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“An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will”
What is Wicca?
It is easy enough to say that Wicca is a Neopagan Religion and the revival of ancient witchcraft, but this classification would not do it justice. Wicca is in fact a complex web of meaning consisting of ancient traditions, modern ideologies, and everything in between. It is a system to help us understand the Universe, our great Earth, and the meaning of our existence. It is a system to help us find our place as humans within the wide scope of the Cosmos. While this system that we call Wicca does have certain guidelines, in the end it is what you make it.
Like the Wiccan Rede above, Wicca encourages the freedom of expression and self-betterment provided that it is practiced in a constructive manner and does not create any unnecessary externalities. There is a great deal of knowledge that can be acquired by studying Wicca, which in turn can allow an individual to both understand him or herself better and help to understand humanity’s place in the Universe.
Of course there exist questions such as “Why are we here?”, “What is the meaning of life?”, and “What happens after you die?” that are not easily answered. Like any other religion, Wicca cannot provide a guaranteed answer to these questions. But then, what harm is there in searching for the answers?
Beyond the limited denotation of religion, Wicca is much more. It is a path to spirituality. It is the appreciation of nature. It is the study of the beliefs of our ancestors. It is the study of the future. For the experienced, it is the practice of Natural Magick. For everybody, it is a learning process.
Wicca as a Religion
The definition of religion can be broad or narrow depending upon the context. For most people, religion is thought of as an organized movement with an established doctrine to which the followers must adhere. More often than not, this set of rules is found within a Holy Text, perhaps written by the founder of the religion or developed by adherents over time. However, unlike most religions, the essence of Wicca cannot be found in any single doctrine. For the Wiccan, every text holds value as the writer attempts to express his or her feelings to those willing to listen.
This is not to say that there is a complete absence of guidelines. Though only eight words, the Wiccan Rede above sets a considerable precedent. Past and present teachers of the religion advocate peaceful solutions to all of life’s problems. The use of violence is the answer for those whose emotions control their actions as well as those who seek a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
These emotions are commonplace within most of us and they are not meant to be repressed but rather kept under control. If you choose to pursue the practice of Magick, self-control is a discipline of the utmost importance in order to succeed. This is not only for the sake of concentration when practicing, but also to ensure that your intentions are good and pure. With all of the reasons to be grateful surrounding us, let this be said only once: If an individual wish to learn Magick exclusively for the benefit of him or herself, their heart does not see through a Wiccan lens.
There are a handful of other canons in the Wiccan Faith, as well as established incantations that are said during Rituals and the general practice of Magick. Additionally, there is usually a set structure within a Coven with titles and an Initiation process for those who wish to practice with others. Therefore, it is not accurate to say that the Wiccan religion is one without any guidelines, but it is accepting to all those willing to learn and to better themselves.
Wicca as a Neopagan Religion
Wicca is categorized as a neopagan Religion. This seems simple enough, but what does neopaganism really mean?
The prefix ‘neo’ means new, so in layman’s terms Wicca is modern Paganism. From the Latin Paganus, a pagan initially referred to one from a rural area. This was because even ancient Paganism was the practice of revering nature in its many forms and celebrating the gifts upon the planet. It was the original Pagans who had the most to gain by creating a connection with Mother Earth for desirable weather and a full harvest. However, the connotation of the word changed drastically with the spread of Christianity in Europe.
A pagan no longer referred to those residing in rustic, bucolic areas, but rather non-believers of the Christian Faith. Additionally, because Christianity is a monotheistic religion (though in actuality it would appear to be more of a soft polytheistic faith), paganism became synonymous with polytheism, or the worship of many deities. To worship many deities was considered heresy by the Catholic Church and a grave crime.
It is true that ancient pagan systems did possess a polytheistic structure. Nevertheless, what ‘pagan’ signified initially before the spread of Christianity was a statement of fact while what it came to mean afterwards held very little truth. In the Christian-era, those pagans who continued to adulate nature and held Mother Earth as the supreme deity were deemed as witches or devil-worshippers, though we will delve into these misconceptions later.
Consequently, once intended to generalize ancient farmers, paganism first became synonymous with polytheism, and then in turn with witchcraft. Though very proud of its roots in paganism, modern witches were unable to circumnavigate around previously held notions and stereotypes. It was then a necessary step for many of these modern witches to start afresh by calling themselves Wiccans, members of a neopagan religion.
Different Forms of Neopaganism
Though paganism was once considered tantamount to polytheism and often this remains the case, the truth is that Wiccans hold a range of views concerning the number of deities presiding over us. There are many sects within the Wiccan umbrella that illustrate this point.
Polytheism is indeed a common division of Wicca. Ranging from those who believe in the many deities of ancient civilizations such as Greece or Egypt to those who pick and choose from the long lists, there is no restraint upon an individual’s freedom to worship. With polytheism, there is an important distinction to make. There is both hard polytheism and soft polytheism. Hard polytheism is the belief that each of these deities is a separate entity while soft polytheism holds that they are all parts of a single divine being.
More so than polytheism, many Wiccans hold a dualtheistic viewpoint concerning the number of deities - meaning
two. Utilizing the concept of polarization, that everything in the Universe exists with an opposite, the dualistic approach puts forth both a God and Goddess as counterparts that both complement each other and balance one another out. The personification of these two deities is generally regarded in Wicca as the Triple Goddess (Maiden, Mother, Crone) and the Horned God, or the Moon Goddess and the Sun God.
Monotheism amongst Wiccans is also a common perspective, predominantly within the sect of Dianic Wicca. Though the belief in a single deity would appear to be related closer to the Western religions, in reality we can label monotheism within Wicca as soft duotheism. Because the Triple Goddess is the creator of all, it was she who brought life to the Horned God. Thus, rather than these two being separate entities, the Horned God is encompassed within the scope of the single deity, the Goddess.
What if I don’t believe in a god or already believe in a different one?
The Wiccan Faith does not see a need for any sort of proselytizing approach. There will not be a representative knocking at your door any time soon to ask you if you are aware of the power of the Horned God and the Triple Goddess. While the three models above are the most commonly held viewpoints amongst Wiccans, it does not necessarily have to end there.
The concept of Wiccan atheism has drawn a significant following over the past few decades. One does not need to believe in a deity to hold the wonders of nature in the highest regard, or even recognize a higher force of the natural world. Atheism has come to connote the rejection of a god, though this concept can often be misconstrued. A personified deity is often established in order for humanity to create a connection, and be able to relate to this similar being, though immortal and omnipotent. In Wiccan atheism, it is not the rejection of god in itself, but the repudiation that god does not take any form familiar to us nor has this god had any interface with humanity, though the forces of some form of higher power are certainly evident on Earth.
This concept parallels Wiccan agnosticism. Agnosticism simply states that the existence of god cannot be certain at least in this day and age. Those who claim to be sure one way or another of god’s existence have a tendency to become absorbed in their belief, and it is the easiest route to accept this initial feeling. Nonetheless, an agnostic Wiccan is able to notice the evidence of creation within the Universe and on Earth, and find value within it.
Furthermore, many of these deistic, atheistic, and agnostic beliefs can be fused under the term pantheism. To put it simply, pantheism states that nature is god and god is nature. Finally, Henotheism is a road less traveled, but still important. Henotheism is the worship of a single deity, though acknowledging and accepting that other deities exist. If you feel a personal connection to Osiris, you do not have to deny Gaia.
Deities
Though the deities of most religions take on human-like form, through the study of ancient mythology it is not difficult to notice that a deity and/or demigod has taken the form of basically every creature imaginable within the human mind. There is Thoth, the baboon-headed Egyptian god, Medusa, the snake-haired Greek Gorgon, and Sleipnir, Odin’s eight-legged horse. There is Anubis, the jackal-headed god of Mummification, the Minotaur of the great Labyrinth, and the Pixies of Tuatha de Danaan. The continuum of personified deities is unlimited, and waiting for you to make your contribution.
Then there is the Triple Goddess and the Horned God. These two deities have been principal in the witchcraft of old and in Wicca today. The Triple Goddess is said to be the mother of everything, and represents nature, fertility, the life cycle, and any or all other attributions that a deity is given. She is said to be a Triple Goddess due to the three major phases in a female’s life. She begins as the maiden, innocent and pure. She then becomes the mother, giving life and accepting the nurturing responsibilities. Then, in her final phase, the Goddess becomes a crone, no longer able to bear children but possessing boundless wisdom. The Goddess is also attributed to the moon, and comparisons of the Goddess have been made to Gaia, the mother of all in ancient Greek Mythology. To the pantheist, atheist, and agnostic, the Goddess is straightforwardly Mother Earth.
The Stag-Horned God is all too often associated with the devil. This is a great falsehood. The Goddess’ counterpart is her opposite. He is associated with the sun and represents human instinct and all that is wild and untamed. The Horned God is the Lord of the Animal Kingdom and the greatest hunter that the Universe has ever known. While there have been strong connections made between the Horned God, also known as Atho and the Sun God, to Zeus, the leader of the Greek Olympians, and Horus, the leader of the Egyptian deities, there is no avoiding the great similarities to Cernunnos, the Celtic deity of nature.
Web of Meaning
How an individual perceives the deities is a truly personal choice. While one may see the Horned God as literal, sitting upon his throne of the sun, another may deem this as a metaphor that parallels the happenings on Earth. Another individual may attempt to invoke the Triple Goddess within a medium, while another does not deem this necessary as the Triple Goddess is omnipresent and thus exists on the physical realm. To claim that one of these beliefs is right while the other is wrong would seem an imprudent conclusion.
Even so, not everything is meant to be taken as literal. If this were the case, then our imaginations would hold no value. There would be no genre in literature known as fiction and some attempts at humor would have costly results. The purpose in mentioning this is not to discard a previously conceived notion, but rather to inform that there will be gaps in the path to spirituality. When these gaps appear, it is your initiative to fill them with what you find meaningful.
Whether in the individualistic sense or within a community, each and every individual creates an interconnected web to give meaning to our place in the Universe, and to everything around us. The Greek Pantheon gives us a great example of this. Unlike most ancient civilizations, Greece was in theory a democracy. Disregarding that equality was not practiced as much as we would like to think it was in a democracy, a democratic society does allow individual voices to be heard within a group setting. Therefore, it was the contribution of many to create the structure of the
Greek religious system.
Perhaps a farmer stated that the sun need be worshipped for the clouds to disappear. Thus, Apollo came to be. Then a general stated that they need pray to a deity of war to ensure victory. Ares then surfaced. And so on and so on. This could be to say that these deities were created by humanity based off of a need, or this could also be to say that these deities manifested themselves once recognized. The power of interpretation is yours.
Symbology
An analogous concept is that of Symbology, or the study of symbols. Symbols hold a very important and often sacred place within a culture as well as inherently within a human being. Often times, we are not even aware of this association between ideas and images.
In Wicca, there are a handful of symbols that have meaning beyond its surface value. Yet again, the meaning is what you make it. The five-pointed star represents the five elements of life: earth, air, fire, water, and Akasha, or pure spirit. Within a perfect circle, the star is now known as a pentacle. The pentacle is a major symbol of the faith, and when practicing Magick, tools are often placed upon a pentacle-shaped wooden or metal salver when charging the objects.
Additionally, Astrology, or the study of the Zodiac can be an important tool in understanding the cosmos. Each of the Zodiac signs is attributed a symbol, and well as personality characteristics. The same is true for each of the elements. For example, water as an element is said to be a symbol of renovation and regeneration and is symbolized in a Ritual by the chalice. Contrariwise, fire is a symbol of duality, chaos, light, and is symbolized in Ritual by the blade.
The art of symbology does not need to be one exclusively within the physical realm. Perhaps what you feel right now is symbolic of some greater force within your or within the universe. Perhaps you and all of humanity is a symbolic microcosm of the greater macrocosm. Again, Wicca stresses freedom and personal meaning. It is simple enough to be told what an image or sensation should represent, but it is another to see or feel it for yourself.
