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Wicca |
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I used to consider myself Wiccan. I think that Wicca is something that appeals to a lot of teenagers who feel they don't fit in with mainstream religion. It was an easy choice... after all, I read Scott Cunningham's Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner and I saw the things I already believed being laid out for me.
I stopped considering myself Wiccan when I realized that I still wasn't sure exactly what I believed. As long as I'm seeking, I'm just going to call myself Pagan, because to call myself Wiccan would be a lie. I'm not devoted to a certain doctrine. I'm still learning, still coming to understandings. I'm not going to categorize myself needlessly.
If you're new to this whole Wicca thing and you're wondering where to get some good information, I have some advice as far as choosing books is concerned.
1) Ignore all books of spells. If you find a book that has nothing but spells, chances are it's by some fluff bunny author just looking to make a couple bucks. It probably does not contain any material with depth. Of course, if what you're looking for is just a book of spells, then you might want to reconsider your motivations. You're not looking for a religion, so don't delude yourself. There's nothing to be ashamed of in just wanting to be a witch.
2) Look for books that have the things you think a religion ought to include. I think a religion should contain some ideas about divinity (ideas about gods), principals of morality, and ideas about the afterlife. Maybe you have a different opinion.
If you've already been practicing Wicca for a while... say a year or so... take a look at this site. And don't be offended. Just be honest with yourself. |
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| Why Wiccans Suck |
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I decided to have a Wicca page on my site because I got tired of hearing Wiccans slammed. Now I'll admit that some deserve it. But a lot of newbies really just don't know what they're talking about, and it's not their fault. There's a lot of confusing information out there, and every one has a different opinion. I feel bad for those who are interested in pursuing Wicca, but don't know what to ask or where to start. I can recommend some authors (you can probably find them in your library):
Starhawk
Scott Cunningham
Raven Grimassi
Silver RavenWolf- I don't really like her style, but I know a bunch of people who do, so maybe she'll work for you.
Margot Adler's Drawing Down the Moon- a must read.
Recently, on a list I'm on, one woman posted a very nice letter saying how a lot of Pagans tend to act high and mighty and not take newbies very seriously when they ask questions. Many people who say they've been practicing a long time will dodge questions with phrases like "you'll know when it's time" or "I cannot explain that to you because you're not ready," just to hide how much they really don't know. I can't tell you how many Wiccan high priestesses I've met recently and frankly, it's unimpressive at this point. So... you beginners out there, if some "elder" puts you down, forget 'em, because s/he probably doesn't know what s/he's talking about anyway.
Oh, and as long as I'm talking about "elders" who really don't deserve respect, I've got to rant on those old, family traditions which seek to command so mach authority. |
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Why do some Wiccans assume that belonging to a "hereditary" or "family" tradition provides them with some kind of superior knowledge, ability or authority? Why do so many Wiccan covens feel the need to prove their authenticity by claiming that their tradition is thousands of years old, having been passed down intact, secretly, through the generations?
Can anyone really prove a statement like that? Can these groups provide scriptures that can be dated? Probably not, and who cares! Why is it that the age of a religion has something to do with it's authenticity?
It's not the age of the religion, it's the purity. Think about it. What is the oldest sacred object anyone can have access to? It's the Earth itself. And everyone has access to it. Nobody can form a monopoly. The Earth is more reliable than any scripture, than any tradition passed down from mouth to mouth. Base your Wicca on the Earth, and how can you go wrong?
A quote by Ed Fitch, in Margot Adler's Drawing Down the Moon describes it best:
"... it doesn't matter whether your tradition is forty thousand years old or whether it was created last week. If there is a proper connection between you and the Goddess and the God in the subconscious, and other such forces, then that's what matters." |
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Anyway, enough of that.
Like I said, I'm not Wicca, but I know a bit of the basics. I'll try to describe them below. |
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| Basic Wiccan Principals |
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| "As Above, so Below," and The Law of Three |
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This is basically the Principal of Correspondence. It's based on the idea that there are multiple planes of existence, the higher ones being "above," and the lower ones being "below." As an example: hell, heaven and Earth are three planes of existence acknowledge by Christianity. In the Wiccan view, I don't know how many planes there are... I've never read a book that's specific about it... but the deities are "above" on the astral plane and Earth is "below." All the planes are connected, and the idea is that whatever happens on a higher plane filters down and happens on each lower plane, in some way that makes sense for that plane. So... as an example. A two spirits get in a big fight on the astral plane, and down here two small countries go to war. Or something like that. As far as I know it's up for debate whether (as in the Principal of Correspondence) "as below, so above" is true as well.
The Law of Three says that whatever you give out, be it well or ill intentioned, will be returned to you three fold. As far as I can see, whatever kind of energy you put into the Universe, you get back times three. So that love spell you put on the boy in your English class... take whatever power was in that, multiply it by three, and that's how controlled and manipulated you're going to be sometime down the road as a direct result. This law is basic to Wicca, which is why I cringe when I see books of "Wiccan" love spells, or get back at somebody spells. How stupid. Spells they may be, but Wiccan they are not. |
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| To Know, To Will, To Dare, To Be Silent |
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| I hear this tossed around a lot, and if anyone knows the origin I'd be happy to hear from you. As far as I can tell this has to do with spell casting. To Know is to know your intent and your methods, to be knowledgeable about the art of witchcraft (which is not the same thing as Wicca, btw), the energies around you at that moment, and the use of whatever tools you chose. To Will is to project your will, supposedly into the astral plane where it will filter back down causing the changes you seek here on Earth. This uses the idea of "as above, so below." To Dare- I'm not sure. To dare to follow your will, maybe? To dare to use your inherent powers? To dare to take on personal responsibility? To dare to risk yourself? I'm not sure. To Be Silent, I've heard two explanations for that. The first is the easiest explanation. You have to not tell anyone about what you do, so as to escape persecution. The second explanation is a little more complex, and it deals with the idea that the spell won't work if you talk about it. This, I think, is someone's primitive understanding of the idea that true magick cannot be spoken of in words. Knowledge of it can only go to those who are ready to receive it, and then the transmission is not verbal However, if anyone tells you this as a reason for not giving you a spell, tell them to get off their high horse, because that refers to high magick, and if you're working that kind of magick, you're not wasting time on the internet. |
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The Wiccan Rede:
An it harm none, do as thy Will. |
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| Some people think that the Rede only applies to magickal actions. Some think that the Rede applies to all actions. I have to agree with the latter argument- especially when you get into the question of where to draw the line between magickal and mundane action. "An it harm none" speaks of not causing harm to any other living thing. This, of course, is impossible, even if you're vegetarian. All living things have to kill to live. So, I think the goal should be to harm as little as possible. And not to willfully direct negitive energy (harm) towards others. You can come up with your own definition of harm, but for me it includes forcing one's will upon another. "Do as thy Will." Most interpret this to mean: do whatever you want. There's another interpretation, of course. "Will" can be considered the divine will that exists in all of our higher selves, the will that directs us towards those action which are best for the Universe. |
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