What is Wicca?

To me wicca is not just a religion, not just a way of life, its who you are, wic ca is the deep connection to the goddess and the god, and the five elements, the deep connection to nature itself. Wicca is when you lightly rest you hand on th e trunk of a tree and feel the life force, the knowledge, the age pulsing within . Its when you stand and watch the sunrise set fire to the trees, the sound of birds singing, the gentle waves lapping at the shore, the growth of an unborn ch ild within its mothers womb, the sweet scent of the flowers in summer, the fiery reds and yellows of autum, the majesty of the mighty mountains. Wicca is all ar ound us. Wicca is nature loving religion, that originates with the roots of time. Much of the information of how our ancestors lived, worshiped and believed has been los t due to the efforts of the medieval church to wipe our existence from history. Wicca, or witchcraft in ancient history was known as "The Craft of the Wise" bec ause most who followed the path were in tune with the forces of nature, had a kn owledge of Herbs and medicines, gave council and were valuable parts of the vill age and community as healers and leaders, and where genrally intelligent people. They understood that mankind is not superior to nature, the earth and its crea tures but instead we are simply one of the many parts, both seen and unseen that combine to make the whole. For the past several hundred years, the image of the Witch has been mistakenly associated with evil, heathenism, and unrighteousness. These misconceptions have their origin in a couple of different places. First of all, the church of the 15th to18th centuries was offended and challeng ed by the fact that, upon coming to england, thet discovered an ancient religion far older than their own. Worried by this, and determined to beome the main rel igion, they created these myths to convert the followers of the original religio ns to Christianity. By making the Witch into an evil person, who performed acts of evil and by turning the old gods and goddess' into devils and demons, the mis sionaries were able to make the general population fear the witches and the old dieties which aided in the conversion of the people. Also, as science began to s urface, the men who were first studying it had a very poor understanding of fema le anatomy, especially in the area of a women's menstrul cycle. Unfortunately th ese incorrect fears and superstitions have carried forward through the centuries and remain to this day. This is why many who follow these nature oriented belie fs still hide away, practicing in secret to escape the persecution and harassmen t associated with the name of Witchcraft not to mention the bad publicity the pr ess and Hollywood has given us simply to generate a profit. What Wicca is: Witchcraft is a spiritual nature loving practice that encourages the free though t and will of the individual, encourages learning and an understanding of natur e, coonferming the divinity in all living things. Most importantly however, it t eaches peace and responsibility. We accept responsibility for our actions and de eds as clearly a result of the choices we make, and we never harm others. We do not blame other people, or circumstances for our mistakes. If we make a mistake or do something that hurts another person or being, we accept the responsibilit y for our actions. We celebrate the cycles of nature, the lunar phases and the s easons to celebrate nature and to worship the divine. It allows the witch to wor k with, not in obedience to deities with the intent of living in harmony and ach ieving balance with all things.

The spells that wiccans perform are for healing, love, harmony, wisdom, creativi ty, peace, understanding and more. The potions that make could be for pain relie f, or an herbal flea bath for our pets. We try to learn and use the natural reme dies placed on this earth for our benefit and for the benefit instead of using drugs unless absolutely necessary. Wiccans believe that the Goddess and God exist in all things. In plants, the el ements, in the animals, in the earth, in each other and all of natures creatures . This means that we treat everything of the Earth as divine. We honor and respe ct life in all its forms.Wiccans learn from and worship the gift of nature by ce lebrating the cycles of the sun, moon and seasons. We try to live in harmony wit h the movement of the universal energy, or magick. Our teachers are the trees, r ivers, lakes, meadows, mountains and animals as well as others who have walked t his path before us. We also revere the spirits of the elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water which c ombine to manifest all creation. Because Witches have been persecuted for so many centuries, and we have practice d in secret for so long we strive for religious equality. We are willing to shar e our experience and knowledge with those who seek our wisdom and perspective, b ut we never try to force others into our way of thinking, instead we try to educ ate them to help remove the labels that we were falsely given so long ago. We be lieve that anyone who is meant to be wiccan will find its path when they are rea dy. The main tenant of wicca is harm none. What Witchcraft is not: Witchcraft or Wicca is not a cult. We do not proclaim ourselves to be spokespe rsons for the divine or try to get others to follow us as their leaders. We do not worship Satan or consort with Demons. and they can keep him. We do not need a paranoid ernal damnation to scare us into doing the right oose to do the right thing and love our brothers ight thing and it feels good to do it. Satan is a Christian creation creation of supreme evil and et thing and helping others. We ch and sisters because it IS the r

We do not sacrifice animals or humans because that would violate our basic tenan t of "Harm None." Anyone who does and claims to be a Wiccan or a Witch is lying. We have no need to steal or control the life force of another to achieve mystica l or supernatural powers. We draw our energy from within, our personal relations hip with the divine and nature. We do not use the forces of nature or the universe to hex or cast spells on othe rs. Witches have a very strict belief in the Law of Three which states that whatever we send out into our world shall return to us times three whether good or bad. A true Witch would NEVER do magick to harm or manipulate another. The heart of Wicca is not something summed up into a few short words and can oft en take on different meaning to each since the Lord and Lady touch us in differe nt ways. To gain a fuller understanding of the Craft, try to read as much as you can, both in books and online, however be wary of sites that encourage sacrific es, curses and hexing, as these sites are false, even sites that are not obvious can be lying, practice caution, and if you are unsure, then ask another, more e xperienced witch. Remember to read with your heart, for it is when you see life and the world with your heart and spirit that you truly gain an understanding of what Wicca is.

