A Witch by Any Other Name

Rain Feb 6, 2018

Within the Witchcraft and Pagan community, there still seems to be a need to label Witches. If you’ve spent any time around us, I’m sure you’ve noticed the kinds of questions asked. It’s human nature to try to compartmentalize people and things so that we know what to expect from them. Think about it for a moment…when you hear “puppy,” you think cuddly and cute, right? What do you think when you hear Wiccan? The problem here is that Wicca, and really ANY Pagan path you come across, has no standardized definition. Does knowing I’m a Witch with Wiccan tendencies really tell you anything about me?

There are paths through Wicca that are more standardized than most. For example, if you follow a Gardnerian path, then your experience is likely to be similar to other Gardnerian Wiccans and Witches. If you are part of a coven, again there can be similarities between you and the other coven members. For every standardized path out there, however, there are just as many paths with no standardization. This is one of the many amazing things about being a Pagan!

There is no hierarchy of groups within this community; no single path is more valid or relevant than another. Witches with “lineage” still have to earn their place in the Craft, they still have to read, study, and practice like any other Witch. I believe the practice of Witchcraft is an extremely personal path and no one can or should tell you how you should practice it.

Are you a Wiccan? A Hedge, White, Gray, Kitchen, Celtic Witch or something else? COOL! As an eclectic Witch, I follow my own path, one that accepts “truths” wherever I find them. I urge you to find your own truths. If you need a label, go with what feels right to you. I’m kind of partial to “Witcchan” (Wiccan Witch) but it just isn’t catching on. LOL! Just be aware that even if you choose a label, it may not mean the same thing to others as it does to you.