Wicca Workshop
BASIC WICCA INTRODUCTION->Part 4 Beliefs and Practices
Question: What is the best part of any worship for you?
When I was Catholic, my favorite part of mass was when turned and shook hands with the people around you. I think it was the connecting with other people, which you have even more of in a community of Wiccans. It didn't matter who you were, or what you had for dinner, we were all the same.
Part 4 Beliefs and Practices
Most Wiccans believe in both a Goddess and a God who either created the universe, or were created by the universe, or both, depending on who you ask. Sometimes the Goddess was created first and sometimes they were created together, the actual wording of which is usually limited to the coven Book of Shadows, or a person's own belief.
What is a Book of Shadows?
A Book of Shadows is a collection of personal writings relating to Wicca that is kept in a personal book (or books). It is called "of shadows" from tradition, since during the Witchcraft persecutions of the Common Era one who practiced paganism was forced to keep to shadows to avoid being caught. Some things that might be included are: invocations, incantations, chants, prayers, songs, rituals, personal notes, and spells (which will be talked about in more depth in part 6). Usually a coven has a special "Book of Shadows" that each new initiate learns from as they become initiated and move up within the coven's degree system.
Cultural Parthenon
It is common for a Wiccan to choose a particular Parthenon of Gods from which to choose his or her specific deities. (Although it <b>is</b> common, it is not universal and some Wiccans are quite happy referring to their deity(ies) as simply "God" and "Goddess") Common Parthenons are the Celtic tribal deities (from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland), Greek and Roman deities. Of particular interest to Wiccans are usually Diana (Roman Goddess of the Hunt) and Pan (Greek God of Nature). There is a whole sect of Wicca devoted to Diana (Dianic Wiccans), who have abolished the presence of the God (almost) completely and concentrate on the Goddess alone.
Coven/Solitary Types
To further confuse you, there are many different types of Wiccans. The oldest type of Wiccan is the Gardenarian Wiccan (think, "orthodox"). Gardenarian Wicca was established by Gerald Gardener in England. Other branches of Wicca have evolved including Alexandrian, Perth and Faery, to name but a few. There are probably hundreds of versions of Wicca, and they vary according to your particular coven or personal view. Coven organization also varies depending on the tradition.
Solitary practitioners probably vary even more than the established covens since each person is free to use whatever works for them personally, and not worry about how this will affect the rest of the coven.
Magickal Names
It is common for a Wiccan to choose a new magickal name. This magickal name should be chosen with care, but may change in the future, after all, we are evolving minds, should not our name evolve as well?
To choose a magickal name, some Wiccans take a name from something they like very much, or they like how a name sounds and what it means. Sometimes Wiccans will choose a name in another language that means what they like or hope to express. It's a personal decision and should be taken with care. Often two names are chosen, a first and a last. Usually, the beginner starts with one name and gains the others as he/she progresses in his/her studies and interests.
Wicca History
There are two main schools of thought as where "Wicca" (the practice as it is today) came from and we will present them here to better understand the points of view of some of the practitioners.
1-Wicca is directly descended (in an unbroken line) from ancient history thousands of years ago.
2-Wicca was created by Gerald Gardner in 1959 using numerous sources, including information from mythology, folklore, Crowley and the Golden Dawn.
(These ideas were described in more detail in the previous post, "Basic Tenets...".)
Both of these ideas have their proponents and opponents, so we won't debate them here. Suffice it to say, if you're interested there's a really good article by Isaac Bonewits that you should read called "What does the Word Witch mean?" (orignally at WiccaWeb) that is mirrored at this page.
Centralized Power
Wicca does not have a centralized power that controls, or even guides it's followers, and is mostly comprised of free thinkers that practice alone or in small groups called covens. Each coven is (usually) led by a high priest and priestess who symbolize the God and Goddess of Wicca. In most covens the high priest and priestess are voted into office for a certain term (usually a year). Other covens will elect to follow the most experienced individuals and still others will take turns leading ritual.