Wicca (pronounced /wk/), also known as Pagan Witchcraft, is a Pagan new religious m ovement. Its adherents are referred to as Wiccans, though the terms Witches or C rafters are also sometimes used.[1] Developing in England in the first half of t he 20th century,[2] Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wicc an High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft," and its adherents "the Wica."[3] From the 1960s onward, the na me of the religion was normalised to "Wicca."[4] Wicca is typically a duotheistic religion, worshipping a goddess and a god, who are traditionally viewed as the Triple Goddess and Horned God. These two deities are often viewed as being facets of a greater pantheistic godhead, and as manif esting themselves as various polytheistic deities. Nonetheless, there are also o ther theological positions within Wicca, ranging from monotheism to atheism. The religion also involves the ritual practice of magic, largely influenced by the ceremonial magic of previous centuries, often in conjunction with a broad code o f morality known as the Wiccan Rede, although this is not adhered to by all Paga n Witches. Another characteristic of this religion is the celebration of seasona lly-based festivals, known as Sabbats, of which there are usually eight in numbe r annually. There are various different denominations within Wicca, which are referred to as traditions. Some, such as Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca, follow in the initi atory lineage of Gardner; these are often collectively termed British Traditiona l Wicca, and many of their practitioners consider the term Wicca to apply only t o these lineaged traditions. Others, such as Cochrane's Craft, Feri and the Dian ic tradition, take primary influence from other figures and may not insist on an y initiatory lineage. Some of these do not use the word "Wicca" at all, instead preferring to be referred to only as "Witchcraft," while others believe that all traditions can be considered "Wiccan."[5][6] Beliefs Wiccan beliefs vary markedly between different traditions and individual practit ioners. However, various commonalities exist between these disparate groups, whi ch usually include views on theology, the afterlife, magic and morality. [edit]Theology Main article: Wiccan views of divinity Altar statues of the Horned God and Mother Goddess as crafted by Bel Bucca, and owned by the 'Mother of Wicca', Doreen Valiente. Although Wiccan views on theology are numerous and varied, the vast majority of Wiccans venerate both a god and a goddess. These two deities are variously under stood through the frameworks of pantheism (as being dual aspects of a single god head), duotheism (as being two polar opposites), hard polytheism (being two dist

inct deities in a larger pantheon which includes other pagan gods) or soft polyt heism (being composed of many lesser deities). In some pantheistic and duotheist ic conceptions, deities from diverse cultures may be seen as aspects of the Godd ess or God.[6] However, there are also other theological viewpoints to be found within the Craft, including monotheism, the concept that there is just one deity , which is seen by some, such as Dianic Wiccans, as being the Goddess, whilst by others, like the Church and School of Wicca, as instead being genderless. There are other Wiccans who are atheists or agnostics, not believing in any actual de ity, but instead viewing the gods as psychological archtypes of the human mind w hich can be evoked and interacted with.[citation needed] According to the Witches Janet and Stewart Farrar, who held a pantheistic, duoth eistic and animistic view of theology, Wiccans "regard the whole cosmos as alive , both as a whole and in all of its parts", but that "such an organic view of th e cosmos cannot be fully expressed, and lived, without the concept of the God an d Goddess. There is no manifestation without polarization; so at the highest cre ative level, that of Divinity, the polarization must be the clearest and most po werful of all, reflecting and spreading itself through all the microcosmic level s as well".[7] [edit]The God and the Goddess For most Wiccans, the God and Goddess are seen as complementary polarities in th e universe that balance one another out, and in this manner they have been compa red to the concept of yin and yang found in Taoism.[8] As such they are often in terpreted as being "embodiments of a life-force manifest in nature"[9] with some Wiccans believing that they are simply symbolic of these polarities, whilst oth ers believing that the God and the Goddess are genuine beings that exist indepen dently. The two divinities are often given symbolic associations, with the Godde ss commonly being symbolised as the Earth (i.e. Mother Earth), but also sometime s as the Moon, which complements the God being viewed as the Sun.[10] "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 cen turies, builds that God-form or Magical Image into a potent reality on the Inner Planes, and makes it a means by which that type of cosmic power may be contacte d." Gerald Gardner (1959)[11] Traditionally the God is viewed as a Horned God, associated with nature, wildern ess, sexuality, hunting and the life cycle.[12] The Horned God is given various names according to the tradition, and these include Cernunnos, Pan, Atho and Kar nayna. Whilst this figure is not equated with the traditional Christian figure o f Satan, who is seen as being an entity devoted to evil in Christianity, a small minority of Wiccans, in keeping with the accusations of the historical witch tr ials, refer to their Horned God with some of Satan's names, such as "the Devil"[ 13] or as "Lucifer", a Latin term meaning "light bearer".[14] At other times the God is viewed as the Green Man,[15] a traditional figure in European art and ar chitecture, and they often interpret him as being associated with the natural wo rld. The God is also often depicted as a Sun God,[16] particularly at the festiv al of Litha, or the summer solstice. Another expression of the God is that of th e Oak King and the Holly King, one who rules over winter and spring, the other w ho rules over summer and autumn.[15] The Goddess is usually portrayed as a Triple Goddess, thereby being a triadic de ity comprising a Maiden goddess, a Mother goddess, and a Crone goddess, each of whom has different associations, namely virginity, fertility and wisdom.[17] She is also commonly depicted as a Moon Goddess,[18] 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 i s pre-eminent in that she contains and conceives all. In this respect, the God i s viewed as the spark of life and inspiration within her, simultaneously her lov er and her child.[19] This is reflected in the traditional structure of the cove n.[20] In one monotheistic form of the Craft, Dianic Wicca, the Goddess is the s ole deity, a concept that has been criticised by members of other more egalitari

