Wicca

1. Wicca By Brooke STUDENT • Wicca is a peaceful, Earth-honouring, polytheistic religion that has no connection whatsoever to Satanism. It was founded by Gerald Gardner in the 1950s and is a mixture of reconstructed Pagan beliefs and more modern ceremonial magick practices.

2. Definitions of Wicca, Pagan, & Witchcraft • Wicca:   A modern Pagan religion with spiritual roots in the earliest expressions of reverence for nature. Some major identifying motifs are: reverence for both the Goddess and God; acceptance of reincarnation and magick; ritual observance of astronomical and agricultural phenomena; and the use of magickal circles for ritual purposes. • Wicce:   Synonymous with Wicca. In some circles, Wicce is used for women and Wicca is used for men. • Witch:   A practitioner of folk magick, particularly that kind relating to herbs, stones, colors, wells, rivers, etc. It is used by some Wiccans to describe themselves. This term has nothing to do with Satanism. • Witchcraft:   The craft of the witch - magick, especially magick utilizing personal power in conjunction with the energies within stones, herbs, colors, and other natural objects. This belief system also has nothing to do with Satanism. • Pagan/Neo-Pagan/Paganism:   General term for followers of Wicca and other magickal, shamanistic, and polytheistic Earth-based religions. Also used to refer to pre-Christian religious and Spiritual belief systems.

3. Common Misconceptions about Wicca • 1) Wiccans worship Satan: The figure of Satan is part of the Christian mythos. Those of us who do not follow Christianity, do not accept the existence of this character. We do not worship Satan, nor do we summon demonic forces to do our bidding. • 2) Wiccans engage in ritual orgies: This misconception may have arisen from the practice of doing ritual in the nude (also called skyclad). Not all Wiccans practice this way, and there is nothing sexual about it. • 3) Wicca is only for women: Wicca has attracted a great number of women because of the focus on the Goddess, which is an uncommon alternative among other mainstream (and male-oriented) religions. But Wicca is open to everyone, male or female. • 4) Wicca has no rules: This little untruth is often used by our detractors to show that we must live wild and unrestrained lives. We may not have books of commandments to bind our lives, but many Wiccans do follow one single law: Harm None. Those two words have as much power as an entire book of rules. We refer to this statement as the Wiccan Rede (“An it Harm None, Do as Thou Wilst”) and is part of a longer poem. • 5) Wiccans cast spells and hexes to control people: If we really did this, Wiccans would all be wealthy, happy and powerful. We believe that for every action, there is a re-action, and that includes using magick for negative manner. Wiccans don't believe in a punishing God, but we do think that bad actions will come back and bite us in the butt (karmically speaking). • 6) Wicca is a cult that is trying to recruit people: Wiccans believe that each individual's path of spirituality is valid, and no one path is better than any other. We do not convert or recruit anyone. Proselytizing is not a practice we follow. As for being a cult, most people these days are solitary practitioners and not part of any group. Hard to be in a cult when you are by yourself.

4. Father of Modern Wicca • Gardner states that, in 1939, he was initiated into an ancient and secret tradition— the witch cult. • Sometime after World War II, Gardner began writing High Magic’s Aid. This span, probably of just a few years or less, was a time in which Gerald Gardner’s creativity and devotion to Wicca would change the religious landscape of the English speaking world for years to come, as this time was the stepping stone from which Gardner mustered his ambition and determined, decisively, that Wicca would flourish. • What followed were the publication of two more books, the founding of a museum, the establishment of numerous covens and initiates, and fifteen more years of Gardner's life spent devoted to promoting modern witchcraft. • The period between 1946 and 1949 is one of the least known periods of Gerald Gardner’s latter life, yet it is one of the most important for Wicca because the events of those three years, though not well recorded, committed Gardner to the role of Wicca’s promoter and yielded, by his hand, early revisions of some of the religion’s most enduring rites.

5. Pentegram • Wiccan Symbol

6. Ecclesiastical Law • there are no rules in Wicca. Wiccans are not bound by an official list of commandments that tells what is allowed and what is not.

7. The Wiccan Rede • Bide you the Wiccan laws you must, in perfect love and perfect trust.Live and let live, fairly take and fairly give.Cast the circle thrice about, to keep the unwelcome spirits out.To bind the spell every time, let the spell be spake in rhyme.Soft of eye and light of touch, speak little and listen much.Deosil go by the waxing moon, chanting out the Wiccan rune.Widdershins go by the waning moon, chanting out the baleful tune.When the Lady's moon is new, kiss your hand to Her times two.When the moon rides at Her peak, then the heart's desire seek.Heed the North wind's mightily gale, lock the door and trim the sail.When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth.When the wind blows from the West, departed spirits will have no rest.When the wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.Nine woods in the cauldron go, burn them quick and burn them slow.Elder be the Lady's tree, burn it not or cursed you'll be.When the wheel begins to turn, let the Beltane fire burn.When the wheel has turned to Yule, light the log, the Horned One rules.Heed you flower, bush and tree, by the Lady, blessed be.Where the rippling waters go, cast a stone, the truth to know.When you have and hold a need, harken not to other's greed.With a fool no seasons spend, or be counted as his friend.Merry meet and merry part, bright the cheeks and warm the heart.Mind the Threefold Law you should, three times bad and three times good.When misfortune is enow, wear the blue star on your brow.True in love you must ever be, lest their love be false to thee.These words the Wiccan Rede fulfll: An it harm none, do what you will.

