The Path of A Witch
I have had many visitors to my site who are interested in knowing just what Wicca is and also what it isn't. I am keeping this page rather simple. There are a great many sites out there loaded with much more information than I can present here. If you are in need of more information please research and visit the sites of other Wiccans and Pagans (check my links page for some), many of them are informative and beautiful as well. Learn about the differences of each path. Here are some explanations that may help. I'm not looking to convert anyone but to try and explain what I see as the beauty of the Craft.
Wiccan Rede
Bide the Wiccan Law Ye Must,
In Perfect Love And Perfect Trust,
Eight Words The Wiccan Rede Fulfill:
An Ye Harm None, Do As Ye Will.
And Ever Mind The Rule Of Three:
What Ye Send Out, Comes Back To Thee.
Follow This With Mind And Heart,
And Merry Ye Meet, And Merry Ye Part.
Blessed Be...
Charge of the Goddess
by Doreen Valiente
Hear my words and know me!
I shall be called by a million names by all who speak!
I am Eternal Maiden!
I am Great Mother!
I am the Old One who holds the immortal key!
I am shrouded in Mystery, but am known to every soul!
Hear my words and know me!
Whenever the moon rises in the heavens shall my children come to me.
Better, it be once a month when the moon is full, shall ye assemble in some secret place, such as this, and adore the spirit of I.
I, who am the Queen of Witches!
And under my watchful eye, my children shall be taught the mysteries of Earth and Nature, of the ways of all Magick!
That which is unknown shall be known, and that which is hidden shall be revealed, even the secluded soul shall be pierced with my Light.
From my cauldron shall be drunk all knowledge and immortality!
Ye shall be free from slavery and ye shall dance, sing, and feast.
Music shall surround you, for mine is the ecstasy of the spirit, and mine is also the joy of the earth!
I do not demand sacrifice!
For behold, I am the Mother of all living things!
Create and heal!
Be strong, and yet gentle.
Be noble, yet reverent.
Bring forth and replenish.
And as does the cycle of the Moon ever begin to wax and wane and to grow forth again, as do the seasons from one to the next flow in smooth rhythm, from sowing to reaping, to seeming death and rebirth ... so will my children know their own pattern in both worlds!
And ye shall say these words ...
I Will love and harm none.
I Will live, love, die, and live again.
I Will meet, remember, know,
and embrace once more.
For the free will of ALL, And with harm to None
As I will
It now is done
So mote it be!
Charge of the God
by Doreen Valiente
I am the radiant King of the Heavens, flooding the Earth with warmth and
encouraging the hidden seed of creation to burst forth into manifestation. I lift my
shining spear to light the lives of all beings and daily pour forth my golden rays
upon the Earth, putting to flight the powers of darkness.
I am the spirit of all beasts wild and free. I run with the stag and soar as a
sacred falcon against the shimmering sky. The ancient woods and wild places
emanate my powers, the birds of the air sing of my sanctity.
I am the harvest, offering up grain and fruits beneath the sickle of time so that
all may be nourished. For without planting there can be no harvest; without winter
there can be no spring.
I am the thousand named Sun of creation, know that by all names I am the
same. The spirit of the horned stag in the wild, the endless harvest. See in the
yearly cycle of festivals my birth, death and rebirth and know that such is the
destiny of all creation.
I am the spark of life, the radiant Sun, the giver of peace and rest. I send my
rays of blessings to warm the hearts and strengthen the minds of all.
What is Wicca ?
By Amber K, High Priestess Our Lady of the Woods PO Box 176 Blue Mounds, WI 53517
WICCA (sometimes called Wicce, The Craft, or The Old Religion by its practitioners) is an ancient religion of love for life and nature. In prehistoric times, people respected the great forces of Nature and celebrated the cycles of the seasons and the moon. They saw divinity in the sun and moon, in the Earth Herself, and in all life. The creative energies of the universe were personified: feminine and masculine principles became Goddesses and Gods. These were not semi-abstract, superhuman figures set apart from nature: they were embodied in earth and sky, women and men, and even plants and animals.
