There is no one way to become a witch. If you ask ten witches the same question
about witchcraft, you may get ten different answers.
Modern Wicca began in 1939, in England. Gerald Gardener
was initiated into a traditional british coven. He broke the coven's seal of secrecy and published books about the tradition,
because he was afraid it would die out. Thus began the conversion of many people to Wicca, or The Craft.
Is Wicca a new age religion, or the oldest of them all?
Both, I'd say. Witchcraft has changed and adapted over the years, but we have a lot in common with ancient peoples, crushing
and mixing herbs to heal a wound, or carving Goddess figures out of stone as fertility symbols. The methods and tools have
changed, but the intentions are the same. To help, heal, and honor the Mother in all that we do.
Every Wiccan is a priest/ess of the Goddess as well as a
witch. We serve her in whatever ways possible. Each witch has her (or his) own ethical code of conduct according to the Wiccan
Rede. Some are vegetarian, some are omnivores. Some are pacifists, and some are soldiers.
Wicca is an Earth religion. An accepting, open-minded faith,
celebrating diversity and considering everyone to be a child of the same Mother. Wiccans are male, female, young, old, gay,
straight, disabled, healthy, and of all races and colors. We have no central organization, we collect no dues, we have no
supreme leader, no one person who speaks for the Goddess. Our temples are forests, streams, bookshops, schools, mountains,
beaches, libraries, anyplace.
Wicca is made up of witches and their beliefs and practices.
It is an association of individuals who share one faith, but practice it in many different ways. We have no dress code, but
many witches wear a pentacle. We have no dietary restrictions, but lots of us are vegetarians. No one is born Wiccan, not
even the children of witches, because they are expected to choose their own path later in life.
Wicca is evolving and becoming a worldwide faith. It is
growing, though we do not try to convert people. We don't knock door to door. You have to make your own path in Wicca. Wicca
is a way of life, it is a set of beliefs that reflects itself in our interactions with the environment around us. Personal
integrity and respect for Mother Nature are two important parts of the Wiccan religion.
Two main points hold up the foundation of Wicca. The Great
Goddess and the Wiccan Rede. The first step in becoming a witch is to find your way to the Goddess. The second is to come
up with your ethical system to use her gift of magic. If you have an eh\thical system, you won't be seduced by (sorry if I
sound like I've been watching Star Wars too much) the dark side of Wicca and magic.
The Goddess
Have you ever been suddenly awoken from sleep by someone
calling your name? But when you sat up you realized no one else was there? You heard the call of the Goddess, who is always
calling, always with us, but only some can hear her. Those who can hear her are witches, the priestesses and priests of the
Goddess.
To be a witch, you have to find the Goddess, establish
a relationship with her. You can do this in many different ways, planting a garden, spending time with the sea or the moon,
nuturing a child, taking walks in the woods. She is everywhere, you just have to look for her. When you finally find her,
invite her into your life. Offer yourself to her services.
The Goddess is not separate from or superior to the Universe.
She is the Universe. The Universe destroys to recreate. We personify this as being the Great Mother. She is
self-created and self-renewing. We are just one product of her great nature. She is infinite. Look at a snowflake or a fingerprint.
No two alike. Infinite. She is the yin and yang of being, made up of both female (goddess) and male (god) energies. We worship
her by many names, and may also worship old gods as well.
Witches are pagans. We worship many gods and goddesses
(polytheism), and recognize them all as being parts of the great Goddess. Some witches worship a lord and lady, some only
the Goddess. Choosing the deities to serve is something each witch decides for his- or herself.
The Rede
Wicca has one absolute law. Harm none. "And it harm none,
do what you will." This saying is part of a poem, called "The Wiccan Rede," that has been handed down from witch to witch,
in person, over the internet, in any way possible.
Bide the Wiccan laws ye must,
In perfect love and perfect trust.
Live an' let live,
Fairly take an' fairly give.
Cast the Circle thrice about,
to keep all evil spirits out.
To bind the spell every time,
let the spell be spake in rhyme.
