Witchcraft And Sorcery

Witchcraft and sorcery are almost identical terms as both
use the magic spells, mystical or paranormal means to

Witchcraft as a religion was developed in the United Kingdom
by Gerald B Gardner, a British civil servant. Gardner had a

harness occult forces to produce desired results. Ideally
speaking, persons pursuing witchcraft do not aim at

life long interest in occult and supernatural forces.
Witchcraft is now openly and proudly practiced in almost all

producing evil results. Somehow the term sorcery is used
pejoratively to denote the use of supernatural powers to

the English speaking countries including the United States
of America besides many traditional societies and cultures

produce unnatural and negative course of events.

around the world. In Africa people seek medical aid for
external physical problems and consult witch doctors for

Another factor that differentiates witchcraft from sorcery
is that while sorcery can be learnt and practiced by anyone,

internal illnesses.

witchcraft is considered to result from inherent mystical
powers and is practiced by invisible means. Modern witches,

It is now widely believed that witches cast their spells for
good objectives like love, health and wealth. Genuine

however, claim that witchcraft can be acquired through
learning as well.

believers in witchcraft do not cause harm to others. They
worship God or deity or Mother Nature which is believed to

Both Witchcraft and sorcery have existed since times

possess both male and female aspects. They, however,
emphasize on the female aspect or the Goddess side of the

immemorial in all the societies and cultures around the
world. In ancient Greece, witchcraft existed as early as the

deity. Wicca is a religion of fertility. It celebrates the
seasonal cycles of the nature that are central to the

time when Homer lived. The legendary Medea was considered as
the best known sorceress in classical times. The Roman

farming communities. The religious rites are tied to the
cycles of moon which is the symbol of the power of the

Horace describes two witches in his famous Satires. There
are several references to witches in Bible. Saul (1 Samuel

28) consulted Witch of Endor.

Religious witches use their craft for the benefit of the
people. They religiously follow their golden rule called the

Though witches were hounded and persecuted as being aligned
with evil spirits in the past ages, Witchcraft has acquired

Wiccan Rede which says: "An' it harm none, do what ye
will.” They believe in the theory of karma that any act of

respectability with the passage of time. It has washed away
the stigma attached to it and cleared many popular

witchcraft will return to its practitioner magnified three
folds, whether it is good or evil.

misconceptions about it.

Wicca is the most democratic and free religion in the world.

In twentieth century, witchcraft movement termed as Wicca
the Craft, the Wisecraft is professed and practiced as

There is no central authority. The witches work in loosely
organized groups called covens. Some covens are made up

religion.
The term wicca comes from an old English word wicca which

exclusively of women, some of men while others have mixed
membership. There are witches who do not join any coven at

has its origin from the Germanic root ‘wic’ and means
‘to bend or turn’. A witch is supposed to bend or turn

all and practice their faith alone as solitaries.

the course of events for a good cause. Earlier the female
practitioners of witchcraft were called witches, while their

Modern witchcraft is a recreation of pagan, folk and magical
rites selected from the major cultures and societies across

male counterparts were called wizards. But now the term
witch is used both for male and female practitioners of

the world such as Babylonian, Celtic, Egyptian, ancient
Greek, Roman, and Sumerian Buddhism, Hinduism, and the rites

witchcraft.

of American Indians.