Black or white, Witch or Pagan?

I am constantly being asked the question, “what is the difference between a witch and a pagan?” I try to answer people’s queries on a day-to-day basis. The shop is not just about selling, but providing answers and to let people know that us witches have had a lot of bad press and we are not all bad. Yes, some people cross the line, and go from “white” to “black”, but they will have their debt to pay later on. There is one law in witchcraft; harm none. Witches respect the universal law of Karma – what goes around, comes around threefold. For all the good you give out, it will be returned x3, but use that power against someone and it will return back x3. The majority stay on the white side because, they have the power but choose not to, as the power of Karma is not worth fighting against. It is a fine line between good and bad, and the majority of us choose not to cross the line, like paying for things in a shop. It could be so easy to steal, but the majority of us choose not to. It is the same with witches, only it isn’t the police we answer to, but the law of karma.
So, what is a green Witch? Well, I have been known as the Green Witch for a while now as I recycle anything I can, I grow herbs for remedies and was always mixing some concoction for someone, usually my kids as they were allergic to medicine. But, apparently, I have started a trend and green witchcraft is now the latest craze to hit America. So there you are. It may be a craze, but it like ti think it began in Aberdour.
And the difference between a witch and a pagan is? Well, personally, I cannot see a difference or separate the two. Both honour nature, the environment, the seasons and the Sabbats. Both honour the female and the male deity – we have a God, but we also have a Goddess. Just as there has to be both male and female in all aspects of nature, like night and day, sun and moon, so there are both male and female deities in our religion. The Goddess is the Moon, the Earth and the water, the God the air, Fire and the Sun. All must be in harmony and work together for anything in nature to succeed. Just as we need both the earth and water to nourish and nurture growth (female), nothing will grow without the air to breathe and the sun for warmth (male).
In the patriarchal society, God is creator of all and top dog, if you like. The female, Mary was used purely as a vessel to then carry the Son of God, Jesus. She didn’t even get to have the enjoyment of the flesh (sex). Pagans and witches honour the female, who is just as important, as well as the male, and many died for this. All is equal in the religion of nature, as one cannot survive without the other. In Christianity, women were either really good or really bad – either the Virgin Mary or Mary Magdalene. Without any sin, or very sinful. In the witch’s world, being female is not a penalty but something to be respected. The healer, the mother, the carer. We are allowed to acknowledge that there are both sides of Mary in us all – the two halves of the female. As I would quote in a Tarot reading “mother in the kitchen, mistress in the bedroom”. The unknown side of women frightened men. No one understood 2000 years ago that the sex man and woman had culminated in a baby 9 months later. Men thought that women held this power, and understood it not. The sins of the flesh were the downfall of man, and so the men put that blame onto women. All was paradise in the Garden of Eden until Eve spoilt it all. Boy was she framed, or what! The older religions of Hindu, Buddhist etc all have a female as well as a male deity. The other thing about witchcraft, or Wicca as it is known today, is that everyone is entitled to believe in whichever deity they want to. It all adds up to the same thing, just a different name, that’s all. Only Christianity tries to wipe out the female deity and the power of woman, and states that there is only one true religion. Enough of my soap box now. You got me started this time. So, to answer the question. A witch also has the power to use the elements of earth, air, fire and water to enhance their life with spells, the ability to foretell the future with cards, crystals and psychic ability, and the power to use plants to heal. That is the difference. Sorry folks but you did ask.

But what about Black or White?

To me, black witches don’t exist – just bad people using the knowledge of witchcraft for their own means. It doesn’t make them witches. Just like we can all use a knife, not everyone will use it to hurt someone. There will always be good and bad, like night and day. The difference to me is that true witches obey the only law of witchcraft – “Do what thou wilt, but harm none”, and live by the law of karma – what you give out comes back x3, so to me, doing harm just isn’t worth the backlash.

True witches will not break the rule but those just using the spells of witchcraft don’t follow the witch’s law so have no worry breaking it. I try to explain to all new witches that they need to understand what they are dealing with before even thinking about doing a spell because the karma will come back on them and a little knowledge is a dangerous thing!

Hope it helps.