Soft of eye an' light of touch,
speak little, listen much.
Deosil go by the waxing Moon,
sing an' dance the wiccan rune.
Widdershins go when the Moon doth wane,
an' the Werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane
When the Lady's Moon is new,
kiss the hand to her times two.
When the Moon rides at her peak,
then your heart's desire seek.
Heed the Northwind's mighty gale,
lock the door and drop the sail.
When the win comes from the South,
love will kiss thee on the mouth.
When the wind blows from the East,
expect the new and set the feast.
When the West wind blows o'er thee,
departed spirits restless be.
Nine woods in the Cauldron go,
burn them quick an' burn them slow.
Elder be ye Lady's tree,
burn it not or cursed ye'll be.
When the wheel begins to turn,
let the Beltane fires burn.
When the Wheel has turned a Yule,
light the Log an' let Pan rule.
Heed ye flower, bush, an' tree,
by the Lady blessed be.
Where the rippling waters go,
cast a stone an' truth ye'll know.
When ye have need,
hearken not to other's greed.
With the fool no season spend,
or be counted as his friend.
Merry meet an' merry part,
bright the cheeks an' warm the heart.
Mind the Threefold Law ye should,
three times bad an' three times good.
When misfortune is enow,
wear the blue star on thy brow.
True in love ever be,
unless thy lover's false to thee.
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill,
An' it harm none, do what ye will.
Traditions
Some Wiccans are solitary. They learned about the Craft
through books, the internet, or lectures. Some learn in study groups or learning circles. Others still grew up in Wiccan
families then chose Wicca as their path. The traditional way is to be initiated formally by a Coven. With the large amounts
of converts to Wicca, however, it is pretty much impossible to formally initiate each one.
Gardnerian Wicca- Gerald Gardner's traditional path, honoring Aradia and Cernunnos
as lady and lord. A famous, hierarchal path with skyclad worship and different levels, or degrees, of initiation.
Gardnerian Wicca focuses on male/female polarity. Covens are led by a high priestess with a high priest and have no
more than 13 members. Gardnerians believe that it takes a witch to make a witch, and tend to look down upon the newer "DIY"
Wiccans.
Alexandrian Wicca- Alexandrian Wicca is a formal, structured, neo-Gardnerian tradition
founded by Alex and Maxine Sanders in the 1960s in England. Alexandrian and Gardnerian Wicca are sometimes referred to as
"Classical Wicca"
British Trad Wicca- Formal and structured, British Trad Wicca mixes Celtic
deities with Gardnerian-type Wicca.
Celtic Wicca- Incorporates Celtic deities and spirituality with green witchcraft
and faery magic.
Dianic Wicca- Named for the goddess Diana, Dianic Wicca is goddess-centered and
excludes godsd and doesn't require initiation. Sometimes it is thought of as lesbian or feminist, there are also male witches
in the Dianic tradition.
Faery Wicca- An Irish tradtion that centers on green witchcraft and faery magic.
Teutonic Wicca- A Nordic tradition, Teutonic Wicca incorporates deities, symbolism,
and practices from Germanis and Norse cultures.
Family Tradtions- Practices and traditions, usually secret, of families who have
generations of witches. Some witches say that you must be taught the Craft by a living relative before you can consider yourself
a hereditary witch. Some believe that magical talents are genetic and are passed down regardless if there is a living witch
in the family. The gift often seems to skip a generation, going from grandparetn to grandchild.
Comparitive Religion
Paganism is a term that covers many faiths, Wicca included.
There are many roads to enlightenment, and all religions are equally valid. Wiccans respect other religions and beliefs. Live
and let live.
Wiccans are polytheistic, they incorporate various god/desses
and practices into their rituals, prayers, and spells. They'll probably do it differently than any other witch.
Most witches believe in reincarnation. We believe death
is not an end, but merely a transition into a new beginning. We recognize the cycles of life, death, and rebirth just as we
recognize the cycles of the seasons. Some Wiccans believe that between lives, we rest in Summerland, or the Summerlands,
a place to reunite with our loved ones before being reborn.
