What Is Wicca?
Under the umbrella of contemporary Paganism, Wicca – which is also known as The Craft or The Old Religion – is a diverse religion which stems from basic beliefs such as respecting the Divinity in Nature and holding sacred the changing of the seasons, or what some folks call, The Wheel of the Year.
Most Wiccans revolve our worship around the cycles of the Moon and the Sun. We gather during the full and new moons, as well as on the eight Sabbats which comprise the Wheel of the Year (scroll down for details).
Wiccans honor the elements of nature: Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Spirit and its corresponding directions, East, South, West, North, and Center.
The Divine is seen as everywhere and in everything. Everything in Nature has a Divine Spirit. The Divine may be honored in a variety of female and male deity forms. – Goddesses and Gods are aspects of the Divine Female and Divine Male and their Unity.
Most Wiccans revolve our worship around the cycles of the Moon and the Sun. We gather during the full and new moons, as well as on the eight Sabbats which comprise the Wheel of the Year (scroll down for details).
Wiccans honor the elements of nature: Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Spirit and its corresponding directions, East, South, West, North, and Center.
The Divine is seen as everywhere and in everything. Everything in Nature has a Divine Spirit. The Divine may be honored in a variety of female and male deity forms. – Goddesses and Gods are aspects of the Divine Female and Divine Male and their Unity.
The Charge of the Goddess
Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who was of old also called Artemis; Astarte; Diana; Melusine; Aphrodite; Cerridwen; Dana; Arianrhod; Isis; Bride; and by many other names.
Whenever ye have need of anything, once in a month, and better it be when the Moon be full, then ye shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of me, who am Queen of all Witcheries.
There shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not yet won its deepest secrets: to these will I teach things that are yet unknown.
And ye shall be free from slavery; and as a sign that ye are really free, ye shall be naked in your rites; and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love, all in my praise.
For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit and mine also is joy on earth; for my Law is Love unto all Beings.
Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever toward it; let naught stop you or turn you aside.
For mine is the secret door which opens upon the Land of Youth; and mine is the Cup of the Wine of Life, and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of Immortality.
I am the Gracious Goddess, who gives the gift of joy unto the heart. Upon earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal; and beyond death, I give peace, and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do I demand sacrifice, for behold I am the Mother of All Living, and my love is poured out upon the earth.
Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess, she in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven; whose body encircleth the Universe; I, who am the beauty of the green earth, and the white Moon among the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the heart’s desire, call unto thy soul. Arise and come unto me.
For I am the Soul of Nature, who giveth life to the universe; from me all things proceed, and unto me must all things return; and before my face, beloved of gods and mortals, thine inmost divine self shall be unfolded in the rapture of infinite joy.
Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth, for behold: all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honour and humility, mirth and reverence within you.
And thou who thinkest to seek for me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not, unless thou know this mystery: that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without thee.
For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.
© Copyright the Doreen Valiente Foundation
Whenever ye have need of anything, once in a month, and better it be when the Moon be full, then ye shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of me, who am Queen of all Witcheries.
There shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not yet won its deepest secrets: to these will I teach things that are yet unknown.
And ye shall be free from slavery; and as a sign that ye are really free, ye shall be naked in your rites; and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love, all in my praise.
For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit and mine also is joy on earth; for my Law is Love unto all Beings.
Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever toward it; let naught stop you or turn you aside.
For mine is the secret door which opens upon the Land of Youth; and mine is the Cup of the Wine of Life, and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of Immortality.
I am the Gracious Goddess, who gives the gift of joy unto the heart. Upon earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal; and beyond death, I give peace, and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do I demand sacrifice, for behold I am the Mother of All Living, and my love is poured out upon the earth.
Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess, she in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven; whose body encircleth the Universe; I, who am the beauty of the green earth, and the white Moon among the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the heart’s desire, call unto thy soul. Arise and come unto me.
For I am the Soul of Nature, who giveth life to the universe; from me all things proceed, and unto me must all things return; and before my face, beloved of gods and mortals, thine inmost divine self shall be unfolded in the rapture of infinite joy.
Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth, for behold: all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honour and humility, mirth and reverence within you.
And thou who thinkest to seek for me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not, unless thou know this mystery: that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without thee.
For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.
© Copyright the Doreen Valiente Foundation
The Sacred Wheel of the Year
These are our eight high holy days, known as Sabbats. We also sometimes gather on full or new moons (Esbats) for magical workings.
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Samhain
October 31 Transformation of nature, the veil between the worlds is thinnest, connecting with Ancestors, Crone wisdom Yule / Winter Solstice December 20-23 The shortest day of the year, Holly King born; sacred quiet inward journeys, preparing for the long night, personal insight Imbolc February 2 Ground (earth) is pure, preparing for fertility, animal divination; planting, awakening senses Ostara (Spring Equinox) March 20-23 Fertile land, seeds are sown, rituals of balance, new life begins |
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Beltane
May 1 Flowers and plants in full bloom; the Wild Hunt begins; May Queen is crowned; fairy day, boundaries between worlds are thin Litha / Midsummer June 20-23 Longest day of the year, Oak King born, Sun celebration Lugnasaadh July 30 Also known as Lammas, the first harvest, begin reaping what we have sown, Goddess takes on the aspects of the Harvest Mother Mabon (Autumn Equinox) September 20-23 The second harvest, sacrifice vegetation by planting/storing; hearth and home rituals |
Suggested Reading List
Books
(Author, Title:)
Adler, Margot: Drawing Down the Moon
Buckland, Raymond: Complete Book of Witchcraft
Cunningham, Scott: Wicca - A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner
Curott, Phyllis: Witch Crafting
Farrar, Janet & Stewart: The Witches' Bible
Gardner, Gerald: Witchcraft Today
Starhawk: The Spiral Dance
Starhawk: Circle Round: Raising Children in Goddess Traditions
Stone, Merlin: When God Was a Woman
Valiente, Doreen: Witchcraft for Tomorrow
Valiente, Doreen: Natural Magic
Most books by the above authors on the subject of Wicca and Paganism are excellent. But this is by no means and exhaustive list. There are thousands of books on the subject, and many excellent ones are not listed here. You will find the ones that speak to you.
Magazines and Periodicals
Circle Magazine (Journal of of Sacred Circle Sanctuary)
Sagewoman Magazine (published by Blessed Bee Media)
Witches and Pagans (published by Blessed Bee Media)
Pomegranate (peer-reviewed journal of Pagan studies)
Websites
Witchvox.com
The Wild Hunt
Pagan Square (online companion blog to Witches & Pagans Magazine)
Paganwiccan.about.com
Pagan Newswire Collective
Patheos.com (visit their Pagan channel)
Sacred-Texts.com (visit their Book of Shadows)
(Author, Title:)
Adler, Margot: Drawing Down the Moon
Buckland, Raymond: Complete Book of Witchcraft
Cunningham, Scott: Wicca - A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner
Curott, Phyllis: Witch Crafting
Farrar, Janet & Stewart: The Witches' Bible
Gardner, Gerald: Witchcraft Today
Starhawk: The Spiral Dance
Starhawk: Circle Round: Raising Children in Goddess Traditions
Stone, Merlin: When God Was a Woman
Valiente, Doreen: Witchcraft for Tomorrow
Valiente, Doreen: Natural Magic
Most books by the above authors on the subject of Wicca and Paganism are excellent. But this is by no means and exhaustive list. There are thousands of books on the subject, and many excellent ones are not listed here. You will find the ones that speak to you.
Magazines and Periodicals
Circle Magazine (Journal of of Sacred Circle Sanctuary)
Sagewoman Magazine (published by Blessed Bee Media)
Witches and Pagans (published by Blessed Bee Media)
Pomegranate (peer-reviewed journal of Pagan studies)
Websites
Witchvox.com
The Wild Hunt
Pagan Square (online companion blog to Witches & Pagans Magazine)
Paganwiccan.about.com
Pagan Newswire Collective
Patheos.com (visit their Pagan channel)
Sacred-Texts.com (visit their Book of Shadows)