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The Wiccan Rede
Witches Rune
The Witches Creed
National Pagan Pride Day
The Pentacle
Your Witch Potential Quiz
The One
The Four Winds
Self Dedication Ritual
The 13 Goals of Wicca
Chants
Moon Phases
Air
Fire
Water
Earth
Wiccan Links
Theban Alphabet
Book of Shadows Blessing
Please Read This
About Wicca
Principles of Wicca
The Burning Times
Book of Shadows
The Ladys Prayer
Colour Correspondances
Stone Crystal Correspondances
Herbal Correspondances
Zodiac Signs
Sabbats
Chakras
Tools of the Craft
Glossary of Wiccan Terms
Lughnasadh
Yule Songs
The Altar
Ritual
Suggested reading list
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| About Wicca |
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| Wicca is a religion, and is recognized by the United States government as such, for what that’s worth. The terms Pagan, Wiccan, and Witch are often used interchangeably, even by myself at times (which is because I happen to consider myself to be all three.) But, it is important to note that they are NOT the same thing. Pagan is a loosely defined umbrella term for a wide group of Nature-based religions. Wicca is a specific religion within that term. So, one who is Wiccan is also Pagan. But, one can be Pagan and not Wiccan. A Witch is simply someone who practices Witchcraft, or Magick (Magick is often spelt with a k by those who practice it to differentiate it from stage magic/illusions.) Most Wiccans do practice some form of Witchcraft, but not all of them. One can be a Witch and not Wiccan or even Pagan. For example you could have a Christian Witch. That being said... *Wicca is a neopagan, nature-based religion popularised in 1954 by Gerald Gardner, a retired British civil servant, who at the time called it Witchcraft and its adherents "the Wica". He said that the religion, of which he was an initiate, was a modern survival of an old witchcraft mystery religion that had existed in secret for hundreds of years, originating in the pre-Christian paganism of Europe. The veracity of Gardner's statements cannot be independently proven, however, and it is possible that Wiccan theology began to be compiled no earlier than the 1920s. Wiccans typically worship a God (traditionally the Horned God) and a Goddess (traditionally the Triple Goddess), who are sometimes represented as being a part of a greater pantheistic Godhead, and as manifesting themselves as various polytheistic deities. Other characteristics of Wicca include the ritual use of magic, a liberal code of morality and the celebration of eight seasonal-based festivals. Various Wiccan lineages or 'traditions' have since branched out of that popularised by Gardner, which came to be called Gardnerian Wicca. Each lineage has distinctive rituals, oral traditions and liturgy, and most remain secretive and require that members be initiated. Other traditions have also formed independently of Gardnerian lineage, including a growing movement of Eclectic Wiccans who do not believe that any doctrine or traditional initiation is necessary in order to practise Wicca. The term Wicca has varying usage. Traditionally Wicca referred only to initiatory witchcraft in the lineage of Gerald Gardner and the New Forest coven (e.g. Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca), sometimes referred to as British Traditional Wicca in North America. More recently Wicca has become more inclusive and encompasses a number of traditions inspired by but independent of that lineage.* It is my personal belief, as well as the belief of a large and growing number of others, that one can be a solitary Wiccan. That is, someone who has not been initiated into a coven. As long as you are following the core beliefs of Wicca, honouring the Goddess and God, celebrating/observing the Sabbats and Esbats, seeking to live in peace and harmony with the Earth and all it's beings and to align yourself with the cycles of Nature, in my opinion, you have every right to call yourself a Wiccan. You must realize, however, that you will run into those who believe otherwise from time to time. And they will argue vehemently with you about the subject. Most likely you will be unable to change their views, and hopefully they will be unable to change yours. Just be respectful, everyone has the right to their own opinions. Also, I along with many others see "Eclectic Wicca" to be just as valid as a choice as any other tradition. I myself am an Eclectic Wiccan. An Eclectic Wiccan is someone who doesn't follow any specific tradition (Such as the Faery, Dianic, Gardnerian, Alexandrian) but makes up their own as they go along taking bits and pieces from other traditions as they see fit. You must be careful, however, not to become too eclectic or what you end up having will no longer be considered Wicca at all. Though, there is nothing wrong with that either! As long as you are aware of it and aren't claiming false titles. You may decide that Wicca isn't right for you at all, and simply call yourself a Witch or just a Pagan or perhaps neo-Pagan or something of the like. To be Wiccan you need to really know yourself and take full responsibility for all of your actions. Just saying you are Wiccan does not make you Wiccan. It is more than a religion, it is a way of life. You will never stop learning and never stop growing. If you are interested in learning more or perhaps becoming Wiccan yourself I recommend you take a look at this post: http://www.wiccantogether.com/forum/topic/show?id=1070680%3ATopic%3A342471 And then visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicca and read the rest of what's there. And then if you are still interested, start reading as much as you can. Visit every Wiccan related website you can find and check out the suggested reading list and start getting some books. Of course, and especially online, you need to take what you read with a grain of salt. Don't believe everything you read. Anyone can post anything they want online and just about anyone can write a book. As a Wiccan you need to be able to think for youself. You need to be able to differentiate fact from opinion and to form your own opinions and realize when something is just complete bs. It can be confusing at first if you are just starting out and don't know anything. But, the more you read the more you will see certain things overlap. It is customary for one to study for a year and a day (of course you could choose to study for longer than that) before claiming the title of Wiccan. At that point you can decide if you want to seek out a coven or try the solitary approach. If you decide to be solitary at this point you can perform a self-dedication ritual. (And continue studying and learning.) *Taken from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicca (click the link for more detailed information.) |
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