from The Wicca Handbook
by Eileen Holland
Every Wiccan
is a priest or priestess of the Goddess as well as a witch. We serve
Her
in whatever ways we are able to serve, according to our talents,
abilities
and personal circumstances. Each Wiccan determines his or her own code
of personal conduct and behavior according to the Rede, so you will
find
Wiccans who are pacifists as well as Wiccans who are professional
soldiers;
some who are omnivores and others who are vegans.
Wicca is an
Earth religion, an accepting, open-minded one that celebrates diversity
and considers us all children of the same Mother. Gender, age, race,
sexual
orientation, physical status, family background or ethnic heritage are
not important in Wicca. We are male and female, old and young, gay and
straight, healthy and disabled, every color humans come in. We are
witches,
male and female. There are no reliable statistics on this but it seems
to me there are about the same number of male and female Wiccans.
We collect
no dues, have no central organization, no governing body, no supreme
leader,
no Great High Priestess who speaks for the Goddess. Our temples are
gardens
and forests, libraries and beaches, mountains and bookstores. Wicca is
simply its witches, is our collective beliefs and practices. It is a
voluntary
association of individuals who share one faith but practice it in a
myriad
of ways. No one is born Wiccan, not even our children, for we expect
them
to choose their own spiritual paths when they are old enough to make
such
choices. There is nothing like a dress code but many witches wear a
pentacle.
We have no dietary restrictions but lots of witches are vegetarians.
Wicca is an
organic religion, an evolving one that is emerging as a world religion.
It is also a rapidly growing faith even though we seek no converts,
engage
in no proselytizing. This is not a faith that knocks on your door, it's
one you have to make your own way to. Wicca is a way of life, a belief
system that reflects itself in the ways we interact with the world
around
us. Personal integrity and respect for Mother Nature are important
parts
of the Wiccan Way.
The Wiccan faith has two pillars, the Great Goddess and a poem called
The
Wiccan Rede. The first step in becoming a witch is finding your way to
the Goddess. The second step is establishing an ethical system in which
to use Her gift of magic. Another question I am often asked is how
someone
can get involved in the occult without being seduced by its dark side.
The answer is to have an ethical belief system, one that you hold faith
with.
This book
contains everything you need to know to begin to practice magic, but
you
won't be ready for magic until you have taken those first two crucial
steps.
THE GREAT GODDESS
Have you ever
been jolted from a sound sleep by someone calling your name, sat up and
discovered you were all alone? What you heard was the Call of the
Goddess.
She is always there, always with us, always calling, but only some of
us
can hear Her. We are witches, Her priests and priestesses.
To be a witch
you have to find your way to the Goddess and establish a relationship
with
Her. There are many ways to do this: studying mythology, spending time
with the Moon or the sea, meditating, planting a garden, keeping bees,
nurturing a child, taking long walks in the woods, etc. She is
everywhere,
all you have to do is look for Her. When you find Her, invite Her into
your life. Offer yourself to Her service. Step back and watch the magic
begin flow through you and around you.
The Goddess
is the Universe itself, not something separate from or superior to it.
Creation is the business of the universe, which destroys only to
recreate,
so we personify it as the Great Mother. She is self created and self
renewing.
We share atoms with Her, are one small part of the godhead, but we are
just one product of Her great creative nature. Her variety is infinite,
as evinced by snowflakes and fingerprints. She is the yin and yang of
being,
composed of both female (Goddess) and male (god) energy. We worship Her
by many names: Ishtar, Isis, Shakti, Asherah, Xochiquetzal, Brigit,
Pelé,
Copper Woman, Lupa, Luna . . . ad infinitum. We also recognize
the
Old Gods and worship them if we feel moved to do so: Pan, Osiris,
Tammuz,
Jove, Quetzalcoatl, Cernunnos, Mithras, etc.
