Traditional Powers of the Witch

[Amethyst Rose]

I've been sorting through my BoS lately, and I came across this little tidbit...

I was wondering what everyone thought about it, do you agree? Disagree? What are your thoughts?

Traditional Powers of the Witch

In the fourteenth century, Aradia taught that the traditional powers of a witch would belong to any who followed in the ways of the Old Religion. Aradia called these powers gifts, because she stressed the point that these powers were the benefits of adhering to the Old Ways, and not the reason for becoming a witch. These are the powers:

To bring success in love.
To bless and consecrate.
To speak with spirits.
To know of hidding things.
To call forth spirits.
To know the Voice of the Wind.
To possess the knowledge of transformation.
To possess the knowledge of divination.
To know and understand secret signs.
To cure disease.
To bring forth beauty.
To have influence over wild beasts.
To know the secrets of the hands.

Taken from Raven Grimassi's Ways of the Strega, page
271.

[Lucidia]

well i really can't say one thing or another... as it's not my area of expertise.. but it certainly was an interesting tidbit of info... thanks for sharing.. i look forward to seeing the opinions of the rest of ze crowd.

[Fawn]

*rubs hands gleefully* YES!!! YES!! YES!! (This is my path!!!)

[IsisMoon]

Very interesting - it makes me want to have another look as Raven Grimassi's work.

I remember having a browse over the website a long while ago and wondering how accurate the recording was.

Thanks for sharing that 'tidbit' many aspects of which I agree with - being able to recognise signs for example. And that these are gifts, not the underlying reason for becoming a witch.

Blessings

IsisMoon
)O(

[was]

i beleave what aradia says about magic gifts because i have 1 divination.

[Morrighana]

In my experience, that list is accurate. While I may not be ideally skilled in all of them, I have a rudimentary knowledge of, and the ability to develop skill in, each.

[Mau]

Firstly I'd like to say that Raven Grimassi has no clue what he's talking about..and makes most of it up. It really gets my goat that someone can write, publish and sell pure crap that is all misinformation.
I find those powers pretty generic, afterall...in any witch's path aren't at least one of those things something you strive to learn and practice?

To bring success in love- spells to attract a soul mate for yourself or others
To Bless and consecrate- we do that to the various tools and items we use within our paths
To speak with spirits- Practicioners of necromancy and psychics do this..and as witches most of us strive to open our sub-concious (psychic) minds, communicate with spirit guides, faeries, etc.
To know of hidden things- this can pertain to anything: symbolism that the mundane ignores, the powers of the divine or universe, spirits, etc.
To call forth spirits- Calling on the Gods or Goddesses (depending on how you view them), the ancestors, spirit guides or as a necromancer any spirit of the dead.
To know the voice of the wind- to live in harmony with/understand nature and our connection to it. To see and understand signs that come to us in all forms.
To possess the knowledge of transformation- some witches seek this ability through glamor spells, or even astral projection, or how to transform problems, people, or anything into something different through spell work.
To possess the knowledge of divination- how many witches (and non witches) don't seek to learn tarot, scrying, runes, etc.
To know and understand secret signs- omens, understanding symbolism and warnings.
To cure disease- witches were usually wise women and midwives, and even now witches such as green witches revolve their practices around healing and curing others.
To bring forth beauty- beauty comes in many forms, understanding, knowledge, healing, bringing the awe of nature to the front as a focus even.
To have influence over wild beasts- many of us who are open to the subconcious and spiritual beings can form a connection with animals and have an almost mystical relationship with them.
To know the secrets of the hands- healing energies, making talismans, anything you use your hands with to work magic. On an even simpler level it could simply denote palmistry.

A witch's power comes from within. From opening your eyes and mind to that which the normal person shuns or dismisses. The above aren't what he packages them to be as powers. They are things we strive to learn on our paths of being a witch. They are what makes a witch a witch.

[Amethyst Rose]

wow, it's weird to see such old threads brought up again....

[IsisMoon]

It sure is! I even saw one of my replies from 2001 in the thread - I didn't check the dates til I saw your comment....

By the way, I've posted so infrequently over the last couple of years that I think I will have to re-introduce myself!! I'll head off to do that now.....

Blessings
IsisMoon


wow, it's weird to see such old threads brought up again....

[asamananara]

Did she teach about these powers before, or after, Diana
directed her to instruct her pupils in the art of poisoning, to
murder the lords in their palaces, to bind the souls of their
oppressors, to ruin the crops of the rich by calling down
tempests, to inflict double harm upon priests, and to regard
jesus, mary, and god as three devils?

[Amethyst_Dream]

I agree. I believe those are our duties.