As I am coming to an end of 'part' of my college years, I want to share some of the papers I have had to write from various classes. This first one is on my religion of choice. It was done for a religion class that I took back in 2000. I know it is a bit long but I think it is an interesting read. Hope you enjoy and welcome to the religion of Wicca.
Rie F.
REL 230
July 11, 2000
Father Reardon
Wicca: An Introduction to the Religion
Wicca is a New Religious Movement, which is constantly changing in form and gaining in popularity in Western society. It was started around the 1950s, though many of its members consider the Craft an ancient religion. These followers are called Wiccans or sometimes refer to themselves as witches. They see Wicca as a modern form of a pre-Christian European religion that can be dated back as far as 7000B.C.E, otherwise referred to as the "Old Religion", or paganism. We try to reconstruct the Old Wisdom as best we can given what we know to have been true. The terms Wicca and Witchcraft can be used interchangeably, but there is a subtle distinction. Witchcraft is the practice of natural magic. Not all Wiccans are witches, and not all witches are Wiccan. I am both and the information I will share will come from that perspective. I invite you to explore the world of magic. Through this portal you will discover unknown worlds.
The History of Wicca
The history of Wicca is under much debate in the Wiccan community. Some people say that it dates back to as early as the Stone Age. Others say that it's origins are much more recent. The problem with the history of Wicca is that there has been much persecution throughout the years, making it very hard to keep accurate records. The more recent history can be confirmed, but the problem lies in the more elusive ancient history.
From the time that man could wrap his thumb around a tool, he wondered about his existence. Therefore, he worshipped. The events that ruled the human life at this time, hundreds of thousands of years ago, were very simple: the rising of the sun, the waxing and waning of the moon, the miracle and mystery of birth and death, the life-giving plants that grew from the ground. The importance of these "simple" events is reflected in ancient spirituality.
Life--a miraculous and incomprehensible phenomenon--literally poured forth from women's bodies. The earth also gave life--to plants and animals, and therefore, to people. Because they had the power to create and sustain life, women and the earth and all things spiritual were linked together. In digs of pre-historic civilizations, archeologists have found fire pits surrounded by stone, clay, and bone figurines of women with burgeoning thighs, bulging bellies, and huge breast --all things that these ancient people saw as characteristics of strong mothers. These figurines have been found in almost every ancient site imaginable.
This is not the only evidence to show that ancient people saw the spirit as a mother earth goddess. Cave paintings from the same time periods show women forming living things out of dirt, grain growing from women's stomachs, and women giving birth, with the umbilical cord still attaching mother and baby. Archeologists have also uncovered a written manuscript from Samaria that matches the Hebrew creation story almost exactly--except for the fact that, in this account, Eve is created first. This manuscript has been dated to the very beginning of written history, about five thousand years ago.
After the Stone Age ended, people continued to worship mother goddesses. However, the pantheon of gods and goddesses that they worshipped continually increased in number. Societies began to worship specialized gods and goddesses. By the time Abraham was born in the Sumerian city-state of Ur, his people were worshipping close to 10,000 gods! Their pantheon ranged from general gods and goddesses of the sun, moon, and earth to goddesses of jewelry and gods of writing tablets.
These polytheistic, nature- and goddess-worshipping societies developed all over the world. However, even though they developed independently of each other, their worship had numerous similarities. Besides the fact that they all worshipped earth goddesses and a large pantheon of other deities, each of these societies held rituals on or close to the solstices and equinoxes, recognizing the cycles of the earth and their importance to all living things. Many held a goddess-god myth that had the goddess mating with the god in the summer, the god dying in the fall, and then being reborn from the goddess in the winter. Even though most of these societies never had the opportunity to contact each other, their rituals were close to identical in some cases. They are also the rituals and ideas that the religion of Wicca is based on.
Wicca had a low following in the time that followed, up until the mid 20th century. In the mid 20th century there was a rebirth of witchcraft, referred to today as the Neo-Pagan movement. Several writers drew great attention to Wicca and its beliefs. The most famous of these writers was Gerald Gardner who wrote "Witchcraft Today" in 1954 and began to revitalize the Wiccan movement. Today Wicca thrives and has a large following.