Witches are
pagans. We worship many gods and goddesses but recognize all of them as
aspects of the Great Goddess. Some witches worship both a Lord and a
Lady
while others worship only the Goddess. For me Thoth is the Lord and
Isis
is the Lady, but choosing what deities to serve, honor or work with is
something each witch decides for herself or himself.
This book
is full of information about magic, how to cast spells and create them,
but never forget that magic is only one part of Wicca. Witches use
magic
to improve our lives but also in service of the Goddess, as The Craft
section
of this book will explain.
THE WICCAN REDE
Modern Wicca
began in England in 1939 when Gerald Gardner was initiated into a
traditional
British coven by Dorothy Clutterbuck (Old Dorothy). He later broke the
traditional seal of secrecy and published books about the beliefs and
practices
of British Wiccans because he feared the religion would die out. This
started
what continues to be a groundswell of people converting to Wicca.
So far as
I know the Rede was written by Doreen Valiente working with material
from
Gerald Gardnerís own Book of Shadows, teachings from his coven's
tradition.
Valiente, who was initiated by Gardner in 1953, also wrote The Charge
of
the Goddess which is our most important prayer.
This is the
version of the Rede that I copied into my own Book of Shadows but I
have
seen other, slightly different versions of it.
WICCAN TRADITIONS
Wicca is a
solitary religion for some of us, something we learned through books,
lectures
or the Internet, developed through personal experience and practice
alone.
Some studied Wicca in groves, study groups or learning circles. Other
witches
grew up in Wiccan families then chose Wicca for their own path. Many
came
to Wicca in the traditional way, through formal initiation into a coven
that followed a specific tradition.
Wiccan traditions include:
Gardnerian Wicca
Gerald Gardnerís
traditional path, which honors Aradia as the Lady and Cernunnos as the
Lord. This is a formal, hierarchical path with skyclad worship and
degrees
of initiation. It focuses on rituals and male/female polarity. Covens
have
no more than 13 members, are lead by a High Priestess with a High
Priest.
Gardnerians believe it takes a witch to make a witch, tend to
disapprove
of the newer do-it-yourself Wiccans.
Alexandrian Wicca
A formal,
structured, neo-Gardnerian tradition founded by Alex and Maxine Sanders
in England in the 1960ís. Alexandrian and Gardnerian Wicca are
sometimes
referred to as Classical Wicca.
British Trad Wicca
This is a
formal, structured tradition that mixes Celtic deities and
spirituality
with Gardenarian-type Wicca.
Celtic Wicca
This tradition
incorporates Celtic god/desses and spirituality with green
witchcraft
and faery magic.
Dianic Wicca
Named for
the goddess Diana, this is a Goddess centered tradition that
excludes
gods and does not require initiations. Although Dianic Wicca is
sometimes
thought of as a feminist or lesbian path, there are also male Dianic
witches.
Faery Wicca
This is an
Irish tradition that centers on green witchcraft and fairy magic.
Teutonic Wicca
Nordic tradition
witchcraft, incorporating deities, symbolism and practices from
Norse
and Germanic cultures.
Family Trads
These
are the practices and traditions, usually secret, of families who
have been witches for generations.
Some witches
hold that you must have been taught the Craft by a living relative
before
you can be considered a hereditary witch, no matter how many witchy
ancestors
you dig up when you unearth your family roots. I think that like blue
eyes
and diabetes, witchcraft can be inherited. I get letters that start "We
found a handwritten book in the attic . . .", others from witches who
have
discovered ancestors who were accused or admitted witches, and letters
from young witches who receive spirit messages from ancestors with
guidance
on following the witchesí path.
The gift often
seems to skip a generation, is passed from a grandparent to a
grandchild.
Many witches were taught Craft skills by their grandmothers, even if no
one ever used the word witchcraft. Is there a connection between DNA
and
witchcraft? I think this would be an excellent subject for
investigation
by a scientist witch.
