I have a problem with the word "witch" (and I would like your help!)

[Queen of Wands]

I've been doing this little song and dance for ten years now...where I am fully aware of my spirituality and certain deities who call to me and I'm happy but when it comes to introducing or explaining myself, I am thrown for a loop.

I've wibble-wobbled over the definitions for the last few years now and I'm waffling on the best word to use. Pagan, Wiccan, Witch?

I find Pagan to be a good, general, no-nonsense term, if nondescript and umbrellas over many kinds of Pagans (and definitely suggests to me, that one is a Pagan of a certain pantheon's worship, which makes me feel all muddled when I don't necessarily 'belong' to one and only).

Wiccan is closer - but again, for me personally - I'm what is referred to as eclectic, since I don't follow any traditional forms. And, to be fair, my practice is more spiritual, everyday and even sometimes mundane; more so than religious.

So, I come down to the word "witch". And I don't like it. I find when I try to call myself a "witch" that the word is too haunted by Macbeth, colored with Hollywood's green skin, stabbed by history's pitchforks and more recently dusted off with the likes of Harry Potter, Buffy, Charmed, American Horror Story. It's too literary, too fantasy, too CGI effects, too complicated to be real for me. "Witch" feels like a disfigured word, much like many slurs I don't think I can be typed on a public forum - sure, some folks out there are proudly reclaiming these words for themselves, but I'm not a folk who feels like she can get around it easily.



Is there a better word for what I am seeking? Has anyone else struggled with these definitions?

[Allaya]

I've been doing this little song and dance for ten years now...where I am fully aware of my spirituality and certain deities who call to me and I'm happy but when it comes to introducing or explaining myself, I am thrown for a loop.

I've wibble-wobbled over the definitions for the last few years now and I'm waffling on the best word to use. Pagan, Wiccan, Witch?

I find Pagan to be a good, general, no-nonsense term, if nondescript and umbrellas over many kinds of Pagans (and definitely suggests to me, that one is a Pagan of a certain pantheon's worship, which makes me feel all muddled when I don't necessarily 'belong' to one and only).

Wiccan is closer - but again, for me personally - I'm what is referred to as eclectic, since I don't follow any traditional forms. And, to be fair, my practice is more spiritual, everyday and even sometimes mundane; more so than religious.

So, I come down to the word "witch". And I don't like it. I find when I try to call myself a "witch" that the word is too haunted by Macbeth, colored with Hollywood's green skin, stabbed by history's pitchforks and more recently dusted off with the likes of Harry Potter, Buffy, Charmed, American Horror Story. It's too literary, too fantasy, too CGI effects, too complicated to be real for me. "Witch" feels like a disfigured word, much like many slurs I don't think I can be typed on a public forum - sure, some folks out there are proudly reclaiming these words for themselves, but I'm not a folk who feels like she can get around it easily.

Is there a better word for what I am seeking? Has anyone else struggled with these definitions?

You are not alone in this! I've been beating around the bush for several years as to what label of convenience to use when talking to other people.

I'm not fully comfortable with using Pagan for a few reasons. First, it's so generic as to be damn near useless. Second, it's the name of an outlaw motorcycle gang that we're having issues with here in Norway that may turn very ugly. Third, it can be a loaded term depending on the audience here* because of the (real or perceived) association with the white power movement.

I can't call myself Wiccan because I'm not Wiccan. Full Stop.

My feelings towards the term Witch echo yours. Witchcraft is also still a bit uncomfortable for me. I tend to try to soften it by using the term Witchery instead, but eh...it's not perfect.

I'm not sure there is a perfect term, really. On reflection, what I am looking for would be essentially an unambiguous ambiguity. So yeah... :whis:


* "Here" being my physical location. As opposed to my online location.

[Ai]

So, I come down to the word "witch". And I don't like it. I find when I try to call myself a "witch" that the word is too haunted by Macbeth, colored with Hollywood's green skin, stabbed by history's pitchforks and more recently dusted off with the likes of Harry Potter, Buffy, Charmed, American Horror Story. It's too literary, too fantasy, too CGI effects, too complicated to be real for me. "Witch" feels like a disfigured word, much like many slurs I don't think I can be typed on a public forum - sure, some folks out there are proudly reclaiming these words for themselves, but I'm not a folk who feels like she can get around it easily.

This is EXACTLY how I feel about it too!

