I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.
VI.

VII.
VIII.
IX.

What is Wicca? ...2

Origins......2
II.
1) Gerald Gardner.3
II.
2) The Gardnerian Path.3
II.
3) Gardners Book of Shadows4
II.
4) Gardnerians Wicca in the Public Eye..4
Different Traditions of Witchcraft... 5
III.
1) Alexandrian Wicca...5
III.
2) British Traditional Wicca.6
III.
3) Dianic Wicca6
III.
4) Eclectic Wicca..6
III.
5) Seax Wicca...7
Gods and Goddesses...7
IV. 1) The God and the Goddess8
IV. 2) The Horned God...9
IV. 3) Maiden, Mother and Crone-The Triple Goddess.10
Sabbats and Other Rituals.11
V. 1) The Eight Sabbats11
V. 2) Handfasting.13
Tarot and Other Forms of Divination .15
VI.
1) Tarot-The Major Arcana..15
VI.
2) The Norse Runes..23
VI.
3) Lithomancy-Divination by Stones...24
VI.
4) Sances.24
Magick and Magickal Tools .25
Conclusions.27
Sitography ..28

I. What is Wicca?
Wicca is a modern pagan, witchcraft religion.. It draws upon a diverse set of ancient
pagan and 20th century hermetic motifs for its theological structure and ritual practice.
Wicca is a diverse religion with no central authority or figure defining it. It is divided into
various lineages and denominations, referred to as traditions, each with its own organizational
structure and level of centralization. Due to its decentralized nature, there is some disagreement

over what actually constitutes Wicca. Some traditions, collectively referred to as British
Traditional Wicca, strictly follow the initiatory lineage of Gardner and consider the
term Wicca to apply only to such lineaged traditions, while other eclectic traditions do not.
Wicca is typically duotheistic, worshipping a god and goddess traditionally viewed as a Mother
Goddess and Horned God. These two deities are sometimes viewed as facets of a
greater pantheistic godhead. However, beliefs range from hard polytheism to even monotheism.
Wiccan celebration follows approximately eight seasonally based festivals known as Sabbats. An
unattributed statement known as the Wiccan Rede is the traditional basis of Wiccan morality.
Wicca often involves the ritual practice of Magick, though it is not always necessary.

II. Origins
Wicca was developed in England during the first half of the 20th century and it was introduced to
the public in 1954 by Gerald Gardner, a retired British civil servant.

II.

1) Gerald Gardner

Gerald Brosseau Gardner (18841964), also known by the craft name Scire, was
an English Wiccan, as well as an author and an amateur anthropologist and archaeologist. He
was instrumental in bringing the Contemporary Pagan religion of Wicca to public attention,
writing some of its definitive religious texts and founding the tradition of Gardnerian Wicca.
Born into an upper-middle-class family in Blundellsands, Lancashire, Gardner spent much of his
childhood abroad in Madeira. In 1900, he moved to colonial Ceylon, and then in 1911 proceeded
to Malaya, where he worked as a civil servant, independently developing an interest in the native
peoples and writing papers and a book about their Magickal practices. After his retirement in
1936, he traveled to Cyprus, penning the novel A Goddess Arrives before returning to England.
Settling down near the New Forest, he joined an occult group, the Rosicrucian Order Crotona
Fellowship, through which he claimed to have encountered the New Forest coven into which he
was initiated in 1939. Believing the coven to be a survival of the pre-Christian Witch2

Cult discussed in the works of Margaret Murray, he decided to revive the faith, supplementing
the coven's rituals with ideas borrowed from Freemasonry, ceremonial Magick and the writings
of Aleister Crowley to form the Gardnerian tradition of Wicca.
Moving to London in 1945, following the repeal of
the Witchcraft Act of 1736 he became intent on propagating this
religion, attracting media attention and writing about it in High
Magick's Aid (1949), Witchcraft Today (1954) and The Meaning
of Witchcraft (1959). Founding a Wiccan group known as
the Bricket Wood coven, he introduced a string of High
Priestesses into the religion, including Doreen Valiente, Lois
Bourne, Patricia Crowther and Eleanor Bone, through which the
Gardnerian

community

spread

throughout

Britain

and

subsequently into Australia and the United States in the late

1950s and early 1960s. Involved for a time with Cecil
Williamson, Gardner also became director of the Museum of Magick and Witchcraft on
the Isle of Man, which he ran until his death. Gardner is internationally recognized as the "Father
of Wicca" among the Pagan and occult communities. His claims regarding the New Forest coven
have been widely examined, with Gardner being the subject of investigation for many historians
and biographers.

II.

2) The Gardnerian Path

Gerald Gardner launched Wicca shortly after the end of World War II, and went public with his
coven following the repeal of Englands Witchcraft Laws in the early 1950s. There is a good
deal of debate within the Wiccan community about whether the Gardnerian path is the only
true Wiccan tradition, but the point remains that it was certainly the first. Gardnerian covens
require initiation, and work on a degree system. Much of their information is initiatory and
oathbound , which means it can never be shared with those outside the coven.

II.

