WICCA

A Neo-pagan, Earth Centered Religion By Katie Student

The Meaning of Wicca

• Wicca is a recently reconstructed Neo-pagan religion based largely on elements of an ancient, pre-Christian Celtic religion. It is thus both a very new and a very ancient religion. A Wiccan is a follower of Wicca. They form the largest single religion within Neo-paganism. These terms are well defined and have single, unambiguous meanings. However, there are many traditions within Wicca, just as there are many denominations within Christianity. Each has its own unique beliefs, practices and rituals. All share a recognition of the God and Goddess, a respect for nature. Most respect males and females equally. Their main rules of behavior are the Wiccan Rede and the Three Fold Law. Many Wiccans refer to themselves as witches.

Basic Wiccan Beliefs

• • • • • • • • • • Male and female aspects of “the One”.

Most associate the God and the Goddess as the three female stages. The Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone and the God as the Horned God.

Respect for Nature Gender Equality- Some factions are mostly female though.

Human Sexuality Afterlife and Reincarnation The Threefold Law The Eight or Nine Sabbats (depends on the tradition one follows) Rituals Symbology

Becoming Wiccan

• • • • • • • Discovering your Path Defining Your Path Exploring Magick Learning to Focus Working with Magick Self-Dedication Initiation

Wiccan Rede

Do as you will as long as it harms none.

The Threefold Law

• All good that a person does to another returns three fold in this life; harm is also returned three fold.

Wiccan Sabbats

• • • • • • • • • Samhain (Oct 31) – Wiccan New Year.

Yule (Dec 21) Winter Solstice (Dec 31) Imbolic (Feb 2) Vernal Equinox (Mar 21) Beltane (Apr 30) Summer Solstice (June 21) Lammas (Aug 1) Fall Equinox (Sept 21)

Types of Worship

Spell casting- must not go against the Wiccan Rede.

Create Charms Rituals Prayer

Pentagram

• • • • • Top point represents the Spirit- it represents the ethereal, the everlasting, and the immanence of the Goddess.

Top left point- represents Earth, the Mother element.

Top right point- represents Air, element of the mind.

Bottom left point- represents Fire, element of the loins. Fire represents passion. The bottom right- the element Water, the cycle of life. Water is the element of emotion.

Other Wiccan Symbols

Holy Book

• Wicca does not have an official holy book. Usually each coven or Solitary practioner has their own. They usually are hand written but more and more covens are photocopying or putting them on the computer. This Book is called the

Shadows

spells, and Magikal lore.

Book of

and is a book of Wiccan rituals,

Most Common Traditions

• • • • • Celtic Wicca Gardnerian Kitchen Witch Seax-Wica Solitary Witch

Rituals

• • • Prefer to worship outdoors.

Use candles and other instruments in their worship.

Can be done in a coven or in a solitary manner.

Rituals/Ceremonies

1.Dedication, when a person confirms an interest in the craft. 2.Initiation, when a person symbolically dies and is reborn as a Wiccan; a new name is adopted. 3. Handfasting was originally a marriage for a one year period. Most Wiccans now regard it as creating a permanent partnership.

Rituals/Ceremonies (cont)

4. Parting of the Ways, which recognizes the end of a marriage. 5. Wiccaning, which welcomes a baby into the craft, but does not obligate the child in any way. 6. Funeral Ceremony, a requiem for a Wiccan who has died.

• Many Wiccans also write their own rituals for special occasions or milestones in their life.

Number of Practioners in the United States

No one is quite sure of how many practioners there are now in the United State but it is estimated as possible the fifth more populous religion in the U.S. By the ARIS study conducted in 2001 it is believed that there is almost 500,000 Wiccans in the United States alone. It is considered the fifth largest organized religion in the United States.

Rising Numbers

• It is not so much as rising numbers but more people are admitting to being Wiccan then in the past. They still have to fear things like harassment but they no longer really have to fear for their lives.

Gender Predomination

• Women are the predominate force in the United States and men are the predominate force in Britain.

Important People of the Faith

• • • Raymand Buckland- Creator of the Seax- Wica tradition which was founded in 1973.

Gerald Gardner- Creator of the Gardnerian tradition in the 1950’s. First person to risk publicizing Wicca.

Gavin and Yvonne Frost- helped achieve Wicca as an official religion in the United States in 1972.