The History of Witchcraft.

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   Mrs.Nitaposted 14 years ago

   I was just curious if someone could shed a little light on withcraft.  Is this something else that's faith based.  What's the true history behind witch craft.  What is a Shaman? Does this fall under witchcraft? Oneday I had a dream about Shaman's.  I had never heard of Shaman's until I had the dream and then my sister looked it up on the internet.  I began wondering if it's in my blood.  That would explain why I'm drawn to supernatural things and why I'm curious about witch craft but I've never tried anything.  Oh well, your comments please.

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      Deborah Sextonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      _________________________
      What a Shaman is http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-shaman.htm
      
      The meaning of the Dog totem http://www.linsdomain.com/totems/pages/dog.htm

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      dutchman1951posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      as it has been for centuries mostly word of mouth, not much history to go by I think. You may try a New Age book store maybe? some info there i believe.

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   luvpassionposted 14 years ago

   http://www.essortment.com/all/historyofmagi_rsav.htm
   
   What kind of dream?

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      Mrs.Nitaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I dreamed that I was in this big yard full of German Shepherds.  (By the way I have a German Shepherd) In the dream she was trying to be the pact leader and another dog began to challenge her and they got into a fight.  I thought she was dead.  But I believe she was ok.  The dream switched and there were these women with me.  They were african american and they all wore white gowns or robes and white head wraps.  I think they wanted to convert me and they were telling me about their tribe.  They were called Shamans.  I remember we were all sitting in a room and the older lady told me we lay down together and we rise up together.  She was smiling at me.  That's all I can remember.  Shaman remained in my mind when I woke up from the dream though.

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         luvpassionposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Shamanic dreams can be helpful in discovering and meeting ones guides and guardians in the realm of spirit. There is no conversion to paganism...wicca anyway, one is simply drawn to it.
         
         BB

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            theherbivorehippiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Beautiful answer.

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            Mrs.Nitaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            I've got a million questions in my mind right now, but I can't seem to type one out.  But what you're saying basically is that Shaman has nothing to do with witch craft.  Am I understanding that right?

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               luvpassionposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Shamanism is also a calling...they are mostly healers who delve more into the spiritual realm than traditional celtic cultures. For centuries the Shaman of ancient tribes have communicated within the spirit realm for the benefit of the tribe in general.
               
               We feel a great bond with our spiritual cousins but I'm not sure their use of the craft is the same. Perhaps Theherbivore might have a view on this.
               
               MP

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                  theherbivorehippiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  lol...I think I was replying at the same time as you.

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                  AdeleCosgroveBrayposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  
                  
                  Ancient Celts did employ techniques which could easily be described as shamanic, and their folklore is heavy with references to their explorations of other dimensions - the "spirit world", if you prefer that term. 
                  
                  The healing of physical ailments is only one aspect of either shamanism or Druidry (the religion/law/culture of the Celts.)

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   theherbivorehippiposted 14 years ago

   I don't think that anyone on earth can give you a definite interpretation of your dream.  no one can know for sure why Shaman would enter your dream but it is not a journey that is generally made without good reason for it.  Seeing a Shaman does not necessarily mean witchcraft because it could be just as much a representation of protection of spiritual assistance.  It could also be a representation of your own spiritual energy or wisdom.  Of course, my interpretation could be different than someone else.  The only one who can really find the answer is you, through your own personal exploration and reflection. 

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      Mrs.Nitaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Wow.  Already these two post have been very enlightening.  Thank u both so much.  I'm glad I posted this, instead of thinking it was some kind of taboo.  How do I go about it though.  I dn't wanna go about it the wrong way.  You see I already thought this was associated with witch craft.
      
      This is kind of off point, but maybe not.  After I received my phlebotomy certification, I had a brief dream or vision.  There was this indian guy, he came up to me and cut below my eye.  You know how, some tribes do.  I think the best picture I can give is the movie "The Color Purple" When the boy and girl were selected I guess and so I'm think'n the cutting by the eye was their way of being chosen.  I dn't know.  But that's what the dream has made me think of.  You both seem very knowledgeable, please help .

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         luvpassionposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         It is possible that this was indeed a "Signal Dream," however one must not rush to conclude something as profound.
         
         As theherbivore said "The only one who can really find the answer is you, through your own personal exploration and reflection." 

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   Kathryn LJposted 14 years ago

   If you would like to know more about Wicca, there are a lot of books out there.  I could personally recommend 'Wicca A guide for the Solitary Practitioner' by Scott Cunningham.  It may have some answers to the questions you have right now.