This viewpoint is still central to present-day Wicca. To most Wiccans, everything in Nature -- and all Goddesses and Gods -- are true aspects of Deity. The aspects most often celebrated in the Craft, however, are the triple Goddess of the Moon (Who is Maiden, Mother and Crone) and the Horned God of the wilds. These have many names in various cultures. Wicca had its organized beginnings in Paleolithic times, co-existed with other Pagan ("country") religions in Europe, and had a profound influence on early Christianity. But in the medieval period, tremendous persecution was directed against the Nature religions by the Roman Church. Over a span of 300 years, millions of women and many children were hanged, drowned or burned as accused "Witches". The Church indicted them for black magic and Satan worship, though in fact these were never a part of the Old Religion. The Wiccan faith went underground, to be practiced in small, secret groups called "covens". For the most part, it had stayed hidden until very recent times. Now scholars such as Margaret Murray and Gerald Gardner have shed some light on the origins of the Craft, and new attitudes of religious freedom have allowed covens in some areas to risk becoming more open.
How do Wiccan folk practice their faith today? There is no central authority or doctrine, and individual covens vary a great deal. But most meet to celebrate on nights of the Full Moon, and at eight great festivals or Sabbats throughout the year.
Though some practice alone or with only their families, many Wiccans are organized into covens of three to thirteen members. Some are led by a High Priestess or Priest, many by a Priestess/Priest team; others rotate or share leadership. Some covens are highly structured and hierarchical, while others may be informal and egalitarian. Often extensive training is required before initiation, and coven membership is considered an important commitment.
There are many branches or "traditions" of Wicca in the United States and elsewhere, such as Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Welsh Traditional, Dianic, Faery, Seax-Wicca and others. All adhere to a code of ethics. None engage in the disreputable practices of some modern "cults", such as isolating and brainwashing impressionable, lonely young people. genuine Wiccans welcome sisters and brothers, but not disciples, followers or victims.
Coven meetings include ritual, celebration and magick (the "k" is to distinguish it from stage illusions). Wiccan magick is not at all like the instant "special effects" of cartoon shows or fantasy novels, nor medieval demonology; it operates in harmony with natural laws and is usually less spectacular - though effective. Various techniques are used to heal people and animals, seek guidance, or improve members' lives in specific ways. Positive goals are sought: cursing and "evil spells" are repugnant to practitioners of the Old Religion.
Wiccans tend to be strong supporters of environmental protection, equal rights, global peace and religious freedom, and sometimes magick is used toward such goals.
Wiccan beliefs don not include such Judeo-Christian concepts as original sin, vicarious atonement, divine judgment or bodily resurrection. Craft folk believe in a beneficent universe, the laws of karma and reincarnation, and divinity inherent in every human being and all of Nature. Yet laughter and pleasure are part of their spiritual tradition, and they enjoy singing, dancing, feasting, and love.
Wiccans tend to be individualists, and have no central holy book, prophet or church authority. They draw inspiration and insight from Nature, tradition, the arts, literature, science, and personal experience. Each practitioner keeps a book or journal in which s/he records magickal "recipes", dreams, invocations, songs, poetry and so on.
To most in the Craft, every religion has its own valuable perspective on the nature of Deity and humanity's relationship to it: there is no One True Faith. Rather, religious diversity is necessary in a world of diverse societies and individuals. Because of this belief, Wiccan groups do not actively recruit or proselytize: there is an assumption that people who can benefit from the Wiccan way will "find their way home" when the time is right.
Despite the lack of evangelistic zeal, many covens are quite willing to talk with interested people, and even make efforts to inform their communities about the beliefs and practices of Wicca. One source of contacts is The Covenant of the Goddess, P.O. Box 1226, Berkeley, CA 94704.
My view on what Wicca is:
I don't know the author who wrote this, but it has circulated around the web quite a bit.
I couldn't have put it in better perspective and words.
"Magic is only a part of Wicca. Wicca / Witchcraft is a lifestyle, it's not a "Sunday Morning" thing. It's everyday, every moment connecting yourself with the energies of nature. It is Honoring the God & Goddess. It is a Reverence of the Earth. It is accepting Magick. It is accepting Reincarnation. It is not Proselytizing.
Honoring The God & Goddess. We honor the God and Goddess for the balance they represent. In all of nature there is the male and female, should not the divine also have these qualities?
Reverence for the Earth. The Earth is a living entity, a gift from the divine. We feel that the Earth and it's species should be protected. Let's face it we know that there is a limit to natural resources should they not be conserved and protected? Should a species become extinct merely for man's vanity? Of course not.
Accept Magic. All religions practice magic, most religions call it prayer. My prayer is a spell. The saying "A Rose by any other name would smell as sweet" or "You say Potato, I say Patato" comes to mind. A prayer or spell is asking for divine assistance. We view magick as a natural part of life.