8. Holy Days (Sabbats) • Imbolc: Feb 2 -Candlemas, Imbolg, Brigid's Day, Groundhog DayDay to celebrate the first glimpses of Spring, also dedicated to the Celtic Goddess Brigid. Make new starts in life, as you give your home a thorough cleaning. • Ostara Approx. March 21- Spring Equinox, Lady Day, EasterEggs and bunnies are typical symbols, representing new birth and new life. Plant the seeds of long-term goals. • Beltane May 1- May Day, Walpurgis NightThe God born at Yule is now a man, and the sacred marriage between God and Goddess is consummated. Beltane is a celebration of fertility, growth, love and passion. However you celebrate Beltane, do it with joy and happiness. • Midsummer Approx. June 21- Litha, Summer Solstice, WhitsunMidsummer is the longest day of the year, and the strength of the Sun God begins to wane. The Goddess has left her Maiden form of Imbolc and is now in her Mother aspect. Refill your herb collection for the coming year. • Lammas August 1-Lughnasadh, As the first of the three harvest festivals, much of the symbolism for Lammas revolves around grains and bread. Sacrifices were common, though mostly symbolic, in order to ensure the continued success of the harvest. • Mabon Approx. Sept 21-Autumn Equinox, CornucopiaDay and night are equal again, and the weather grows colder as winter approaches. This is the second harvest festival. Rituals of thanks at this time have brought about the modern holidays of Thanksgiving. Take some time to think about what you are thankful for. • Samhain Oct 31- Halloween, All HallowsSamhain (SOW-en) is the one Sabbat that is also widely celebrated amongst non-Pagans. The God has died, and the Goddess mourns him until his rebirth at Yule (Christmas). It's the last harvest festival, and the end of the Wiccan year.

9. How to Become a Wiccan or Witch • Read everything you can get your hands on that will tell you more about the beliefs of Wicca and Witchcraft. Only by learning as much as you can about the basic beliefs and tenets of this path can you decide if the old way's are right for you. • Write down the reasons you think Witchcraft is your path. What does being a Witch mean to you? What do you hope to achieve and learn? What do you fear about following this path? How do you see the Goddess and God? What does the Divine mean to you? This notebook will help you design your dedication/self-initiation ritual and eventually evolve into your book of shadows. • Most importantly, listen to your inner voice. It is usually very good council and will not lead you astray. If something you read, hear or are told does not feel right, then it usually isn't right for you. If everything still feels right and you are sure Witchcraft is the path for you wish to follow after all this studying, now is the time to perform a dedication ritual. • This ritual should be yours. Design it however you want to and in a way that will be most meaningful to you. A dedication ritual means exactly what it sounds like. You are dedicating yourself to the Craft and making the decision to live life in closer harmony and balance with the earth and nature. You are making a commitment to yourself and the divine. • Before you begin working with magick, you need to understand what it is, where it comes from and the ethics involved. You will also need to learn and understand the basic structure of rituals, Casting circles, calling quarters, invoking the Goddess and God, raising and directing energy, grounding, centering and closing the circle. • Magick is raising and channeling the energy found in yourself, nature and in the Divine. A Witch combines this energy with their focused efforts. It takes dedication, effort, energy and hard work to achieve a desired result. The main ethical tenet to always remember is the point of the Witches Rede: “An It Harm None, Do as Thou Wilst.” • If you are interested in joining a Coven, most will require the traditional year and a day of study before initiating new members. This gives you time to explore the religion and decide if it is the right path for you as well as giving you and the Coven members time to get to know one another. Covens are generally very selective and rightfully so. There are many out there who seek this path for all the wrong reasons.

10. Suggested reading list for Initiates studying to become a Wiccan Elder • Aradia: Gospel of the WitchesCharles G. Leland (Phoenix Publishing, Inc. 1893/1990) • Witchcraft TodayGerald Brosseau Gardner (Magical Child 1954, reprint by Citadel Trade, 2004) • Witch Cult in Western Europe: A Study in Anthropology Margaret A. Murray, (Oxford University Press, 1921, Kessinger Publishing; 2003) • Mastering WitchcraftPaul Huson (Perigee, 1980) Interesting non-Wiccan perspective on Witchcraft.

11. Sources • http://www.wicca.com/ • http://paganwiccan.about.com/ • http://www.geraldgardner.com/ • http://www.oldways.org/ • http://www.7th-house.com/ • http://www.religioustolerance.org/