One of the most confusing aspects of paganism and witchcraft can be working out which 'type' of witch you are. There are many different paths, each one with a slightly different focus, different practices, and different beliefs. Whilst many people urge not to get caught up in labeling yourself, understanding the different paths and which one may appeal to you can really help you find resources that actually interest you. So below is a brief overlook of some of the most popular paths. This is by no means an exhaustive list! But it should provide a good enough overview for you to get started with your own research.
Asatru:
Based on the old Norse religions, also called 'the religion of the original Viking settlers of Iceland'. In 2019 it was noted as the fastest growing religion in Iceland, although it was only re-recognised as a religion in Iceland back in 1973. The pagan association Asatruarfelagio was formally founded in 1992. They hold rituals (called Blots), have a specific hierarchy, and rejects the glorification of battles, blood, and warfare. If you are looking for something Norse based or if Viking culture interests you but with a 'peaceful' spin then Asatru may be for you. For more information, checking out this article here: icelandmag.is/article/11-things-know-about-present-day-practice-asatru-ancient-religion-vikings
Celtic Witchcraft:
It is important to note when we talk about Celtic witchcraft that the Celts weren't just 'one people'. Instead they were a collection of different tribes that resided in Europe and the UK from roughly 600BC until Roman occupation in 43AD. Each tribe had different beliefs, deities, and practices, although there are thought to be some common themes running throughout most Celtic nations. In the UK, these are often divided into Irish, Welsh, Scottish, Cornish, and Manx although this division is based on language - there would still have been individual tribes within these nations.
The Celts worshipped different deities, and many of these were personifications of the natural world (such as rivers), and so it is generally considered to be an animistic belief system. They revered nature and valued working with the natural world, and the main sabbats that most witches follow today are based upon Celtic days of worship. However, be warned - because it is so popular, there is also a lot of crap out there. Some who practice Celtic witchcraft prefer to work with 'native' sources, and try to keep quite closely to the original traditions. However, some are happy to practice a more 'interpretive' path such as the teachings of those like Robert Graves. If you are looking for a path with a strong leaning towards the natural world and connecting with nature, then I definitely recommend taking a look at Celtic witchcraft.
Ceremonial Witchcraft:
Ceremonial witchcraft is very structured and is often heavily focused on ritual. Many orders that practice ceremonial magick are quite secretive, and very structured with degrees and initiations you must partake in before they will reveal their secrets to you. One of the most well known ceremonial magickal traditions is the Order of the Golden Dawn. If you want a flavour of what the orders such as the Golden Dawn are all about, take a look at their ritual 'LBRP - The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentacle'. Drawing on Qabbalah, Angels, incantation and gesture, you should be able to tell from this practice if something as structured and more rooted in occultism than witchcraft is your calling.
Chaos Magick:
Chaos magick is not a religion; you don't need to believe in deities or spirits to be able to practice chaos magick. It is very much focused on 'doing' and experimenting to find the most effective way of attaining your goal rather than having to memorise complex rituals. Often described as a practice that is very 'pick 'n' mix' from others, the general rule of chaos magick is if it works, then use it. It has also been described as 'postmodern' magick - I have heard of those who practice chaos magick invoking figures such as Batman into their works, drawing on the shared, universal archtype of the hero as opposed to 'Gods' such as Lugh. The belief of the caster is far more important than using a specific sigil created by the High Priest of X tradition. If you are looking for a way of practicing magick which is quite religion free, creative, and 'down and dirty', then chaos magick may be your thing.
Dianic Witchcraft:
A very female centered branch of witchcraft, it is closely aligned with wicca. It tends to only focus on the Goddess aspect rather than achieving balance through working with both feminine and masculine energies. Whilst it original focused on the Roman Goddess Diana, followers of this path worship other Goddesses also. Founded by Zsuzsanna Budapest in the 1970's, it combines aspects of British Traditional Witchcraft and Charles Leylands brand of Italian folk-magic. It is a tradition of peace and healing, especially the healing of traumas inflicted by male rule. If you are looking for something wicca-based with a feminist focus then check out Dianic witchcraft.
