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HEDGEWITCH
A term achieving popularity in the UK in the 1990s for a practitioner of the Craft (see Wicca) who elects to follow an independent, solitary route, does not belong to a Coven and has not been Initiated.
One of the foremost proponents of the Craft of the solitary Witch in England is the Neo-Pagan author Rae Beth who injects strong feminine principles into this style of Craft, particularly with respect to healing and regeneration. In America, Sybil LEEK did much to promote the image of the Hedgewitch, though she did not use this term.
One prominent solitary American Witch was Scott Cunningham, though again he does not use the term 'hedgewitch'.
The 'hedge' Witch is perhaps closest to the old-style village wisewoman who now practises her craft to heal and to teach others of the Earth Mysteries.
Before a Sabbat celebration, the hedgewitch will cast a Circle enclosing the sacred space and Altar in much the same way as that created in a Coven. This may be indoors or out in the open air and the altar may be a naturally occurring object, such as a tree stump or a rock. The same Guardian Spirits of the four quarters, familiar in other aspects of Wicca, are believed to protect this Circle.
Generally, the solitary practitioner will invoke the Goddess or God, sweep the floor in a widdershins direction (anti-clockwise in the Northern hemisphere; clockwise in the Southern hemisphere) and dance deosil (clockwise in the Northern hemisphere; anti-clockwise in the Southern hemisphere) around the Circle before formally consecrating it, perhaps with the aid of lighted candles. A symbolic offering will be placed on the Altar and Ihe ritual is closed with a Communion rite.
Rae Beth emphasizes that bathing before a ritual is important but that perfumes, deodorants, and unconsecrated jewellery should be abandoned and that ceremonial clothing, if worn, should be woven from natural fibres. She also advocates the performance of ritual Skyclad (that is, naked - literally 'clad only by the sky'). The tools are essentially those of Wicca including a personal Book of Shadows and the same eight major Sabbats are observed.
Much emphasis is laid for the hedgewitch on Trance-work as the essence of Magick, a mental and psychical state in which Ihe future can be divined and the spirit world contacted. Trance-work is perceived as an inner transformation, bringing the astral being to the fore. This is often exploited with the aid of an animal Familiar, necessary only in spirit, with whom the hedgewitch will bond. The use of herbs also plays a strong role in the work of the solitary practitioner.
PLEASE NOTE:
One of the major problems with 'defining' Paganism and/or its beliefs and practices is that it is an 'organic' movement, in that it is undergoing constant change and re-evaluation from within, and as such any 'one-size-fits-all' approach to understanding Paganism will be found wanting.
Due to the very 'organic' nature of Paganism, and the many differing Paths and Traditions within it, in many cases no one definition may be universally accepted by all Pagans. Therefore, where such cases of possible conflicting and/or contradictory meanings of certain terms occur I have endevoured to give not only the generally accepted meaning, but also any major 'variations' in belief and/or practice.
Christians who believe this difference in meaning of certain key terms, beliefs and practices to be unique to Paganism need to remember that such conflicts also arise within the Body of Christ - the Church. Take for instance the differing practices amongst Christians concerning Baptism and the different attitudes towards women in the clergy.
- Jean-Luc
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