PLEASE RETURN TO – THE WHITE CRAFT

FROM - THE WHITE CRAFT

THE SECRETS OF WITCHCRAFT REVEALED

& EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE OCCULT 

BY ADORA STAR 

 

© Gina Fanning MEnvM 2007.  All Rights Reserved.  Gina Fanning asserts the moral right to be acknowledged as the author of this book.  No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission in writing from the Publishers i.e. Gina Fanning.  It is illegal to resell this E-book as an E-book or a book.  Copyright infringement is a felony.

 

  THIS IS ONLY AN EXCERPT FROM MY BOOK PLEASE RETURN TO THE WHITE CRAFT TO PURCHASE MY BOOK

  SHAMAN TO WITCH

MODERN EVOLUTION OF THE WITCH

 

SHAMAN TO WITCH  

The concept of the Witch developed from the tribal Shaman.  Study of Palaeolithic cave paintings in Northern Europe has revealed that the Shaman was the first to engage in the practice of magic as a part of religion and culture.  Stone Age people depicted the Shaman as an amalgamation — a fusion of human and beast.  This image of the Shaman imbued humans with the power of the wild beast.  The Shaman was an actor, a dancer in the theatre of the hunt.  A method actor, the Shaman influenced the hunt by becoming at one with the animal the tribe sought to track.  The Shaman draped himself, or herself in animal skins and donned antlers, or horns; taking on animal characteristics empowered the Shaman, as the Shaman danced in circles by the light of the fire.  By becoming the animal, the Shaman could gain advantage the hunt and thus help to ensure the survival of the tribe.

The Lascaux cave paintings in France, exhibit the Shaman as a synthesis of man and bird.  Nearby in Les Trois Freres, a cave painting depicts the shadowy figure of the Shaman, a spirit form, draped in animal skins with the antlers of a stag and the tail of a fox.  The Shaman cast a spell on the animals of the hunt by sketching a rendition of himself, or herself as a fusion of human and beast — a spell to capture the spirit of the animal, to bring luck to the hunt.  The practice of painting the figure of the Shaman on the walls of caves was a form of magic; it was a way of giving the Shaman power over the spirits of the wild animals of the hunt, through the medium of art. 
 
The Shaman held a central and important role in the nomadic hunter-gatherer tribe, as the tribes’ spiritual guide.  The Shaman could communicate with the spirits of nature, and of the hunt; and, thus help to ensure the survival of the tribe.  They could also heal the body and mind, by healing the soul.  As their role was central to ensuring the success of the hunt, they were indispensable to the nomadic hunter-gatherer existence. 
 
As man evolved, and the way of life changed from nomadic hunter-gatherer to subsistence farmer, the role of the Shaman changed.  The Shaman became more decentralised, still essential to the welfare of the community, but no longer central to the nomadic nature of the tribe, and pursuing the hunt.  The Shaman’s focus became orientated more on healing, securing the welfare of livestock, developing rituals to ensure the turning of the wheel of the year that marked the passing of agricultural cycles; and, for other spiritual needs of the evolving community.  The agricultural cycles mirrored the life cycle of humanity - birth, maturity, death, and reincarnation were themes echoed by the fields of corn and wheat.  The Corn King was cut down at the end of summer, to be reincarnated after the bitterness of winter.  Over time, as society became more sophisticated, and language and culture developed, the role of the Shaman refected this development, and the Shaman evolved to provide for the spiritual needs of the changing society.  The Shaman became the Witch.
 
As humanity became more sophisticated, and needed to dedicate less and less time to a hand to mouth existence, mythology also became more complex.  What began as a need to tell of the spirits of the hunt, and to examine the themes surrounding hunting and survival, evolved into an exploration of complex themes, surrounding sophisticated human desires and emotions.  Complex Gods/Goddesses developed from the spirits of nature - of animals; of the woods, and the moors; of the lakes, the rivers, and the ocean.  These Gods/Goddesses reflected the social development of humanity, and they encapsulated complex human social behaviour, emotions and character traits.
 