What Wicca is Not
The association of images and feelings can sometimes lead to dangerous territory. One of the primary symbols correlating to ancient witchcraft and paganism was the horned god. With the spread of monotheistic religions in Europe, a sort of inferno that we now know as Hell was generated by those in power. This was partially a result of the prior status quo that the Church wished to abolish. The ancient pagans did construe an afterlife known as either the Underworld or the Otherworld.
Because the fundamentalists of these organized monotheistic religions deemed the pagan ideology wrong in the eyes of the one true god, the Underworld or Hell was related as a place where those not worthy of god’s forgiveness and love would enter upon their death. Then of course, who became the leader of this place? Was it Hades of ancient Greek Mythology, Osiris of ancient Egyptian Mythology, Arawn of ancient Welsh Mythology, or Cerridwen of Celtic Mythology, all of whom did not necessarily have negative connotations attached to their positions? It was instead the Horned God.
As time passed, the Horned God became the Devil, or Satan or Lucifer in the eyes of the misinformed or those willing to brand. Ancient paganism began to decline with the spread of the monotheistic religions, and those who continued to practice Magick and participate in Rituals were known as witches. As these witches prayed to the Horned God and invoked his spirit, they were directly thrown into the devil-worshipping pigeonhole.
Then and now, devil-worship is in essence considered the greatest sin of all. It is a declaration of war against god. The Wiccan faith does not recognize any form of devil, Lucifer, or Satan. It is not nearly as clear on the inside looking out as on the outside looking in, and while members of the Craft are not wholeheartedly responsive as to why witchcraft became associated with devil-worship or who or what is the devil, it is important that one who desires to learn about Wicca know that the practice does not include worship of the devil.
What Else Wicca is Not
Though Wicca is in general an open and tolerant faith, in addition to devil-worship, Wicca does not advocate certain other practices nor does the faith desire to have certain associations. The chief of these is the utilization of the Path of Shadows.
The Path of Shadows is known by various other names such as Black Magick, the Dark Arts, and Sorcery. Regardless of its name, the Path of Shadows encourages bane, or doing harm onto others, as well as blighting, or using psychic energy to cause harm to a living creature. It is true that Wiccans may practice Magick, though the Magick is entirely of a different nature. In certain cases, practitioners of the Dark Arts have begun their studies with a Wiccan Coven. Through obsession and the lack of self-control, these practitioners had strayed onto a path of destruction. With the Wiccan Rede as our motto, Black Magick does not hold a place in the faith.
Perhaps the account of these practitioners sounds familiar. Maybe like Voldemort betraying Hogwarts or Annakin Skywalker leaving the Jedi for the Dark Side. These stories have been influenced by real-life cases, though the key word here is story. Certainly no general harm was done with the creation of Star Wars, Harry Potter, and the like, but legends such as these may leave a strong impression. To clarify, Wiccans do not use lightsabers, play Quidditch, and are not in a constant psychic battle between good and evil – at least most of the time.
Finally, Wicca is not a cult. The definition of a cult is not so perilous, but the connotations concerning the extreme veneration of an individual or ideal may cause newcomers to be skeptical. As mentioned, Wicca allows the freedom of worship; an individual can always leave if they are unsatisfied. Unlike Jim Jones, if a Wiccan offers you Kool-Aid it is probably just meant to quench your thirst.
Theology vs. Thealogy
Which came first, theology or thealogy? As far as the actual word is concerned, the answer is theology. Theology stems from ancient Greece and means the study of religious doctrine, or the study of discourse concerned with a deity. The word ‘thealogy’ you will likely not find in a dictionary, as it was thought up in 1974 by Isaac Bonewits and has just begun to spread in this day and age. More than a formal word, thealogy is a play on words by exchanging the ‘o’ for an ‘a’. This is because in the Romance languages, the letter 'o' is regarded as masculine while the letter 'a' is regarded as feminine.
Dispute exists amongst scholars of ancient paganism concerning gender roles, whether the sacred feminine was regarded higher than the sacred masculine, or whether true equality presided. Nonetheless, with the establishment and spread of the monotheistic Western religions, there was a great shift in gender roles. All of the significant prophets of the Judeo-Christian texts were male, including Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed. This signified that god himself, who was made out to be a male, would only collaborate with the male gender.
It is not only disciples of the Goddess who desire to modify the status quo in terms of gender. It is both male and female Wiccans, Jews, Christians, Moslems, and others alike who seek to reinforce the feminine within the Divine. To reinforce this argument, it was a mortal male’s decision to genderize god, which has given the masculine gender power over the feminine.
With Dianic Wicca regarding the feminine as the mother of all and father of the masculine deity, this sect is the primary Wiccan proponent of thealogy. If feminine qualities are introduced into discourse about the divine more and more, a necessary shift in power should take place over time.
13 Principles of Wiccan Belief
While the idea that Wicca is accepting and a general umbrella term for many subcategories will be reinforced over and over, there exists a canon of thirteen principles that does specify the meaning of what it is to be a Wiccan to a greater extent. Created in April of 1974 by the Council of American Witches, it is important to understand this list. It does not seek to create restrictions to the practicing Wicca, but instead to clearly and formally define what it truly means to be a Wiccan.
We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the moon and the seasonal quarters and cross quarters.
We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.
We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called “supernatural,” but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.
We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity-as masculine and feminine- and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive to the other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.
We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological, worlds sometimes known as the spiritual world, the collective unconscious, inner planes, etc.-and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.
We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.
We see religion, magick, and wisdom in living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it- a worldview and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft-theWiccan way.
Calling oneself “Witch” does not make a Witch but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees, and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well without harm to others and in harmony with Nature.
We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness giving meaning to the universe we know and our personal role within it.
Our only animosity toward Christianity, or toward any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be “the only way” and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.
As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.
We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as “Satan” or “the Devil,” as defined by the Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.
We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.
Path to Spirituality
To put it bluntly, spirituality is piece of mind. There comes a day in every human’s life when their organs and life system cease to function. As this day approaches, a lesser struggle is required if an individual is able to accept this fate. To accept this fate is complex and much easier said than done, but to attempt to create a connection with the divine is a good way to start.
Like the tenth Principle of Wiccan Belief, any religion or philosophy that makes the claim to be the true path to spirituality, or the only way to create a connection with god is acting in a defensive manner with unfounded superiority. Really, this path is a personal one. Each individual thinks in a different manner from the next, and concerning the idea of god, this is no different.
Every action that an individual takes is a result of a decision that they have made. This notion can extend from pressing the snooze button when the alarm sounds in the morning to whether one accepts a given religion, and if so, which. The important part of this ongoing decision-making process is not so much the outcome of the decision, but the ability to accept the decision regardless of the consequences. An individual might make a decision based upon what is easiest, what will reap the greatest reward, what others expect, what is moral, or for any other reasoning.
If one does believe in a higher power, then perhaps they will make their decisions based upon what they think is right in their god’s eyes. If not, then an individual will likely make a decision to benefit themselves. It is certainly possible to achieve a sense of morality without faith in a higher power with introspection as the key. It is also a possibility for an individual who believes in a god to live without morals, or believe that this god advocates a certain behavior much like the Vikings did. To come full circle and put it less bluntly, regardless of the moral implications, the path to spirituality is finding inherent satisfaction with the decision-making process.
Creating a Connection with the Universe
For many experienced Wiccans, the path to spirituality is attained through creating a connection with the Universe. There is no denial of scientific evidence in Wicca, for this would defy all logic. Wiccans comprehend that humankind resides upon the surface of the third planet from a medium-sized star. We acknowledge that this star is one of millions upon millions of stars in the galaxy. We understand that this galaxy represents only a very small portion of the Universe itself. Finally, despite the value of creation mythology, we recognize that Charles Darwin was probably on the money with his Theory of Evolution.
So what does all of this mean? At some point in the life of an erudite individual, they must ask this question not only in the quest for an answer, but also to remain grounded in reality. Conceivably, humans are reflections of the divine, but knowing our true place in the Universe can be of great assistance in the search for meaning. Humanity is important, no doubt, but not divine.
As mentioned previously, other questions may seem more important to the big picture. What is the meaning of life? What happens after you die? These questions cannot be answered without direct interaction with the divine or death.
However, there are other questions that we may strive to answer within our surroundings. Why are we here? What is humanity’s role within the context of the Universe? Why does the human mind possess qualities such as reason, interpretation as well as certain emotions that cannot be found within any other creature on our planet?
It is not as though these questions can be easily answered, but through practice, study, and focus an individual is able to come up with a personal meaning concerning their role in the Universe. Once an initial connection has been made, and one desires to be a part of the whole regardless of how small the part, the energy flow will be the guide from there.
Immanent Divinity
Just looking out of a window, there is more than enough for a good starting point to create a connection with the Universe. The stars, clouds, or sun in the sky, and the vegetation and creatures on the ground are evidence in itself of the power of the Universe. Take a look in the mirror and you will see the same.
In contrast to most religions and philosophies concerning the divine, Wicca does not see the need to distinguish between transcendence and immanence for immanence prevails. Transcendence is a common belief of most mystics, and has found its way into sects of mainstream religions. In terms of the divine, it means that one must enter a stupor, an altered state of consciousness to reach the divine. This state would not exist within the physical realm, but rather in the spiritual, the only locale where many presume the divine is to be found.
Contrariwise, immanence signifies that the divine can be seen in the physical realm. Rather than the divine appearing to an individual only in dreams, an altered state of being, or with what is referred to as a sixth sense, the divine appears to everybody at all times. It is a stretch though somewhat valid in itself to say that the chair upon which you currently sit is divine, for it contains materials of the Universe.
Transcendence does hold an important place in the Wiccan faith. Those experienced with Natural Magick attempt to reach an altered state of consciousness for various reasons. This could be for reasons of prognostication, to communicate with the spirit world, or to invoke the Goddess. Nonetheless, to achieve these states would not contradict the idea of Immanent Divinity, that the divine is omnipresent within all realms of existence.
Reverence of Nature
The reverence of Earth’s natural surroundings will be a recurring theme in the study of Wicca. In relation to immanence, all that we see, feel, hear, taste, and even smell is connected to the Universe, and by association the divine. For this reason, it is important to be aware of what has been provided for humanity and not take it for granted.
Through the study of nature on our planet, as well as in the sky which will be discussed later, one can learn more about the nature of the divine. Each plant, tree, flower, rock formation, etc. has a distinct property and contributes in a unique way to the interconnecting parts of the Universe. By understanding these properties, a step is taken in the right direction on the path to spirituality.
While Wiccans revere nature and the gifts found in our surroundings, it is important to remember that each blade of grass is equal to the next, each tree as significant to one another, and each creature equally important in the Circle of Life. To appreciate and understand the natural splendor around us is not to pick and choose what we think is the prettiest or the most interesting but to be able to take in the whole scene and comprehend that each piece is working as part of a whole.
Including both living creatures and the scenes in which they reside, there is a natural balance to everything upon this great planet as we have previously discussed. Nevertheless, there remain riddles concerning several of these scenic treasures. There have been some answers posed by leading geologists and astronomers that possess great sense, though it is not known positively. These mysteries as well as the dolmens moved by early man are two other fields in which many Wiccans are very interested.
Gaia Hypothesis, Atavistic Resurgence, and Holistic Universe Theory
The study of Wicca is not meant to blow a fuse in your mind, and despite the title of this section these terms are fundamental ideas that support the idea of immanence.
Gaia, like the Goddess, was the mother of all in Greek Mythology. The Gaia hypothesis however pertains primarily to conditions on Earth. Developed in the 1970’s by James Lovelock, the theory states that everything on Earth, both organic and inorganic, is a necessary part of a complex system that enables life. Through studying the biosphere, the oceans, and climate change over time, this complex system of matter on Earth sustains itself and adapts based off of ever changing conditions. If you have heard that the extinction of a particular species of insect or algae can lead to the extinction of humanity also known as the Butterfly Effect, then you are familiar with the Gaia hypothesis.