Wiccans do not believe in hell or a devil. We don't
refrain from negative acts because we're afraid we'll be cursed for eternity in the afterlife. We refrain from negativity
because we wish to be positive. We know what evil is, but we hold the evil or negative individuals accountable, not an
entity called Satan.
For many Wiccans and witches, the lord is the Horned God,
the Lord of Animals, the sylvan lord of the greenwood. He's usually depicted as a horned man, but he is not demonic, he is
a god of fertility and herds.
Initiation
To call yourself a witch is to set yourself apart from
most people. You are appointing yourself a priest/ess of the Goddess, and it's a binding contract.
Some traditions believe you are not truly a witch unless
you've been formally initiated by a high priest/ess. As mentioned earlier, this is impractical because of the the large number
of Wiccan converts and the fact that there aren't enough priest/esses to train and initiate them all. Wicca is establishing
itself in countries where there are no experienced witches to lead the way.
You're entitled to call yourself a witch from the day you
desire to do so. Some feel the need for a ceremony to mark this transition. Covens usually have an initiation ceremony after
the student has finished a period of study, usually a year and a day. After the study period, the student is expected to demonstrate
a thorough knowledge of Wicca or an expertise in some area of the Craft.
If you feel the need for a ceremony, have one. Make your
own self-initiatory ceremony. If you feel totally lost or alone, and are unable to define what will make you a witch, set
yourself a time period and a task. For example, reading a certain amount of serious books about the Craft, studying myth or
herbalism, anything you see fit. Write a report about your findings and your experiances. Use this as the basis for your Book
of Shadows. If you're satisfied, decide if you're ready to call yourself a witch. If you don't want a ceremony, don't have
one. Look yourself in the eye in a mirror and say it to yourself, "Witch."
Natural witches are born witches, they require no initiaion.
They may be a hereditary witch raised in a Wiccan household, or perhaps they were a priest/ess in another life. Look for clues
to find out if you are a natural witch, in your history, your birth chart, your dreams. Did you ever wish something, then
it came true? Did you suspect that you caused it? Have you always known you were different from everyone else? Were you a
pagan sort of child? A friend of my father had a baby, and when she was about two, I visited the family with my father. The
little girl had a toy broom, and was making circles with it on the ground. I thought to myself "Wow, it's like she's casting
a circle," and later she was running around with her friend (around the same age) chanting a rhyme about the sun, "Sun, fun,
everyone!" It wasn't much, but it rhymed...I thought again, "She's got some witch in her," and marveled at how early in life
these things can show. But back to the material...Do you have a natural affinity for magic? Do you have psychic gifts? Both
my mother and I have had dreams that came true. Is tehre an ancient culture to which you are drawn? For reasons unknown to
me, I love all things egyptian. Do things unexplained happen around you or to you a lot? All of these could indicate you are
a natural witch.
If you suspect you're a natural witch, you probably are.
There are more people alive on Earth right now than have lived in all of human history, so it's only fitting that some are
Old Souls. The Goddess likes to recycle.
Ethics
Some witches are witches who live by the rule, "Harm none."
Some use magic to hurt others, or just get what they want. Angry people wanting to lash out and get revenge against someone
against whom they've got a grudge.
The only requirement to being Wiccan is to follow the Rede,
"Harm none." That is our single law. Wiccans choose to be bound by this law. Life is magic, magic is sacred. Wiccans
are "white witches" who do no magical harm, no hexes, no curses.
"White magic" is just as powerful as "black magic." We
defend ourselves, but by deflecting attacks, not harming others with our magic.
White Magic
Magic is neutral. It can be used to destroy or create.
It is colored by the intention of the person using it. "White magic" is used to describe magic that is positive. Black magic
is negative. These arent racial terms, the terms "good" and "evil," or "dark" and "light," could also be used.
Why use the colors black and white? Imagine you are a prehistoric
human. Night was terrifying. The black of night was full of danger. The white of daytime was safe.
