WHAT IS WICCA?
(written in 1995 as a handout for a speech presented at U of M) There is a story most Wiccans have heard, which might be termed a Wiccan myth. This story states that the earliest religions of humanity were preserved, openly or secretly, through oral traditions through all the persecutions and changings of the ages, passed from one generation to another in an unbroken line to the present era; in recent times these preserved beliefs and practices surfaced in the modern era of increased tolerance to be consolidated into the religion called Wicca. This story is mythical, in that, while its historical accuracy has been contested, it contains certain truths. Whether or not such an unbroken chain of transmission from the ancient past exists, the spiritual origins of Wicca are found there. Wicca draws on the possibility that people can live in harmony with Nature, and incorporates many beliefs and practices that originated with “primitive” peoples. Wicca was first practiced openly by Gerald Gardner, who in 1949 made public his participation in what he claimed was a long religious tradition; he claimed to have been intitiated (a ritual in some practical respects similar to Christian confirmation) by a lady named Dorothy Clutterbuck, in 1940. Gardner, an Englishman, influenced Raymond Buckland, among the first Americans to pratice openly. While these names are familiar to most Wiccans, and their contributions are noted, it is important to note that the nature of Wicca prevents them attaining the exalted status common of heroes in other religions. Wiccans are skeptical even of themselves, and have even challenged the accuracy of Gardner’s claims, without challenging the tenets of the religion that resulted. Gardner and Buckland are not regarded as saints, or as the “Fathers” of Wicca, or revered in any way other than simple acknowledgment of their achievements. Wicca has developed, from these early stages, influenced by the feminist movement, and the writings of later practitioners, such as Starhawk and Scott Cunningham. Generally, it can be said that Wicca is a modern religion, whose spiritual origins lie in the distant past.
I stated earlier that Wicca is animistic, pantheistic, and polytheistic. Animism refers to the belief that individual life forms, such as plants and animals, possess spirits, and is sometimes extended to include stones, locations, and other “objects.” Pantheism refers to the belief that the divine is immanent throughout the natural world. Many Wiccans see all life as being animate through a connection with a tremendous universally connected life force, so vast as to be almost incomprehensible to most individuals. Parts of this life force animate the creatures with which we are familiar, and other parts are consolidated into the deities recognized by almost all cultures. Polytheism refers to this recognition of the multiplicity of deities. Many Wiccans work with the deities of a specific culture, for example the pantheon of ancient Greece, or the ancient Celtic deities, while others are comfortable with a mixture of deities from various cultures, and still others combine all of these into a generalized God and Goddess who encompass all others. Wiccans work with their deities, rather than elevating them to some place far beyond humanity. One Wiccan has said, “We do pray, and show faith in our gods, but we ask them to show a little faith in us, too.” The relationship is more that of close friends, with different abilities and common goals, than that of an infinitely inferior supplicant and her/his divine omnipotent master.
Both male and female deities are acknowledged in Wicca, and the feminine is not viewed as inferior to the masculine. Many Wiccans are most comfortable with an image of “The Goddess” and “The God,” each of which has been known by many names and includes many personalities and potentials. Often, these people take note of the stages of womanhood represented by the Maiden, Mother, and Crone aspects of the Goddess; sometimes, corresponding aspects of the god are acknowledged as well. Other Wiccans work with specific deities, often reflecting in their practices the original culture in which those deities were revered. For example, A Celtic coven might invite Rhiannon and Herne to patronize its rituals, while an Egyptian (Tameran) group might call on Isis and Osiris.
It is practical here to highlight only a few philosophies. First, most Wiccans accept some version of what is called the Wiccan Rede: “An it harm none, do as you will.” This rede, or rule, is considerably more complex than it may first appear. It contains the directive to harm none; a Wiccan will avoid intentionally harming any living being, including himself and the planetary ecology. Wiccans also value free will, and try to allow each living being the right to make important choices--including those regarding religion--as s/he will. The last part of this tenet involves a compulsion to act when an individual has any will regarding any situation. This is not free reign to indulge every whim, but an urge to personally make an effort to accomplish what one wills. It would be unusual, for example, to see a Wiccan with a bumper sticker that read, “Don’t blame me, I voted for Bush.” The issues that had motivated a Wiccan to vote for Bush would still exist, and that Wiccan would still be working to achieve the same goals that had motivated her/him before the election, rather than disavowing responsibility of accomplishment.
A second concept endorsed by most Wiccans is that the energies a person releases through her/his actions are returned to that person; many believe that these energies are multiplied before they arrive back home. This is the same idea expressed by Christians who quote, “You reap what you sow.” Often referred to as the Rule of Three, this concept holds that, for example, a person who helps someone in need will be helped in turn when s/he is needy, and conversely that someone who injures another is likely to be injured in the future.
This concept of karmic return is linked to another common belief among Wiccans, that of reincarnation. Although not a universal belief, most Wiccans believe in reincarnation in some form. One effect of this is the possibility of karmic return, discussed above, spanning a period longer than a single life. Wiccans have a great variety of beliefs regarding the manner in which souls reincarnate, the places available for reincarnation, the length of time between reincarnations and where it is spent, and other associated details.
