Post by Kate: The wiccan princess on Jul 21, 2006 12:20:35 GMT -5
Control Your Destiny...
...Before Someone Else Will
No one should ever assume the title of Witch lightly. To call yourself a Witch is to set yourself apart from most humans, to appoint yourself a priest or priestess of the Goddess. It is a binding contract to serve the life force.
Bid ye the Wiccan Laws ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust.
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill: An ye harm none, do as ye will.And ever mind the rule of three, what ye sends comes back to thee.Follow this with mind and heart, and merry meet and merry ye part.
For those of you new to The Craft, the above quote is from the Wiccan Rede, the rule by which we live: Do what you want as long as you don't hurt anyone.
The most important thing to remember about Wicca is that there is no right or wrong. There is no dogma, no set path, no rules (save the Rede). You choose what works for you and throw the rest out. So, let's get to it!
Wicca. Witchcraft. The Path. The Craft. Whatever you call it, it's more than just a religion or magick, it's a way of life -- in perfect love and perfect trust.
The philosophy of the religion (acknowledged as such by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1986) can be overly simplified into "we are all one and we love life in all its forms." Everything has energy. Everything is interconnected.
As Starhawk said in "Spiral Dance ": Our practice arises from a deep, spiritual commitment to the earth, to healing and to linking of magick to political action. All living beings are worthy or respect. All are supported by the sacred elements. We are called to make the earth a place where all the children (not just human) can thrive.
Each one of us embodies the divine. Our ultimate spiritual authority is within and we need no other person to interpret the sacred to us. We foster the questioning attitudes and we honor intellect, spiritual and creative freedom.
Honoring both Goddess and God, we work with female and male images of divinity, always remembering that their essence is a mystery that goes beyond form.
In honoring the Goddess and God, we acknowledge the duality that exists in all facets of life. Wicca is the celebration of nature and the circle of life. We honor the seasons of the year, phases of the moon and states of our lives (maiden, mother, crone).
Wicca is an Earth religion -- an accepting, open-minded faith that celebrates diversity and considers us all to be children of the same mother. Gender, age, race, sexual orientation, physical status, family background or ethnic heritage are not important in Wicca. We are male and female, old and young, gay and straight, healthy and disabled, and of all colors.
The Old Religion
No one knows the true origin of Wicca. Some believe it has been around since the dawn of man, and that it just adapted with the times. Traces of the religion can be found in Greek, Roman and ancient Egyptian cultures. Paintings on caves recount similar rituals for fertility and a good harvest
Whatever you believe, it is fair to say that from the beginning of time, people have practiced a nature-based, polytheist religion. Rituals where held to herald in spring, to ask for a successful crop, to celebrate the ancestors, etc. Variations of this religion existed in most cultures for thousands of years.
Whether or not Wicca as it is practiced today is the same faith that has been around for thousands of years or whether it is something Gerald Gardner gave birth to will always be a great source of debate. Sure Gardner was the first to "go public" with the secrets of Witchcraft, but where did he get those secrets? And aren't there family traditions that can trace Witches through the generations? Does it really matter?
Whether Wicca is an modern adaptation of the old ways or the actual old ways, it's connection to the ancient religions cannot be denied. That is why it is important to understand the history of those religions in order to prevent persecution like The Burning Times from happening again and to fight the discrimination, prejudice and general ignorance that many people still have toward our ways today.
Effect of the New Religion on the Old
No opponents fight more bitterly and to the death than warring religions.
New Religion, Christianity, existed alongside Witchcraft for a while. Many people were content with their old ways and not looking to change.
In an effort to appeal to more pagans, the New Religion adopted many of the ancient conventions. One giant step forward for the New Religion came when Pope Gregory (590-604 Common Era) issued instructions to his bishops in Britain that they were to take all pagan temples and consecrate them to the New Religion, installing new altars and rededicating the temple. On the open sites of regular pagan gatherings, new churches were to be built. (Raymond Buckland)
Then came the time when some folks got the idea that Christianity should be the only religion and all other religions should be destroyed. Suddenly anything non-Christian became anti-Christian. Persecution began.
The Old Religion was lumped together with Satanism (which itself was an offshoot of Christianity, for the older religions had no concept of an all-evil entity such as the Christian devil). This was where the word Witchcraft began to take on a strongly negative meaning when used by people other than the Wiccans themselves. (Raymond Buckland)
Suddenly medicinal knowledge of herbs had become dangerous. Divination had become evil, the work of the Devil.
In 1486, the Inquisition began with the printing of "Malleus Maleficarum (The Witch Hammer)" by German monks Heinrich Kramer and Jakob Sprenger.
