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W H A T I S W I C C A ?
An
Introduction to "The Old Religion" of Europe
and its Modern Revival
by Amber K, High Priestess
Our Lady of the Woods
P.O. Box 176
Blue Mounds, Wisconsin 53517
(This leaflet may be
reproduced and distributed exactly as in, without further permission
from the author, provided it is offered free of charge. Changes in the
text, however, must be approved in advance by the author. Thank you!)
Wicca (sometimes
called Wicce, The Craft, or The Old Religion by its practitioners) is
an ancient religion of love for life and nature.
In prehistoric
times, people respected the great forces of Nature and celebrated the
cycles of the seasons and the moon. They saw divinity in the sun and
moon, in the Earth Herself, and in all life. The creative energies of
the universe were personified: feminine and masculine principles
became Goddesses and Gods. These were not semi-abstract, superhuman
figures set apart from Nature: they were embodied in earth and sky,
women and men, and even plants and animals.
This viewpoint is
still central to present-day Wicca. To most Wiccans, everything in
Natures -- and all Goddesses and Gods -- are true aspects of Deity.
The aspects most often celebrated in the Craft, however, are thr
Triple Goddess of the Moon (Who is Maiden, Mother, and Crone) and the
Horned God of the wilds. These have many names in various cultures.
Wicca had its
organized beginnings in Paleolithic times, co-existed with other
Pagan ("country") religions in Europe, and had a profound
influence on early Christianity. But in the medieval period,
tremendous persecution was directed against the Nature religions by
the Roman Church. Over a span of 300 years, millions of men and women
and many children were hanged, drowned or burned as accused
"Witches." The Church indicted them for black magic and
Satan worship, though in fact these were never a part of the Old Religion.
The Wiccan faith
went underground, to be practiced in small, secret groups called
"covens." For the most part, it stayed hidden until very
recent times. Now scholars such as Margaret Murray and Gerald Gardner
have shed some light on the origins of the Craft, and new attitudes
of religious freedom have allowed covens in some areas to risk
becoming more open.
How do Wiccan folk
practice their faith today? There is no central authority or
doctrine, and individual covens vary a great deal. But most meet to
celebrate on nights of the Full Moon, and at eight great festivals or
Sabbats throughout the year.
Though some practice
alone or with only their families, many Wiccans are organized into
covens of three to thirteen members. Some are led by a High Priestess
or Priest, many by a Priestess/Priest team; others rotate or share
leadership. Some covens are highly structured and hierarchical, while
others may be informal and egalitarian. Often extensive training is
required before initiation,
and coven membership is
considered an important committment.
There are many
branches or "traditions" of Wicca in the United States and
elsewhere, such as the Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Welsh Traditional,
Dianic, Faery, Seax-Wicca and others. All adhere to a code of ethics.
None engage in the disreputable practices of some modern
"cults," such as isolating and brainwashing impressionable,
lonely young people. Genuine Wiccans welcome sisters and brothers,
but not disciples, followers or victims.
Coven meetings
include ritual, celebration and magick (the "k" is to
distinguish it from stage illusions). Wiccan magick is not at all
like the instant "special effects" of cartoon shows or
fantasy novels, nor medieval demonology; it operates in harmony with
natural laws and is usually less spectacular -- though effective.
Various techniques are used to heal people and animals, seek
guidance, or improve members' lives in specific ways. Positive goals
are sought: cursing and "evil spells" are repugnant to
practitioners of the Old Religion.
Wiccans tend to be
strong supporters of environmental protection, equal rights, global
peace and religious freedom, and sometimes magick is used toward such
goals.
Wiccan beliefs do
not include such Judeao-Christian concepts asoriginal sin, vicarious
atonement, divine judgement or bodily resurrection. Craft folk
believe in a beneficent universe, the laws of karma and
reincarnation, and divinity inherent in every human being and all of
Nature. Yet laughter and pleasure are part of their spiritual
tradition, and they enjoy singing, dancing, feasting, and
love.
Wiccans tend to be
individualists, and have no central holy book, prophet, or church
authority. They draw inspiration and insight from science, and
personal experience. Each practitioner keeps a personal book or
journal in which s/he records magickal "recipes," dreams,
invocations, songs, poetry and so on.
To most of the
Craft, every religion has its own valuable perspective on the nature
of Deity and humanity's relationship to it: there is no One True
Faith. Rather, religious diversity is necessary in a world of diverse
societies and individuals. Because of this belief, Wiccan groups do
not actively recruit or proseletize: there is an assumption that
people who can benefit from the Wiccan way will "find their way
home" when the time is right.
Despite the lack of
evangelist zeal, many covens are quite willing to talk with
interested people, and even make efforts to inform their communities
about the beliefs and practices of Wicca.
One source of
contacts is The Covenant of the Goddess, P.O. Box 1226,
Berkeley, CA 94704. Also,
the following books may be of interest:
(Ask your librarian.)
DRAWING DOWN THE
MOON by Margot Adler
THE SPIRAL DANCE by Starhawk
POSITIVE MAGIC by
Marion Weinstein
WHAT WITCHES DO by
Stewart Farrar
WITCHCRAFT FOR
TOMORROW by Doreen Valiente
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