#Clan Tubal Cain

[brightgnosis]

Witches have always been perceived negatively, but the Cunning-folk, having a greater repertoire of practice and services, were considered useful […] by the ordinary folk. When the age of reason dawned, bringing with it industrialization and urbanization, it diminished greatly the need for and belief in Witchcraft and its attendant superstitions. Survival occurred mainly in rural pockets, within family communities largely isolated from the spreading […] modern disease. It lingered, finally withering in the wake of two world wars, devolving into quaint but tenacious traditions, quietly in the shadows.

Then in 1951, Gerald Gardner shattered the peace with his vision of a Pagan revival. He re-styled the archaic practice of Wicca and launched it onto a world nostalgic for customs and traditions of the past it believed lost in the decimation of war and creeping intellectualism. The New-Age had begun. An old idea took new form, presented as the new occultism, the presentable face of Paganism. Gardner especially, astutely distanced his Pagan revival from the stain of any perceived demonic occultism linked to the medieval practices of Witchcraft, adhering more closely […] to the acceptable role of the cunning-folk, or wise-person, promoting what has since been described habitually and erroneously, as ‘white Witchcraft’.

This is a moral distinction that has no existence in reality. The morals of the person alone dictate how they use and express their Craft, not the other way around. This is a false assumption that has no historical precedent, yet exists to disguise the ugly and unpalatable aspects of the Craft’s real history. Even so, this extremely popular generic Paganism of Gardner’s has proved an effective if somewhat romantic synthesis that has now established itself firmly as a ‘tradition’, in the strictest sense. Influenced by ceremonial and contemporary occult schools, he devised rituals free of such constraints, with more levity than their archaic counterparts, and which utilized the tools and drama of all three. I do of course relate this without bias or prejudice, as I am obviously an initiate of that line.

From ‘At the feet of the Maid: An Interview with Shani Oates, Maid of the Clan of Tubal Cain’ from Clan Tubal Cain; Ameth of Raising Cain (My Ko-Fi Here)

[toxicrants]

Currently all of 3 pages into Shani Oates' 'Tubelo's Green Fire' and already I remember why I put this down the first time.

She really goes for it with the thesaurus and just flies from one thing to the next, even within the same paragraph. Not to mention claiming all these different cultures had myths about 'angel' creatures mating with humans but just names a load of random cultures with no in depth analysis nor references.

[trollhuldren]

I have found great freedom in the precept, "Other people's opinions of you are none of your business." This kind of liberation is the key to peace of mind. As a person living at the crossroads of Fat, queer and nonbinary identity, disability, mental-illness, weirdness, and poverty, I have learned that I can't give any fucks about what other people think of me, that I can't be constantly chasing acceptance from others, that I can't give any fucks if I am successful or "cool". To emphasize Jack Halberstam's work, I embrace the cultural failure that I embody. This is freedom.

Our culture doesn't teach us to value wisdom, and it's not something most people seek. We're taught to seek success, acceptance, material wealth, and comfort. But wisdom is found only in following your passions; it is pursued in the transformation of your suffering into something you can endure and move through. This is where Art comes from as well.

We can invoke the friction of our suffering to make us greater than we were, reclaiming our power from those who have taken it forcibly from us or those to whom we gave it away. This very process of friction is how a pearl is created.

To be true to myself, I must embrace my wholeness. I must follow my passions, become vulnerable with those whom I share love, and transform my own suffering into compassion for myself and the world. The word compassion actually means "to suffer with." I can use my own experience of oppression and personal suffering as a tool to empathize with the suffering and oppression of others that I do not directly experience myself.

Robert Cochrane, the late former Magister of the Clan of Tubal Cain and traditional witch, said that we must be a part of this living world, not apart from it. I take this, personally, to mean that we must have our hands in this human mess.

For me, my compassion tells me that I need to do something, to fight for the Land and fight against oppression. If I call myself a witch, I must be willing to stand with all those in the past for whom that word was a brand of cultural failure. I am moved to help fight against the systems of oppression and disenfranchisement and work against the powerful wealthy elite whose corporate machinery is despoiling the Earth.

A witch cannot be idle. We only still and silence ourselves to know which way the Flow is going, then we must rejoin it. Indeed, many of us are swept up in its happenings as much as we choose to act.

To merely seek success, acceptance by those enrapt in the values of the Marketplace world (which to a degree is all of us, for we must all eat), or pure comfort is to remain idle, to be fooled by fools. My Magister Gabriel Carrillo once told me, "a witchcraft that doesn't directly challenge and subvert mainstream values and mores is no witchcraft." The powers that be want us dead if we are of no use to them, and to make workers into slaves to keep their creepy machinery going until all has been swallowed up into their greedy gullets.

So, I don't wish to be "cool" (cold!). I am not above it all. I am a witch. I cannot give a FUCK! I endeavor to burn with the Witchfire. To reveal the truth of who and what I am.