an 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 de scribed as a tribal goddess of the witch community, neither omnipotent nor unive rsal, and it was recognised that there was a greater "Prime Mover", although the witches did not concern themselves much with this being.[21] The concept of having a religion venerating a Horned God accompanying a goddess had been devised by the Egyptologist Margaret Murray during the 1920s. She belie ved, based upon her own theories about the Early Modern witch trials in Europe, that those two deities, though primarily the Horned God, had been worshipped by a Witch-Cult ever since western Europe had succumbed to Christianity. Whilst now widely discredited, Gerald Gardner was a supporter of her theory, and believed that Wicca was a continuation of that historical Witch-Cult, and that the Horned God and Goddess were therefore ancient deities of the British Isles.[22] Modern scholarship has disproved his claims, however various different horned gods and mother goddesses were indeed worshipped in the British Isles during the ancient and early mediaeval periods.[23] [edit]Pantheism, Polytheism and Animism A sculpture of the Horned God of Wicca found in the Museum of Witchcraft in Bosc astle, Cornwall. Many Wiccans believe that the God and Goddess are merely two aspects of the same godhead, often viewed as a pantheistic deity, thereby encompassing everything i n the universe within its divinity. In his public writings, Gardner referred to this being as the Prime Mover, and claimed that it remained unknowable,[24] alth ough in the rituals of his tradition, Gardnerianism, it is referred to as Dryght en,[25] which had originally been an Old English term meaning The Lord. Since th en it has been given other names by different Wiccans, for instance Scott Cunnin gham called it by its name in Neo-Platonism, The One.[26]Other Wiccans such as S tarhawk use the term Star Goddess to describe the universal pantheistic deity th at created the cosmos, and regard Her as a knowable Deity that can and should be worshipped. [27][28] As well as pantheism and duotheism, many Wiccans accept the concept of polytheis m, thereby believing that there are many different deities. Some accept the view espoused by the occultist Dion Fortune that "all gods are one god, and all godd esses are one goddess" that is that the gods and goddesses of all cultures are, r espectively, aspects of one supernal God and Goddess. With this mindset, a Wicca n may regard the Germanic Eostre, Hindu Kali, and Christian Virgin Mary each as manifestations of one supreme Goddess and likewise, the Celtic Cernunnos, the an cient Greek Dionysus and the Judeo-Christian Yahweh as aspects of a single, arch etypal god. A more strictly polytheistic approach holds the various goddesses an d gods to be separate and distinct entities in their own right. The Wiccan write rs Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone have postulated that Wicca is becoming more polyt heistic as it matures, tending to embrace a more traditionally pagan worldview.[ 29] Some Wiccans conceive of deities not as literal personalities but as metapho rical archetypes or thoughtforms, thereby technically allowing them to be atheis ts.[30] Such a view was purported by the High Priestess Vivianne Crowley, hersel f a psychologist, who considered the Wiccan deities to be Jungian archetypes tha t existed within the subconscious that could be evoked in ritual. It was for thi s reason that she said that "The Goddess and God manifest to us in dream and vis ion."[31] Wicca is essentially an immanent religion, and for some Wiccans, this idea also involves elements of animism. A belief central to Wicca is that the Goddess and the God (or the goddesses and gods) are able to manifest in personal form, most importantly through the bodies of Priestesses and Priests via the rituals of Dra wing down the Moon or Drawing down the Sun. [edit]Afterlife Belief in the afterlife varies among Wiccans,[32] although reincarnation is a tr aditional Wiccan teaching dating back to the New Forest coven in the 1930s. The

influential High Priest Raymond Buckland said that a human's soul reincarnates i nto the same species over many lives in order to learn lessons and advance spiri tually,[33] but this belief is not universal, as many Wiccans believe in the rei ncarnation of the soul through different species. However, a popular saying amon gst Wiccans is that "once a witch, always a witch", indicating a belief that Wic cans are the reincarnations of previous witches.[34] Typically, Wiccans who believe in reincarnation believe that the soul rests betw een lives in the Otherworld or Summerland, known in Gardner's writings as the "e cstasy of the Goddess".[35] Many Wiccans believe in the ability to contact the s pirits of the dead who reside in the Otherworld through spirit mediums and ouija boards, particularly on the Sabbat of Samhain, though some disagree with this p ractice, such as the High Priest Alex Sanders, who stated that "they are dead; l eave them in peace."[36] This belief was likely influenced by Spiritualism, whic h was very popular at the time of Wicca's emergence, and with which Gardner and other early Wiccans such as Buckland and Sanders had some experience.[37] Despite some belief therein, Wicca does not place an emphasis on the afterlife, focusing instead on the current one; as the historian Ronald Hutton remarked, "t he instinctual position of most [Wiccans], therefore, seems to be that if one ma kes the most of the present life, in all respects, then the next life is more or less certainly going to benefit from the process, and so one may as well concen trate on the present".[35] [edit]Magic Many Wiccans believe in magic, a force they see as being capable of manipulation through the practice of witchcraft or sorcery. Some spell it "magick", a variat ion coined by the influential occultist Aleister Crowley, though this spelling i s more commonly associated with Crowley's religion of Thelema than with Wicca. I ndeed, many Wiccans agree with the definition of magic offered by ceremonial mag icians,[38] such as Aleister Crowley, who declared that magic was "the science a nd art of causing change to occur in conformity with will", whilst another promi nent ceremonial magician, MacGregor Mathers stated that it was "the science of t he control of the secret forces of nature".[38] Many Wiccans believe magic to be a law of nature, as yet misunderstood or disregarded by contemporary science,[3 8] and as such they do not view it as being supernatural, but being a part of th e "super powers that reside in the natural" according to Leo Martello.[39] Some Wiccans believe that magic is simply making full use of the five senses that ach ieve surprising results,[39] whilst other Wiccans do not claim to know how magic works, merely believing that it does because they have observed it to be so.[35 ] "The point [of magic in Witchcraft] is to make the "bendable" world bend to your will... Unless you possess a rock-firm faith in your own powers and in the oper ability of your spell, you will not achieve the burning intensity of will and im agination which is requisite to make the magic work." Paul Huson (1970)[40] Wiccans cast spells or workings during ritual practices, often held inside a sac red circle, in an attempt to bring about real changes in the physical world (the se rituals are further explained in the "Ritual practices" section below). Commo n Wiccan spells include those used for healing, for protection, fertility, or to banish negative influences.[41] Many early Wiccans, such as Alex Sanders, Sybil Leek and Doreen Valiente, referred to their own magic as "white magic", which c ontrasted with "black magic", which they associated with evil and Satanism. Sand ers also used the similar terminology of "left hand path" to describe malevolent magic, and "right hand path" to describe magic performed with good intentions;[ 35] terminology that had originated with the occultist Madame Blavatsky in the 1 9th century. Some modern Wiccans however have stopped using the white-black magi c and left-right hand path dichotomies, arguing for instance that the colour bla ck should not necessarily have any associations with evil.[42] The scholars of religion, Rodney Stark and William Bainbridge, claimed, in 1985, that Wicca had "reacted to secularisation by a headlong plunge back into magic" and that it was a reactionary religion which would soon die out. This view was heavily criticised in 1999 by the historian Ronald Hutton, who claimed that the