Although there is no centralized power, there are organizations that seek to aid networking within the Wiccan community, such as the Church of All Worlds ( http://www.caw.org ), Witchvox ( http://www.witchvox.com ) and WiccaWeb (http://www.wiccaweb.com) to name a few, and they greatly aid in the creation and survival of covens around the world. They also provide a forum for solitary Wiccans who just want to know that they are not alone. There are also certain organizations for particular sections of the population like the Military Pagan Network ( http://www.milpagan.org ) that help those who are military members organize into a network of pagans who then unite to get space to worship, equal rights to worship at base chapels, and sources of information for those who are not Wiccan (like base chaplains).
Centralized Bible
Wiccans do not have a centralized bible like the Christian Bible (although we do have a book called A Witches" Bible, it's not the same), but we do have certain texts that we consider sacred. These are certainly not all encompassing, however, they are the most common:
The Charge of the Goddess
This is from Witchcraft Today by Gerald Gardner
As published by Rider & Company, Great Britain 1954
"Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who of old was also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusin, Aphrodite and many other names. At mine altars the youth of Lacedaemon made due sacrifice. Once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, meet in some secret place and adore me, who am queen of all the magics....
For I am a gracious goddess, I give joy on earth, certainty, not faith, while in life; and upon death, peace unutterable, rest and the ecstasy of the goddess. Nor do I demand aught in sacrifice...."
Now, this version of the Charge of the Goddess, which, it should be noted, is simply called "The Charge" in Witchcraft Today.
It seemed clear to me the minute I saw it that it was from "Aradia: Gospel of the Witches" by Charles Leland (1889):
"When I shall have departed from this world,
Whenever ye have need of anything,
Once in the month, and when the moon is full,
Ye shall assemble in some desert place,
Or in a forest all together join
To adore the potent spirit of your queen,
My mother, great Diana. She who fain
Would learn all sorcery yet has not won
Its deepest secrets, them my mother will
Teach her, in truth all things as yet unknown.
And ye shall all be freed from slavery,
And so ye shall be free in everything;
And as a sign that ye are truly free,
Ye shall be naked in your rites, both men
And women also; this shall last until
The last of your oppressors shall be dead;"
It seems that the person most commonly credited with the "Charge of the Goddess" is Doreen Valiente, even though the original (in "Aradia") was published in 1889. So, there"s a lot of agreement that this text is important, just disagreement over who wrote it. To make things more confusing, it has been rewritten many times. There is more information on this site: <A HREF="http://www.neopagan.com/chargeofthegoddess.htm" TARGET=new>http://www.neopagan.com/chargeofthegoddess.htm</a>
There are also texts titled "Charge of the God", or "Charge of the Dark God". Either way, they are in the same style as whichever "Charge of the Goddess" that the practitioner uses and are similar in their words. I have found some of these just as beautiful as the one to the Goddess.
The Descent of the Goddess
This text also comes in many versions and by many authors. The earliest version I have seen is from Greek mythology and the Goddess is Persephone, and the God of the Underworld is Hades. Although the players may be different, the story is usually the same. Persephone, Goddess of the Earth, descends to the Underworld for one reason or another, and despite herself, ends up eating some pomegranate seeds. During the time she is in the Underworld, the earth is wrapped in winter. Finally, she is allowed to go back to her beloved earth, but since she ate something from the Underworld she is not supposed to be able to leave. A deal is struck that She will visit each domain (earth and underworld) for six months, giving us the seasons of warmth and cold.
Here is the text of the myth as I have found it:
"At the beginning of time. Demeter and Persephone were always together. Demeter loved Persephone with all her heart and lived for her joy. Demeter would keep the hearth fires burning strong for Persephone's warmth and comfort. She caused brilliant flowers to bloom from her soft earth and strong trees to rise to the heavens for Persephone's amusement. Demeter called down rain from the sky to cool the earth on hot days and to sustain the beautiful flowers, trees. and grassy meadows that Persephone loved so much ~he whispered to the air until it sent soft breezes to linger over Persephone 5 delicate face and lull her to sleep. Persephone loved her mother for these gifts and the pair were very happy to live with each other.