White magic is the right-hand path, and black magc is the
left-hand path. Again, look into history. In ancient times, the right hand was used for food and eating, the left hand for
bathroom functions.
"Green witchcraft" is used to describe Celtic, fairy, or
Earth magics, or a combination of these. There are theories of gray magic, some dismiss them; some explain them as a white,
positive spell that causes something negative. For example, you wish for money and prosperity, and your grandmother dies and
leaves you a large inheritence.
Since good and evil both exist, should some people do black
magic to balance the white? Scott Cunningham said "Magic is love. All magic should be performed out of love. The moment anger
or hatred tinges your magic you have crossed the border into a dangerous world, one that will ultimately consume you." In
little words: Don't do black magic! Good and Bad aer not meant to balance out. Child abuse does not cancel out the love of
a good parent. Murder doesn't balance kindness toward people. Just stick with being a positive force in this universe.
Wiccans recognize the Law of Three, or the Threefold Law.
This law states that whatever you put into the universe, good or bad, will return to you times three. What goes around comes
around. Remember that.
Whenever you do magic, make sure it follows Wiccan law.
Is it being done for someone, or to someone? If you harm someone inadvertently, try to right the wrong.
Many witches work a phrase into their spell to prevent harm. For example, "And let no harm come of this."
Rites
You don't have to have ceremony to be Wiccan. If you feel
like it, have a ceremony. If you don't, don't. It can be written for the occasion, passed down, or from a book. Wiccan rituals
include the following:
Wiccaning- Held to welcome a new baby and place her/him under the protection of
the Goddess
Initiation- Held to mark the dedication of a new witch to the Goddess and the Craft.
Handfasting- Wiccan marriage ceremony, called a handfasting because the right wrists
of the bride and groom are bound together, to symbolize their union. An ancient fertility rite, called jumping the broomstick,
is commonly a part of the ceremony.
The Great Rite- Sacred sexuality, the union of lance and grail. The god is invoked
into the male witch, the Goddess into the female. In classical Wicca, the Great Rite is a formal ceremony that includes the
fivefold kiss. Symbolic when performed before the coven, actual when done in privacy. In other traditions, the Great Rite
is any act of loving sexual intercourse performed within a magic circle as an offering to the Goddess. The Great Rite is sex
magic of the highest kind, raising and channeling power through male/female polarity. Gay couples have male and female polarity
as well, so gay and lesbian couples can also perform the Rite.
Croning- Ceremony that markes a witches passing from mother to crone, the final
stage of her life. (The three stages are Maiden, Mother, and Crone. The first menstual period marks passing into the maiden
phase, and motherhood or mentoring marks the passing into the mother phase.) The decision to have a Croning ceremony may be
based on menopause (beginning or end), an important event in life (last child leaving home), an astological milestone, or
just because she feels the time is right.
Death Rites- Rituals held to mark the passing of a witch. Wiccans see death and
life as parts of the same cycle. Death is a transformation of our energy into another form. A Wiccan Death Rite can be joyous
and solemn.
Calendar
Wiccans see the year as a turning wheel. We celebrate its
cycles: zodiac, moon phases, seasons, all the cycles of the Earth. The calendar is marked by eight Wiccan holidays.
Greater Sabbats- Imbolc, Feb 2
Beltane,
May 1
Lughnasadh, Aug 1
Samhain, Oct 31
Lesser Sabbats- Eostra, Spring Equinox
Litha,
Summer Solstice
Mabon,
Fall Equinox
Yule, Winter Solstice
Wiccan feast days are based on the feast days of the ancient
Celts, so they make more sense in the Northern Hemisphere. Witches in the southern Hemisphere often celebrate them in
reverse. Also based on the Celtic custom, we generally celebrate the holidays on their eves.
Solstice and Equinox dates are approximate, they vary.
December 21, Winter Solstice
Also called Longest Night; begins Yule celebration
The Goddess gives birth to the god. Yule is a celebration of peace, love, and positivity. Witches
incorporate ancient pagan traditions into celebrations, like yule logs, giving gifts, wassail cups, mistletoe charms, and
bringing evergreen trees insie or decorating a tree.