evidence displayed the very opposite, that "a large number [of Wiccans] were in jobs at the cutting edge [of scientific culture], such as computer technology."[ 35] [edit]Morality Main article: Wiccan morality "Bide the Wiccan laws ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust... Mind the Thr eefold Law ye should - three times bad and three times good... Eight words the W iccan Rede fulfill - an it harm none, do what ye will." Lady Gwen Thompson[43] There exists no dogmatic moral or ethical code followed universally by Wiccans o f all traditions, however a majority follow a code known as the Wiccan Rede, whi ch states "an it harm none, do what ye will". This is usually interpreted as a d eclaration of the freedom to act, along with the necessity of taking responsibil ity for what follows from one's actions and minimising harm to oneself and other s.[44] Another common element of Wiccan morality is the Law of Threefold Return which holds that whatever benevolent or malevolent actions a person performs wil l return to that person with triple force, or with equal force on each of the th ree levels of body, mind and spirit,[45] similar to the eastern idea of karma. B oth the Rede and the Threefold Law were introduced into the Craft by Gerald Gard ner, and subsequently adopted by the Gardnerian and other traditions. Many Wiccans also seek to cultivate a set of eight virtues mentioned in Doreen V aliente's Charge of the Goddess,[46] these being mirth, reverence, honour, humil ity, strength, beauty, power and compassion. In Valiente's poem, they are ordere d in pairs of complementary opposites, reflecting a dualism that is common throu ghout Wiccan philosophy. Some lineaged Wiccans also observe a set of Wiccan Laws , commonly called the Craft Laws or Ardanes, 30 of which exist in the Gardnerian tradition and 161 of which are in the Alexandrian tradition. Valiente, one of G ardner's original High Priestesses, argued that the first thirty of these rules were most likely invented by Gerald Gardner himself in mock-archaic language as the by-product of inner conflict within his Bricket Wood coven - [47][48] the ot hers were later additions made by Alex Sanders during the 1960s. Although Gerald Gardner initially demonstrated an aversion to homosexuality, cla iming that it brought down "the curse of the goddess",[49] it is now generally a ccepted in all traditions of Wicca, with certain groups like the Minoan Brotherh ood openly crafting their philosophy around it,[50] and various important figure s in the Craft, such as Alex Sanders and Eddie Buczynski, being openly homosexua l or bisexual. [edit]Five elements Five Elements with Pentagram In certain traditions, there is a belief in the five classical elements, althoug h unlike in ancient Greece, they are seen as symbolic as opposed to literal; tha t is, they are representations of the phases of matter. These five elements are invoked during many magical rituals, notably when consecrating a magic circle. T he five elements are Air, Fire, Water and Earth, plus Aether (or Spirit), which unites the other four.[51] Various analogies have been devised to explain the co ncept of the five elements; for instance, the Wiccan Ann-Marie Gallagher used th at of a tree, which is composed of Earth (with the soil and plant matter), Water (sap and moisture), Fire (through photosynthesis) and Air (the creation of oxyg en from carbon dioxide), all of which are believed to be united through Spirit.[ 6] "Darksome Night and Shining Moon, East and South and West and North, Hearken to the Witches' Rune; Hear me now, I call thee forth." Doreen Valiente Traditionally in the Gardnerian Craft, each element has been associated with a c ardinal point of the compass; Air with east, Fire with south, Water with west, E arth with north and the Spirit with centre.[6] However, some Wiccans, such as Fr

ederic Lamond, have claimed that the set cardinal points are only those applicab le to the geography of southern England, where Wicca evolved, and that Wiccans s hould determine which directions best suit each element in their region, for ins tance, those living on the east coast of North America should invoke Water in th e east and not the west because the colossal body of water, the Atlantic ocean, is to their east.[52] Other Craft groups have associated the elements with diffe rent cardinal points, for instance Robert Cochrane's Clan of Tubal Cain associat ed Earth with south, Fire with east, Water with west and Air with north,[53] and each of which were controlled over by a different deity who were seen as childr en of the primary Horned God and Goddess. The five elements are symbolised by th e five points of the pentagram, the most prominently used symbol of Wicca.[54] [edit]Practices The Neopagan researcher and High Priestess Margot Adler, who defined ritual as b eing "one method of reintegrating individuals and groups into the cosmos, and to tie in the activities of daily life with their ever present, often forgotten, s ignificance" noted that rituals, celebrations and rites of passage in Wicca are not "dry, formalised, repetitive experiences", but are performed with the purpos e of inducing a religious experience in the participants, thereby altering their consciousness.[55] She noted that many Wiccans remain skeptical about the exist ence of the gods, afterlife etc but remain involved in the Craft because of its ritual experiences, with one, Glenna Turner, saying that "I love myth, dream, vi sionary art. The Craft is a place where all of these things fit together - beaut y, pageantry, music, dance, song, dream."[56] The High Priest and Craft historian Aidan Kelly claimed that the practices and e xperiences within Wicca were actually far more important than the beliefs, stati ng that "it's a religion of ritual rather than theology. The ritual is first; th e myth is second. And taking an attitude that the myths of the Craft are 'true h istory' in the way a fundamentalist looks at the legends of Genesis really seems crazy. It's an alien head-space."[57] It is for this reason that Adler stated t hat "ironically, considering the many pronouncements against Witchcraft as a thr eat to reason, the Craft is one of the few religious viewpoints totally compatib le with modern science, allowing total scepticism about even its own methods, my ths and rituals".[58] [edit]Ritual practices An athame, used in Wiccan ritual practices. Main article: Magical tools in Wicca There are many rituals within Wicca that are used when celebrating the Sabbats, worshipping the deities and working magic. Often these take place on a full moon , or in some cases a new moon, which is known as an Esbat. In typical rites, the coven or solitary assembles inside a ritually cast and purified magic circle. C asting the circle may involve the invocation of the "Guardians" of the cardinal points, alongside their respective classical elements; Air, Fire, Water and Eart h. Once the circle is cast, a seasonal ritual may be performed, prayers to the G od and Goddess are said, and spells are sometimes worked. These rites often incl ude a special set of magical tools. These usually include a knife called an atha me, 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.[59] Before entering the circle, some traditions fast for the day, and/or ritually bathe. After a ri tual has finished, the God, Goddess and Guardians are thanked and the circle is closed. A sensationalised aspect of Wicca, particularly in Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wi cca, is the traditional practice of working in the nude, also known as skyclad. This practice seemingly derives from a line in Aradia, Charles Leland's supposed record of Italian witchcraft.[60] Other traditions wear robes with cords tied a round the waist or even normal street clothes. In certain traditions, ritualised