3) Gardners Book of Shadows

The Gardnerian Book of Shadows was created by Gerald Gardner with some assistance and
editing from Doreen Valiente, and drew heavily on works by Charles Leland, Aleister Crowley,
and SJ MacGregor Mathers. Within a Gardnerian group, each member copies the

coven

BOS and then adds to it with their own information.

Gardnerians self-identify by way of their lineage,
which is always traced back to Gardner himself and
those he initiated.

The Book of Shadows is not a Bible or Quran. It is a personal cookbook of spells that have
worked for the owner. I am giving you mine to copy to get you started: as you gain experience
discard those spells that dont work for you and substitute those that you have thought of
yourselves. Gerald Gardner

II.

4) Gardnerian Wicca in the Public Eye

Gardner was an educated folklorist and occultist, and claimed to have been initiated himself into
a coven of New Forest witches by a woman named Dorothy Clutterbuck. When England
repealed the last of its witchcraft laws in 1951, Gardner went public with his coven, much to the
consternation of many other witches in England. His active courting of publicity led to a rift
between him and Valiente, who had been one of his High Priestesses. Gardner formed a series of
covens throughout England prior to his death in 1964.
In 1963, Gardner initiated Raymond Buckland, who then flew back to his home in the United
States and formed the first Gardnerian coven in America. Gardnerian Wiccans in America trace
their lineage to Gardner through Buckland.
4

Because Gardnerian Wicca is a mystery tradition, its members do not generally advertise or
actively recruit new members. In addition, public information about their specific practices and
rituals is very difficult to find.

III. Different Traditions of Witchcraft

III.

1) Alexandrian Wicca

Formed by Alex Sanders and his wife Maxine, Alexandrian Wicca is very similar to the
Gardnerian tradition. Although Sanders claimed to have been initiated into witchcraft in the
early 1930s, he was also a member of a Gardnerian coven before breaking off to start his own
tradition in the 1960s. Alexandrian Wicca is a blend of
ceremonial Magick with heavy Gardnerian influences and a dose
of Hermetic Kabbalah mixed in. Alexandrian Wicca focuses on
the polarity between the genders, and rites and ceremonies often
dedicate equal time to the God and the Goddess.
Similar to the Gardnerian tradition, Alexandrian covens initiate
members into a degree system. Some begin training at a
neophyte level, and then advance to First Degree. In other
covens, a new initiate is automatically given the title of First
Degree. According to Ronald Hutton, in his book Triumph of the
Moon, many of the differences between Gardnerian Wicca and
Alexandrian Wicca have blurred over the past few decades. It is not uncommon to find
someone who is degreed in both systems, or to find a coven of one tradition that accepts a
member degreed in the other system.

III.

2) British Traditional Wicca

British Traditional Wicca, or BTW, is an all-purpose category used to describe some of the New
Forest traditions of Wicca. Gardnerian and Alexandrian are the two best-known, but there are
some smaller subgroups as well. The term British Traditional Wicca seems to be used in this
manner more in the United States than in England. In Britain, the BTW label is sometimes used
to apply to traditions which claim to predate Gerald Gardner and the New Forest covens.
Although only a few Wiccan traditions fall under the official heading of BTW, there are many
offshoot groups which can certainly claim kinship with the British Traditional Wiccans.
Typically, these are groups which have broken off from a BTW initiatory line, and formed new
traditions and practices of their own, while still being loosely connected with BTW.

III.

3) Dianic Wicca

Born of the feminist movement and founded by hereditary witch Zsuzsanna Budapest, Dianic
Wicca embraces the Goddess but spends little time on her male counterpart. Most Dianic Wiccan
covens are female-only, but a few have welcomed men into their groups, with the intention of
adding some much-needed polarity.
Dianic covens celebrate the eight Sabbats, and
use

similar altar

traditions.

tools to

However,

other

among

the

Wiccan
Dianic

community there is not a lot of continuity in

ritual or practice they simply self-identify as
Dianic to indicate that they follow a Goddessbased, feminine-focused spiritual path.
6

III.

4) Eclectic Wicca

Eclectic Wicca is an all-purpose term applied to Neowiccan traditions that dont fit into any
specific definitive category. Many solitary Wiccans follow an eclectic path, but there are also
covens that consider themselves eclectic. A coven or individual may use the term eclectic for a
variety of reasons.
Because there is often disagreement about who is Wiccan and who isnt, there can be confusion
regarding existing lineaged Wiccan traditions, and newer eclectic traditions. Some would say
that only those lineaged covens are permitted to call themselves Wiccan, and that anyone who
claims to be eclectic is, by definition, not Wiccan but Neowiccan

III.

5) Seax Wicca

Seax Wicca was founded by author Raymond Buckland in 1973. Loosely based upon Saxon
Paganism, Seax Wicca is not a reconstructionist religion. The original guidebook for the
tradition, The Tree, was published in 1974, and was later repackaged as Buckland's Book of
Saxon Witchcraft. Seax Wicca does not require initiation or membership into a coven or lineaged
group. Members may self-dedicate themselves to the path.
Seax Wiccan covens traditionally follow a system of democracy, in
which High Priests, High Priestesses and coven officers are elected
by yearly vote. Priests and priestesses are encouraged to add to or
modify the rituals and practices of the tradition as needed -- there
is no one set of rules or regulations for Seax Wicca. The tradition
honors Germanic deities, and runes play a significant part in
divinatory practices.

