccan tools.

Wiccan-style magic is only one kind of magic, and I would recommend reading as many non-Wiccan books as you can in order to broaden your practice.  Read about neoshamanism, Feri, "high" magick, etc. to see what really speaks to you.  I know there isn't much available in your area, but maybe you can order some used books or read about these subjects online.  Wikipedia is a great starting point.

RandallS

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Re: Non wiccan witchcraft?
« Reply #2 on: July 25, 2011, 08:05:56 am »
Quote from: xraccoonx;7942
Most of the books I have read are Wiccan 101 books, my problem with this is that no matter how much i try, I just don't find myself believing in deities. I am not a religious person, however I do believe in the energy of nature and such things to date unexplained by science.

Try to find a copy of Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Huson. Its coverage of witchcraft is pretty much non-religious, except for the chapter on covens where both religious and non-religious covens are covered.
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CozyWitch

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Re: Non wiccan witchcraft?
« Reply #3 on: July 25, 2011, 10:54:47 am »
Quote from: xraccoonx;7942
Any help I could get would definitely be appreciated and much needed to help my confusion!
:)

I'm not one of those who could help you get started, but I can offer some advice.
 
RandallS has recommended Paul' Huson's book "Mastering Witchcraft". It is a great book and I enjoyed reading it.
 
There is a form of witchcraft called "traditional witchcraft" (which is basically folk magic, not religious in nature at all) which can involve deities or not, depending on your beliefs. Basically it is using the will of the practitioner to create the effects that are desired by using methods such as divinations (tarot, crystals, ouija boards, etc.) or using items other "magical items" (water, graveyard dirt, poppets, powders, sachets, etc.) to infuse with your energy and desire.
 
As far as setting up altars, mine consists of two candles (black and white), an athame, a sickle, abalone shell, cauldron, tarot deck, grimoire, and whatever else I find works for me. There are no statues because I work with multiple deities. I do practice some of the wiccan teachings, but with my flair on them.
 
If I can be of any more assistance, feel free to ask.

arkeiryn

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Re: Non wiccan witchcraft?
« Reply #4 on: July 25, 2011, 12:04:33 pm »
Quote from: RandallS;7951
Try to find a copy of Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Huson. Its coverage of witchcraft is pretty much non-religious, except for the chapter on covens where both religious and non-religious covens are covered.

 
If it helps, I've literally just ordered this off Amazon, so I'll try and remember to post my thoughts about it when I've read it :)
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xraccoonx

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Re: Non wiccan witchcraft?
« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2011, 09:00:51 am »
Quote from: arkeiryn;8016
If it helps, I've literally just ordered this off Amazon, so I'll try and remember to post my thoughts about it when I've read it :)

 
I managed to find a copy at the library and I found some interesting books on candle magick and sympathetic magick which I am thinking of following. Also instead of a deity I have thought of having a familiar or my guide animal. This feels more natural to me that deity. I have also decided not to use tools such as athames, cauldrons and other altar equipment. Money is an issue for me and I feel as if candles, crystals and herbs will be sufficient enough.
I don't know if this fits with sympathetic/candle magick but it works for me (:

Audris

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Re: Non wiccan witchcraft?
« Reply #6 on: August 05, 2011, 05:07:40 pm »
Quote from: xraccoonx;7942
my problem with this is that no matter how much i try, I just don't find myself believing in deities. I am not a religious person, however I do believe in the energy of nature and such things to date unexplained by science.

I don't know if this will help you at all but I don't literally believe in the deities but I do find that I enjoy including them in ritual and study. Like you, it is nature as a whole that I revere and I believe deities are amazing personifications of the forces of nature and the realm of human experience, given to us through the cultural looking glass of countless old civilisations.

When Pagans with allegiances to deities talk about 'working with them' it tends to conjure up images of conversing with a deity that they consider to be interventionist and able to help them in some way. This isn't the way it works for me at all. My patron goddess is Hel and that's because she represents the issues and energies that most concern me on my path. I don't ask her for anything. I don't see how that would work - to me it would be no different to asking death itself for something. I just honour her and learn about her as a way of ultimately honouring death, the life cycle and the qualities she represents.

