Basically it is a belief system much the same as any religion. It has become very secretive over the centuries after being widely persecuted in the Middle Ages. Most Traditional witchcraft practiced today is of British origin.
Like all religions or ways of life it has evolved over time and can trace it's roots back as far as 40,000 years. The witchcraft practiced today would not be anywhere near the same as it was back then but some of the core beliefs would remain.
During the process of evolution many religions split and Trad witchcraft is no exception. There are many differences between covens that are close to each other and very few actually practice in exactly the same way. Both beliefs and rituals differ from coven to coven.
Trad witches do not necessarily follow religious books or worship a god or goddess. More modern forms of witchcraft differ greatly in this regard. Traditional witches revere and respect nature above all and they do recognize the existence of spirits. Their power comes from within but they may summon a spirit to assist them with magic.
The majority of Traditional witches are fatalists and believe in reincarnation. Their new year begins at Samhain, more commonly known as Halloween, which is the when the agricultural year ends. Seasons and moons are followed closely by Traditional witches.
A number of more modern variations of Traditional witchcraft do not all practice magic. All Traditional witches do. The magic involved is more traditional folk magic and is basically very simple. No need for special ingredients or long winded spell casting and often practiced with the aid of only a candle for concentration. Traditional witchcraft tries to keep things simple and down to earth.
More information on Witchcraft can be found at Witchcraft Reviews..
Article Source: What is Traditional Witchcraft - Ezine Article
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