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The Witch’s Walk:
First Steps on the Path
One of the first things I learned about witchcraft is that you must walk your talk. Not
everyone should go around calling himself a witch, but with so many personal and
eclectic traditions ofWicca, there is no central authority, council, or agency that certifies
people as witches. And most witches prefer it that way. I know I do. So then, how do you
become a witch? I was taught that true witches know their stuff. They know their Craft,
their history, and their science. True witches, as opposed to those just playing with the
idea of being a witch, not only know these things, they live them. True witches strive to
live a life of balance, harmony, health, and magick. Some of us are truly witches at heart,
but if you want to be a true witch, you should seek to know your history and traditions
and learn the skills to put them into practice.
If you come across people who only talk about putting spells on others or talk about
how powerful they are, then they are not walking the witch’s path. Powerful people don’t
need to tell you how powerful they are. They simply are, and they know their greatest
power is over themselves and their own reactions, rather
than their power over other people.Witches walk a path of
wisdom, and wisdom tells us when to use magick and when
to wait and watch.

what is wicca?
"Wicca" is a word that causes a lot of confusion today. Usually,
it refers to the modern revival of the Old Religion, the
religion of witchcraft. The root of the word "witchcraft" can
be traced to the words wicca and wicce. Some scholars believe
the root means to "bend or shape." This refers to the
witch’s ability to do magick, to bend or shape the energies of
life to create spells and healing. Others think the word
means "wise," relating to the root of the word "wizard," and
they think of witches as the keepers of wisdom. The more
you study the Craft, the more you will find differing opinions
among witches, scholars, and experts.

Modern witches often use the word "Wicca" and "Wiccan"
instead of "witchcraft" and "witch" in order to prevent
the bad feelings that the word "witch" can conjure in people.
Alternately, some think "Wicca" refers to the religion and
"witchcraft" to spellwork. Many others use "Wicca" to refer
to formal traditions of witchcraft, such as Gardnerian or
Alexandrian Wicca, and they think of eclectic practices as
simply "witchcraft." I use the words "witch" and "Wiccan"
fairly interchangeably, depending on those around me, but I
prefer the word "witch." I think it is important to make that
word less scary to people, and if they see loving, happy, helpful
witches, then we can break those old stereotypes.

Many practitioners also use the word "pagan," from
Latin. It refers to the people of the rural lands and, historically,
the word became associated with the Old Religion duringthe rise of Christianity. All witches/Wiccans are pagan,