Tag: witchcraft

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WITCHCRAFT 101, Part Three

multicolored umbrella

what’s up witches?!?!?!

Bright Blessing and welcome to another installment of the Any Witches Blog. Today we are welcoming the next addition to our Witchcraft 101 series, which will be all about the mystical realm of colors. We will explore all the colors of the rainbow (ROYGBIV) before moving on to some of the different shades. Buckle up and enjoy the ride as we hop on our brooms and fly through the rainbow (maybe we will find that pot of gold!).

colors and their symbolic significance in witchcraft

Witches, from the newest of baby witchling’s to the most seasoned of Crones, will have learned that intention is one of the cornerstones of practicing witchcraft, and one example witches show their intent is by using specific colors that align with that intent while performing a ritual or spell. Every shade or hue of every color symbolically represents certain intentions or actions, and sometimes even specific emotions or feelings. So, let us dive into the fascinating world of colors as we learn their symbolic significance in witchcraft.

red

The color red has symbolized many things throughout history, from passion and love to hate and embarrassment, even good luck to danger. Cultures all over the world associate different meanings for the vibrant color. In witchcraft, the color red may still symbolically stand for all of these vastly differing associations, the important part is that you, the practitioner, believe that that association is what red symbolizes to you at that specific moment in time.
In witchcraft the color red is most commonly used to symbolize love, passion, lust, strength, and/or energy. Witches will often use a red candle while performing a spell or ritual pertaining to love or romantic relationships. The color red is also associated with the Root Chakra (Muladhara), which is located at the base of the spine and connects us to the earth.

Orange

Orange is the color of youth and emotion, optimism and enthusiasm. The color orange inspires creativity and encourages success. Orange is also the color of attraction. Like a moth to a flame, orange draws in those who glance its glow.
In witchcraft, the color orange is often associated with kindness, friendship, the sun, and used in Fire Magic. Orange reminds us of the seasons and cycles. Orange peels are often times used to help attract a new lover or find a new friend. The color orange is seen abundantly during the season Samhain, tracing back to the bonfires and food offerings used to ward off evil spirits. Orange is also associated with the Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana), which is located at the pelvis, relating to creativity and sexuality.

Yellow

Yellow is a joyful color, filled with happiness, positivity, and optimism. Yellow may also be a warning of caution or cowardice. Yellow is often associated with being the color of the sun and used to shine a light on a situation.
In witchcraft yellow is used for mental clarity and intellectual energy. Yellow is also used for communication, transportation, or as an adjustment to energy. Yellow is also associated with the Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura), located at the center of the abdomen just above the navel and governs personal power and will.

Green

Green is known for growth and springtime. Green brings forth healing and good health. In the USA green means go and safety. In modern times the color green is also likened to being a color of luck and money.
In the witchcraft community there is a branch of witchcraft and type of magic called Green Witchcraft. This is a magic practice that is centered around nature and uses the energies of nature and the natural realm primarily for healing. Green is used in money magic and is used to attract financial success, abundance, growth, prosperity, luck, and balance. Green is also a representation of spring, being a symbol for fertility, rebirth/resurrection, rejuvenation, and renewal. The color green is associated with the Heart Chakra (Anahata), located at the center of the chest, which opens us up to love and compassion.

BLUE (light/sky blue)

The color blue symbolically represents calmness, trust, stability, and loyalty. The lighter shades of blue, for example sky blue, calls for a relaxing afternoon rest; to lay back and stare up at the clouds as we daydream the endless possibilities of what’s to come. Sky blue also evokes calm, tranquility, and peace.
In witchcraft, sky blue is used to call forth clarity and understanding, and to bring peace and stability to a situation. Sky blue may be associated with both air and water elements, having characteristics of the two.
Blue, naturally, is the color of water, and can be a very emotional color. Blue will always find the truth and encourages clarity through communication. Associated with the Throat Chakra (Vissudha), located at the middle of the throat, blue enables us to communicate and express yourself; to speak your truth.

indigo

Indigo is the color of intuition, spirituality, wisdom, creativity, and imagination. Indigo is known for its power and charm, demanding integrity, structure, and order.
Indigo represents family, ancestors, and tradition (or cultural customs). In witchcraft indigo is used to strengthen intuition and perception and heighten the mind. Some find indigo helpful with opening the third eye and is occasionally a representation for the Third Eye Chakra (Ajna), located at the middle of the forehead, which enhances your intuition and vision.