Druidism:
The Druids were the Celts religious leaders, although ancient texts point to them being more philosophers than priests. Ceaser tells us that "they have many discussions as touching the stars and their movements, the size of the universe and of the earth, the order of nature, the strength and power of immortal Gods, and hand down their lore to young men" (taken from druidry.com).
The most well known Druid path is The Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, and for more information on their beliefs take a look at the 'Celtic' section here. The main difference is that Druids tend to put more of an emphasis on this philosophical element to help achieve spirituality and the telling of tales (the 'Bard' element). Druidism is often seen as more structured; those who call themselves 'Celtic witches' tend to be more eclectic with their practices and with less structure. If you think Druidism might be for you, then absolutely check out The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids website: druidry.org
Eclectic Witchcraft:
Eclectic witches are those who don't follow any one specific path or creed, but instead use elements of others that appeal to them to build their own path. For example, one moment they may use the LBRP from the Golden Dawn, and the next they may use deities from the Roman pantheon. They may work with Avalon energies from the Welsh Celtic system, but follow the wiccan 'rule of three'. Most witches I know describe themselves as eclectic, and some with specific leanings - i.e., eclectic but drawing heavily on Celtic and Kitchen Witchcraft practices.
Gardnerian Witchcraft:
Gerald Gardener was a huge figure in the witchcraft community, and his influence is still evident in many traditions today. He was instrumental in introducing wicca into mainstream culture. He moved to the New Forest (UK) and was introduced to the New Forest Coven who he believed to be a surviving coven of pre-Christian witch practices. He used the teachings of the coven, and drew influence from freemasonry and ceremonial magick to form the Gardnerian tradition of wicca. However, it was not without its controversy; it was said that Gardner himself had falsified his academic achievements, and also fabricated some of the core 'wiccan laws' which he said had been passed down from witch to witch and eventually to him. However, there is no question that his work is one of the reasons witchcraft is so prevalent today. If you are looking for a path which is considered traditional, structured, and very wiccan focused, then the teachings of Gardner and his contemporaries may be for you.
Green Witchcraft:
Green witchcraft is the 'natural' witchcraft path. Similar to Celtic and Druidism in its reverence of nature, Green Witchcraft is more practical and a lot less structured. It is a less of a tradition and more a way of working, with no rules or creeds you must adhere to to call yourself a Green Witch. Usually the element of earth is predominant, working with herbs, crystals, flowers, trees, and animals. Making potions, tinctures, charms, and working spells is often high on the list of green witch practices. If you are looking for a path which focuses on connecting with nature and using it in a very practical way to make your own remedies and cast your own magick, and provides the flexibility to incorporate your own personal beliefs then Green Magick would be a good place to start. There are a lot of fantastic books out there on Green Witchcraft - although I personally haven't read it, Arin Murphy-Hiscock's 'The Green Witch: Your Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils and More" is a best seller in this category and so may be worth checking out.
Heathenism:
Heathenism is also known as Germanic Paganism. Developed in Europe in the early 20th Century it incorporates Scandinavian deities and Anglo-Saxon deities, and occasionally Norse deities, and generally focuses on pre-Christian beliefs of the Germanic people using historical texts, archeology, and folklore from this period. Unfortunately Heathenism has a bit of a bad reputation; groups also venerating the same deities arose in the early 1900's in connection with the Nazi movement. Unfortunately the group has never quite managed to shake that image, despite a large number of Heathens being peaceful and tolerant individuals which is a real shame. If you are looking for something that aligns with pre-Christian European beliefs and with a focus on reconstructionism through academic and native sources, then take a look at Heathenism.