Malleus Maleficarum set forth, as well, many of the modern misconceptions and fears concerning witches and the influence of witchcraft. The questions, definitions, and accusations it set forth in regard to witches, which were reinforced by its use during the Inquisition, came to be widely regarded as irrefutable truth. Those beliefs are held even today by a majority of Christians in regard to practitioners of the modern “revived” religion of Witchcraft, or Wicca. And while the Malleus itself is largely unknown in modern times, its effects have proved long lasting. (Wicasta Lovelace)
Revival of the Old Religion
When the Witches went into hiding, the Family Traditions or Hereditary Witchcraft was born. Families would pass their rituals, traditions and beliefs through the generations, insuring the Old Ways would live on, even if adapted to fit the times and the need for secrecy.
In 1951, England repealed the last law against Witchcraft. In 1986, the United States Supreme Court recognized Wicca as a religion, and as such was entitled to constitutional rights and protections. In 1994, the World Parliament of Religions acknowledged Wicca as a legitimate religion.
Even with all the political declarations, many Wiccans continued to practice in secrecy rather than deal with a population who still hold Witches as evil.
Times are changing though. Gerald Gardner, the man credited with the rebirth (or birth, depending on your view) of the modern Wiccan religion, decided no longer keep the practice of Witchcraft a secret. Out of fear of the religion dying, he began to write books on Wicca and the practice of The Craft, the first being "Witchcraft Today."
And thus, a religion was reborn.
Today, books, magazines and articles can be found in abundance at your local bookstore or even library. The advent of the Internet has lead to an unpresidented growth in Wicca, unmatched by other religions. Now, one only has to go online to find other Witches, gather information or learn the ropes of Witchcraft.
Hollywood has even jumped on the Wiccan bandwagon with movies featuring their version of Craft practitioners such as "The Craft" and television shows such as "Charmed" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Whether this is good or bad or indifferent is up for debate. But one can at least take heart in the fact that none of these Witches are green-skinned, wear pointy hats, worship the Devil or were burned at the stake.
So, where does that leave us? Even though more and more people are finding a home within The Craft, ingrained prejudices still exist in the general population. It is our job to educate them, to become ambassadors of our Religion. We must be role models and contributing members of the community. We must make a difference and work hard to help dispel the myths that have plagued our religion for centuries. blessed be
...Before Someone Else Will
No one should ever assume the title of Witch lightly. To call yourself a Witch is to set yourself apart from most humans, to appoint yourself a priest or priestess of the Goddess. It is a binding contract to serve the life force.
Bid ye the Wiccan Laws ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust.
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill: An ye harm none, do as ye will.And ever mind the rule of three, what ye sends comes back to thee.Follow this with mind and heart, and merry meet and merry ye part.
For those of you new to The Craft, the above quote is from the Wiccan Rede, the rule by which we live: Do what you want as long as you don't hurt anyone.
The most important thing to remember about Wicca is that there is no right or wrong. There is no dogma, no set path, no rules (save the Rede). You choose what works for you and throw the rest out. So, let's get to it!
Wicca. Witchcraft. The Path. The Craft. Whatever you call it, it's more than just a religion or magick, it's a way of life -- in perfect love and perfect trust.
The philosophy of the religion (acknowledged as such by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1986) can be overly simplified into "we are all one and we love life in all its forms." Everything has energy. Everything is interconnected.
As Starhawk said in "Spiral Dance ": Our practice arises from a deep, spiritual commitment to the earth, to healing and to linking of magick to political action. All living beings are worthy or respect. All are supported by the sacred elements. We are called to make the earth a place where all the children (not just human) can thrive.
Each one of us embodies the divine. Our ultimate spiritual authority is within and we need no other person to interpret the sacred to us. We foster the questioning attitudes and we honor intellect, spiritual and creative freedom.
Honoring both Goddess and God, we work with female and male images of divinity, always remembering that their essence is a mystery that goes beyond form.
In honoring the Goddess and God, we acknowledge the duality that exists in all facets of life. Wicca is the celebration of nature and the circle of life. We honor the seasons of the year, phases of the moon and states of our lives (maiden, mother, crone).
Wicca is an Earth religion -- an accepting, open-minded faith that celebrates diversity and considers us all to be children of the same mother. Gender, age, race, sexual orientation, physical status, family background or ethnic heritage are not important in Wicca. We are male and female, old and young, gay and straight, healthy and disabled, and of all colors.