You may come
across oxymoronic groups calling themselves Satanic Wiccans and
Christian
Wiccans. Those are contradictions in terms and they are not Wiccan, no
matter what they call themselves and no matter if they mean well or ill
by it.
COMPARATIVE RELIGION
Paganism is
an umbrella term that covers many faiths, including Wicca. I have heard
from both Native Americans and Hindus who find similarities in our
religions.
There are many roads to enlightenment and all religions are equally
valid.
Wiccans respect the belief systems of others, value freedom of worship
for all. Live and let live, as the Rede says.
Pagans are
inclusive rather than exclusive. Karma, enlightenment, reincarnation,
chíi, Tantra, the Akashic Records ... you are as likely to find
witches
discussing these things as adherents of the Eastern belief systems from
which these words come. Ego, inner child, the unconscious,
synchronicity,
dream work ... a group of witches is as likely to be using those terms
as a group of psychiatrists might be.
Wiccans
are polytheists who easily incorporate various god/desses and practices
into our spells, prayers and rituals. A witch who honors Sarasvati or
Kwan
Yin will not do so in the same way as a Hindu or a Buddhist though, nor
will a witch who has the raven for their spirit guide or the bear for
their
totem animal work with it in the same way that a Native American might.
Most witches
believe in some form of reincarnation, believe death is not an end but
a transition. We recognize the cycles of birth/death/rebirth just as we
do the cycles of the seasons or the Moon. Some Wiccans believe we rest
between incarnations in the Summerlands, a place where we are reunited
with our loved ones before we are reborn in new bodies.
Wiccans do
not believe in a hell or a devil. We do not refrain from negative acts
because we fear we will be punished for them in an afterlife, we
refrain
from negativity because we choose to be positive. We certainly know
what
evil is, but we hold the individuals who perpetrate it responsible for
it according to their actions (or inactions), not an entity called
Satan.
For many witches the Lord is the Horned God, the Lord of Animals, the
sylvan
lord of the greenwood. He is usually depicted as a man with horns (Pan,
Herne, Cernunnos) but he is a god of herds and fertility, not a demonic
figure. Some witches believe in angels and some do not, just as some
believe
in fairies or dragons and some do not.
INITIATION
No one
should ever assume the title of witch lightly. To call yourself a witch
is to set yourself apart from most humans, is to appoint yourself a
Priest/ess
of the Goddess. It is a binding contract to serve the Life Force.
Some traditions
believe you are not really a witch unless you have been formally
initiated
by a High Priestess and/or High Priest. The growth of Wicca makes this
impractical for now, since there are not enough High Priest/esses to
train
or initiate all the newcomers. Wicca is also establishing itself in new
countries and cultures, places where there are no experienced witches
to
lead others.
I think that
you are entitled to call yourself a witch from the day you feel
entitled
to do so. Some feel the need for a ceremony to mark this transition in
their life, a ceremony that says "Today I am a witch." Covens usually
hold
initiation ceremonies after the postulant has successfully completed a
required course of study. This is often a period of a year and a day,
at
the end of which the postulant is expected to demonstrate thorough
knowledge
of Wicca or expertise in some area of the Craft.
If you feel
the need for a ceremony, have one. Those who have chosen to be
solitaries
or who are unable to find covens can hold self-initiation ceremonies of
their own devising. If you feel lost and alone, are unable to clearly
define
what will make you a witch, set your self a task and a time period in
which
to complete it: read ten serious books about Wicca or mythology, learn
how to make incense or candles or wands, study herbalism or magical
systems,
etc. Write yourself a detailed report about what you learned during
this
process and use it as the basis for your Book of Shadows. Decide that
if
you are satisfied with your work, you are ready to consider yourself a
witch. If you do not feel the need for an initiation ceremony, as I
never
have, just look yourself in the eye in a mirror and say it out loud,
"Witch."
