Which Witch is Witch?

With Wiccan websites, books, "high Priestesses" offering the key to the ancient knowledge of the Path, many kids and adult alike are drawn to the Craft of the Wise. However, the type of Witches that we have in the recent years are more or less "scattered" compared to the genuine Seekers of the Old Religion in the past. The types of Witches that we have has now a very wide scope. Now which Witch is Witch?

We have a lot of Witches that are coming out- we have Catholic Wiccans, 15 year old- High priests and priestesses of the Mysteries, the Grand high Poohbah of the Winding Way and the list is endless. We have seasonal witches, hereditary witches, native witches, eastern witches, Feng Shui Witches(?) and sandwiches?

Now which of these Witches are the true witches? I would say that all their practices and beliefs are very valid since each of us has our own Paradigms that we use. We each glimpsed the Truth and we only practice things in ways we perceive them. Though seriously speaking, the idea of having a flock underage teenager High Priests and Priestesses indoctrinating other teens to follow the Craft under the pretense that Wicca or Witchcraft would solve all their problems- from Parent issues to lovelife to skin blemishes.

The more alarming thing is these kids would mix and match traditions, get bits and pieces of information from different religions, beliefs, practices to develop untested rituals and spells suited for their needs some if not most with terrifying results. The Craft that we practice right now is indeed a mix and match of all of these that I mentioned above, however its how we choose the right information and how we use it. The most important thing is how we use our religion as our way of life.

In the Philippines, the Traditions that exists are mainly a mirrored version of the Western Wiccan Traditions. The one that we have here originally are remnants and/or bastardized amalgamation of the shamanic and Catholic practices, hence the Latin incantations that our albularyos are using. The original fertility practices of our elders including the harvest practices are quite lost to us now. In some parts if the provinces especially in the highlands though, the practices still exist. The chantings under the full moon before the first stalk of rice grains is even cut, the libation of milk and honey to the tilted land and the setting aside of the first harvest on the altar of the spirits and elementals (now on the altars of saints). These are some of the practices that still exist and someday I yearn to observe and document as a scholar of the Old Ways.

Picture Source:

Witchcraft

WRITER: James Robinson ARTISTS: Teddy Kristiansen, Peter Snejbjerg, Michael Zulli, Steve Yeowell LETTERER:Starkings/Comicraft COLORISTS: Daniel Vozzo