Atavism in general signifies a biological or social regression. This means than an individual might be born to walk on all fours, or that an individual who has changed their ways to better themselves has fallen back to their old ways. In terms of the Wiccan faith, atavistic resurgence means a return to the roots. This does not imply Wicca as a whole is atavistic, as it is a revival of ancient ways, but rather means that nature is the key to discovery. Science holds great value, and technological advancements can bring us new knowledge. However, the questions to which we seek answers are more likely to be found in nature, the brilliant creation of the divine.
Finally, Holism holds a similar viewpoint as induction. It states that while in a complex system, the whole is only as good as its individual parts; one cannot take a single part and be able to determine the whole. Thus, the Earth is a part of the Universe, and even by knowing everything about our planet, we cannot determine the nature of the Universe based exclusively on this knowledge.
Belief in the Afterlife
The issue concerning whether the soul survives post-mortem is a complex topic not only in Wicca, but in all organized religions and personal paths. Certain religions have designated a locale for the good souls to enter after death, as well as one for the bad souls. Others have eliminated the negativity, and claimed that all souls enter the place humanity labels as heaven.
The idea of a rite of passage for the deceased has been present since our early ancestors. In 1927, a group of archaeologists discovered limestone hill possessing a cave within in the Chinese village of Choukoutien (Zhoukoudian), near Peking. Within the cave, fossil bones were discovered that were determined to be nearly a half of a million years old. This created much confusion as this time period constitutes a slightly before the development of Homo sapiens. At first, the species was classified simply as ‘Peking Man’, but is now classified as Homo erectus – Homo sapiens direct predecessors. Not only were the deceased of this hunting community brought to a cave, but there also exists proof that a burial had taken place. While weather conditions and scavenging animals would quickly dispose of an exposed body, these ancient cavemen thought it necessary to prevent this from happening. Why? This was certainly not performed for hygienic reasons, though there are a variety of possible alternative answers – which one is correct, we may never be sure. Perhaps it was to keep the body intact for reasons of the afterlife, resurrection, or immortality. Perhaps it was simply inspired by a dream. Nevertheless, to carry out these rites of passage for the deceased surely demonstrates appreciation for those who have passed on from this world.
In ancient mythologies, there has been a designated location for the deceased. Some cultures called it the Underworld, others the Otherworld. The Egyptian Book of the Dead refers to it as Amanti. Wiccans generally refer to it as the Summerlands, because surely eternal summer would prevail here. However, the most common belief among Wiccans regarding the afterlife involves reincarnation. Similar to the Hindu notion, after an individual dies the soul is transformed into either a more or less advanced species in the next life for the lessons that soul has learned or the lack thereof. There is also a movement led by Raymond Buckland that supports reincarnation, but states that the soul is repeatedly placed within the same species until they have truly learned the necessary lessons, and are thus liberated from the lifecycle into the Summerlands.
Theosophy
The collective aims of the Wiccan faith are best described in the ideals of theosophy. On the individual level, one might assert that they respect nature to the greatest extent possible, believe in the Horned God and Triple Goddess as genuine deities, practice Magick, and celebrate the pagan festivals. The question then arises, is it necessary to label myself a Wiccan when I know that I share the beliefs of many Wiccans at heart?
The answer is both yes and no. No for the more obvious reason such as that labels are misleading and unnecessary. Yes for the big picture. Humanity does not exist solely in the present. We possess the past to learn from past mistakes and successes, and look forward to the future to take another step in the right direction. It is this generation’s responsibility to try and make the world a better place for the next. As banal as this may sound, theosophy is the formal philosophical doctrine for this ideal.
Developed in the beginning of the 20th century by William Quan Judge, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, and Henry Steel Olcott, theosophy was intended to unite the various organized religions under a single heading. The founders even took the bold step to claim that members of the Occult Brotherhood were responsible for the foundation of every religion in order to progress humanity toward perfection. The three primary goals of theosophy are to create a universal unification of all people regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, creed, etc., to encourage discourse amongst the various religious groups to find the true similarities in their respected belief system, and to continue to develop both the collective and individual’s natural capacities.
Concisely, an individual Wiccan need not make theosophy their primary aim solely based off of the creed’s initiative. There are personal goals and other goals of the Coven to be achieved. Even so, an individual who does belong to an organized group that advocates liberation and unification is supporting the cause more than they know.
Anthroposophy
The individualistic side of humanity’s development is entailed in the idea of anthroposophy. Despite the fact that Rudolf Steiner played a major role in the advancement of theosophy, he turned his attention intrinsically soon after. The founder of anthroposophy reasoned that it was not within a group setting where the greatest maturity occurs but within the self.
The truest form of free will exists inherently. An individual in a group may have to adhere to guidelines, take orders, and take the entire group into account when making a decision. Meanwhile, the individual mind will independently lead to wherever the subconscious takes it. In general, creativity and imagination are extremely personal characteristics that are hindered when imposed upon by external forces.
While theosophy seeks numbers of individuals coming together, discussing the pros and cons of different religions, and why they chose theirs, anthroposophy holds that the most significant development can surface when the issue at whole is avoided. This is not to say that an individual should avoid discourse, or all human interaction for that matter. It is not so perilous to learn of different points of view in general, but concerning the quest for perfection it is most important to be aware.
In terms of the personal path to spirituality, developing powers inherent within us all, and making the world a better place for future generations it would seem as if there are two distinct approaches: to look outward and to look inward. However, if you are able to reconcile the two and comprehend that to look outward is to better society as well as that to search inward is to progress personally; the path to spirituality becomes that much clearer.
Theurgy and Henosis
While theosophy is a safe practice for all involved, an individual must heed a great warning when approaching anthroposophy to the fullest extent. A Practitioner on the Path of Shadows may bring great destruction through the Casting of a Curse despite the fact that his or her power is limited due to the lack of connection with the divine. To the Wiccan engaged in White Magick (the opposite of Black) however, the scope is unlimited.
The concept of theurgy in itself is innocuous, and supports anthroposophy. It is the utilization of Magick to better oneself. This does not mean to Cast a Luck Spell upon oneself nor to help another through Magick and identify the practice as self-betterment. Rather, theurgy usually infers the invocation of the Goddess to enhance one’s understanding of Her.
Most qualified practitioners who have mastered the art of invocation have sought to enter this medium state in order to feel the presence of the divine. Others have done so in the attempt to acquire a piece of knowledge from the Goddess. Usually, this interaction is sufficient, and just to know that the divine exists and is within reach brings enough satisfaction that the goal can be considered achieved and no further action is required.
Then there is the rare breed of humans who seek something more. Henosis can practically be called Mad Magician Syndrome, as those who attempt it are willing to risk everything on Earth as well as their connection with the Universe. Fundamentally, Henosis is deification. The magician (for we shall no longer call him or her Wiccan at this point) seeks to not only invoke the Goddess, but to retain the Goddess until She fuses within the practitioner and becomes one. The magician’s body continues to serve only as an avatar, but this avatar reaches a point of true apotheosis, or being exalted to the level of a deity. There have been no reported cases of the success of Henosis, but many cases in which the practitioner died trying. Self-asphyxiation is a form a henoism.
Understanding Free Will and Destiny
Whether an individual chooses their path to spirituality or whether the path finds the individual is a topic of great debate within the Wiccan community. This does not rebuff the idea that the path to spirituality is a personal one, but instead the debate concerns the divine’s direct involvement in the process. Is our path predetermined perhaps upon our birth or even before? Or does the individual possess the real power in the decision-making process?
The ideas of both free will and destiny have been present since the dawn of man. Simply put, free will is the ability to make a decision without any deterministic influences. This means that an individual possessing free will can make a decision in the spur of the moment, where the decision is made purely from within the mind of the individual without this decision already determined. Destiny, fate, or determinism is just the opposite. This notion infers that every decision has already been made by the divine. When an individual makes a decision, it is simply them acting on the script that has already been provided for them.
It would seem on the surface for those able to accept responsibility that free will holds more logic. A decision is a test of character. An individual can alter their decision if they so desire. If everything that one does is predetermined, then humanity lacks all power and one could argue that there is no point in trying to organize or control anything within the grasp of humanity. On the other hand, the suspicion of destiny has always been present. The mythology of nearly every ancient culture has some form of personified fate, whose role it is to cut off an individual’s life system at the correct point in the script.
So where can, for example, the art of divination or fortunetelling find itself in these differing brainchildren? A practicing Wiccan has the capacity to make the decision to pursue divination. If success is achieved, the practitioner will then possess knowledge of future events. Then the Wiccan must ask if this future can be changed or is it set in stone? Unlike the previous terms that are able to be reconciled in the Wiccan faith, free will and destiny are polarized. They are black and white viewpoints that cannot be merged. Or can they?
Crowley’s True Will
Aleister Crowley is not directly associated with Wicca, though as a leading occultist, his ideas are certainly worth mentioning. In his dictated text known as The Book of Law, Crowley outlines the principles of the mystical religious philosophy that he called Thelema. Within the context of Thelema, Crowley attempts to reconcile the schism between free will and destiny in the form of True Will.
Within the human mind, there are certain aspects that can be controlled while others cannot. For example, and individual may wake up in the morning and decide that they want soup for lunch. Then, as the day progresses, they might change their mind and decide they want salad for lunch. These day-to-day sensations are relatively spontaneous and are located on the surface of the human brain. There is much ongoing activity here that determines an individual’s mood and frame of mind at any given point in time.
Delving deeper, there are other parts in one’s line of thinking that are unchanging through space and time. This may be how an individual feels about a certain political or religious issue, or a diversion about which one feels passionate. While the surface action gives the individual a sense of power and helps the learning process, the thoughts that occur within the interior of the brain are a part of a deeper process. These thoughts stem from the fixed subconscious, which Crowley asserts is directly connected to the divine.
True Will holds that the Universe does have an individualized plan for each of its inhabitants. To the individual, this might be considered a calling or simply who they are. This portion of the human line of thinking entails the concept of destiny. This is not meant to explain why an individual dies at a particular time like the Fates, but is meant to explain what the individual contributes to the planet in their time on Earth. Then there is the free will on the surface that allows the individual to grow and build upon the deep thoughts of the subconscious.
The Occult
Ideas from the Occult play a very significant role in the overall ideology of Wicca. The Occult refers to an individual or group’s knowledge of something that is not known to the collective. This covers a wide range of subjects from medicine to mathematics to religion to politics. Within Wicca, the Occult holds a wealth of information regarding alternative healing, planes of consciousness, and Magickal practice.
As Wicca is concerned with purity of both the heart and the mind, the best solutions for health problems can be found in nature. No true stance exists in Wicca against pharmaceutical corporations or the manufacturing of chemicals, though if a solution can be found within our natural surroundings, this would be optimal. Thus, many trees, plants, and stones possess healing properties and other practicalities in day-to-day affairs. The Occult is concerning with utilizing these plants and stones rather than the better known remedies of the corporate world.
Additionally, Wicca has a direct involvement in unveiling as much information concerning the Universe as possible. Though again this is a personal search, manners to reach altered states of consciousness is a key in discovery. It was Siddhartha Gautama, better known as Buddha, who reached Nirvana, and more recently Edgar Cayce who was able to reach the Akashic Records. In Magick, reaching these planes of consciousness and discovering new states is of great significance in advancing the art and more importantly in discerning additional information about the Universe.