Witches lived in harmony with the subsistence farming community; they were an important part of village life, revered for their ability to heal, for their psychic abilities, and connection with the spiritual plane.  Many Witches were renowned midwifes and healers, who specialised in the use of herbs for medicinal purposes. The introduction of Christianity enacted a gradual change in this ideology, which was exacerbated when Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, followed by the subsequent Witch-trials of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. 
 
Christianity introduced new concepts of good and evil.  The concepts of God and Satan were new concepts – the world suddenly became very black and white - and Christian dogma was then used to retranslate the world.  Anyone who was not yet brought into the Christian Church was labelled a Pagan, or a heathen, and anyone who disputed Christian power and theology was branded a heretic.  Worship and idolatry of Pagan Gods/Goddesses was then outlawed; and, Pagan practices, such as, ceremonial activities were assessed and outlawed, or reinterpreted and then assimilated into Christian practices and beliefs.  The church then brought in laws that would allow them to overthrow and decimate any groups that challenged, or posed a threat to their ubiquitous power.
 
The church sought to overthrow the practice of Witchcraft, as Witches were valued by the Pagan community for having otherworldly, or supernatural powers.  While Christian saints etc, were revered for possessing supernatural powers, and believed to be touched by the hand of God, anyone outside the church demonstrating such powers was to be feared and distrusted. 
 
The Christian Church devised and proliferated negative proPaganda about Witches, through such documents as the ‘Witches Hammer’, or ‘Malleus Malefacarum’ - which was used to identify and trial Witches.  Such proPaganda included ideas that Witches gathered in covens, formed pacts with the devil, could fly and took part in the night flight, used familiars to carry out their evil intentions, had the mark of the devil on their body, and a third nipple with which they would feed their familiars, and other false notions.  The spread of such proPaganda by the church acted to both dehumanise and demonise Witches; this helped to break social ties and segregate communities, and made it easier for the church to infiltrate and restructure the community.  The demonisation and persecution of Witches, was used as a mechanism to infiltrate and fragment the existing spiritual structure, and religious beliefs of these communities. 
 
Prior to the breakdown of the existing spiritual-religious structure of Pagan communities by the Christian Church, the Romans broke down and disbanded the Druid religion in most of the British Isles and Gaul (now France), by the second century AD.  Druidic remnants were later disbanded by the Christian Church in parts of the British Isles the Romans had not invaded and conquered, for example, Ireland and some Northern most parts of Scotland. 
 
Due to this change in religious ideology, practitioners of white Witchcraft then became known as wisewomen/cunning folk/conjurers/charmers/or, pellars, often specialising in the healing arts.  These terms were used to describe ‘white Witches’, during and following the Witch-trials of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries - those practitioners of ‘white’ magic who used their skills to identify ‘Witches’ during the Witch-trials, or to disempower their magic.  From the time the Roman Catholic Church got its foot in the door, a ‘Witch’ was someone who practiced ‘black’ magic, or who may have alienated, whether knowingly, or unknowingly, persons of social stature in the local community.  Despite the association of cunning folk with the recrimination and outing of others as ‘Witches’ during the Witch-trials, it is likely that many cunning folk were adept healers and accomplished white Witches, gifted with ‘the second sight’, and skilled in the arts of fortune telling and prophesy. 
 
The ‘Witches’ that were identified during the Witch-trials, were most likely marginalised persons, who were not part of the formative social group and lived on the fringes of the community, or had offended someone of importance in the local community.  The majority of those who were sentenced to death, or received prison sentences, were from the poorer spectrum of society, and generally older women.  During the Witch-trials, some of the persons convicted of Witchcraft had even turned themselves in, for example, Isobel Gowdie (mid 1600’s).  Such persons were most likely suffering from a mental illness and confused about new concepts of good and evil, for example, believing that they were sinners and deserved punishment. 
 