However many followers of Wicca reject the statement of history being of importance, and say that Wicca was in fact is only 50 years old. In saying that Wicca is 50 years old, I am tracing its "beginnings" to the book Witchcraft Today by Gerald Gardner.
But in speaking of Gerald Gardner, I hit another confusing subject for some of the followers of Wicca. The Wiccan movement began with traditionalists. These traditionalist followed Wicca, as Gardner and other early Wiccan leaders had set it. Since they practice Wicca the way it was "originally" practiced, many traditionalists think that theirs is the only "true" Wicca. Some have told me that I, as an Eclectic Solitary, am not a real Wiccan. Other Wiccans who are not Gardnerian still revere Gardner as the founder of our religion. This is probably why most people, Wiccans and non-Wiccans alike, gasp in astonishment when I say that I think Gerald Gardner was a flake. How can I believe, even more than most other Wiccans do, that a person is the founder of my religion and still not revere him? It's quite simple: yes, he was the first person to use the word Wicca to describe this religion. He presented many ideas to the public that I may never have come across if he hadn't. This is his role in my religion. But beyond that, he has no effect on my beliefs or my practices. This is because Wicca is intended to be a religion where people decide on their own beliefs for themselves. Gardner's books may have made it possible for me to come across ideas that were previously unspoken or unheard of, but I owe the same to the pastors in my childhood church, the professors at my school, my parents, my friends, my enemies--almost all of which are not Wiccan--for being part of the experience of my life. Ultimately, the responsibility--both good and bad--for my beliefs and actions rests on my shoulders alone.
History is an important and interesting subject to explore. Knowing how Wicca was practiced in the 1960s as well as its ancient ties helps me to better understand how it is practiced now.
So what is Wicca?
Wicca is a religion with many traditions and which is based on a deep respect for nature and the certain knowledge that we do not have the right to exploit it for our own gain. Wiccans are deeply concerned with conservation and ecology, and as in all Neo-Pagan (The word "pagan" means anything not Judeo-Christian. Thus Buddhism, Native American Mysticism and Witchcraft all fall under this category. Unfortunately, this definition does not lend much help to defining any of the ideals these religions uphold. Personally, the best definition I have found for the word pagan, which basically will not offend anyone, you ask, is: any religion, which worships the Earth.) religions, Wiccans believe that both animate and inanimate objects possess a spirit, which forms part of the Whole. Note that we do not use the term "spirit" in the Judeo-Christian sense of a "ghost," but rather that essence which every object possesses that links it to nature and makes it an inalienable part of the universe.
Though the purpose of spirituality varies from religion to religion, there is at least one concept that is present in almost all religions: deities. Wicca is no exception. However, Wiccans see their deities in a way very different from that of more traditional religions. Wicca is a celebration of the life forces of nature where everything exists in pairs. Therefore there are several reasons that we choose to visualize a Goddess and a God. As human beings, we learn that love is something that is expressed toward other human beings. Specifically, we are supposed to learn that nurturing comes from parents. This is why we choose to see the deity as a Goddess and a God--two human beings--because this is how we understand love. However, not everyone sees the Goddess and God as people. Some people see the God as a stag or an eagle; some people see the Goddess as a dolphin or as an Elvin person. Some people choose not to visualize them at all, and revere them only as the energy that they are. Still others have many different representations of the Goddess and God, choosing to see Them in different ways when they have different needs. However, all of these are representations of the same thing; visualizations held by each person because it is what suits their spirituality the best.
It is a religion based on the worship of the Mother Goddess in any of her manifestations. At the beginning of the pagan revival the Goddess was mainly represented by various Celtic goddesses such as Brigid or Morrigan or Roman figures such as Diana, but today she maybe equally represented by the Egyptian Isis or the Hindu Kali or indeed any female image with divine status. She is both Earth Mother and Moon Goddess. In her former role she is seen as the embodiment of richness and the sovereign of nature. In her latter manifestation she is the Triple Goddess. She undergoes three stages during her life: Maidenhood, Motherhood, and Crone hood. All are looked upon as equally sacred and powerful. The Maiden is a young woman growing and developing. She becomes the Mother when she conceives a child, or when her life goals achieve fruition. And finally she becomes Crone at menopause. As Crone she is older and wiser, the giver of wisdom and the bringer of death and closure. The Goddess comes into play in the Moon, who is seen as the embodiment of the Goddess herself; hence the three phases of the Moon correspond directly to those of a woman's life. The Maiden is the Waxing Moon, the Mother the Full, and the Waning and New the Crone. Also, the Moon is associated with women because its cycle corresponds to a woman's menstrual cycle: 28 days in length.
