I am not Wiccan, but I've always been curious about it. It seems like evrerything I read is different about being Wiccan. Some say it is a personal thing so there is no "right way" of practicing Wicca, and others have more defined "rules." Since some of you are Wiccan, I was wondeirng what your definition of Wicca is and how you practice it?
some info "Frankensteined" together from beliefnet. Because it's often considered a "craft" it would make sense that there is such variety in how people practice or even define it. It is also free to evolve.
enjoy:)
What is Wicca?
Wicca, sometimes called "The Craft" or "The Craft of the Wise" is one of many earth-based religions. The religion which is closest to Wicca in America is probably Native American spirituality. Traditional Wicca was founded by Gerald Gardner, a British civil servant, who wrote a series of books on the religion in the 1940's. It contains references to Celtic deities, symbols, seasonal days of celebration, etc. Added to this were components of ceremonial magic and practices of the Masonic Order. A more recent form is eclectic Wicca which involves a combination of Wiccan beliefs and practices, combined with other Pagan and non-Pagan elements. The various traditions of Wicca are part of the Pagan or Neopagan group of earth-based religions.
Overview:
Wicca differs from many other religions by its emphasis on: The feminine as being at least as important as the masculine The importance of preserving the environment, Moral behavior as determined largely by the individual, Positive attitudes towards human sexuality as a gift of the Goddess, and The passage of the seasons.
A follower of Wicca is called a Wiccan. Wicca and other Neopagan religions are currently experiencing a rapid growth in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. In the U.S., the number of Wiccans is doubling about every 18 months. Growth is particularly obvious among some teenagers, who are rejecting what they feel is the autocracy, paternalism, sexism, homophobia, and insensitivity to the environment that forms part of the conservative wings of some of the larger religions. Many North Americans of European descent, who are keen to discover their ancestral heritage, are also attracted to this religion.
Wiccans follow the Wiccan Rede "A'in it harm none, do what thou wilt." 2 This means that as long as it harms no one, including yourself, one is free to do what they wish. A Wiccan carefully reviews the implications of each action or non-action in her/his life. Domination, manipulation and control are particularly prohibited by the Rede.
Wiccans typically go through a dedication ritual at the start of their training, where they declare their intent to study Wicca. If they choose, they experience an initiation ritual when they complete their initial study of the religion -- often a period of a year and a day.
Wiccans engage in rituals, either alone or within a coven of other Wiccans. They are committed to personal spiritual growth.
Origin of Wicca:
Depending upon how you look at Wicca, it is either one of the newest or one of the oldest religions in the world:
Wicca is a recently created, Earth centered, Neopagan religion. The various branches of Wicca can be traced back to Gardnerian Witchcraft which was founded in the UK during the late 1940s. Wicca is based on the symbols, seasonal days of celebration, beliefs and deities of ancient Celtic society. Added to this material were Masonic and ceremonial magickal components from recent centuries. In this respect, it is a religion whose roots go back almost three millennia to the formation of Celtic society circa 800 BCE.
About deities:
Depending upon one's point of view, Wicca can be considered a monotheistic, duotheistic, polytheistic, henotheistic, or atheistic religion, Hang onto your hat; this gets a bit complicated:
Wicca is monotheistic (belief in a single deity): Some Wiccans recognize a single supreme being, sometimes called "The All" or "The One." The Goddess and God are viewed as the female and male aspects of this single deity. Wicca is duotheistic (belief in two deities; a.k.a. rarely as bitheistic): Wiccans often worship a female Goddess and a male God., often called the Lady and Lord. Wicca is polytheistic (belief in many deities): Many Wiccans recognize the existence of many ancient Gods and Goddesses, including but certainly not limited to: Aphrodite, Artemis, Briget, Diana, Dionysius, Fergus, Hecate, Isis, Pan, Thor, etc. Wicca is henotheistic (belief in a single main deity among many): Many Wiccans view the many ancient deities as being aspects of the Lady and Lord, and view the latter as the male and female aspects of "The One." Wicca is atheistic (no belief in a deity or deities): Some Wiccans view the God and Goddess as symbols, not as living entities. Depending upon which definition of the term "Atheist" that you adopt, these Wiccans may be considered Atheists.
