Witchcraft vs Sorcery
The difference between Witchcraft and Sorcery is primarily in the motive of each. According to people who believe in witchcraft and sorcery, witchcraft is using your powers for good; sorcery is using your powers for bad motives. Whatever the motive for witchcraft and sorcery may be, both these traditions have to use spells and practices. You cannot simply expect something to happen from your mind and see it happening. There is always a spell that accompanies it, and you have to follow certain methods such as gathering ingredients for a potion on the right time such as the full moon.
What is Witchcraft?
Witchcraft is said to be the art of using supernatural forces to gain desired results. Usually, witchcraft is associated with good intentions. The people who engage in witchcraft have special names. The female practitioner is known as the witch while the male practitioner is known as a wizard. Nowadays, some people use the name witch to refer to both genders. Witches and wizard worship Mother Nature. They respect her as they believe their powers come from the Mother Nature.
To practice witchcraft, one needs to have inherent mystical powers. Without that, a person cannot become a witch or a wizard. That is to say, you should be born with magical powers to become a witch or a wizard. When it comes to practicing witchcraft, witches usually practice as groups that they call covens. This can be a male only coven or a female only coven, or a mix coven. However, at times, some witches and wizard prefer to practice their art alone.
What is Sorcery?
Sorcery is also said to be the art of using supernatural forces to gain desired results. Usually, sorcery is associated with bad intentions. The people who engage in sorcery have special names. The female practitioner is known as a sorceress while the male practitioner is known as a sorcerer.
To practice sorcery, one does not need to have inherent mystical powers like in witchcraft. You do not need to have been born with magical powers. As a result, anyone can practice sorcery. When it comes to sorcery too, sorceresses or sorcerers practice as groups or individuals as they see fit.
Since sorcery is done with bad intentions, sorcerers find peace and power in worshipping evil spirits. Some groups even worship the devil as their power is dark.
What is the difference between Witchcraft and Sorcery?
• Definition of Witchcraft and Sorcery:
• Witchcraft is an art of using supernatural powers by those having inherent mystical powers to gain desired results.
• Sorcery is also an art of using supernatural powers to gain desired results.
• Motive of Witchcraft and Sorcery:
• Witchcraft uses supernatural powers for good intentions.
• Sorcery uses supernatural powers for bad intentions.
• Names of the Practitioners:
• Witchcraft:
• The female practitioner is known as the witch.
• The male practitioner is known as a wizard.
• Nowadays, some people use the name witch to refer to both genders.
• Sorcery:
• The female practitioner is known as a sorceress.
• The male practitioner is known as a sorcerer.
• Ability:
• To practice witchcraft, a person should have inherent mystical powers.
• To practice sorcery one does not need such inherent powers. As a result, anyone can practice sorcery.
• Form of Practice:
• Witchcraft is practiced as covens, as well as individuals.
• Sorcery is also practiced as groups or as individuals.
• Worshipping:
• The witchcraft followers worship Mother Nature.
• The sorcery followers worship evil spirits such as the devil.
• Rituals and Spells:
• In order to perform magic, both witchcraft and sorcery follow rituals as well as spells.
As you can see, witchcraft and sorcery are, basically, the different forms of using supernatural powers. While witchcraft focuses on bringing positive outcomes for the others, sorcery focuses on having results that will harm others. Think of someone who uses their magical powers to kill someone or harm someone intentionally. Such a person is using sorcery. Though in the ancient times, witchcraft was looked as a taboo and people were punished for following it, in the present, the ideas about witchcraft have changed. Now, there are people who practice witchcraft as a religion in the world without any interference. No matter what scientists say, people tend to believe in witchcraft and sorcery; especially, when no logical answer can help them. So, both witchcraft and sorcery prevail in the world.
Images Courtesy: Magic Circle by John William Waterhouse, 1886 and V. Maximov. A sorcerer comes to a peasant wedding. 1875 via Wikicommons (Public Domain)
