Ida Botha (idabotha82) wrote in the_spellbook, @ 2008-01-26 16:51:00 |
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Witchcraft and Wicca
Witchcraft and Wicca
Witchcraft
What kind of words comes to your mind when someone mentions the word "Witch?" Evil? Devil worshiper? Healer? Wise? The Christian Church teaches that Witches are evil and worship the devil and that their powers come from the devil himself. I do not believe them. I believe that the "devil" has no power to give in the first place. The way that Christians describe the "devil" makes him sound almost as powerful as God, with power to create and destroy. If he has no power over us, how can he give power to anyone else?
I have met Witches. I am one. Witches are not evil. We are strongly against evil and have nothing to do with it. We do not believe in Satan, let alone worship him. The power that we possess comes from the Goddess and God and everything good. Having been raised a Christian; I cannot simply walk away from my beliefs of Christ. However, I am changing my point of view about God/dess, about what he/She is, what he/She does, what he/She means to me. And I think that is most important of all. Ok, time for me to stop my jabbering and give some facts.
Wicca
Wicca is a religion that employs magic and ritual to worship the Goddess and God. As I understand it, The Goddess and God are two deities that form "The One," which is universal. I believe that it is through this understanding of "The One" that all religions are linked and united. The Goddess is envisioned through the Moon, the sea, Mother Earth, and other things; where as The God is seen through the Sun, the forest, the mountains, and other sacred objects. Wiccans do not worship these things; they merely see the deities through them. That is a broad overview of the Goddess and God.
Magick
(Magic spelled with a "c" is rabbits-out-of-a-hat stuff; magick with a "k" is different) is the use of either personal (power coming from one's self), Earth (coming from the items used in the ritual), or divine power (power from the Goddess and God) to produce a needed effect. There is nothing "supernatural" about magick. In fact, it is a very natural process. Magick is looked upon as supernatural because it was hidden from the public's eye for fear of ridicule and rejection. Wiccans would never practice evil or wrongdoing with magick because they believe in the "Three-Fold Law," and the Wiccan Rede. The Three-fold Law says that whatever you do, good or bad, will come back to you three fold.
Just as any other religion, Wicca uses special tools, celebrates holidays, and worships the way they see fit. There may be a few differences; such as Wiccans believe in reincarnation and do not need to worship with many people or even in a building. In fact, we prefer to worship outside. I hope that someday people will not judge each other by their religion, or any other way. For we all have the same purpose: to reach Deity (or God).
INTRODUCTION TO WICCA
Wicca is a belief system based on pre-Christian, native European spirituality, which sees people as part of nature, not above it. In all areas of the world, there were indigenous religions before the spread of Christianity. Wicca is based partly on this spirituality. As with other nature-based groups, Wiccans seek to work with the natural energies, which surround us to heal, help and to improve their lives and the lives of those around them.
Wiccans come in all ages and from all walks of life, from students to doctors, lawyers and rocket scientists. While many think of Wicca as a woman's religion there are actually about as many men as women practicing Wicca today. Wiccans live by the Wiccan Rede, “An it Harm None, Do What You Will”.
Wiccans are always looking ahead at the possible consequences of their actions so that no act or word, whether with magickal intent, or in every day life, causes harm to another. Wiccans also believe in the “Law of Threefold Return”. This tells us that whatever we do comes back to us three times over. If we do someone a good turn, we can expect to be treated likewise. If we harm someone, whether deliberately or through negligence we can expect to receive three times the harm ourselves.
While Wicca is one of the fastest growing religions in the United States it is still the subject of much misunderstanding. Much of the confusion and even fear revolves around the definitions of the words, “Witch” and “Pagan”. These are two labels, which many Wiccans happily attach to themselves, but they are also two words, which we call, “Red Flag” words, because they are easily misunderstood.
When a Wiccan declares, “I am a witch”, what they mean is, “I love nature, I believe in the healing power of herbs, I like to do spells to effective positive change, I recognize deity as both male and female.” What a listener is liable to think is, “Here is a person who worships Satan, is filled with hate and evil, who goes around putting harmful spells on people, and we are clearly told in the Bible not to, 'suffer a witch to live’”. The truth is a “witch” is anyone who works with energy and magick and chooses to call him or her a witch. Magick and energy can be used for good or bad. Witches who use magick to harm have no right to call themselves Wiccan.
When a Wiccan (or anyone) declares, “I am a pagan”, what they mean is, “I acknowledge the old gods and goddesses that have been worshiped for thousands of years, and I work in harmony with nature, not against it.” What the listener is liable to think is, “This person is not a Christian, so they must be anti-god and therefore have no morals or ethics.” The truth is, the word “pagan” comes from the Latin, “pagani” and merely means “country dweller”. It was originally the equivalent of “hick”, or someone who was behind the times in that they were still worshiping the old gods of nature, while the city folk were getting into such “new” gods such as “Zeus” and “Jupiter” and eventually, “Jesus”. Pagan religions are “pre-Christian”, not “anti-Christian”.
