We are here, In the Shadows…...

What is Traditional Witchcraft?

The structure of Traditional Witchcraft is much less formal then what most people are familiar with. Covens are not rigid, with High Priestesses or High Priests presiding over all functions. Most choose to be solitary practitioners who occasionally meet at Sabbats for companionship, or to share spells, herbs, and stories. There are no degrees. Life is a process where learning and growth never end. The forms of our rituals are not dogma passed down from generation to generation. We do have some very old forms, but they are partial to change and are often very simple. How you live witchcraft is not as important as why you’re doing it.

Traditional Witchcraft is a polytheistic religion where there is belief in many Gods, Goddesses, and local deities. Ancestor worship is also very common. Many “New Age” religions such as Wicca believe in a Duo Theistic system where all Gods and Goddesses are “aspects” of One God and one Goddess. For a Traditional Witch, this is rubbish.

In Traditional Witchcraft, the Holy Days are celebrated from region to region in different ways and at different times. Some traditions do not celebrate the Solstices and Equinoxes. I celebrate the four Great Sabbats, the Solstices, the Equinoxes, and the full moon Esbats.

 I do not ignore the darkness that is inherent in nature. Nature is both kind and cruel, giving and taking. There is great darkness inherent in Nature, both the natural world, and in the personal nature of spirits, Gods, and humans.

I was born and raised in Butte County, and love it dearly. It’s Mediterranean climate perfectly accents the seasonal cycles which are an intricate part of my witchcraft. There are rolling plains, riparian habitats, forests, rivers, farmland, lakes, and oak covered foothills all within short driving distances.

Oroville is the Butte County seat, and was originally founded along the Feather River as a mining town. It has a rich history highlighting the California gold rush. In 1968 Lake Oroville was added to the Northern California water system and is the tallest earthen dam located in the United States. Over 770 feet high and 6920 feet across. Lake Oroville has been rated as one of the best bass fishing spots in California, and also provides numerous opportunities for water sport activities.

The town of Oroville is well known for its many antique shops, the 1853 Chinese Temple and Chinese Garden which is open to the public,  and a selection of historical Victorian homes. All in all, an awesome place to live.

Remember that when you are researching witchcraft and paganism to use discretion. There are thousands of books and web sites that profess they are the “true path”, or that their brand of witchcraft has been passed down from generation to generation for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Do not take everything you read as literal truth. You must be able to separate the wheat from the chaff, and believe me when I tell you: there’s a lot of chaff.

 When you find the truth, you will know it in your heart. Grasp it. Hold onto it. Live it. If it is not truth, turn away from it….

Summoning spirits and elementals is a basic component of witchcraft. Harmful destructive spirits are facts of life, both in the old times, and now. A similar art called Thought Form Construction  can often obtain similar results without the inherent dangers.