Reincarnation. This is a hard concept for some to accept. The skeptics claim it is impossible because their are more people alive today than in the past, true. My thoughts, imagine a cauldron full of the essence of conscious, all souls start there and return there. Memories from "past lives" are shared between the essences. When a new vessel, body, is ready to receive a soul a portion of the essence is dolled out. Reincarnation follows the circle of nature, Spring - a time of birth; Summer - a time of growth; Fall - a time of maturity; Winter - death; Spring...
No proselytizing. Am I with this site trying to convert you? No. We believe that there are many paths to the divine and none wrong. If you choose not to be Wicca, I and all Wiccans will respect that decision. We won't show up on your door asking for you to visit our Circles. We are not going to force Little Johnny or Mary to become Wiccan. We will be available should you want to ask us a question - but I for one am not going to hit you over the head with my Book of Shadows and demand that you become a witch."
Goddesses
Here is a list of some Goddesses for you...
Aphroditie / Greek, The Goddess of passionate, sexual love.
Aradia / Italian, Queen of Witches, daughter of Diana.
Arianrhod / Welsh, Goddess of Stars and Reincarnation.
Artemis / Greek, Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt
Astarte / Greek, Goddess of Fertility
Athena / Greek, Goddess of Wisdom and Battle
Bast / Egyptian, Goddess of Protection and Cats.
Brigid / Celtic, Warrior Goddess and Protectoress
Ceres / Roman, Goddess of the Harvest
Cerridwen / Welsh, Goddess of the Moon and Harvest
Demeter / Greek, Goddess of Fertility and the Earth
Diana / Roman, Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt
Flora / Roman, Goddess of Spring and Birth
Fortuna Roman, Goddess of Fortune
Freya / Norse, Goddess of the Moon and Commander of the Valkyries
Hathor / Egyptian, Goddess of Women in Business
Hecate / Greek, Goddess of Magic
Hera / Greek, Goddess of Marriage
Hestia / Greek, Goddess of Home and Hearth
Inanna / Summerian, Goddess of Motherhood
Isis / Egyptian, Goddess of Fertility
Kali / Hindu, Goddess and Protectoress of abused women
Lilith / Hebrew, Goddess of Higher Intelligence
Maat / Egyptian, Goddess of Justice and Divine Order
Morgan/ Celtic, Goddess of Water and Magick.
Nephtys / Egyptian, Goddess of Surprises, Sisters and Midwives
Persephone / Greek, Goddess of the Underworld and Harvest
Selene / Greek, Goddess of the Moon and Solutions
Venus / Roman, Goddess of Love and Romance
Vesta / Roman, Goddess of Fire
The names of the goddess are indeed in the thousands. The best suggestion I can offer is visit your local library and research, research, research.
Principles of Belief
The council of American Witches finds it necessary to define modern Witchcraft in terms of the American experience and needs.
We are not bound by traditions from other times and other cultures and owe no allegiance to any person or power greater than the Divinity manifest through our own being.
As American Witches, we welcome and respect all life-affirming teachings and traditions and seek to learn from all and to share our learning within our Council.
It is in this spirit of welcome and cooperation that we adopt these few principles of the Wiccan belief. In seeking to inclusive, we don not wish to open ourselves to the destruction of our group by those on self-serving power trips, or to philosophies and practices contradictory to these principles. In seeking to exclude those whose ways are contradictory to ours, we do not want to deny participation with us any who are sincerely interested in our knowledge and beliefs, regardless of race, color, sex, national or cultural origins, or sexual preference.
We therefore ask only that those who seek to identify with us accept these few basic principles:
1. We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life force marked by the phases of the Moon and seasonal quarters and cross-quarters.
2. 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.
3. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than is 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.
4. We conceive of the Creative Power in the Universe as manifesting through polarity - as masculine and feminine - and that this same creative Power lives in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sexuality as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of Life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.
5. We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological worlds - sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, the 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.
6. 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.
7. We see religion, magick, and wisdom-in-living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it - a world view and philosophy of life, which identify as Witchcraft or the Wiccan Way.
8. Calling oneself "Witch" does not make a Witch - but neither does heredity itself, or the collecting degrees, and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within him/herself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well, without harm to others, and in harmony with Nature.
9. We acknowledge that it is the affirmation and fulfillment of life, in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness, that gives meaning to the Universe we know, and to our personal role within it
10. 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 one true right and only way" and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practices and belief.
