What is Wicca?

There is much confusion regarding the Wiccan religion, which leads some to even question its validity as a religion. Much of this comes from the fact that young, teenaged girls are often attracted to Wicca, and often for the wrong reasons. One of these reasons is the proliferation of “Wiccan” characters on American television programs such as Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and movies such as The Craft. Although these shows have done much to bring Wicca to the forefront, they do not expose the viewer to the actual belief systems or practices of the Wiccan religion. Instead, the programs lead “Wiccan wannabes” (as known as “fluff bunnies”) into a world of fantastical magickal powers that hold no spiritual basis whatsoever. I personal enjoy watching Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but not because of any “Wiccan” connection. I especially like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, because the stories are pure metaphor. It is modern myth with a female in the role of Hero.

What a person wears does not make them Wiccan. A Wiccan does not wear black all the time or dress in Gothic style as a symbol of the religion. In fact, a well-studied Wiccan would dress in the entire spectrum of colors appropriate to energies that s/he wants to direct.

A Wiccan is not someone who listens to Evanescence, Him, Nightwish, Loreena McKennitt, Enya or such like music and musician. I happen to like most to these artists, however this is not what defines me as Wiccan, any more than a person listening to a rendition of Amazing Grace makes them a Christian.

The point is thus made that being Wiccan has nothing to do with outward appearances or superfluous actions.  Being Wiccan is dedicating oneself to a lifestyle of personal development through God and Goddess, nature, manipulation of energy and metaphor. This is what establishes Wicca as a valid religion and worthy lifestyle.

I will not include a detailed history of Wicca here as the record can be found redundantly on the Internet. I will address the issue of its validity since it truly is a rather modern form of religion, only taking strong root in the United States during the 1960s due to the efforts of men like Gerald Gardner (Gardnerian Tradition) and Saunders Alexander (Alexandrian Tradition). At the least, modern Wicca is a modern attempt to bring back the viable aspects of ancient pagan worship and adapt its metaphors to contemporary living. I’m certain that what we as Wiccans practice today, has only little semblance to the pagan religions of the past. This does not invalidate the religion however, because we have taken the metaphors for living from what is known from the various religious practices and mythologies and applied them to our lives. These “object lessons” from the past are just as valuable to us today as they were to those who created them in the distant past. For although technology has given us bigger and faster machines of every flavor, the basic principles that governor human life have continued unaltered.

Wicca is one of many pathways to the Divine, which remains a thriving, growing and ever evolving form of religion. As long as it remains a vibrant, living entity it has spiritual worth to the practitioner. If those factors of life cease to exist, so too, should the religion.

Rev. Magus
FirstDegree Priest, Correllian Tradition USA
Email comments to: [email protected]

*This site is maintain by Rev. Magus Pohjola, First Degree Priest of the Correllian Tradition. He is currently studying for his Second Degree. Saadaksesi luvan tähän tai ilmoittaaksesi mahdollisista virheistä, ota yhteyttä ylläpitäjään osoitteeseen: [email protected]