Violet (Purple)

Violet/purple is the color of royalty, mystery, imagination, and creative wisdom. Violet is also associated with intuition, spiritual power, spiritual awareness, and higher consciousness.
In witchcraft purple is used for protection from evil spirits and harm caused by others. Purple is also used for wisdom, spiritual growth, and respect. Purple is associated with the Crown Chakra (Sahasrara), located above the head and connects us to the Divine and universal consciousness.

White

White has long been the symbol for purity and innocence. In American culture, the bride is oftentimes seen wearing all white, historically symbolizing that she was pure and untouched. Like a blank sheet of paper, the color white is the start of something new.
In many circles within witchcraft, witches will imagine a white circle of light during a cleansing ritual and for protection. It is believed that the white light purifies and cleanses everything that it touches, therefore also protecting anything that is in the light from any harm. White is also occasionally seen representing the Crown Chakra (Sahasrara). In candle magic, a white candle can be used in place of any other color. A white candle is often times used during purification, healing, cleansing, or protection spells. The term white witch, or witchcraft, is often used to describe a witch, or magic practice, that only uses magic for selfless reasons.

black

In many cultures worldwide, the color black symbolizes death and mourning. The color black is also known for carrying negative connotations, being a color of the unknown and mystery. For some, the color black is a color of elegance, and that it holds power.
There is a long-believed stereotype that all witches wear black. Even though this might not be true for every individual witch, many witches are seen wearing black regularly because of its protective power. The color black is often used during hex-breaking or curse removing spells and rituals. Just as we know that the color black absorbs all the colors from the visible spectrum, it also absorbs negative energy. In candle magic the color black is often used for protection, hex-breaking, and curse removal. A black candle may also be used as a substitute for any other color candle.

grey (gray)

Being composed of equal parts of black and white, grey (or gray) is the color for balance, neutrality, fairness, and compromise. Grey is also the color of transition, longevity, and power, and is a representation of old age. Grey is also negatively linked depression, lack of energy/confidence, loneliness, poverty, and even death.
There is a specific branch of witchcraft called Grey Witchcraft. Grey Witches are known for keeping the balance between the two polarities of magic, and often times follow the ideal that “a witch who cannot harm, cannot heal.” With the color grey having its associations with death it reminds us of the eternal return and the renewal of cycles.

Pink

The color pink is a soft and gentle color. Often associated with being a feminine color and the color for identifying baby girls, the color pink symbolizes charm, sensitivity, love, friendship, compassion, and playfulness. Pink is also another color for innocence and for being nurturing.
In witchcraft, the color pink is often used in spells and rituals where you are wanting to attract love, forgiveness, abundance, and joy. Pink is most often used to represent unconditional love and compassion. Other uses for the color pink can be nurturing, healing, joy, innocence, hope, and optimism.

gold

The color gold is often likened to success, wealth, and prosperity. In many cultures, gold is the color of the suns rays. Gold is also the color of approval and achievement. In the worldwide sporting tournament known as “the Olympics” we award those who achieve first place in events with a gold medal, symbolizing their success and great achievement.
In witchcraft, the color gold is associated with wealth and success. Gold is the color of the sun and connects us to the divine masculine. Gold is often times the metal used to create amulets of protection. Gold colored candles and gold coins are often seen being used in spells for financial growth.

silver

The color silver is another symbol for wealth and success. We have all heard the proverb “every cloud has a silver lining,” meaning that there is hope or something positive found in every bad situation. This give the color silver the symbolic meaning of hope.
In witchcraft, the color silver is often associated with the moon and its lunar energies. Silver is also the color of reflection and has the ability to allow us to see our true nature. Silver is associated with psychic receptivity, dreaming, healing, and rest. Silver is often used to represent the divine feminine and for its feminine energy. Silver also possesses the power of protection and is another favorite metal used in making amulets.

brown

The color brown symbolizes stability, reliability, and comfort. In feng shui, brown represents simplicity and protection. In western culture, brown is for practicality and earthiness, whereas in some eastern cultures, brown is the color of mourning.
The color brown is used by some witches for grounding, manifestation, and connecting to the animal realm. In candle magic, brown candles are used for clear thinking, decision making, concentration, and intuition.