The Old Religion
No one knows the true origin of Wicca. Some believe it has been around since the dawn of man, and that it just adapted with the times. Traces of the religion can be found in Greek, Roman and ancient Egyptian cultures. Paintings on caves recount similar rituals for fertility and a good harvest
Whatever you believe, it is fair to say that from the beginning of time, people have practiced a nature-based, polytheist religion. Rituals where held to herald in spring, to ask for a successful crop, to celebrate the ancestors, etc. Variations of this religion existed in most cultures for thousands of years.
Whether or not Wicca as it is practiced today is the same faith that has been around for thousands of years or whether it is something Gerald Gardner gave birth to will always be a great source of debate. Sure Gardner was the first to "go public" with the secrets of Witchcraft, but where did he get those secrets? And aren't there family traditions that can trace Witches through the generations? Does it really matter?
Whether Wicca is an modern adaptation of the old ways or the actual old ways, it's connection to the ancient religions cannot be denied. That is why it is important to understand the history of those religions in order to prevent persecution like The Burning Times from happening again and to fight the discrimination, prejudice and general ignorance that many people still have toward our ways today.
Effect of the New Religion on the Old
No opponents fight more bitterly and to the death than warring religions.
New Religion, Christianity, existed alongside Witchcraft for a while. Many people were content with their old ways and not looking to change.
In an effort to appeal to more pagans, the New Religion adopted many of the ancient conventions. One giant step forward for the New Religion came when Pope Gregory (590-604 Common Era) issued instructions to his bishops in Britain that they were to take all pagan temples and consecrate them to the New Religion, installing new altars and rededicating the temple. On the open sites of regular pagan gatherings, new churches were to be built. (Raymond Buckland)
Then came the time when some folks got the idea that Christianity should be the only religion and all other religions should be destroyed. Suddenly anything non-Christian became anti-Christian. Persecution began.
The Old Religion was lumped together with Satanism (which itself was an offshoot of Christianity, for the older religions had no concept of an all-evil entity such as the Christian devil). This was where the word Witchcraft began to take on a strongly negative meaning when used by people other than the Wiccans themselves. (Raymond Buckland)
Suddenly medicinal knowledge of herbs had become dangerous. Divination had become evil, the work of the Devil.
In 1486, the Inquisition began with the printing of "Malleus Maleficarum (The Witch Hammer)" by German monks Heinrich Kramer and Jakob Sprenger.
Malleus Maleficarum set forth, as well, many of the modern misconceptions and fears concerning witches and the influence of witchcraft. The questions, definitions, and accusations it set forth in regard to witches, which were reinforced by its use during the Inquisition, came to be widely regarded as irrefutable truth. Those beliefs are held even today by a majority of Christians in regard to practitioners of the modern “revived” religion of Witchcraft, or Wicca. And while the Malleus itself is largely unknown in modern times, its effects have proved long lasting. (Wicasta Lovelace)
Revival of the Old Religion
When the Witches went into hiding, the Family Traditions or Hereditary Witchcraft was born. Families would pass their rituals, traditions and beliefs through the generations, insuring the Old Ways would live on, even if adapted to fit the times and the need for secrecy.
In 1951, England repealed the last law against Witchcraft. In 1986, the United States Supreme Court recognized Wicca as a religion, and as such was entitled to constitutional rights and protections. In 1994, the World Parliament of Religions acknowledged Wicca as a legitimate religion.
Even with all the political declarations, many Wiccans continued to practice in secrecy rather than deal with a population who still hold Witches as evil.
Times are changing though. Gerald Gardner, the man credited with the rebirth (or birth, depending on your view) of the modern Wiccan religion, decided no longer keep the practice of Witchcraft a secret. Out of fear of the religion dying, he began to write books on Wicca and the practice of The Craft, the first being "Witchcraft Today."
And thus, a religion was reborn.
Today, books, magazines and articles can be found in abundance at your local bookstore or even library. The advent of the Internet has lead to an unpresidented growth in Wicca, unmatched by other religions. Now, one only has to go online to find other Witches, gather information or learn the ropes of Witchcraft.
Hollywood has even jumped on the Wiccan bandwagon with movies featuring their version of Craft practitioners such as "The Craft" and television shows such as "Charmed" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Whether this is good or bad or indifferent is up for debate. But one can at least take heart in the fact that none of these Witches are green-skinned, wear pointy hats, worship the Devil or were burned at the stake.
So, where does that leave us? Even though more and more people are finding a home within The Craft, ingrained prejudices still exist in the general population. It is our job to educate them, to become ambassadors of our Religion. We must be role models and contributing members of the community. We must make a difference and work hard to help dispel the myths that have plagued our religion for centuries. blessed be