Hedge Witchcraft:
Harmonia Saille, one of the biggest names in Hedge Witchcraft, describes it as "a blend of folk magic and magic within hedge riding". Hedge Riding is a form of journeying (most people are familiar with the term 'Shamanic Journeying - it is very similar). Throughout histories, hedges have been used to mark boundaries (such as a parish boundary), and the hedge witch uses this in both a literal sense and a metaphysical sense. The hedge can be seen, and used, as a boundary into the otherworlds which we can cross to obtain healing, knowledge, and work with the spirits of these otherworlds. Again, it is a very 'natural' path, using herbs, tree parts, and other gifts from the earth. It draws on a lot of systems and workings also present in other types of witchcraft such as candle magick, lunar magick, and the classic four elements. If a nature based path focusing on old folklore and local customs and traditions is more up your street then I recommend hedge witchcraft, and honestly any book by Harmonia Saille on the subject!
Hellenism:
Hellinism, or Hellenic Polytheism, is often used by those who follow the path of the ancient Greeks, working with the wide array of deities in the Greek pantheon and other traditions from this period. Drawing from mythology, the writings from this period, and other archeological evidence, this tradition follows very closely the religion of old. If the ancient Greeks are a period you are particularly drawn to, then you might want to consider Hellenism.
Irish Paganism:
I have decided to write about Irish Paganism as its own separate entity to Celtic, as Irish paganism has definitely been gaining in popularity over the past few years. The majority of those who practice Irish Paganism work strictly with Irish traditions and practices; this often includes deities of the Tuatha de Danann, the fae, Irish festivals comparable with the Sabbats, and journeying into the Irish otherworld. There is a strong focus on using native sources to build their practice from (remember what I said about Celtic witchcraft - a load of rubbish out there), and those that I have met who practice Irish Paganism are very protective over it. And for good reason - appropriation of the Celtic traditions is unfortunately widespread. The majority of people who practice Irish Paganism are those who have some sort of connection with Ireland, but even if you don't there is a lot you can learn from their teachings. If you are looking for more information, check out the Irish Pagan School and authors/teachers such as Lorna O'Brien, Morgan Daimler, Mabh Savage, and Mael Bridge. irishpaganschool.com/
Kitchen Witchcraft:
A witch who focuses primarily around practices centered on the hearth and home. There is a lot of cross over with other traditions and practices, such as using green magic, lunar magick, folk magick, the sabbats, different divination systems, deities from various pantheons, etc. However, the main focuses on the kitchen witch is food magick - using herbs, spices, teas, etc., using magick to cleanse and protect the home and family, and to bring joy, happiness, and abundance. Most kitchen witches I know are obsessed with cake and baking! If you are looking for a magickal system which is very 'homely', light-hearted, and again quite hands-on, then I recommend kitchen witchcraft. Rachel Patterson is THE Kitchen Witchcraft; I spent some years in her Kitchen Witchcraft coven and can't recommend it (and her books) enough for anyone looking to get into Kitchen Witchcraft! www.kitchenwitchhearth.net/
Norse Paganism:
A system which focuses on old Norse traditions, incorporating old Norse Gods, divination practices such as the runes, and traditional magick and folklore of the Scandinavian countries.
Solitary Witchcraft:
A solitary witch is simply one who works alone rather than in a coven. A solitary witch can practice any path or tradition, and is simply a statement of how they practice, rather than what they practice.
Water Witchcraft:
A branch of witchcraft that works predominantly with the element of water and water energies, including water deities, water spirits and elementals, water divination, etc. I have a whole section on this website about water witchcraft, so check it out if you feel a strong calling to this mysterious and otherworldly element.
Wicca:
The most well known form of witchcraft, and many other paths draw on elements from wicca. As you have probably guessed from the above, there are many different branches of wicca. There are many different aspects which are inherently 'wiccan', such as the three-fold law, belief in the Triple Goddess as a maiden-mother-crone archetype, the story of the God and the Goddess that corresponds to the sabbats, among others. In fact, with so many different types of wicca out there, it is difficult to pin point exactly what wicca is and what sets it apart from other traditions. Wicca is a great introductory to witchcraft in general, but many find it a bit 'fluffy', and with its evolution throughout the years a wide range of rules and beliefs have become associated with it that some can find restrictive.