The God, consort of the Goddess is generally depicted as the God of the Wood, or the Horned God. He has antlers and hooves in many representations, thus the Judeo-Christian association of Him with Satan during the Salem witch trials. He typifies male strength and is connected with the Sun. He most is often represented by the Celtic God Cernunnos and is also widely worshipped in Wicca, but his role is always subordinate to that of the Goddess.
Traditions in Wicca
There are many sects of Wicca. Tradition means a way of celebrating the God and Goddess by the use of semi-structured guild lines passed down through the years, with various modifications to suit the needs of the group along the way. Listed below are some of the different Traditions/Trades and sects Witches use today.
Gardnerian: Organized by Gerald Gardner in England in the 1950s. Gerald was one of the few people so determined that the Old Religion should not die that he took the risk of publicizing it through the media. Under all the hype, he understood that the young needed the Craft as much as the Craft needed a new generation to survive. Gardnerian witchcraft is characterized by ritual nudity, sex magic, and frenzied dancing whipped on by scourges, literally. However, the whipping is almost non-existent in modern covens.
Alexandrian: A formal, structured, neo-Gardnerian tradition founded by Alex and Maxine Sanders in England in 1960s. Alexandrian and Gardnerian Wicca are sometimes referred to as Classical Wicca.
British: A mix of Celtic and Gardnerian beliefs. Most famous organization at this time is the International Red Garters. British Traditions are fairly structured in their beliefs, and train through the degree process. Their covens are al co-ed.
Celtic Wicca: The use of a Celtic/Druidic pantheon mixed with a little ritual Gardnerian, and heavily stressing the elements, nature and the Ancient Ones. They had a vast knowledge of and respect for the healing and magical qualities of plants and stones, flowers, trees, elemental spirits, the little people, gnomes and fairies.
Ceremonial Witchcraft: Followers of this Tradition uses a great deal of ceremonial magic in their practices. Detailed rituals with a flavor of Egyptian magic are sometimes a favorite, or they may use the Cabbalistic magic.
Dianic: First pinpointed by Margaret Murray in 1921 in "The Witch-Cult in Western Europe," this term appears to include a mixture of various traditions. However, their prime focus in recent years is on the Goddess, and has been pegged as the "feminist" movement of the Craft. Dianic Wiccans, while they recognize the existence of the God, only actively worship the Goddess. Rather naturally, the majority of Dianic Wiccans are female.
Eclectic Witchcraft: Basically, it indicates that the individual does not follow any particular Tradition, denomination, sect, or magical practice. They learn and study from many magical systems and apply what appears to work best.
Hereditary Witch: This is a tradition in which one can trace the Craft through their family tree and who has been taught the Old Religion by a relative who was living at the same time.
Kitchen Witch: Basically, this type is one who practices by hearth and home, dealing with the practical side of religion, magic, the earth and the elements.
Pictish Witchcraft: Scottish Witchcraft that attunes itself to all aspects of nature; animal, vegetable, and mineral. It is a solitary form of the Craft and mainly magical in nature with little religion.
Pow-Wow: Indigenous to South Central Pennsylvania. Pow-Wow has deteriorated to a great degree into simple faith healing. Although Pow-Wow finds its roots in German Witchcraft, few practicing Pow-Wows today in Pennsylvania do not follow the Craft or even know the nature of its true birth.
Satanic Witches: One cannot be a satanic Witch because Witches do not believe in satan. This had to be mentioned here, there are some people out there that label themselves as such... and the two together is impossible if you know anything about the Wiccan religion. The people that call themselves Satanic Witches are NOT real Witches at all!
Seax-Wica: Founded by Raymond Buckland in 1973. Not only did he develop a Tradition that is more than acceptable to many individuals, he also has written a large volume of textbooks on different magical aspects and practices of the Craft, thereby enhancing many lives in a positive direction.