IV. Gods and Goddesses

In most forms of Paganism, including Wicca, part of the process of spiritual growth involves
interaction with the gods. Wicca acknowledges the polarity of the Divine, which means that both
the male and female deities are often honored. A Wiccan may honor simply a non-specific god
and goddess, or they may choose to worship specific deities of their tradition.

The Gods are real, not as persons, but as vehicles of power. Briefly, it may be explained that the
personification of a particular type of cosmic power in the form of a God or Goddess, carried
out by believers and worshippers over many centuries, builds that God-form or Magickal Image
into a potent reality on the Inner Planes, and makes it a means by which that type of cosmic
power may be contacted.- Gerald Gardner

IV.

1) The God and the Goddess

For most Wiccans, the God and Goddess are seen as complementary polarities in the universe
that balance one another out, and in this manner they have been compared to the concept of yin
and yang found in Taoism. As such they are often interpreted as being embodiments of a lifeforce manifest in nature with some Wiccans believing that they are simply symbolic of these
polarities, whilst others believing that the God and the Goddess are genuine beings that exist
independently. The two divinities are often given symbolic associations, with the Goddess
8

commonly being symbolized as the Earth (i.e. Mother Earth), but also sometimes as the Moon,
which complements the God being viewed as the Sun.
Traditionally the God is viewed as a Horned God, associated with nature, wilderness, sexuality,
hunting and the life cycle. The Horned God is given various names according to the tradition,
and these include Cernunnos, Pan, Atho and Karnayna
.At other times the God is viewed as the Green Man, a traditional figure in European art and
architecture, and they often interpret him as being associated with the natural world. The God is
also often depicted as a Sun God, particularly at the festival of Litha, or the summer solstice.
Another expression of the God is that of the Oak King and the Holly King, one who rules over
winter and spring, the other who rules over summer and autumn. He has also been seen in the
roles of the Leader of the Wild Hunt and the Lord of Death.
The Goddess is usually portrayed as a Triple Goddess, thereby being a triadic deity comprising
a Maiden goddess, a Mother goddess, and a Crone goddess, each of whom has different
associations, namely virginity, fertility and wisdom. She is also commonly depicted as a Moon
Goddess, and is often given the name of Diana after the ancient Roman deity. Some Wiccans,
particularly from the 1970s onwards, have viewed the Goddess as the more important of the two
deities, who is pre-eminent in that she contains and conceives all. In this respect, the God is
viewed as the spark of life and inspiration within her, simultaneously her lover and her child.
This is reflected in the traditional structure of the coven. In one monotheistic form of the Craft,
Dianic Wicca, the Goddess is the sole deity, a concept that has been criticized by members of
other more egalitarian traditions.
According to Gerald Gardner, the Goddess is a deity of prime importance, along with her
consort, the Horned God. In the earliest Wiccan publications, she is described as a tribal
goddess of the witch community, neither omnipotent nor universal, and it was recognized that
there was a greater Prime Mover, although the witches did not concern themselves much with
this being.

IV.

2) The Horned God

In traditional and mainstream Wicca, the Horned God is viewed as the masculine side of divinity,
being both equal and opposite to the Goddess. The Wiccan god himself can be represented in
many forms, including as the Sun God, the Sacrificed God and the Vegetation God, although the
Horned God is the most popular representation, having been worshipped by early Wiccan groups
such as the New Forest coven during the 1930s. The pioneers of the various Wiccan or
Witchcraft traditions, such as Gerald Gardner, Doreen Valiente and Robert Cochrane, all claimed
that their religion was a continuation of the pagan religion of the Witch-Cult following historians
who had dismissed the Witch-Cult's existence, such as Jules Michelet and Margaret Murray.
For Wiccans, the Horned God is "the personification of the life force energy in animals and the
wild" and is associated with the wilderness, virility and the hunt. Doreen Valiente writes that the
Horned God also carries the souls of the dead to the
underworld.
Wiccans generally, as well as some other neopagans, tend to
conceive of the universe as polarized into gender opposites
of male and female energies. In traditional Wicca, the
Horned God and the Goddess are seen as equal and opposite
in gender polarity. However, in some of the newer traditions
of Wicca, and especially those influenced by feminist
ideology, there is more emphasis on the Goddess, and
consequently the symbolism of the Horned God is less
developed than that of the Goddess. In Wicca the cycle of the seasons is celebrated during eight
sabbats called The Wheel of the Year. The seasonal cycle is imagined to follow the relationship
between the Horned God and the Goddess. The Horned God is born in winter, impregnates the
Goddess and then dies during the autumn and winter months and is then reborn by the Goddess
at Yule. The different relationships throughout the year are sometimes distinguished by splitting
the god into aspects, the Oak King and the Holly King. The relationships between the Goddess
and the Horned God are mirrored by Wiccans in seasonal rituals. There is some variation
between Wiccan groups as to which sabbat corresponds to which part of the cycle. Some
10

Wiccans regard the Horned God as dying at Lammas, August 1; also known as Lughnasadh,
which is the first harvest sabbat. Others may see him dying at Mabon, the autumn equinox, or the
second harvest festival. Still other Wiccans conceive of the Horned God dying on October 31,
which Wiccans call Samhain, the ritual of which is focused on death. He is then reborn on Winter
Solstice, December 21.

