Is there a difference between a Traditional Witch and a Wiccan?

Answer 1

It's hard to tell if this is intended as a joke or not. Therefore, I'm going to give this a serious answer.

A traditional Witch is one who practices Wicca in a formal sect, called a tradition. Not ALL witches follow a tradition (called trads by many Wiccans and others). Examples of such Traditions would be Alexandrian, Gardnerians, Dianics. A non-Trad witch example would be an Eclectic, Green Witches, Solitaries and the like. We ALL come under the "general" heading of Wiccans but not all Wiccans are members of a formal Tradition. Does this explain it a bit better?

Brightest Blessings,
Raji the Green Witch

Answer 2

Most Witches, whether they practise in Covens or on a solitary basis, follow the path which was developed by the Gardnerians.
The rituals and traditions of this path were established by Gerald Gardener in the 1940's. They have roots in the hermetic and medieval occultists rituals and grimiores. They also owe much to the workings of the members of sects like the Golden Dawn, from the earlier part of the 20th century. Much of it also owes a lot to the Kabbalistic workings of the Judaic mystics from Southern Europe, Pantheism, the Ancient Greek ritualistic worship and there dieties.
There maybe many customs and practises which have been passed on through time, but there is no evidence of any formal covens or established set rituals before this time.
The term Traditional Witch is perhaps an oxymoron because what is regarded as traditional is probably less than a century old.
Wicca is an eclectic mix of paganism and the craft. Many blend different philosophies and belief forms with the natural ethic.

Answer 3

Wiccans derive their practice from Gerald Gardner, Doreen Valiente, Alex Sanders, and others in their lineages. They are Duotheistic, believing in a Goddess and a God. They also believe in a form of Karma called the Threefold Law, and follow a code of ethics called the Wiccan Rede -- an it harm none, do as ye will. The ritual structure is derived from Ceremonial Magick, and involves casting a circle and calling quarters.

Traditional Witchcraft, I believe, is more associated with Robert Cochrane, who was contemporaneous with Gerald Gardner. They tend to be polytheistic rather than duotheistic, and do not hold to Wiccan dogma or ritual structure. Beyond that, I do not know much about them. Robin Artisson wrote a book on Traditional Witchcraft called _The Witching Way of the Hollow Hill_.

Answer 4

Yes, there is a difference.

Wicca is a religion that embraces and includes Witchcraft. It was founded sometime in the late 1940's or early 1950's by a man named Gerald Gardner. Since it's beginning, several offshoot traditions have formed. For Wiccans, the practice of witchcraft is a part of their religion.

Traditional Witchcraft, on the other hand isn't a religion. However, practitioners of Traditional Witchcraft may or may not consider their magical practices as an integral part of their religious or spiritual belief system. Traditional Witchcraft is an "umbrella" term, "that was introduced to refer to the aboriginal spiritual traditions of Europe." (This quote is from an excellent on-line article, a link to which is posted below.)

Answer 5

Yes. a Witch can be any religion. a Wiccan is of a specific religion. There are witches in every religion, from Christianity to Islam to Buddhism, but Wiccans are all Wiccan, which is a specific, often duo-theistic (goddess and god) version of Neopaganism.

Answer 6

Yes. Traditional Witches have different beliefs, though they still practise religious Witchcraft. Wicca refers specifically to varieties of Witchcraft that stem from Gardnerian Witchcraft (the type Gerald Gardner created).

Answer 7

Yes.

Answer 8

generally speaking, the size of the wart on the nose is distinctive. Your Traditional Witch tends to the large, hairy, medially-located variety, while the more common modern Wiccan may have none or at most a small, discreet and easily overlooked one.

Answer 9

Traditional witches use Vagisil.