Watch it move my Hand, see it in my Eye. The time is now. It has always ever been NOW.

Rise up!

[concupiscience]

Traditional Witchcraft

Traditional witchcraft is a wild beast with many parents and even more children. At its very core, it is a chimera of folk magic, shamanism, history, ancestor veneration, and respect for the land, but it can be a little difficult to pin down its actual definition. Essentially, traditional witchcraft splits into two main categories: magickal traditions and cultural practices. You can find a number of modern magickal traditions under its overarching umbrella — the Clan of Tubal Cain, Victor and Cora Anderson's Feri, 1734, and the Cultus Sabbati — all of which have been influenced by early modern witchcraft and personal gnosis. The traditions that fall under this banner also tend to eschew dogma in favor of symbolism and imagery steeped in folklore. These paths are magickal in nature and heavy in historical research and individual responsibility, with an emphasis on connecting with the environment.

On the other side of the definition, traditional witchcraft also encompasses widespread cultural practices like Seidr, Hoodoo, Brujería, and Curanderismo, which also involve the use of rituals, energy work, folk magic, divination, and close contact with spirits. These are all integral aspects of witchcraft itself, although individual practitioners of these paths may not actually refer to themselves as"witches" and we must be careful not to disrespect their individual self-identification when discussing them.

Blacktree witchcraft, the tradition behind this book, draws elements and style from both the magickal and the cultural sides of traditional witchcraft and blends them into a cohesive whole. It is generally North American in nature (after all, that's where we're from), but can easily be applied to any region. In addition, it owes a particular debt to the work of Roy Bowers, better known as Robert Cochrane (1931–1966).

It is simply impossible to discuss traditional witchcraft in any capacity without bringing Robert Cochrane's name into it. Cochrane emerged on the English scene in 1963, just when witchcraft was enjoying its modern revival in the United States and Britain. Despite his short three-year involvement, he made a lasting impression that echoes still. Whether this impression was good or bad depends on whom you ask. Cochrane was a firebrand who loved nothing more than stirring the pot, and he gathered as many enemies as friends. In his opinion, magick was a by-product of the search for truth, and he spoke of a witchcraft that was more mystical in nature — focused on the realization of truth, rather than its illusion. In his opinion, magick grew out of the search for truth. He suggested a re-examination of all sacred cows to see if they still produced milk and sought a reinvestigation of past cultures and practices in order to determine if they held any useful truths.

Traditional Witchcraft, as presented in this book, takes Cochrane's notion of witchcraft a step further. Instead of basing our magickal practice on the past in an attempt to achieve authenticity, why not also look to the present? Or to our immediate surroundings? Why not contact the local land spirits? If witchcraft ever existed in the world, then it exists just as much in the here and now as it ever did in the past. The notion that witchcraft is solely a phenomenon of the past, or that it must be sought in faroff lands, or that it's only found by studying and embracing ancient cultures or deities ignores the very reality of the practice itself, as well as the power and connection we already have to our immediate surroundings. The substance, lore, and magick that we can acquire from our regional landscape are far more personal and substantial than any other connection we could ever hope to establish with any antiquated worldview or culture that is foreign to us.

This book contains a new approach to witchcraft. It brings you into a territory that may seem alien at first, but one that will swiftly begin to feel like home. Our approach bypasses all the romanticized New Age fertility rites, harvest festivals, and medieval role-playing that have become so persistently intertwined with modern Paganism and witchcraft, and emphasizes a deeper engagement with the land itself. Rather than enjoining you to commune with far-flung and aloof deities, this witchcraft leads you to interact with your ancestors, both nameless and blood-bound. We encourage you to make contact with the spirit of your own personal place in this world and to be unafraid of getting your hands dirty doing the work you aspire to accomplish.

What Is Witchcraft?

When we examine the history and cultural diversity of witchcraft, we learn that it is not actually a religion, but instead a practice. Cochrane might argue that witchcraft is not Paganism, although it retains the memory of ancient faiths. Someone living in Europe several centuries ago might have described it in terms of sorcery, cursing, consorting with devils and demons, or performing necromantic acts. In those days, as now, many perceived witchcraft as a transgressive act, furtively performed in private and hidden from view. The terms"witch" and "witchcraft" were not viewed as positive; instead, they were pejoratives used to denounce, demonize, and condemn folk practitioners — or anyone else for that matter — who were unfortunate enough to draw the wrong attention or upset the wrong types of people. While over the last century, a distorted and privileged view of witchcraft emerged, at least in first-world countries. Indeed, prior to its 20th-century revival, witchcraft wasn't considered a comfortable or safe practice. It was not viewed as a community faith tradition that was open and welcoming to the public, let alone one that came complete with children's groups, bake sales, and petitions for societal recognition.