IV.

3) Maiden, Mother and Crone-The Triple Goddess

In many modern Pagan traditions, the triple goddess in the form of

Maiden/Mother/Crone is honored. She is seen as the feminine
counterpart to the Horned God, the female who provides polarity to the
male essence. In some traditions, such as many Dianic Wiccan groups,
the triple goddess is the only deity worshipped.
In Wicca and many Pagan religions, the Maiden is seen as the virginal
young woman, or girl, who has not yet awakened. She is all about
enchantment and new beginnings, youthful ideas and enthusiasm. She is associated with the
waxing phase of the lunar cycle, as the moon grows from dark to full.
The Mother is the next phase in a woman's life. She is fertility and fecundity, abundance and
growth, the gaining of knowledge. She is fulfillment and she is represented by the full moon.
Springtime and early summer are her domain; as the earth becomes green and fertile, so does the
Mother.
Finally, the Crone aspect is the final stage. She is the hag and the wise woman, the darkness of
night, and eventually death. She is the waning moon, the chill of winter, the dying of the earth.

11

V. Sabbats and other rituals

The practice of Wicca often involves the ritual practice of Magick, ranging from the "low
Magick" or "folk Magick" of shamanism and witchcraft to more elaborate and complex rites
influenced by the ceremonial Magick of the Western Hermetic Tradition. There are many rituals
within Wicca that are used when celebrating the Sabbats, worshipping the deities and working
Magick. Often these take place on a full moon or in some cases a new moon, which is known as
an Esbat.

V.

1) The Eight Sabbats(Wheel of the Year)

Yule, the Longest Night of the Year

Many cultures have winter festivals that are in fact celebrations of light. In addition to Christmas,
theres Hanukkah with its brightly lit menorahs, Kwanzaa candles, and any number of other
holidays. The Pagan holiday called Yule takes place on the day of the winter solstice, around
December 21. On that day (or close to it), an amazing thing happens in the sky. The earths axis
tilts away from the sun in the Northern Hemisphere, and the sun reaches at its greatest distance
from the equatorial plane. As a festival of the Sun, the most important part of any Yule
celebration is light candles, bonfires, and more.

12

Imbolc: a Feast of Light

Wiccans celebrate a variation of Imbolc as one of the eight holidays of the Wheel of the Year.
Imbolc is defined as a cross-quarter day, midway between the winter solstice (Yule) and
the spring equinox (Ostara). In Wicca, Imbolc is commonly associated with the goddess Brighid
and as such it is sometimes seen as a womens holiday with specific rites only for female
members of a coven. Among Dianic Wiccans, Imbolc is the traditional time for initiations.

Ostara, the Vernal Equinox

The vernal equinox, in Germanic traditions often called Ostara, a word invented by Grimm in
the 1840s, inaugurates the New Year on the Zodiacal calendar. From this point on, days are
longer than the nights. Many mythologies regard this as the time of rebirth or return for
vegetation gods and celebrate the spring equinox as a time of great fertility.
Egg decorating is a very common tradition in vernal equinox celebrations throughout Europe.

Beltane, a Day of Fire and Fertility

Aprils showers have given way to rich and fertile earth, and as the land greens, there are few
celebrations as representative of fertility as Beltane. Observed on May 1 st, festivities typically
begin the evening before, on the last night of April. Its a time to welcome the abundance of the
fertile earth.

Litha , the Summer Solstice

13

Midsummer is one of the four solar holidays, and is considered the turning point at which
summer reaches its height and the sun shines longest. Some Wiccan traditions call the
festival Litha, a name occurring in Bedes Reckoning of Time (De Temporum Ratione, 7th
century), which preserves a list of the Anglo-Saxon names for the twelve months. rra
Lia (firstor preceding Lia) roughly corresponds to June in the Gregorian calendar, and fterra
Lia (following Lia) to July. Bede writes that Litha means gentle or navigable, because in both
these months the calm breezes are gentle and they were wont to sail upon the smooth sea.

Lammas (Lughnasadh) , the First Harvest Holiday

Lammas or Lughnasadh is the first of the three Wiccan harvest festivals, the other two being
the autumnal equinox (or Mabon) and Samhain. Wiccans mark the holiday by baking a figure of
the god in bread and eating it, to symbolize the sanctity and importance of the harvest.
Celebrations vary, as not all Pagans are Wiccans. The Irish name Lughnasadh is used in some
traditions to designate this holiday. Wiccan celebrations of this holiday are neither generally
based on Celtic culture nor centered on the Celtic deity Lugh. This name seems to have been a
late adoption among Wiccans. In early versions of Wiccan literature the festival is referred to
as August Eve.

Mabon , the Autumn Equinox

The holiday of the autumnal equinox, Harvest Home, Mabon, the Feast of the Ingathering, Men
Fmhair or Alban Elfed (in Neo-Druid traditions), is a Pagan ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits
of the earth and a recognition of the need to share them to secure the blessings of the Goddess
and the God during the coming winter months. The name Mabon was coined by Aidan
Kelly around 1970 as a reference to Mabon ap Modron, a character from Welsh
mythology. Among the sabbats, it is the second of the three Pagan harvest festivals, preceded
by Lammas /Lughnasadh and followed by Samhain.