Finally, in a more generalized way, the Occult is concerned with conspiracy theories both large and small. This is not only important for the Wiccan, but for every individual concerned with uncovering the truth. As mentioned, theosophy claims that an Occult Brotherhood is responsible for the establishment of all given organized religions in order to better humanity. Included in these brotherhoods are the major groups that have surfaced in pop culture through the books of Dan Brown. The Catholic Church hindered both the Illuminati and the Priory of Scion from exposing known truths about science that conflict with religious doctrine as well as secrets about Christianity. These are two of the best known cases, but represent only a small portion of these conspiracy theories in politics and religion. The Occult is also concerned with the dolmens of Stonehenge and Easter Island.
Mysticism
Mysticism is an alternate path that many individuals may choose to take in order to attain a true communion with the divine, sometimes referred to as Enlightment or Nirvana. Not only found in Wicca and Thelema, mysticism is an individualized path taken in many other religions. Though this path can incorporate study and literal translation on holy texts, the primary focus lies in reaching the divine through meditation and esoteric interpretation of god’s will.
The origins of this path began in secret societies of ancient Greece known as the cult of Demeter and Persephone located at Eleusis. This faction was created to both uncover mysteries of the divine, as well as to train future oracles to be able to communicate with the various deities of ancient Greece. An oracle is similar to a prophet, as one who prognosticates and is the medium of a god’s word. In ancient Greece, there were many oracles, but the one at Delphi was the most prominent. If a mere mortal was in need of assistance, and sought advice from the gods it was here that they would pilgrimage. Here, the individual would ask a question or place a request onto a group of priests, who would pass this along to a Pythia, or priestess. As the medium between the Olympians and the priests, the Pythia would go into a trancelike state as she received messages from the gods, and shout words or phrases, which the priests would interpret in doggerel and vague verses.
Additionally, mysticism draws much information from the Kabbalah, an ancient Hebrew training method said to represent the mystics of Judaism. Sometimes spelled Qabalah, Cabala or another variation, this school of thought is intended to explore the meaning of the Universe, and explain Jewish practices within the context of humanity. Basically, there exists a Tree of Life in which ten Sephirot, or emanations of the divine that an individual can strive to comprehend. Unlike with the Greek oracles or Thelemic mysticism, teachings of the Kabbalah stress personal interpretations of the Old Testament to find inner truths within the words.
There is also Christian mysticism, which is often simply titled spirituality. This school of thought is less defined, but often involves Glossalia, or speaking in tongue. Wicca holds that all of these forms of mysticism are valid in their own right, though it is also very important to understand our surroundings and learn from them in order to understand the divine.
Supernatural and Paranormal
Imagination is a key component in the Wiccan path to spirituality. It allows the individual to transcend their physical surroundings and enter a world unique to the thinker. It is during this creative process that new ideas emerge and existing ideas are built upon. However, there is peril when the ideas generated in the imagination are perceived as reality.
Many newcomers to Wicca believe that the faith is related to both the supernatural and the paranormal. The supernatural encompasses all that extends beyond the scope of nature. However, as Wicca holds that nature is a form of the divine and the divine is the creator of the Universe, through the transitive property, nothing is supernatural, or beyond nature. Some notions of the supernatural embrace those which a majority of people can realize is imaginary.
These include Vampyres, Lycanthropes (Werewolves), Nymphs, Centaurs, etc. These ideas have a basis in reality though have been sensationalized over time. For example, in Vodou, there is practice of turning an individual into a zombie through a series of steps that require tools and plants with Magickal properties, though the image of a deceased individual resurrecting themselves once buried is unfounded. Additionally, the supernatural includes powers that exceed the scope of human capacity. Again, there is truth in certain aspects of these powers, though it is important to distinguish the line between real and imaginary. An individual is not able to fly nor can they emit fire from their eyes, however one can develop their psychic abilities to communicate with the divine as well as manipulate energy to Cast Spells.
The paranormal on the other hand is a significant part of Wicca. It is simply that which cannot be explained by science nor religion and is the essence of the Occult. Within the paranormal category is apparitions, communication with spirits (both human and animal), and the practice in general. While it is optimistic to declare that anything is possible, this can be misleading. Anything is possible through the mind, and most things we can imagine are possible in the physical realm. Nonetheless, it is important to ascertain this point in the case that a newcomer is interested in Wicca so that they might one day ride a Unicorn on Planet Fun XIV.
Magickal Practice and Energy Flow
Though it does not have to be, the practice of Magick can be an important part in the Wiccan path to spirituality. If the individual chooses to pursue this avenue, it is imperative that they are informed and aware of the potency of Natural Magick. For this reason, Natural Magick, often called Ritual or Ceremonial Magick must be distinguished from stage magic.
Circa the beginning of the 16th century A.D., the Three Books of Occult Philosophy was written by Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim. It was then translated from Latin to English in 1651 and today is often referred to as Of Magick. This anthology described training methods of Ritual Magick, as well as its connection to religious systems. It was in Agrippa’s work that the ‘k’ was first added to the word Magick to distinguish Natural Magick from magic meant to be performed in front of a willing audience.
This change was intended to inform the general public that Occultists and Witches in general did not use sleight of hand or optical illusions to influence a mirage. Rather, practitioners of Natural Magick use certain tools as well as the flow of energy found within the Universe to achieve the goals of learning more about the Universe and bettering oneself. It is neither trickery nor perception that is the key to Magick, but rather understanding energy flow.
Wiccans generally refer to energy flow as Akasha, the fifth element that brings all other elements together. Hindus call it Prana, as represented through the goddess Kali. Polynesians refer to it as Mana. In the end, they all mean the same thing. Energy flow is what permits life. It is how all of humanity, everything on Earth, and everything in the Universe are connected. It was perhaps the first creation of the divine. When practicing Natural Magick, this energy flow must take precedent and the individual must heed to the greater power. Once this is understood, the process becomes innate and genuine.
Magickal Properties of Trees, Plants, and Stones
Coinciding with the concept of atavism as well as the general Wiccan ideal that the answers for which we seek today were present before the dawn of man comes the discovery of Magickal properties within many common trees, plants, and stones. Not just the beauty, but also the benefits of our natural surroundings have been taken for granted over time. A landscape serves as a foundation for urban planning. The sun is an inorganic entity that mankind must study in order to overcome its death in billions of years. Plants are taken as something that can produce something edible or not. Stones are useless unless a fortification is being created.
This is not the case. Trees, plants, and stones are complex units comparable to man and all other animate organisms. They have many uses, some of which are well known, others which are not. In Wicca, the Occult, as well as in various other organizations properties of different species of plants and different types of stones are constantly being uncovered to aid humanity in curing disease, establish better dietary habits, learn more about nature, and to assist with the practice of Magick.
The predominant trees and plants with Magickal properties are as follows: Adam and Eve Root, African Violet, Agrimony, Alfalfa, Allspice, Aloe, Anemone, Angelica, Anise, Asafoetida, Ash, Aster, Bachelor’s Buttons, Basil, Bay, Bedstraw, Beet, Belladonna, Be-Still, Birch, Bistort, Bittersweet, Black Cohosh, Bladderwrack, Bleeding Heart, Bloodroot, Blue Flag, Bluebell, Boneset, Borage, Buckthorn, Burdock, Calamus, , Camellia, Caper, Caraway, Cardamom, Catnip, Celandine, Celery, Chamomile, Cherry, Chickweed, Chicory, Cinnamon, Clover, Coltsfoot, Comfrey, Coriander, Cowslip, Cumin Seed, Cyclamen, Daisy, Damiana, Dandelion, Datura, Deer Tongue, Devil’s Shoestring, Dill, Dittany, Dock, Dogsbane, Dogwood, Dragon’s Blood, Elder, Endive, Eyebright, Fennel, Fenugreek, Feverfew, Figwort, Flaxseed, Fleabane, Foxglove, Garlic, Geranium, Ginseng, Goat’s Rue, Golden Seal, Goldenrod, Ground Ivy, Groundsel, Gum Arabic, Hawthorn, Hazel, Heather, Hellebore, Hemlock, Hemp, Henbane, Henna, Hickory, High John the Conquerer, Holly, Honesty, Honeysuckle, Hops, Horsetail, Houndstongue, Hyacinth, Irish Moss, Ivy, Jasmine, Job’s Tears, Juniper, Knotweed, Lady’s Mantle, Lady’s Slipper, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Lemon Grass, Lemon Verbena, Lettuce, Life-Everlasting, Lilac, Lily, Liverwort, Loosestrife, Lovage, Mace, Maidenhair, Mandrake Root, Marjoram, May Apple, Meadow Rue, Meadowsweet, Mint, Mistletoe, Moonwort, Mugwort, Mullein, Mustard Plant, Myrtle, Nettle, Nutmeg, Oleander, Onion, Orange Mint, Orchid, Orris, Pansy, Parsley, Passionflower, Patchouly (Pucha-Pot), Pennyroyal, Peppermint, Periwinkle, Pimpernel, Poke, Poppy, Prickly Ash, Purslane, Ragweed, Ragwort, Rhubarb, Rose, Rosemary, Rowan, Rue, Sage, Sassafras, Scullcap, Skunk Cabbage, Slippery Elm, Snakeroot, Solomon’s Seal, Spearmint, Spikenard, St. John’s Wort, Star Anise, Sunflower, Sweet Pea, Sweetgrass, Tansy, Thistle, Thyme, Tonka, Turmeric, Valerian, Wolf’s Bane, Wood Betony, Wood Sorrel, Woodruff, Wormwood, and Yarrow.
The major stones with Magickal properties are as follows: Agate, Amazonite, Amber, Amethyst, Beryl, Bloodstone, Carnelion, Chryosite, Coral, Diamond, Emerald, Garnet, Jade, Lapis Lazuli, Lapis Linguis, Lapis Langurius, Moonstone, Opal, Pearl, Quartz Crystal, Rose Quartz, Ruby, Sardonyx, Topaz, Tourmaline, Turquoise, and Zircon.
Goals of Magickal Practice
In general terms, the practice of Natural Magick is meant to establish a greater connection with the divine as well as to learn more about the nature of the self and of the Universe. However, this is not so easy once in the Circle. To be even more specific, the above goals of Magick are achieved through reaching an altered state of consciousness that allows the individual to see into the time-space continuum, find themselves on another plane of existence, or to invoke the divine within. To filter this notion once more, there are several methods of practice to reach this state of consciousness. Therefore, the goal of Magick is to understand energy flow or Akasha in order to find an individualized form of transformation in order to attain an altered state of consciousness in order to reach Akasha. This process may seem quite complex, and it is, but once the individual gets underway it all begins to make more sense.
The best manner in which to begin is to describe the various forms of transformation. There is first the Assumptive Process, which includes mediumship. The Assumptive Process is intended to invoke or evoke either the divine or spirits residing in an alternate plane of existence. As mentioned previously, invoking the Goddess in Wicca is a very daring step that can either lead to great benefits for all of mankind, or selfish henosis and apotheosis. Channeling spirits on the other hand, whether human or animal, is a more common practice. This practice is intended to bring forth information from alternate realms and seek guidance from the spirits. The art of invoking the spirits is often called summoning.
