Tradtional Witchcraft or 'low magic'

[Mistress Venus]

Hi,
I have been doing some research on tradition witchcraft or you can call it 'low magic'. I'm looking for some introductory resources and anything on the subject usually reverts back to Wicca or is very hard to find. I'm going through some financial problems right now and can not afford to go get books of the topic ATM, but can probably get a few next month sometime. Does anyone know some good websites/article anything that will help me learn about more the tradition practices. What book would be first to start out with next month, or even where I should go from here?



-Faline

[Heartsong]

I highly recommend perusing DPhoenix's free ebook collection. There are quite a few excellent titles in there, and there's a substantial section on introductory witchcraft.

http://everythingunderthemoon.net/forum ... 24761.html

[Lillady]

I recommend these two websites:
http://www.blue-moon-manor.com/traditio ... craft.html
http://www.traditionalwitch.net/

I know you are going after books next month so here are some recommendations for those as well:

The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft. BY Ronald Hutton

Children of Cain: A Study of Modern Traditional Witches. By Michael Howard

"Way and Waymark". The Cauldron BY Daniel S. Schulke

[Holdasown]

Gemma Gary is also a good author on the subject as well as anything from Scarlet Imprint. Hoodoo and folk magic are also "branches" as well as Pow Wow.

[generic response]

What books are you looking for?

[loona wynd]

Folkmagic traditions are difficult to come by in print. I've personally found Judika Ille's Encyclopedia's of spells have been very useful in learning more about folk magic practices. These spells are so simple that most people today might not even think of them as spells. This is an area of magic I am interested in as well. It was simple and practical magic that dealt with day to day issues.

Scott Cunningham has a few books on the subject that I have found worth while.

[-Dark-Moon-]

Perhaps try researching the local folk magic practices of wherever you are living. That makes things easier to appreciate as you have the context. It's more work though

[loona wynd]

Perhaps try researching the local folk magic practices of wherever you are living. That makes things easier to appreciate as you have the context. It's more work though

I actually tried this with family practice. I learned a bit of weather lore (which has proven to be true) and some other things but not much. Some folk traditions you may find more under local superstitions.

[-Dark-Moon-]

Loona, can you be more specific about what you tried with 'family practice', maybe expand on that?

[loona wynd]

Loona, can you be more specific about what you tried with 'family practice', maybe expand on that?

Basically I asked what sort of practices my family grew up with. Things like certain foods being given for illnesses, folk remedies and the like. My grandfather told me a lot of the weather lore he grew up with. One of those things was to tell if a storm was coming with the wind and the like by the way the leaves are turned in the wind.

There weren't many things that I learned actually. I figured that a poor French Canadian family (my roots) would have some sort of folk remedies and natural healing stuff that they used as they may not have been able to afford medicine from doctors and the like. I haven't gotten any of that information though. I may try to reword the question though.

Many families have old folklore traditions that they may or may not know the origins of. You never know what sort of practices have been persevered over time unless you ask.

[-Dark-Moon-]

Yes I agree, there's usually a wealth of information in the local indigenous people. It's up to you to seperate the wheat from the chaff.

Loona, did you try out any of the weather lore or incorporate it into any of your practices? What were your results?

[loona wynd]

Loona, did you try out any of the weather lore or incorporate it into any of your practices? What were your results?

Well I use it in how I plan my activities for the day. By watching the way the leaves are facing when the wind is blowing I can tell if its going to rain or snow depending on the season. So that is useful if I am going to be out walking or running errands. Other observations I have had are things like it will rain when the cows are laying down. Its all observation of natural world and applying that to my plans for the day.