A traditional witch is a witch who has a base in the history of witchcraft and the old craft that came before Wicca, so they take a more hostorical or traditional approach to the practice.
Gardenerian witchcraft came about in the 1950s, and is a form of Wicca that has strong ties to nature, challenges societal norms, and has many rituals that are the base of the practice. Members MUST be initiated, and members cannot initiate themselves.
A form of witchcraft founded in the 60s by Maxine Sanders (although the name comes from her husband, Alex Sanders who referred to himself as “The King Of All Witches). It has similarities to Gardenian witchcraft, but is seen as more eclectic (as it has ceremonial magick and Qabalan incorporated in it) and is less structured than Gardenian Wicca; they follow the belief of “if it works, use it.” Members must be initiated, and there are levels of advancements that can be achieved. Covens meet on new moons, full moons, and during Sabbat festivals.
Sea witches have strong ties to the water (more specifically the ocean) and use the water element often in practice. Sand, shells, driftwood, and other elements that come from the ocean/beach/water are also often used in practice. Many feel connected to water and ancient folklore that’s connected to water, such as folklore concerning sirens.
🌼Correllian Witch/Nativist Traditional Witch🌼
Founded in the late 20th century by Caroline High Correll (who claimed to come from a line of hereditary witches and was a psyche, spiritual healer, and herbalist), Correllian Wicca is one of the most widespread practices in existence, although it was not recognized as Wicca until the 1990s, being more seen as eclecticism/universalism.
🌸Kitchen Witch/Hearth Witch/Home Witch🌸
Most commonly known as Kitchen Witches, these witches create most of their magick in their home/kitchen. Many consider them to be incredibly nurturing (and thus far, not a single kitchen witch I know has proven otherwise!). When practicing, they combine their own personal/individual magickal energy with essential oils, herbs, food, and other everyday objects to create their own spells, rituals, and magick, and many love to make their home a truly sacred or special place.
Hedge witches practice what is known as “hedge jumping,” which is the ability to venture out of this world and into the otherworld. They can communicate with the spiritual world and can send messages between both worlds. They practice astral projection, as well as work with herbs and Earth magick.
Dianic witchcraft is the MOST feminist out of all witchcraft practices. All followers of the Cult of Diana are female, with a no male allowed policy. The worship the goddess through all three of her aspects (Maiden, Mother, and Crone), but rituals and worship may vary, although they all have feminist aspects and come from a feminist standpoint.
An elemental witch studies and practices based on the four (five, of you add spirit) elements. Elemental magick is based solely on honoring each element, and some witches even have an altar dedicated to each specific element. They call upon the elements when casting spells and performing rituals, and may even have an element that they personally identify with.
Ceremonial witches have many practices, but ceremonies and rituals are held in especially high regard and are worked into most elements of the witch’s practice, typically being worked into whatever they’re casting or trying to accomplish, along with calling upon specific beings and spiritual entities to assist them.
🌼Green Witch/Garden Witch/Forest Witch🌼
Most commonly known as green witches, these witches are highly connected to the Earth and the energy it possesses. They may have their own garden where they grow their own herbs and practice their magick, but also study their area and practice with local plants and their own environment. They use plants and greenery in their spells/magick/cooking/around their homes so as to stay connected with Mother Earth.
🌸Cosmic Witch/Star Witch🌸
These are contemporary witches who look to the cosmos and work with astrology and astronomy, working those elements and celestial energy into their practice and often follow the plants and stars, basing their spells and rituals on the different placements and alignments.
A hereditary witch is born into witchcraft, where where it is a part of their family and/or lineage. Magick and practice is passed down from previous generations, but a hereditary witch may choose to follow their own individual practice instead of/as well as their family’s practice. If a hereditary witch chooses to not practice witchcraft, then they will not STILL be a hereditary witch.
A secular witch still uses spells, oils, crystals, herbs, etc., but do not attach spirituality to it, so they do not worship a deity or higher being. This is not saying that a secular witch can’t be religious, it’s simply that their WORK is not religious; the two are entirely separate.
This is any type of witch who chooses to practice alone rather than with a coven, whether it be personal preference or that they just haven’t found a coven yet. There are many legends that say a solitary witch is the reincarnation of previous witches who had been practicing for generations, and the solitary witch’s abilities/knowledge are awakened at puberty, so they do not need a coven as they already have an understanding of the craft and have less of a need for a coven.
An eclectic witch has no set religion, practice, tradition, or culture, as their practice comes from many sources and ultimately becomes their own.
An Augury Witch is a witch who practices direction/guidance for someone else from using ancient symbology, signs, omens, auguries, indications. An Augury Witch can consequently check whether or not the person is on the ‘proper course’ for what they are getting direction for.
A Druid witch has a prepared faith. Druids do not comply with any sacred text or dogma, however, they believe that another world exists that cannot usually be percepted. Many Druids engage in prayer and rites that mark critical passages in nature.
Similar to the Eclectic Witches, a Faery Witch also has their own practices and ceremonies that they pull from, but by observing these, a Faery Witch tends to seek out communication with the spirits of nature, so they are very connected to the Earth, nature, and animals.
A shaman can reach altered states of consciousness by carrying out certain shamanistic practices. While a shaman is in a trance state, they have access to the spirit realm can talk with and occasionally even have an effect on both benevolent and malevolent spirits.
A Celtic Witch uses Celtic/Druidic pantheon combined with ritual Gardnerian, as well as closely stressing the elements, nature and the Ancient Ones.
🌸Caledonii Witch/Hecatine Conventional Witch🌸
This denomination of the Craft is Scottish in the foundation and still preserves the specific galas of the Scots.
Scottish witchcraft that attunes itself to all factors of nature, which is animal, vegetable, and mineral.
Pow-Wow Witches are indigenous to South vital Pennsylvania. This is a gadget, no longer a religion, based totally on 400-year-vintage Elite German magic. (I don’t know much on this one, admittedly, so if I’m wrong here, please correct me!)
Follows a tradition seated in Italy that began around 1353 with a lady referred to as Aradia, and is strictly an Italian witchcraft and is far less common.
🌸Native American/Indigenous Spirituality/African/Mestizo🌸
Local beliefs are deeply rooted in the subculture. One would have to categorize the complete culture as witchcraft, and for that reason, the public views similar ideals to be wizardly.
PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I WAS WRONG WITH ANY OF THESE! I did a very thorough amount of research and pulled from a lot of books and websites and even from a friend, but I could have slipped up somewhere and gotten something wrong, in which case I need to be corrected and will fix!! (If I had gotten all of those from only one source, I’d be citing, but I don’t even remember where I got a large majority of this information, I just kinda wrote a ton of stuff down, lol) Blessed Be! 💗💛
