Definitions and Practice

The writing of any definitive page on the terms, meanings or the practices of either Shamanism or Witchcraft is well beyond the scope of any single mortal human. The Internet and bookshelves around the world are filled with more information on every conceivable belief, practice or tradition of either Shamanism or Witchcraft than any one person can begin to count, much less understand.

But one of the most frequently asked questions during my classes and seminars is the difference between Shamanism and Witchcraft. The answer to that question is not that easy. The problem becomes, which culture, tribe, tradition or system are we talking about multiplied by two, both Shamanism and Witchcraft. So for the purposes of giving some meaningful answer, I start with the following disclaimer, "Because both Shamanism and Witchcraft are such broad fields of belief and practice, I am going to have to greatly generalize my definition of both in order to answer your question". That means that the information on the remainder of this page is based solely on my experience as a Shaman/Hedgewitch who has devoted a lifetime to the study of both, as well as the "occult" and its various practices, and the husband of a Third Degree Eclectic Witch, who is extensively versed in herbology, healing, and the use of Magick.

Before we can compare two of anything, we first have to have a common understanding of both items. This is critical to avoid misunderstandings. Please note that these terms and their definitions, by extensive research, are the most commonly accepted and general that I could find for my purposes.

DEFINITIONS RELATING TO WITCHCRAFT

WITCHCRAFT

Witchcraft is a term used by Roman Christians to denote the general practice, usually involving women called Witches, of making a pact with the Devil for the purpose of overthrowing God's Divine Plans for mortal humans on Earth. It may also mean the use or practice of sorcery or Black Magic. This is the definition and "practice" for which so many were tortured, tried and executed during the "Burning Times".

Witch is also a term used by later Christians, from the Reformation down to today, to denote anyone, usually female, who practices Witchcraft. In the case of female witches, it was generally believed that the pact with the Devil was consummated by the woman having intercourse with the Devil, and that by the witches' association with the devil, the woman would become carnal and sexual in nature, thus the frequent association of witchcraft with sexual liberty.

 "Classic Christian Concept of Satan with His Witches"

Today its definition is very broad and covers the entire spectrum from "One who follows the Old Religion" and practices a nature-based belief/philosophy and Goddess/God worship without the use of magick, to the other end of the spectrum, meaning one who practices magick, but refers to their religious belief/philosophy as heathen or pagan.

WICCA

Wicca as used today, usually by Hereditary or Traditional Witches, is used to separate the continuation of an Old Religion Tradition (Witchcraft) from the more modern "Eclectic" Traditions (Wicca). This rule is not followed by everyone.


HEDGEWITCH

A Hedgewitch is a solitary Witch who practices a form of magick closely related to shamanism, in that they use herbs, trances, and shamanic techniques to induce altered states of consciousness. They work with familiar spirits, usually their ancestral dead, to assist in their OtherWorld work, and frequently use objects of nature in their rituals. This is the closest point between a Witch and a Shaman.


HEATHEN

Heathen is also a Christian term used to denote anyone who adheres to the religion of a tribe or nation that does not acknowledge the God of Judaism, Christianity or Islam (the same Diety, worshipped through three very different religions). This definition is applied to the same nature-based, Godess/God worship called Witchcraft/Wicca with or without magick involved.

PAGAN

Pagan was also used by Roman Christians, and meant anyone who was not Christian or Heathen, or in other words, having no apparent religion.

However, today the terms Heathen and Pagan are used synonymously to indicate anyone who is following a nature-oriented, Goddess/God worshipping religion, belief, or philosophy. The term Neo-pagan may also be added to this category, and refers to anyone participating in a more contemporary paganism, versus attempting to follow the "traditional" path.

From the above definitions, we see that the terms Witchcraft, Witch, Wicca, Heathen, Pagan and Neo-pagan, are tied together in a rather loose knit clump. How you choose to define any of these terms and their associated beliefs and practices seems to be pretty much a matter of personal choice, supported or disputed depending on who you ask, and may really be irrelevant unless you join a particular circle or "Tradition".

There are four major branches of Wichcraft today;
Gardnerian-introduced by Gerald Gardner in the 1950's
Alexandrian-introduced by Alex and Maxine Sanders, a
breakoff from Gardnerian
Hereditary-the beliefs and practices of the Old Religion as
passed within a particular family or bloodline.
Traditional-the beliefs and practices of the Old Religion as
passed down within a group or circle, but not necessarily within a family or bloodline.

Within the Hereditary and Traditional categories fall a countless variety of beliefs, philosophies and religions, of which any attempt to name would be an injustice; but for purposes of clarification, both Hereditary and Traditional refer to manner of continuity, not a particular belief or tradition.

There may be one additional category, however small but growing, and that is the beliefs or traditions that have hived off and evolved from an earlier tradition and come into general acceptance within the Witch/Wiccan community.

MAGICK

Magick with the letter "k" at the end is used to denote the use of the "supernatural" for the purpose of altering reality in conformity with one's intent and will, versus the sleight of hand practiced by stage magicians.

Ritual is a ceremony employing the use of special symbolic attire, gestures, prayers, and physical tools for the purpose of worship or magick. Rituals may be spontaneous, prepared, or "traditional".

DEFINITIONS RELATING TO SHAMANISM

SHAMANISM

Shamanism is a term derived from the language of the Tingus people of Siberia, and refers to the primitive practice of magick through an altered state of consciousness. Shamanism is not a religion, it is a practice.