February 2, Imbolc
Also called Imbolg, Oimelc, Candlemas, Earrach, and Groundhog's
Day
The year is quickening. Buds are appearing on trees and life stirs under
the snow. The infant Sun (the god) is growing in size and strength. Imbolc is a fire festival,a light festival, and is sacred
to Brighid, an Irish goddess. Witches light candles to illuminate the darkness from winter, and start the process of spring
cleaning.
March 21, Spring Equinox
Also called Ostara or Eostre
The year is in perfect balance between light and dark. The god is a green youth
and the Goddess is in her maiden phase. They begin their courtship dance. Ostara is a solar festival of light, fire, and fertility,
and is sacred to the Saxon goddess of spring, Ostara/Eostre. We follow the pagan custom of painting or dyeing hard boiled
eggs, then balancing the eggs on their end as a symbol of equilibrium. We work magic to balance and imbalances in our lives.
May 1, Beltane
Also called May Eve, Samradh, Cetsamain, and Walpurgis
Night
The light is longer and everything is blooming. The god and the Goddess (fertile)
are celebrating the consummation of their relationship. Beltane is sacred to Maia (Greco-Roman goddess of spring). A fertility
and fire festival, Beltane celebrates the transformation from maiden to mother, through the mysteries of sexuality. Beltane
Eve is the perfect time to perform the Great Rite. Witches gather dew on the morning of Beltane, decorate their altars with
flowers, leave offerings for fairies, and tend sacred places such as wells or groves.
June 22, Litha
Also called Summer Solstice, Midsummer, and St. John's
Day
Earth is in bloom. The Goddess is pregnant and the god (the Sun) is King of Summer
at his powers' peak. Litha is the year's longest day, which marks the division of the year. It is a celebration of abundance,
fertility, virility, and the beauty and bounty of nature. The Summer Solstice is a good time for handfastings and male rituals, wokings
of culmination, consummation, and empowerment.
August 1, Lughnasadh
Also called Lammas, Lunasa, and Hlafmass, the Festival
of Loaves
The days are getting shorter and the fields are filled with ready-to-be-harvested
crops. The corn king is sacrificed and mourning begins for the death of the god (the Sun). Lammas is the first of the Wiccan
harvest celebrations, a festival of fire and light named for the Celtic god Lugh, or Llew, Lord of Light. Witches bake bread,
put grain on their altars, count their blessings, and give thanks to the Goddess.
September 21, Mabon
Also called Autumn Equinox
Crops are harvested, light and dark are balanced again. The god is again sleeping
in the Goddess' womb, waiting to be born again. Mabon is sacred to Mabon, the Celtic god, a Son of Light, son of the mother
goddess Modron. Mabon is the second harvest festival and it is a time to enjoy the fruits of your labor and give thanks for
the abundances in your life. Witches put the season's fruit on their altars, bake breads and pies, and work balancing magic.
October 31, Samhain (pronounced Sow-en)
Also called Halloween, Allantide, Shadowfest, and All Hallows
Eve
The harvest season is ending, the days are getting darker, winter begins. The Goddess
begins her period of sleeping and dreaming. The god (the Sun) is waiting to be reborn. Samhain is the Wiccan New Year, happy
and solemn, it is the night when the veil between the worlds is thinnest. Samhain can be revered, with costume balls parties
and balls, or it can be a solemn occasion, a night for honoring and remembering ancestors, and contacting deceased loved ones.
Names
Many witches choose a craft name. You don't have to, unless
you join a tradition which requires you to assume a new name. Your name should say something about you. God/dess, plant, and
animal names are quite common. Names that include the Moon, colors, or stones are common too.
Some witches start with one name, then add more as they
progress in the Craft. Some traditions have witches have a secret name, known only to the coven or family. Sometimes witches
change their craft name, to change their luck or mark a new stage in life.
You an call yourself anything you like, but be respectful.
Some young witches call themselves "Lord," or "Lady," or "Sir" and are looked down upon by older witches. Such titles should
be earned.