Asatru:
Based on the old Norse religions, also called 'the religion of the original Viking settlers of Iceland'. In 2019 it was noted as the fastest growing religion in Iceland, although it was only re-recognised as a religion in Iceland back in 1973. The pagan association Asatruarfelagio was formally founded in 1992. They hold rituals (called Blots), have a specific hierarchy, and rejects the glorification of battles, blood, and warfare. If you are looking for something Norse based or if Viking culture interests you but with a 'peaceful' spin then Asatru may be for you. For more information, checking out this article here: icelandmag.is/article/11-things-know-about-present-day-practice-asatru-ancient-religion-vikings
Celtic Witchcraft:
It is important to note when we talk about Celtic witchcraft that the Celts weren't just 'one people'. Instead they were a collection of different tribes that resided in Europe and the UK from roughly 600BC until Roman occupation in 43AD. Each tribe had different beliefs, deities, and practices, although there are thought to be some common themes running throughout most Celtic nations. In the UK, these are often divided into Irish, Welsh, Scottish, Cornish, and Manx although this division is based on language - there would still have been individual tribes within these nations.
The Celts worshipped different deities, and many of these were personifications of the natural world (such as rivers), and so it is generally considered to be an animistic belief system. They revered nature and valued working with the natural world, and the main sabbats that most witches follow today are based upon Celtic days of worship. However, be warned - because it is so popular, there is also a lot of crap out there. Some who practice Celtic witchcraft prefer to work with 'native' sources, and try to keep quite closely to the original traditions. However, some are happy to practice a more 'interpretive' path such as the teachings of those like Robert Graves. If you are looking for a path with a strong leaning towards the natural world and connecting with nature, then I definitely recommend taking a look at Celtic witchcraft.
Ceremonial Witchcraft:
Ceremonial witchcraft is very structured and is often heavily focused on ritual. Many orders that practice ceremonial magick are quite secretive, and very structured with degrees and initiations you must partake in before they will reveal their secrets to you. One of the most well known ceremonial magickal traditions is the Order of the Golden Dawn. If you want a flavour of what the orders such as the Golden Dawn are all about, take a look at their ritual 'LBRP - The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentacle'. Drawing on Qabbalah, Angels, incantation and gesture, you should be able to tell from this practice if something as structured and more rooted in occultism than witchcraft is your calling.
Chaos Magick:
Chaos magick is not a religion; you don't need to believe in deities or spirits to be able to practice chaos magick. It is very much focused on 'doing' and experimenting to find the most effective way of attaining your goal rather than having to memorise complex rituals. Often described as a practice that is very 'pick 'n' mix' from others, the general rule of chaos magick is if it works, then use it. It has also been described as 'postmodern' magick - I have heard of those who practice chaos magick invoking figures such as Batman into their works, drawing on the shared, universal archtype of the hero as opposed to 'Gods' such as Lugh. The belief of the caster is far more important than using a specific sigil created by the High Priest of X tradition. If you are looking for a way of practicing magick which is quite religion free, creative, and 'down and dirty', then chaos magick may be your thing.
Dianic Witchcraft:
A very female centered branch of witchcraft, it is closely aligned with wicca. It tends to only focus on the Goddess aspect rather than achieving balance through working with both feminine and masculine energies. Whilst it original focused on the Roman Goddess Diana, followers of this path worship other Goddesses also. Founded by Zsuzsanna Budapest in the 1970's, it combines aspects of British Traditional Witchcraft and Charles Leylands brand of Italian folk-magic. It is a tradition of peace and healing, especially the healing of traumas inflicted by male rule. If you are looking for something wicca-based with a feminist focus then check out Dianic witchcraft.