It's important to understand that, outside the bounds of modern Neo-Paganism, witchcraft is not about the Goddess or a Goddess. It is not about the God or a God. It is not about seasonal celebrations commemorating the cycles of life, death, and rebirth. It is not about procuring a good harvest, literally or metaphorically. It is not about reliving the past or dancing in a cloak while drinking wine or wearing flowers in your hair. It's not even necessarily about being Pagan. Witchcraft is about sovereignty.

Witchcraft and Sovereignty

Witchcraft ties deeply into matters of personal governance and individual control. It addresses, with blood and sweat, the ills of life and society. In the hands of those who won't sit idle as life just happens to them, it's a tool for change. It's about magick and spells, herbs and spirits, flying and divining. It's about living in the world, for better or worse. It is raw. It is dirty. It is a skillset, a discipline. It is an art. Witchcraft is dwelling in the woods where people rarely go. It can be found right in your yard, in a nearby park, or in an undefiled and wild land. It is resting in forgotten caves and beneath silent trees. It even dwells in the endless bowels of the city, a living entity all its own. It is basking under the moon at night, breathing slowly beneath the silent stars. Witchcraft is all of these things and it has always been there, waiting to be rediscovered. It is a response to the fears lurking in the darkness and a means to deal with them. It is a weapon. It is a talent. It is an instinct.

Witchcraft is not simply about magick; that is why there are sorcerers. Witchcraft is not just about herbs; that is why there are herbalists. Witchcraft is not only about divination or contacting spirits; that is why there are psychics and mediums. Witchcraft is something wholly, entirely different. It is a lifestyle, a vocation, a liminal space defined by experience. It is a virtual crossroads where several paths meet and create their own space by virtue of their intersection.

Witchcraft is a methodology. It is a multifaceted practice that combines several skills and avenues of knowledge. The paths that comprise it sit squarely upon the landscape of history and folklore, individually distinguishable as magick, divination, and herbalism.

Magick leads to spells and exerting your will upon the cosmos to influence desired changes and effects. Divination is the act and process of divine seeing or foretelling the future. Herbalism is the knowledge and application of herbs for medicinal, culinary, and ritual use. The combination and interplay of these three streams of knowledge enable other practices like seership, soul flight, and necromancy to take shape. It is only when these various practices are blended together that witchcraft emerges as a distinct practice that uniquely combines history and folklore, magick, divination, herbalism, hedgewitchery, and necromancy into a unifying system that we refer to collectively as the Six-Fold Path.

Magick, divining, working with and growing herbs, having visions, flying out of the body, and consorting with ghosts of the dead. Witchcraft is all of these things. It consists of no religion or dogma. It has no need for clergy. It worships no deities. It celebrates no intrinsically holy days. Witchcraft is a practice that is focused on successful function, rather than being beholden to the aesthetics, symbols, and affectations of 19th-century occultism.

Witchcraft is secular and filthy — dirty, figuratively and literally. There will be times when you walk through your everyday life bearing the stains of some working you've performed. The evidence may be anything — the faint scent of scrying incense in your hair, a smudge of charcoal on your cheek, dirt under your fingernails. You will look at these traces of your craft and only you will know what they represent. And that knowledge will give you strength, a secret shield. You will look at them and think to yourself: I did that. And your face will flush briefly from the power of that knowledge. Your power.

The Devil and the Craft

We certainly cannot deny that the devil (or a devil) has been a key figure in many European accounts of witchcraft. He has been described as the witch-maker, the grand initiator. Indeed, he was the primary reason that witchcraft became synonymous with heresy from the Middle Ages through the Early Modern Period. It is from this association that older forms of witchcraft came to be labeled as "diabolism," as they were widely understood to involve working with or worshipping the devil.

It's no secret that the classic iconography of the devil — horns, forked tongue, goat legs, and pitchfork — originates in several Pagan deities or nature spirits. Images and lore involving Pan, Puck, Hades, Cernunnos, Herne, and others were forerunners of the iconic image of the Christian devil, who was generally depicted as a black-winged bat-like monster prior to the 19th century. This portrayal contrasted strongly with the typical imagery of white-winged angels, like that of Lucifer prior to his fall. Other stories about the devil are rooted in fairy lore, where he appears as a man in black, riding to the hunt with his hounds and the Queen of Elphame. His mutable appearance and developing role grew and changed alongside the imagery and lore of witchcraft, an evolution that continues to this day and into the foreseeable future.

To a Christian, the devil embodies sin and everything that good Christians should avoid. This implies, however, that, if you are not a Christian, there is no reason at all to avoid the "devil" or what he represents. However, many modern witches are distinctly (and quite vocally) not Christian, but still find themselves arguing defensively that this Christian devil has nothing to do with their Horned God. No doubt, this is an argument based in self-preservation. The fact is, however, that, while on the surface this may be true for many modern witches, the history of the devil and the Horned God — the Witch Lord or Witch Father, as some call him — are virtually one and the same. Moreover, this sameness is not actually a bad thing, nor is it something we should shy away from acknowledging or even celebrating.