Solitary Witch: One who practices alone, regardless of Tradition, denomination, or sect. A solitary can also be an individual who has no desire to practice with or learn from a coven structure, but still may adhere to a specific Tradition or sect through the teachings of another. A solitary Witch can be a person who has decided to tough it out on their own, learning from books, networking, and fellow Witches of different Traditions. These people have the ability to pick themselves up and brush themselves off, and live to try again. Another name for a solitary Witch is "Natural Witch".
Strega Witches: Follows a tradition seated in Italy that began around 1353 with a woman called Aradia. Of all the traditional Witches, this group appears to be the smallest in number in the U.S.; however, their teachings are beautiful and should not be missed.
Teutonic Witch: From ancient time the Teutons have been recognized as a group of people who speak the Germanic group of languages. Culturally, this included the English, Dutch, Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish peoples. This is also known as the Nordic Tradition.
General Wiccan Beliefs
The Goddess and God are revered. This is central to Wiccan thought. Human souls enjoy a series of incarnations. Reincarnation is one of the most widespread of Wiccan beliefs; precisely how and why we incarnate several times is open to mystical speculation.
Hope for the afterlife; hope for something better than this. Wicca is a religion that celebrates life and nature. We are a people who believe this earth is our paradise. Therefore, we don't want to escape or move to a "higher plane;" we want to stay here! This concept is one of the reasons we believe in reincarnation.
There are many cycles to be found on earth. The cycle of the seasons, the moon, human bodies, animal mating, daytime and nighttime, etc. are all examples of cycles. The concept of a beginning and an end are actually quite foreign to many natural processes. Therefore, it is hard for me and many other people to believe that a soul enters the world, leaves it, and then never returns. This is another reason that we believe in reincarnation.
The Wiccan concept of the soul provides another reason for us to believe in reincarnation. Our soul is a part of the Goddess and God, entering our body when we are born and returning to the Goddess and God when we die. Our soul is always in existence, though our body has a limited life span. And yet, when our bodies are dead, it is assumed that our souls are dead as well! As a matter of fact, if our souls are always a part of the Goddess and God -- whether in a body or not -- then we never really cease to exist. When I die, my soul will leave my body, but enter some other living or non living part of the earth -- a rock, a tree, the air, or another animal or person. This is a base definition of reincarnation, and yet another reason why we believe in it.
Reincarnation is a basic Wiccan belief, but what Wiccans believe about reincarnation varies greatly from person to person. Many Wiccans draw their beliefs about reincarnation from traditional eastern religions that espouse reincarnation, such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Others form their own beliefs about how many times we are incarnated, when and why we stop, how many years there are between incarnations, what we can be reincarnated as, etc. Still others, like myself, don't have many solid beliefs about reincarnation, other than that it exits. After all, a person can only know so much.
Wicca does not have a universal text, like the Bible, nor does it have a set of commandments like the 10 Commandments. However there are two basic Wiccan creeds:
· And it harms none, do what thou wilt.
· The three-fold law.
The first basically explains itself, and the second is very easy to understand: every deed you do will come back to you three-fold. Thus if you wish someone well, you will receive goodness, if you wish them ill, then you get illness, etc.
If these principles seem rather simple at first glance, that is because they are. Wicca holds such fascination for its followers because it is so simple. It fits into one's daily life like few religions can without imposing therein.
Magic
Wicca may include the practice of magic. Before I explain the Wiccan beliefs about magic, I first must briefly explain what magic is. However, I will not explain the practice of magic in depth.
There is no easy way to explain what magic is. However, I will try! The energy of the Goddess and God lives within your body, and in everything around you. You can project this energy, i.e., make it move from your body outward; and you can receive this energy, i.e., make it move from your surroundings and into your body. The energy has many different aspects, or "personalities." One "personality" of the energy is that of healing; another is that of protection, etc. When you are isolating one or more of these personalities within the energy and projecting or receiving it, you are performing magic. Before, I discuss the reason Wiccans believe in magic and the things we believe about magic, it is important to note that magic is natural. There is nothing supernatural about it.
