The Wicca Religion

It is unknown who founded the Wiccan religion. There is no holy text they follow that offers direction and guidance into the religion. It has no central authority and Wiccans can either practice alone as solitaries or in groups called covens. The practitioners of Wicca create order and meaning within their belief system

Witchcraft is a religion. Wicca is one type of Witchcraft, but the term "Wicca" is occasionally applied to Witchcraft in overall. In the United States, most people who practice this religion call themselves Witches or Wiccans. It is an earth-based religion and in some ways is similar to Native American spirituality. Wicca (sometimes called Wicce, The Craft, or The Old Religion) is based on an ancient religion of love for life and nature. The religion of Witchcraft or Wicca is recognized by most state governments, the federal government, and the United States Armed Forces. The courts have recognized the right of even prisoners to practice this religion on an equal basis with other religions. In ancient times, people appreciated the great forces of Nature and celebrated the seasons’ cycles and the moon. They saw spirituality in the sun and moon and in the Earth Herself. Basically, in all life.

Paganism branches off into : Wicca, Druidry, Astru, Kabbalah, Shamanism and Discordianism. Wicca now has the most followers of the branches of Paganism, it is a polytheistic practice and is prevalent most commonly in the United Kingdom. Druidry is closely aligned with the ancient practices of Wicca, it is based on ancient Celtic Druidism. Astru is rapidly growing but is still the smallest, it is most prevalent in Iceland, Germany, and Scandinavia. Even though Wicca, Druidism, and Astru are very closely related, they all developed independently. Kabbalah is a practice where the mystical and magical aspects came in, it was created by the Jewish during the middle ages. Shamanism is one more common among Native American cultures, they use drumming to send for the shaman to the

Witch comes from ‘wic’ which means to bend of shape consciousness/events of life through meditations & chants.

When people hear about the Wiccan religion they think of potions, magic spells, and pointy hats. Wiccans have suffered through many tortures of non-pagan religions for thousands of years. Yet they never gave up on their rituals and beliefs. Wiccans are often depicted as atrocious beings who only wish to harm people. It is important for people with such prejudice beliefs to know about all of the common misconceptions, the origin, and the beliefs of Wiccans.

The Wicca religion mainly focuses on: “Feminine as being at least as important as the masculine, the importance of preserving the environment, and positive attitudes towards human sexuality as a gift of the Goddess” (Robinson 1). The author Herne talks about how a Wiccan's main goal is to make the earth peaceful and harmonious: “Wicca is a deep appreciation and awe in watching the sunrise or sunset, the forest in the light of a glowing moon, a meadow enchanted by the first light of day” (Herne 1). Everything a Wiccan does mainly consists of helping the environment: “We also revere the spirits of the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water which combine to manifest all creation” (Herne 2). By using the four elements, Wiccans have a clear view of nature and who they are as a person. The author Raven Grimassi, who is an author of many Wicca books, states that sometimes as a symbol of the four elements, Wiccans wear a pentagram. A pentagram is a five-pointed star that is enclosed in a circle. “The top of the star represents pure spirit and each of the other points symbolize one of the four elements of creation” (Grimassi 326). It is a sign of protection and balance. When worshiping, a Wiccan worships their divine, the God and the Goddess. Their personal relationship with the God and Goddess helps Wiccans become more powerful (Herne 1). It is also how a Wiccan draws their power and energy when practicing

Wiccans are not green old hags with warts as the movies depict witches. There are many more Wiccans in the world than you would expect, so of course they come in all shapes and sizes. It could be the person who lives next door or works

Witchcraft has been around since the B.C. era, but erupted in the late 1600s. It began in Europe and eventually made its way to the New World. Witchcraft is believing in and the use of practical magic, such as casting spells, calling on spirits, or predicting the future. Witchcraft is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word, “wicce,” meaning wise. Therefore, it translates into “craft of the wise.” Wise people were those who were familiar with natures’ forces and were educated when it came to the herbs and plants. Witches relied greatly on the four elements: air, fire, water, and earth. They were known to have supernatural powers and used them for the good of society, unlike the negative stereotype the modern day witches hold, mainly because of the Christian churches. (witchcraft.com)

There is no real record of just how far back the Native American’s have been around. For as long as there have been Native American’s there has been some sort of Native American Spirituality (Joy of Sects). For Wiccan religion is unclear who specifically founded it. Wiccan religion is considered one of the oldest or one of the newest religions in the world depending on whom you talk to. The first known records have been traced back to around the 19th century. However there is not a lot of recorded history because most practiced in secret (World Religions Professor). Many people have a lot of negative associations with Wicca’s and witchcraft, so to avoid being burned at the stake many Wicca’s practiced in secret and in

Generally, witches skills were passed down from generation to generation, so each witch and family were well known. This made it easy to segregate the two types of

Though modern Wicca is often viewed as a new age religion, very similar practices can be traced back to the paleolithic age in the form of shamanism. Like Wiccans, “the shamans were the power wielders, male and female. They wrought magic and spoke to the spirits of nature” (Cunningham 3). However, in contrast to shamanism, Wiccans have shied away from “the ordeals of pain and the use of hallucinogens in favor of chanting, meditation, invocation, and ritual”(4). The religion was also drawn from the later concentrations of paganism in Northern Europe. Wiccans were viewed to be the heirs of the pre-christian era folk religions in England and Ireland. Modern day Wiccans, however, do not accredit their

There are many who are Wiccan today that do not believe that the origin of their religion is in Witchcraft; while others believe that these religious practices are part of the foundation of Wicca. Because paganism was not an organized religion and was primarily passed on through oral traditions, there is questionable historical evidence to support a direct connection between the two.

Shamanism dates back as far as 40,000 years so its an ancient tradition that has recently emerged into western societies. Shamanism is more spiritualist than its religion; it involves spiritual rituals in order to accomplish tasks. Shamans can perform healings, bring a soul back to earth, and meditate between people and a spirit, and other things. “The practice of shamanism is a method, not a religion. It coexists with established religions in many cultures. In Siberia, you'll find shamanism coexisting with Buddhism and Lamaism, and in Japan with Buddhism”. According to scholars becoming a shaman in indigenous tribes is not easy, often times you are chosen so not everyone can become one. It’s a life time journey that can sometimes be painful. However, in western societies almost anyone can affiliate with shamanism. They can attend rituals, and celebrations and participate on workshops. To practice shamanism, you have to become spiritual and in touch with your inner self and the earth. There are books you can also buy to learn the way of the

The good witch is moral, helpful, and overly average looking. She is the perfect embodiment of what a good person is, and her status as a witch isn’t considered a downfall. The most well-known contemporary text about witches is without a doubt the Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling.

Wicca vs Witchcraft. While Witchcraft may not be a religion, the religion of Wicca heavily relies on witchcraft and utilizes it within its practices. Wicca is a nature based Pagan religion (Arthur, 2008). Exact beliefs vary heavily from Wiccan to Wiccan, but a general description of the higher powers that are worshiped would include the God and Goddess, as well as other deities. The various Pantheons that Wiccans align themselves with include the Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, and Celtic Pantheons. While some Wiccans do view the deities as living beings that reign over humans, and others believe them to be spirits of long dead Wiccans that excelled