Indeed, it can be tricky for traditional witches to turn their backs on the devil. In doing so, we run the risk of distorting the history of witchcraft as it developed in the Western world and missing what it can still reveal to us for use in our modern practice. By rejecting what the devil encompasses or represents, we condemn what it means to be completely human — a creature of the earth, including the wildness and carnality of nature. This further instills in us the dangerously romantic view of nature as a benevolent force that looks out for our best interests. In reality, nature is not our caretaker nor our friend. We must never forget this.

Nature is red in tooth and claw. The living modifications we have needed to develop just for basic survival reveal this to be undeniably true. Nature cares for us about as much as we do for a random hair found growing in a weird location. We cut it off or pluck it out without a thought. Just a momentary wince and it's gone. Nature is a monster, as well as a thing of beauty and wonder. It has teeth and bites the hardest those who attempt to make it pink and pretty gossamer. This is not to say, however, that we should not protect and value nature. Far from it. Nature requires our stewardship, the forging of a deep connection between animal and human. As humans, we now live outside of the wild, in a world of shoes and cars and condominiums. But still, we dream.

We now understand that the complexity of life is painted in shades of gray rather than black and white. We can see that it is time to tear down the tired, dueling archetypes of pure good and evil. As a representation of the wildness of nature, the devil reflects our own place in this complexity — human united with animal. Or go further and strip the devil of the many layers of myth and legend he has accrued over the centuries. Approach him as he truly is — nature itself in its most absolute form.

We embrace the devil as a symbol of humanity, as a creature of the earth, not as a trifling villain who encourages self-deception and self-loathing or a childish pawn employed by a narcissistic creator. There is no longer a need for that in this world. We have gone beyond such vanities. We have evolved and developed our own moral codes, an innate sense of the essential dichotomy of right and wrong. In our craft, we call upon the devil as the Witch Lord, the Lord of Paths, and the Uniter of Worlds. He is the embodiment of nature itself. He unites the worlds within and without, Above and Below. He is like Eliphas Levi's iconic 19thcentury image of Baphomet, a blended representation of the manifested world. Not good, not evil, but a duality — an integral part of the ebb and flow of existence.

As we make our way into these other realms, the Witch Lord is our guide, our contact, our touchstone. We do not worship him, however. He is not a deity. Instead, he is the primary spirit of place and a primordial force — the devil for a new millennia of practice.

[chattering-magpie-uk]

From the Archive - Heritage and the Poetic Vision of Robert Cochrane (Nottingham Saturday 25th June 2016)

https://www.tumblr.com/chattering-magpie-uk/717394217291399168/clan-of-tubal-cain-official-sigil June 2016 saw the fiftieth anniversary of the tragic death of a remarkable individual, a man who posthumously was to become perhaps the most influential figure in Traditional Witchcraft and Occult thought, during the latter decades of the twentieth century. That man whose real name was Roy Bowers, is…

[alchameth]

Ameth: Traditional Witchcraft (at least Clan Tubal Cain) doesn’t fall under the umbrella of Neo-Paganism. Could you tell us something of the difference between Wicca and Traditional Witchcraft? Shani: This is a fundamental question you have raised, which although covered in my book, is important enough to be discussed further, where ever possible in fact. Due to its import and intrinsic significance, it is one that may crop up within several answers. Angelic, faerie or daemonic spirits (often perceived as ancestors) evolved from disparate sources, from merging cultures, overlaying and enriching the synthesis of shared religious ideals. Overtime, magic began to emulate mundane life, rather than life emulating magic. Gradually, these formed the three main branches of the Craft, which are not mutually exclusive, and which do in fact share considerable overlap. Very briefly, and with great generalization, there is Hereditary Craft – a folk magic tradition, and an important repository of secret customs that are handed down from one generation to the next. These are family versions of the same principles that underpin the whole Craft. Autocratic and hierarchical, each family will have its own beliefs and generally remain closed to outsiders. Rites and rituals are also idiosyncratic to specific families. Their Gods are tutelary, recognizing specific ancestral deities having names known only to them. Traditional Craft however, is more flexible and eclectic, absorbing current trends by adaptation in order to survive. It has loose associations and affiliations, but is often though by no means always, autonomous. Deities are amorphous, largely unnamed syntheses, referred to vaguely as the old ones, or other quaint colloquialisms. It has subsumed a variety of teachings from Anglo-Saxon hexcraft, Arabic talismanic theurgy, Judaic Kabbalah, Bardic traditions, ‘Celtic’ Christianity, and in some cases, gnostic heresies. Moreover, many see true sabbatical craft practice as being oneiric. This night flight of the dream state, where free of matter, the spirit is enjoined to its true purpose (...)