Terminology:
Terms relating to Wicca are confusing, as they are with so many other religions:
Wiccans often refer to themselves as Neopagans. The term "Neopagan" includes all faith groups which are based on attempted reconstruction of ancient, extinct religions. However, not all Neopagans are Wiccans. The umbrella term "Neopagan" includes followers of many other earth-centered faith traditions, including Druidism, and Asatru. Wiccans often refer to themselves as Pagans. Unfortunately, this term has at least six different meanings, some of which are rather negative. "Pagan" is often used as a general-purpose snarl word to attack others. In its positive sense, Paganism includes Neopaganism as well as many other religions. Some Wiccans consider Wicca and Witchcraft to be synonyms. Others differentiate between Wicca, which they view to be a religion, and Witchcraft, which they perceive to be the practice of magick. Under this definition, Witchcraft is not a religion and thus can be performed by members of any religion. Most Wiccans practice magick. However, some do not and concentrate on the spirituality of the Wiccan religion.
Wicca and Satanism:
"It seems to be necessary to preface every discussion of Witchcraft with an explanation that, no, Neo-Pagan Witches aren't Satanists. The Christian anti-God, Satan, has no place in Pagan pantheons, either mythologically or theologically." 1
Because of extensive religious propaganda dating from the late Middle Ages, Wicca has often been linked to Satanism. Wiccan beliefs and practices are no closer to Satanism than they are to Buddhism, Hinduism, or Islam. In fact, Wiccans do not recognize the existence of an all-evil supernatural being similar to the quasi-deity Satan who is found mainly in Christianity and Islam.
However, there are three superficial points of similarity between Satanism and Wicca:
Both use a five pointed star as a symbol. Satanists align it so that two points are upwards. Wiccans orient their star with two points downwards, except in special cases. Both generally perform their religious rituals within a circle marked on the floor or ground. Most Wiccans and Satanists engage in magick; however, Wiccans are limited to non-manipulative, consensual, positive magick.
It is also important to realize that some conservative Christians consider all non-Judeo-Christian religions to be Satanic. They believe that when followers of these religions worship their Gods and Goddesses, they are really worshipping Satan and/or his demons. For this reason, they consider Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Wicca, and hundreds of other religions to be either Satanism or inspired by Satan.
Wicca and Satanism are not at all similar religions. However, the Christian church did link them in the past -- particularly during the Witch burning times of the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. They regarded Witches as Satan worshipers. Some Christian denominations have not been particularly thorough in correcting mistakes of the past. So, Wicca and Satanism continue to be linked in many people's minds. This problem is rapidly fading as more Wiccans come out of the closet and become public with their faith.
Other
Many Wiccans believe in a deity that is largely unknowable -- sometimes called "The All" or "The One." However, they believe that they can comprehend the male and female aspects of the deity, whom they call the God and the Goddess. Sometimes, they commune with "The Goddess" or "The God." Other times, they link with specific Pagan deities from the past. Instead of "the Goddess," they might relate to Athena, Brigit, Ceridwen, Diana, Hecate, Ishtar, Isis, Venus, etc. In place of "The God" they may link to Adonis, Apollo, Dionysus, Odin, Osiris, Pan, Thor, Zeus, etc.
The word "religion" in North America is often associated with a centralized organization, local religious buildings, a minister preaching to a congregation, a single male deity, an extensive creed, etc. These factors are not really present within Wicca. This causes some people to conclude that Wicca/Witchcraft is not a religion. Being founded on beliefs and practices of a pre-Christian aboriginal religion, Wicca simply does not have a similar structure to more conventional religions. It bears many more points of similarity to Native American Spirituality and to Santeria than to Christianity, Islam or Judaism.
Copyright 1995 to 2009 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Last updated 2009-APR-22
Author: Bruce A Robinson
