| Wicca |
| Theories of the History of Wicca |
| Wicca can be defined as a loosely organised Pagan or Neo-Pagan religion based on a reverence for the creative forces of Nature and usually symbolised by a Goddess, a God or typically both. Some says it is a religion older than Judaism, passed down from mother to daughter over the centuries, until the Spanish Inquisition sent it underground until quite recently. This theory may be correct for a form of pagan worship that has been translated into Wicca for the modern age, but it is much more likely that Wicca, or early forms of Witchcraft that Wicca has been based on, was created in response to a fat rich church/state, by a poor and needy populace. Wicca revolves around the Wiccan Rede:- An' ye harm none, do what ye will. This is often confused with the Wiccan Credo which was written in the 1900s as a kind of sales pitch for the Wicca movement and is way longer than these eight words. |
| Wiccan Days of Power |
| The Wiccan religious calendar contains eight Sabbats or Days of Power and 13 Esbats or full moon celebrations. These times are considered powerful for magic and are the times that Wiccans attune themselves to the Earth. The Sabbats tell us the story of the Goddess and God, how their relationship changes through the year and how this effects the fruitfulness of the Earth. This story speaks of the mysteries of birth, death and rebirth. Four of the Sabbats are determined by the Solstices and Equinoxes of the seasons and the other four are most likely traditional celebrations based on agricultural and animal bearing times. In Wicca, the Goddess is symbolised by the Moon and the God, the Sun. One can see how primitive races would have naturally turned to the Sun and Moon for worship. It was the Sun and Moon that determined what time of year it was and therefore, when to plant and reap their crops, producing the staple of all life, food. Wiccans often practice magic on the Esbats as the full moon is considered a source of great energy as well as a symbol of the Goddess. Each lunar month was assigned a different name to symbolise the agricultural or natural activity that took place at that time of the year. For a practising Wiccan, it is very important to heed these various times of natural power, as each time has different cosmic strengths and so the kind of spell or ritual performed at each time will differ significantly. |
| Wiccan Rituals and Spells |
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| Until the 17th Century, it was well accepted that nature is alive and that spirit, mind and body are linked, in every facet of creation. With the arrival of the scientific revolution, nature was looked upon as something to be exploited for human greed. Wiccans realise that all forms of life have the same nature and are part of an intricate, living entity, which must be maintained just like any life. By accepting that spirit, body and mind are intricately linked and harnessing the unlimited power of the human mind, Wiccans can use magic as a way of enhancing and taking control of their own destinies. |
Despite popular belief and Hollywood movies, Wiccans believe spells should never be used to gain control over or harm another living being. The entire basis of Wiccan magic is to exercise influence over one's environment for the purpose of spiritual growth or psychological transformation. This however, does not mean that practical magic does not afford material results in the real world. Blessed Be..... For further information or personalised rituals and spells, email Josephine. |