"Witchcraft (or witchery) is the practice of magical skills, spells, and abilities. Witchcraft is a broad term that varies culturally and societally, and thus can be difficult to define with precision."

History Of Witchcraft

The most well known Witch History is the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, but that is far from where it begins. The oldest recorded mention of Witchcraft is in the Bible in the book of 1 Samuel, thought be written between 931 B.C. and 721 B.C.
Other Old Testament verses condemn witches, such as the oft-cited Exodus 22:18, which says, “thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” Additional Biblical passages caution against divination, chanting or using witches to contact the dead.

Witch hysteria really took hold in Europe during the mid-1400s, when many accused witches confessed, often under torture, to a variety of wicked behaviors. Within a century, witch hunts were common and most of the accused were executed by burning at the stake or hanging. Single women, widows and other women on the margins of society were especially targeted.

Between the years 1500 and 1660, up to 80,000 suspected witches were put to death in Europe. Around 80 percent of them were women thought to be in cahoots with the Devil and filled with lust. Germany had the highest witchcraft execution rate, while Ireland had the lowest.

The publication of “Malleus Maleficarum”—written by two well-respected German Dominicans in 1486—likely spurred witch mania to go viral. The book, usually translated as “The Hammer of Witches,” was essentially a guide on how to identify, hunt and interrogate witches.

"Malleus Maleficarum" labeled witchcraft as heresy, and quickly became the authority for Protestants and Catholics trying to flush out witches living among them. For more than 100 years, the book sold more copies of any other book in Europe except the Bible. As witch hysteria decreased in Europe, it grew in the New World, which was reeling from wars between the French and British, a smallpox epidemic and the ongoing fear of attacks from neighboring native American tribes. The tense atmosphere was ripe for finding scapegoats. Probably the best-known witch trials took place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692.

The Salem witch trials began when 9-year-old Elizabeth Parris and 11-year-old Abigail Williams began suffering from fits, body contortions and uncontrolled screaming (today, it is believed that they were poisoned by a fungus that caused spasms and delusions). As more young women began to exhibit symptoms, mass hysteria ensued, and three women were accused of witchcraft: Sarah Good, Sarah Osborn and Tituba, an enslaved woman owned by Parris’s father. Tituba confessed to being a witch and began accusing others of using black magic. On June 10, Bridget Bishop became the first accused witch to be put to death during the Salem Witch Trials when she was hanged at the Salem gallows. Ultimately, around 150 people were accused and 18 were put to death. Women weren’t the only victims of the Salem Witch Trials; six men were also convicted and executed.But witches—whether actual or accused—still face persecution and death. Several men and women suspected of using witchcraft have been beaten and killed in Papua New Guinea since 2010, including a young mother who was burned alive. Similar episodes of violence against people accused of being witches have occurred in Africa, South America, the Middle East and in immigrant communities in Europe and the United States.

Types of Witches

Eclectic Witch
A Witch who do not only stick in one path; but plenty. These Witches tend to use anything and everything for their crafts.

Green Witch
These Witches mainly use the Earth's energues for their crafts. They incorporate nature into almost every one of their spells.

Wiccan
Wiccans are Neo-Pagan Witches that believes in the ThreeFold Law (whatever energy a person puts out into the world, be it positive or negative, will be returned to that person three times.) and follow the Wiccan's Rede. Like Green Witches, Wiccans are a nature-based type Witch.

Cosmic Witch
a Witch who practices Witchcraft with the stars. These Witches knows all about Astrology, Planets, Zodiacs, Horoscopes, and Universal Energies.

Divination Witch
This Witch incorporates methods of divination into their Craft. They practice Tarot, Runes, Readings, Palmistry, I-Ching, Crystal Balls, etc.

Kitchen Witch
Kitchen Witches are more often than not found doing their craft in the kitchen. They incorporates spices, baking, cooking, herbs, etc into their practice.

Sea Witch
The sea holds a lot of energies from the Moon. Sea Witches access that and use water, seashells, sand, weather, etc to perform their craft.

Lunar Witch
Uses the Moon energies to incorporate into their spells. These Witches always know the phases of the Moon and can be seen outside in the Moonlight practicing their craft.

Faerie Witch
Witches that works with the Fae. They offer gifts to the Fae and incorporate such things into Witchcraft.

Secular Witch
A Witch who chose not to work with any Deity/ies

Christian Witch
Christian Witches worship the Christian God and incorporate Christianity and the Bible into their crafts.

Crystal Witch
Uses crystals in their craft. Incorporates appropriate crystals into spells based on their spiritual benefits. (Rose Quartz for Self-Love spell, Pyrite for money spell, etc)

Hereditary Witch
A Witch that has family members that are Witches. Passed down throughout generations.

Dianic Witch
A community of female Witches only. They worship the Goddess Diana and it is commonly a safe-space for women.

Traditional Witch
These Witches stay true to the traditions created by Witches in the past. Honouring the "Old Way" of practicing the craft.

Draconic Witch
Witches that work with Dragons and Draconic spirits. They also commonly do Shadow Work.

Grey Witch
Morally grey Witches. These are the types of Witches to not be afraid to put a hex/curse on someone. They aren't necessarily "bad", they just don't follow common moral codes.

Satanic Witch
These Witches are not inherently evil. They work with and worship Demons/Daimons and Satan. These beings do not always correlate with Christianity.

Witchcraft terms and their meanings

Witchcraft
A belief and practice that involves the use of Magic(k), energies, and sometimes Deities.

Magick
Magic, Magical, Magickal
A spiritual word that means "manipulative energy" and "spiritual essence". Magick items have spiritual properties to them.

Deity/Deities
A God, Goddess or other religious/spiritual beings

Pentagram
A 5-pointed star commonly used in Witchcraft to symbolize the elements. Fire, earth, water, air, and spirit. It is also used as a summoning and protection symbol.

Book of Shadows
A sacred journal commonly used by Witches. Personally made by each of their information gathered throughout the time of their Craft.

Altar
A place of worship, spellwork and honour for Witches. Altars are personalized to each Witches comfort.

Ground
Clearing and releasing excess energy.

Center
Usually done after Grounding. To calm your emotions, mind and body to be physically and magically aware.

Cleanse
Removing negative energies from an object or a space.

Charge
To infuse an object with personal or external power.

Visualize
Forming mental images.

Banish
To Magickally end something, or to rid the presence of.

Consecrate
The blessing of an object or place by instilling it with positive energy.

Intent/Intention
Your goal or purpose for spell work.

Sabbat
The witches festivals or Holidays. (Changing of the seasons/Equinoxes)

Talisman
An object charged with personal power to attract a specific force or energy to the wearer.