Is there a difference between Kitchen, Green, and Hedge witches?

[Arinya]

I read someone say they are more of a green witch than a hedge witch and it really confused me because I thought that a kitchen witch, a green witch, and a hedge witch were all the same thing with differents names! :hahugh:

Now I'm confused! So is there a difference and what is it?

[PoisonIvy]

Ok,now this is just my opinion. You'll prolly get 500 different answers and they will all be right.:lol:

I think that Hedge/Green/Kitchen witches are very similar with a few minor differences. To me,the main difference is "where" magicks are practiced. The Kitchen witch will be in the kitchen(more of a magickal cook),the Green witch will prolly be outside in a garden or in the woods(more of a magickal herbalist perhaps),and a Hedge witch(more of a healer or wise woman,if you will).

I'm not saying that all of this is true,this is just how I see it. I most generally call myself a Kitchen witch,but actually I am a mixture of all three. I do spend quite a bit of time in the kitchen cooking,making poltices and potions for healing others,growing my own herbs and making my own bath and beauty products.
So see.....they are very similar.

[ap Dafydd]

I'm not sure that you can seperate the three, it seems like hair splitting to me.

Can't really imagine the cunning folk 200 years ago having arguments about it, can you?

gwyn eich byd

Ffred

[Xirian]

This is from "The Way of the Green Witch" by Arin Murphy-Hiscock


Green Witch - The green witch uses natural elements to improve the well being of the physical body, the spirit and soul, and the environment. The green witch practices mainly alone by forging a personal connection with the natural world.

Kitchen Witch - The kitchen witch is family oriented and focuses on magic performed in the heart of the modern home, the kitchen. Magical practices are based on and include cooking, cleaning, baking and so forth. She/He works intuitively rather than ritually.

Hedge Witch - A term used mainly in the UK, the hedge witch lives close to nature, often away from urban areas. The modern hedge witch usually practices solo and is of a neopagan path, using personal spellcraft as a basis for her/his work. Can also be referred to as a cottage witch.

I think these paths can work together or be viewed separately. There does appear to be a main theme in that they seem to use personal spells or rituals, folk magic, or the utilizing of the energies that are around them and where they may reside (ie, nature, herbs, food in their kitchens, plants, etc...)

[shuvanilu]

Also, there are some who see the hedgewitch as a completely separate entity. For some, hedgewitchery is a very shamanic path that incorporates the use of psychotropic drugs/plants to cross over into the Otherworlds.---shuvanilu

[Zephyrstorm]

I just think it's a difference in emphasis. But I'm sure there's a dozen different ways of seeing the definitions. ;)

Though Shuvanilu makes a good point with Hedgewitchery.

[Faelon_Moon_Hawk]

my understanding of it is that kitchen witches practice thier craft mainly utilizing cooking and other household related duties. That green witches may or may not incorporate kitchen witch practices, but lean focus mostly on plants, gardens, nature etc...and that hedge witches do lots of work with spirits (that hedge doesn't necessisarily mean an actual hedge, but is a euphemism for the bounds between the phsyical and spirtitual realms) and may also do any or all of the things that green or kitchen witches may do. I think that overall the various paths have many many things in common with each other in their preferance for low magic, and simpler ways of doing things, and connection to nature, but the specialize in slightly different areas.

[Xirian]

Also, there are some who see the hedgewitch as a completely separate entity. For some, hedgewitchery is a very shamanic path that incorporates the use of psychotropic drugs/plants to cross over into the Otherworlds.---shuvanilu
You know, I had read something about this when I was first starting to research hedgewitchery. It wasn't anything that I was really interested in, so I didn't do a whole lot of researching on it, but I have heard about it.

[Nitefalle]

From what I understand, Kitchen Witches are also extremely informal, in that they use whatever is practical and/or lying around. For example, they may use kitchen shears as an athame, a kid's birthday candle to light for the gods, a cleaning spray bottle filled with water to call the element, etc. Green Witches and/or Hedgewitches have the room to be more ceremonial, though all are intuitive (to me, anyway) and sort of shoot from the hip and practice their own flavor of whatever they do. Most are solitary, as well, I think. That may have more to do with the independent natures of the witches themselves than the path itself, but who knows.