I honour my Pagan ancestors by using the 'characters' they used as metaphors for the divine.

I'm pleased you've decided to look into having a familiar and using totem animals to represent things, but you needn't shy away from learning about a certain pantheon just because you don't believe they actually exist and hear you and care about you. I don't necessarily believe that either but learning the myths has enhanced my faith and helped me to look at life in different ways. (Plus, a lot of the deities look so cool.)
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SassyWitchin

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Re: Non wiccan witchcraft?
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2013, 03:33:35 pm »
Quote from: RandallS;7951
Try to find a copy of Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Huson. Its coverage of witchcraft is pretty much non-religious, except for the chapter on covens where both religious and non-religious covens are covered.

 
I heard that it contains a bit of satanism. Is that true?
Or did someon just misred?

SassyWitchin

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Re: Non wiccan witchcraft?
« Reply #8 on: February 24, 2013, 03:36:00 pm »
Quote from: xraccoonx;9215
I managed to find a copy at the library and I found some interesting books on candle magick and sympathetic magick which I am thinking of following. Also instead of a deity I have thought of having a familiar or my guide animal. This feels more natural to me that deity. I have also decided not to use tools such as athames, cauldrons and other altar equipment. Money is an issue for me and I feel as if candles, crystals and herbs will be sufficient enough.
I don't know if this fits with sympathetic/candle magick but it works for me (:

 
I say Magic is magic why name it based on the tools and I agree hell I've done great spells with the only tool at my disposal being a wide vocabulary ;)

Sage

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Re: Non wiccan witchcraft?
« Reply #9 on: February 24, 2013, 03:57:03 pm »
Quote from: SassyWitchin;98121
I heard that it contains a bit of satanism. Is that true?
Or did someon just misred?

 
Would it bother you if it did?
Maker, though the darkness comes upon me,
I shall embrace the light. I shall weather the storm.
I shall endure.
What you have created, no one can tear asunder.

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SassyWitchin

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Re: Non wiccan witchcraft?
« Reply #10 on: February 24, 2013, 05:19:06 pm »
Quote from: Sage;98126
Would it bother you if it did?

 
No it would make me want to read it more (I'd read it anyway cause it sounds like an awesome book but I'm curiouse about theistic satanism so ... yeah)

Cabal

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Re: Non wiccan witchcraft?
« Reply #11 on: February 24, 2013, 06:01:25 pm »
Quote from: SassyWitchin;98137
No it would make me want to read it more (I'd read it anyway cause it sounds like an awesome book but I'm curiouse about theistic satanism so ... yeah)

 
Great book! Though I don't consider myself a witch it is very useful and takes you step by step.
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Violet Skies

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Re: Non wiccan witchcraft?
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2013, 09:01:07 am »
Quote from: SassyWitchin;98121
I heard that it contains a bit of satanism. Is that true?
Or did someon just misred?


Do you mean the religion Satanism, or the hollywood-fantastisized devil and demon worship?  Just to clarify, because I hear people talk about the hollywood version much more often than the actual religion. :ashamed:

SassyWitchin

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Re: Non wiccan witchcraft?
« Reply #13 on: February 25, 2013, 11:59:17 am »
Quote from: Violet Skies;98277
Do you mean the religion Satanism, or the hollywood-fantastisized devil and demon worship?  Just to clarify, because I hear people talk about the hollywood version much more often than the actual religion. :ashamed:

 
The worship of a literal devil in a classical yet realistic sense (demons, pacts, Sigils etc.)

Darkhawk

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Re: Non wiccan witchcraft?
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2013, 12:10:47 pm »
Quote from: SassyWitchin;98305
The worship of a literal devil in a classical yet realistic sense (demons, pacts, Sigils etc.)

 
So, the Hollywood version.
as the water grinds the stone
we rise and fall
as our ashes turn to dust
we shine like stars    - Covenant, "Bullet"

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