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Wicca today is comprised of a diversity of beliefs, perceptions, and practices. Therefore it is difficult to provide definitive descriptions of it as a system, religion, or philosophy. The foundation of Wicca as a religion is rooted in the concept of divinity being comprised of feminine and masculine polarities. These polarities are personified as a Goddess and a God. Wicca possesses a mythology in which the Goddess and God are associated with celestial objects, and with seasonal periods on the earth. The Goddess is associated with the moon and stars, and with the Sabbats known as the crossquarters. The God is linked to the sun and some planetary forces, and with the Sabbats that mark the solstice and equinox events.

The ritual practices appearing within Wicca are associated with the phases of the moon, and with the sesonal tides on Nature. The moon phases are metaphors for the Goddess, who is often depicted as a triple-image deity that is collectively known as the Maiden, Mother, and Crone. Here she depicts the stages of life: youth, maturity, and old age. As a goddess linked with seasons, she is viewed as the Great Mother or Great Goddess. All living things are born from her, and at death return to her womb for rebirth.

The God figure is associated with the sun and its role throughout the year. Here he represents the periods of growth and decline as reflected in Spring and Summer, Fall and Winter. As a mythical figure, the God is the seed-bearer who impregnates the Goddess of Nature. From there union the bounty of Nature is given birth.

The eight Sabbats, or festivals are known as the Wheel of the Year. The Wheel reflects the changing of the seasons as the cycles of life. The myths associated with the Goddess and God are linked to each Sabbat, and depict a mated consort pair. Their relationship is reflected in the periods of Nature known as the waxing and waning times. The waxing or growth oriented period, includes the Spring Equinox, Beltane, Summer Solstice, and Lughnasadh festivals. The waning period incorporates the Fall Equinox, Samhain, Winter Solstice, and Imbolc festivals.(Raven Grimassi).

Wicca

The dictionary definition of Wicca is:

Main Entry : Wic·ca

Pronunciation: wick-kah

Function: noun

Etymology: Probably from Old English wicca meaning Wise One

Definition: A religion influenced by pre-Christian beliefs and practices of western Europe that affirms the existence of supernatural power (as magic) and of both male and female deities who are inherent in nature, and that emphasizes a ritual observance of seasonal and life cycles.

The term wicca probably derives from "wicce", a Norse word meaning "wise one". "Wicca" and "Witchcraft" are often used interchangeably (usually by the uninformed) but they shouldn't be. The confusion comes because both practitioners of Wicca and practitioners of Witchcraft are called Witches. To further complicate matters many, but not all, Wiccans practice witchcraft and vice versa.

Wicca was first publicly introduced in the 1950's by Gerald Gardner, a British civil servant. Its ritual and initiatory structure consisted of elements from Masonic ritual and other occult and ceremonial magick systems, as well as regional witchcraft.

Gardner originally named his new religion "Wica" (pronounced "Wee-cha"). The extra "c" was later added to create the term Wicca which is used today. Wicca today has evolved (and is still evolving) to include non-Gardnerian traditions along with many eclectic and solitary practitioners.

Wicca is not, therefore, an ancient practice. Nor is it based directly on pre-Christian matriarchal societies. That's not to say modern Wicca has not "borrowed" from pre-existing faiths. It has for some practitioners. One of the beauties of Wicca is that it is not a rigid belief system. Everyone can follow the path they feel is right for them.

Although most Wiccans worship two deities, the Goddess and the God, some traditions mainly worship the Goddess and the God plays no role (or a diminished one), others practice the worship of many gods and goddesses, and some practice an atheistic form in which the God and Goddess are deemed symbolic rather than actual entities.

Most Wiccans are solitary practitioners but some join or form covens and practice their magick together. Either way is perfectly valid.

Wiccan Rede

Bide by the Wiccan laws we must inn perfect love and perfect trust

Live and let live fairly take and fairly give

Caste the circle thrice about to keep the evil spirits out

To bind the spell every time let the spell be spoke in rhyme

Soft of eye and light of touch speak little, listen much

Deosil go by the waxing moon chanting out the "Witche's rune"

Widdershins go by the waning moon chanting out the baneful rune

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 wind's mighty gale lock the door and drop the sail

When the wind comes from the south lone will kiss thee on the mouth

When the wind blows from the west departed souls will 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 ladies tree burn it or cursed you'll be