At the feet of the Maid: An Interview with Shani Oates, Maid of the Clan of Tubal Cain

[blackthornwren]

More than once it had been exclaimed that I was a changeling child, left by the Fey Folk. And yet I thrived, even as my grandmother whispered into my ear that I was one of yours. So often she would stare into the crackling flames about the hearth, then look upon me, intently reading the visions that unfurled before her saddened eyes. Sighing, she would catch her breath, grasp my hand, as if to reassure me. "It's a fair exchange," she would whisper. "It's a fair price." Brevity was the gift of your raging winds.

Revelation by Shani Oates, The Scalding of Sapientia, pg. 160

[ivythewitch]

For the 1734 anon, this is the most accurate website that i know of for studying and dragging yourself down the rabbit hole that is 1734.

Ffff

[poisonerspath]

One of my favorite books on traditional craft. A collection of essays from individuals of many different backgrounds, hilighting the many cultural variations of traditional craft practice in Europe. The “serpents” are the many voices of reputable scholars and practitioners of what has become known as traditional witchcraft. Published by Scarlet Imprint.

[spiral-nature]

The Devil’s Crown, by Shani Oates

So, it begins with Cain.

Most of us are familiar with the Abrahamic tradition surrounding the first-born son of Adam and Eve. After his sacrifice was rejected by Jehovah, Cain killed his brother, Abel in a jealous rage. He was cursed, given a mark, exiled and left to wander the earth. In The Devil’s Crown: Key to the mysteries of Robert Cochrane’s Craft, Shani Oates delivers further insight into this figure from the northern parts of the world. Readers learn about the tradition based upon the beliefs of Robert Cochrane, an English occultist and the founder of The Clan of Tubal Cain.

[Read the full review.]

[unfetteredwood]

An interview with the amazing Shani Oates. While not really an influence on my practice anymore, certainly a huge inspiration in the past. 

[brightgnosis]

The Craft remains the pattern by which we set our lives and the means to effect change within it. It is primarily of the people and as such it must reflect the needs and purpose of its practitioners [… However] I, like my direct predecessors, [also] believe the Craft maintains deeper secrets, of subtle yet perceptible gnosis within its rites and philosophies, all of which reveal the legacy and vestiges of an ancient wisdom […] hidden yet salvageable.

Thomas Aquinas, a medieval church theologian said 'God’s existence can be grasped by unaided reason, but knowing his nature requires the grace of revelation'. Plato also believed that only what is eternally true can be properly said to be known – all else is flux […] Clearly then, magical rituals should entail greater things than winning fortunes, raising demons, or blasting enemies; we should be engaged in the raising of the soul beyond such materially motivated trivia. The synaptic gap between ourselves and divinity is not breached by our acquisitions, by having more, but by becoming more, by conscious expansion of a subconscious process. In this way we swell our capacity of being within the One […]

These must be experienced by each individual aspirant. No book or word exists that can reveal these secrets [P] No amount of intellectualizing or understanding alone will induce these experiences, in fact, it may seriously compromise it. Paradoxically, unwarranted passion [likewise] induces a fervor of desire that also blocks complete sublimation of the self […] Only a balance of Mind and Soul (heart) […] will bring us to the equilibrium – the Qutub point of spiritual evolution.

From ‘At the feet of the Maid: An Interview with Shani Oates, Maid of the Clan of Tubal Cain’ from Clan Tubal Cain; Ameth of Raising Cain

[forbidden-sorcery]

Preferably absent of any garland, the Stang signifies the memory of sacrificial death. It is accompanied by skull, crossbones, knife & cup. In death, we must all face the Grim Reaper. Yet, we believe there is so much more to death than just dying. The Mask is defined by an appropriate tool to mark the tide, rather than flora (belonging to, and of the gods already), serving as testament to our craft and wit of application. True gyfu. Our souls survive death and shift into rebirth many times, we mindfully work towards its release through cumulative gnosis attaining spiritual unity with the Godhead. Here we see the Stang as an altar standing in the forecourt of an open tomb or burial. Because the Old God was, in essence, considered to be Lord of manifest things in all their forms, this made perfect sense. The Totem, the Clan leader and the God shared the same essence and were symbolically of the same ‘family’. Hence we say: “The Hunter, the Hunted (Old Tubal Cain) and the Roebuck in the Thicket are one and the same”.

Shani Oates - The Devil’s Crown

[dharc16]

A HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN WITCHCRAFT

How many of you have heard someone say “there is no such thing as a Christian witch?” Maybe I should say, how many times each week do you hear this phrase?

Many pagans just cannot understand people self-identifying as Christian Witches. But they don't have to understand something to be accepting of it. There are an amazing number of Witchcraft traditions that have Christianity quietly tucked into their DNA somewhere. Nothing emerges in a vacuum and for the last 1700 years Christianity has been the elephant in the room, and Christianity stemmed from Judaism, whose texts originate back well before a lot of paganism's.

