Few things are as ubiquitous in fiction as witchcraft. Witches are variously idolized and maligned, portrayed both as powerful people in touch with nature and the secrets of the universe, and malevolent forces. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Real witches, on the other hand, bear very little resemblance to their fictionalized counterparts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what is real witchcraft, and what do real life witches actually do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The idea of witchcraft is largely a cultural construct. This means that the idea of what constitutes witchcraft will vary depending on who you ask. To some, witchcraft is a magic-based practice used largely by followers of earth-centered religions. To others, it’s folk magic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In areas where the dominant religion has its own magic practice, the term witchcraft may be used to refer exclusively to malevolent, non-religious magic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When we refer to real witchcraft here, we’re talking about the practice of using magic. Magic is an attempt to use subtle energies to effect a change. These energies can be the energies of plants, spirits, and the practitioner themselves, or the energies of whatever deity or deities the practitioner chooses to evoke. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The goal of witchcraft can be anything the witch desires, from weather magic, to divination, to love-drawing, to mental, physical, or emotional healing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n