The other common method of Magickal Practice is through scrying, or divination. This is the art of reading the divine’s signs through an inanimate object. Common forms of divination include the following: Aeromancy, Alectromancy, Alectryomancy, Aleuromancy, Alomancy, Alphitomancy, Amniomancy, Anthropomancy, Apantomancy, Arithmancy, Armomancy, Aspidomancy, Astragalomancy, Austromancy, Axinomancy, Belomancy, Bibliomancy, Botanomancy, Capnomancy, Cartomancy, Catoptromancy, Cattabomancy, Causimomancy, Ceramancy, Chalcomancy, Chaomancy, Chartomancy, Cheresmomancy, Chiromancy (Palmistry), Cledonomancy, Cleidomancy, Cleromancy, Crithomancy, Crystalomancy (using a crystal ball), Cubomancy, Cyclomancy, Dactyliomancy, Daphnomancy, Demonomancy, Elaeomancy, Empyromancy, Felidomancy, Floromancy, Gastromancy, Gelomancy, Geomancy, Gyromancy, Hydromancy, Icthyomancy, Idolomancy, Lampadomancy, Lecanomancy, Libaonmancy, Lithomancy, Logarithamancy, Lychnomancy, Macharomancy, Margaritomancy, Meteormancy, Metopomancy, Molybdomancy, Myomancy, Necromancy, Nephelomancy, Oculomancy, Oinomancy, Oloygmancy, Omphalomancy, Oneiromancy, Onimancy, Onomancy, Onychomancy, Oomancy, Ophiomancy, Pedomancy, Pegomancy, Pessomancy, Petchimancy, Phyllorhodomancy, Psychomancy, Pyromancy, Rhabdomancy, Scapulomancy, Scarpomancy, Sciomancy, Scyphomancy, Selenomancy, Sideromancy, Sphondulomancy, Splanchomancy, Spodomancy, Spudomancy, Stolisomancy, Sychomancy, Tasseomancy, Tephramancy, Theomancy, Theriomancy, Tiromancy, Transataumancy, Xylomancy, and Zoomancy.
Then there is the rarer study of alchemy, or transforming one metal into another.
Clairvoyance and ESP
Wicca holds that the transformation into an altered state of consciousness in order to reach the divine can be achieved by each and every individual regardless of natural abilities. Though with that said, some individuals do require less training and practice than others. Much like joining a Coven where ancestral lineage may play a large role in initiation, an individual might possess an inherent capacity for the discipline of the mind. This may be a result of genetic traits, or it could simply be a characteristic unique to the individual apart from heredity.
The Wiccan practitioner will likely require many tools when performing ceremonial Magick. Each of the numerous methods of divination require some external item such as a fire, an animal, a crystal ball, a human palm, as well as various other objects. In addition, depending upon the personalized approach toward Magick, the individual might utilize a Caduceus (wand), Arcana (Tarot Cards), a white-handled knife, an athame (ceremonial dagger), and perhaps any of the various plants and stones that possess Magickal properties. While this is the most common approach, there are others who need only their mind.
Clairvoyance and ESP, or Extra-Sensory Perception, are fundamentally what practitioners of Natural Magick seek to achieve, though without the use of any external sources. These means of foresight are regarded as highly controversial as the idea of one possessing this ability as inherent would seem to imply supernatural or paranormal abilities. Nonetheless, there are individuals who claim to be clairvoyant or possess ESP.
Extra-sensory perception is generally the umbrella term, with clairvoyance as the premier category. The terms describe the ability to see events requiring neither any instruments nor the five senses. ESP is essentially the sixth sense, or the third eye that allows an individual to go about their daily business with foresight. No preparation or special location is required, and in one sense, the clairvoyant individual could be considered perpetually connected to the divine, though this idea is still up for debate. Additionally, many clairvoyants have said that while their natural ability has given them a great edge, an individual without this inherent capacity also possesses the ability to attain natural foresight.
The Circle
For the Wiccans who practice Ritual Magick, the Circle is the locale where all is done. The Circle is regarded as a sacred space for both the individual and the Coven when applicable. It is said to reside between the worlds because when one enters the Circle, they have exited the physical realm, but have not yet reached the spiritual. In general Wiccan practice, the Circle is Cast on the eight Sabbats of the year, and can be Cast as well during the end of the full moon and start of the new moon, known as Esbats.
Again, the manner in which the Circle is Cast differs amongst Wiccans and is a personal choice based on what seems fitting. It is a difficult task to outline the actions of a given Wiccan Ritual as the description would be different depending upon sect and personal preference. Generally in the Coven structure, this is what would transpire once all of the members have been bathed and are prepared for Ritual:
First, the sacred space is established by the High Priest or Priestess usually in the backwoods or another isolated location; indoors is acceptable as well. Then, an altar is set up within this space where the necessary tools are placed. The tools that are representative of the elements are then consecrated and purified though the High Priest or Priestess’ chanting, which leads to the summoning of the elements. The tools of the elements are placed at the cardinal directions of the sacred space approximately four and a half feet from the center by those who are called the Guardians. Once prepared, the High Priest or Priestess will use the athame to trace the Circle with a nine-foot diameter beginning in the East and continuing deosil, or sunwise. This is called Casting the Circle. Sometimes, each individual enters the Circle separately, asked by the High Priestess how they will enter the Circle. The member may respond “In perfect love and perfect trust,” or “In the light and love of the Goddess.” The Circle is then cleansed and purified, ready for the invocation of the Goddess, or another form of the divine that is worshipped.
If all goes according to plan, the divine will be summoned within the Circle, and the connection to the Universe will be made. The Circle is then closed by the High Priest or Priestess. The Ritual has ended, and it is time for cakes and wine.
Book of Shadows
In the Wiccan’s apothecary, there may be a plethora of herbs, roots, flowers, stones, and the like. In the Wiccan’s closet, there might be various other tools. Some might be large, some might be small. Some might be practical, others symbolic. Regardless, one tool is considered of greater importance than the rest.
This notion might seem to contradict the ideal of equality held in the Wiccan faith, though this is not the case. As it is reiterated, the Wiccan path to spirituality is a personal one, where the experiences one encounters along the way are unique and hold delicate meaning. Also, the manner in which one learns and practices is distinctive. The tool that allows an individual to learn from past mistakes and mature as a human is the memory, embodied in Wicca as a Book of Shadows.
Often referred to as a Grimoire or Black Book, the Book of Shadows is the individual reflection on their unique path to spirituality. It can be thought of as a journal, personal doctrine, or just a book of notes. Nonetheless, every Wiccan is encouraged to maintain a Book of Shadows, preferably hand-written, from their Initiation through all rites of passage. Additionally, while certain sects hold that a Book of Shadows should be destroyed immediately after its creator’s death, others hold that this knowledge should not be kept secret, but should instead be transparent for others to learn from.
A Book of Shadows might be written like a diary, with an entry completed each day. Another might consist primarily of incantations that proved most effective during Rituals. Another might simply be a list of recipes that the Wiccan has perfected. This is wholly a personal decision. Lady Sheba is credited with publishing the first Book of Shadows in the United States in 1971, though it has been said that the true first Book of Shadows to be known publicly was Doreen Valiente’s rewrite of Gerald Gardner’s work in Great Britain.
Magickal Tools and Incantations
In addition to a Book of Shadows, the human mind and voice are the key tools in the practice of Magick. First off, when entering the Circle, the individual must maintain a precise mindset. One cannot be thinking within the material nor physical realm, but must exist solely in the mental realm preparing to enter the spiritual. This means that mental focus is of the utmost importance.
One technique for clearing the mind of external thoughts not pertaining to creating a connection with the Universe is meditation. There are various forms of meditation, and the individual may elect to reach a meditative state as frequently as desired. This could mean daily, or only on days of Ritual. Another technique sometimes used is called centering. Centering is similar to meditation, though often involves looking externally and understanding one’s surroundings in order to be physically aware and under control. Regardless of the technique, the mind must be employed to a large extent in the Magickal process in order to attain success.
The use of incantations is also an important piece in the practice of Magick. Some individuals are born sans voices, while others may not find it necessary to speak orally because the divine already knows these words from the mind. Nonetheless, to have a standard verse of words spoken either to oneself or out loud is central in maintaining focus, permitting the transformation to an altered state of consciousness, as well as to ensure that the individuals within a Coven all possess a similar group mind, or collective consciousness. While the words may be personal as well, there are certain chants that have been established for particular Rituals. Some of these include The Charge of the Goddess and Great Rite Invocation by Stewart Farrar, The Myth of the Descent of the Goddess by Raven Grimassi, Drawing Down the Moon, The Witches’ Chant, and Invocation of the Horned God by Lady Sheba, and The Witches’ Creed by Doreen Valiente.
Additional tools found within the material realm are often used as well in Magick. These may include, but are not limited to the altar, athame, arcana, white-handled knife, cords, staff, caduceus, bell, besom, burin, candles, incense and censer, chalice and libations, as well as various oils, plants, and stones.
Charging
With extensive knowledge and training, the practice of Magick can be used beyond the scope of the personal path to spirituality to extend to the material and physical realms. In the most fundamental sense, an experienced practitioner holds the capacity to transmit Magickal energy to an inanimate object. Similar to reloading the battery of an electronic appliance like a cell phone, this process is referred to as charging.
In the Circle, the tools used in the Rituals are charged prior to invocation. There are several methods to accomplish this task. The tools can be exposed to the light of the full moon prior to a Ritual, an object can be placed within a sacred flame, or lie on a censer as incense is burning. Incantations are also often used when charging a Ritual tool.
Then there is Odic Force. At the zenith of focus and self-control, a practitioner need not require any additional tools when charging, but rather use their natural abilities. Odic Force has its foundations in the science of the Universe, but can be related to the same force within a human being. The gravitational pull of the sun and moon upon the Earth and the Earth’s rotation upon its axis assist in generating this energy, and making it present upon the earth for the practitioner’s use. With the knowledge of this force in his or her hands, the Magickian must only use their personal energy to transfer Magick onto an object.
While the concept of charging is often misconceived as charms of superstition, there is true validity in the custom. It has been present since the first men of Natural Magick. More times than not in the world today, a charm is not truly charged. However, ancient amulets, talismans, and hag stones meant to ward an individual from evil all find their origins connected to charging. In fact, the word abracadabra was originally a charged Roman charm that now is considered an asinine word somehow connected to Magick.
Spellcasting
The Casting of Spells takes the model of charging one step further. To recap, the practice of Natural Magick deals with the Universe’s energy flow. The goal of the practitioner is to utilize this energy within the self in order to reach an altered state of consciousness utilizing various tools and techniques. Once the transformation takes place, the individual is able to exit the mental realm and enter the spiritual in order to create a connection with the divine. Once this has been achieved, the practitioner will have a better feel for the fifth dimension, Akasha, and through intense practice can be able to transfer this energy onto inanimate objects. Then, if the devotee wishes to become a true master, they might proceed and turn their attention towards the transfer of energy onto other living beings. This art is called Spellcasting.
Like Ritual Magick, Spellcasting is usually performed within the Circle or some other sacred space. Casting will usually include the use of tools or Odic Force, and oftentimes mantras, mandalas, and mundras as well. These are used mainly to keep the Caster focused upon the goal at hand for with Spellcasting the consequences of a misstep may be much more calamitous than in standard tradition. Additionally, a Spell may be as simple or complex as the aim in which it serves to achieve. In Wicca, there exist Love Spells, Protection Spells, Luck Spells, and Health Spells amongst many others. Outside of Wicca, there are also Vodou Spells, Ultimate Spells, and Curses – better known as Spells of the Dark Arts. Within each category, a Spell may be modified to fit a more specific need. One could serve to help reinforce the bond of marriage between two individuals, and another similar Spell may operate to increase one of these individual’s capacity for compassion.
In theory, the Caster redirects certain energy toward the target of the Spell while they absorb the energy that would hinder the Spell’s success. To illustrate this point, a common starting point for many Spellcasters is the Aura Cleansing. Here, the Caster intends to purify the aura, or the biomagnetic energy field that surrounds all living organisms. They perform the task at hand by first absorbing all of the negative energy that would be headed toward the target and then redirect positive energy toward the target that was not intended for them. With the completion of the Casting, the individual should begin to hold more positive thoughts, and feel liberated from the negative pressures that had previously been present.
Custom, Ultimate, and Combination Spells
It is very important to understand the precise measures that need to be taken when Casting a Spell. Nikola Tesla once declared that even an exact science is not truly an exact science. He dealt mostly with numbers and formulas. Spellcasting, however, is an art that requires exact gauges. The Caster must fully comprehend the intentions that the Spell will carry out, they must possess knowledge of the target, and they must know how to properly Cast. Even if a Casting is requested by an individual external from the process, if there should be any mishaps, the responsibility lies exclusively in the hands of the Caster.
