The "Domestic Magics" and What It Means To Be A Hearthkeeper

I’m a full time NonTraditionalist (or, rather, Anti-Traditionalist) Homemaker. And I became such primarily due to unfortunate health circumstance, which I've now turned into an accepted and celebrated life profession for myself.

Religiously, spiritually, and magically, the Home itself is considered a sacred space to me (the third most sacred- following the Temple in all its forms, then the Garden). And since I cannot actually have children myself, I personally view the community as a substitute, and therefore as an extension of my Hearth. Community building and education, and related activities, are therefore likewise considered further extensions of these practices by proxy.

I heavily practice the traditional magical arts of Cottagecraft, Hearthcraft, Kitchencraft, and Greencraft as they're understood within the Traditional NeoWiccan religion and framework as a result; I use the parallel phrases 'Domestic Witchcraft' and 'Domestic Magics' as an umbrella to refer to a wide variety of individual subsets of Witchcraft and their related spells and rituals within my practice.

'Domestic' is defined thus:

1. (General) Pertaining to the home, household, household affairs, or family.
2. (Of A person) Devoted to home life, family life, or household affairs.

'Domestic Witchcraft' is therefore any collection of spells or rituals which have a foundation in (or around)- or an effect on- the home, as well as one’s family and guests.

Within NeoPaganism these individual practices of Cottagecraft, Hearthcraft, Kitchencraft, and Greencraft are unfortunately incorrectly conflated into one system at times. Typically under the moniker of “Cottagecraft” (or sometimes "Hearthcraft" or "Hedge Witch") as a catch-all. Personally, however, I dislike this penchant greatly as I feel each category is itself a unique specialization.

There may be overlap between each group due to the nature of sharing the same domestic focus. But they are still distinct areas of magic and focus, each. Specializing in one does not assume specialization in the others by proxy. I define each of the 'Domestic Magics' individually as follows, for this reason:

➻ Cottagecraft: A denomnative form of Domestic Witchcraft which is focused around the (general) interior of the Home and its Household inhabitants. This may include activities and spells with a heavy influence on crafting and DIY, home protection, familial harmony, household finances, budget Witchcraft, and similar things.

➻ Kitchencraft: A denomnative form of Domestic Witchcraft which is focused in and around the Kitchen itself, as a separate entity from the home as a whole. This may include activities and spells with a heavy influence on cooking, baking, food, and similar things- especially for harmony, healing, etc; does not focus strictly to the household, but can also focus on one's community.

➻ Hearthcraft: A denomnative form of Domestic Witchcraft which is focused on the Hearth or Fireplace, as a separate entity from the home as a whole. This may include spells and activities with a heavy influence on fire, warmth, comfort, protection, and similar things- but in a manner different than Cottagecraft. Especially through the use of fiber-based arts and crafts (such as sewing, knitting, or embroidery [sic]), and Ancestor and Spiritwork; like Kitchencraft, it does not focus strictly to the household, but can also focus on one's community.

➻ Greencraft: A denomnative form of Domestic Witchcraft which is focused in and around the Yard or general (immediate) exterior of the Home. This may include spells and activities with a heavy influence on crystals and plants, Herbalism (magical, spiritual, medicinal, or otherwise), gardening and / or landscaping (magical, spiritual, medicinal, or otherwise), connection with Plant Spirit Allies and Land Spirits, general connection with Earth Energies, ecoregional and bioregional studies, and similar things- but does not include animals.

If I really need a catch-all term for simplicity’s sake, then I call them the “Domestic Magics” as a way to retain their individual definitions while still using a generalized, all encompassing term which is relevant to their shared realm of material focus. And I call myself a "Hearthkeeper", personally, as a practitioner with a heavy primary emphasis on all such forms of Domestic Magics (rather than someone who only practices one or two).

A Note on Hedgecraft

As briefly mentioned above, Hedge Witchcraft is not one of the Domestic Magics- nor is it related to them- despite what authors such as Rae Beth would have you believe in her many books on the topic. Traditionally, Hedgecraft is more akin to a form of Folk Witchcraft, and is frequently more closely allied with Traditional Witchcraft traditions. It deals specifically with Spirits, and the "Hedge" as a spiritual-material boundary between planes (ours and the Otherworld). Its primary practices center around "Jumping" / "Riding" / "Walking" / "Flying" the Hedge in order to communicate with Spirits in the Otherworld for the purposes of Divination, Guidance, Healing, Craftworking, or other reasons; other practices such as ritual transformation and Skinchanging- and sometimes, for some practitioners, the use of ritual Entheogens to facilitate certain ritual actions and ritual states- may also be included.