During the Reformation (1520-1650), rival Christian factions had their own power battle over the practice of magic within the church.  The Protestants disputed magical practices carried out by the Catholic Church, believing these practices to be false beliefs that were initiated by the force of evil in the mind of man.  ‘Magic’ practiced by the church, includes, for example, exorcism; the Eucharist (transformation of bread and wine, into the body and blood of Christ); the hallowing, or transformation of water into holy water; belief in the power of holy relics etc.  The Protestants believed that the realm of magic, and the working of miracles, was Gods arena.  They believed that evil was launching a final battle against mankind, and that the practice of magic within the church was the tool of the devil, that would lead to the downfall of mankind.  They also believed that the absolution of sins gave man the right to stray from the word of God, as his transgressions would be forgiven - allowing evil to reign free in the mind of man.  
 
During and following the Witch-trials, cunning folk often used a combination of Christian prayers, and other elements, in order to avoid being labelled anti-Christian, or satanic; later, they became known as faith healers.  For example, they used a combination of prayers and herbal cures to heal an illness, or to cure an ailment believed to be caused by demons.  They left behind much of the old ways, including the ancient Pagan Gods/Goddesses; and, instead asked Christian saints, and/or the Christian God, Jesus, or the Virgin Mary for assistance in healing.  Therefore, the Christian religion assimilated that, which had begun as a Pagan practice.
 
Following the Witch-trials, and the renaming of those Witches who survived the trials as wisewomen, or cunning folk, some of the traditions of Witchcraft and of Pagan customs continued.  These traditions included knowledge of herbalism and healing; some folk history and customs; and, some magical skills which were considered harmless, for example, fortune telling and prophesy, simple spells, and methods of protection against Witchcraft.  It is impossible to tell how much of this history survived, and how much was lost forever. 
 
Folk customs and rituals, such as, May Day festivals to celebrate fertility; and, staying up all night on the longest night of the year to watch a Yule log burning, and welcome the coming of longer days and sunshine, are all forms of magic.  They are traditions that have survived hundreds of years, and are still practiced in the belief that they can influence the future, create good fortune, and bring a wish into being.  Just how many of these traditions passed through the avenues of time, to continue to the present day is unknown.  Due to the longevity, stringency, and vigilance of the Witch-trials, a great deal of the knowledge relating to traditional Witchcraft is considered to have been lost, and that which has continued has been retranslated under Christian dogma. 
 
There are arguments for, and against, what traditional knowledge is believed to have survived the Witch-trials.  In 1921, a groundbreaking book ‘The Witch Cult in Western Europe’ by Margaret Murray, provided an extensive interpretation of what knowledge of traditional and hereditary Witchcraft survived the Witch-trials; however, the legitimacy of this work has been somewhat questioned by some academic factions.  Many of the famous figures of the modern Witchcraft movement have claimed to have connections to ancient Witch cults, for example, Alex Sanders, the founder of the Alexandrian tradition, claimed to be a descendant of hereditary Witches, initiated into the craft by his grandmother.  Whether Alex Sanders, the self-proclaimed ‘King of Witches’, is descended from a long line of hereditary Witches, or not, only he knows.  
 
What we do know, is that the framework for the Wiccan system of ceremonial magick was devised by Gerald Gardner (1884–1964), and based on an eclectic mix of ritual drawn from the traditions of secret societies, including the Freemasons, the Rosicrucians, and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.  Gardner combined this system of working magic with his knowledge of ancient Northern European Pagan practices and ethos, and spiritual and mystical facets from other cultures and religions.  This fusion of high magic, low magic, Pagan ethos, and mysticism was tempered by Gardner’s love of drama and theatre, incorporating elements of his membership to a co-Masonic Rosicrucian Theatre in Hampshire.  Gardner’s adaptation led to a dramatic and theatrical adaptation of ancient traditions and ceremony, founded on magickal practices that are known to establish a link to the divine and allow the Witch to draw from the divine power.   
 
 

 MODERN EVOLUTION OF THE WITCH 

 

Following the monotheistic religious monopoly instituted by the Christian Church, and the violent and theologically destructive censorship of religious diversity by the Witch-trials, the world was thrown into a religious vacuum.  A vacuum that was only strengthened by the rationalisation of the Scientific Revolution, circa the sixteenth century.  This vacuum expunged free thought and creative self-expression, creating an environment of religious stagnation and theological stasis.  It was not until the Romantic poets entered the scene in the mid 1700’s, that this vacuous stasis quo was pierced by the arrows of creative deliberation on philosophical and religious ideals.  The Romantics challenged conservative religions; and, any ethos that confined their minds and shackled their souls.  The Romantic Movement paved the way for the resurgence of nature religions; and, the reconnection of humanity with the spiritual force of nature. 