In recent decades, Spellcasting has trended more towards a science than an art. This is not to say that Casting will ever be a true science that can be studied in a classroom for the personal mental concentration will always be the key to success. However, it was not long ago that Spellcasting was considered a primal art when today that same art is being enhanced exponentially.
At first, there was a Spell. Then the Spell acquired a purpose, primarily for love or protection. Today, the objective of Spellcasting can cover any topic that is relatively simple and attainable. At the front of this movement is the 7Witches Coven, whose members have established Ultimate, Custom, and Combination Spells. Ultimate Spells are similar to multiple Castings, and the most potent results possible (at this day in time) are produced. Customs Spells are designed to accomplish any singular purpose requested provided that it lies within the capacity of human realization.
Custom Spells are the newest form of Spells to date, though they were thought up of much earlier. In the latter part of the eighteenth century by a Master Psychic named Polaris. It was he who discovered that by Casting a certain Spell simultaneously with another particular Spell, the results of both were magnified exponentially. He became renowned for pairing two potent Spells of compatible purposes, and Casting them at the same time. Where Spellcasting will go from here, only the most experienced Casters can know.
Structure of a Coven
If an individual elects to join a Wiccan Coven, acceptance is not a given. In its simplest form, a Coven is a group of Wiccans who choose to practice and worship together. There are numerous Wiccan Covens. Some are considered sects of the Wiccan faith as they diverge from the standard practices of Gardnerian, Dianic, and Alexandrian Wicca. These Covens may hold a different belief than another Coven or prioritize their aims differently. Each of these sects there might be a single, larger Coven, or multiple Covens. Tradition holds that the ideal number for members in a Coven is thirteen.
Within the individual Coven, there is generally a structure to keep order and to design a system for advancement through training and other forms of contribution. Sometimes, there are even ardanes, or sets of rules to which the members of that particular Coven must adhere. Other than the sacred space where the Circle is located, there may be a temple or other form of sanctuary belonging to the Coven. If there is a temple, there are usually many chambers, including an adytum, or the secret chamber which holds the Coven’s most confidential documents.
Also, a degree-system typically exists to distinguish the experience levels amongst the members of the Coven. The highest level in which a Wiccan can attain is the fifth-degree, though sometimes this level is excluded due to the unrealistic demands that the individual must reach in order to achieve this title. In this case, the fourth-degree is the pinnacle, similar to the black belt in martial arts. British Traditional Wicca acknowledges only three degrees following Initiation. If a new initiate or member seeks to advance within the Coven, they must follow the necessary procedures to advance to the next degree.
The degrees designate a system of rank, though does not nearly complete the list of positions held within a Coven. There is of course the High Priest or Priestess. His or her ranking is denoted through accessories worn. For example, the High Priest will generally wear a crown upon his head, while the High Priestess will wear a circlet. In addition, there are handmaidens, ladies, Tylers, and Guardians during Rituals, and other positions may be present depending upon the Coven.
Rites of Passage
In order to be initiated into or advance within a Coven, an individual must complete various rites of passage. The duration of the probationary period differs amongst the sects of Wicca for a new initiate, and in certain cases an individual may be exempt from the entire process. This is because depending upon the Coven, an individual with a family heritage in the craft may be considered an automatic bid for entry. The ancestral lineage aspect of the Initiation procedure could be seen as favoritism, and a flaw in the system. However, as Wicca values the past, this facet is meant more to pay tribute to the actions of members who have passed on.
In British Traditional Wicca, which includes both Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca amongst other sects, the probationary period is said to be one year and one day. In spite of this regulation, the time in which a prospective member must await for initiation tends to be difference for each individual. This may be based off of progress or other contributions (or lack thereof) to the Coven.
The following is an archetypal scenario in which an individual might encounter when joining a Coven. The individual expresses interest in the Coven, and based upon approval the individual becomes a novice. After the probationary period has passed and the novice has remained in good standing, they will attend an Initiation Ceremony in which they advance to the first-degree. The Initiation Ceremony may entail the novice sitting in the hot seat within the Initiate’s Circle, and endure a challenge by other members. In the challenge, the novice is asked personal and profound questions to test their purity and intentions. Once completed, the new Initiate will declare the Coven’s sacred oath to complete the ceremony. In certain sects, the Initiation Ceremony is held in a Sky-Clad fashion in which the novices wear their birthday suits.
Once the first-degree Wiccan fulfills the requirements of the Coven to advance to the second-degree, which is usually includes a demonstration of the knowledge of the Ritual tools and incantations, the individual can again advance. At the second-degree, the Wiccan now holds the power to initiate other novices. Then, through participation in the Great Rite, or another test of will, the individual is advanced into the third-degree, where they are now able to form their own Coven.
Solitary
It is a difficult task to approximate the number of Wiccans in the world today. Preferably, whether a Coven has a temple dedicated to worship or not, they are officially registered with their respective nation’s government. However, even if all members of Wiccan Covens were accounted for, this number would not be nearly indicative of the total number of practicing Wiccans. This is because many Wiccans choose to practice and worship individually in the comfort of their unique sacred space. This group is referred to as solitary Wiccans.
Renowned Wiccans Raymond Buckland and Scott Cunningham are two of the proponents for solitary practice. Buckland states that some of the most infamous witches throughout human history had been solitaries, with the Witch of Endor of being one of the first. Evidence of the Witch, or Medium of Endor’s work can be found in the Book of Samuel within the Old Testament.
While there are advantages to joining a Coven, there are advantages to being a solitary as well. The majority of solitary Wiccans fall under a subcategory called eclectic Wicca. Eclectic Wicca reinforces the idea of individuality within an organized religion. The solitary may select which traditions, beliefs, symbols, and the like are most relevant to who they are, rather than having these decisions already be made for them. Additionally, the solitary does not need to reject any other philosophy in order to accept the Wiccan faith. It is only within eclectic Wicca that you may find a solitary who holds Apollo or Seth as the supreme deity and creator of all.
Solitary practitioners have also historically been called hedge witches, which has been modernized to kitchen witches. These solitaries are primarily concerned with the Magickal and other healing properties of plants and stones. They have learned through practice how to pick out the correct herbs from the wild hedges (or grocery store). The traditions or connection to a deity might not be as important, but the kitchen witch will still consider him or herself a Wiccan due to the fundamental reverence of nature.
History of Wicca
As Wicca is a relatively new religious movement, its history must be distinguished from the history of witchcraft. Witchcraft finds its origins in the first human civilizations while Wicca is a phenomenon of the past century. Even with the idealistic values of religious and political tolerance that is taught in schools today, the stereotype remains today regarding practicing witches as worshippers of the devil. In fact, this was the widespread belief concerning witches that did not begin to change until around the quarter mark of the 20th Century.
The shift in the status quo began with the studies of the renowned anthropologist, Dr. Margaret Murray. With a strong interest in the Magickal practices of ancient Egypt, Murray began to research why many of the beneficial Egyptian traditions died over time. The research lead to the uncovering of many underground pagan groups in Western Europe, who were unable to surface due to misconceived notions. The end result was a series of books, beginning with the publishing of Witch Cult in Western Europe in 1921. The book claimed that witchcraft and other forms of paganism had faced oppression throughout history due to the resistance of the Christian Church. Additionally, Murray states that the idea of the devil, or pure evil, was a fabrication of Christianity in the successful attempt to hinder those who hold different beliefs. This was known as the witch-cult theory. Murray’s books soon gained eminence, and the public’s perception of the craft gradually began to change. Soon, underground Covens began to build in the public eye namely in England, and new pagan, now called neopagan groups began to form.
The next important step in the development of Wicca occurred in 1951. In Great Britain, a law that encumbered practice of witchcraft was established in 1735 known as the Witchcraft Act. Under this act, essentially all practices of witchcraft were forbidden else the penalty of incarceration. When this law was rescinded, individuals and Covens alike no longer needed to fear the repercussions of their beliefs.
Gerald Gardner
Margaret Murray’s work and the repeal of the Witchcraft Act of 1735 opened a door with uncertainty on the other side. In order for witchcraft to grow and be seen as acceptable in the eyes of other religions, a strong leader would need to walk through this door with confidence and without fear of any of the obstacles he or she might face. Born on the 13th day of June in 1884, Gerald Brousseau Gardner, or Scire as he was known within the craft, emerged as this needed leader.
Having spent a good portion of his childhood in southern Asia, Gardner returned to Britain in 1936. At this time, British Traditional Witchcraft began to ascend above ground while Wicca remained a zygote. Gardner was very interested in witchcraft, as well as other aspects of the occult, archaeology, anthropology and history. Upon his return, Gardner first joined the Corona Fellowship of Rosicrucians, though he became dissatisfied with this order. Then, in 1939 Gardner was initiated into the New Forest Coven.
During the Initiation Ceremony, it was said that Gardner distinguished the word “Wica”, which was the ancient word for witchcraft. In fact, because ancient witches were known to be very knowledgeable about nature, they were called Wica, which translates to “the wise.” It was after this ceremony that Gardner began to call his associates Wica, which later developed into Wicca. Also following this ceremony, Gardner founded his own Coven with Edith Woodford-Grimes and Doreen Valiente called the Bricket Wood Coven. The tradition practiced here was Gardner’s modification of British Traditional Witchcraft, and became known as Gardnerian Wicca.
The emergence of Gardnerian Wicca coincided with the repeal of the law that forbade the practice of Witchcraft. Thus, the political and social forces were finally working in the witches’ favor. The door opened, and a strong man came through with an appealing ideology mixing traditional witchcraft, reverence of nature, and modern ideas. Though Gardner passed on February 12th of 1964, he left quite the legacy that would allow other neopagans such as Alex Sanders, Robert Cochrane, and Raymond Buckland to walk the street with pride in their religion.
History of Witchcraft
One could make the argument that the first caveman who could find value in a bone on the ground marks the start of witchcraft. This is because prior to the establishment of the major organized monotheistic religions, paganism was used as umbrella terms for the belief systems in existence at the time. Witchcraft as we know it today was just another of the pre-Christian pagan religions. Societal interaction was not so much based upon creed as it was trade, class, and lineage. Thus, while one is able to trace the exact roots of nearly all other religions, this is not the case for witchcraft.
Rather than the above analogy with the bone as a symbol for a tool that contains practicality an early human might have thought of as Magickal at the time, a better representation would be the first human all together. Early humans were hunters and gatherers. To hunt signifies to kill a living organism that the divine has provided for them on this planet and to gather is tantamount in terms of nature’s fruits.
The actual word ‘witch’ stems from the Old English or Saxon ‘Wicca’ or ‘Wicce’ meaning wise, as Gerald Gardner was able to recognize upon his initiation into the craft. There is debate about the true origins, however, and many Wiccans believe the word is a result of a misconception. Historically, the term was usually associated with those who practice Magick to Cast Spells and Curses upon others, as well as those with supernatural abilities that are utilized for destruction. A witch was distinguished from a sorcerer as at the time it was thought that a witch could manipulate an individual’s line of thinking simply through their inherent abilities, while the sorcerer or wizard would require many materials.
Most of the ancient pagan religions began to deteriorate with the spread of Christianity in the Middle Ages. This was partially due to the Christian Church appealing to the pagan by incorporating many of their beliefs into the Christian structure, but more importantly because Christianity claimed to be the only path to salvation and therefore demonstrated hostility to who they perceived to be the opposition. Witchcraft found itself at the top of the list. Though witchcraft was in existence since the dawn of man, the history of the word coincides with the Christian era, and is all too often misconceived. When an individual hears the word witch, they are likely prone to think of witch hunts and women with boils on their face making potions in a cauldron. This is the image that was drawn up by the crusaders. Though in the scope of history, witchcraft can be considered lucky as many of these other forms of paganism are still in existence underground, waiting to surface much like Wicca in recent years.