Druidism:
The Druids were the Celts religious leaders, although ancient texts point to them being more philosophers than priests. Ceaser tells us that "they have many discussions as touching the stars and their movements, the size of the universe and of the earth, the order of nature, the strength and power of immortal Gods, and hand down their lore to young men" (taken from druidry.com).
The most well known Druid path is The Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, and for more information on their beliefs take a look at the 'Celtic' section here. The main difference is that Druids tend to put more of an emphasis on this philosophical element to help achieve spirituality and the telling of tales (the 'Bard' element). Druidism is often seen as more structured; those who call themselves 'Celtic witches' tend to be more eclectic with their practices and with less structure. If you think Druidism might be for you, then absolutely check out The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids website: druidry.org
Eclectic Witchcraft:
Eclectic witches are those who don't follow any one specific path or creed, but instead use elements of others that appeal to them to build their own path. For example, one moment they may use the LBRP from the Golden Dawn, and the next they may use deities from the Roman pantheon. They may work with Avalon energies from the Welsh Celtic system, but follow the wiccan 'rule of three'. Most witches I know describe themselves as eclectic, and some with specific leanings - i.e., eclectic but drawing heavily on Celtic and Kitchen Witchcraft practices.
Gardnerian Witchcraft:
Gerald Gardener was a huge figure in the witchcraft community, and his influence is still evident in many traditions today. He was instrumental in introducing wicca into mainstream culture. He moved to the New Forest (UK) and was introduced to the New Forest Coven who he believed to be a surviving coven of pre-Christian witch practices. He used the teachings of the coven, and drew influence from freemasonry and ceremonial magick to form the Gardnerian tradition of wicca. However, it was not without its controversy; it was said that Gardner himself had falsified his academic achievements, and also fabricated some of the core 'wiccan laws' which he said had been passed down from witch to witch and eventually to him. However, there is no question that his work is one of the reasons witchcraft is so prevalent today. If you are looking for a path which is considered traditional, structured, and very wiccan focused, then the teachings of Gardner and his contemporaries may be for you.
Green Witchcraft:
Green witchcraft is the 'natural' witchcraft path. Similar to Celtic and Druidism in its reverence of nature, Green Witchcraft is more practical and a lot less structured. It is a less of a tradition and more a way of working, with no rules or creeds you must adhere to to call yourself a Green Witch. Usually the element of earth is predominant, working with herbs, crystals, flowers, trees, and animals. Making potions, tinctures, charms, and working spells is often high on the list of green witch practices. If you are looking for a path which focuses on connecting with nature and using it in a very practical way to make your own remedies and cast your own magick, and provides the flexibility to incorporate your own personal beliefs then Green Magick would be a good place to start. There are a lot of fantastic books out there on Green Witchcraft - although I personally haven't read it, Arin Murphy-Hiscock's 'The Green Witch: Your Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils and More" is a best seller in this category and so may be worth checking out.
Heathenism:
Heathenism is also known as Germanic Paganism. Developed in Europe in the early 20th Century it incorporates Scandinavian deities and Anglo-Saxon deities, and occasionally Norse deities, and generally focuses on pre-Christian beliefs of the Germanic people using historical texts, archeology, and folklore from this period. Unfortunately Heathenism has a bit of a bad reputation; groups also venerating the same deities arose in the early 1900's in connection with the Nazi movement. Unfortunately the group has never quite managed to shake that image, despite a large number of Heathens being peaceful and tolerant individuals which is a real shame. If you are looking for something that aligns with pre-Christian European beliefs and with a focus on reconstructionism through academic and native sources, then take a look at Heathenism.