Christianity has influenced Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam over the last 1500 years, and ancient paganism was influenced by the believers in the God of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel. This is how religions and belief systems work, and to think that modern paganism or “the witch community somehow stands outside of that paradigm is sheer hubris” (a quote from the pagan whose article influenced this lesson).

“One document consisted of notes originally taken by a man who was initiated into a group of four elderly women in the Oxfordshire village in which he lived in the years around 1940. They were a part of the teachings of this group, and consisted of the various magical uses to which twenty-six of the Biblical Psalms could be put sometimes consisting of the whole psalm and sometimes of a single verse. They are obviously classic Christian folk magic, of a sort recorded copiously from the early Middle Ages to the twentieth century, although the special importance of the psalms to Protestants would suggest that this use of them post-dates the Reformation” (Ronald Hutton writing on a witch book owned by Andrew Chumbley in “Triumph of the Moon,” in 1999 (p. 306-307).

You may not have heard of Andrew Chumbley, but his impact on Modern Witchcraft over the last 20 years has been extraordinary. Much of the current rise in “Traditional Witchcraft” can be traced in no small part to the work of Chumbley, who spent years documenting magical techniques and practices, most notably his own Sabbatic Tradition. Chumbley wasn't a Christian, but if he used the text written about above in his magical work, he was most certainly influenced by Christianity. And in the world of Traditional Witchcraft, such influences are common, not rare. Chumbley is also majorly responsible for the boom in high quality Witchcraft books from specialty publishers.

The first person most of us think of when it comes to Traditional Witchcraft is Robert Cochrane, whose witch group is still called The Clan of Tubal-Cain. Tubal-Cain was a descendant of Adam and Eve, and was a famous blacksmith that is mentioned in the Bible. He was not a figure from Greek mythology, as some believe. He was also not an Incan or a Mayan, as others believe. Traditional witchcraft also often references figures such as Lucifer or Satan or the Devil, and we all know where he came from.

If you have seen the book “The Red Goddess,” you will immediately notice the quotation from the Song of Solomon (that's a book in the Bible) on the back, not to mention all of the quotes from the book of Revelation which feature prominently in its text. And if you read a lot of Traditional Witchcraft books, you've no doubt run into figures such as the Nephalim, Watchers, and Enoch. Where do people think this stuff comes from?

In addition, there is a long history of Christians using magic. Many practices are influenced by charmers or cunning-folk. These are techniques practiced overwhelmingly by self-identifying Christians. Are you into Pennsylvania Dutch Pow-Wow? That's another thing developed by Christians.

Guess how many of the witches who were killed during the infamous witch hunts were pagans? None. None of them were pagan. They all identified as Christians.

Wiccan-witchcraft has also been heavily impacted by Christianity. The early modern grimoires which helped to shape a lot of Wiccan ritual practices were mostly written by Christians, and those that weren't were written by Muslims and Jews. All three of these religions worship the God of Abraham and their beliefs systems all stem from one religion. Abraham and his God are documented in ancient texts found in archaeological excavations. The names of many of those grimoires give away their Biblical roots: “The Key of Solomon,” “The Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses,” and “The Grimoire of Pope Honorius” are just three examples of grimoires that were written by Biblical or Christian figures. And don't overlook just how impactful some of these books have been on Wicca especially. There are a lot of Wiccan teachings that read like they came straight from “The Key of Solomon.”

Wiccans have borrowed a whole lot of stuff from Freemasonry over the years, from vocabulary to ritual techniques, and the Masons were overwhelmingly Christian. Many of Masonry's most esoteric architects were Christian too, and many Wiccans have taken a little from them over the years too. Groups such as the Theosophical Society honored Jesus, and one of the world's all time favorite occultists, Dion Fortune, always found time for her Master Jesus.

So, yes, modern witchcraft owes Christians no small debt of gratitude for many of their practices. Today the world calls many of these things “witchcraft” so it makes sense that Christians looking to engage in these practices would call themselves Christian Witches.

Many witches who seem aghast at the idea of Christian Witches in their midst often quote the Bible to back up their outrage. And they have no idea what the verses they are quoting actually mean even! The word “witchcraft” can have a whole host of different meanings, and its use usually comes down to who is doing the translating.

The Bible condemns a lot of different things – such as lying and gossip and sexual immorality and fits of anger and arguments and envy and dishonoring your parents and drunkenness and breaking the Sabbath, among many others (for an example see Galatians 5:19-21) - and it says that those who do these things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But Christians seem to ignore most of these and focus on two communities – the LGBTQ community and the witchcraft communities – both of whose translations were mauled by the early Bible translators who were ALL under the influence of the man made doctrines of the churches of the Dark Ages.