SHAMAN

Shaman is a term used to denote anyone who enters into an altered state of consciousness, usually at will, in order to access hidden knowledge or power for the purpose of helping another.

SPIRIT HELPERS

Spirit Helpers is a term used in Shamanism to denote the disincarnate beings of the OtherWorlds who have allied themselves to a particular shaman to assist that shaman in accomplishing his/her work in one of the five primary tasks of the shaman: finding a power animal for yourself or someone else, recovering a power animal or spirit guide that has left you or someone else, the search for foreign objects or "intrusions" within a patient's body that could be the source of illness or loss of power, the search for the soul of a patient that has been lost by trauma, carelessness, or stolen by another person, and the retrieval of ancient or hidden knowledge and power.

RITUAL

Ritual is the shamanic act of going into an altered state of consciousness, accessing your spirit guides, accomplishing your task and returning home from your journey. The only actual participants in a shamanic ritual are the shaman and his/her drummer/human helper, and the person for whom the work is being done, if any.

SHAMANIC SIGHT

Shamanic Sight is the term meaning the things which the shaman saw, did, or experienced on his/her journey, which become the basis for the change in reality on the physical plane according to the shaman's work.


Shaman Or Witch?

By the definitions alone, though general for obvious reasons, we can plainly see that Shamanism and Witchcraft are two very distinct things. I will continue with a point by point comparison from here.

Shamanism: a solitary practice by its very nature.

Witchcraft: it can be solitary; however, covens, circles and loose-knit groups abound. These groups may exist as teaching circles, primarily worship circles, worship and magick circles, totally magick circles, alliances for political reasons, or all of the above.

Shamanism: a system dating from the earliest times of known human existence, used to simplify and explain the Universe and how it functions by looking for supernatural causes within other realms of existence.

Witchcraft: as Goddess worship, it also dates from the earliest times of known human existence, and was used to explain the Universe and how it functions by looking for causes within the forces of nature, controlled by divine beings.

Shamanism: one of the primary tenets of shamanism is the knowledge of the OtherWorld, with all its myriad of dimensions and realities. The work of the Shaman is to be able to map, navigate and function within these OtherWorlds.

Witchcraft: although most traditions of Witchcraft do acknowledge the OtherWorld, some do so only as a place where the ancestral dead go and where they can be contacted, while other Witches have very extensive OtherWorlds where human interaction is possible. However, once again the spectrum is very broad.

Shamanism: the Shaman goes into the OtherWorld to do his work with the help of his "helpers" and "guides". He meets them within their own realm and on their terms.

Witchcraft: a magickal circle is cast as a place between the worlds as a place of safety and protection, as well as a common ground in which to invite, invoke or evoke the beings of the OtherWorld. The Witch never leaves this circle until the ritual is complete, all beings are sent on their way and the circle is dismissed.

Shamanism: by virtue of the things which the shaman saw, did, or experienced while on his journey, the fabric of physical reality is altered by his presence and his work. When he returns, the task is finished.

Witchcraft: while I have personally witnessed very few witches perform magick, the method espoused by the witches I know requires a circle be cast, the ritual casting of the "spell" be performed (whereby the intent is empowered and sent into the Creative Ethers of the Universe), and then they wait for the etheric tide to return the results.

Some Witches hesitate to use magick, or cast spells at all, because, as they have expressed to me, they feel that they cannot control the Otherworld or its beings, and feel uncomfortable there.

Shamanism: shamanic ritual is not for worship purposes. When the shaman performs his rituals, they are to accomplish a magickal task.

Witchcraft: the rituals performed by Witches may be magickal, or have magickal elements, but the basic rituals of Witchcraft today include the eight Sabbats of the year and the full moon rites. These rituals have more to do with the religious worship of the Goddess/God and celebration of the seasons than magick.

Shamanism: the tools that the Shaman employs are functional and not symbolic. If a tool is employed in a shamanic ritual, such as a drum, a rattle, a crystal or a bowl of water, it has a very real, physical function for being there.

Witchcraft: the tools of the craft, the broom, the sword, the athame, the chalice, etc. have their function in symbolic association. They may be none-the-less critical to the performance of the ritual, but their function is not physical.

Shamanism: a shaman's view of the physical world and its connection to the OtherWorld's myriad of interconnected realities is most frequently described as a "Web of Power". The concept of the spider's web, with all its intertangled threads and junctions, is the ideal symbolism for how the shaman perceives and understands the location, function and interconnectedness of all things.

Witchcraft: tends to see things more linearly. Planes of existence tend to be built upon one another, building a pyramid of existences through which energy flows back and forth from the Physical Plane to the "Ultimate" Plane. As described in Raven Grimassi's Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft, these planes include; Physical Plane, Elemental Plane, Astral Plane, Mental Plane, Spiritual Plane, Divine Plane, Ultimate Plane.

Shamanism: the call to the practice of Shamanism most frequently begins with a traumatic disease or experience with serves to alter or destroy an individual's "Illusion of Reality" and their connection to social/cultural "Consensus Reality", such that the individual is open and willing to accept much more fluid reality, which includes possibilities which are not normally available or acceptable to others. This change constitutes the creation of the "Magickal Reality". Most frequently, Shamanism chooses you!

Witchcraft: In the belief, philosophy or religion of Witchcraft, you may choose, without any alteration or modification to your present "Illusion of Reality" or your connection to "Consensus Reality", to align yourself with the nature-based aspects of its tenets, and choose for yourself which tradition or traditions capture your interest. You choose Witchcraft!