My feelings towards the term Witch echo yours. Witchcraft is also still a bit uncomfortable for me. I tend to try to soften it by using the term Witchery instead, but eh...it's not perfect..[/SIZE]

Witchery...heehee. I <3 that. I can see myself using it as "various forms of witchery and witchy-type behaviours, etc." Hehe


I just say "eclectic" for myself anymore...but I really borrow from a lot of religions and then what I feel most like depends on my mood. It's not a title so much as just an adjective but like you, I don't feel particularly "right" with any currently used terms. :/

[Sarah]

I find Pagan to be a good, general, no-nonsense term, if nondescript and umbrellas over many kinds of Pagans (and definitely suggests to me, that one is a Pagan of a certain pantheon's worship, which makes me feel all muddled when I don't necessarily 'belong' to one and only).

Wiccan is closer - but again, for me personally - I'm what is referred to as eclectic, since I don't follow any traditional forms. And, to be fair, my practice is more spiritual, everyday and even sometimes mundane; more so than religious.

So, I come down to the word "witch". And I don't like it. I find when I try to call myself a "witch" that the word is too haunted by Macbeth, colored with Hollywood's green skin, stabbed by history's pitchforks and more recently dusted off with the likes of Harry Potter, Buffy, Charmed, American Horror Story. It's too literary, too fantasy, too CGI effects, too complicated to be real for me. "Witch" feels like a disfigured word, much like many slurs I don't think I can be typed on a public forum - sure, some folks out there are proudly reclaiming these words for themselves, but I'm not a folk who feels like she can get around it easily.



Is there a better word for what I am seeking? Has anyone else struggled with these definitions?

 
I really like the word Witch, I like thats its both sollidly earthy and ambiguous. I don't really care how it's been portrayed by the media, pretty much all portrays of groups of people in media are unrealistic in some ways.

Weather I use it or not depends on the company I'm in and what I'm talking about. A lot of the time no one needs to know how I label myself religiously. If I'm talking broadly about my path I will use the term pagan, mostly I only use witch with people I am close to in some way

I also don't think that Witch can be seen as a slur in the way other words are a slur, especialy not by Neo Pagans in western cultures. I think equaling it with words that actualy are slurs dismisses the oppression of people who are at the receiving end of those slurs

[Daecon]

I've wibble-wobbled over the definitions for the last few years now and I'm waffling on the best word to use. Pagan, Wiccan, Witch?

Pagan, Neopagan (my own preferred term) and Wiccan all describe the religion and its rituals.  "Witch" and especially "witchcraft" imply the active use of magic, which is a different practice.  It is certainly possible to be a Wiccan and not a witch.  

And of course, the term you never, ever, under any circumstances use for a fellow covener is "warlock."

[Voren]

I've been doing this little song and dance for ten years now...where I am fully aware of my spirituality and certain deities who call to me and I'm happy but when it comes to introducing or explaining myself, I am thrown for a loop.

I've wibble-wobbled over the definitions for the last few years now and I'm waffling on the best word to use. Pagan, Wiccan, Witch?

I find Pagan to be a good, general, no-nonsense term, if nondescript and umbrellas over many kinds of Pagans (and definitely suggests to me, that one is a Pagan of a certain pantheon's worship, which makes me feel all muddled when I don't necessarily 'belong' to one and only).

Wiccan is closer - but again, for me personally - I'm what is referred to as eclectic, since I don't follow any traditional forms. And, to be fair, my practice is more spiritual, everyday and even sometimes mundane; more so than religious.

So, I come down to the word "witch". And I don't like it. I find when I try to call myself a "witch" that the word is too haunted by Macbeth, colored with Hollywood's green skin, stabbed by history's pitchforks and more recently dusted off with the likes of Harry Potter, Buffy, Charmed, American Horror Story. It's too literary, too fantasy, too CGI effects, too complicated to be real for me. "Witch" feels like a disfigured word, much like many slurs I don't think I can be typed on a public forum - sure, some folks out there are proudly reclaiming these words for themselves, but I'm not a folk who feels like she can get around it easily.



Is there a better word for what I am seeking? Has anyone else struggled with these definitions?

 
The term I always use for myself has; though more of an umbrella term, always been "spiritualist." It covers just about everything I believe, everything I do (in regards to religious/spiritual activities), and every aspect of such in my daily life. I can understand why you wouldn't like the word "witch" would be undesirable, not just because of the way Hollywood portrays such, not to mention all the stereotyping and negative connotations that also may come with it. I'm sure you can find some sort of terminology that would work for you. I don't know that this helped at all, but I thought I'd put my two cents in.

[stephyjh]

Pagan, Neopagan (my own preferred term) and Wiccan all describe the religion and its rituals.  