sex magic is performed in the form of the Great Rite, whereby a High Priest and High Priestess invoke the God and Goddess to possess them before performing sex ual intercourse to raise magical energy for use in spellwork. In some cases it i s instead performed "in token", thereby merely symbolically, using the athame to symbolise the penis and the chalice to symbolise the vagina.[61] [edit]Wheel of the Year A painted Wheel of the Year at the Museum of Witchcraft, Boscastle, Cornwall, En gland, displaying all eight of the Sabbats. Main article: Wheel of the Year Wiccans celebrate several seasonal festivals of the year, which are known as Sab bats; collectively these occasions are often termed the Wheel of the Year.[62] M any Wiccans, such as Gardnerians and most eclectics celebrate a set of eight of these Sabbats, though in other groups, particularly those that describe themselv es as following "Traditional Witchcraft", such as the Clan of Tubal Cain, only f our are followed, and in the rare case of the Ros an Bucca group from Cornwall, only six are adhered to.[63] The four Sabbats that are common to all these group s are the cross-quarter days, and these are sometimes referred to as Greater Sab bats. They originated as festivals celebrated by the ancient Celtic peoples of I reland, and possibly other Celtic peoples of western Europe as well.[64] In the Egyptologist Margaret Murray's The Witch-Cult in Western Europe (1921) and The G od of the Witches (1933), in which she dealt with what she believed to be a hist orical Witch-Cult, she stated that these four festivals had survived Christianis ation and had been celebrated in the pagan Witchcraft religion. Subsequently, wh en Wicca was first developing in the 1930s through to the 1960s, many of the ear ly groups, such as Robert Cochrane's Clan of Tubal Cain and Gerald Gardner's Bri cket Wood coven adopted the commemoration of these four Sabbats as described by Murray. Gardner himself made use of the English names of these holidays, stating that "the four great Sabbats are Candlemass [sic], May Eve, Lammas, and Hallowe en; the equinoxes and solstices are celebrated also."[65] The other four festivals commemorated by many Wiccans are known as Lesser Sabbat s, and comprise of the solstices and the equinoxes, and were only adopted in 195 8 by members of the Bricket Wood coven,[66] before subsequently being adopted by other followers of the Gardnerian tradition, and eventually other traditions li ke Alexandrian Wicca and the Dianic tradition. The names of these holidays that are commonly used today are often taken from Germanic pagan and Celtic polytheis tic holidays. However, the festivals are not reconstructive in nature nor do the y often resemble their historical counterparts, instead exhibiting a form of uni versalism. Ritual observations may display cultural influence from the holidays from which they take their name as well as influence from other unrelated cultur es.[67] Sabbat Northern Hemisphere Southern Hemisphere Historical Origins Associations Samhain, aka Halloween 31 October 30 April, or 1 May Celtic paganism (see also Celts) Death and the ancestors. Yuletide 21st or 22 December 21 June Germanic paganism Winter S olstice and the rebirth of the sun. Imbolc, aka Candlemas 1st or 2 February 1 August Celtic paganism (see also Celts) First signs of spring. Ostara 21st or 22 March 21st or 22 September Germanic paganism Spring Equinox and the beginning of spring. Beltaine aka May Eve, or May Day 30 April or 1 May 1 November Celtic paganism (see also Celts) The full flowering of spring. Fairy folk .[68] Litha 21st or 22 June 21 December Possibly Neolithic Summer Solstice. Lughnasadh aka Lammas 1st or 2 August 1 February Celtic paganism (see als o Celts) The harvest of grain. Mabon aka Modron[69] 21st or 22 September 21 March No historical pa gan equivalent. Autumn Equinox. The harvest of fruit.

