Dec 03 2008
Which Witch?
Witchcraft can be described in certain generalities, such as the belief in the gods, honoring the sacred days, revering Mother Earth, magick and the law of three. However, one of the core principles of the Craft is the subjectivity of reality- the fact that different things work for different people. Each person has individual experiences and beliefs that are solely their own, and no one else can understand them in exactly the same way. The sheer diversity of people in the Wiccan communities led to the formation of Traditions, by which practitioners of like mind can congregate. There are also classifications of Witch that are not really traditions, per se, but still such a distinctive and common type of witch that they deserve their own mention.To steal from recent political talk, if there ever was a “flock of mavericks,” then surely it’s the Wiccan community. The list of traditions and types is a very long one, but has its uses in describing the Pagan community.
The broadest classification that can be given to a witch really distinguishes the style and environment of their practices. There are the Traditional Witches; the ones who belong to a coven. Each coven tends to identify itself further through its designated teachings and recognized lineage. These distinctions can be placed along a particular author or mentor, such as the Gardnerian tradition. In other cases, the distinction of tradition comes from the pantheon or mythology that is revered. Faerie Wicca, which is firmly rooted in Irish Gaelic folklore and mythology, is an example of this sort of tradition. These are only examples, but the point is that witches are very independently minded, and each is going to have his or her own way of doing things. The defining feature of the Traditionals is that they belong to a coven.
By contrast, the solitary witch is one that practices the craft alone and does not belong to a coven. Often, these witches were also never initiated into a coven. To some Traditionals, this makes their credentials as a witch weak at best. However, one must always be careful of speaking in generalities. Many prominent witches who are in covens, or even have founded traditions (like Buckland), accept the existence of solitaries and grant at least some measure of recognition. A solitary is someone who may practice alone, but there are those who practice the craft and don’t even know it.
These witches are called natural witches, who by virtue of their own character, are witches at heart. They use magick, they talk to spirits and faeries, they understand and revere nature. In some ways, they can be considered the most powerful of witches as they come to it naturally. They have no need to learn it or get good at it like the rest of us. At times ,they go through life with no idea that they are doing witchcraft, and may have no exposure to it at all.
Often these Naturals are confused with another kind of witch- the Kitchen Witch. Witchcraft is a feminine tradition at heart, and the kitchen and hearth has been the domain of the goddess since we started building houses. There is an inextricable link between kitchens and the craft, just as the craft is linked with the Goddess. Being a Kitchen Witch is not an exclusive vocation- most kitchen witches crossover into one of the other categories (traditional, solitary, or natural).
Another title that is applied to Wiccans often, and appropriately so, is Eclectic. One prominent Witch wrote “any good witch is eclectic- they’ll steal anything!” By this,it is meant that Wicca is an organic belief system that grows and changes with its adherents, over the generations as well as the duration of their lives. Wiccans are also bereft of many of their traditions, and must rely on infusions of knowledge and energy from other contemporary Earth religions, such as shamanism. Witches will look to other mystical practitioners for inspiration and guidance, because there is a lack of central authority in Witchcraft (not a bad thing, mind you!). So any good witch is eclectic, because we must be adaptable and willing to change to fit the times.