14

Samhain, the Witchs New Year

Samhain is considered by Wiccans to be one of the four Greater Sabbats. Samhain is considered
by some as a time to celebrate the lives of those who have passed on, and it often involves
paying respect to ancestors, family members, elders of the faith, friends, pets, and other loved
ones who have died. In some rituals the spirits of the departed are invited to attend the festivities.
It is seen as a festival of darkness, which is balanced at the opposite point of the wheel by the
festival of Beltane, which is celebrated as a festival of light and fertility.
Many Pagans believe that at Samhain the veil between this world and the afterlife is at its
thinnest point of the whole year, making it easier to communicate with those who have left this
world.

V.

2) Handfasting

Many Pagan and Wiccan couples choose to have a handfasting ritual instead of a traditional
wedding ceremony. In some cases, it may be simply ceremonial -- a couple declaring their love
for one another without the benefit of a state license. For other couples, it can be tied in with a
state marriage certification issued by a legally authorized party such as a clergyperson or justice
of the peace. Either way, it's becoming more and more popular, as Pagan and Wiccan couples are
seeing that there is indeed an alternative for non-Christians who want more than just a
courthouse wedding.
The word "handfasting" fell by the wayside for many years. In the 1950s, when the witchcraft
laws were repealed in England, various occultists and witches -- including Gerald Gardner and
Doreen Valiente -- searched for a non-Christian term for their wedding ceremonies. They settled
on "handfasting", and the concept was resurrected within the Neopagan movement. Typically, a
Pagan handfasting was meant to be a secret ceremony, held only in front of your coven or study
group. As Wicca and Paganism become more mainstream, however, more and more couples are
15

finding ways to work their Pagan and Wiccan spirituality

into their marriage ceremony.
The actual term "handfasting" comes from the tradition of
the bride and groom crossing arms and joining hands -- basically, creating the infinity symbol (a
figure-eight) with the hands. In Neopagan ceremonies, the clergyperson performing the
ceremony will join the couple's hands with a cord or ribbon during the ritual. In some traditions,
the cord remains in place until the couple consummates the marriage. While some people may
choose to have their handfasting be a permanent bond, others might declare it to be valid for
"a year and a day", at which point they will re-evaluate the relationship and determine whether
to continue or not.

VI. Tarot and other forms of divination

Tarot is one of the best known forms of divination, and it can be done in many ways. In addition
to the Tarot, there are a number of other forms of divination.

VI.

1) Tarot The Major Arcana

16

There are 22 cards in the Major Arcana, each showing some aspect of the human experience. The
cards of the Major Arcana are focused on three themes: the realm of the material world, the
realm of the intuitive mind, and the realm of change.
In A Complete Guide to the Tarot, Eden Gray points out that the different events and emotions
and experiences we have are reflected in the cards as laid down by a reader. Ultimately the Fool
is at the center of it all, an innocent about to embark on a journey which will include many trials
and tribulations.

0, The Fool
In medieval times, the Fool was known as a jester, an innocent in the
eyes of the gods, and as such he could get away with saying all kinds of
inappropriate things. In fact, when the Fool comes up in a Tarot reading,
its a sure sign that a new adventure or journey is about to begin. The
Fool signifies a time of big changes, and big adventure. The Fool is the
agent of fortune, and despite the possible risks or unknown that lies
ahead, its worth it to follow ones heart and accept the new changes.
When reversed, the Fool indicates a tendency to look before you leap.
This can also indicate a reluctance or refusal to accept personal
responsibility.

1, The Magickian

17

When the Magickian card pops up in a Tarot reading, it is considered to be a warning of

opportunity. The Magickian reminds a person to bring all the different aspects of their life love,
finances, morality and emotions together as a way of preparing for
changes.
When the Magickian shows up reversed, it typically indicates a person
(either male or female) who may be a bit of a perfectionist. This is the
person who appears to handle every situation calmly and coolly but in
reality, theyre unprepared and indecisive on the inside. This card can also
indicate someone who will use power for destructive and negative
purposes.

2, The High Priestess

The High Priestess is the symbol of spiritual enlightenment, inner illumination, and the link
between the seen and the unseen. She is balance and power in a feminine form. In a spread she
often represents an unrevealed future with hidden influences at work,
and a need to trust in ones intuition. If this card appears in a mans
reading, the High Priestess indicates the woman of his dreams, the
love he has been hoping for. In a womans reading, this card often
indicates she is seeking the virtues of the High Priestess in herself or
in a friend.
Reversed, the High Priestess symbolizes open knowledge and obvious
facts. Occasionally this card reversed indicates sensual pleasures and
self-centeredness, although this is not necessarily a bad thing.

18

 3, The Empress
When the Empress arrives in a spread, it indicates material wealth and abundance, fertility not
only for hopeful parents but also for artists and other creative types. For
more mature people, the Empress can symbolize the security and stability
that comes with many years of wedded bliss.
Reversed, the Empress indicates some disharmony on the domestic front.
Sometimes, these problems may be connected to either physical infertility
or financial irresponsibility and loss.