[edit]Rites of passage Various rites of passage can be found within Wicca. Perhaps the most significant of these is an initiation ritual, through which somebody joins the Craft and be comes a Wiccan. In British Traditional Wiccan (BTW) traditions, there is a line of initiatory descent that goes back to Gerald Gardner, and from him is said to go back to the New Forest coven; however, the existence of this coven remains un proven.[70] Gardner himself claimed that there was a traditional length of "a ye ar and a day" between when a person began studying the Craft and when they were initiated, although he frequently broke this rule with initiates. In BTW, initia tion only accepts someone into the first degree. To proceed to the second degree , an initiate has to go through another ceremony, in which they name and describ e the uses of the ritual tools and implements.[71] It is also at this ceremony t hat they are given their craft name.[71] By holding the rank of second degree, a BTW is considered capable of initiating others into the Craft, or founding thei r own semi-autonomous covens.[71] The third degree is the highest in BTW, and it involves the participation of the Great Rite, either actual or symbolically, as well as ritual flagellation.[72] By holding this rank, an initiate is considere d capable of forming covens that are entirely autonomous of their parent coven.[ 72] A handfasting ceremony at Avebury in England, which occurred during Beltane in 2 005 This three-tier degree system following initiation is largely unique to BTW, and traditions heavily based upon it. The Cochranian tradition, which is not BTW, b ut based upon the teachings of Robert Cochrane, does not have the three degrees of initiation, merely having the stages of novice and initiate. Some solitary Wiccans also perform self-initiation rituals, to dedicate themselv es to becoming a Wiccan. The first of these to be published was in Paul Huson's Mastering Witchcraft (1970), and unusually involved recitation of the Lord's Pra yer backwards as a symbol of defiance against the historical Witch Hunt.[73] Sub sequent, more overtly pagan self-initiation rituals have since been published in books designed for solitary Wiccans by authors like Doreen Valiente, Scott Cunn ingham and Silver RavenWolf. Handfasting is another celebration held by Wiccans, and is the commonly used ter m for their weddings. Some Wiccans observe the practice of a trial marriage for a year and a day, which some traditions hold should be contracted on the Sabbat of Lughnasadh, as this was the traditional time for trial, "Telltown marriages" among the Irish. A common marriage vow in Wicca is "for as long as love lasts" i nstead of the traditional Christian "till death do us part".[74] The first ever known Wiccan wedding ceremony took part in 1960 amongst the Bricket Wood coven, between Frederic Lamond and his first wife, Gillian.[75] Infants in Wiccan families may be involved in a ritual called a Wiccaning, which is analogous to a Christening. The purpose of this is to present the infant to the God and Goddess for protection. Despite this, in accordance with the importa nce put on free will in Wicca, the child is not necessarily expected or required to adhere to Wicca or other forms of paganism should they not wish to do so whe n they get older.[citation needed] [edit]Book of Shadows Main article: Book of Shadows In Wicca there is no set sacred text such as the Christian Bible, Jewish Tanakh or Islamic Qur'an although there are certain scriptures and texts that various d ifferent traditions hold to be important and influence their beliefs and practic es. Gerald Gardner used a book containing many different texts in his covens, kn own as the Book of Shadows, which he would frequently add to and adapt. In his B ook of Shadows, there are texts taken from various different sources, including Charles Godfrey Leland's Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches (1899) and the wor ks of 19th-20th century occultist Aleister Crowley, whom Gardner knew personally . Also in the Book are examples of poetry largely composed by Gardner and his Hi gh Priestess Doreen Valiente, the most notable of which is the Charge of the God

dess. "The Book of Shadows is not a Bible or Quran. It is a personal cookbook of spell s that have worked for the owner. I am giving you mine to copy to get you starte d: as you gain experience discard those spells that dont work for you and substit ute those that you have thought of yourselves." Gerald Gardner to his followers.[76] Similar in use to the grimoires of ceremonial magicians,[77] the Book contained instructions for how to perform rituals and spells, as well as religious poetry and chants like Eko Eko Azarak to use in those rituals. Gardner s original inten tion was that every copy of the Book would be different, because a student would copy from their initiators, but changing things which they felt to be personall y ineffective, however amongst many Gardnerian Witches today, particularly in th e United States, all copies of the Book are kept identical to the version that t he High Priestess Monique Wilson copied from Gardner, with nothing being altered . The Book of Shadows was originally meant to be kept a secret from non-initiate s into BTW, but parts of the Book have been published by authors including Charl es Cardell, Lady Sheba, Janet Farrar and Stewart Farrar.[78][79] Today, adherents of many non-BTW traditions have also adopted the concept of the Book of Shadows, with many solitaries also keeping their own versions, sometime s including material taken from the published Gardnerian Book of Shadows. In oth er traditions however, practices are never written down, meaning that there is n o need for a Book of Shadows. In certain Traditional Witchcraft traditions, different forms of literature are used, for instance in the 1734 tradition, the published articles of Robert Cochr ane along with letters he wrote to Joseph Wilson, Robert Graves[80] and others a re held in high esteem[81] whilst in the Sabbatic tradition, various grimoires a re followed, such as the Azoetia of Andrew Chumbley. [edit]Symbols Triple Goddess symbol of waxing, full and waning moon Various different symbols are used by Wiccans, similar to the use of the crucifi x by Christians or the Star of David by Jews. The most notable of these is the p entagram, which has five points, each representing one of the five classical ele ments in Wicca (earth, air, fire, water and spirit) and also the idea that the h uman, with its five appendages, is a microcosm of the universe. Other symbols th at are used include the triskelion, the triquetra, the Three hares and the tripl e Moon symbol of the Triple Goddess. [edit]Traditions See also: List of Wiccan organisations and Category:Wiccan traditions In the 1950s through to the 1970s, when the Wiccan movement was largely confined to lineaged groups such as Gardnerian Wicca, a "tradition" usually implied the transfer of a lineage by initiation. However, with the rise of more and more suc h groups, often being founded by those with no previous initiatory lineage, the term came to be a synonym for a religious denomination within Wicca. There are m any such traditions[82][83] and there are also many solitary practitioners who d o not align themselves with any particular lineage, working alone. There are als o covens that have formed but who do not follow any particular tradition, instea d choosing their influences and practices eclectically. Those traditions which trace a line of initiatory descent back to Gerald Gardner include Gardnerian Wicca, Alexandrian Wicca and the Algard tradition; because o f their joint history, they are often referred to as British Traditional Wicca, particularly in North America. Other traditions trace their origins to different figures, even if their beliefs and practices have been influenced to a greater or lesser extent by Gardner. These include Cochrane s Craft and the 1734 traditi on, both of which trace their origins to Robert Cochrane; Feri, which traces its elf back to Victor Anderson and Gwydion Pendderwen; and Dianic Wicca, whose foll owers often trace their influences back to Zsuzsanna Budapest. Some of these gro ups prefer to refer to themselves as Witches, thereby distinguishing themselves

