WICCA, revised article
by: carla bailey, February 29th, 2000
Witch, Pagan, Wiccan, Heretic, Satanist, Devil-Worshipper...the list goes on and on. Quite a few of the names are derogatory, created by closed minds who had more fear in their hearts, than they had tolerance in their souls. Others are merely descriptions of religious traditions that have existed for centuries, or for a few decades. As well, some would protest for my even putting that selection of words in the same sentance. But, you can't please everyone all of the time. Especially, when discussing Paganism, and the like. One must mix the light and the dark; all life consists of balances and checks.
Earth based theology, usually centered around Goddess worship, is as old as time itself. The varieity of belief systems is extrodinary, as well. But to draw a bit of focus more to the Craft and Wicca, here's a defination or two. Wicca(n), basically means "wise one". According to Webster's, means country dweller, as well as heathen. Under "Witch", it says: "a person believed to have magic power; a sorceress. An ugly old woman: hag. A charming or alluring girl or woman."
In ancient times, these people were the nurses, shamans, etc., of long gones tribes of Europe. They were the midwives and priestesses that, with the coming of Patriarchal domination, would be burned/drowned/stoned out of fear and greed. In the book, Wicca A to Z, written by Gerina Dunwich, which is basically a dictionary/glossary of terms, much information is packed into small, bite sized pieces. As well, these definations changes from person to person, within the community and tradition.
Here's a heft sampling of her work (mind you these are not necessarily her original ideas, either. Just as I'm borrowing them for the purpose of education, so did she once.):
COVEN: "A group of witches, aka a circle, and traditionally (though not always) 13 in number, who gather together to work magick and perform ceremonies at Sabbats and Esbats. A covener is a woman or a man who is a member of a coven, and a covenstead is the place where a coven holds its regular meetins, which can be either indoors or out in nature."
THE CRAFT: "A term used fo Witchcraft, Wicca, of the Craft of the Wise; the Old Religion, the practice of folk magick.
MAGICK: "The Art, sciene, and practice of producing 'supernatural' effects, causing change to occur in conformity, and controlling events in nature with the will. As a tool of Witchcraft, the old spelling of the word with a final K is used to distinguish it from the magic of the stage/illusion, which has nothing to do with ceremonial workings or magickal states produced by ritual."
THE OLD RELIGION: "Another name for the Craft. The Pagan "craft of the wise" had been practiced around the world by most people for many centuries before the advent of the Christian Faith. It became known as the 'Old Religion' when the Catholic Church (regarded then as the 'New Religion') first came into power and boldly attempted to either convert or put to death all followers of Paganism and eradicate the practice of Witchcraft (along with Native American spirituality, African religions, shamanism, and just about everything else the early Christians considered to be 'heathen' or in league with the dark forces of the occult."
WICCA: "An alternate name for modern Witchcraft; a neo-Pagan nature religion with spiritual roots in Shamanism, having one main tenet: the Wiccan Rede. The Goddess and Her Consort, the Horned God, are the two main deities honored and worshipped in Wiccan rites. Their names vary from one WIccan tradition to the next. Wicca includes the practice of various forms of white magick, as well as rites to attune oneself with the natural rhythm of life forces, as marked out by the phases of the moon and the turning of the seasons."
WITCH: "Any individual, male/female, who practices Witchcraft; one who worships or invokes the gods of the Old Religion; a Wiccan. The word 'Witch' derives from the Old English wicce, which means 'wise woman' according to many modern day Witches. Some followers of the Old Religion feel that the word 'witch' has been tainted by too many negative connotations and prefer themselves to be called Wiccans (Neo-Pagans, followers of Earth Spirituality, and so forth). However, many witches are proud to be witches, and there are many Feminist witches who agree that reclaiming the word 'witch' from the evil stigmas that have attached themselves to it over the centuries is one important way for magickal women to reclaim the power that once was, and rightfully is, theirs."
WITCHCRAFT: "The Old Religion; the Craft of the Wise; the practice of folk religion that combines magick, Nature-worship, divination, and herbalism with bits and pieces of various pre-Christian religious beliefs such as those of the Druids and the Ancient Egyptians. In 16th cent. Europe, organized religion felt that the ways of the Old Religion were a threat to their belief system, and as a decreeing capital punishment for Witches was adopted and the pulpit became a platform for the denunciation and extermination of anyone suspected of worshipping the olds gods. Forty years later, the 13 colonies in America also made Witchcraft a crime punishable by death. By the end of the 17th cent., witches were hiding and the Old Religion had become a secret underground after an estimted 1 million Europeans had been put to death and more than 30 condemned at Salem, Mass., in the name Christianity. Not until 1951 were the laws against Witchcraft in England finally repealed."
So, what's my point? Just what is it that I'm trying to drive home to you? Why, simple fact that the world is A Lot More diverse than you might think. Not everyone on the planet is June or Ward Cleaver, who goes to church on Sunday, with their 2.5 children. This little article is jsut one in the millions that are/have been/will be continued to be written by millions more out in the world. People like you and I.
What makes Wicca, etc, a valid religious practice, and not some kooky cult? Why the mere fact that it has been practiced, in a myriad of variations, for generations (and will continue to be) without any major disruptment of main stream society. As well, there isn't one great leader, telling us all to follow him into the desert for nice, frosty glasses of grape Kool-Aid. All jokes aside, this is a legitimate faith; one that honors Mother Earth and promotes peace, love, and tolerance towards ALL people, not just other pagans. Besides, it's protected by our Constitution, under a little something I like to call "Freedom of Religion."
Now that I've given you some tidbits of trivia, and a sort of wake-up call to the uniqueness of the human condition, how about I tell you a little bit about myself? I've got no shame; no need to hide in the "broom closet", as we of the Craft tend to say. I am a 20 year old eclectic Wiccan/Witch, who randomly calls herself Pagan, just to keep things simple for the rest of the group. I've been openly practicing magick, Wicca, and the like, for around 6 years now. I've been solitary, and I've worked in a coven. My Sisters are my life, as is my family and the rest of my friends/loved ones.
Perhaps I should explain a bit about solitary practice versus coven work. A coven is a group of people who work rituals together; usually, they share a common set traditions, or beliefs. A solitary is someone who does not work well with others, most of the time, and worships the Goddess in their own way. Often, one goes from being a solitary to coven work, and vis-a-versa. Either one is a valid expression of faith; neither is better than the other. In my opinion, since I have experienced both, I think that covenwork is more fun, due to the companionship involved. But, this is just my one, personal experience. Solitary works is just as gratifying, especially in the fact that one is communing one on one with the Divine.
My exact beliefs are pretty varied. I believe in the Goddess and the God; aka, the Lord and the Lady. I feel them in me, and in all the things around me. They are One and the Same, just like Man and Woman. I acknolwedge them in my prayers separately, as well as together, calling upon the Ether or the Great Spirit (borrowed from Aboriginal Spirituality). Since this is the first (and hopefully, not the last) piece for this journal on Wicca/Paganism/The Craft, that's all you need to know about me right now.