Wicca is a modern Pagan religion with spiritual roots in the earliest expressions of reverence for nature. Some major identifying motifs are: reverence for both the Goddess and God; acceptance of reincarnation and magick; ritual observance of astronomical and agricultural phenomena; and the use of magickal circles for ritual purposes.

Wicca is a very peaceful, harmonious and balanced way of thinking and life which promotes oneness with the divine and all which exists. Being a Wiccan or Witch is generally not something you are born as or just wake up one morning and decide to become. More often than not, you come across it by accident unless you were raised that way. Many find the philosophies of how Wicca and Witchcraft view nature are the same as the one's they currently hold. They just didn't know there was a specific belief system that shared the same views.

Wicca is the fall of colorful autumn leaves, and the softness of winter snow. It is light, and shadow and all that lies in between. It is the song of the birds and other creatures of the wild. It is being in the presence of Mother Earths nature and being humbled in reverence. When they are in the temple of the Lord and Lady, it's not a prone to the arrogance of human technology as they touch the souls. To be a Witch is to be a healer, a teacher, a seeker, a giver, and a protector of all things. If this path is yours, may you walk it with honor, light and integrity.

Wicca is a belief system and way of life based upon the reconstruction of pre-Christian traditions originating in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. While much of the information of how our ancestors lived, worshiped and believed has been lost due to the efforts of the medievil church to wipe the existance from history, we try to reconstruct those beliefs to the best of our ability with the information that is available.

With recent archaeological discoveries, there is now a basis to believe that the origins of the belief system can be traced even further back to the Paleolithic peoples who worshipped a Hunter God and a Fertility Goddess. With the discovery of these cave paintings which have been dated to be around 30,000 years old depicting a man with the head of a stag, and a pregnant woman standing in a circle with eleven other people, it can reasonably be assumed that Witchcraft is the oldest religion known in the world toady. These archetypes are clearly recognized by Wiccans as the view of the Goddess and God aspect of the supreme creative force and predate Christianity by roughly 28,000 years making it a mere toddler in the spectrum of time as we know it.

Witchcraft in ancient history was known as "The Craft of the Wise" because those who followed the path were healers, were in tune with the forces of nature, had a knowledge of Herbs and medicines, gave council and were valuable parts of the village and community as Shamanic leaders. They understood that mankind is not superior to nature, the earth and its creatures but instead we are simply one of the many parts, both seen and unseen that combine to make the whole. These wise people understood that what we take or use, we must return in kind to maintain balance and equilibrium. Clearly, modern man with all his applied learning and technology has forgotten this. Subsequently, we currently face ecological disaster and eventual extinction because of our hunger for power and a few pieces of gold.

Witchcraft is the craft of the witch (magick), especially magick utilizing personal power in conjunction with the energies within stones, herbs, colors, and other natural objects. This belief system also has nothing to do with Satanism. For the past several hundred years, the image of the Witch has been mistakenly associated with evil, heathenism, and unrighteousness. These misconceptions have their own origin in different places.

To begin, the medieval church of the 15th through 18th centuries created these myths to convert the followers of the old nature based religions to the churches way of thinking. By making the Witch into a diabolical character and turning the old religious deities into devils and demons, the missionaries were able to attach fear to these beliefs which aided in the conversion process. Secondly, as medical science began to surface, the men who were engaged in these initial studies had a very poor understanding of female physiology, especially in the area of a women's monthly cycles. The unknowns in this area played very well with the early churches agenda lending credence to the Witch Hunters claims and authority. The fledgling medical professions also stood to benefit greatly from this because it took the power of the women healers away giving it to the male physicians transferring the respect and power to them.

Unfortunately these misinformed fears and superstitions have carried forward through the centuries and remain to this day. This is why many who follow these nature oriented beliefs have adopted the name of Wicca over its true name of Witchcraft to escape the persecution, harassment and misinformation associated with the name of Witchcraft and Witch not to mention the bad publicity the press and Hollywood has given us simply to generate a profit.