Hedge Witchcraft:
Harmonia Saille, one of the biggest names in Hedge Witchcraft, describes it as "a blend of folk magic and magic within hedge riding". Hedge Riding is a form of journeying (most people are familiar with the term 'Shamanic Journeying - it is very similar). Throughout histories, hedges have been used to mark boundaries (such as a parish boundary), and the hedge witch uses this in both a literal sense and a metaphysical sense. The hedge can be seen, and used, as a boundary into the otherworlds which we can cross to obtain healing, knowledge, and work with the spirits of these otherworlds. Again, it is a very 'natural' path, using herbs, tree parts, and other gifts from the earth. It draws on a lot of systems and workings also present in other types of witchcraft such as candle magick, lunar magick, and the classic four elements. If a nature based path focusing on old folklore and local customs and traditions is more up your street then I recommend hedge witchcraft, and honestly any book by Harmonia Saille on the subject!
Hellenism:
Hellinism, or Hellenic Polytheism, is often used by those who follow the path of the ancient Greeks, working with the wide array of deities in the Greek pantheon and other traditions from this period. Drawing from mythology, the writings from this period, and other archeological evidence, this tradition follows very closely the religion of old. If the ancient Greeks are a period you are particularly drawn to, then you might want to consider Hellenism.
Irish Paganism:
I have decided to write about Irish Paganism as its own separate entity to Celtic, as Irish paganism has definitely been gaining in popularity over the past few years. The majority of those who practice Irish Paganism work strictly with Irish traditions and practices; this often includes deities of the Tuatha de Danann, the fae, Irish festivals comparable with the Sabbats, and journeying into the Irish otherworld. There is a strong focus on using native sources to build their practice from (remember what I said about Celtic witchcraft - a load of rubbish out there), and those that I have met who practice Irish Paganism are very protective over it. And for good reason - appropriation of the Celtic traditions is unfortunately widespread. The majority of people who practice Irish Paganism are those who have some sort of connection with Ireland, but even if you don't there is a lot you can learn from their teachings. If you are looking for more information, check out the Irish Pagan School and authors/teachers such as Lorna O'Brien, Morgan Daimler, Mabh Savage, and Mael Bridge. irishpaganschool.com/
Kitchen Witchcraft:
A witch who focuses primarily around practices centered on the hearth and home. There is a lot of cross over with other traditions and practices, such as using green magic, lunar magick, folk magick, the sabbats, different divination systems, deities from various pantheons, etc. However, the main focuses on the kitchen witch is food magick - using herbs, spices, teas, etc., using magick to cleanse and protect the home and family, and to bring joy, happiness, and abundance. Most kitchen witches I know are obsessed with cake and baking! If you are looking for a magickal system which is very 'homely', light-hearted, and again quite hands-on, then I recommend kitchen witchcraft. Rachel Patterson is THE Kitchen Witchcraft; I spent some years in her Kitchen Witchcraft coven and can't recommend it (and her books) enough for anyone looking to get into Kitchen Witchcraft! www.kitchenwitchhearth.net/
Norse Paganism:
A system which focuses on old Norse traditions, incorporating old Norse Gods, divination practices such as the runes, and traditional magick and folklore of the Scandinavian countries.
Solitary Witchcraft:
A solitary witch is simply one who works alone rather than in a coven. A solitary witch can practice any path or tradition, and is simply a statement of how they practice, rather than what they practice.
Water Witchcraft:
A branch of witchcraft that works predominantly with the element of water and water energies, including water deities, water spirits and elementals, water divination, etc. I have a whole section on this website about water witchcraft, so check it out if you feel a strong calling to this mysterious and otherworldly element.
Wicca:
The most well known form of witchcraft, and many other paths draw on elements from wicca. As you have probably guessed from the above, there are many different branches of wicca. There are many different aspects which are inherently 'wiccan', such as the three-fold law, belief in the Triple Goddess as a maiden-mother-crone archetype, the story of the God and the Goddess that corresponds to the sabbats, among others. In fact, with so many different types of wicca out there, it is difficult to pin point exactly what wicca is and what sets it apart from other traditions. Wicca is a great introductory to witchcraft in general, but many find it a bit 'fluffy', and with its evolution throughout the years a wide range of rules and beliefs have become associated with it that some can find restrictive.
