# 1989 VHS • Basic Witchcraft 60 FPS

Basic Witchcraft is an instructional documentary on the history, philosophy, and practice of witchcraft, presented by an uncredited narrator and teacher. The tape opens with footage of a Beltane ritual in southern Ireland and traces the origins of ritual magic back to the cave paintings of Altamira and the Legend of the Watchers, a pre-Christian mythological framework explaining the transmission of occult knowledge to humanity. The program is organized around the four phases of ritual practice: preparation, opening, activity, and closing. The instructional sections cover ritual breathing and posture, personal ritual garments, the basic tools of witchcraft including the athame at 13:37, the cauldron, the wand, the chalice, and the pentacle, followed by guidance on constructing and consecrating a ritual altar. A demonstration section begins at 25:26 covering circle casting, the calling of the four elemental quarters, and the raising of the cone of power. Candle magic and spell construction are covered in the activity section. The tape returns to the Beltane ceremony at 51:23 and closes with an introduction to tarot as a divination tool.

- Kind: Film
- Year: 1989
- By: The Vista Group®
- Archive: [Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/TheVistaGroup-BasicWitchcraft1989)
- Licence or status: none stated by the archive
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

[Watch now](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/watch/archive/ia/TheVistaGroup-BasicWitchcraft1989?play=1)