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WITCHCRAFT 101, part 2

witchcraft altar space

WHAT’S UP WITCHES?!?!?

Bright Blessings and welcome to the second installment of our Witchcraft 101 series. In part one we discussed what witchcraft is and how it can be practiced as either a religion or a more personal spiritual journey. In part two we will dive a little bit deeper and go over several different types of witchcraft and magic. Keep in mind that this list is forever changing as time progresses and there are a hundred million different types of witchcraft. For this reason, we will only be going over some of the most common types. If you are already familiar with one way to practice but don’t see it here, do us a favor and comment on this post stating what that type is and give a brief description to spread that knowledge on to the next generation.

Prelude

Before we dive into the bottomless pit of theology, I thought it best to first add some clarity by defining a few terms. I would also like to add a disclaimer that many of the practices listed below can be practiced in more than one way. For example, persons who practice the same general path could potentially practice with either monotheistic, polytheistic, monolatry, or even atheistic or nontheistic beliefs.
Abrahamic & Non-Abrahamic: terms used to separate religions that either worship “the god of Abraham” (i.e., Christianity, Judaism, & Islam) or not.
Monotheism: the worship, honoring, and recognition of existence of only one divine being.
Polytheism: the worship, honoring, and recognition of existence of two or more divine beings.
Monolatry: the constant worship of one deity without denying that other deities exist
Pagan: an umbrella term used to describe many non-Abrahamic spiritual practices that are usually polytheistic and/or nature based.

Types of Witchcraft

Religious based

Religious based witchcraft is the practice of magic that has been incorporated into a religious belief system. The list below includes many religions that either already incorporate a magic practice into their belief system or that a magic practice could be easily added.

  • Wicca– a nature-based Neo-Pagan religion that worships a god and goddess generally seen as two aspects of a single divinity. (more info at https://wiccaliving.com/what-is-wicca/)
  • Santeria– a polytheistic religion that worships Orisha’s which represent aspects of nature, human life, and the divine. 
  • Vodou (Voodoo)– a commonly misrepresented and misunderstood religion, Vodou is a religion that combines Roman Catholicism and Native African religions from the region on Dahomey. Vodou is a monotheistic religion honoring a single god as the most high but recognizes lesser gods that are involved more in the everyday practice. 
  • Hinduism– As one of the world’s oldest religions, Hinduism is a combination of religious, philosophical, and cultural beliefs and ideals.  Hinduism is unique in that practitioners can hold polytheistic, monotheistic, monolatrist, atheistic, or even nontheistic beliefs and still be Hindu.
  • Paganism– There are many different religions which may be categorized under the term Pagan(ism). Some commonalities that they share would be that they are nature-based, (usually) polytheistic, and are non-Abrahamic in their beliefs. Some pagan religions are: 
  • Druidry (Druidism) — a pagan religion with a worldwide following that upholds nature as sacred and is goal oriented to achieve creativity, wisdom, and love within their lives. With no strict dogma or sacred text, Druids beliefs and practices vary between individuals ranging from no deity to one to several but always honoring nature as sacred. (For more information check out druidry.org). 
  • Reconstructed Religions — a revival of the religious and spiritual practices of the Ancient Civilizations. This would include: Roman Polytheistic Reconstructionism, Hellenism (Greek), Slavic Native Faith, Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism, and Heathenry (Germanic). 
  • Stregheria — a modern pagan religion based on the traditions of early Italian witchcraft. It is believed that Stregheria has pre-Christian roots. 
  • Wicca — see above. 
  • Kemetism — a term used to group together 3 different approaches of the same belief based on the religious traditions of the ancient Egyptian peoples. Kemetic Reconstructionism is practiced most closely to the way the ancients would have whereas the Kemetic Orthodox Religion is a borderline monotheistic belief where many deities are recognized but only one is consistently worshipped, and the third approach being somewhere in between.  (for more info click https://world-religions.info/kemetism-religion/)

Spirituality Based

Spirituality based witchcraft is the practice of magic without the practice of a religion nor the worship of any deity.