A natural
witch is a born witch, someone who requires no initiation. This may be
someone who is a hereditary witch raised in a family tradition, or
someone
who was a witch, priest/ess or adept in a previous life.
Look for clues
in your life, your family history, your birth chart and your dreams to
discover if you are a natural witch. Did you ever wish something and
have
it come true, to your horror or surprise? Did you suspect you caused
this,
intentionally or otherwise? Perhaps you did. Have you always known you
were different from other people? Were you a pagan sort of child? Have
you dreamt ancient dreams? Do you seem to have a natural affinity for
magic?
Have you got psychic gifts? Is there an ancient culture to which you
are
irresistibly drawn? Do inexplicable things happen to or around you? All
of these are indications.
If you suspect you're a
natural witch, you probably are. There are more people alive on the
planet
right now than have lived in all of human history, so it makes sense
that
many of us are Old Souls. Recycling is pleasing to the Goddess.
WICCAN RITES
Wiccaís
rituals are not obligatory. A Wiccan has a ceremony whenever he or she
feels the need for one. The ritual may be private or public, celebrated
alone or with other witches, or performed by a High Priest/ess. The
rite
may be newly written for the occasion, one handed down in a particular
tradition, or something from a book about Wicca.
Our rituals
include:
Wiccaning
A ceremony
held to welcome a new baby and place her or him under the
protection
of the Goddess.
Initiation
Any
ceremony held to mark the dedication of a new witch to the
Goddess
and the Craft.
Handfasting
A Wiccan
marriage ceremony, called a handfasting because the right wrists
of the bride and groom are traditionally bound together,
symbolizing
their union. Jumping the broomstick, an ancient fertility rite,
is
often part of the ceremony. Some couples have only a handfasting
while others handfast before or after a civil marriage ceremony. The
number
of Wiccans taking legal orders entitling them to use the title
Reverend
make it increasingly possible for a handfasting to be a legally
recognized
marriage ceremony.
The Great Rite
The
Great Rite is sacred sexuality, the union of Lance and Grail. The
god is invoked into the male witch, the Goddess into the female. In
Classical
Wicca this is a formal ceremony which includes the Fivefold Kiss.
The sex act is only symbolic when the Rite is performed before the
whole
coven; actual when celebrated in privacy.
In other
traditions the Great Rite is any act of loving sexual intercourse
performed within a magic circle as an offering to the Goddess. It
is sex magic of the highest kind, uses male/female polarity to
raise
and channel power.
Gay
couples have male and female energy too, so I can see no reason
why
lesbians and homosexuals cannot also celebrate the Great Rite.
Croning
A ceremony
that marks a female witch's change from Mother to Crone, the final
stage
of her life. (Menarche marks entry into the Maiden phase,
motherhood
or mentoring the Mother phase.) The decision to crone may be
based
on the beginning or end of menopause, on an astrological
milestone,
on a personal life event like the last child leaving home, or
made
simply because the witch feels the time is right.
Death Rites
Rituals
held to mark the passing of witches. Wiccans see life and death
as part of the same cycle, see death as a transformation of our energy
into another form, so a Wiccan requiem can be both a solemn
occasion
and a joyous celebration of the witch's life.
CRAFT NAMES
Many witches
elect to assume a Craft name. This is optional, entirely up to you
unless
you join a tradition in which a new name is required. Your name, if you
choose one, should say something about you. God/dess, plant and animal
names seem to be popular, especially variations on wolf, dragon and
raven.
Names that include the Moon, a color or stone are also often
seen.
Some witches start with a single name then add additional ones to it as
they progress in the Craft. In some traditions each witch also has a
secret
name, one that is known only to family or fellow coveners. Witches
sometimes
change their magical name, choose a new one when they want to change
their
luck or mark a new stage of life.
This
is a free planet and you can call yourself anything you like, but young
witches who assume titles like Lord, Lady or Sir may find themselves
catching
flack for this from older witches who think such titles should be
earned
or awarded.