 

The Romantic poets, including Byron, Shelley, Keats, Blake, Wordsworth, and Coleridge, celebrated the beauty and awe of nature.  Through poetry and literary expression the Romantics gave life to the divine Gods/Goddesses, which are a manifestation of the natural world and the collective human unconscious.  Their words articulated the spiritual dimension of the imagination and the power the human soul can derive from dreams.  They weaved the desire of humanity into the literary word; and, gave form to the dreams of humans, by creating a tangible manifestation of the Gods/Goddesses of nature through the written word.  To the Romantics the world was alive with magic, and animated by God/Goddess forms, manifest both in spirit and as part of the natural world. 

 

Many secret magical and occult organizations, which went underground during various eras of political and religious persecution, resurfaced during the mid 1700’s to the mid 1900’s.  The environment of this time provided an atmosphere of growing religious tolerance and changing societal attitudes to religion, in accordance with the ideas introduced during the Renaissance and the Enlightenment.  In keeping with this shift in attitude, public curiosity regarding different religions and the occult grew, and new organizations that accommodated this interest sprang up such as the Theosophical Society, Spiritualist Churches, and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. 

 

Some of the founders of the modern Witchcraft / occult movement were members of these organizations, for example, Gerald Gardner was a Freemason, and initiate of the Ordo Templi Orientis; and, A.E. Waite who designed the Rider Waite Tarot deck was also a Freemason, and a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.  These esoteric organizations - the Freemasons, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and the Ordo Templi Orientis – all had a significant influence on Gardner’s ideologies, and therefore on the development of Wicca as a religion.

 

The Freemasons have long ties to the occult and to mystery traditions.  According to legend, the Freemason fraternity was founded during the construction of the Temple of Solomon.  The temple needed to be magically fortified in order to be strong enough to contain the power emanating from Solomon’s greatest treasure - the Ark of the Covenant.  King Solomon enlisted the help of master stonemasons, who constructed the Temple using a combination of superior architecture fused with high magic.  Solomon’s knowledge of the occult, high magic, and the world of invisible spirits, was bestowed upon Solomon by God - leading to Solomon’s formidable reputation as was a master magician, who wielded power over the unknown.  Therefore, high magic and mystery traditions practised by the Freemasons can be traced back to the time of King Solomon, and the Solomonic mysteries - revolving around the knowledge that was imparted to Solomon by God.

 

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn also had ties to the Freemasons, as the society was founded by three Freemasons who were also members of a Rosicrucian fraternity - the Societas Rosicruciana.  Therefore, ritual developed by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was heavily influenced by Masonic and Rosicrucian theology, combined with elements of Greco-Egyptian mysticism, Jewish mysticism, and the Kabbalah.  The tireless academic research initiated by members of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn revived ancient ceremonial magic for the new age, strongly influencing the direction taken by the Western high magic tradition, and other emerging magical traditions, including Wicca. 

 

An initiate of the Golden Dawn, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers - a renowned occult scholar and intellectual - was skilled in translating ancient manuscripts from Latin and ancient Hebrew.  MacGregor Mathers provided accurate and transparent translations of ancient texts that were used by esoteric societies in ceremonial workings, including his influential translation of ‘The Greater Key of Solomon’.  MacGregor Mathers was an ethical elitist, who guided by his own strong ideals, omitted some of the more dangerous workings of black magic from his translations.  Although he cautiously provided warnings against some of the workings of these ancient documents, he was far from being a stale and intellectually prudish figure, quite the opposite; he was an intellectual esoteric adventurer exploring the world of the ancients and their most coveted secrets.  MacGregor Mathers astutely provided guidelines for what he classed as the workings of white, or black magic, based on his knowledge of ancient esoteric traditions.