11. As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspect of different traditions. We concerned with our present, and our future.
12. We do not accept the concept of "absolute evil", nor do we worship any entity known as "Satan" or "the Devil" as defined by Christian Tradition. We do not seek power through the sufferings of others, nor do we accept the concept that personal benefits can only be derived by denial to another.
13. We work within Nature for that which is contributory to our health and well-being.
WICCAN WAYS AND HISTORY 101
There are a lot of myths and misunderstandings swirling around the religion of Wicca and the practice of witchcraft. Witchcraft and Wiccan rituals are often misunderstood as Satan worship and occult practices. But the reality is that Wicca has been practiced for almost 2000 years as a pantheistic, earth-centric religion with Celtic, Hindu, Norse and even some Christian influences.
Unfortunately, throughout history witches and those who practice witchcraft and Wicca have been persecuted. In the past, a witch has been considered someone who is evil and looks to inflict evil on others. The result of these misunderstanding is that some who practice Wicca do not even want to be called witches and simply refer to themselves as Wiccan.
Basic to Wiccan beliefs is the acceptance of a God(s) and a Goddess(es), male and female, which implies a duality of the Greater Spirit. The laws governing the Wiccan beliefs are in the Wiccan Rede, or the law of the three. The Wiccan Rede's basic principle encourages witches to use their spells only for good otherwise the spells they cast for evil will come back to them three-fold.
Those who believe in Wicca revere Mother Nature, life of all types and the Earth and, which represents the Goddess(es). They also believe that each religion points ultimately, to the same divine source. Contrary to popular belief there is no place for Satan or absolute evil in Wicca. Because Wiccans believe in free will and are responsible for their own actions, they believe that any evil they cast on others will in turn bring evil to them. This leads to a similarity between Wicca and Hinduism which has a belief in Karma. As a result some Wiccans believe in reincarnation.
Many Wiccans believe that life is a journey and one is born into a higher form on each journey until no more lessons are needed on the physical plane. So the spells they cast in this journey must be for good.
Wiccan Words
Book of Shadows: A relatively new term for a collection of information in book form. Sort of a witch's how-to guide and much akin to a magical cookbook. Another name for this text is "grimoire."
Ceremony of Initiation: A ceremony of honor held by a group to welcome an initiate into the Craft.
Charm: Either an amulet or talisman that has been charged by saying an incantation over it and instilling it with energy for a specific task.
Coven: A group of witches who work together in an organized fashion for positive magical endeavors or to perform religious ceremonies. The covenstead is the meeting place of the witches, often a fixed building or place where a witch can feel safe and at home.
Familiar: Witches, in folklore, are often pictured in the company of a black cat. The cat, like any animal, may have a special connection to the witch and will protect the home of a witch. Today's witches may have their pet parakeet, poodle or python as the Familiar that is bonded to them.
Fire Festivals: Four festivals associated with planting, harvesting, and hunting.
Manifesting Magick: Using your will to make something happen. Willing something to occur.
Pentagram: A five-pointed, upright star. Worn as a symbol of a witch's belief and used in magical ceremonies. Each point on the star has a specific meaning: earth, air, fire, water and spirit. A pentagram with a circle around it symbolizes a passive spiritual containment keeping in tune with the traditional secrecy of witchcraft. A pentagram without a surrounding circle symbolizes a prepared awareness. An inverted pentagram often denotes a dark aspect or force and can be considered a negative sign.
Spirit Board: A flat board with letters, numbers and the words "yes" and "no" etched on the surface. When called on, spirits guide the pointer on the board to spell or answers to questions.
Tarot: Set of 78 picture cards used to reveal hidden truths.
Wicca: The spiritual practice and beliefs linked to Celtic, Hindu, Norse and Christian practices and rituals which date back to ancient times and formed the roots of the term 'witch' in Old English.
Wiccan Rede: The law of the three that governs Wicca beliefs (whatever energy is sent, either negative or positive, comes back to the sender three-fold) which is a basic belief of eastern Karmic practices. Understanding that we are all responsible for our own actions, not some creature of all-evil, and the will of love. "An ye harm none, do what ye will." The basic idea is that as long as witches do not harm anyone with their potions and spells, they are free to do as they like.
http://members.aol.com/kyrene/rede.html
Lonewolf1
In Memory of our very valued and loved member Lonewolf who posted this.
Passed away in late 2007