Wiccans believe that the spirit parts of ourselves are as real and scientific as the physical parts of ourselves. Spirit, after all, is seen by Wiccans as pure energy. If you've ever seen fire or eaten cooked food, you'd be hard pressed to prove that energy is not natural and scientific or doesn't exist. I can create energy with my physical parts. In fact, I make great change in the physical world with the energy in my body! I do this by processing and burning the food I eat. If there is energy in my body and if it has this great power, why can't I use it to change itself, to affect great changes in a completely different way? From this comes the belief in magic--the belief that energy can be directed and utilized to create real (and often physical) change. The best example I can think of is this: have you ever heard of someone, gravely ill and in the hospital, being told to "think positively"? Many doctors believe (and feel they have proven) that thinking positive helps the body heal much faster. This would be described as magic.
Religious and Non-Religious Magic
A belief in magic is considered essential within Wicca because it is the primary tool used to commune with the Goddess and God. Magic is used to tap into the energy that lies within us, and therefore, to become closer to the Goddess and God and all their children. However, magic can be used for many purposes besides to commune with the Goddess and God. Healing, protection, and calm are frequent goals of a Witch's magic. However, a distinction must be made: magic performed to commune with the Goddess and God is religious magic, and the reason that a belief in magic is considered necessary within Wicca. Magic performed with purposes such as healing or protection in mind is not religious magic. This is an important distinction, because it illustrates the fact that it is not the performance of magic that makes one Wiccan, but their theological beliefs and the way they use magic. Wiccans perform both religious and non-religious magic, but people who perform only non-religious magic are still called Witches.
Morality and Magic
The Wiccan Rede directs all aspects of a Wiccans life. Therefore, we are supposed to harm none in physical action and in magic. Wiccan theology does not allow hexes or curses, love spells, or any other magic that invades a person's will. As in physical life, different Wiccans interpret the magical meanings of the Rede in different ways.
The Effectiveness of Magic
Many doctors tell their patients that thinking positively will help them get well. However, no responsible doctor would ever tell a patient to go home, think positively, and they'll surely be well in the morning--without prescribing any medication. An irresponsible doctor might surely tell their patients that they can go skydiving without a parachute if they only think positively. Though Wiccans consider magic to be very powerful, we never suggest that it should be used as a substitute for more assured methods. A healing spell should never take the place of essential medical care, nor would a spell to find you a job work if you never leave your house and fill out applications. Magic is powerful, but not necessarily more powerful than physical efforts and certainly not a cure-all.
We use certain tools such as spells, visualization, chants, candles, amulets and meditation to help us focus our power, but the power comes from within -- it is not in the tools.
Tools of the Craft
As I am discussing the tools of the craft, please keep in mind that it is not necessary to use them. Some Traditions make a great fetish out of using tools in their rituals, however it is only a preference. Some witches use only some of the tools, others none at all. Some believe that their tools must be consecrated before use, or that they should only be used within a circle. There are many conflicting superstitions about magical tools. Most witches accept or reject those beliefs as they deem right for them.
Athame (Magic knife) - An athame is a ceremonial knife that corresponds to the element fire in some traditions, to air in others, and to the direction east. Almost all witches have a personal knife or athame. In most traditions it is a double-edged blade, made out of iron or steel. The size is not all that important. It 's common used are for mixing salt and water, or potions, inscribing the circle, Charging, consecrating or empowering amulets and talismans, drawing lines, and is used to direct energy in places of the wand or sword.
Sword – A sword is used like an athame, but is more formal and authorative, it is commonly used among more traditional covens, when invoking the four corners. It is usually considered to be a symbol of power amongst those covens that are constructed by a hierarchy.
Wand – Anyone who has ever been to the movies know what a wand is. In some traditions the wand corresponds to the elements of fire to others it represents the element air. It is commonly used for casting circles and channeling energy. The athame, sword and wand all show the male aspect.
Pentacle – A pentacle is a five-pointed star, usually inside a circle (the circle symbolizes unity and infinity). It corresponds to the element of earth. North is considered to be the pentacles direction and its energy represents the female aspect. As a working tool it is usually places in the center of the altar and magic work on top of it.