  • Hoodoo– a spiritual magic practice often referred to as root-work or conjuring. Practitioners (root-workers and/or conjurers) may or may not hold any religious belief alongside their hoodoo practice, although many practitioners often use prayer and passages from the bible in their workings. 
  • Kitchen Witchcraft– a witch who utilizes this spiritual practice is often found creating new and interesting items in the kitchen. Kitchen Witchcraft combines magic with cooking and the witch who practices as such uses their knowledge of herbs, spices, and other ingredients to preform spells and/or make magical food. 
  • Hedge Craft — traditionally the witch who practices this form of witchcraft was often found living on the edge, or outskirts, of town, being knowledgeable in herbs, healing, spell-crafting, counseling, and adept in psychic abilities. It was common for many townsfolk to seek out the hedge witch for charms or potions, a spell to protect livestock, a house blessing, or even just to tell their problems to, which the Hedge Witch was happy to do in exchange for goods or money. 
  • Elemental Witchcraft– although the majority of witches utilize the elements in their craft, Elemental Witchcraft will often have a heavy focus on one singular element. For example, a Sea Witch heavily focuses on the element of water, a Flame Witch (or Fire Witch) focuses on fire, an Earth Witch focuses on earth, and an Air Witch focuses on the element of air. Likewise Elemental Witchcraft can also be defined as witchcraft that uses all the elements in their craft but will focus each spell, ritual, and/or ceremony on a specific element most related to the desired outcome they wish to obtain. 
  • Eclectic Witchcraft– this form of witchcraft is often frowned upon due to its ties to cultural appropriation, but, in my opinion, is one of the most commonly practiced spiritual paths within the magic community. Eclectic witches create their own style or way of practice by respectfully taking bits and pieces of different cultural and spiritual beliefs and practices and combines them to create their own unique path that feels right to the practitioner while still honoring the cultures from which they were based. 
  • Animism — the belief that everything has a spirit, including plants, animals, weather, and inanimate objects.
  • Shamanism — a practice involving a shaman who interacts with the spirit realm through altered states of consciousness, such as a trance, usually for healing or divination.

types of magic

In addition to the different ways to practice witchcraft there are also many different types of magic, all or most of which can be used regardless of the witchcraft practice the witch follows. As a reminder witchcraft, magic, and the practice of is in itself neither good or bad, but the witch may wield that energy for either good or bad reasons. Many of the types of magic below are similar in that they invoke aid from an outside source. Some of the different types of magic would include but not limited to:

  • Candle Magic — candle magic involves the burning of a candle until it extinguishes itself. Often times the witch will carve symbols, or sigils, or words onto the candle as well as “dress” the candle with oils or herbs that will assist in obtaining the desired outcome. The color of the candle is often chosen deliberately so that the meaning of the color matches the spell.
  • Elemental Magic — elemental magic utilizes the natural elements to obtain the desired end goal. Depending on the belief of the witch this may also mean invoking the spirit of a specific element for aid.
  • Blood Magic — blood magic, much like the name suggests, uses blood to connect a person to the spell/ritual to either strengthen the magic and/or give the magic a target. This type of magic only takes a minimal amount of blood (just a drop or two) and is a separate type of magic than animal sacrifice.
  • Moon Magic — Moon magic uses the phases of the moon to strengthen a spell or ritual. Moon magic also can be used to cleanse objects by basking the object overnight in the moon’s light.
  • Ceremonial Magic — this type of high magic is usually performed within covens or other “church-like” institutions, involving strict book learning and complicated ritual that must be performed with absolute precision.
  • Herbal Magic — herbal magic utilizes the magical properties of herbs and plants to achieve the desired outcome or two strengthen a spell.
  • Crystal Magic — crystal magic uses the energy of crystals and their properties to aid a spell or ritual. Many witches will create a crystal grid by places specific crystals in specific spots so that when they are arranged this way their energies are multiplied and working together.
  • Sex Magic — sex magic uses the powerful energetic release of an orgasm to complete a spell or ritual.
  • Entity Based Magic — this type of magic invokes the aid of a specific entity or group of entities to strengthen a spell or ritual, or as a way to hire the entity to do your bidding, although I would not suggest attempting to do the later.
  • Draconic: often coined Draconic Wicca, this type of magic calls upon the wise and powerful Dragon’s to assist you in your magic.
  • Faery: the truthful and tricky Fae people, sometimes called the little people, are invoked in this type of magic.
  • Angelic: although often paired with Christianity, many witches will still invoke the angels or archangels for assistance.
  • Demonic — opposite of Angelic, this form of magic invokes Demons to do the bidding of the witch. Oftentimes demon will be forceful to achieve the desired result.
  • Spirit Guides — Most witches use spirit guides in their craft, by asking for guidance (like their name suggests), requesting aid with spells/rituals, or simply just to be there for support. Spirit guides can take the form of practically anything and are unique to the practitioner.
  • Ancestral — ancestral magic is the honoring, by giving remembrance and recognition to, your ancestral lineage, whether or not you knew them personally. Although this form of magic has been slowly gaining more followers, ancestral magic is most often found heavily within Ethnic practices more often than mainstream practices (which is a shame…more witches should try this out!).
  • Spirit Animals — similar to spirit guides, spirit animals work alongside a witch offering guidance, aid, support, and even protection. Where the two differ is that spirit animals, like I’m sure you have guessed, strictly take the form of an animal or animal-like creature.