4,The Emperor
When the Emperor appears in a Tarot spread, he shows not only authority
and law but also paternity and power. The Emperor is a war-maker, a
leader, and represents the results of taking action.
If the Emperor appears reversed it indicates emotional immaturity and an
inability to leave the nest and separate from parents. This reversal is
also connected to a loss of control, and symbolizes things that happen
when one fails to take action at all but sits passively on the sidelines.

5, The Hierophant
When a Hierophant card comes up in a Tarot reading, it is an indicator of a preference for ritual
and ceremony. In part, this can be interpreted as a need for approval from others, even from
society as a whole. The Hierophant indicates the importance of conformity.

19

A reversed Hierophant shows someone whos open to new ideas and

willing to think outside the box. This is the card of the non-conformist
the rebel, the hippie, the artist who colors outside the lines. When
reversed, the Hierophant indicates that its time to do some
unconventional thinking.

6, The Lovers
When the Lovers appear, it traditionally indicates someone who
must make a decision and overcome temptation. The Lovers shows
that people have choices, and that people are beings who struggle
between sacred and profane love. This card represents the balance
between the inner and outer aspects of peoples lives.
When reversed, the Lovers shows the possibility of poor choices,
quarrels, and infidelity spawned by temptation. This card indicates a
need to stabilize the emotions.

7, The Chariot
When the Chariot card shows up in a Tarot spread, it indicates success and triumph, control over
the forces of nature. This includes triumph over poor health, natural disasters, and other external
forces. Likewise, the charioteer shows control and dominion over enemies and those who would
cause harm.
20

A reversed Chariot often represents a victory that is less than ethical

cheating, lying, or manipulating others to get ones own way. Upside down,
the charioteer is someone who cant control his own emotions or physical
strengths, which may ultimately lead to his downfall.

8, Strength
Shown upright, the Strength card reminds people that they are in sight of
their goals, and that spiritual power can help them overcome material
desires. The lighter nature of love will triumph over the evil of the base
instincts.
When this card appears in the reversed position, it can often indicate
someone whose life is ruled by material gain, rather than emotional or
spiritual balance. There is a need to seek reassurance from others,
because of a lack of moral fortitude.

9, The Hermit
When the Hermit appears in a reading, it indicates a chance to receive
wisdom from the Divine, or from the spirit world. This can also indicate
a meeting with a mentor or teacher, or an encounter with someone who
can guide and lead in an upcoming endeavor, whether it is spiritual or
material. The Hermit reminds people that their goals can be attained,
but the journey is not always smooth or easy.
A reversed Hermit card shows someone who is unwilling to listen to the
wisdom of their elders, or who refuses to take advice even when its

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offered from knowledgeable sources. This can also mean a tendency to be immature, despite the
inner knowledge that its time to grow up.

10, The Wheel of Fortune

The Wheel of Fortune card reminds people that they are not always
governed by chance or fate, that they have the power to change their
lives. When this card appears in a spread, expect success thanks to some
intelligent decisions, a change of fortune for the better or significant
creative evolution.
Reversed, the Wheel indicates stagnation and setbacks.

11, Justice
When Justice appears, know that justice will be

done. Fairness and

balance will rule the day. In terms of

personalities,

balanced individual is one who knows how to

get rid of excess

baggage

maintaining

and

toxic

relationships,

while

positive and uplifting influences in their life.

The

Justice

may also symbolize a desire for higher

education,

the

card

leading

to a well-balanced mind and soul.

Reversed, this card indicates legal problems and

complications, and

the possibility of a losing outcome in legal matters. It also can be a reminder to use mercy and
compassion when judging others, and to avoid being unnecessarily harsh.

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 12, The Hanged Man

The Hanged Man is a card of profound significance, although a lot of its
meanings are hidden. This card is an indicator of wisdom as yet untapped
or undiscovered, and even of prophetic power. The Hanged Man shows a
moment of suspension in time. Material temptations are conquered on the
way to spiritual transformation.
When reversed, the Hanged Man shows us someone who is resistant to
spiritual influences or refused to accept that sacrifices must be made in
order to grow and evolve. There is a sense of self-absorption, and of
being too wrapped up in material matters.

13, Death
When Death appears in a Tarot reading, it indicates transformation and
new opportunities. Although there may be a period of upheaval and
even destruction, ultimately renewal and rebirth will follow.
Reversed, the Death card represents stagnation without change or a
tendency to inertia. It can also show someone who refuses to adapt to
change or accept new things.

14, Temperance
When Temperance appears in a reading, it shows adaptation and modification someone who
uses their wit and skills to adjust to new or unfamiliar experiences. Temperance also reminds

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people to work in harmony with others, and that they can find successful
results with well-thought teamwork.
When reversed, Temperance is an indicator of poor combinations toxic
relationships, bad business investments, possibly even corruption.

15, The Devil

When the Devil appears in a Tarot spread, it indicates discontent and
depression, or possible emotional stagnation. This can also indicate
someone who is so tied to the material that they neglect the spiritual
aspects of their lives. The Devil is the card of addiction and bad
decision-making.
Reversed, the Devil portrays a much brighter picture such as
removing the chains of material bondage in favor of spiritual
understanding. This is an indicator of kicking bad habits, overcoming
addictions and toxic choices, and the overcoming of pride.

