The Path of Wicca

The Wiccan Rede            The Four Rules

Wicca is a path of light, magic, love, and constant learning. Those who follow this path revere nature and see the true divine beauty of the universe. They believe that everyone has the ability to take fate into their hands, and they have the right to choose how to use that power. Wiccans have no prophet or bible to steer them in their path, although there are numerous books on the subject. Their only rule is a simple and logical one: "An it harm none, do as ye will". This law is stated in the Wiccan Rede, the basic tenet of the Wiccan religion. This means that one may do whatever one wishes, as long as it is not done with the intent to harm a person, animal, place, or thing. The flip side of this basic rule is the threefold law, which states that whatever one gives out is returned threefold, whether it's positive or negative.

Wicca is an earth religion based on ancient (even prehistoric) paganism. Wicca itself is relatively new, a reconstruction loosely based on old religion and early witchcraft. In many of its beliefs and rituals, a tie to Hinduism can be found. Beyond this, its roots are hard to trace because of persecution, which caused people and records to be hidden or destroyed.

Most Wiccans worship the Goddess and the God. They have thousands of names given to their many aspects by various cultures. Each name given to the Goddess and God in old mythology represents a different facet of the Goddess and the God's personality. They invoke them by the name that is most appropriate for their purpose.

Wicca is based on the concept of a balance in nature. All things have spiritual "life"- people, animals, plants, and even stones. Everything is part of a delicate balance of light and dark, day and night, good and evil, male and female. Even the Goddess and the God are both creators and destroyers. They give life, nurture it, and eventually take it away. This cycle is seen in the seasons and in the cycle of the moon, and is often symbolized by the Triple Goddess- Maiden, Mother, and Crone. The mother creates, the maiden develops, and the crone eventually fades away. This can be seen each month when the moon is a small crescent, then grows to be full, and then becomes a tiny crescent and fades away, before beginning again. Because of this, the emblem of the triple goddess is a full moon with a crescent on each side.

Wiccans do not believe theirs is the only valid religion, nor do they try to convert people to Wicca. It is an open-minded path and there are many traditions, which offer different rules and ways to follow the religion. But Wiccans are "eclectic", and choose what elements of paganism they wish to incorporate in their practices as a Wiccan. Wiccans might choose to include things they learned from studying Buddhism, Asatru, Santeria, Baha'i, etc. into their tradition, if they are eclectic. (There are, however, some limitations that come about with non-pagan religions. )

Wiccans are not Satanists. In fact, they do not believe in Satan or a supreme evil, nor do they believe in hell. They do not sacrifice animals or people, nor are they trying to become gods. Love spells, revenge spells, and hexes are not a practice supported by the Wiccan rede. They do not run around in black pointy hats and cloaks, turn people into toads, or fly on brooms. Never believe what you see in Hollywood; it's probably wrong or exaggerated for interest. Magic is more complicated and has a more subtle nature. Merely pointing a finger will not give someone a fatal disease or knock down a tree. Some Wiccans do have special abilities- telekinesis, psychic power, shapeshifting, however these abilities are not limited to only those of the Wiccan path. These abilities take years and years of concentrated study and practice and are incredibly rare to see. Wicca is not about easy answers!

The history of Wicca is under much debate in the Wiccan community. Some people say that it dates back to as early as the stone age. Others say that it's origins are much more recent. The problem with the history of Wicca is that there has been much persecution throughout the years, making it very hard to keep accurate records. The more recent history can be confirmed, but the problem lies in the ancient history.

Archaeologist have found drawings in caves from the stone age that would suggest that Wicca, or witchcraft, dates back that far, but it's hard to be certain. In the earliest age of man writing was nonexistent and the drawings found are hard to interpret. It's believed that even in the stone age there was some concept of a higher being and there were various forms of worship. Some scholars say that the drawings found were the beginnings of what is know as Wicca today. Others feel that the connection is too weak to make a judgment like that. Evidence has been found to support that there was some form of Wicca in the early Christian Era.

Artifacts have been found from the first few centuries that suggest there were witches back then. Some of these things include decorated knives, mixing bowls and jewelry. The Christian church was also more tolerant of witchcraft in the early Christian Era. People who were found to be practitioners only had to repent with no real threat of harm. Then in the late 13th century the view of magic began to change.

The belief that magic was a form of evil that came from the devil himself grew in the late 13th century. People who practiced witchcraft were viewed as being bonded with Satan and evil. This began what most Wiccans refer to as "The Burning Times" . The Inquisition was founded and many witches were put to death. The numbers vary depending on what source they come from, but the lowest estimates are well into the thousands. The witch-hunts ended by the 18th century, the last outbreak being the Salem witch trials . In Salem, Massachusetts twenty people, supposedly witches, were put to death after an outbreak of hysteria cause by several young girls who said they were bewitched.

Wicca had a low following in the time that followed, up until the mid 20th century. In the mid 20th century there was a rebirth of witchcraft, referred to today as the Neo-Pagan movement. Several writers drew great attention to Wicca and its beliefs. The most famous of these writers was Gerald Gardner who wrote "Witchcraft Today" in 1954 and began to revitalize the Wiccan movement. Today Wicca thrives and has a large following.








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