conclusion

Witchcraft and magic can be practiced in a multitude of ways. A Witch may or may not follow and uphold a religious doctrine as part of their witchcraft, while also utilizing one or more forms of magic as well. Virtually no two Witches will practice the craft the exact same way, no matter how similar their beliefs and craft may be. That is what make magic and witchcraft so magnificently beautiful and draws more and more people to join a magical path. That versatility, diversity, and freedom of choice makes witchcraft a very inclusive way of life. Often times you will find that witches will carry those ideals with them into their everyday life, knowing that there is no singular right way to achieve a goal and that not every way will work for everyone. The trick is finding what works best for you and aligns with your beliefs. Sometimes that takes a little trial and error, but once you find what works, everything just seems to click and flows naturally.

what’s next???

I hope you enjoyed reading about the different types of witchcraft and magic, and hopefully whether you’re a baby witch or a seasoned crone you learned something new. Comment below if you would like me to expand more in anything in this post or if you know of another type of witchcraft or magic that I didn’t cover please share it in the comments.

For the next few parts of this series, I am planning on covering the magical properties of some herbs and crystals, going over colors and their meanings in witchcraft, and touching on grounding, centering, and meditation and why they are important. So, stay tuned and on the lookout for these next installments of the Witchcraft 101 series, written by me, GreyFox Crawford, as part of the one and only Any Witches Blog brought to you by Any Witches Way at https://anywitchesway.com.

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Witchcraft 101 (part one)

What’s up, witches?!

Bright Blessings and welcome to yet another installment of the Any Witches Blog. Today’s episode is extra special, because it is the opening of our Witchcraft 101 series. In case you missed it in my last post, the Witchcraft 101 series is all about the basics of witchcraft. Throughout the series I will be touching on topics such as: herbs, crystals, colors, candles, deities, and “fortune-telling,” just to name a few. Much of the information you will find in this series will be, what I consider, commonly accepted knowledge within the wonderful world of Witchcraft (……and Wizardry *thanks JK Rowling and Harry Potter*)

What is Witchcraft?

“What is witchcraft?” Such a seemingly simple and innocent question, one that you would think had an equally simple answer, which it does. The simple answer being witchcraft is the practice of magic, but does that really answer the question? Witchcraft is many things. From a religion to spirituality, witchcraft can be practiced in as many ways as its practitioners.

Good vs. Evil

According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), witchcraft is an Old English noun meaning “magic or other supernatural practices; (the use of) magic or other supernatural powers, esp. for evil purposes or as used by witches.” A rather broad definition for the term, and although technically accurate, it gives a rather negative view of those who are witches. I would assume, and hope, that the later part of that definition is for Hollywood or time-period specific, otherwise I would take offense to their definition. Basically, at its simplest of definitions, witchcraft is the practice of magic. Witchcraft, itself is neither good nor evil, and neither are its practitioners, but a witch can use witchcraft with good and/or evil intent.