Chalice/Cup/Goblet – The Chalice is the vessel of the Goddess, our "holy grail". Water is its element and female its energy. It is used for mixing salt and water, or potions, for representing offerings and pouring out libations, and drinking ritual wine for those traditions who used wine.
Cauldron – This is representative of the womb of the Goddess, the caldron of inspiration a place of resurrection. Its element is water, its direction is center and its energy is female. Cauldrons are traditionally made of cast iron and have three legs. It is used for brewing herbs and potions, cooking certain foods and safely burning things.
Censer – A censer is a vessel usually brass, in which incense can be burned. It corresponds to the elements air and fire, for obvious reasons. It directions are east and south. A censer maybe simple or elaborate, and it is usually kept on the altar. Incenses is used for purifying, rising power, banishing evil spirits, and encouraging and welcoming good spirits.
Broomstick – It is commonly used for symbolic cleansing, sweeping away evil or negative influences, and purifications. The broom symbolizes the union of male and female. Because of this, brooms have long been used in fertility rites such as the traditional "jumping over" during handfastings (wiccan weddings).
Book of Shadows – This to me is considered to be the most important tool of all. It is a blank book in which witches write down any information that might be interesting or useful. A Book of Shadows is a very powerful tool. It grows more powerful with the passing years as the witch expands it. It should always be treated with respect and never let anyone else handle it. It usually contains spells, rituals, prayers, and magical correspondences. It may also contain incantations, pictures, sketches, charts (such as moon and tide tables), symbols, a coven section (if it is a coven book) and records of magical workings and experiences.
Celebrated Rituals
Wiccans, whether they are solitary or coven (group) practitioners, celebrate 8 Sabbats (seasonal festivals) in the year; four Greater and four Lesser. The Greater Sabbats include Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasa and Samhain while the Lesser Sabbats comprise the Summer and Winter Solstices and the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes. Imbolc signifies "the first stirrings in the womb of Mother Earth", Beltane celebrates fertility, Lughnasa the harvest and Samhain (Halloween) the time when, according to Celtic belief, it was most auspicious for contacting the dead. In addition 13 Esbats are convened each lunar month (every 28 days), usually around the time of the full moon, for the purpose of conducting coven ritual/s and business. Additional rituals include the conferring of the three degrees of Wicca, Wiccanings (the blessing of a new-born child), Handfastings (the marrying of a couple for 1 year and 1 day) and Requiems (celebrations for the dead). Wiccan rituals may also include the performance of simple candle burning (usually but not always practiced by an individual witch) and workings such as the "Drawing Down of the Moon" during which the coven High Priest/ess invokes the Goddess. Cord magic rituals may also be performed and along with candle burning may be classed as spell casting proper. New rituals and new ways of performing old rituals are continually being devised. The number of rituals and their nature is limited only by the imagination of the Wiccan.
Other brief, but important beliefs
The Earth is our home, our Goddess. It's not a tool that we can ruthlessly abuse. Ecological concerns are rather new in Wicca, but now pay an important role. Many rituals are performed to give healing strength to the Earth.
Wiccans aren't evangelical. We have no need to go out and spread the word. Answering questions about our religion is far different from knocking on doors and asking strangers, "Have you heard the word of the Goddess today?"
Wicca accepts that every religion is correct to its adherents.
Wicca accepts members from both sexes, from every race, national origin and, usually, of every sexual preference.
Wicca is a religion, not a political organization. Groups of Wiccan can and sometimes do work toward a common goals, and individual Wiccans may indeed become personally involved in the political system, Wicca as a whole isn't a religion that preaches issues or supports specific political candidates.
Wiccans do not believe it is ethical to charge for private lessons or for initiations. Physical objects created by Wiccans i.e., tools, books, incense can be paid for, but not personal, private Wiccan instruction.
Wiccans do not sacrifice animals or people in rituals! Wiccans do not cause harm to others.
Unless in self-defense. "Harm None"
Conclusion
I hope these brief explanations will help you begin to understand what Wicca and the Craft really are. There is such a wealth of information on the subject that it is impossible to cover everything in these pages. If you know little or nothing about this and are curious, there are wonderful books that I can recommend.
Good luck to all on your spiritual quests for enlightenment!
As we say in Wicca:
"Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again."
Works Cited
Posted at 04:59 pm by
Malicious126
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