If witchcraft is simply a magical practice, void of religion or spirituality, how can there not be Christian Witches? That is like saying that there can't be Jewish herbalists. Certainly the idea of witchcraft is not compatible with an overwhelming majority of Christians, because they believe the lies, but why should anyone else care if some of us DO believe in the power of magic that we KNOW we have been gifted with, while finding spiritual fulfillment in the God of Adam, Noah, Abraham, the disciples, Paul, and a multitude of others throughout history? It doesn't hurt them unless we try to start speaking for all of them. But all we can do is present the truth in love, and then back off to let the seed of truth grow in their hearts, watered by the Holy Spirit.

Witchcraft is empowering. Shouldn't Christians and pagans alike be all in for anyone with an open mind using it to take charge of their life? Shouldn't they be all for more witches in the world, not less?

This was based on an article by a well published pagan, Jason Mankey, who also agrees that Christians should be able to identify as witches if they feel drawn to do so, and that the witchcraft community should support this. Thank you, Jason.

[tipsycad147]

Wicca

During the 20th century, interest in witchcraft in English-speaking and European countries began to increase, inspired particularly by Margaret Murray's theory of a pan-European witch-cult originally published in 1921, since discredited by further careful historical research Interest was intensified, however, by Gerald Gardner's claim in 1954 in Witchcraft Today that a form of witchcraft still existed in England. The truth of Gardner's claim is now disputed too.

The first Neopagan groups to publicly appear, during the 1950s and 60s, were Gerald Gardner's Bricket Wood coven and Roy Bowers' Clan of Tubal Cain. They operated as initiatory secret societies. Other individual practitioners and writers such as Paul Huson also claimed inheritance to surviving traditions of witchcraft.

The Wicca that Gardner initially taught was a witchcraft religion having a lot in common with Margaret Murray's hypothetically posited cult of the 1920s. Indeed, Murray wrote an introduction to Gardner's Witchcraft Today, in effect putting her stamp of approval on it. Wicca is now practised as a religion of an initiatory secret society nature with positive ethical principles, organised into autonomous covens and led by a High Priesthood. There is also a large "Eclectic Wiccan" movement of individuals and groups who share key Wiccan beliefs but have no initiatory connection or affiliation with traditional Wicca. Wiccan writings and ritual show borrowings from a number of sources including 19th and 20th-century ceremonial magic, the medieval grimoire known as the Key of Solomon, Aleister Crowley's Ordo Templi Orientis and pre-Christian religions Right now there are just over 200,000 people who practice Wicca in the United States

Witchcraft, feminism, and media

Wiccan and Neo-Wiccan literature has been described as aiding the empowerment of young women through its lively portrayal of female protagonists. Part of the recent growth in Neo-Pagan religions has been attributed to the strong media presence of fictional works such as Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Harry Potter series with their depictions of pop culture, "positive witchcraft", which differs from the historical, traditional, and Indigenous definitions. Based on a mass media case study done, "Mass Media and Religious Identity: A Case Study of Young Witches", in the result of the case study it was stated the reasons many young people are choosing to self-identify as witches and belong to groups they define as practicing witchcraft is diverse; however, the use of pop culture witchcraft in various media platforms can be the spark of interest for young people to see themselves as "witches". Widespread accessibility to related material through internet media such as chat rooms and forums is also thought to be driving this development. Which is dependent on one's accessibility to those media resources and material to influence their thoughts and views on religion

Wiccan beliefs, or pop culture variations thereof, are often considered by adherents to be compatible with liberal ideals such as the Green movement, and particularly with some varieties of feminism, by providing young women with what they see as a means for self-empowerment, control of their own lives, and potentially a way of influencing the world around them. This is the case particularly in North America due to the strong presence of feminist ideals in some branches of the Neopagan communities The 2002 study Enchanted Feminism: The Reclaiming Witches of San Francisco suggests that some branches of Wicca include influential members of the second wave of feminism, which has also been redefined as a religious movement.

Traditional witchcraft

Traditional witchcraft is a term used to refer to a variety of contemporary forms of witchcraft. Pagan studies scholar Ethan Doyle White described it as "a broad movement of aligned magico-religious groups who reject any relation to Gardnerianism and the wider Wiccan movement, claiming older, more "traditional" roots. Although typically united by a shared aesthetic rooted in European folklore, the Traditional Craft contains within its ranks a rich and varied array of occult groups, from those who follow a contemporary Pagan path that is suspiciously similar to Wicca to those who adhere to Luciferianism".  According to British Traditional Witch Michael Howard, the term refers to "any non-Gardnerian, non-Alexandrian, non-Wiccan or pre-modern form of the Craft, especially if it has been inspired by historical forms of witchcraft and folk magic". Another definition was offered by Daniel A. Schulke, the current Magister of the Cultus Sabbati, when he proclaimed that traditional witchcraft "refers to a coterie of initiatory lineages of ritual magic, spellcraft and devotional mysticism". Some forms of traditional witchcraft are the Feri Tradition, Cochrane's Craft and the Sabbatic craft.