Now I am sure some of you are asking how witchcraft can be used for, but not be, good and evil. To answer this, I like to use Christianity as a reference. The majority of people view Christianity has inherently good, but history has proven that Christianity has been used for both good and evil. An example of good being programs and non-profit’s that cater to the less fortunate, whereas an example of evil would be the wars and mass slaughters done in the name of “God” or the church (i.e. the Crusades). In the same way witchcraft itself is neither good nor evil, but the person behind the witchcraft can wield its power for either good or evil reasons. Spells for protection would be an example of one-way witchcraft might be used for good. Whereas a blood-line curse or a hex could be an example of evil. In both cases the witchcraft, or magic, behind the spell, curse, or hex is neither good nor evil. Whereas the witch’s intent that fuels the spell, curse, or hex is for good or evil reasoning.

Religion vs. Spirituality

Witchcraft is also a religion and a spirituality but doesn’t have to be both simultaneously. As a religion, we see witchcraft as Wicca and the practitioners as Wiccans. The major difference between witches who are Wiccans (religious based) and witches who are spiritual based is that Wiccans are bound by a set of laws or rules, just like any other religion, known as the Wiccan Rede. As a spirituality, witchcraft, and the practice of, becomes a way of living unique to each practitioner, constantly changing and evolving with the practitioner’s growth and/or decline. It offers a freedom of choice to where once there was none. It allows an individual to create their own path and encourages the constant learning and relearning of different religions and/or spiritualities, and the choice to incorporate them into your path or not.

Witchcraft, as a spirituality, is many different things and rarely the same to two practitioners. You may have seen the term “eclectic” witchcraft, which in my belief is what the majority of witches practice today. Essentially, eclectic witchcraft is witchcraft as a spirituality, where the practitioner has taken bits and pieces of different religions and spiritualities and blended them together in a unique and personal way to form their own personal practice style. There has been some criticism of eclectic witchcraft, stating that it disrespects the cultures that get ripped apart and used by others. In a way this is true, but if done out of respect and used personally rather than as an attempt to dilute or otherwise lessen the culture from which it is taken from, than I, personally, do not see any wrong in it. An old proverb, made popular by Charles Caleb Colton, states that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” If that proverb doesn’t fit perfectly, I don’t know what does.

Witchcraft in its most broad of definitions is the practice of magic. The style, or form, in which the Witch practices is as unique as the Witch themself. Witchcraft can be just a spiritual journey or practiced as part of a religion (there is more than just Wicca, find out in part 2!).

Thank you for your dedicated readership of the Any Witches Blog. Please feel free to comment below with any comments or questions you may have, we love hearing your feedback.
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WHAT’S UP WITCHES?!?!

Bright Blessings and Welcome to another installment of the Any Witches Blog.
Please first allow me to apologize for being absent for an extended period of time. I had some self-work that needed my full attention. Although I am still working through some of it, I am able to focus some of that energy back into this beautiful work in progress.
I am back and ready to get into gear and becoming more present, not only here at Any Witches Way but in my life in general. So, I am sorry for my absentness but get ready to be seeing too much of me. LoL 😀

Anyways…….

I am planning to launch a series of posts, over the next few weeks, entitled Witchcraft 101. This series is still in the making, so bear with me on release dates and times. If you couldn’t guess it, the general topic of the series will be the basics of witchcraft. The information within the series will be what the majority of witches, if not all, agree to be true and what could be deemed as “common knowledge.” I plan to have at least three installments including topics such as grounding, meditation, herbs, crystals, candles, and much more!!

As always feel free to reach out and email me at GreyFox (greyfox@anywitchesway.com). I would love to hear any and all feedback you have, whether it is praises or critiques. Also, if you are going through a bumpy part of the path you travel, my inbox is open, and I am here for you to vent or ask questions. Or maybe you just need a friend to talk to, my inbox is open for that too.

Stay tuned for the first installment of Witchcraft 101, which should be available within the next week or two.


This is GreyFox signing off for now. Until we meet again. Stay safe and be blessed!