16, The Tower

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When the Tower appears in a Tarot reading, it indicates big changes,

conflict and catastrophe. Not only that, but there will be an overthrow of
existing ways of life. However, with destruction comes enlightenment,
showing that ultimately, selfish ambition and greed bring nothing of
value.
A reversed Tower card shows that freedom of mind and spirit can be
attained, but only at a great cost. This card may indicate someone hoping
to break free of an abusive relationship, or leave a potentially disastrous
job situation. This is the card of oppression and false imprisonment.

17, The Star

The Star is a card of meditation, showing that if people just stop to
listen, the truth will reveal itself to them. In a spread, this card
shows someone who is attaining inspiration and insight, hope and
spiritual enlightenment. It is also a card that indicates that great love
will be both given and received.
Reversed, the Star shows doubt and pessimism, someone who lacks
the perception to grow spiritually or emotionally. It may also indicate potential mental or even
physical illness.

18, The Moon

When the Moon appears in a Tarot spread, it indicates development of latent psychic abilities.
The Moon is intuition and imagination, but can also represent hidden messages and deception.

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Reversed, this card reminds people that their imagination can be

harnessed and tamed by the practical. Risks should be avoided, but
ride out the storm and peace will be attained.

19, The Sun

A Sun appearing in a Tarot spread is nearly always a sign of good
things to come its the card of mental and physical health, happy
reunions and good marriages. It also may indicate the liberation that
comes with the completion of studies and learning, and reminds people
that there can be great pleasure found in the simplest of things.
A reversed Sun often symbolizes a cloudy future it may point to
someone whose marriage or job is on the line, or someone who is just wandering aimlessly with
no direction, and thus, no goal in sight.

20, Judgment
The Judgment card indicates a life lived to its fullest, someone who has
taken all the necessary steps on their journey to advancement. It indicates
awakening and renewal, on spiritual, emotional and physical levels. It
can also represent positive legal judgments. This card shows a change in
personal perception, and a new ability to blend with the greater
surroundings.

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Reversed, Judgment is a sign of weakness and ineffectuality. It shows a failure to find happiness,
in part due to a lack of effort or readiness. It may also indicate losses, such as loss of material
possessions, or the end of a marriage or relationship.

21, The World

In a Tarot reading, the World symbolizes completion. It is the
card of freedom and liberation on many different levels, and
indicates triumph in all undertakings.
Reversed, the World shows people that success has yet to be
attained, and an unwillingness to move on. This may indicate
someone who is overly attached to their home or job, and
refuses to take chances at new opportunities that would
ultimately be successful.

VI.

2) The Norse Runes

The runes are an ancient alphabet used in Germanic countries. Today, they are used in Magick
and divination by many Pagans and Wiccans. Although their meanings can sometimes be a bit
obscure, most people who work with runes find that the best way to incorporate them into
divination is to ask a specific question based upon the current situation. The Elder Futhark,
which is the old Germanic runic alphabet, contains two dozen symbols. The first six spell out the
word Futhark, from which this alphabet derives its name. As the Norse people spread out
around Europe, many of the runes changed in form and meaning, which led to new alphabet
forms. For instance, the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc contains 33 runes. There are other variants out
there as well, including Turkish and Hungarian runes, the Scandinavian Futhark, and the
Etruscan alphabet.
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Rune casting should be seen as a tool for guidance, working with

the subconscious and focusing on the questions that might be
underlying in the readers mind. Some people believe that the
selections made within the runes drawn are not really random at
all, but choices made by the subconscious mind.
As in other forms of divination, someone reading runes typically
will address a particular issue, and look at the influences of the
past and present. In addition, they look at what will happen if one
follows the path they are currently on. The future is changeable
based upon choices made by the individual. By looking at cause and effect, the rune caster can
help the querent look at potential outcomes.

VI.

3) Lithomancy-Divination by Stones

Lithomancy is the practice of performing divination by reading stones. In some cultures, the
casting of stones was believed to be fairly common. However, because the ancient ancestors did
not leave a lot of information about how to read the stones, many of the specific aspects of the
practice have been lost forever.
It is generally believed by scholars that early forms of lithomancy included stones which were
polished and inscribed with symbols perhaps these were the precursors to the rune stones
people see in some of the Scandinavian religions. In modern lithomancy, 13 stones are tossed
onto a board and a prediction made based on the pattern in which they fall. The stones are
representative of various concepts: fortune, Magick, love, news, home life and the astrological
signs of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and the Sun and Moon.

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VI.

4) Sances

A sance or seance is an attempt to communicate with spirits. In English, the word came to be
used specifically for a meeting of people who are gathered to receive messages from spirits or to
listen to a spirit medium discourse with or relay messages from spirits; many people, including
skeptics and non-believers, treat it as a form of entertainment. In modern English usage,
participants need not be seated while engaged in a sance.