Stregheria

Modern Stregheria closely resembles Charles Leland's controversial late-19th-century account of a surviving Italian religion of witchcraft, worshipping the Goddess Diana, her brother Dianus/Lucifer, and their daughter Aradia. Leland's witches do not see Lucifer as the evil Satan that Christians see, but a benevolent god of the Sun.

The ritual format of contemporary Stregheria is roughly similar to that of other Neopagan witchcraft religions such as Wicca. The pentagram is the most common symbol of religious identity. Most followers celebrate a series of eight festivals equivalent to the Wiccan Wheel of the Year, though others follow the ancient Roman festivals. An emphasis is placed on ancestor worship and balance

Contemporary witchcraft, Satanism and Luciferianism

Modern witchcraft considers Satanism to be the "dark side of Christianity" rather than a branch of Wicca: the character of Satan referenced in Satanism exists only in the theology of the three Abrahamic religions, and Satanism arose as, and occupies the role of, a rebellious counterpart to Christianity, in which all is permitted and the self is central. (Christianity can be characterized as having the diametrically opposite views to these.) Such beliefs become more visibly expressed in Europe after the Enlightenment, when works such as Milton's Paradise Lost were described anew by romantics who suggested that they presented the biblical Satan as an allegory representing crisis of faith, individualism, free will, wisdom and enlightenment; a few works from that time also begin to directly present Satan in a less negative light, such as Letters from the Earth. The two major trends are theistic Satanism and atheistic Satanism; the former venerates Satan as a supernatural patriarchal deity, while the latter views Satan as merely a symbolic embodiment of certain human traits.

Organized groups began to emerge in the mid 20th century, including the Ophite Cultus Satanas (1948)  and The Church of Satan (1966). After seeing Margaret Murray's book The God of the Witches, the leader of Ophite Cultus Satanas, Herbert Arthur Sloane, said he realized that the horned god was Satan (Sathanas). Sloane also corresponded with his contemporary Gerald Gardner, founder of the Wiccan religion, and implied that his views of Satan and the horned god were not necessarily in conflict with Gardner's approach. However, he did believe that, while "gnosis" referred to knowledge, and "Wicca" referred to wisdom, modern witches had fallen away from the true knowledge, and instead had begun worshipping a fertility god, a reflection of the creator god. He wrote that "the largest existing body of witches who are true Satanists would be the Yezedees". Sloane highly recommended the book The Gnostic Religion, and sections of it were sometimes read at ceremonies. The Church of Satan, founded by Anton LaVey in 1966,views Satan not as a literal god, but merely a symbol. Still, this organization does believe in magic and incorporates it in their practice, distinguishing between Lesser and Greater forms.

The Satanic Temple, founded in 2013, does not practice magic as a part of their religion. They state "beliefs should conform to one's best scientific understanding of the world," and the practice of magic does not fit into their belief as such. It was estimated that there were up to 100,000 Satanists worldwide by 2006, twice the number estimated in 1990.[ Satanistic beliefs have been largely permitted as a valid expression of religious belief in the West. For example, they were allowed in the British Royal Navy in 2004,  and an appeal was considered in 2005 for religious status as a right of prisoners by the Supreme Court of the United States. Contemporary Satanism is mainly an American phenomenon, although it began to reach Eastern Europe in the 1990s around the time of the fall of the Soviet Union.

Luciferianism, on the other hand, is a belief system and does not revere the devil figure or most characteristics typically affixed to Satan. Rather, Lucifer in this context is seen as one of many morning stars, a symbol of enlightenment,  independence and human progression. Madeline Montalban was an English witch who adhered to a specific form of Luciferianism which revolved around the veneration of Lucifer, or Lumiel, whom she considered to be a benevolent angelic being who had aided humanity's development. Within her Order, she emphasised that her followers discover their own personal relationship with the angelic beings, including Lumiel Although initially seeming favourable to Gerald Gardner, by the mid-1960s she had become hostile towards him and his Gardnerian tradition, considering him to be "a 'dirty old man' and sexual pervert."  She also expressed hostility to another prominent Pagan Witch of the period, Charles Cardell, although in the 1960s became friends with the two Witches at the forefront of the Alexandrian Wiccan tradition, Alex Sanders and his wife, Maxine Sanders, who adopted some of her Luciferian angelic practices.  In contemporary times luciferian witches exist within traditional witchcraft

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Witchcraft

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The Incomplete Writings of Robert Cochrane

A collection of letters and articles written by Roy Bowers (Robert Cochrane) from the Clan of Tubal Cain pages. http://www.clanoftubalcain.org.uk/letters.html Facebook: The Clan of Tubal Cain https://www.facebook.com/clanoftubalcain Facebook: Frithguild https://www.facebook.com/frithguild https://www.tumblr.com/chattering-magpie-uk/717394217291399168/clan-of-tubal-cain-official-sigil The…