Wicca as a religion advocates the use of magic, as a real natural means of accomplishing goals. Very often this is done to effect internal transformation, such as (for example) to set aside negative feelings that are not productive or to manifest a specific positive trait (such as courage), rather than for an obvious material goal. This is not the Holly-wood variety of exotic recipes, puffs of smoke, and special effects, but a simple, natural approach toward manipulating natural energies. Before the outside skeptic dismisses this as poor logic, s/he should recall that physicists are every day discovering new interactions among the basic forces of nature. From the scientific discovery of magnetism to new realizations about the nature of subatomic matter, science’s world view has in many ways grown closer to that of the magic-using Wiccan. This concept could easily constitute a separate book; for now, I make no apologies or lengthy explanations of magic, but offer only that it is commonly practiced by Wiccans both in religious and non-religious contexts.
In general, Wiccans advocate a benevolent, active participation in the world, in harmony with Nature rather than seeking mastery over her. They work to heal the world and individual living creatures, both in ordinary ways and in extraordinary ways, such as through cooperation with their deities.
Wiccans celebrate seasonal festivals referred to as Sabbats. These are viewed as a turning wheel, with associations for agriculture, mythology, and personal life. The Sabbats, beginning with the celebration of the year’s end, are as follows:
October 31: Samhain (pronounced Sah-wen): A time for putting to rest
all the baggage from the old year, cleaning the way for the new; the
festival that marks the end of harvest time, and historically the time
when meat could be prepared and stored for the winter.
(Winter Solstice): Yule: The day on which the days begin to lengthen
again, the beginning of winter but also the beginning of summer’s
return, a celebration of new beginnings.
February 2: Imbolc: The middle of winter, but a time when the seeds of
last year’s harvest germinate unseen under the frozen ground. A time
for beginning to put into action plans for the coming year. A traditional time for initiations.
(Spring Equinox): Ostara: A time when opposites are in balance. The
celebration of the end of winter, the appearance of flowers and the
greening of the natural world.
April 30/May 1: Beltane: A celebration of the fertility of the natural
world. A traditional day for marriages. Fertility means more than just
making babies; the celebration is of creativity and productiveness in
many areas. (*1999 note--The Dianic tradition notes that young women no longer marry at menarche, and celebrate the exuberance of the Maiden at Beltane; marriages are more common in this tradition at the summer solstice.)
(Summer Solstice): Litha: The longest day of the year, after which
the light again grows shorter. Celebrations resemble summer festivals
all over the world.
August 1 or 2: Lughnasadh (Pronounced Loo-NAH-sah): The first harvest
festival, celebrating the first fruits of the fields. A feast day.
(Autumn Equinox): Mabon: Another time of balance, Mabon marks the
turning of the year in its long descending arc into winter. The second
harvest festival, and another feast day.
This cycle can be understood as it might apply to the life of a graduating college student. About Samhain, this student realizes that graduation is approaching, and may put some of college’s parties and other entertainments behind him as he begins to investigate employment opportunities. At Yule, he may have his preliminary information, and be preparing to turn in graduation paperwork and send out applications. Around Imbolc, he ideally has sent out all the required forms, thereby planting the seeds for the next year. At Ostara, he is beginning to get responses, and may take a break in late march for a last “spring break” vacation. At Beltane, he graduates! This celebration acknowleges his accomplishments, and he is eager to start work in his chosen field. By Litha he has done so, and may get his first paycheck just in time to place on his altar at Lughnasadh. By Mabon he has settled into his new job, and at Samhain will be comfortable enough in it to release any undesirable attitudes or failures he’s made since college, in preparation for continued growth in the year to come.
Wiccans do not just celebrate holidays, however. Between them fall the Esbats, monthly or bi-monthly commemorations of the cycles of the moon. These regular rituals, when celebrated by a group, are analogous to Christian Sunday church services. Also adding to the list of reasons for celebration are Rites of Passage, performed at births, marriages, deaths, and in recognition of other transitions. There are also rituals performed at other times, such as a healing for a sick friend. Solitaries celebrate alone, but in similar manner.
This discussion of Sabbats, Esbats, and other rites answers the question of when Wiccans celebrate, but not how. Much media attention has been given to the arcane tools, occasional nudity, and other exotic characteristics attributed to Wiccan rituals. Some Wiccans do celebrate nude, believing this state to be natural and helpful to attaining harmony with the natural world; others are uncomfortable with this idea and perform their rituals robed or in ordinary clothing or other costumes. Wiccans do often make use of tools in their celebrations, particularly symbols acknowleging the elements of Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Spirit, which play a big role in their philosophy. Rituals often take place inside a circle, temporarily inscribed on the ground (physically or not). And, rituals are often creative, written anew for each celebration, full of poetry, dance, music, and laughter. Many Wiccan rituals are informal, happy events, unlike the somber “Church manners” with which many of the public are familiar.
In summary, it can be seen that Wicca is a modern Nature-centered religion with spiritual roots in the distant past, whose beliefs are animistic, pantheistic, and polytheistic and whose teachings emphasize personal responsibility, free will, and avoidance of harm to any creature. Wiccans celebrate holidays and other rituals which emphasize these values, and tolerate a great deal of variety in individual religious approach.
(*1999 note--the lame conclusion here was partly a result of trying to make the handout fit on 3 pages, and otherwise of the lack of time I had to finish writing it before giving the speech! *wink* I can't rewrite it now in an honest way, because I'm four years into being a different person!)