Actually, thinking there's any such thing as "the" pagan religion rather erases the identities of the multitude of pagans who practice religions other than Wicca. We do exist, you know.

[Jack]

Actually, thinking there's any such thing as "the" pagan religion rather erases the identities of the multitude of pagans who practice religions other than Wicca. We do exist, you know.

 
Are you sure? I'm also bisexual, so I'm pretty sure I don't exist.

On a more serious note, OP, there are dozens or hundreds of words available to describe practitioners of spiritual practices. What do you want the word to convey about you?

[SunflowerP]

Pagan, Neopagan (my own preferred term) and Wiccan all describe the religion and its rituals.

No. While 'pagan' and 'neoPagan' can be used interchangeably, 'Wiccan' is not synonymous with them. All Wiccans are (neo)Pagan; not all (neo)Pagans are Wiccan - not even in the broadest definition of 'Wicca'.

(Neo)Paganism is not, as Stephy mentioned, a religion; it is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of different religions - sometimes so different that the only thing they have in common is being part of the neoPagan movement. While some pagan religions have similar rituals, or other practices, or beliefs, or ethical systems, or other features, there are no rituals, practices, beliefs, etc, that are common to all, or even to most, pagan religions.

Among these religions are the Wiccan family of religions - at this point, it's no longer possible to consider the term 'Wicca' to refer to a single religion.

See also TC's Pagan Primer and What is Paganism? on the Gleewood Seeking site, for more on the scope and diversity of pagan religions, and the article Different ways the term Wicca is used, also on Gleewood, for more about the scope and diversity of Wicca.

"Witch" and especially "witchcraft" imply the active use of magic, which is a different practice.  It is certainly possible to be a Wiccan and not a witch.

Well, sort of. Since the word 'Wicca' is simply a modernization of the Old English word that is the root from which 'witch' came, a strong argument can be made that it is not possible to be a Wiccan without being a witch of some sort.

It is, however, true that many people who identify as Wiccan do not consider themselves to be witches, and say that they do not practice magic. (This is not compatible, though, with your earlier reference to 'the religion and its rituals', because the religion of many Wiccans is religious witchcraft, and their rituals cannot be performed without using magic - hence my statement that Wicca is no longer a single religion.)

So I would also question your statement that witchcraft is a different practice from Wicca; that would imply that the religion of Wicca and the practice of witchcraft were necessarily two separate things, which is not always the case. (There are, though, non-religious forms of witchcraft; these would be more different/separate.)

I will note as well that 'active use of magic' (an odd phrasing; what do you mean by 'active'?) applies to a variety of things that are not witchcraft.

And of course, the term you never, ever, under any circumstances use for a fellow covener is "warlock."

 
Unless, of course, you are part of a coven/tradition which does use the term. See here, here, here, here, and here for some background on this.

In general, of course, it's better not to use the term for anyone unless you know they use it themselves, whether or not they're your fellow covener - and on the flip side, there are indeed circumstances under which the 'oathbreaker' use would be applied to a fellow covener, usually immediately before they become an ex-member of the coven via 'dishonorable discharge'.

Sunflower

[Emma Eldritch]

I've been doing this little song and dance for ten years now...where I am fully aware of my spirituality and certain deities who call to me and I'm happy but when it comes to introducing or explaining myself, I am thrown for a loop.

I've wibble-wobbled over the definitions for the last few years now and I'm waffling on the best word to use. Pagan, Wiccan, Witch?

I find Pagan to be a good, general, no-nonsense term, if nondescript and umbrellas over many kinds of Pagans (and definitely suggests to me, that one is a Pagan of a certain pantheon's worship, which makes me feel all muddled when I don't necessarily 'belong' to one and only).

Wiccan is closer - but again, for me personally - I'm what is referred to as eclectic, since I don't follow any traditional forms. And, to be fair, my practice is more spiritual, everyday and even sometimes mundane; more so than religious.

So, I come down to the word "witch". And I don't like it. I find when I try to call myself a "witch" that the word is too haunted by Macbeth, colored with Hollywood's green skin, stabbed by history's pitchforks and more recently dusted off with the likes of Harry Potter, Buffy, Charmed, American Horror Story. It's too literary, too fantasy, too CGI effects, too complicated to be real for me. "Witch" feels like a disfigured word, much like many slurs I don't think I can be typed on a public forum - sure, some folks out there are proudly reclaiming these words for themselves, but I'm not a folk who feels like she can get around it easily.

Is there a better word for what I am seeking? Has anyone else struggled with these definitions?

