A Witch is a sacred, spiritual person who follows the disciplines and lore of Witchcraft that are manifested as the Magick is deemed to do for them through the use of ritualistic performance of Will. Witches have been misunderstood and often feared because we do use our talents powerfully to have reality conform to Will. We accept the Divine in Nature and see ourselves as woven into it as healers and friendly advocates of Mother Earth. Witches usually follow a belief in the dualities of the Universe (which can be paradoxical or oppositional) in a way which reflects all things acting in accord even though the differences are many. A Witch values the progressive changes of Life with respect as well as with a self-devotion in one's practice of the Craft. There are many traditions of Witchcraft which those with the knowledge find useful and usable once they appoint themselves to these opportunities. We work to bring substantiality into our own certainty through use of spells and use of enlightenment.
Witchcraft deals directly with wisdom. It isn't called the Craft of the Wise for nothing. Witches are respected. Most of them are fair. They are healers. Many help the community. Witches change things. They make good decisions. They don't promise what they cannot deliver, and they deliver what they promise. It has been the same throughout the heritage of Witchcraft.
The knowledge that we have today about the Craft and its origins is a combination of archeological info, myths or legends that have been handed down in heritage, and some historical documents that have been translated to various languages. Witchcraft is a path with depth. Basically the Folk Magick that we have today has been handed down generation to generation. There isn't merely one single path in the Craft. But it is based on making goals happen as outcomes. Many of our ways are simply guides to bring about preferred destinations and determinations. The wisdom in this is seen in how reality plays its part in bringing about something appropriate.
If you aim for something wise, you are more likely to get what you wish to gain. The wisdom instilled in the Craft allows for any Tradition of Witch to be relative of the practitioner being responsible for himself or herself. Thus, if a Witch needs to use forceful or protective measures, they are more than able to do so. Witchcraft is not a hoax. But many non-practitioners will prejudge us regardless of what we say or do. So, in order to act wisely, we need to stay level-headed yet spontaneous to most circumstances.
The nature of a Spell depends upon its creator. Wise desires and concentration make for the best possible solutions. Witchery is a path that can be used at one's own discretion. Therefore, with the transference of Magickal energies from the Witch to their target, we see a conclusive value that becomes more than general willpower. Technique and method must be learned to practice the Art.
Witchcraft is the practice of folk magick. It has been described as a skill, a philosophy, a way of life and a religion. In essence the most suitable definition of Witchcraft is as a way of life. It is a way of attuning to the natural world and developing a relationship with the spiritual flow of life's energy, and working with it to manifest desire. Nowadays Witchcraft is a spiritual pursuit that embodies various Pagan practices and customs that assist the individual in living a life of respect for Mother Earth, her creatures and the Self. But that statement is on the edge of making all Witches seem the same. When in fact, Witchcraft is a decentralized and autonomous practice that, by its nature, evolves and changes in order to suit the diversity of personality. So, in essence, it sometimes embodies placing self-gratification above respect. But this does not mean that there is no honor in being a Witch. Witchcraft in and of itself is not a religion, it is simply a way of life in which the SELF is seen as the catalyst for change, growth and development. However, in this case the catalyst is consciously susceptible to the outcome and its effects.
Witchcraft is thousands of years old. It was around way before Christianity ever came to be. It was not until the birth of Christianity and its consequent acceptance as the "one true faith," that Witches were perceived as irreligious, ignorant and idolaters. Witchcraft is good for the development of the whole self; the ins and outs of psychology, the ups and downs of life, the use of what you know on a personal level as well as the discovery of the unknown to clarify the understanding of both sides of any issue. Witchcraft is the path. The Journey is life. A Witch needs to realize that Witchcraft is a lifelong commitment. It's not just a religion but a way of life where the person is in harmony with all beings. It entails discovering your needs, testing your personal power and seeking out your Gods.
The Witch strives for balance so that they can recognize the duality of all things, have the ability to see both sides of the coin for everything that exists in our world. That is where true magick stems from. Magick is tied in to both sides of any issue. It has to be to get things to conform. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Everything in nature has a natural cause. Every natural issue has an idea that is opposite of it that is of equal value. A big part of Witchcraft is knowing what opposites exist, acknowledging the dualities of everything one works with so that when they cast a spell or work magick they can balance it out with its opposite and bring those forces to bear on it for maximum effect.
Witchcraft is a following where the self is the main focal point; although limited and dependent like anyone else, the Witch exists as the perfect center to life where the harmonious and beneficent forces of the Universe merge and radiate. A Witch can magickally precipitate a process or event without being directly involved in it or even changed by the consequences. They can better or hex any situation. Either way they are adding life to the circumstance and illuminating the state of things with their power and light.