 

The influential ‘Book of Ceremonial Magic’ (1913) by another member of the Golden Dawn - the Christian mystic, A.E. Waite - provides an in depth analysis of ceremonial magic throughout history.  The ‘Book of Ceremonial Magic’ is basically a disposition of ancient grimoires, which delves into the arenas of both white and black magic.  The book later became known as ‘The Book of Black and White Magic’ – disposing the most famous and infamous of the ancient grimoires.  By providing an analysis of the distinctions between the workings of white and black magic, Waite’s intellectual review set the standards for distinguishing between these facets of the magical tradition.

 

These turn of the last century magicians, delved into the world of the ancients, and the ceremonial magic devised by the magicians and sorcerers of the Middle Ages, to bring ceremonial magic into the modern world.  Without their accurate and insightful translations of pivotal ancient documents, and their guidance and knowledge pertaining to ceremonial magic, magic would not be what it is today.

 

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn were instrumental in providing a working system of ceremonial high magic – magic that allows the magician/sorcerer to connect with the universal divine.  The Golden Dawn were careful to avoid tempering with negative, or malign forces, and the system of working magic they devised has had an influential impact on the modern occult movement. 

 

Gerald Gardner is alleged to have gained access to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn system, through his friendship with Aleister Crowley.  Gardner took the principles of high magic and ceremonial ritual devised by the Golden Dawn, in combination with Masonic elements gained via his association with the Freemasons, and used this as a platform to the development of ritual and ceremony in the Wiccan religion.  The Golden Dawn were academically renowned for their intensive research into the occult – for their knowledge of ancient cultures and skilled translations of ancient magical documents.  Without the influence of the Golden Dawn, Wicca would be a very different religion.

 

The Golden Dawn were skilled magicians in the arena of high magic – magic that transcends the physical world.  High magic is a form of magic that can be defined as magic that unites the magician/sorcerer with the divine; it is designed for the purpose of spiritual transcendence, enlightenment, and transformation.  Through the medium of high magic, the magician/sorcerer connects with his/her higher self, and the wider powers of the universe.  It works on the principle that each of us contains a divine spark, or a sacred light within – the higher self - and it is this element of the divine that can be used to connect with the universal divinity.

 

Gardner used the principles of high magic to develop the ritual of casting a magical circle - to create a ‘sacred space out of time and between worlds’ - where magic can be created, and the Witch can interact with the higher powers.  The ritual bears great similarity to the system of working magic devised by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, where elements were ascribed to the four cardinal directions: the element air to the east, fire to the south, water to the west, and earth to the north.  The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn also embellished on the system of Enochian magic, invoking the Lords of the Watchtowers during the conjuration of sacred space – also adopted as a component of the Wiccan tradition. 

 

Within this sacred space, the Witch could commune with the God/Goddess, and connect with the divine.  Ritual was therefore used as a mechanism in which to draw from, and interact with the universal power.  In Wiccan tradition the conjuration of the circle acts as a portal between worlds, where energy can be contained and concentrated, and then directed towards magickal goals.  The circle provides a protective environment for the Witch to commune with the higher powers – it provides a doorway between worlds protected by the Guardians/Lords of the Watchtowers and the elemental spirits / raiths - where ritual and ceremony are given form and substance.  Within the circle is a meeting of the physical and the spiritual world, where magic is created and manifested.

 

The use of the circle in ceremonial magic can be traced back to the mysteries of ancient Egypt; the megalithic monuments of the ancient Celts; and, the grimoire believed to have been written by the Hebrew king - King Solomon (who reigned approximately 961–928 BC) – ‘The Greater Key of Solomon’ – which is alleged to be the source of all ceremonial magic.

 

The combination of high magic ritual with philosophy/theology, mythology, and mysticism from other cultures, provided structure to what Gardner called a Pagan mystery religion; and, filled in the blanks which had resulted from the suppression of Pagan culture and religion by the church, over hundreds of years.  However, this was not a recreation of a pre-Christian Pagan religion, but rather the development of a new religion, taking inspiration from Pagan roots.  The arts of drama and theatre were also incorporated into the development of Wiccan ritual, to inspire awe and creative inspiration. 