The years passed with astonishing speed for Demeter, until. before she even realized it. Persephone had grown from a young child into a beautiful maiden. Persephone realized the change in herself and knew she was growing up. She began taking long walks by herself, wandering the land around her, not really knowing what she was looking for. Demeter saw how Persephone was beginning to grow apart from her and made the sun grow ever brighter to catch Persephone with its radiance. Persephone was dazzled by her Mother's impressive display of brilliance and color for a while, but soon the excitement passed and Persephone stayed away even longer on her walks.
One day Persephone came to a hole in the side of a mountain far away from her home. She had never seen the likes of it before, so she wandered in and walked down the tunnel until she could see no more. She was lost in the underground labyrinth. Suddenly, there was a hand on her shoulder and with it came soft words guiding her to a dimly lit chamber. She turned to see her helpers face and saw that it was that of a young man.
"What is this place?" she asked.
"It is the underworld," he said, "and I am its ruler. Hades."
"What does the king of the Underworld do?"
Hades looked closer at the young maiden, seeing that she was truly interested and unintimidated by his presence. This was certainly a change from most of the people he had dealt with in his kingdom. He showed her the many underground rooms of the great cave. and the many otherworldly people who lived in them. Persephone saw that Hades" job was none too easy and that his people needed more care and guidance than he could ever have time to give them. An idea began to form in her head about what she might be able to do for these people and she wondered if it was possible. As Hades was leading her to the entrance to the underworld. she asked him if he had ever considered having someone to help him with his work.
"Would you help me sometimes?" asked Hades. Persephone nodded shyly and ran back to her mother. But she began visiting Hades" underworld often after that and it soon began to feel like a second home. One day Hades asked her to stay and be queen of the underworld with him. On her way back home. Persephone thought about the offer and by the time she faced Demeter, she knew her answer
"I'm leaving to be queen of the underworld with Hades."
"Your place is here with your mother." Demeter cried.
"My place," Persephone said, "is with the people who need me. Hades and his people need me. I'm sorry, but I have to go. I can't stay here my whole life watching you create. I have to do what feels right to me." And Persephone left for the underworld.
Demeter raged. Storms were called up from the corners of the earth and they poured down onto the ground. Fires burned out of control among the once strong trees and wild winds careened through the valleys. Then, as suddenly as it had started, the rain, the fire and the winds stopped. Demeter fell to the ground and curled up under the covers, stone faced. All her passion for life had left her heart along with Persephone, leaving it cold and still. The blooming flowers she had grown for Persephone turned brown from neglect and withered to the ground. Demeter no longer shared the sun's daily warmth and the land became barren of emotion.
In the underworld, Persephone was doing pretty well. She did not always get along with Hades, but she was helping the people who needed her, and that gave her a sense of fulfillment. Still, she found that she did miss her mother very much, and as time dragged on, the feeling intensified. One day she tried to leave the underworld on her own, but she couldn't seem to find the way out. After hours of walking in circles, she had given up. She knew then that Hades was the only resident of the underworld who knew how to leave it. So she asked Hades if she could leave for a while to go visit her mother, but this only made him upset.
"You choose to come and live with me," he yelled, "why do you need your mother when you've got the whole kingdom to reign with me?"
"I can't explain it." said Persephone. "but I still need her."
"What if you go to visit her and you don't come back to me?"
"What can I do to convince you that I will?" Persephone replied. Hades thought for a while and then reached into his pocket, taking from it a single pomegranate.
"This pomegranate:" he said, "contains the seeds of life within its flesh. take a bite from it and the number of seeds that you hold in your mouth will be the number of months that you may stay with your mother before returning to me." Persephone reached for the pomegranate and took a bite, finding that six seeds had been in that bite. She said her good-byes and began the journey back to her mother. This time, she found her way easily out of the cave, but was shocked at how the surface had changed. As far as she could see, the land appeared only in dismal colors and there was no spark of life anywhere to be found At last she came to the place where she had left Demeter and saw a dim shape curled up on the ground. It was her mother.
Persephone shook her mother until Demeter woke from her deep, sad sleep. When Demeter's eyes fell on her daughter's face, she cried out in happiness and they embraced.
"Why have you let your earth fall into such ruin?" Persephone asked.
