| Wicca All good that a person does returns three fold in this life; harm is also returned three fold. - The Wiccan Rede: This is the main rule of behaviour: An' it harm none, do what thou wilt This means that a person should feel free to do what ever they want to, as long as it does not harm themselves or anyone else. This and the three-fold law obviously prevent a Witch/Wiccan from doing harm to themselves or to others, or attempting to manipulate others, or taking illegal drugs, etc. Wiccan Practices Their practices include: - Organizational Structure: Wicca is one denomination (the largest) within Neo-paganism. Other Neo-pagan groups include individuals and groups who are reconstructing Druidic, Egyptian, Greek, Roman and other ancient religious traditions. Many, perhaps most, Witches are solitary practitioners; they perform their rites alone. Others form covens which are informal groups of Wiccans. There is no hierarchy beyond the coven; no provincial or national organization. Those covens which have a High Priestess and/or Priest elect one of themselves to that office. - Rituals: Wiccans try to meet out of doors where possible. North American climate and concern for personal safety usually forces them indoors. They gather in a circle, which is often 9 feet in diameter. Candles on the circumference are oriented to the four cardinal directions. An altar is at the centre or at the northern candle. Rites begin with a casting of the circle, in which the circle is outlined and purified, and the candles lit. A space is thus created within the circle; this is sometimes visualized as a sphere, or as a cylinder or cone. The purpose of this space is to confine healing energy until it is released. The central portion of each meeting may celebrate the full moon, a new moon, a Sabbat or a special Wiccan ceremony. It might include healing, divination (scrying, Tarot cards, Runes, etc), teaching, consecration of tools, discussion, or other life-affirming, nature based activities. After the major work is completed, food (perhaps cakes and wine) is eaten, and the circle is banished. Because of the increasing concern over addictions to alcohol and other drugs, many covens have replaced wine with juice, water etc. - Wiccan Sabbats: (Seasonal days of Celebration) There are eight Wiccan Sabbats, spaced about 45 days apart during the year. Four of these are minor Sabbats: the two equinoxes of March 21 and September 21st when the daytime and nighttime are each 12 hours long. The Saxons added the two solstices of December 21, (the longest night of the year) and June 21 (the shortest night of the year). Actually, the exact date of these Sabbats vary from year to year and may occur from the 2Oth to 23rd of the month. The major Sabbats are also four in number. They occur roughly between the minor Sabbats, typically at the end of a month. Different Wiccan traditions assign various names and dates to these festivals. Perhaps the most common names are Celtic: Samhain (Oct. 31), 1mbolc (Feb. 2), Beltane (May 1), and Lammas (Aug. 1). Dates are approximate. Their origins are believed to be related to hunting, farming, and animal fertility. Rites of passage: These include: - Dedication, where a person confirms an interest in the craft, - Initiation, when a person symbolically dies and is reborn as a Wiccan; a new nallle is adopted - Handfasting, which is equivalent to a marriage - Parting of the Ways, which recognizes the end ofa marriage - Wiccaning, which welcomes a baby into the craft, but does not obligate the child in any way CI Funeral Ceremony, for a Wiccan who has died - Wiccan tools: Hardware which are used to perform Witchcraft rites often look like common household items. The following are typical: - Athame ( double sided ritual knife) used for many purposes, but never for cutting - A bowl of salt representing the element earth - Incense representing the element air - Two candles representing the Goddess and God - A bowl of water representing the element water - A bell which is rung to delineate sections of the rite - A wand to cast the circle - A goblet and perhaps a libation bowl to hold a drink - A circle, typically 9 feet in diameter, formed from a rope or row of small rocks, markings on the ground or floor, etc - Four candles just outside the circle, at the four cardinal directions |
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