Pagan Mythology
Because Wicca as new age witchcraft has gained the greatest recognition of the surviving pre-Christian pagan religions, a viewpoint must be given concerning the value other neopagan faiths attempting to surface. This is to say that while ancient witchcraft primarily worshipped the Triple or Moon Goddess and the Horned God, Wicca holds no restrictions here. An individual possesses the freedom to integrate any deities, demigods, or even mortal heroes from other forms of ancient paganism in this great neopagan union called Wicca.
It is not as if the deities of these pagan systems were thought up in a dream by a single individual. Rather, they were developed over time based on the aspects of daily life such as farming, weather, and politics where worship to the divine would be beneficial. Many of these deities were personified in order for the human to feel a greater connection and be able to relate to the changes in nature similar to a change in a person’s mood.
Additionally, each of these pagan faiths had a story of creation to help explain the origins of the Universe and of the Earth. In this day and age, it is easier to explain the movement of the cosmos, or the celestial bodies that can be witnessed each day in the sky. In ancient times, stories were necessary to make sense of humanity’s place within the Universe, regardless of the emphasis placed upon the importance of human life.
Many pagan myths have been lost over time as they were transmitted orally or razed by religions with different beliefs that were perceived as contradictory. However, many myths remain today. The prominent mythological systems were found in ancient Greece, Egypt, Scandinavia, Persia, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, France, and even the Indus Valley and the Far East. These systems are best known as the following, respective to their location: Greek Mythology, Egyptian Mythology, Norse Mythology, Teutonic Mythology, Gaelic Mythology, Welsh Mythology, Celtic Mythology, and the like. For all intents and purposes, all beliefs in the divine predating Christianity are considered a form of pagan mythology.
Burning Times
Burning Times is a term that describes the persecution that witches have faced throughout the course of human history, predominantly in early modern Europe. It is also a documentary that explores a similar enough concept: an anti-feminist motive as the cause of the early European Witchcraft Trials between the 15th and 18th centuries A.D. The label may apply to a feeling inside when one is wrongly accused, but it is really intended to shed light to the many women who were burnt at the stake. One estimate holds that in this time period nearly nine million witches were killed, though a more accurate approximation is one hundred thousand women.
In the late medieval era, several developments occurred which led to a significant change in the status quo. The Christian Church was quickly growing, and established legislation that branded non-believers of Christianity as heretics and therefore enemies of the state. Additionally, while many Christians had either denied the existence of the craft all together or the natural powers that a witch could acquire, the general mindset changed. These individuals began to acknowledge the capacity of witches and deemed it as a serious threat. Finally, some smaller groups not representative of the whole generated doctrine regarding devil worship, which brought the craze to its zenith.
The chaos rapidly spread. Under the pretense of assisting heretics in finding the light, the Church began a witch hunt. Throughout Europe, those who were not in direct contact with the church, employed or as a member, were brought to trial. There were many series of trials depending upon location. Some of the best known took place in Trier, Bamberg, Fulda, North Berwick, and Wurzberg. Each series only lasted approximately five years, though once one ended another immediately began.
The witches on trial were questioned about their relationship and examined in depth. The courts looked for ‘marks of the devil’, which were just birthmarks, tools used in Magick, blasphemy, and the like. All too often, a witch was placed in a deathtrap, such as the stake or attached to a weight in the water, where it was supposed that if the woman survived, she was a witch and must be killed, and if she died then she was dead and no longer a threat. There were some men questioned, however nearly all of the victims were women, as the Church also thought that witches acquired their powers through sexual relations with demons or the devil. Burning Times cover these centuries, but now applies to any context in which the craft faces maltreatment.
Inquisition
The early European Witchcraft trials were considered the civil approach in dealing with women who might be witches at the time. Though the trial often resulted in the death penalty, the convicted woman would have her day in court and at least attempt to provide an explanation as to why some of her habits were similar to the archetype of a witch. All the while in Medieval to Renaissance Europe, witch hunts were commonplace, where any woman suspected of practicing the craft would be tracked by a mob, and often lynched, burnt, or drowned.
The Inquisition was the formal name given to the collection of witch hunts, and the general pursuit of heretics. It was not directly aimed to target witches, but all non-Christians at the time. Though the Inquisition occurred throughout Europe, its events are best known in Spain in the late-15th Century, as many Jews, Moslems, and witches alike were either killed or exiled from the land.
Beginning in the 12th Century, the general Inquisition was established by the Roman Catholic Church. The institution began to allow torture as a method to root out heretics, and the Papal See gave this directive to the Dominican Order. And the story begins…
Another major step occurred in the 16th Century the publishing of Jakob Sprenger’s Malleus Maleficarum. This was a book that was meant to be a guide for witch hunters in the Inquisition. Sprenger wrote that all witches possess certain traits which would facilitate the hunt. Some of these characteristics included that all witches were women with marks upon their faces; they lived alone or with animals known as familiars; they acted strange. The witch hunt trend continued until the latter half of the 18th century when the papacy changed their approach.
By no means does this specific time period denote the only time in which witches were sought for capture. In Roman times, the enactment of the 12 Tables of Pagan Roman Law resulted in the execution of nearly 200 women. Even today, witch hunts continue in sub-Saharan Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Papua New Guinea. If those who had thought that the world was becoming a more enlightened and tolerant place as the witch hunts died down in the early 19th Century were aware of the witch hunts today, the Holocaust, genocide in Armenia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Sierra Leona, Sudan amongst others, they would realize that a great deal was left unaccomplished.
Salem Witchcraft Trials
In the United States, the Salem Witchcraft Trials were the largest political event concerning the craft. The state of affairs has again come into public exposure in the last sixty years with Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible.
In 1692, the United States was a relatively new nation. In fact, it was not a nation at all. It still was a dependency of Great Britain’s, though many British citizens had sailed across the Atlantic to the United States in search of religious freedom. In Salem, Massachusetts, this was just the case. A group of Puritans, or strict Christians, had established the town in 1629 to create a religious structure combining church and state for all of its residents. Additionally, the British Parliament had made witchcraft a capital offense, and a policy to which all of the colonists in the United States must adhere.
In 1688, the two Goodwin sisters of Salem began to act in a strange fashion, supposedly after talking to a laundress. The laundress Goody Glover was then hanged as she was deemed a witch, and a new reverend, Samuel Parris, was brought into Salem to prevent another happening such as this (though he was not well received). However, four years later, the Reverend’s daughter and niece began acting in a similar manner to the Goodwin girls after having spent a night with Tituba, an African-American servant and practitioner of Santeria. More girls began acting in this manner soon after, and a doctor was brought in who first diagnosed that witchcraft may play a part in these girls’ change in behavior.
In reality, the initial girls had been interested in Tituba’s doings, though when they were seen they knew that there would be dire consequences for their actions. Therefore, they began an act and claimed that they had been violated by witches in alternate realms. Tituba had also admitted to an encounter with the devil, which heightened the craze. Between June and September of 1692 19 men and women were hanged and another stoned due to these girls’ accusations. These were people who the girls knew personally. If an individual confessed to witchcraft, they were kept in prison, though if they did not, they were likely taken to Gallows Hill to be hung.
There is much more to the story, though it all involves these girls accusing individuals of witchcraft knowing that they were not practitioners. This was to prevent the girls from being in trouble, and the fear of witchcraft by the Puritans was just the right tool. Many apologies have been made, and good names have been cleared, however with McCarthyism in the 1950’s, it does not seem that the ‘witch hunt’ will be over any time soon.
Wheel of the Year
The Wiccan Rituals, festivals, and other traditions are best exemplified in the Wheel of the Year. Though Wicca has designated this as the term for the annual cycle, the Wheel of the Year has its origins in ancient pagan beliefs. Also, as it pertains to the Earth’s change throughout the year, the agenda has not changed much over time.
In the regions of the Earth near or on the equator the climate rarely shifts. Moving north or south into the tropics, the temperature remains relatively consistent, though the land experiences both wet and dry seasons. In the temperate regions, the weather fluctuates as the year progresses in what is known as the seasons spring, summer, autumn (fall), and winter. Then at the poles, though the temperature is rarely too warm, the climate is at an extreme depending upon the season. Even in the desert, the day can reach extreme temperatures while an individual can freeze to death as the sun sets.
This might seem to be obvious knowledge, though too often it is taken for granted. There exists a method to everything that can be perceived as madness. The climate is constantly changing or not changing for a reason. It is the climate that enables life and the climate that can take it away. Unlike in the epoch of our pagan ancestors, the phases in the climate can be explained through scientific reasoning. The Earth upon its angled axis is in a state of constant rotation while the planet orbits around the sun in an elliptical fashion. This is very helpful in understanding ‘how’, but not so much ‘why.’
The divine is the Universe, proprietor of the Earth. The divine works in mysterious ways, though we know that it is to help us learn and grow. Ancient pagans and Wiccans today revere nature and the changes within. Therefore, it is logical that the Rituals follow the important changes of Mother Earth rather than the actions of a false prophet. Within the Wheel of the Year, there are eight total Sabbats, or religious festival. Four of these are considered Greater Sabbats, while four are deemed Lesser. The Wheel of the Year is often symbolized as an eight-spoke wheel.
Greater Sabbats
The four Greater Sabbats, sometimes referred to as fire festivals, all occur at points midway between major transitions in the Earth’s yearly cycle known as cross-quarter marks. These Sabbats stem from ancient Celtic paganism. Contrariwise, the Lesser Sabbats occur on the two equinoxes when day and night are equal length, as well as the two solstices, or the longest day and longest night of the year. Though there are various names for the Greater Sabbats, their Wiccan titles are Lughnasadh (Lammas), Beltane, Samhain, and Imbolc (Candlemas).
Employing the Gregorian calendar in the Northern Hemisphere, Imbolc is the first Greater Sabbat of the year. It falls around the 2nd of February, as a midpoint between the Winter Solstice (Yule) and the Spring Equinox (Ostara). Sometimes called Candlemas, Imbolc is a time of new beginnings. For those residing in temperate climates, the snowfall may come to a halt and the temperature begins to rise. In some pagan mythology, Imbolc is the time in which the Goddess rests after giving birth to the Horned God. Fire is the element associated with Imbolc, and the arts are widely celebrated.
Beltane falls on either April 30th or the 1st of May. For this reason, it is often also called May Day, and less often Roodmas or Walpurgis Night. St. Walpurgis was a fierce opponent of witchcraft in the 8th century A.D., and her martyrdom was established upon the last day of April. Accordingly, Walpurgis Night is not the preferred name for this Wiccan festival. Beltane marks the midway point between the Spring Equinox (Ostara) and the Summer Solstice (Litha). The weather is finally nice, crops begin to grow, and animals and humans alike come out of hibernation.
Lughnasadh usually falls on the first day of August, or the midpoint between the Summer Solstice (Litha) and the Autumn Equinox (Mabon). It transpires when humans most perspire! At the hottest point of the year! The first fruits of labor have surfaced from the ground, and the harvest has begun. In mythology, it is a time of union between the Goddess and God, as well as a time when the God disguises himself as the Corn King, rather than the more common forms of the Holly King or the Oak King. Lughnasadh is also called Lammas, Feast of Bread, August Eve, and Harvest Home.
Finally, Samhain is considered by many Wiccans to be the most important of the Greater Sabbats. It falls on October 1st, between the Autumn Equinox (Mabon) and the Winter Solstice (Yule). Samhain provides the derivation for All Hallow’s Eve, better known as Halloween. The festival marks the transition from summer to winter as the temperature begins to drop and the harvest comes to an end. It is a time for celebration for the fruits that have been produced, as well as a time of reflection upon the harvest perhaps concerning what could be improved for the following year.
