Essay on Wicca: A Religion or Just Hocus Pocus?

The Wiccan rede is a list of thirteen statements that describe what a Wiccan is and

Wicca is actually a modern pagan religion, and is concentrated on a more peaceful, harmonious and balanced way of life. It is actually a belief system that is of pre-Christian that is mostly how our ancestors lived

“Feminist Wicca has been constructed in large part to meet the needs of women who have rejected the patriarchy central to most mainstream religious traditions” (Anderson, 301). I think many people would look down upon this because they use the word “feminist”, but a feminist is a person who supports women rights, they are not man haters. Personally I find feminist to view everyone not to be above or below one another, but besides them. A Wicca is allowed to practice rituals on their own. I find this very appealing that even though they are a single spirituality, they are not all inclusive. This means that they are able to practice any other religions, and would not break a religion code of conduct for doing so. I view Wicca’s as for leaders, because in the catholic faith you would be looked down upon for celebrating Hanukkah instead of Christmas. I think this group would appeal to many because they are not gender bias, and people are able to down what they want to do. I also appreciate the Wicca religions because, “Wicca has been self-consciously egalitarian in its leadership patterns” (Anderson, 315). Think everything in this world should be egalitarian, and I hope this trend can continue onward. It was also stated that Wicca’s are able to choose their own paths and are supported in what they do. Again, I believe that this spirituality is appropriate with this society as it expresses

he darkness of evening slowly blankets the land. The harvest moon, gowned in silver attire floats in a sea of air, peeks from behind a misty veil. Below, a wisp of smoke dances upward toward the heavens. There is a feeling of ancient magic as the circle is cast in the clearing. The lone worshipper walks the circle, methodically lighting the colored candles she has placed in each of the cardinal directions: North is green and represents represents earth, the east candle is yellow and represents air, South is red and represents fire and west is blue and represents water. As each candle is she invokes the spirits of the Watchtowers. The circle is cast to create a hallowed ground, a place that exists and does not exist simultaneously. She

Wiccans believe a few different things. Like many other religions they do believe in one deity. “Many Wiccans believe in a Deity who is the source of the cosmos. The Wiccan names for this Divine power include, but certainly aren’t limited to: The One, The All, the Ultimate, Sacred, the Great mystery, the Source, Creative or supreme being, the Life Force, and the All-Encompassing Unity.” (Smith 18) Often also referred to as the Goddess or Earth Mother she is based in nature as well as being supernatural. Their Deity is more abstract than a lot of religions and can vary between each person and is cause for much debate in the Wiccan community. Their beliefs are much less structured and does not have rules or commandments and is much more focused on the relationship between self and the

There are many different branches, called "traditions", of The Craft, most of which are based on the religious practices of one or more ancient cultures. There are Celtic Wiccans, Egyptian Wiccans, and Greek Wiccans. One of the newest traditions is a hybrid of Celtic Shamanism and the tribal religions of Ancient America. There is, however, a basic outline for conducting worship services that is followed by all covens and solitaries. A standard Wiccan worship service, or ritual, which takes place on one of the eight yearly sabbats (the solstices, equinoxes, and four Ancient Celtic agricultural festivals) or at an esbat (full moon), consists of the creation of sacred space(called "casting the circle;" this is done through visualization), prayers, and offerings (these are usually material possessions, plants, or handmade items; Wiccans never sacrifice animals or people), and a sharing of a simple meal with fellow witches (if a member of a coven) and the Deities. Worship services have many important purposes, but the main reason Wiccans perform rituals is to gain understanding of the energies of the divine and, ultimately, the energies contained in the witch himself/herself. The harnessing

The mystical experience parallels a romantic experience, but rather than a partnership between two lovers, one’s soul develops a partnership with God. Evelyn Underhill, a nineteenth century mystic and author of The Mystics of the Church, defines the mystical experience as having a direct interaction with God and producing a consequential pursuit for a union with Him. To achieve this “spiritual marriage” #, Underhill identifies five stages: awakening, purgation, illumination, the dark night of the soul, and union. It begins with a consciousness of a divine reality. Following that is the purgation, which intends to purify or change oneself to align with the transcendental order. Consequently, developing attachments to others from purgation causes an illumination within the individual, centering cognitive procedures and worldly understanding around the partner, or God. Next, the idea of the dark night of the soul

Other magic may be intended for a wide variety of individual or group benefits. Pagans generally acknowledge the possibility of malign magic, but insist that wise practitioners will abstain from such conduct.” (Rogers, Paganism)

The question of whether or not Christianity has a connection to the pagan world is deeply controversial and is thought to be a conspiracy theory by conservative Christians. So what does the world’s largest religion have in common with Paganism? Through research and art examples, parallels will emerge showing that Christian religion is in fact pagan at its roots.

