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WITCHCRAFT

While many Wiccans refer to themselves as Witches, Witchcraft is actually separate and distinct from Wicca.  Witchcraft is the practice of pre-Christian folk magic, which includes healing, herbalism, and work with stones and natural objects.  In the most technical sense of the word, Witchcraft is a system of natural magick, not a religious ideology.

While some Wiccans may practice the arts of Witchcraft, or something akin to them, not all people who practice Witchcraft are Wiccans.  Wicca refers to the modern-day religion, which was pieced together using various components of Witchcraft.

Typically, those who practice Witchcraft (rather than Wicca) do not consider themselves bound by the Wiccan Rede or the Threefold Law.  Their practice involves no dogma and they are guided solely by their conscience.  Practitioners of Witchcraft engage in a lot of spell work, and do not have any particular "code" against performing bindings, love spells, and hexcraft.

Please do not mistake this lack of structured rules to mean that those who practice Witchcraft have no moral standards.  Most Witches are very ethical in their magickal endeavors, they merely rely on their own sense of right and wrong rather than "rules" created by others.

The important thing to remember throughout the course of your pagan studies is that many pagan authors use the terms "Wicca" and  "Witchcraft" interchangeably.

 

Background courtesy of Aurian-Azhure

 

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