Defining Heathen Witchcraft

The first in a series of classes based on my book, Elves, Witches, and Gods: Spinning Old Heathen Magic in the Modern Day.

In this class, I begin by taking a look at the various terms used to describe magic workers in the Old Norse and Old English textual sources, their etymologies, accepted meanings, and what we can infer from the contexts they appear in. Some of these words will be new to you, while others are more well known, such as the Old English forerunner of our modern word "Witch," wicce.

When most people think of Witches, it's the stereotype that comes to mind, complete with black cat and broom. That view is more nuanced within the Pagan and Heathen communities. Instead, it's the Wiccan and/or Modern Traditional and/or Folkloric Witches that are definitive. Heathen Witches, conversely, are more of a rarity, and tend to be considered an amalgamation of two seemingly disparate traditions. As I make clear in this class, however, rather than an amalgamation, Witches were originally inseparable from Heathenism.

Well, would you find out more?