What does Witchcraft mean to me?

I recently started writing down in a little booklet what exactly witchcraft means to me. I felt it was important to answer this question for myself and write it down. Writing things down often give me a different perspective on things and help me see connections that I cannot always see when I just think about things. And it helps me see my opinions and thoughts in a more objective light. Sometimes I repeat myself in my writing and that also shows me what aspects of my answer might be more present in my mind or thoughts. In a year or a few as my practice changes or stops (who knows what might happen in the future!) I will write another definition and see how it has changed and how I changed. I hope I wont forget once those years have passed! But for now, here is how I answered the question I asked myself: What does Witchcraft mean to me? (I wrote as the thoughts came to my head, so it is more stream of consciousness than it is a structured answer. But I feel it is more candid of me to share my original answer than polish it for this blog. It shows more about me and the way I think and will make for a better comparison once I write an answer in a few years.)

Witchcraft to me is something mystical. It reaches back to my childhood, to all those magical times I had. I want to still believe, just like I did back then, that magic exists. And I think it does. By living witchcraft I hope to be able to experience this first hand. I also want to give my life extra meaning in the way that only belief can. I want to be part of a tradition and to me witchcraft can offer that. Witchcraft also means being in control. Experiencing things outside of the mundane. Getting to know worlds and beings that are beyond what most people see in their lives. Witchcraft means to be able to communicate with these beings. Witchcraft means to be able to do magic. To be able to interact with the worlds and beings that I mentioned above. Witchcraft means to have secrets that are truly wonderful. It means to be always working on trying to improve yourself and who you are. It means constant study and research and always learning something new. It means interacting and appreciating the wonders of nature. It means doing what needs to be done. Practicing witchcraft means to believe that there is more out there than meets the eye. It means to truly believe in magic and practice it. It means to dare having no doubt. It means to not just accept situations but to feel empowered by the feeling that anything is possible. To feel empowered by the belief that you can actively change everything for the better. It means to craft your life and the person that you are. It means to believe in the mysteries of life and the mysteries of the universe. Witchcraft means to enjoy life to its fullest and making a quest out of experiencing it to its fullest. It means to never be satisfied: To know that there is always more you can do and something to improve and to be happy with this being so. It means to be watchful and open and to make use of all your senses, even those you do not yet know of. It means to have trust in life and trust in the person you are. It means to accept yourself and yet always strive to improve yourself if you feel that is for the better. It means to love diversity and not discriminate. It means to keep the child in you active and alive. It means to treat Earth with love, care and thankfulness, as Earth treats you. It means to accept instinct. It means to accept love and pleasure. It means to be part of a community. It means accepting that there is not one truth and that truth depends on who you are, what you believe and how you see the world. It means accepting that different people have different truths and to live and let live. By knowing this and living by this knowledge you are building peace both in yourself and the world around you. Witchcraft is the golden middle between this world and other worlds and realms. It means finding your own path and being true to it not matter what it might be. Witchcraft means peace with yourself and the world. It means discussion and analysis and questioning and through that always adapting to changing surroundings and conditions and vice versa. In witchcraft truth is a personal thing i.e. the truth that you might have faery friends. It means to accept that somebody else really has faery friends and to believe that so long as the truth harms none and no thing. It means to know when and what to give and when and what to take. Witchcraft means to always learn not only from other people but also from things, animals, nature and the cosmos. It means to accept everything and every being as your teacher. It means to take nothing for granted and to always be thankful. It means to cultivate an open mind. Witchcraft means to create your own tradition, mysteries and magic.