Lesser Sabbats
The four Lesser Sabbats fall on either a solstice or an equinox. The Lesser Sabbats have their roots from Germanic, or Teutonic paganism. While Greater Sabbats are associated with the moon, and thus the Goddess, the Lesser Sabbats are associated with the sun, or the God in dualtheistic belief. Though again there are various names for the Lesser Sabbats, in Wicca they are referred to as Yule, Ostara, Litha, and Mabon.
Beginning in January, the first Lesser Sabbat of the year is Ostara. It falls on the 21st day of March, when the length of day and night are equal in length. This is known as the Spring or Vernal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. Ostara is sometimes called Lady’s Day, Alban Eilir, or Festival of the Trees. It was additionally called Eostre, which is now known as Easter, a major holiday in Christianity. Ostara marks the lengthening of the days and the beginning of Spring. In mythology, it is the day in which the Goddess surfaces from the Underworld, or Summerlands.
Next comes Litha. Litha is held on the 21st day of June, also known as the Summer Solstice. This is the longest day of the year, meaning that the sun remains visible for longer on this day than any other in the year. Depending upon the tradition, Litha is sometimes also called Midsummer, Johannistag, Alben Hefin (Alben Heruin), Feast of Epona, Vestalia, or Gathering Day. Following Litha, the days begin to shorten as the harvest begins its ending phase. It is also the first battle of the year between the Holly King and the Oak King.
Mabon, or Madron, occurs on the 21st of September. Much like the Spring Equinox, the day and night are of equal length on this Autumn Equinox. However, rather than the days beginning to exceed the nights in length, just the opposite occurs on Mabon. It is sometimes called Festival of Dionysus, Second Harvest, Michaelmas, or Cornucopia. It is a time when the leaves begin to change colors and fall to the ground. In mythology, it is the time when the Horned God sacrifices himself, and awaits His rebirth from the Goddess in the spiritual realm.
Finally, Yule is often considered the most important of the Lesser Sabbats. It falls on the 21st of December, though many do celebrate the holiday on the 25th. The 21st is the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, called the Winter Solstice. In mythology, it is the time when the Horned God is reborn from the Goddess, and also signifies the second battle between the Holly King and the Oak King. Many Yule traditions can be witnessed today in Christianity’s celebration of Christmas.
Traditions
There are many other Wiccan traditions, both new and old. Many traditions occur on the festivals of the Sabbats. For example, it is on Yule that another significant event transpires: the Oak King battles with the Holly King. On the Winter Solstice, the Oak King emerges victorious as the Wheel of the Year turns in his favor, while on the Summer Solstice, the Holly King wins the epic battle, and the seasons work in His favor. This battle is still reenacted today in certain parts of Europe and Asia.
As the Lesser Sabbats originate from Germanic paganism, and the Greater Sabbats from Celtic paganism, many of the traditions have not differed from the original celebrations. Samhain was the Celtic New Year, and thus a costumed celebration and reflection of the year. Many individuals would leave libations out on their doorsteps for the deities. It was also commonplace to exchange fruits and nuts with neighbors. On Litha, the ancient Germanic people would often start a balefire and dance around it. With each of the Sabbats, there were distinctive customs that the pagans of old would follow, and many Wiccans today continue these traditions.
Other than the Sabbats, Wicca has twelve Esbats. The Esbats are generally held at the end of each full moon and the start of the new moon, representing a transition stage for the Goddess and thus for humanity. While the Sabbats are times of celebration and ceremonies, the Esbats are gatherings to complete matters at hand. Generally, a Coven or solitary will perform a Ritual for Invocation on these Esbats within the Circle.
Furthermore, Handfasting is the Wiccan equivalent to marriage and Handparting is similar to divorce. There is a Ritual for each of these occasions, as well as for birth, death, and other rites of passage in the life cycle such as Menopause. There is not really a Wicca equivalent for baptism, confirmation, or Bar/Bat-Mitzvah. Some sects also practice a Great Rite, which involves a sexual union between two members. As Wicca is acknowledges and studies the ever-changing phases of nature, every day is a reason to celebrate.
Famous Wiccans and Wiccan Sects
Many individuals have been mentioned throughout this site due to their contributions to Wicca. Some are High Priests or High Priestesses within a Coven while others are solitaries. Some consider themselves to be dualtheistic, while others are monotheistic, polytheistic, or atheistic. Some believe that Wicca is the practice of Magick and the participation in Rituals, while others believe that Wicca is love for the Earth and the Cosmos. Some are living and some have passed.
Regardless of their stance, these proponents of Wicca, witchcraft, paganism, environmental consciousness, freedom, and the like all hold an important place. It is clear by now that witches throughout history have faced many difficulties. It was and is never-ending. The obstacle of misconception could not be circumvented, often as a result of stubbornness of those who perceived witches as dangerous enemies.
But when a door closes a window opens. With the help of a few motivated and influential individuals, witchcraft was revived in the form of Wicca in recent years. When Gerald Gardner and Margaret Murray transcended this world in the 1960’s, the craft certainly could have regressed to an earlier point in time. Instead, a new generation of individuals stepped up. Some important names to mention (sometimes again) are Doreen Valiente, Robert Cochrane, Alex Sanders, Lady Sheba, Scott Cunningham, Raven Grimassi, Lady Silver Ravenwolf, Raymond Buckland, Zsusanna Budapest, George Patterson, Cesisisw Serith, Stewart and Janet Farrar, amongst many others.
These individuals and many more established their unique restoration of the craft, published books, and formed new Covens. All Wiccan sects and Covens are worth mentioning, though for reasons of searching the web, here is a list of the most prominent: Gardnerian Wicca, Alexandrian Wicca, Algard Tradition, Dianic Wicca, Cochrane’s Craft (and 1734 Tradition), Northern Tradition, Albion Tradition, Ladywood Tradition, Aridian and Arician Traditions, Black Forest Clan, Blue Star Wicca, Church and School of Wicca, Church of All Worlds, Church of the World Tree, Covenant of the Goddess, Crystal Moon Wicca, New Forest Coven, Temple of the Pagan Way, Ardantane, Green Witchcraft, Cellarius Tradition, Teutonic Wicca, Radical Faery (Feri) Tradition, Georgian Tradition, Heartland Spiritual Alliance, New Reformed Orthodox order of the Golden Dawn, Seax-Wicca, Red Path, Artus Wicca, Wiccan Mysticism, Sicilian Tradition, New Age Wicca. There is a wealth of information on the web concerning these different organizations for further reference.
Witchcraft in Pop Culture
It is hard to deny that witchcraft is an interesting subject, including the stereotype that Wiccans wish to avoid. It is a world of Magick (though usually portrayed as Magic), of Spells, supernatural abilities, paranormal experiences, and perhaps even an enchanted creature of ancient mythology. Though many of the references to witchcraft in pop culture today do deter the craft from progressing, the attention brought these same characters does assist in attracting new members. Pop culture is basically the chosen set of preferences by the collective in the current epoch. It is more or less the inventions of the time, in this case the industrial era extending to today, which is sometimes called the post-materialistic era.
The prime example comes from William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. In this play, three witches appear who are conjuring a potion to manipulate Macbeth into performing malicious deeds. It was these witches who coined the phrase, “Double, Double, Toil, and Trouble.” Then they proceed to throw in animal body parts into the cauldron. In fact, Shakespeare was well-informed and did not consider witches to be devil worshippers. Rather to Shakespeare, the three witches were allowing Macbeth to see an alternate point of view that he was unable to see prior. Additionally, the eyes of newt, dog’s tongue, toe of frog, and so on were not actually parts of the animals but rather other names for various plants. Though he was aware of the true meaning of his writing, through his nebulous language he did not help the image of witches at the time.
Next came Merlin from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Knights of the Round Table. Merlin was a wizard with great power which he used to affect free will and transcend the space-time continuum. Though it was never truly established the Merlin was mortal as he was Cursed by the dreadful Morganna and became a tree, he was not considered a deity. While the supernatural was previously left to the gods, Merlin provided a transition to a new status quo where it was believed that humans possessed inherent abilities that could translate into true powers once developed.
The fantasy genre was then greatly extended and has lasted until today. Series such as Lord of the Rings, Narnia, and Harry Potter continued to distort the role of the witch and create further misconceptions. The movie Hocus Pocus, and the television series Sabrina the Teenage Witch did the same. Unlike the rest of the above, the movie The Craft did hold some truths, though of course the witches were again worshippers of evil. If you are a woman and have seen a straight man dressed in drag playing the part of a woman, or are African-American who has witnessed ‘blackface,’ you can certainly understand the issues most Wiccans have with the portrayal of witchcraft in the media.
The Future of Wicca
Wicca has done nothing but grow in the past half century. With the political and social factors that allowed modern witchcraft to surface in Great Britain in the mid-20th century, the witches that were once underground made the most of their newfound freedom of religious practice.
The passing of Gerald Gardner only extended the reach of Wicca. Curiosity began to grow, and new leaders emerged on the scene. From Britain, Wicca spread to other parts of Western Europe. Then the expansion continued to the United States, Canada, Australia, and parts of Eastern Europe. Today, nearly every democratic nation can claim to have at least a few Covens within its borders, and some many, many more. In these democratic countries, as well as those in which individuals do not yet hold the same freedoms, there are many more solitaries who practice within their own domain.
Literature is being published at an alarming rate concerning not only Wicca, but the Occult, paganism, and other aspects of modern witchcraft. New Covens are constantly opening, and new Wiccan sects are constantly forming. With this growth, many new members arrive on the scene, each contributing their unique perspective. There will likely remain deliberation as this expansion continues. Some Wiccans value the traditions and Rituals of the craft, while others claim that virtually anybody who truly respects nature and human life can be considered a Wiccan.
This spread is certainly positive, but where does it lead? Wicca does not proselytize, and would most definitely not desire one to join despite their will. Wicca is just another word, and words do not hold true value. They do, however, contain symbolic value. In the spirit of theosophy, if Wicca could represent a union amongst all members of the human race and other living creatures, humanity would be able to set aside their differences, and be able to take a major step towards the creation of a collective connection with the Universe.
Conclusion
Many religions are based off of the words of prophets. Regardless of their state of consciousness, the prophet is said to have a direct connection with a deity, who communicates with the prophet in his or her native tongue. Wicca does not reject the words of these prophets, especially as the message holds great value concerning harmony upon our magnificent planet. However, to the Wiccan, it is preferable to witness the divine through the senses that we have been given. We are able to see, smell, touch, hear, and taste the beauty all around us. We are able to sense a connection with something greater in our heart.
The prophet has apparently been chosen by god amongst the millions to billions of members of the human race, depending upon the epoch. Wiccans do not believe that the Universe plays favorites, but rather values each living organism equally in their contributions. Each and every individual has the ability to create a connection with the divine by finding their unique path to spirituality, and then sticking to the goals at hand. Take Edgar Cayce for example. He is sometimes called the sleeping prophet, as he was able to attain existence in the spiritual realm and access the Akasha Records. However, this did not just come to him. It required a lifelong dedication to training.
The Wiccan path is as easy or hard as one makes it. If an individual seeks to learn more about the properties of plants to make herbal remedies and avoid the negative externalities of chemically-altered product, this is certainly a valid path that would require much reading and evaluation. If an individual seeks to create a connection with the Universe, learn a skill of mediumship, and practice Magick, great mental training, focus, hands-on-experience, as well as extensive study is necessary for success. As long as one is prepared and willing to perform the de rigueur tasks, they are ready to get underway and explore the splendor that is Wicca.
We come full circle. Like the moon. Like the sun. Like the Earth. Wicca is not just a religion. It is a means to help us understand the Universe, our great Earth, and the meaning of our existence. It is a system to help us find our place as humans within the wide scope of the Cosmos. While this system that we call Wicca does have certain guidelines, in the end it is what you make it. Each and every one of us has Wicca in our hearts; it is all just a matter of letting it be exposed.