Some witches, for example, do not see the gods as literal beings with their own agency but rather as mythological constructions representing human abstractions, like love or justice or compassion. The act of engaging with them as metaphors is no less real or powerful for such witches, who may identify as archetypists or atheists as readily as

Eclectic forms of witchcraft pull from a variety of sources, including the creativity of the individual witch. Sometimes the end result is a carefully researched and organized practice, consciously developed over time.

Keeping Magical Books Books occupy a privileged position in witchcraft communities. It’s difficult to make generalizations or sweeping statements about witches, but if I had to pick one it would be this: we love books!

Many practitioners frame their witchcraft within the bounds of psychology—a creative way to alter their thought patterns to be more productive and healthier, to address and recover from past traumas, or to develop a stronger sense of self and personal value.

Why is it, after all, that some seemingly fantastical things get categorized as magic and others are called religion? Why do we say that a witch lighting a candle to make something happen is doing magic, but someone making a wish over their birthday candles isn’t?

Witches with heavily land-based practices may work to learn about local wildlife and native plant life in order to serve as caretakers. Many witches believe that incorporating a local element into magic makes it more effective and personal, for example using native plants or minerals instead of importing herbs or crystals from other parts of the

Also distinct in witchcraft spaces is the tendency to speak of deities in terms of partnerships or working relationships instead of relying on the language of worship.

One of the central features of witchcraft of all kinds is the power it grants practitioners to imbue all kinds of objects with both magical and spiritual significance.

you probably don’t assume the English King Charles is doing the same when he’s holding a scepter and being declared ruler because of his special blood. A wand is a wand is a wand, but it’s only magic in the hands of the wrong person.