The Wiccan View of Morality
Wiccans have a simple code called the Wiccan Rede, which says, “If it harms none, do as you will.” This is similar to - or at least tends to have the same outcome as - the Christian dictum, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” In other words, don’t hurt people.
What Is 'Harm'?
This sounds straightforward, but of course people disagree as to what harm and hurt may consist of. As an example, the Talibans in Afghanistan (and Pat Robertson in the U.S.) think that adulterous women should be stoned - and not to do so constitutes harm to the community and the individuals concerned. However, Wiccans, being products of our society (including its Judeo/Christian heritage), generally have “normal”, middle-of-the-road, Western ideas of Harm and Good, and behave accordingly.
What About 'Will'?
The other part of our rule, “Do as you will”, is not entirely simple either. The not doing harm, implicitly to oneself as well as others, means the Wiccan Rede is not an invitation to excess and self-indulgence. In actuality the motto is borrowed from ceremonial magic, where it means finding out what your true nature is and fulfilling that - but not at the expense of other people. It’s an Invitation to self-development, self-expression and making the most of your talents and interests. It also involves responsibility, because you have to think about and decide matters of harm, and your “true will”, and then live with the consequences of however you choose to play them out.
What Goes Around…
As an aid in figuring out these matters of ethics, Wiccans also keep in mind the law of threefold return. By this we mean we expect to get back in kind what we put out, only magnified three times. Most of us don’t take it literally, as a matter of cosmic bookkeeping, but as a reminder that we get along better if we’re kind more often than not. For those cases where the threefold return seems a little slow (as when our good deeds go unrewarded, and other people apparently get away with their bad deeds), we take comfort in the idea of karma, whereby what you do will catch up with you eventually. Even if you have to wait a lifetime or two.
THE WICCAN CREED
Bide the Wiccan laws ye must
In perfect love and perfect trust.
Live ye shall, and let to live,
Fairly take and fairly give.
Form the circle thrice about
To keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind the spell every time,
Let the spell be spoken in rhyme.
Soft of eye, light of touch,
Speak ye little, listen much
Deosil go by the waxing moon,
Singing out the Witches' Rune
Widdershins go by the waning moon,
Chanting out the Baneful tune
When the Lady's moon is new,
Kiss your hand to her times two
When the moon rides at her peak,
Then your Heart's Desire seek
Heed the North wind's mighty gale,
Lock the door and trim the sail
When the wind comes from the South,
Love will kiss thee on the mouth
When the wind blows from the West,
Departed souls may have no rest
When the wind blows from the East,
Expect the new and set the feast
Nine woods in the cauldron go,
Burn them fast and burn them slow
Elder be the Lady's tree,
Burn it not or cursed ye'll be
When the wheel begins to turn,
Soon the Beltane fire'll burn
When the wheel hath turned a Yule,
Light a log the Horned One rules
Heed ye flower, bush and tree,
By the Lady blessed be
Where the rippling waters flow,
Cast a stone and truth ye'll know
When ye have and hold a need,
Harken not to others greed
With a fool no season spend,
Nor be counted as his friend
Merry meet and merry part,
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart
Mind the threefold law ye should,
Three times bad and three times good
When misfortune is a now,
Wear the star upon thy brow
True in love ye must ever be,
Lest thy love be false to thee
Eight words the Wicca Rede fulfill,
'An ye harm none, do what ye will
Essays on the Craft and Paganism
A Pledge to Pagan Spirituality
Joseph Teller
The previous was found on the BBS Viking Magick, but is obviously the
Pledge written and used by Circle Sanctuaries' Pagan Spirit Alliance, and I thus identify it as such for those interested in it and Circle.
I am a Pagan and I dedicate myself to channeling the Spiritual Energy of my Inner Self to help and to heal others and myself.
I know that I am a part of the Whole of Nature. May I grow in understanding of the Unity of all Nature May I always walk in Balance.
May I always be mindful of the diversity of Nature as well as its Unity and may I always be tolerant of those whose race, appearance, sex, sexual preference, culture, and other ways differ from my own.
May I use the Force (psychic power) wisely and never use it for aggression nor for malevolent purposes. May I never direct it to curtail the free will of another.
May I always be mindful that I create my own reality and that I have the power within me to create positivity in my life.
May I always act in honorable ways: being honest with myself and others, keeping my word whenever I have given it, fulfilling all responsibilities and commitments I have taken on to the best of my ability.
May I always remember that whatever is sent out always returns magnified to the sender. May the Forces of Karma move swiftly to remind me of these spiritual commitments when I have begin to falter from them, and may I use this Karmic feedback to help myself grow and be more attuned to my Inner Pagan Spirit.
May I always remain strong and committed to my Spiritual ideals in the face of adversity and negativity. May the Force of my Inner Spirit ground out all malevolence directed my way and transform it into positivity. May my Inner Light shine so strongly that malevolent forces cannot even approach my sphere of existence.
May I always grow in Inner Wisdom & Understanding. May I see every problem that I face as an opportunity to develop myself spiritually in solving it.
May I always act out of Love to all other beings on this Planet -- to other humans, to plants, to animals, to minerals, to elementals, to spirits, and to other entities.
May I always be mindful that the Goddess and God in all their forms dwell within that and me this divinity is reflected through my own Inner Self, my Pagan Spirit.
May I always channel Love and Light from my being. May my Inner Spirit, rather than my ego self, guide all my thoughts, feelings, and actions.
SO MOTE IT BE
THE WITCHES CREED
Hear now the words of the witches,
The secrets we hid in the night,
When dark was our destiny's pathway,
That now we bring forth into light.
Mysterious water and fire,
The earth and the wide-ranging air,
By hidden quintessence we know them,
And will and keep silent and dare.
The birth and rebirth of all nature,
The passing of winter and spring,
We share with the life universal,
Rejoice in the magical ring.
Four times in the year the Great Sabbat
Returns, and the witches are seen
At Lammas and Candlemas dancing,
On May Eve and old Halloween.
When daytime and nighttime are equal,
When sun is at greatest and least,
The four Lesser Sabbats are summoned,
And Witches gather in feast.
Thirteen silver moons in a year are,
Thirteen is the coven's array.
Thirteen times at Esbat make merry,
For each golden year and a day.
The power that was passed down the age,
Each time between woman and man,
Each century unto the other,
Ere time and the ages began.
When drawn is the magical circle,
By sword or athame of power,
Its compass between two worlds lies,
In land of the shades for that hour.
This world has no right then to know it.
And world of beyond will tell naught.
The oldest of Gods are invoked there,
The Great Work of magic is wrought.
For the two are mystical pillars,
That stands at the gate of the shrine,
And two are the powers of nature,
The forms and the forces divine.
The dark and the light in succession,
The opposites each unto each,
Shown forth as a God and a Goddess:
Of this our ancestors teach.
By night he's the wild winds rider,
The Horned One, the Lord of the Shades.
By day he's the King of the Woodland,
The dweller in green forest glades.
She is youthful or old as she pleases,
She sails the torn clouds in her baroque,
The bright silver lady of midnight,
The crone who weaves spells in the dark.
The master and mistress of magic,
That dwells in the deeps of the mind,
Immortal and ever-renewing,
With power to free or to bind.
So drink the good wine to the Old Gods,
And Dance and make love in their praise,
Till Elphame's fair land shall receive us
In peace at the end of our days.
And Do What You Will be the challenge,
So be it Love that harms none,
For this is the only commandment.
By Magic of old, be it done!
GENERAL TRADITIONAL WICCAN BELIEFS
The Goddess and God are revered. This is central to Wiccan thought.
Human souls enjoy a series of incarnations. Reincarnation is one of the most widespread of Wiccan beliefs. Precisely how and why we incarnate several times is open to mystical speculation.
Power can be sent in non-physical form to affect the world in positive ways. Thus, we accept both the practice of magick and its effectiveness.
What is done will be returned to the doer. Precisely how this energy is returned has been a matter of great speculation.
The Earth is our home, our Goddess. It's not a tool that we can ruthlessly abuse. Ecological concerns are rather new in Wicca, but now pay an important role. Many rituals are performed to give healing strength to the Earth.
Wiccans aren't evangelical. We have no need to go out and spread the word. Answering questions about our religion is far different from knocking on doors and asking strangers, "Have you heard the word of the Goddess today?"
Wicca accepts that every religion is correct to its adherents. This doesn't mean that we like every representative of every religion, but ecumenicism must be the way of life.
Wicca accepts members from both sexes, from every race, national origin and, usually, of every sexual preference.
Wicca is a religion, not a political organization. Groups of Wiccan can and sometimes do work toward a common case, and individual Wiccans may indeed become personally involved in the political system, but Wicca as a whole isn't a religion that preaches issues or supports specific political candidates.
Wicca Doesn't charge for private lessons, or for initiation. Physical objects created by Wiccans (pentacles, knives, wands, incenses, oils, books) and services (such as public classes and Wiccan-based counseling) can and should be paid for, but not personal, private Wiccan instruction or initiation.
Wiccans Do not sacrifices animals or people in rituals!
