People who don't really believe in witchcraft should understand that people have energy which can be utlized through witchcraft. They say that two minds are better than one and so on. Thus the whole light as a feather stiff as a board thing. It usually works with the right people. Small experiments like that can increase faith or likeliness to believe in magic. Others are lucky enough to have supernatural experiences and realize that there is more to this world other than the physical which exists in the here and now.

That is so true! Of course thats how it was with me.... I started to notice some of the things that I was doing that the "dad"s religion couldn't give me an answer for. So I looked into it and found what you say to be true. I think though that those that are really sceptical now, or so against it now, should look into it. Understanding can go a long way. Or at least I hope so. :)

I practice witch-craft but not the religions that follow it, Since. If you think about it for awhile, Everything around us, every religion we know about, all uses witch craft BUT in different forms.

That is my stance on it.

i believe, but in certain things. its just a iffy subject

Hmm that stuff is a bit creepy. I've never really thought about it too deeply. But yeah witchcraft, I reckon its real.

Originally Posted by minifan_75_peaceout

Hmm that stuff is a bit creepy. I've never really thought about it too deeply. But yeah witchcraft, I reckon its real.

Witchcraft is what you perceive it to be, many societies have demonized it and associate with devil worship which is not at all what witchcraft really is. It's "creepy" because people fear in general what they do not understand.

@Forever ~ I think this is an iffy subject for a lot of folks.

@Cemetary ~ I dabble in witchcraft myself but my use in it has no religious affiliation. The last statement you said about their being witchcraft in all religions-- maybe not so much but I could agree that their is definitely characteristics that they share and I think that would be rituals of sorts.

@PhoenixNeko ~ Some people who are sceptics may never understand, because a lot of them really don't want to understand it. Having an open mind is key and willingness to step into the unknown and take everything you've learned and don't apply it when it comes to the supernatural. It's not the same world as the one we live in.

I believe in witchcraft to a certain extent. I even like Tarot cards a bit as I do have a friend who has that kind of gift. I definitely believe in the gift of foresight but not as many people have it as there are that claim that they do.

Originally Posted by Blueberry Flavored Syrup

I believe in witchcraft to a certain extent. I even like Tarot cards a bit as I do have a friend who has that kind of gift. I definitely believe in the gift of foresight but not as many people have it as there are that claim that they do.

I have a friend that does Tarot readings as well. Not many people have a gift of foresight in using them and usually people who know how to use them pretty much interpret what the cards mean and then it is up to you see how it is that they apply to you. I have a friend of mine who reads my cards about once a month, it is pretty interesting whenever we discuss how the readings apply to my own life.

[I][URL=https://www.menewsha.com/forum/member.php?u=99713]PhoenixNeko[/URL][/I] ~ Some people who are sceptics may never understand, because a lot of them really don't want to understand it. Having an open mind is key and willingness to step into the unknown and take everything you've learned and don't apply it when it comes to the supernatural. It's not the same world as the one we live in.

I know that from experience though. I'm not saying that everyone should believe/understand everything. I'm just saying that people should realize that there are things they don't understand and that they shouldn't go and knock people for believing in something they don't. And yes I agree with that about the open mind and willingness to step into the unknown. I wouldn't have tryed to go into witchcraft if i didn't. As for the Other Realms. Yes they're very different. It's like a whole 'nother set of cultures and laws of how things are done.

Btw... sorry if I'm coming across as rude... I'm a bit out of it cause I've been having trouble sleeping... I've been having weird dreams and I can't tell if they're profetic or just messed up dreams. :XD

Originally Posted by PhoenixNeko

I know that from experience though. I'm not saying that everyone should believe/understand everything. I'm just saying that people should realize that there are things they don't understand and that they shouldn't go and knock people for believing in something they don't. And yes I agree with that about the open mind and willingness to step into the unknown. I wouldn't have tryed to go into witchcraft if i didn't. As for the Other Realms. Yes they're very different. It's like a whole 'nother set of cultures and laws of how things are done.

