the phrase "The Craft"

[Fiamma]

for those of you that use it, what are you referring to when you say it?

(I mean how do you use it personally, don't need an explaination of the phrase itself.)

[Desert_Witch]

Good question. I think that when I use the term I am refering to all forms of Witchcraft including Wicca. when I say my Craft I am referring to my personal path only. i will have to see if that is what I realy do, but this is what comes to mind when i think about the term Craft.

[Pagan Warrior]

for those of you that use it, what are you referring to when you say it?

The movie ... :awilly:

Seriously though, I really don't use that term in reference to magick and witchcraft. I can see it being used in reference to spells & rituals, but I generally avoid it and refer to my practices as rituals or beliefs.

[MankyCat]

Actually, the only time I do use that term is in reference to the movie.:hahugh:

I don't use it any other time as far as I recall.

[omar]

I avoid the words "craft & witch" because they both cause the Christians to freak out & look at you like your crazy.

[Aidron]

"The Craft" -> The occult.

Everyone's craft is different (but of course mine is the bestest of all the restest), so I can't see any use for it other than as a widespread conglomeration of magical, natural, supernatural and other phenomena and practices.

[PsyMoon]

I use it in terms of my hobby which is community theatre.

Me and some of my like minded different beliefs friends write direct act in and produce plays on every level in this small town.

for awhile we called it punk rock theatre because in this twon we charged $5 for seats that would get $20 or more dollars for any other show.Unless it was a punk concert which also cost $5.

we hold the dubious honor of having a gay couple walk out of a pro-gay play for being too prejudiced. the straight hate reviews came from those that stayed till the end of the play and saw what the play actually was.

anyways a bit long but yeah. when I use the term the craft I mean theatre.

[Philosophia]

IMO, "the craft" tends to be a short hand version of witchcraft and it may sound a lot "nicer" to other people.

[Flux]

"The Craft" -> The occult.
Everyone's craft is different...so I can't see any use for it other than as a widespread conglomeration of magical, natural, supernatural and other phenomena and practices.

Yeah, that's how I use it.

[morganxpage]

I believe I read somewhere that the original usage of the phrase was by Masons. In general usage, it tends to refer to any kind of practice, specifically occult practices in particular.

[Carla O'Harris]

The term "craft" as power and ability, and particularly associated with the supernatural, far predate the Masons.

[morganxpage]

The term "craft" as power and ability, and particularly associated with the supernatural, far predate the Masons.

What I meant was the use of the phrase "The Craft." There's a difference. And thanks for all of those helpful references you provided to back up your blanket statement.:fpraise:

[Carla O'Harris]

I've said 10,000 times that I am not going to do everyone's homework for them! Let me tell you something. I have done a great deal of reading in very reputable sources, and I don't have time to footnote everything I say.

http://lexicon.ff.cuni.cz/html/oe_bosworthtoller/b0168.html


CRÆFT, es; m. ...III. craft of mind, cunning, knowledge, science, talent, ability, faculty, excellence, virtue ... Chauc. craft: Laym. cræft, craft: Orm. crafft: Plat, kraft, kracht: O. Sax. kraft, m. and f: Frs. O. Frs. kreft: Dut. kracht, f: Kil. kracht: Ger. M. H. Ger. O. H. Ger. kraft, f: Dan. kraft, m. f: Swed. kraft, m: Icel. kraptr, kraftr, m.] DER. aclæ-acute;c-cræft, æ-acute;-, átor-, beadu-, bealo-, bóc-, deófol-, dreám-, drý-, dwol-, ellen-, firen-, flíter-, galdor-, gleó-, gúþ-, hell-, hyge-, læ-acute;ce-, lár-, leornung-, leóþ-, leoðo-, leóðu-, mód-, morþor-, nearo-, ofer-, rím-, sang-, sceóp-, scín-, scip-, scóp-, searo-, snytro-, stæf-, sundor-, swinsung-, tungel-, tungol-, un-, wæl-, wic-, wicce-, wíg-, word-, woruld-, wóþ-, wundor-.


http://www.northvegr.org/vigfusson/354.php


kraptr or kraftr, ... might, strength, or power ... krafta-verk...'power-work', a miracle ... powers, supernatural, whence krapta-skald, a 'power-skald
, a poet whose song has a magical power...

There's a few for you. You do the rest.

[morganxpage]

I've said 10,000 times that I am not going to do everyone's homework for them! Let me tell you something. I have done a great deal of reading in very reputable sources, and I don't have time to footnote everything I say.

http://lexicon.ff.cuni.cz/html/oe_bosworthtoller/b0168.html



http://www.northvegr.org/vigfusson/354.php



There's a few for you. You do the rest.

You still don't see the difference between the word craft and the phrase "The Craft."

[Desert_Witch]

What I meant was the use of the phrase "The Craft." There's a difference. And thanks for all of those helpful references you provided to back up your blanket statement.:fpraise:


Carla used the exact same number of references in her post as you did in yours to which she was responding. I went back and counted. So what was meant by"your blanket statement" exatly?

[bshore]

I use it when refering to my personal creations. I am an artist and designer, and have refered to my ceramic art as "my craft".

I know that's not what you're looking for. I don't use the term "the craft" because to me it means magic, and I don't do magic.

[Xirian]

I use it when refering to my personal creations. I am an artist and designer, and have refered to my ceramic art as "my craft".

I know that's not what you're looking for. I don't use the term "the craft" because to me it means magic, and I don't do magic.
I didn't post earlier because it said, "for those of you that use it..." But I do use it in a similar context that bshore does. As in hobbies or crafts. That is the only time. However, I do magic, but the term generally makes me think of Wicca and I am not Wiccan, so I don't use the term.

[Rosetta Morrigan]

Witchcraft, "the craft", when I use the term I'm refering to magick rites.

[zombi]

if I use the phrase "the craft", I'm usually referring to witchcraft -- and by that I mean folk magic or herbalistic practices, not necessarily associated with any religion.

[Kalioppee]

if I use the phrase "the craft", I'm usually referring to witchcraft -- and by that I mean folk magic or herbalistic practices, not necessarily associated with any religion.

Diddo.. now I have used "my craft", which refers to my goddess art dolls that I make.

[WitchGeek]

I believe I read somewhere that the original usage of the phrase was by Masons. In general usage, it tends to refer to any kind of practice, specifically occult practices in particular.

Hutton, in Triumph of the Moon (excellent book IMO; he cites references) attributes the phrase "the craft" to the Masons. I was pretty amazed when I read that book just how much of Gardner's Wicca was straight out of Freemasonry and its many derivatives.

[LadyNyxTheia]

For me, it ususally depends on the context in which it is used.

"The Craft" can refer to:

Any magickal practice (including wish-magick on birthday cakes! ^_^)

Any art or "craft" that requires skill and that can be utilized as a worship of life and deity (painting/drawing/theatre/dance/etc)

The magickal practice of Pagans and Neo-Pagans

The movie ^_^.