What is Wicca?
��Known as the religion of the Witch, though not all Wiccans are Witches and vice versa, Wicca is a combination of Pagan traditions and beliefs, some dating to pre-Christian earth religions. It is based on a deep respect for nature and the knowledge that every living thing contains a spirit.
��Wicca is a celebration of nature, the changing of the seasons and moon phases etc, as personified by the Goddess and God.
��Wicca may include the practice of Witchcraft. This kind of magic is defined as the process of causing change through focusing our natural inner powers. Many do not realize that the magic we speak of here is natural, not supernatural. Our ancient ancestors knew how to use it, but it has been largely forgotten in modern times. Not all Wiccans choose to practice magic, it is not compulsory to act out or take part in rituals. If you do not feel comfortable practising magic, there are always plenty of other ways to celebrate your beliefs: take a walk through a forest or other natural environment, clean up a littered area, recycle, appreciate your natural surroundings, such as the beauty of a sunset, the quiet calmness of the night.
��Wicca as a religion was created in the 1950's by Gerald Gardner. It is a combination of Pagan beliefs interwoven into one religion. There are no ancient manuscripts or rituals passed down through the decades. Just because a ritual is old, does not make it any more powerful than a spell created in the new millenium. Because the power comes from within, your own personal spells and rituals are more likely to work for you, rather than copying from another source.
��Wicca is not a cult. We do not claim that it is the only way or the ultimate truth. We accept differing views and do not blindly follow others. Wiccans are independant people, hence the growing number of solitary practitioners, and we accept the right of everyone to worship in their own way.
��We believe in reincarnation and acknowledge the fact that life and death are both as important as each other, you cannot have one without the other. We generally believe that we are reincarnated to overcome the problems we faced in the previous life, until someday we reach "perfection" - after which, we may possibly dwell with the Goddess and God, or perhaps move on to higher realms.
��Wiccans do not live their life by a book of rules. Ours is a religion and way of life of freedom. We believe we reap what we sow. Wiccans do not cast spells on people (unless it be to heal) as this is harmful manipulation, and it is believed whatever you send out, comes back times three.
��We do not believe in an evil deity or figure whom we can blame our faults and sins on, we believe that evil originates with humankind and that we must take responsibility for our own actions.
Since Wicca is not an organized religion and there is no one telling us we must do this or we must believe that, we all have our own personal opinions of what this religion is to us. There are no books that we read from and all agree on everything written within. Some Wiccans join covens - groups of Witches or Wiccans who come together to celebrate the Sabbats, Esbats or perform rituals together, these people are small groups who all have similar views on Wicca and how it should be practiced.
��Wiccans are very diverse though there are several things we are all familiar with such as: the Wiccan Rede and The Law of Return to name a few.
��Visit my Book of Shadows for more information on Wiccan holidays, rituals, rules of magick etc.
We are not evil.
We don't harm or seduce people.
We are not dangerous.
We are ordinary people like you.
We have families, jobs, hopes, and dreams.
We are not a cult.
This religion is not a joke.
We are not what you think we are from looking at TV.
We are real.
We laugh, we cry.
We have a sense of humour.
You don't have to be afraid of us.
We don't want to convert you.
And please don't try to convert us.
Just give us the same right we give you - to live in peace.
We are much more similar than you think.
- Margot Adler