What is Witchcraft?
Witchcraft is a spiritual system that fosters the free thought and will of the individual, encourages learning and an understanding of the earth and nature thereby affirming the divinity in all living things. Most importantly, it teaches responsibility. Accepting responsibility for the actions and deeds as clearly a result of the choices they make. NOt blaming an exterior entity or being for shortcomings, weaknesses or mistakes. If it mess up or do something that brings harm to another, theres no one but theirselves to blame and must face the consequences resulting from those actions.

They acknowledge the cycles of nature, the lunar phases and the seasons to celebrate the spirituality and to worship the divine. It is a belief system that allows the Witch to work with, not in supplication to deities with the intent of living in harmony and achieving balance with all things.

The spells that involve healing, love, harmony, wisdom and creativity. The potions that stir might be a headache remedy, a cold tonic, or an herbal flea bath for pets. We strive to gain knowledge of and use the natural remedies placed on this earth by the divine for benefit instead of using synthetic drugs unless absolutely necessary.

Wiccans believe that the spirit of the One, Goddess and God exist in all things. In the trees, rain, flowers, the sea, in each other and all of natures creatures. This means that they must treat "all things" of the Earth as aspects of the divine. Attempting to honor and respect life in all its many manifestations both seen and unseen.

Wiccans learn from and revere the gift of nature from divine creation by celebrating the cycles of the sun, moon and seasons. Searching within Themselves for the cycles that correspond to those of the natural world and try to live in harmony with the movement of this universal energy. Their teachers are the trees, rivers, lakes, meadows, mountains and animals as well as others who have walked this path before them. This belief creates a reverence and respect for the environment, and all life upon the Earth.

They also revere the spirits of the elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water which combine to manifest all creation. From these four elements obtaining insight to the rhythms of nature and understand they are also the rhythms of their own lives.

Because Witches have been persecuted for so many centuries, they believe in religious freedom first. They do not look at their path as the only way to achieve spirituality, but as one path among many to the same end. They aren't a missionary religion out to convert new members to think the same as they do. They are willing to share experience and knowledge with those who seek wisdom and perspective however. They believe that anyone who is ment for this path will find it through their own search as the Goddess speaks to each of us in her time and way. Wiccans practice tolerance and acceptance toward all other religions as long as those faiths do not persecute others or violate the tenant of "Harm None".

Witchcraft or Wicca is not a cult. They do not proclaim to be spokespersons for the divine or try to get others to follow us as their leaders. They do not worship Satan or consort with Demons. Satan is a Christian creation. They do not need a paranoid creation of supreme evil and eternal damnation to scare them into doing the right thing and helping others. They choose to do the right thing and love their brothers and sisters because it is the right thing and it feels good to do it. They do not sacrifice animals or humans because that would violate the basic tenant of "Harm None." Anyone who does and claims to be a Wiccan or a Witch is lying. They have no need to steal or control the life force of another to achieve mystical or supernatural powers. They draw energy from within, personal relationship with the divine and nature. They do not use the forces of nature or the universe to hex or cast spells on others. Again, "Harm None" is the whole of the law.

Witches have a very strict belief in the law of three which states that whatever we send out into their world shall return the three fold either good or bane. With this in mind, a "True Witch" would hesitate in doing magick to harm or manipulate another because that boomerang they throw will eventually come back to them much larger and harder then when they threw it. This is not to say that Witches are perfect, they are human too just like everyone else and make mistakes and errors in judgement. Just as there are parents who love and nurture their children, there are parents who abuse their children. As there are many who devote their lives to giving and helping mankind, likewise there are those who devote their lives to taking advantage of and using people for their own gain. Unfortunately the same flaws in human nature applies to witches too. The heart of Wicca is not something summed up into a few short words and can often take on different meaning to each since the Lord and Lady touch us in different ways. Through the wisdom and words set down through the ages, you will find that you are able to understand the basis of their beliefs and how they may apply to you. Remember to read with your heart, for it is when you see life and the world with your heart and spirit that you truly gain an understanding of what Wicca is.