 
I think it really boils down to what you wanna be. There's so many words... do you want to imply you do magic? Talk to spirits? Worship gods? There's options if you're not comfortable with other terms. (And there's nothing wrong with not liking a word.)

I happen to love the word witch, partially because of the stereotypes associated with it.

[Sophia C]

Is there a better word for what I am seeking? Has anyone else struggled with these definitions?

I strongly dislike the term 'witch' when applied to myself. But that's partly because I'm just not one. There are plenty of paths within Paganism that are not witchcraft - maybe another term just fits your practice better.

I also have a Gaelic reconstructionist issue with the term 'witch', where it was never a positive term in the place where my practice is rooted, and it still isn't. So for that reason I don't use it, too. But that's a personal thing, and not something I'd impose on other people. Words have many different meanings to many different people. If you don't like one, there may be others that are better for you.

[Queen of Wands]

A lot to think about here. I took a few days to consider. I'm still considering.

I really like the word Witch, I like thats its both sollidly earthy and ambiguous. I don't really care how it's been portrayed by the media, pretty much all portrays of groups of people in media are unrealistic in some ways.

Weather I use it or not depends on the company I'm in and what I'm talking about. A lot of the time no one needs to know how I label myself religiously. If I'm talking broadly about my path I will use the term pagan, mostly I only use witch with people I am close to in some way

I also don't think that Witch can be seen as a slur in the way other words are a slur, especialy not by Neo Pagans in western cultures. I think equaling it with words that actualy are slurs dismisses the oppression of people who are at the receiving end of those slurs

As a word, the sound of it is both solidly earthy and ambiguous (and I love it!). In context...it's something I might or might not come to terms with. And of course, nobody needs to know - but having/will be moved(ing more) recently and meeting a lot of people, I hope there will be people whom I will want to openly introduce myself as a _________.

As for my questioning it's use as a slur - definitely, perhaps not in today's world (at least, in MOST parts of today's world) but in the middle ages? Or in certain parts of the world even today, being called a "witch" is still considered a death sentence. Absolutely not trying to oppress anyone over here! :ashamed:

I think it really boils down to what you wanna be. There's so many words... do you want to imply you do magic? Talk to spirits? Worship gods? There's options if you're not comfortable with other terms. (And there's nothing wrong with not liking a word.)

 I think this boils down my original question: what do I want to be? (Aside from employed, that is).
 

I am a tarot reader. An amateur astrologer. I prefer acupuncture to ibuprofen. My magic is mundane: the colors I surround myself with, the candle I might burn that day, picking up pennies, collect crystals. I celebrate the eight holidays, but not with ceremonies. I call upon Persephone and Dionysus as archetypes of the feminine & masculine energy / yin-yang, what-have-you. I had a Taoist mentor and frequently am reading the Tao Te Ching for further insight. I look for symbols everywhere and use charms.

I honestly think that "witch" could be the perfect word for me, if it didn't have the pop culture context. "Pagan" also fits, if loosely. I could continue on as a quietly-practicing, solitary, eclectic Wiccan.

There are plenty of paths within Paganism that are not witchcraft - maybe another term just fits your practice better.

...Words have many different meanings to many different people. If you don't like one, there may be others that are better for you.

So this is what I've come to conclusion with so far. Word-searching. Seeking.

[Daecon]

No. While 'pagan' and 'neoPagan' can be used interchangeably, 'Wiccan' is not synonymous with them. All Wiccans are (neo)Pagan; not all (neo)Pagans are Wiccan - not even in the broadest definition of 'Wicca'.
Sunflower

 
I am well aware that there are neopagans who are not Wiccans, but the original post was asking about Wiccans only.  If you want to get technical, pagan and neopagan aren't synonyms either.  The former includes any deistic religion that is not exclusively abrahamic, while the latter only includes ones that developed in a religious environment otherwise dominated by monotheism.

[stephyjh]

I am well aware that there are neopagans who are not Wiccans, but the original post was asking about Wiccans only.  If you want to get technical, pagan and neopagan aren't synonyms either.  The former includes any deistic religion that is not exclusively abrahamic, while the latter only includes ones that developed in a religious environment otherwise dominated by monotheism.

 
"Deistic"? No, that's not what that word means.

[Aster Breo]

If you want to get technical, pagan and neopagan aren't synonyms either.  The former includes any deistic religion that is not exclusively abrahamic, while the latter only includes ones that developed in a religious environment otherwise dominated by monotheism.

These definitions are different from the ones I'm familiar with. Where do they come from?