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   paarsurreyposted 14 years ago

   Why eulogize witchcraft? It is an outdated and discarded thing.

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      Deborah Sextonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      _______________
      PLEASE

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      luvpassionposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Well we don't advertise by flying planes into buildings.

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         Deborah Sextonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         

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         paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Are you in the advertising business?

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   Deborah Sextonposted 14 years ago

   That doesn't even deserve a response.

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   SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years ago

   ...where i live there are many witches...i don't know a lot about the beliefs etc...but the few i've met are pretty nice folks...
   
   As for a shaman...well that's a whole other topic.....i have some knowledge and experience...nice folks too....

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   paarsurreyposted 14 years ago

   Belief in witchcarft is a useless thing; even Atheists Skeptecs Agnostics should avoid it.

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      SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      ...why is it useless?

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         paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Because it has no reality. Does it?

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            SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            i don't know...i don't know much about it...so i don't have an opinion...i have a feeling it is a belief that maybe in tune with nature...not sure though....

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               paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               If it have been in tune with nature then it would have been a reality or fact as science is. So simply witchcraft is not tuned with nature; it is superstition.

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                  SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  ...no I think you have the wrong impression....it's not like 'flying around on brooms, blackf cats and brewing up wicked spells'...i'd have to research it more...but...do you know what the beliefs are?...that's why i don't really have an opinion on it...i don't know enough.

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                     paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                     It is OK to research

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                        SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                        yes...it is okay to research...i'm just not compelled to....i'm asking you what you know about it so that i can understand why you are forming an opinion on it...

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                           paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                           It is neither science which shows us Work of the Creator-God Allah YHWH nor it is in the Revealed Religion; Moses, Jesus and Muhammad did not do it; they did not mention in their teachings.

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                              SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                              ...okay...now I better understand where you are coming from...i have a different take on things....

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                              Deborah Sextonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                              _______________________
                              You call yourself peaceful but you're not. You are an instigator and like to put others down. You say nasty things about stuff you don't even understand.
                              
                              You may not bomb buildings, but you try to destroy with your words.
                              
                              
                              On another note: If you were of God you would know that God's name isn't even Allah.  Allah is superstition.
                              
                              You don't even understand that "an eye for an eye" means the punishment should be equal to, not worse than, the crime.

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                              Reality Bytesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                              
                              
                              I don't know, at a party once Jesus turned water into wine and everyone got falling down drunk.
                              
                              Kind of witchy

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            Paul Wingertposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Wicca is probably one of the top 5 oldest religions. I knew a couple girls who were wiccans and I have no problem with it.  They are not prejudice or go out push their beliefs on other people. There's lots of info on the internet about it and go for it.

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   paarsurreyposted 14 years ago

   When we see history of witchcraft we know that it is neither from science which shows us Work of the Creator-God Allah YHWH nor it is from the Revealed Religion; Moses, Jesus and Muhammad did not do it; they did not mention to do it in their teachings.

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      skipper112posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I belive that witchcraft is still followed to-day, I do not belive in it, but to each it's own. Mo follower of witchcraft bothers me, I have no wish to know about witchcraft,it is not follower by the Christian faith,therefore is no use to me.

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    Disappearingheadposted 14 years ago

    Isn't witchcraft a pick and mix religion? One can make up their own ideas and believe whatever they want to believe. Does this not then result in conflicting beliefs from one adherant to another? Can they both be right?

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    AdeleCosgroveBrayposted 14 years ago

    Contemporary witchcraft, of which there are numerous types, was a creation of Doreen Valiente, Gerald Gardner and Philip Ross Nichols circa 1940.  Its practises were pasted together from surviving folklore, Druidry, and Masonic traditions.  This much has been documented, for those who care to do their research.
    
    The popular myth that witchcraft survived through the centuries as an aural tradition might sound appealing but there is no evidence to verify this.  It might be fairly argued that an aural tradition wouldn't leave any evidence.
    
    Contemporary witchcraft gained favour in the 1960s, with the womens' movement and also through media coverage of people such as Sybil Leek and Alex Sanders.
    
    However, there was already in existence a long tradition of secret societies, such as the Golden Dawn (plus many others, existing both concurrantly and prior to that) from which philosophical ideas were derived.  A person simply has to dig a little deeper than "New Age" fluff to discover these things.

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