Btw... sorry if I'm coming across as rude... I'm a bit out of it cause I've been having trouble sleeping... I've been having weird dreams and I can't tell if they're profetic or just messed up dreams. :XD

Prophetic dreams you say? That's interesting, I would definitely be interested in hearing about what exactly they are about. No, don't worry I didn't take your response as rude. You're right, there are some people out there who just can't handle what they may discover out there. Truth is stranger than fiction or so they say.

I wouldn't call it witchcraft, but I defiantly believe in 'magic'.
Not the bippity boppity boo stuff of course. But Tarot card, pendulums, palm readings and the sort.

When it comes to magic, I strongly associate it with Karma.

Originally Posted by x_cannibalisticcows

I wouldn't call it witchcraft, but I defiantly believe in 'magic'.
Not the bippity boppity boo stuff of course. But Tarot card, pendulums, palm readings and the sort.

When it comes to magic, I strongly associate it with Karma.

Tarot cards, divination, and palmistry as well as tea leaves are the most common forms and then psychics; but the thing is that so many people claim to be psychics and have the gift but there are maybe one out of every thousand who may actually have prophetic dreams or have visions of some sorts. Some people are skilled in it and it is a matter of knowledge of the tarot deck and then getting the person who is getting the reading to be able to interpret how it applies to them in their life. My friend who reads mine is pretty good at interpreting ways they could apply. I know that really doesn't take a gift, just a bit of intuition and life experiences to understand about what and how some cards are able to be applied to in someone else's life.

I have had some bullshit pyschic over the phone fish for answers and always through the ball in the person's court such as, how do you feel about that situation or some shit, and I'm like uhh... well you're supposed to be psychic, so you should be able to tell me how I feel and the other person feels that I am asking you about, what kind of psychic are you anyways..."bullshit" and that is why we have so many sceptics when it comes to this kind of subject. I believe in magic as well, but magic comes from within and being able to take the energy in your mind and manipulate what's around you in causing the desired effect.

I also think the thing about people who have telepathy or of course I think it would be cool to see telekinesis.

I guess i would call myself "pagan" to an extent. I do believe in magick and worship nature-like deitys (nothing in particular.. more drudic realy). But i could never acually do any magic because i live with christian grandparents who would throw me out if they even suspected i was a pagan! Its a sad thing... i want to be a witch but i can't due to my family. If their was some way to do it in total secrecy..

Originally Posted by cashuea

I guess i would call myself "pagan" to an extent. I do believe in magick and worship nature-like deitys (nothing in particular.. more drudic realy). But i could never acually do any magic because i live with christian grandparents who would throw me out if they even suspected i was a pagan! Its a sad thing... i want to be a witch but i can't due to my family. If their was some way to do it in total secrecy..

Well, a lot of us who believe have had to keep our beliefs secret for the same reasons. My friend and I are planning a trip at some point to Whales in the United Kingdom to make a pilgrimage to Stonehenge which I think anyone who is a serious witch should do. It is a very spiritual place and the druids held rituals there and I think they still do (correct me if I'm wrong). Even the American Indians worshiped natural like dieties and weren't too far from that kind of belief; however, the practice of witchcraft itself is not a religion but more of an art form for folks who practice the spells or rituals to achieve a desire that they have in mind. I practice it, but I don't so much worship any dieties so to speak. I do respect the spirits though that have power especially when I'm conducting a ritual or casting a spell that invokes any name of power or spirit.

Where you live with your grandparents do you live in a city or a countryside? If you live where there is a lot of land, you can easily go out in the woods or somewhere in nature for solitude and practice there and usually when you are in nature-- I find that spells seem to work better because you are more in touch with the Earth itself. I'm not trying to sound like a Wiccan or anything because that I'm not, but the energy you draw from not only comes from your soul, but also the Earth and the spirits that dwell within it. So just keep that in mind and maybe that will help you out.

I live in the suburbs, very close to the city actually, so alas no real place to pray or do magick in secrecy. I acually do want to go to Stonehenge one day if i can, always wanted to, maybe one day i will get the chance :) My actual knowledge in magick is very limited due to the fact that well, i cant practice it! :( Its strange, their are places of worship on every street corner yet not a place to pray. Weird uh?