Sance tools and techniques:

Mediumship, trance and channeling

Mediumship involves an act where the practitioner attempts to receive messages from spirits of
the dead and from other spirits that the practitioner believes exist. Some self-ordained mediums
are fully conscious and awake while functioning as contacts; others may slip into a partial or full
trance or into an altered state of consciousness. These self-called "trance-mediums" often state
that, when they emerge from the trance state, they have no recollection of the messages they
conveyed; it is customary for such practitioners to work with an assistant who writes down or
otherwise records their words.

Spirit boards, talking boards and Ouija boards

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Spirit boards, also known as talking boards, or Ouija boards (after a well-known brand name) are
flat tablets, typically made of wood, Masonite, chipboard, or plastic. On the board are a number
of symbols, pictures, letters, numbers and/or words. The board is accompanied by a planchette
(French for "little table"), which can take the form of a pointer on three legs or magnifying glass
on legs; home made boards may employ a shot glass as a planchette. A most basic Ouija board
would contain simply the alphabet of whatever country the board is being used in, although it is
not uncommon for whole words to be added.
The board is used as follows: One to all of the participants in the sance place one or two fingers
on the planchette which is in the middle of the board. The appointed medium asks questions of
the spirit(s) with whom they are attempting to communicate.

VII. Magick and Magickal Tools

Many Wiccans believe in Magick, a manipulative force exercised through the practice
of witchcraft or sorcery. Many Wiccans agree with the definition of Magick offered
by ceremonial Magickians, such as Aleister Crowley, who declared that Magick was "the science
and art of causing change to occur in conformity with will", while another prominent
ceremonial Magickian, MacGregor Mathers stated that it was "the science of the control of the
secret forces of nature. Many Wiccans believe Magick to be a law of nature, as yet
misunderstood or disregarded by contemporary science, and as such they do not view it as
being supernatural, but a part of what Leo Martello calls the "super powers that reside in the
natural". Some Wiccans believe that Magick is simply making full use of the five senses in
order to achieve surprising results, whilst other Wiccans do not claim to know how Magick
works, merely believing that it does because they have observed it to be so. Some spell it
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"Magickk", a variation coined by the influential occultist Aleister Crowley, though this spelling
is more commonly associated with Crowley's religion of Thelema than with Wicca.
Wiccans cast spells or "workings" during ritual practices, often staged inside a sacred circle, in
an attempt to bring about real changes in the physical world. Common Wiccan spells include
those used for healing, for protection, fertility, or to banish negative influences.
Casting the sacred circle may involve the invocation of the "Guardians" of the cardinal points,
alongside their respective classical elements; air, fire, water and earth. Once the circle is cast, a
seasonal ritual may be performed, prayers to the God and Goddess are said, and spells are
sometimes worked; these may include various forms of 'raising energy', including raising a cone
of power for the purposes of sending healing or other Magick to persons outside of the sacred
space. These rites often include a special set of Magickal tools. These usually include a knife
called an athame, a wand, a pentacle and a chalice, but other tools include a broomstick known
as a besom, a cauldron, candles, incense and a curved blade known as a boline. An altar is
usually present in the circle, on which ritual tools are placed and representations of the God and
the Goddess may be displayed. Before entering the circle, some traditions fast for the day, and/or
ritually bathe. After a ritual has finished the God, Goddess and Guardians are thanked, the
directions are dismissed and the circle is closed.

Athame

Pentacle

Chalice

VIII. Conclusions

31

Cauldron

Wicca is now the fastest growing religion in America according to recent studies.
Despite this, many misconceptions can still be found nowadays. Perhaps one of the most
widespread beliefs is the belief that Wiccans worship the devil. This is why many people
consider Wicca to be a very dangerous religion. The truth is that this is not true at all. Since
Wiccans do not believe in the concepts of Heaven and Hell the belief that the Wiccans worship
the devil is not a valid one. They do believe that evil exists though all over the world but only as
a part of the human spirit.
The fact that there is no set doctrine, no universal big book of rules means that Wiccans can
practice their faith any way they like. This is one of the reasons why Wiccans are very peaceful
people. Wicca is in fact a very positive religion in some ways. Wiccans believe in creation care.
They care deeply for the earth. They love animals. They do not sacrifice animals, which is
another stereotype that people have. Their purpose mainly is to harness the positive energy of the
Universe and use that to create a positive effect in their own life and in the lives of the people
they care about.
When people turn to Wicca they feel like they are getting a positive supernatural experience. In
fact, many people say that becoming a wiccan meant finding their true spiritual path which gave
them a sense of coming home as if that was where they were supposed to be all along. It does
not mean that they turned their back on another faith; they simply opened their spirits to
something more.

This is an organic religion. A religion of the people from heart to heart; a faith that finds the
presence of the Divine within life, and nature, and ourselves. We dont have teachers and books
because we are our own teachers, and our book is the sacred book of the Earth. We believe that
we can connect with the God and Goddess and hear their voices, receive their inspiration
directly and take responsibility for our own actions. We have a loose set of beliefs and morals

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and a ritual structure that is common to all Wiccans , but there is room for creativity and deep
mystical experiences. This is a faith with roots as old as the Earth. Meri Fowler

IX. Sitography

The information was gathered from the following pages:

http://www.paganwiccan.about.com
http://www.wicca.com/celtic/wicca/wicca.htm
http://www.witchcraft.com.au/wicca.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicca

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