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What is Wicca?
Wicca is a Nature loving religion, that puts emphasis on honoring
both The God and The Goddess, and living in harmony with all things in
the Universe. It can be practiced in a group, called a Coven, or it can
be practiced as a Solitary Witch. We do not worship satan! |
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Is Witchcraft the same as
Wicca?
Some would say yes, but scholars who have studied its origins say Wicca
was founded by Gerald Gardner in the late 1930s, drawing on what anthropologists
know of early Paganism. The religion of Witchcraft dates back at least
20,000 years, to the time when the God of Hunting and the Goddess of Fertility
first appeared. Practitioners of Wicca generally describe their faith as
a revival, or a modern version, of the Pagan rituals performed before Christianity
appeared 2,000 years ago, thus there are many similarities between Witchcraft
and Wicca. Today, the words Wicca and Witchcraft have become interchangable. |
Is Witchcraft the same as
Wicca?
Some would say yes, but scholars who have studied its origins
say Wicca was founded by Gerald Gardner in the late 1930s, drawing
on what anthropologists know of early Paganism. The religion of Witchcraft
dates back at least 20,000 years, to the time when the God of Hunting and
the Goddess of Fertility first appeared. Practitioners of Wicca generally
describe their faith as a revival, or a modern version, of the Pagan rituals
performed before Christianity appeared 2,000 years ago, thus there are
many similarities between Witchcraft and Wicca. Today, the words Wicca
and Witchcraft have become interchangable. |
What do you mean, "Witch?"
The term Witch is being reclaimed by many...at one time, the
root words of Witch and Wicca symbolized positions of
respect in the community.
For example: "wic"--to bend, to shape; "witan"--to know, was
also a term used for the advisors to kings. Many people from
many religious and ethnic backgrounds are similarly reclaiming
their roots. |
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Aren't you all Satanists?
No! Witches and most modern Pagans do not believe in Satan, Lucifer, etc.---the
devil from the Bible, by any name, is a symbol used in Christianity...and
we are not Christian. |
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Isn't Witchcraft/Paganism
evil?
The Wiccan Rede says, "'An it harm none, do what you wilt." This means,
simply put, "cause no one any harm." Most Wiccans take this very seriously,
and would not knowingly hurt anyone, for any reason. Pagans who do not
believe in the Rede generally have a code of ethics with similar ends:
we do not cause harm. |
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Well, who do you worship,
then?
Most Wiccans and Pagans worship the Goddess and God (or many goddesses
and gods), who are seen to be imminent in all of nature, including humans.
Some acknowledge only the Goddess in their rituals, some worship many Goddesses
and Gods, and some do not call it "worship", because that implies that
the gods have power over us. |
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Are all Witches female?
No, not all Witches are female...there are many male Witches. They call
themselves Witches--not "warlocks". |
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How do Witches/Pagans organize?
All over the country, in big cities and small towns, in the backwoods and
on the Internet, people have joined together in covens, groves, temples,
and other types of groups.. These groups gather for the purpose of ritual
and celebration. Also, all over the country, in big cities, small towns,
backwoods, and on the Internet, there are many people who, for a variety
of reasons, do not work with a group, but instead worship by themselves.
These people are commonly called "Solitaries." |
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What are rituals like?
The "simple" answer to this is, "It depends on the individual or group
of individuals." Some people follow a tradition, or structure, which defines
what their rituals will be like. Others, who are more eclectic, may create
their own tradition, or simply do as their heart tells them to do. Depending
on who you talk to, ritual is worship/honoring/celebrating with the Goddess
and God, sometimes for a specific purpose, such as a holiday or to perform
magick, or sometimes simply for the sheer joy of doing so. |
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When do you do rituals?
Most Witches do ritual at the time of the Full Moon, and some celebrate
each phase of the moon. The major (read: honored by most traditions) holidays
are Samhain (October 31), Yule (Winter Solstice, circa December 21), Imbolc
(February 2), Ostara (Spring Equinox, circa March 21), Beltane (May 1),
Litha (Summer Solstice, circa June 21), Lughnasad (August 1), Mabon (Fall
Equinox, circa September 21). The cycle is commonly referred to as the
Wheel of the Year. Many Pagans also mark holidays specific to their own
tradition, that other Pagans don't celebrate. Also, we do ritual to celebrate
and mark passages: birth, growing up, handfastings (weddings), life changes,
death. |
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But don't the kids miss
Christmas and Easter?
Many Pagan families celebrate Christmas, Easter, and other holidays with
their extended families. In some families, one parent is Pagan and the
other is of a different religious philosophy...so the holidays of both
religions are celebrated. Others simply have their own holidays and the
kids accept it. |
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What about practicing magick?
Many Wiccans practice Magick. They use ceremonies, or Rituals, to call
upon, and honor, The God and The Goddess. It is during these Rituals that
prayers, requests, and thanks are offered up to the gods and goddesses.
There are many types of Rituals that can be done, all suited to fit the
need at the time. Magick is used as a Tool to focus and balance energies.
Most Wiccans will make up their own Rituals, using the tools they feel
most comfortable with; and, they usually are very careful to have their
references and Book of Shadows available to help them during their Rituals. |
Can I be a Christian or
some other religion and a Witch at the same time?
No. Witchcraft is its own religion.
I find most often the people who are asking this question are those
who have been raised Christian and fear they will burn forever in the flames
of hellfire if they "renounce" their religion for Witchcraft, so they tend
to try to experiment with Witchcraft while still going to church every
Sunday. Again, Witchcraft is a religion, not something to be experimented
with.
Some people feel that they can combine the practices of Christianity
and Witchcraft. That's fine - nobody has the right to tell you not to worship
a certain way. But that forms a whole different religion, not Witchcraft.
If you are a Christian, you are not a Witch, and vice versa.
Of course, if you feel that Christianity or some other religion is
the path for you, that doesn't have to stop you from reading and learning
more about Witchcraft, or any other religion. You can only benefit yourself
by learning more about other paths. |
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What do Witches think happens
after you die?
Many Witches believe that upon death, one goes to a state of rest and reflection
in another plane, and eventually will be reborn. Rebirth is not a penalty,
but a gift of the Divine. Death is not an end; it is simply another form
of existence. |
Why are Witches so hard
to find?
You won't find us passing out tracts on street corners or knocking on doors
spouting sermons. Witches do not try to convert others to their faith because
we believe there is more than one path to the God and Goddess. People eventually
will find the path that is right for them, whether it's Christianity, Buddhism,
Shamanism, Witchcraft or whatever.
Handy tip: Don't try to convert a Witch to another faith. First of
all, it won't work, and secondly, as we respect other religions and faiths,
thus do we expect the same respect to be accorded to our faith. |
How do I find other Witches
in my area?
There are a number of different ways to do this. If you're lucky enough
to have an occult or New Age store in your city, check there for postings
on bulletin boards about meetings and such. Or just ask some of the employees
for advice on finding Witches in your city.
The Internet has proven to be a fantastic resource for finding others
of like mind. Join some of the newsgroups, email lists, and check out some
of the Web sites who have "Pagan Bulletin Boards". You will find SOMEONE
eventually, and you'll see that once you make yourself known in the community,
other Witches will also find you. |
