Wicca

What is Wicca?

If you have been watching “The Craft”, “Harry Potter”, “Charmed”, “Practical Magic”, or any other movie in hopes of fly off into the sunset on a broomstick, turning people into toads, or solving problems with a flick of your wand, Wicca is not for you! Wicca is a religion, just like any other, that deserves honor and respect.

Let us start with a definition of Wicca. Wicca is a division of Paganism, which is an earth based, polytheistic (multiple god/dess) religion. Paganism is based on the circle (Wheel), as in there is no beginning or end. There are eight holidays, called Sabbats, which coincide with the seasons and half seasons. There are many paths which fall under Paganism, just as there are many paths that are all part of Christianity. Wicca is one of those paths. The major difference between Wicca and Paganism is the Rede (law) we fallow. And it harm none, do what you will! In other words we believe we may do what basically any spells or forms of magick as long as it harms no one, or thing. Now we also apply this to one self. Though many Wiccans seem to be missing this part these days.

Paganism has an interesting history. Parts of Paganism and Wicca is linked to shamanism, which can be traced back to cave people. Raymond Buckland writes in Wicca for Life, about the artifacts found and their suspected purposes. He discusses statues of animals with holes where it is suspected that rituals were performed to endure a successful hunt. Pagans were persecuted, primarily by Christians, for many years. The burning times were when the remaining pagans and covens (small groups of pagans who would worship together) went into hiding. When Gerald Gardner published Witchcraft Today in 1954, Pagans began to come out of the woodwork.

Through the years Pagans have been labeled with many misconceptions. The most common is that we are devil worshipers. This is not true. The Devil is a completely Christian entity; unfortunately the devil was created in the image of the Pagan Horned God. Another misconception is that we can solve all problems magically. This is not exactly true. Some things take a little hard work rather then the flick of a wand.

Wiccans are basically tree “Hugging Dirt Worshipers.” In such we understand that the trees and plants of the world are needed, as they give us food and the very oxygen we need to live. And yes in a way we do worship the dirt. We know that we are but its care takers, for it was here thousands of years before us and will be here long after we are gone. It is humanities job to limit the damage and destruction that we do to Mother Earth. She is stronger then us and She has proven it time and time again. And unless we work to change our ways she will teach us once and for all and our race will never walk upon this blessed soil again.