**Not every Wiccan will subscribe to all of these points, but generally they are representative.**
2. The ultimate creative force manifests in both feminine & masculine modes; therefore it is often symbolized as the Goddess & The God.
3. In some covens, both are celebrated equally. In others, The Goddess is given precedence or even celebrated without reference to the God.
4. All Goddesses & Gods are aspects of The Goddess & The God. The aspects most popular in Wicca are the Triple Goddess of the Moon (Maiden, Mother & Crone) & the Horned God of death & rebirth.
5. Reincarnation & karma are valid concepts. Upon death one goes to a state of rest & reflection, & eventually chooses where & when s/he will be reborn.
6. Magick is practiced for positive (helping) purposes: spiritual development, healing, guidance, safety, etc.
7. Rituals are generally performed outdoors when possible, at the New and Full Moons, & at eight Sabbat festivals which mark the progression of the seasons.
8. Magick & celebration are performed in small groups, usually 3 to 13, called covens. These are basically autonomous -- there is no central church authority or hierarchy.
9. There is no holy book, or prophet, no equivalent of the Bible or Jesus or Mohammed. Individuals have access to the divine, & do not require an intermediary. Every initiate is regarded as a priest/ess.
10. The central ethic is "And ye harm none, do as ye will." Whatever energy you send out returns threefold, so it is wise to be kind to others.
11. We should live in harmony with the Earth & Nature, & not exploit them.
12. Though Wicca is a valid spiritual path, it is not the only one. There is no recruiting, & people should be free to choose the path that best fits their needs.
13. The concepts of original sin, sacrifice, redemption, confession, the divinity of Jesus, sinfulness of sex, Judgment, Heaven & Hell, denigration of women, bodily resurrection, and the Bible as divine revelation are not part of Wicca. Neither are Satanism, the Black Mass, desecration of cemeteries, the sacrifice of animals, etc.
<Copyright (c) 1983 Amber K., Our Lady of the Woods>