Maybe one day i will be able to get something better than a minimal-wage job and move out but untill then, the broom closet i stay in. ;)

Um, a couple of minor reminders, loves:

1) Tarot is in no way related to witchcraft. It was created by (depending on who you believe) Jewish or Christian scholars. I'm not saying witches can't use it, I don't personally but that's simply because I don't believe it can do anything for me, but I'm just saying that it's unrelated to the topic. For that matter, being pagan is as well. Witchcraft is not a religion, it's a...well, craft, and anyone can practice it. There are pagan witches, Christian witches, non-religious atheistic witches, Satanic (both atheistic and theistic) witches, and so on. So Cashuea, you need not be a witch just because you are pagan, and you need not be pagan in order to be a witch. Just do what you're called to do :heart:

2) It's "magic", not "magick". "Magick" is not the "real" version of "magic", it doesn't denote a difference between real magic and illusion. Crowley spelled it that way because he was big on numerology and when you assign numbers to letters, "magick" adds up to a far more magically-significant number than "magic". If you are not a follower of Thelema (and I've met very few witches who are), you have absolutely no reason to be misspelling a word.

Originally Posted by cashuea

I live in the suburbs, very close to the city actually, so alas no real place to pray or do magick in secrecy. I acually do want to go to Stonehenge one day if i can, always wanted to, maybe one day i will get the chance :) My actual knowledge in magick is very limited due to the fact that well, i cant practice it! :( Its strange, their are places of worship on every street corner yet not a place to pray. Weird uh?

Maybe one day i will be able to get something better than a minimal-wage job and move out but untill then, the broom closet i stay in. ;)

It is hard in a situation like yours especially trying to hide books if you have them on the subject. Stonehenge is definitely a good place of interest to go visit if you are a witch or just in general, it's such an awe inspiring place. There are a lot of places online you can visit where you can learn a bit here and there. It's really hard finding sites that are truly credible, but you can learn a lot about the history and there are a few sites you can look at. I check into one called spellsandmagic.com which I do compare spells from the ones I have in my book.

Like Philomel said, Tarot really isn't witchcraft -- although some claim it is so I tend to get that confused myself sometimes, but there are forms of divination and some are more just gifts really that people are born with. Me however, I'm just someone who dabbles-- I'm not really sure i would classify myself as a witch lol. Don't worry, the time will come when you can move out and having your own privacy is one of the best things you will come to appreciate.

@Philomel ~ Can you explain both the Jewish and Christian version of what they explain the Tarot as? I'm actually ignorant of that knowledge myself. I do know that it has a strong history in Italy although I don't believe that's where they originated from.

@Kole_Locke- I only read over the first page so I don't know if anyone addressed the Necronomicon question you had, but no, the Necronomicon is not the same thing as the Egyptian Book of the Dead. The former was written by HP Lovecraft in the 20s, but the Book of the Dead is ancient.

@cashuea- I used to have the same issues as you, with people not really knowing my beliefs yet wanting to practice.oI know it seems like there are all these "things" that need to be in place in order to start practicing, but it's really not like that. I mean, it helps, but you can still practice without those things. I have done many rituals just in the shower or bathroom :) Good place for prayers too!

--general reply--As for the topic, I used to practice occult stuff. I do believe in it to some extent, although I am far more of a skeptic now than I used to be. (I got medicated for psychological issues, and the medications pretty much dulled my spirituality.)

I don't really see most occult practices as being quite so focused on like casting spells on other people and such, although there is that too. Occult means "that which is hidden", and I always interpreted it- as did a lot of others I networked with- as being that which was hidden inside one's self, getting to know one's self more intimately, but also what one is capable of, which is where the external came into play for me.

Someone brought up mention of it being about influencing the external world, and I do believe that too. There's not really any denying that there is stuff called "energy", and witchcraft (in particular, of the occult practices) works to influence that. The skeptic in me says that well, we can't really do this, but I mean, we don't know everything when it comes to science, not even close. People DO get results with witchcraft and such, so what's to say that there's not something at work that we just can't tangibly see?

As for manipulating my own external world, I tended to interpret this psychologically more than any other way, applying energy to change my life for the better.

Originally Posted by cherry cocaine

@Kole_Locke- I only read over the first page so I don't know if anyone addressed the Necronomicon question you had, but no, the Necronomicon is not the same thing as the Egyptian Book of the Dead. The former was written by HP Lovecraft in the 20s, but the Book of the Dead is ancient.

