A witch or group of witches is a person or group of people who engage in the practice of witchcraft. There are many different types of witchcraft and many of them have been around for hundreds of years, surviving all sorts of horrible persecutions and torture. Just as there are a great many different types of witchcraft that can be practiced, there are also a good number of different witches that a witch can choose to be. Some witches work together in covens, while others prefer to do their work alone. Each type of witch has their own specialty.
Different Types of Witches
Alexandrian witches are similar to Gardnerian witches. Both practice a form of witchcraft that has only been around since the 1950’s and 60’s. Alexandrian witches follow a movement started by Alex and Maxine Sanders and it incorporates ceremonial and Qabalah magic. There are three ‘levels’ of Alexandrian witchcraft after being initiated as an Alexandrian witch. Gardnerian witchcraft was started by Gerald Gardner and it is based on Wiccan principles.
An augury witch is a witch who focuses their time and energy on divination to help those in their life get through rough patches and along the path of their spiritual journey.
A ceremonial witch is someone who keeps to rituals and ceremonies and thinks they are very, very important. These witches tend to prefer following written rules for their rituals and often have a Book of Shadows they will refer to. Many times they will focus on science, mysticism and sacred mathematics.
Dianic witches are following a branch of Wicca that focuses on the Goddess. They worship the goddess Diana in her three aspects: Maiden, Mother and Crone. These witches are always women but they have an offshoot called Arcadian that was created in the 1950’s and does allow men to participate.
Druids as we know them today are not the same as they were in ancient times. Very few historical sources about them still exist and most are very vague and brief over-views of them. Modern druids follow a form of witchcraft that has existed since the 18th century and is based loosely on what we understand the ancient Druids may have been like. They focus predominantly on life, worshiping nature.
Eclectic and Faery witches are unique, creating their own practices and ceremonies that are more in tune with themselves. Their primary difference is that Faery witches have developed their unique ceremonies and rituals for the purpose of communicated with faery folk and nature spirits.
Green witches use natural items, often making their own ritual materials as they work with Mother Earth to communicate with the Divine spirit that they know is present through nature. There are two classes of Green witches: Floral witches who use flowers in their spells, ceremonies and rituals and Herbal Witches who use herbs and other similar plants.
A hedge witch is a witch that has the ability to cross over into the Otherworld and communicate directly with spirits in the spirit realm. They are seen as powerful healers and midwives. Similarly, kitchen witches are focused on the hearth and home, making the home and everything that goes into keeping it, sacred.
Solitary witches are those witches that choose not to be involved in any group or organization and many believe that these witches have developed their witchcraft over the course of many lifetimes and when they reach puberty in a new life all their knowledge is released and so they have no need of the guidance of a coven.
