What is A Witch and Wicca?

Please note: Not all of the work within these Craft pages is my own. Due

to the vastness of the Craft and it's Practices and the Enormous amount of

information available Online and in Print, I am sure that I will quote

some information that I've learned in my Journey, but will not recall the

source. Some of my learning has been from books, some from word of mouth

from other Witches and some by the Trail and Error method. If you find

in these pages that I have quoted someone from Print, Please inform me so

that I may give Credit where Credit is Due! ~ Thank You, Cheyenne ~

What is a Witch?

The Best explaination of "What" a Witch Is, in my Opinion, I have

Quoted here from Margot Adler :

"We are not evil. We don't harm or seduce people. We are not

dangerous. We are ordinary people like you. We have families, jobs,

hopes, and dreams. We are not a cult. This religion is not a joke. We are

not what you think we are from looking at T.V. We are real. We laugh,

we cry. We are serious. We have a sense of humor. You don't have to

be afraid of us. We don't want to convert you. And please don't try to

convert us. Just give us the same right we give you--to live in peace.

We are much more similar to you than you think."

Some of My Own and Other Witches' Thinking on the Subject :

Witches are Not Satanist Nor do we worship the "Devil". This

misconception comes from the Christian Religion's Propaganda dating

from the late Middle Ages. The followers of the Wiccan religion are

called Wiccan or Witches. The word "witch" applies to both male and

female practitioners of Wicca. Male Witches or Wiccans are NOT

refered to as "Warlocks". The word "Warlock" is taken from the Old

English word "Waerloga," meaning an "Oath-Breaker. " This word was

used by the Christian Church in reference to Male Witches and is

considered an insult in most Wiccan beleifs.

What is Wicca?

Wicca is a New Religion - barely 50 years old. It is based in part on the

Goddess (the Female Aspect) and her consort, the Horned God (the

Male Aspect). Wiccans believe that their Modern day form of Religion is

a reconstruction of Pre-Christian Era European Paganism. Various

branches of Wicca can be traced back to the Gardnerian Witchcraft,

which was founded in theUnited Kingdom in the 1940's. Other branches

of Wicca trace their roots to ancient Celtic society circa 800 BCE (Before

Christian Era - Before Christ). While other branches draw from the Free

Masons in recent centuries. Most Modern day Wiccans find themselves

following a mixture of all of these components. Wicca is also known as

the "Craft of the Wise" or often just "The Craft". Paganism does Not

Oppose nor Deny other Religion. It is simply a pre-Christian faith. Wicca

is a positive, Nature-based Religion, preaching Brotherly Love and

Harmony with and Respect for All forms of Life. It is very similar to

Native American Spirituality. Wiccans do Not make attempts to convert

members of other faiths to the Pagan way. Unlike Christian faiths, with

many who like to spout images of Hell and Damnation for Witches if we

"Don't Return to the Christian Way." Anyone is accepted into the

Wiccan faith, as long as they are Not Forced and they come of their

own Free Will. Wiccans feel that a person must hear the "Call of the

Goddess" and truly desire within her or his own heart to follow the

Wiccan path.

What is Magick?

Wicca often includes the Practice of various forms of Magick, usually

for Healing purposes or as a Counter to some form of Negativity,

as well as Rites to attune oneself with the Natural Rhythm of Life

Forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the four seasons. Many

people refer to these type of Magickal workings as "White Magick".

Wiccans do Not practice any form of Black Magic - Negative Energy -

Wiccans do Not worship Devils, Demons, or any Evil Entities.

What is the Wiccan Law?

This is the Wiccan Law - an Expaination follows :

"Bide the Wiccan Law ye Must,

in perfect Love and perfect Trust.

Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill.

An' ye Harm None, do What ye Will.

What ye sends Forth comes back to Thee,

so Ever Mind the Law of Three.

Keep these words in mind and heart,

and Merry ye Meet and Merry ye Part."

To explain this "Law" is not difficult. Take it by parts. "An' ye harm none,

do what ye will", simply put means you are Free to do your own thing,

Provided that you in No Way Bring Harm Upon Anyone -

Including Yourself! The "Law of Three" is a karmic law of Triple

Retribution which applies whenever you do something Good or Bad.

For instance, if you use White Magick - positive energy - to do something

Good for somebody else, Three times the Good will come back to

You in your lifetime. By the same token, if you use Black Magick -

or negative energy -to bring Harm unto others, the Bad will also return

to You Threefold in the same lifetime. That is why it is SO important to

head the "An Harm None!"

What are the Important Days of the

Year for Wiccans?

Wiccans celebrate 8 Sabbats each year, making transitions in the

seasons. There are 4 Major, or grand, Sabbats and 4 Minor, or lesser,

ones. The Major Sabbats are:

Beltane, Candlemas, Lammas and Samhain.

The Minor Sabbats are:

Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice.

The Esbat is a monthly ritual held at least 13 times a year during Each

Full Moon. At the Esbat, Wiccans perform special Rites, work Magick

and Healing, and give Thanks and Tribute to the Goddess and the

Horned God. If a Wiccan is part of a Group, or Coven, they may also

exchange ideas or discuss problems. If a Wiccan is not part of a Coven

and wishes to work alone for whatever reason, they are known as

Solitary Witches.

This is by no means meant to be a Full Explaination of any subject I've

described here. This is just meant to be some Basic Information. All these

Topics have Much more Information Available on them. More than I

have Time or Space to Elaborate on in this website. If you want, you will

find Links to Other Websites with more Information on these Topics on the

Links Page. ~ Thank You, Cheyenne ~

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