As for the topic, I used to practice occult stuff. I do believe in it to some extent, although I am far more of a skeptic now than I used to be. (I got medicated for psychological issues, and the medications pretty much dulled my spirituality.)

I don't really see most occult practices as being quite so focused on like casting spells on other people and such, although there is that too. Occult means "that which is hidden", and I always interpreted it- as did a lot of others I networked with- as being that which was hidden inside one's self, getting to know one's self more intimately, but also what one is capable of, which is where the external came into play for me.

Someone brought up mention of it being about influencing the external world, and I do believe that too. There's not really any denying that there is stuff called "energy", and witchcraft (in particular, of the occult practices) works to influence that. The skeptic in me says that well, we can't really do this, but I mean, we don't know everything when it comes to science, not even close. People DO get results with witchcraft and such, so what's to say that there's not something at work that we just can't tangibly see?

As for manipulating my own external world, I tended to interpret this psychologically more than any other way, applying energy to change my life for the better.

Well for a lot of people, I hear people say they try to stay away from negativity and try to get positive energy in their life because they say karma can be good or bad depending upon the energy you put out in the universe. Thanks for telling me that about the Necronomicon-- I thought it was written by the mad arab? Anyways-- yes there is a lot of interesting things in science that hasn't been explained like for instance, the Philedelphia project. Now that, is something i would love to see them come up with a valid and scientific explanation for that. LOL

It's ok to become a sceptic, I think in different phases of out live we come to a crossroads where we begin to question everything around us including spirituality, and sometimes it is a difficult thing to adjust to.

Originally Posted by Philomel

Um, a couple of minor reminders, loves:

1) Tarot is in no way related to witchcraft. It was created by (depending on who you believe) Jewish or Christian scholars. I'm not saying witches can't use it, I don't personally but that's simply because I don't believe it can do anything for me, but I'm just saying that it's unrelated to the topic. For that matter, being pagan is as well. Witchcraft is not a religion, it's a...well, craft, and anyone can practice it. There are pagan witches, Christian witches, non-religious atheistic witches, Satanic (both atheistic and theistic) witches, and so on. So Cashuea, you need not be a witch just because you are pagan, and you need not be pagan in order to be a witch. Just do what you're called to do :heart:

True that. I am still interested in the craft but at least i know its not mandatory.

Originally Posted by Philomel

2) It's "magic", not "magick". "Magick" is not the "real" version of "magic", it doesn't denote a difference between real magic and illusion. Crowley spelled it that way because he was big on numerology and when you assign numbers to letters, "magick" adds up to a far more magically-significant number than "magic". If you are not a follower of Thelema (and I've met very few witches who are), you have absolutely no reason to be misspelling a word.

Sorry, i usually get yelled at when i don't spell it like that. Goes to show theirs different viewpoints.

Originally Posted by Kole_Locke

@Philomel ~ Can you explain both the Jewish and Christian version of what they explain the Tarot as? I'm actually ignorant of that knowledge myself. I do know that it has a strong history in Italy although I don't believe that's where they originated from.

It's the same for both, really, the only difference is how old it is and who created it. Essentially, it was a way for scholars who might not speak the same language to get across certain ideas, mostly religious, through "universal" symbols (colours, shapes, animals, etc.). That's why all those New Age fancy-pants decks, while very pretty (I own one, actually), sort of miss the point. Even the numbering of the major arcana is significant, as each number (and thus, card) represents a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. I forget all the specifics, but I have a book on it and I'll edit this post tomorrow once I get motivated enough to find it XD If you're interested in symbology, it's a really fascinating read. And available at Books-a-Million, woohoo!

Cashuea: Don't apologize, deary :) It really doesn't matter too much to me, but many CMs and witches I've met automatically dismiss people who use the spelling and are not followers of Thelema as fluffs who are more interested in the culture than the actual magic. I don't care for them doing this because of people like you, who have just been the victims of misinformation, but on the flipside, I can't really blame them. With all the faux-Wiccans and witches who believe "athame" rhymes with "aflame" and curses don't exist running around, one starts to lose patience. ^^;

As an aside, if you can think of any way I can help you, please ask. :heart:

Will do Philomel, i feel so silly now for making that mistake ;_; And yes, i am aware of the faux's as well. Which is way i intend to study up before doing anything remotely magic. I just hope when i get around to that, i do things right. I've read some really bad stories of what could happen.