The rite of Ostara is practiced by Wiccans to celebrate the fertility and life that they have and pray for a fertile year. It is a celebration of the beginning of the light part of the year, to worship the Maiden Goddess and call upon her powers of fertility. The lesser Sabbat of Ostara or the spring equinox is a holiday that awakens spring and celebrates life for what it is.

Introduction: I have chosen two articles first one is Ronald Grimes “Beginning of Ritual studies” (1982 2nd Edition) Ronald L. Grimes wrote several books on ritual, most recently The Craft of Ritual Studies. He is Researcher and Professor. Second article I choose Tanya Luhrmann “Persuasions of Witch’s craft” Tanya Luhrmann is Professor in the Stanford Anthropology Department. Her books include Persuasions of the Witch’s Craft, (Harvard, 1989); The Good Parsi (Harvard 1996); Of Two Minds (Knopf 2000) and When God Talks Back (Knopf 2012). Her work focuses on the way that ideas held in the mind come to seem externally real to people, and the way that ideas about the mind affect mental experience. One of her recent project compares the experience

I went to investigate what these loud cries of ecstasy was the result of. As I ventured further into the dense forest to find out the meaning of these cries. One second I was walking in the forest, the other I was walking through a realm that transcended both space and time, I saw visions of destruction, death and a floating conglomeration of glowing spheres. After flashes of my life passing through me I found myself lying on the ground in an uncomfortable way. I had fallen down a small hill. As I ventured further through the dense forest I heard a cry of pure euphoria. I rushed to that direction to find these savages and their rituals. “N’Gath Wol T’na Yog-Sothoth” I rushed towards one of them and acted as they would, howling as the day passes to night and again passes to-day. I found clarity along this, I understood what this vision that I had meant. Soon the savages went to leave and I ran into one before it left, it was a large Negro fellow with an overhanging jaw and a large left leg, the signs of someone formed from incest. I asked him with queries about the sky opening up and the visions I had. All that he said was Yog-Sothoth is returning back to claim this

Throughout the world today, Mysticism plays a vital role in any and all religions as it yields a connection to a higher power through the use of prayer and/or meditation. Though the exact definition of Mysticism is unclear and no amount of words could sufficiently describe all experiences one has made through this act, it can only be fully described as mystical. Throughout the teachings held within this course, the conclusion has been made that Mysticism is essentially the core of all religious practices. Amidst the use of personal experience, religious traditions, and settings – the occurrence of a mystical event is present in all religious activities and is the heart of all things holy.

The Ashanti tribe is located in central Ghana in the rainforest of West Africa. They are the major ethnic group in this roughly 50 years-old young nation. The Ashanti people are known as fierce fighters whether they are women or man. The tribe have a slogan: “If I go forward I die, If I go backward I die, better go forward and die.” (Baden-Powell) When they are faced by a war, you can hear drums from the villages to signal each others. The Ashanti religion combines both spiritual and supernatural powers. They believe that every living thing have souls, including plants and animals. They believe that there are fairies, monsters and witches, and their religious belief surrounds an all-powerful, all-knowing god called “Onyame”. In this research

But first, in order to address this spiritual correlation, it must be addressed what exactly Wicca is, and where it came from. Wicca is the “largest denomination” of Paganism , which in short is one who does not believe in a monotheistic faith, like Christianity , and could be traced back to a man named Gerald Gardner, the so called founder of Wicca. His discontent with Christianity that fueled his ‘creation’ of Wicca . The religion took off from there, branching out and picking up momentum in the United Kingdom, and then was later introduced into the United States by