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| The Wiccan Rede |
| The Wiccan Rede acknowledges the right of all people to practice their own path of spirituality. As long as that path does not bring harm or injury to any living being. Harm is normally considered to include manipulation, domination, attempts to control, physically injure, emotionally harm, or hurt another living being in any way. |
| The concept is very practical. It is not, however, meant to mean never harm anyone. There are times when self-defense may be needed. When threatened with harm, it is a responsibility to the integrity of the self to defend against attack, by any means appropriate. We are not pacifists. |
| Also, there are times when the choice is not between harming or harming none, but rather harming some and harming more than some. In this situation, the spirit of the Rede would clearly favor the fewer harmed the better. |
| The term 'rede', pronounced 'read', is derived from the Old English term roedan "to guide or direct". |
| Many Wiccans today confuse the Wiccan Rede with the Wiccan Credo which happens to contain the words of the Wiccan Rede. The Wiccan Credo however, is considerably longer. |
| The Wiccan Rede itself is only one line, in the last stanza of the Wiccan Credo: |
| "Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill, An it harm none, Do what ye will." |
| The version (of which there are many) at the top of the page combines the Wiccan Rede with a reference (also found inthe Wiccan Credo) to the Threefold Law (a.k.a The Law of Return) which states: |
| "All good that a person does to another returns three fold in this life; harm is also returned three fold." |
| The Threefold Law adds a reward for those who follow the Wiccan Rede, and a punishment for those who violate it. |
| The Rede and Law obviously prevent a Wiccan from doing harm to themselves or to others. "This belief constantly reminds us that there are many consequences to our actions and we must consider all possible outcomes before acting. The Wiccan Rede thereby binds Wiccans to do the right thing." - Daria |
| The Wiccan Credo dates to more recent times and scholars suggest it came to form in an effort to make modern Witchcraft more acceptable to the public. The exact origin of the Wiccan Rede and Wiccan Credo is uncertain, but no one can argue it has grown and kept pace with the many influencing traditions practiced today. Some credit Adriana Porter, circa 1910 CE; while others credit Doreen Valienta in the form of the "eight words" couplet as it was first recorded in a speech she delivered on October 3, 1964 - "Demanding tolerance between covens as well as toward the outside world, Doreen spoke the Anglo-Saxon witch formula called the Wiccan Rede or wise teaching: 'Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill, An' it harm none, do what ye will'." It seems clear that Doreen Valienta did write "The Witches' Creed" which is a different document. It was shortly followed by another, slightly different, version, entitled the "Rede Of The Wiccae", which was published in Green Egg magazine in 1975 by Lady Gwen Thompson. She ascribed it to her grandmother Adriana Porter. |
| The Wiccan Credo should be adhered to as it's words hold significant insights to Wiccan practices and beliefs. |
| For further study and research, you may search the Internet for the above terms. You will find many variations, all similar. As many traditions are either handed down orally, or copied down by another, each person may add, subtract, or slightly change the wording in order to better understand, or convey a particular meaning significant to the individual. May your own heart and spirit guide you along your personal Path. |
| Blessed Be! |
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