It seems like there are a myriad of ways to define “Traditional Witchcraft”. And they all seem vauge. I sometimes use this term myself in an effort to define my craft for discussion purposes. But then one has to define that too! So here is my endeavor to define the term as I use it. Of course this is not the end-all be-all of it. This is essentially my take on it. And yes, I know I basically said that twice in a row, but unfortunately such a subject needs the ‘disclaimer’.
One of the more defining points which keeps cropping up is that traditional witches usually don’t identify as some of the more prominent witchcraft practices; especially Wiccan Witchcraft. It’s almost a fall-back term in a way. When nothing else seems to fit, but a lot of the Traditional Witchcraft ideals do, it gets adopted.
Most people I have encountered who self-identify as traditional witches (myself included) don’t follow the Wiccan Rede, or believe in the Threefolw Law and Kalifornia Karma. I have seen people who prefered an alternate version to the Rede which states “Harm none, but take no shit.” In other words, don’t cause harm unless you have to. Defending yourself and loved ones is your perogative. Though, I think to describe the feeling a traditional witch might hold in the matter, it would be better to say something like “Do as you feel the need or must.” One might like to add “Mind your own” to the beginning of that. Or that may not be in your nature. I think it could be said there are fewer ‘hard and fast’ rules in Traditional Witchcraft. But overall there seems to be a personal responsibility taken. Maybe the Threefold or Karma doesn’t exist, but shit can still backfire or socially come back to bite you. As a traditional witch, you kind of just prepare for that potential and deal with it if it happens.
That said, things like jinxing, hexing, and cursing are not shunned. They they can even become standard practice for people (depending on their circumstances or choices.) It’s a matter of personal discretion, not conflicting with morals usually, but not always born of them either. I’ve noticed traditional witches also seem more likely to acknowledge the more unpleasant history behind witchcraft without inserting denials or expressing it as being misunderstood. The word Witch usually meant something bad. Witches were not always even considered people but rather specters or fiends which could take many forms- human included. Witches were primarily seen as agents of evil or baneful. That’s just a fact of historical views which people held. Doesn’t mean that’s what we have to be but we can certainly take some inspiration from that at times. In fact, folklore seems to often be something traditional witches draw from.
Traditional Witchcraft tends to be fashioned more like a family tradition than an initiated coven. I won’t say it has to be passed down through family, but certainly it seems to lend itself more to personal than group practice. There are covens which identify as Traditional Witchcraft. But most people I’ve encountered seem to hold a sort of ‘down-home, behind-closed-doors, keep-it-in-the-household’ kind of view. It may even be seen as small group of like-minded people (think village tradition a few people maintain) rather than a full coven set up. And with it being more a ‘family matter’, initiations or degrees become rather arbitrary. If you are not working within an organised group, the need for such things kind of dissipates and doesn’t hold so much weight. I know I’m on rocky ground here with this bit, but I hope the point I’m trying to make here is clear enough.
Method of practice tends to differ as well. Most traditional witches rarely bother with a Circle. The Elements/Watchtowers/Airts are not neccissary nor as common. Instead of that, and often instead of calling on deity aid for magic, spirits are more heavily relied upon. Ancestor spirits, land spirits, spirits gathered for a specific purpose (such as from a graveyard)- all manner of spirits are around us at any given time and so can be accessed for aid and protection. Ancestor veneration has a larger place in Traditional Witchcraft than a lot of other traditions such as Wicca. In Wiccan books you might notice Ancestors mentioned in passing without much context or acknowledgment given. And on that note, you might notice there aren’t very many books on Traditional Witchcraft. Most of the ones out there seem laden with Wiccan bits, and have authors who have been quite involved with Wicca. So it gets a bit confusing. Traditional Witchcraft seems to be more often taugh orally, by searching for ‘oldschool’ forum boards, or finding someone who learned from someone. Or just plain taking an outline like this and using folklore/magic, legends, and the most ancient and ‘untampered’ bits of info and spells you can get your paws on, to peice together your own tradition. Presumably if you aren’t ‘inheriting’ roots from somewhere you are putting down your own with intention to pass it on.
Items used in traditional practice are more varied and random, I think. One might use a whole slew of ‘standard items’ (which themselves can differ by practice) or hardly any at all. It’s very much a “use what you have on hand” deal. There are some tools in Traditional Witchcraft which are not as often acknowledged elsewhere- such as the stang or mortar and pestle. There is no issue with collecting and using animal parts (aside from personal opinions of gross-ness). Or even human bones. (There are legal sources for human bones.) And perhaps most notably, there is a pervading opinion that tools and curios are not simply props or focal items. They have a power residing in them which can be tapped into. This can be born from the animistic view that all things have spirit (or portential for spirit). Or born of the idea that all things hold energy of some form (even from scientific views, which may inspire this perspective). Whatever the case, power is not solely in the magical practitioner but also in the world around us and the items therein.
Sometimes people refer to Traditional Witchcraft as being ‘darker’ or ‘spookier’ than a Wiccan or New Age practice. In truth, magic is more viewed as both and neither dark or light, just as nature is neutral. And a traditional witch will work with a full spectrum of methods; some of which other practices may find unsavory. Hence the reference. The biggest difference in this appears to be the traditional witch’s disdain for references such as “love and light”, “blessed be”, etc. The often over-used, overly sunny terms which seem to lack balance tend to rub ‘traditionals’ the wrong way, from what I’ve seen. And perhaps in reaction to that, they more readily view a lot of other practices as “fluffy”. Not everyone is that way of course, but it happens that way more often.
I know I seem to be comparing to Wicca a lot here. In fact Wicca is what Traditional Witchcraft most often gets compared to. It can start to seem like the two are at odds or something when really they are just two different takes on Witchcraft. But where Wicca is a religion which incorporates Witchcraft, Traditional Witchcraft is just the Witchcraft and may or may not have religious inclusions. It’s a personal decision instead. I’ve read in places where people, rather than trying to define Traditional Witchcraft, might say “I know it when I see it.” I agree with this, in part because it tends to be quirks and random bits that define it the most. Bits that are incredibly hard to put into words. But I hope I’ve done sufficiently here to express what I mean when I say ‘Traditional Witchcraft’.
{And yes, I know I’ve made a lot of Elemental references in the past. The difference is, I very rarely ‘call quarters’ with them. I sometimes use their structure in meditation as a spiritual exploratory tool or call on them less formally like spirit energies unto themselves during a spell. But they tend to get the same treatment methods as other spirits I might call, rather than having an ‘official duty’.}
Brindleroot Briar 