 

As the founder of Wicca, Gerald Gardner was English and a member of the Ancient Druid Order, ancient Celtic beliefs and practices were also an influence in the development of the Wiccan religion.  Knowledge of these ancient traditions have been preserved from these times, through the practices of wisewomen, or cunning folk; from folklore; Celtic mythology; and, from records made during the Roman occupation. 

 

Knowledge of ancient Celtic practices has also been extrapolated from the archaeological study of Celtic monuments and megalithic structures such as Stonehenge.  Study of these monuments has provided us with an understanding of the ancient magico-religious practices, and spirituality of the Celtic people. 

 

In addition to the Celts other ancient Northern European Pagan tribes such as the Teutonic races (Germanic), the Romany (Gypsies), the Greeks, the Romans (the Strega – Italian Witchcraft), the Etruscans, the Norse (Vikings – Shamanic practice of Seidr), the Saxons, and the Siberian Shamans have also provided inspiration for the development of various Wiccan traditions, and other neo-Pagan religions and practices.  Other sources which contributed to the development of Wicca include practices/traditions drawn from the mystery traditions of Ancient Egypt and Greece; Jewish mysticism of the Kabbalah; Middle Eastern magical traditions; and, practices drawn from different cultures and religions of the Far East, for example, Buddhist meditation techniques, and Indian yogic techniques. 

 

Gerald Gardner was also highly influenced by the works of Margaret Murray, a renowned scholar and Egyptologist, and the ideas she introduced regarding the continuation of Celtic religion, despite centuries of religious persecution.  Murray drew conclusions about an ancient Witch cult, that she called the ‘Old Religion’.  She stated that this was an organised fertility cult, and took a punt on the deities that would most likely have been worshiped by this idealised cult, suggesting the Celtic horned God – Cernunnos - and worship of a Mother Goddess.   People desperately wanted to believe in Murray’s ideas, her book ‘The Witch Cult in Western Europe’ fulfilled popular desires for proof of the continuation of the ancient Pagan ways – that all had not been lost through the passage of time.  Although questioned by academics, the book gave people hope that that Pagan spirituality was still alive - inspiring dreams of recreating the old Pagan ways, and influencing the direction taken by the neo-Pagan movement and contemporary Witchcraft.  Therefore, in a convoluted way, Murray actually pre-empted the modern Witch cult, as the concepts expressed in her work were later brought into being. 

 

The concept of the ‘coven’ was embraced by Gardner as a way for a group of like-minded people to gather together, to find an expression for their religious beliefs.  The idea of the coven was introduced during the Witch-trials, as under the negative proPaganda of the times, the concept of a group of Witches – generally a group of thirteen Witches - was far more frightening than a single solitary Witch.  It is now believed that Witchcraft was traditionally a solitary practice, or one followed by small-unstructured groups.  Ironically the coven concept, introduced for the purpose of persecuting groups of people during the Witch-trials, now provides a sense of community for Wiccan practitioners.

 

From one coven, led by Gardner and his high priestess, sprang others.  Alex Sanders, the founder of the Alexandrian tradition, gave an Egyptian slant to the Wiccan tradition.  Sanders was influenced by Hermetic magic, which developed out of the concepts introduced by the Emerald Table of the mythical Egyptian sorcerer Hermes Trismegistus, and the Greco-Egyptian work ‘The Corpus Hermeticum’.

 

Following the traditions developed by Gardner and Sanders, many more traditions have evolved in accordance with increasing interest in the Craft.  These new traditions have embraced different facets of the new age movement and the Pagan revival, and incorporated magical and spiritual practices from a variety of cultures and religions. 

 
THIS IS ONLY AN EXCERPT FROM MY BOOK PLEASE RETURN TO THE WHITE CRAFT TO PURCHASE MY BOOK. 



THE WHITE CRAFT

©Gina Fanning 2007.  All rights reserved.  Please support this page by donating.

To Continue Research Into - Shaman to Witch, Shamanic Witchcraft History Witch Trials Wise Woman Cunning Folk Charmers Conjurers Charm Talisman Prophesy Witches Wicca God Goddess Low Magic High Magic