[Xirian]

Your explanation of kitchen witchery, Nitefalle, is sometimes how I feel and practice. I do tend to use what I find in my home and that does include herbs and spices etc... It's not very ceremonial for me, it's more of actions that I do reguarly melding with my spiritual needs or wants. I like your comment.

[Nitefalle]

Glad I could be of service! :spaceman:

[Carla O'Harris]

Also, there are some who see the hedgewitch as a completely separate entity. For some, hedgewitchery is a very shamanic path that incorporates the use of psychotropic drugs/plants to cross over into the Otherworlds.---shuvanilu


If you would, please go into this a little bit more.

[Zephyrstorm]

This site (http://www.hedgewytchery.com/) explains what that form of Hedge Witchcraft is about decently.

There are also a few essays from Chas Clifton... I'm sure one of us brought them up in a thread. brb with the links.

here you go Carla: http://www.chasclifton.com/papers/Drugs_Books_Witches.html

[_Banbha_]

http://www.chasclifton.com/papers/Drugs_Books_Witches.html

Could he use a smaller font? Just a little bit inseeier-teensier? 8O

[Zephyrstorm]

Could he use a smaller font? Just a little bit inseeier-teensier? 8O

:LOL:

[MoonMystSpirit]

This is from "The Way of the Green Witch" by Arin Murphy-Hiscock

Green Witch - The green witch uses natural elements to improve the well being of the physical body, the spirit and soul, and the environment. The green witch practices mainly alone by forging a personal connection with the natural world.

Kitchen Witch - The kitchen witch is family oriented and focuses on magic performed in the heart of the modern home, the kitchen. Magical practices are based on and include cooking, cleaning, baking and so forth. She/He works intuitively rather than ritually.

Hedge Witch - A term used mainly in the UK, the hedge witch lives close to nature, often away from urban areas. The modern hedge witch usually practices solo and is of a neopagan path, using personal spellcraft as a basis for her/his work. Can also be referred to as a cottage witch.


I think these paths can work together or be viewed separately. There does appear to be a main theme in that they seem to use personal spells or rituals, folk magic, or the utilizing of the energies that are around them and where they may reside (ie, nature, herbs, food in their kitchens, plants, etc...)


I like the way these definitions have broken it down.

I have to say that as a big music fan, i find myself wandering down a consistently eclectic path - but always peeking down other paths on the way - (really, i can picture my head poking down around a corner on a path that i've never seen before...lol).

Where i find the music ties into it, is that there are so many different classifications of music ( "traditions") that i love how different people interpret them.

Anyhow, i know that didn't have much to do with the actual thread - just a thought that popped in my mind :)

[Calli]

I've really enjoyed this thread. I tend toward green, although I don't generally allow myself to be restricted by labels. I'm just funny that way. I used to grow my own herbs, and they really did well, with all the fussing I did over them. At least, until the fruit flies killed them all. (Incidentally, does anyone know how to get rid of those annoying pests? I've tried nearly everything I know.) I tend to use herbs for everything from pest control (they didn't work on the fruit flies....:sniffsnif) to healing. I also use essential oils, which come from plants, so that's kinda/sorta almost herbal. I've found it to be an easy area of practice to grasp and work with.

[brymble]

The consciousness-alteration/shamanic aspects of hedgecraft are very important, to me, anyway, and I think it's what really defines a hedgewitch. Psychotropics, especially plants and mushrooms, are of course the most traditional for a hedge witch, but are not the only techniques of consciousness alteration used. They can share sort of a grey area with kitchen witches, in that a lot of traditional, repetive household tasks can be trance-inducing. The scene in The Mists of Avalon where Morgaine trances out while spinning comes to mind.

I practice hedgecraft, but do tend to think of myself as a cottage witch, because, you know, I like, live in a cottage.:crazyman: