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The Wiccan Way


 Witches aren't all spells, boils and broomsticks. Find out about Wicca here.
 

What is Wicca?
Wicca is a contemporary pagan religion with spiritual roots in the Celtic deities, symbols, and seasonal days of celebration. Modern day Wicca is peaceful, harmonious and a nature-based, balanced way of living and thinking.

What are the beliefs?
Wiccans live by the Wiccan Rede (philosophy) An it harm none, do what ye will . The philosophy is a declaration of the freedom to act, along with the necessity of taking responsibility from one's actions.
Wiccans also seek to cultivate a set of 8 virtues, these being:

mirth
reverence
honour
humility
strength
beauty
power
compassion.
The idea of karma and an afterlife is also a belief of Wicca, what we do in this lifetime will be revisited upon us in the next. Wicca beliefs honour the "Elements of Nature", Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Spirit and their associated directions -- North, East, South, West, Center.
Who do Wiccans worship?
Wicca acknowledges a supreme divine power from which the entire universe sprang. The deities of Wicca are embodiments of a life-force manifestation. The divine power is called The All and is a universal male and female energy, the God and Goddess. That polarity creates the cycle that underlies the movements of the stars and the changing seasons, the harmony of the natural world and the evolution within human lives.
Some Wiccans hold the Goddess to be pre-eminent, since she contains and conceives all. The God is the spark of life and inspiration within her, simultaneously her lover and her child. This is reflected in the traditional structure of the coven.

When and what do Wiccans celebrate?
The Wicca calendar contains 13 full moons (Esbats) and 8 Sabbats, or days of power, making 21 Wiccan ritual occasions. Sabbats mark the suns annual cycle and that of life and nature. The other thirteen festivals are Full Moon celebrations called Esbats when Wiccans gather together to honour the Goddess and God. . It is the most important holiday of the Wicca year is Samhain (pronounced sow-in), the Wicca New Year (or Halloween to the rest of us),where it is believed that the veil between the dead and the living is thinnest.

What rituals are practiced?
Wiccans hold ceremonies in their covens, to mark the Sabats, Esabats, dedications or for magickal workings and to unite with the Deities. Rituals have no set guidelines, but always involve the casting of the circle, invoking the elements, the cone/circle dance to raise power and to bring the collective energy of the group into focus. There is chanting, dancing and singing the Witches Rune. Cakes and wine are also eaten.

Do Wiccans cast spells?
Wicca magick has nothing to do with the "supernatural." Magick is simply the art of getting results by directing energy around the earth to a specific positive purpose such as healing. Wiccans invoke the Goddess and God to bless their magick with power.

Magick is a process in which Wiccans work in harmony with universal power (Divine power) as well as personal and Earth energies to improve their lives and lend energy to the Earth. Wiccans don't perform destructive, manipulative or exploitive magick

Posted by Orian Foxglove_SA at 10:03 AM - 8 Comments   Add a Comment  
 
 The Wiccan Rede
 

Bide within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust.
Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give.

For tread the Circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be said in rhyme.

Light of eye and soft of touch, speak you little, listen much.
Honor the Old Ones in deed and name,
let love and light be our guides again.

Deosil go by the waxing moon, chanting out the joyful tune.
Widdershins go when the moon doth wane,
and the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane.

When the Lady's moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two.
When the moon rides at Her peak then your heart's desire seek.

Heed the North winds mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail.
When the Wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.

When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth.
When the wind whispers from the West, all hearts will find peace and rest.

Nine woods in the Cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow.
Birch in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows.

Oak in the forest towers with might, in the fire it brings the God's
insight. Rowan is a tree of power causing life and magick to flower.

Willows at the waterside stand ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is burned to purify and to draw faerie to your eye.

Hazel-the tree of wisdom and learning adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility.

Grapes grow upon the vine giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen to represent immortality seen.

Elder is the Lady's tree burn it not or cursed you'll be.
Four times the Major Sabbats mark in the light and in the dark.

As the old year starts to wane the new begins, it's now Samhain.
When the time for Imbolc shows watch for flowers through the snows.

When the wheel begins to turn soon the Beltane fires will burn.
As the wheel turns to Lamas night power is brought to magick rite.

Four times the Minor Sabbats fall use the Sun to mark them all.
When the wheel has turned to Yule light the log the Horned One rules.

In the spring, when night equals day time for Ostara to come our way.
When the Sun has reached it's height time for Oak and Holly to fight.

Harvesting comes to one and all when the Autumn Equinox does fall.
Heed the flower, bush, and tree by the Lady blessed you'll be.

Where the rippling waters go cast a stone, the truth you'll know.
When you have and hold a need, harken not to others greed.

With a fool no season spend or be counted as his friend.
Merry Meet and Merry Part bright the cheeks and warm the heart.

Mind the Three-fold Laws you should three times bad and three times good.
When misfortune is enow wear the star upon your brow.

Be true in love this you must do unless your love is false to you.

These Eight words the Rede fulfill:

"An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"

Posted by Orian Foxglove_SA at 9:45 AM - 4 Comments   Add a Comment  
 
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