Wiccans do not cause harm to others. Unless in self-defense. "Harm None"
Principles of Wiccan Belief
(as adopted by the Council of American Witches, April, 1974)
We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life
forces marked by the phases of the moon and the Seasonal Quarters and
Cross-Quarters.
We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility
towards our environment. We seek to live in harmony with nature, in
ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.
We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the
average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called "supernatural", but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.
We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifest through
polarity -- as masculine and feminine -- and that same Creative power
lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of masculine
and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be
supportive to the other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and
embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in
magical practice and religious worship.
We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological, worlds known sometimes as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, Inner Planes, etc. - and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.
We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who courageously give of themselves in leadership.
We see religion, magic, and wisdom in living as being united in the way one views the world and live within it - a worldview and philosophy of life, which we identify as 'Witchcraft - the Wiccan Way'.
Calling oneself "Witch" does not make one a Witch - but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within themselves that make life possible in order to live wisely and well without harm to others and in harmony with Nature.
We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness giving meaning to the Universe we know and our personal role within it.
Our only animosity towards Christianity, or towards any other religion
or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have
claimed to be 'the only way' and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.
As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various
Aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.
We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any
Entity known as "Satan" or "the Devil", as defined by the Christian
Tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor
Accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.
We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory
To our health and well-being.
This is not in any way an all-encompassing credo applicable to all groups who consider themselves Wiccans or Witches, but rather is the set of principles adopted by one such group. As there are differences between various Christian sects, so are there differences between those of Wicca. However, while the specifics may differ, the general attitude and reasoning behind these declarations remains relatively consistent.
Rituals of Wicca
Learn Wicca / Faerie Tradition
GODDESS INVOCATION
Mother of all things.
Come to us.
You, who it is a privilege and glory to fear.
Come to us.
Bringer of grain
Bringer of rain
Come to us.
Creator of motion,
Of the spaces between all grains of sand.
Creator of culture
Sorceress
I summon you
Who was and are the first witch,
I summon you the sexual one
I invite you who
Simply is.
Menstruating, you gazed into the dark curve of outer space, saw
Yourself, and saw yourself beautiful. Fell in love with yourself. I call you forth for when you bleed you create ALL things that cannot be created during birth. I call upon you who love and created God because HE is worthy of that love.
Fearsome one, child, Spring Dancer, hip swayer, you whose hot lust is tyrant, dragon, star dancer, star juggler, be here with us now.
Lady, whose ecstasy brought forth God and all creation, is here with us now. You, who when age deepens our wrinkles and wisdoms, reflect our hard won beauty back to us, be here with us now.
GOD INVOCATION
Our Sweet Lord, come to us.
You who were born worthy of her love, just as she is worthy of yours,
Good God, come to us.
You who walk by her as her equal.
You who never leaves her side because of love
YOU who are her anointed one.
You who forever raises your head to bless and be blessed.
Good God come to us.
You whom we need not fear
Yet who is to be feared.
YOU who lead the spiral dance of ecstasy.
YOU who lead the spiral dance of ecstasy.
YOU who lead the spiral dance of ecstasy.
You who are the chosen one
Whose dominion is like that of the sun over the land
You whose green sap drives spring budding.
You who are the willow dancing and the willow dancer.
You who dies each year with the grain, and is living still in the loaf.
You who resides in us, as us. Be with us now.
For we are your children
come to you in love.
Bring us your pleasure, and share our joy.
A WICCAN BLESSING FOR A NEWBORN
"Blessed be your breath.
May your breathing be deep and relaxed.
May you breathe in power with every breath you take.
Blessed be each breath you take.
Blessed be the fire inside you.
May your will be unbroken.
And may it be as strong as fire, and as supple.
May your will be as strong as water, and as supple.
May your passions burn truly and free.
Blessed be your fire, and may it burn strong
Blessed be the waters of your life.
May your blood be strong.
May the flow from your loin be joyful and fertile.
Blessed be all your life-waters.
Blessed be the earth of your body.
May your muscles be strong and fearless.
May your heart beat with love, soul, vigor and courage.
Blessed be your body, which is the body of a God.
Blessed be your spirit.
May you always have health in spirit.
May you be whole.
Blessed be your spirit.
May you always have community.
May you be prosperous in all ways.
May you love and be loved.
May your voice --
Both your complaints and your special offerings to the world --
Be truly heard.
May the warmth of family & community always surround you.
May you know the innate goodness of your being.
Blessed Be."
PRAYER: GRATITUDE TO THE COSMOS
"Gratitude to the cosmos
Swirling masses of dancers
Dancer atoms
Dancer gasses
Dancer people
Dancer animal people
Dancer rocks
Dancer of endless possibility
Dancing emptiness
Dancing reaches
& Dancing arcs of outer space
Dancing of all things that have ever been
And will ever be
Gratitude to the cosmos
And blessings."