from the BTW traditions, who more typically use the term Wiccan (see Etymology s ection). British Traditional Wiccans in particular, but also other groups, insist that to become a bona fide member of that tradition, a person has to undergo an actual physical initiation ceremony performed by a pre-existing initiate. In this manne r, all BTW s can trace a direct line of descent all the way back to Gardner. Oth er traditions however do not hold this to be necessary, for instance anyone foll owing a Goddess-centred form of the Craft which emphasises feminism could be con sidered to be Dianic. [edit]Covens and solitary Wiccans Lineaged Wicca is organised into covens of initiated priests and priestesses. Co vens are autonomous, and are generally headed by a High Priest and a High Priest ess working in partnership, being a couple who have each been through their firs t, second and third degrees of initiation. Occasionally the leaders of a coven a re only second-degree initiates, in which case they come under the rule of the p arent coven. Initiation and training of new priesthood is most often performed w ithin a coven environment, but this is not a necessity, and a few initiated Wicc ans are unaffiliated with any coven.[33] A commonly quoted Wiccan tradition holds that the ideal number of members for a coven is thirteen, though this is not held as a hard-and-fast rule.[33] Indeed, many U.S. covens are far smaller, though the membership may be augmented by unaf filiated Wiccans at "open" rituals. When covens grow beyond their ideal number o f members, they often split (or "hive") into multiple covens, yet remain connect ed as a group. A grouping of multiple covens is known as a grove in many traditi ons.[citation needed] Initiation into a coven is traditionally preceded by a waiting period of at leas t a year and a day. A course of study may be set during this period. In some cov ens a "dedication" ceremony may be performed during this period, some time befor e the initiation proper, allowing the person to attend certain rituals on a prob ationary basis. Some solitary Wiccans also choose to study for a year and a day before their self-dedication to the religion. [edit]Eclectic Wicca Eclectic Wiccans are more often than not solitary practitioners. Some of these s olitaries do, however, attend gatherings and other community events, but reserve their spiritual practices (Sabbats, Esbats, spell-casting, worship, magical wor k, etc.) for when they are alone. Eclectic Wicca is the most popular variety of Wicca in America[84] and eclectic Wiccans now significantly outnumber lineaged W iccans; their beliefs and practices tend to be much more varied.[85] Eclectic Wi ccans do not following a single tradition exclusively, each creates their own sy ncretic spiritual path by adopting, reclaiming, and reinventing the beliefs and rituals of a variety of religious traditions connected to Wicca, paganism or neo -Paganism. An eclectic can be described as free of tradition, even while eclecti cism is described as a tradition of Wicca. An eclectic might also be a follower of a particular religious or philosophical path, and yet develop individual idea s and ritual practices based on diverse sources. An eclectic approach to Wicca m ay draw from a diverse range of ancient and modern beliefs or practices, for exa mple: ancient Egyptian, Greek, Asian, Hebrew, Saxon, Anglo-Saxon, Polynesian or Celtic.[86] Eclectic Wicca is a positive, peaceful, earth-centred religion, with a core ideology informed by those values and beliefs which are common to many W iccan, pagan, polytheistic,[87] shamanic, Hawaiian,[88] or Polynesian religious traditions. Eclecticism may also reflect theories derived from psychology and ph ilosophy, for example, self-actualization, Jungian archetypes[89] and karma. [edit]History Main article: History of Wicca [edit]Origins and early development, 19211959 In the 1920s and 30s, the Egyptologist Dr Margaret Murray published several book s detailing her theories that those persecuted as witches during the Early Moder n period in Europe were not, as the persecutors had claimed, followers of Satani sm, but adherents of a surviving pre-Christian pagan religion - the Witch-Cult.

Despite now being discredited by further historical research, her theories were widely accepted and supported at the time. It was during the 1930s that the first evidence appears for the practise of a pa gan Witchcraft religion[90] (what would be recognisable now as Wicca) in England . It seems that several groups around the country, in such places as Norfolk,[91 ] Cheshire[92] and the New Forest had set themselves up as continuing in the tra dition of Murray s Witch-Cult, albeit with influences coming from disparate sour ces such as ceremonial magic, folk magic, Freemasonry, Theosophy, Romanticism, D ruidry, classical mythology and Asian religions. The Witchcraft religion became more prominent beginning in 1951, with the repeal of the Witchcraft Act of 1735, after which several figures, such as Charles Car dell, Cecil Williamson and most notably Gerald Gardner, began propagating their own versions of the Craft. Gardner had been initiated into the New Forest coven in 1939, before forming his own tradition, later termed Gardnerianism, which he spread through the formation of groups like the Bricket Wood coven. His traditio n, aided by the help of his High Priestess Doreen Valiente and the publication o f his books Witchcraft Today (1954) and The Meaning of Witchcraft (1959), soon b ecame the dominant form in the country, and spread to other parts of the British Isles. [edit]Adaptation and spread, 1960present Following Gardner s death in 1964, the Craft continued to grow unabated despite sensationalism and negative portrayals in British tabloids, with new traditions being propagated by figures like Robert Cochrane, Sybil Leek and most importantl y Alex Sanders, whose Alexandrian Wicca, which was predominantly based upon Gard nerian Wicca, albeit with an emphasis placed on ceremonial magic, spread quickly and gained much media attention. Around this time, the term "Wicca" began to be commonly adopted over "Witchcraft" and the faith was exported to countries like Australia and the United States. It was in the United States and in Australia that new, home-grown traditions, so metimes based upon earlier, regional folk-magical traditions and often mixed wit h the basic structure of Gardnerian Wicca, began to develop, including Victor An derson s Feri, Joseph Wilson s 1734 tradition, Aidan Kelly s New Reformed Orthod ox Order of the Golden Dawn and eventually Zsuzsanna Budapest s Dianic Wicca, ea ch of which emphasised different aspects of the faith.[93] It was also around th is time that books teaching people how to become Witches themselves without form al initiation or training began to emerge, among them Paul Huson s Mastering Wit chcraft (1970) and Lady Sheba s Book of Shadows (1971). Similar books continued to be published throughout the 1980s and 1990s, fuelled by the writing of such a uthors as Doreen Valiente, Janet Farrar, Stewart Farrar and Scott Cunningham, wh o popularised the idea of self-initiation into the Craft. In the 1990s, amid ever-rising numbers of self-initiates, the popular media bega n to explore "witchcraft" in fictional films like The Craft and television serie s like Charmed, introducing numbers of young people to the idea of religious wit chcraft. This growing demographic was soon catered to through the Internet and b y authors like Silver Ravenwolf, much to the criticism of traditional Wiccan gro ups and individuals. In response to the way that Wicca was increasingly portraye d as trendy, eclectic, and influenced by the New Age movement, many Witches turn ed to the pre-Gardnerian origins of the Craft, and to the traditions of his riva ls like Cardell and Cochrane, describing themselves as following "Traditional Wi tchcraft". Prominent groups within this Traditional Witchcraft revival included Andrew Chumbley s Cultus Sabbati and the Cornish Ros an Bucca coven. [edit]Etymology Main article: Wicca (etymology) The term "Wicca" first achieved widespread acceptance when referring to the reli gion in the 1960s and 70s. Prior to that, the term "Witchcraft" had been more wi dely used. Whilst being based upon the Old English word wicca, which referred so lely to male sorcerers, the actual individual who coined the capitalised term "W icca" is unknown, though it has been speculated that it was Charles Cardell, who certainly used the term "Wiccen" during the 1950s. [edit]Demographics

