by Elder Pagan

Created on: January 23, 2008   Last Updated: January 24, 2008

Witchcraft,Yesterday and Today
A lot of us can remember when there was no Internet. No online groups to learn from. No one to ask for advice. The only ones you had were your family or your coven. No one but they even knew you were a witch.

Back then, you learned everything from another family or coven member or you just experimented for yourself, more often failing than anything else. The only path available to you was the one in front of you. Learning it was harder in those days and took longer. Things went into more depth than today. You not only had to learn the spell you wanted to use, but you also had to learn every element that was in it. What it was used for and why. You also had to learn how the spell would react if you screwed up and you did it wrong.

If you were alone, most likely you had no idea you were a witch. You just knew you were different. You could do things or sense things others could not.

Back then, your magick seamed more powerful, more complete. There was energy everywhere and you learned more deeply how to control it. Your spells almost always worked.

Today's witches have it easy. Need a spell? Pick up a book or sign onto the Internet. Need advice? Sign into a group or a chat room. There are Internet sites for everything, from Witchvox to the Witch's Way. You can find information on every path out there.

You also now have different types of witches. There are Wiccans who use magick and those who don't, Neo-pagans, and many others. (I have never understood how there can be apparently witches who don't use magick. The very idea of a witch is that of a magick user. But then again, that's the New Age for you.)

The Internet has made it easy to find others that are like-minded and many friends are made on it. But now comes the question.

Has the Internet made witchcraft too easy?

Yes, the Internet has made it easy to find information to learn and grow. But if you really look at that information, it is mostly just the basics. Doesn't anyone go into depth anymore?

Yes, the Internet is a place to find others of like mind. But be careful on the Internet. A person can be anyone or anything they want to be.

The Internet has also created fluffy bunnies. Kids and others who think it's cool to say they're witches', who read books or a website and suddenly they're high priests or priestesses, giving no respect to witchcraft or to magick. Most of the time, it's all talk.

You also get the ones who study every book and web page they can find. Their minds soak it all

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