"Without you there was no one to appreciate its beauty," Demeter replied, smiling. With that, she sang to the earth, air water, and fire spirits with such a beautiful voice that they awakened from their slumber and began to dance. As earth twirled. it left brilliant flowers and trees in its wake. Air learned again the steps that allowed it to quietly breeze through the forests. Water tapped its feet on Persephone's eyelashes. Fire undulated before Persephone and she felt the warmth of its passion, and understood why it was that she was put on her mother's earth."
Witches' Creed
By Doreen Valiente
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 magickal 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 Hallowe"en.
When day-time and night-time are equal,
When sun is at greatest and least,
The four Lesser Sabbats are summoned,
Again 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 was passed down the ages,
Each time between woman and man,
Each century unto the other,
Ere time and the ages began.
When drawn is the magickal circle,
By sword or athame of power,
It's compass between the 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 magick is wrought.
For two are the mystical pillars,
That stand 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 did our ancestors teach.
By night he's the wild wind's rider,
The Horn'd One, the Lord of the Shades.
By day he's the King of the Woodland,
The dweller in green forest glades.
She is youthful and old as she pleases,
She sails the torn clouds in her barque,
The bright silver Lady of midnight,
The crone who weaves spells in the dark.
The master and mistress of magick,
They dwell 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 in love that harms none,
For this is the only commandment.
By magick of old be it done!
-----
This is a wonderful work, not to be confused with:
The Wiccan Rede (Long Version) also called The Rede of the Wiccae (being known as the counsel of the Wise Ones) by Adriana Porter and her grand-daughter, Lady Gwen Thompson
1. Bide the Wiccan laws ye must in perfect love an perfect trust.
2. Live an let live -- fairly take an fairly give.
3. Cast the Circle thrice about to keep all evil spirits out.
4. To bind the spell every time, let the spell be spake in rhyme.
5. Soft of eye an light of touch -- speak little, listen much.
6. Deosil go by the waxing Moon -- sing an dance the Wiccan rune.
7. Widdershins go when the Moon doth wane, an the Werewolf howls by the dread Wolfsbane.
8. When the Lady"s Moon is new, kiss the hand to her times two.
9. When the Moon rides at her peak, then your heart"s desire seek.
10. Heed the Northwind"s mighty gale -- lock the door and drop the sail.
11. When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss thee on the mouth.
12. When the wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.
13. When the West wind blows o"er thee, departed spirits restless be.
14. Nine woods in the Cauldron go -- burn them quick an burn them slow.
15. Elder be ye Lady"s tree -- burn it not or cursed ye"ll be.
16. When the Wheel begins to turn -- let the Beltane fires burn.
17. When the Wheel has turned a Yule, light the Log an let Pan rule.
18. Heed ye flower, bush an tree - by the Lady blessed be.
19. Where the rippling waters go, cast a stone an truth ye"ll know.
20. When ye have need, hearken not to other"s greed.
21. With the fool no season spend or be counted as his friend.
22. Merry meet an merry part -- bright the cheeks an warm the heart.
23. Mind the Threefold Law ye should -- three times bad an three times good.
24. When misfortune is enow, wear the blue star on thy brow.
25. True in love ever be unless thy lover"s false to thee.
26. Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill -- an it harm none, do what ye will.
The Witches Chant also called The Witch's Rune
Darksome night and shining moon,
harken to the witch"s rune.
East then South then West then North,
I call ye here, I call thee forth.
By all the powers of land and sea,
be obedient unto me.
Wand and pentacle and sword,
harken ye unto my word.
Cords and censer scourge and knife,
Waken all ye unto life.
Powers of the witch"s blade,
come ye as the charge is made.
Queen of heaven, queen of hell,
send your aid unto my spell.
Horned hunter of the night,
work my will by magic rite.
By all the powers of land and sea,
as I do say, so mote it be.
By all the might of moon and sun,
As I do will, it shall be done.
Believed to come from the Grimoire of Lady Sheba, these words have been used in everything from books to music.
These are not the only texts that are almost universally recognized by Wiccans, but again, the most common ones.
Bibliography and Further Reading:
The Wiccan Mysteries by Raven Grimassi
Real Magic by Isaac Bonewits
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