Number of Wiccans by country according to recent estimates The actual number of Wiccans worldwide is unknown, and it has been noted that it is more difficult to establish the numbers of members of Neopagan faiths than m any other religions due to their disorganised structure.[94] However, Adherents. com, an independent website which specialises in collecting estimates of world r eligions, cites over thirty sources with estimates of numbers of Wiccans (princi pally from the USA and UK). From this, they developed a median estimate of 800,0 00 members.[95] In the United States population alone, there have been many atte mpts at finding a figure, with the 2001 American Religious Identification Survey estimating that at least 134,000 adults identified themselves as Wiccans, compa red to 8,000 in 1990.[96] Wiccans have also made up significant proportions of v arious groups within that country; for instance, Wicca is the largest non-Christ ian faith practised in the United States Air Force, with 1,434 airmen identifyin g themselves as such.[97] "[The average Wiccan is] a man in his forties, or a woman in her thirties, Cauca sian, reasonably well educated, not earning much but probably not too concerned about material things, someone that demographers would call lower middle class." Leo Ruickbie (2004)[98] In the United Kingdom, census figures do not allow an accurate breakdown of trad itions within the Pagan heading, as a campaign by the Pagan Federation before th e 2001 Census encouraged Wiccans, Heathens, Druids and others all to use the sam e write-in term Pagan in order to maximise the numbers reported. For the first time, respondents were able to write in an affiliation not covered by the check list of common religions, and a total of 42,262 people from England, Scotland an d Wales declared themselves to be Pagans by this method. These figures were not immediately analysed by the Office of National Statistics, but were released aft er an application by the Pagan Federation of Scotland.[99] [edit]Acceptance of Wiccans Main article: Religious discrimination against Neopagans The use of the inverted pentagram by the Church of Satan has contributed to the misidentification of Wiccans as Satanists. Wicca emerged in a predominantly Christian country, and from its inception suffe red opposition from certain Christian groups and from the popular tabloids like the News of the World. This has continued till this day, and some Christians hav e asserted that Wicca is a form of Satanism, despite important differences betwe en these religions,[100] such as the lack of a Satan-like figure in Wiccan theol ogy. Due to negative connotations associated with witchcraft, many Wiccans conti nue the traditional practice of secrecy, concealing their faith for fear of pers ecution. Revealing oneself as Wiccan to family, friends or colleagues is often t ermed "coming out of the broom-closet".[101] In a similar way, some people have accused Wicca of being anti-Christian, a claim disputed by Wiccans such as Doree n Valiente, who stated that whilst she knew many Wiccans who admired Jesus, "wit ches have little respect for the doctrines of the churches, which they regard as a lot of man-made dogma".[102] In the United States, a number of legal decisions have improved and validated th e status of Wiccans, especially Dettmer v. Landon in 1985. However, Wiccans have encountered hostility from some politicians and Christian organisations,[103][1 04][105] including former president of the United States George W. Bush, who sta ted that he did not believe Wicca to be a religion.[106] [edit]Debates over the origin of Wicca According to the history of Wicca given by Gerald Gardner, Wicca is the survival of a theoretical European witch-cult that was persecuted during the witch trial s. Theories of an organised pan-European witch-cult, as well as mass trials ther eof, have been largely discredited, but it is still common for Wiccans to claim

solidarity with witch trial victims.[107] The notion of the survival of Wiccan traditions and rituals from ancient sources is contested by most recent researchers. These suggest that Wicca is a more rec ent creation which combines elements of freemasonry and 19th century occultism.[ 108] Some[who?] have asserted that Wicca is an off-shoot of the New Age movement, a c laim which is fiercely denied by most Wiccans and also by historians such as Ron ald Hutton, who noted that Wicca not only predates the New Age movement but also differs markedly in its general philosophy.[109] In his 1999 book The Triumph of the Moon, Ronald Hutton researched the Wiccan cl aim that ancient pagan customs have survived into modern times after being Chris tianised in medieval times as folk practices. Hutton found that most of the folk customs which are claimed to have pagan roots (such as the Maypole dance) actua lly date from the Middle Ages. He concluded that the idea that medieval revels w ere pagan in origin is a legacy of the Protestant Reformation.[109][110] Modern scholarly investigations have concluded that Witch trials were substantia lly fewer than claimed by Gardner, and seldom at the behest of religious authori ties. For example, in the book Witches and Neighbors, Robin Briggs (1996) examin es the history of witchcraft in medieval Europe and refutes the widely-told stor y that large numbers of independent women were burned at the stake by vindictive Christian ecclesiastics for the crime of practicing naturalistic healing or neo pagan religion. Most scholars estimate that a total of 40,000 people were execut ed as witches during the entire medieval period, and that church authorities par ticipated reluctantly in this process, which was largely fueled by the political turmoil of the Reformation.[111][112]