Originally Posted by Philomel

It's the same for both, really, the only difference is how old it is and who created it. Essentially, it was a way for scholars who might not speak the same language to get across certain ideas, mostly religious, through "universal" symbols (colours, shapes, animals, etc.). That's why all those New Age fancy-pants decks, while very pretty (I own one, actually), sort of miss the point. Even the numbering of the major arcana is significant, as each number (and thus, card) represents a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. I forget all the specifics, but I have a book on it and I'll edit this post tomorrow once I get motivated enough to find it XD If you're interested in symbology, it's a really fascinating read. And available at Books-a-Million, woohoo!

Cashuea: Don't apologize, deary :) It really doesn't matter too much to me, but many CMs and witches I've met automatically dismiss people who use the spelling and are not followers of Thelema as fluffs who are more interested in the culture than the actual magic. I don't care for them doing this because of people like you, who have just been the victims of misinformation, but on the flipside, I can't really blame them. With all the faux-Wiccans and witches who believe "athame" rhymes with "aflame" and curses don't exist running around, one starts to lose patience. ^^;

As an aside, if you can think of any way I can help you, please ask. :heart:

I will definitely have to look up a book on the subject and if you can suggeset a couple of titles I please do. I may actually get a book and read it just so I can be a bit more knowledgeable on the subject myself. Thanks for sharing what you know, symbology is very interesting, espcially involving the Hebrew language. Does it have anything to do with the mystical part of Judism like the Quaballah? I think that's how it is spelled. Anyways know I'm all curious...lol
I was actually watching a show on youtube about the Summerians and the Annanki the other day about man's origin. Now that was really interesting how they were describing the Annanki as the gods that the Egyptians were derived from. I think it's funny on a lighter note how they made a mythical character Conan the Barbarian and made him a Summerian which was Mesopotamia... or rather modern day Iraq.

Originally Posted by Kole_Locke

I will definitely have to look up a book on the subject and if you can suggeset a couple of titles I please do. I may actually get a book and read it just so I can be a bit more knowledgeable on the subject myself. Thanks for sharing what you know, symbology is very interesting, espcially involving the Hebrew language. Does it have anything to do with the mystical part of Judism like the Quaballah? I think that's how it is spelled. Anyways know I'm all curious...lol
I was actually watching a show on youtube about the Summerians and the Annanki the other day about man's origin. Now that was really interesting how they were describing the Annanki as the gods that the Egyptians were derived from. I think it's funny on a lighter note how they made a mythical character Conan the Barbarian and made him a Summerian which was Mesopotamia... or rather modern day Iraq.

I think it does utilize some concepts from Qabala, such as gematrya, but I don't know as much as I probably should about that subject :P

The book is the Tarot by Paul Foster Case. There's his original guide, and then the revised, paperback version I have. I'd suggest the latter, as it has a bit more information and corrects some of Case's typos, and is also a lot cheaper and easier to find. It can get tedious at some points, but it explains, in detail, how to really read them, what every detail on every card means, the proper way to number them, and so on, so it's definitely worth it. I don't know what faith you are, but I'm fairly certain you aren't Christian, and for non-Christians it can get a bit uncomfortable at certain points. It was written in the '40s, and pretty much everyone who knew anything about the tarot back then knew it was specifically Judeo-Christian, so it's written for a Christian audience.

Cashuea: Don't feel silly <3 It was an honest mistake, and you did the best possible thing when I corrected you: rather than getting defensive and insisting you were right and I'm just a magic n00b, you considered my answer. Do you have any idea how rare an experience that is for me? XD And if it makes you feel any better, I used to be a total fluff. I went through the OMGWICCAZ stage for awhile, then I thought I was a druid, and even after I got past that, it took me awhile to get rid of the willful ignorance and sense of entitlement when it came to other religions, especially culture-based ones. So you're absolutely fine, compared to me :P