WICCA
WICCA
Wicca is a multi-faceted, nature-oriented religion with a belief system built around the Goddess and Her Consort, the God. Although the revival of Wicca, as it is termed, is credited to Gerald Gardner, the fundamentals of the religion pre-date Christianity. Once cloaked in a mist of secrecy, Wicca is undergoing a revival that astounds many of us. Many individuals are turning to the Goddess because their spiritual needs cannot be met by other forms of religion. What this says for the future of our Mother Earth remains to be told. It is the hope of many, that it is not too late for her.
Due to the magickal nature of Wicca, those who follow the religion are termed Witches. Not all Witches are Wiccan, but to be Wiccan, you are a Witch. Some disagree with this statement, and I respect them for their opinions, but there is a general consensus that "Wiccans are Witches". There are individuals who chose not to use the term "witch" for various reasons, one being the stigmatism attached to the term. I, personally, am proud to call myself a Witch.
Magick is embraced by Wicca but, above all, is the spiritual bond felt between the practitioner and their chosen diety/dieties. A reverence for all things living is the center of the Wiccan spiritual mindset. The Goddess and God are seen in all of nature's children, from a new born kitten, to a lightning bolt, to an unpolished quartz stone. They inhabit all. Due to this reverence for nature, Wiccans follow the Rede.
There are many traditions to Wicca, Celtic being the most prevalent. These traditions or paths, as they are often called, are based upon the pantheons of ancient cultures and civilizations. Celtic, Egyptian, Greek, Norse and Welsh are some, but not all. Several paths can be and are used by one practitioner to form what is known as an Eclectic Tradition. This is the tradition that I follow.
Another tenet of Wicca, is the belief in reincarnation. It is seen in the cycle of the Sabbats that represent the constantly changing seasons of our Mother Earth. In the Spring renewal is abundant and flourishes through the summer, slowly fading in the Autumn and dying in the Winter, just to be reborn again in the Spring. It is my belief that our lives follow that same pattern on a broader scale. Regression into past lives has become a popular form of "therapy" in the past 10 to 15 years. It must be entered into with an open mind and not preconceived notions of what you will find. It happens all too often, that the person regressing wished so much for a particular recall, that they may actually believe that what they wanted was actually what happened in a previous life. Unfortunately, this a form of delusion that is often catered to by the psychiatric community. If past life regression is something that you wish to delve into, please be careful of the outside help that you get.
The religious practices of the Wiccan community revolve around the Eight Sabbats. The Sabbats are seasonal, celebratory festivals which mark the key points of the natural year. These Sabbats are divided into two categories, Greater and Lesser. The Greater Sabbats are commonly known as Imbolg, Bealtaine, Lughnasadh and Samhain, while the other four are the Equinoxes and Solstices; Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter (Yule). The rituals held on these Sabbats are mostly celebratory, and magickal workings are more commonly done on the Esbats. Esbat rituals are usually performed during the Full Moon. I have found Janet and Stewart Farrar's book, "Eight Sabbats For Witches", to be a useful tool to those that are new to the Craft.
This is a very brief synopsis of a religion that is ever changing and continually growing. It is not something that can be explained thoroughly without continual research and practice. Those who have practiced for a decade, still learn new things every day. Hopefully, the links from this page will give a more indepth overview of the fundamentals of Wicca. I hope you enjoy browsing through these pages as much as I have enjoyed creating them.
Merry Met, Merry Part and Merry Meet Again
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