When the wheel begins to turn let the beltane fires burn

When the wheel has turned to yule let the log and the horned one rules

Heed ye Flower, Nush and tree by the lady, blessed be

Where the ripping waters go caste a stone and truth you'll know

When ye have a true need hearken not to others greed

With a foot no season spend lest ye be counted as his friend

Merry meet and merry part bright the cheeks and warm the heart

Mind the misfortune is enow wear the blue star on thy brow

True in love ever be lest thy lover's false to thee

Eight words the wiccan rede fulfill in it harm none, do what ye will

The Law Of Three

There are two main laws that Witches live by. One, of course, is the Wiccan Rede, the other law of Witchcraft is the "Law Of Three" or "Threefold Law of Return". In effect this is a natural law of cause and effect. The Goddess charges all Witches to take great care in all that they do, say, or think. The Threefold Law is a natural law of "cause and effect". The Goddess charges us to exercise great care in all that we, as Witches, do and say and even think. The Threefold Law takes that basic premise a little further. In other words... what you do for good or for ill shall be returned to you threefold. As ye sow so shall ye reap. But three times more...

This law appears to act as a prohibition (which it does at surface level) but it is also a blessing. Witches seek to help and heal all life and when working for good the good will be returned to you, only threefold. Quite a bonus! Work with bad intentions and that too is returned to you threefold.

It would be very easy, as a Witch, to take measures to exact revenge on someone who may richly deserve it. But justice, not revenge, is the Witches' way. Rather than exact revenge yourself (and have it returned threefold to you) simply ask the God and Goddess for justice to be done.

Wiccan beliefs assure that what is merited by a persons actions will come to pass. You need only to ask the God and Goddess for "justice to be done". This is in line with natural laws and the promises of the Ancient Ones. Once you have asked in the correct manner you can rest assured that the situation will be taken care of. The issue can then be released and you can go about your normal business.

Wiccan Or Witch?

What is the difference between the terms "Wicca" and "Witchcraft"? Wiccan and Witch? Is there a difference? Both terms are often used interchangeably but are not necessarily the same thing. The confusion comes because both practitioners of Wicca and practitioners of Witchcraft are called Witches. To further complicate matters many, but not all, Wiccans practice witchcraft and vice versa.

Wicca refers to the religion; the worship of the God & Goddess (or just Goddess), and the Sabbat and Esbat rituals. Witchcraft, on the other hand, is considered a craft, and is sometimes called "The Craft." Witchcraft usually refers to the casting of spells and the practice of magick (the use of the "k" is to separate the term from stage magic).

Practicing witchcraft requires no belief in specific gods or goddesses and is a learned skill, not a spiritual path. There are also Pagan Witches, Christian Witches, Buddhist Witches, etc. who also practice witchcraft.

The distinction between Wicca and Witchcraft is not clear cut. There is a crossover between the Pagan/Neo-pagan religions and Witchcraft. However, the differences mentioned above are the general distinctions made between the two terms.

An attempt is often made to make a distinction between high magick (usually considered to be ceremonial, ritualistic magick) and low magick (usually considered to be Witchcraft, Voodoo, etc.). The history of Wicca is a much debated topic. Generally, it is believed that Wicca is a modern invention inspired by the old Pagan religions, following the thesis of Dr. Margaret Murray. There is good evidence, however, that while the ritual side of Wicca is undeniably styled after late Victorian era occultism, the spiritual side is inspired by the old Pagan faiths, with Buddhist, and Hindu influences.

The Green Witch

Different Witches have different ideas on what constitutes a Green Witch. At the end of the day there is no one right way or wrong way to be any kind of Witch. In some ways the Green Witch is very similar to the Cottage or Kitchen Witch in so much that it may well be a solitary practice rather than a communal one.

There are differences though. Whereas the Kitchen Witch tends to center her practice around the home the Green Witch is always out and about in fields and forests looking for herbs to use or places to hold rituals. An urban Green Witch will be quite prepared to make that long drive to somewhere she feels at home. Although he/she will undoubtedly hold rituals within the home it is quite likely that many rituals will take place outdoors in a suitably secluded area.

Green Witches are very likely to have a "green thumb" and be good gardeners so making the most of growing herbs etc. for use within rituals or spells. Although winter is not a good time for gardening or growing of any sort there will surely be a supply of home grown dried herbs available for use.

Tools used will almost certainly be natural in origin (with some exceptions). Items like wands and besoms will be made from natural branches and not be "Manufactured in China" etc. Basically a Green Witch relies on Mother earth to provide.

Whereas the Kitchen witches deities are likely to be those cntered on the home and hearth, the deities of the Green Witch will be those of the woodlands and forests such as the Horned God, God Of The Wild Hunt, Green Man, Gaia and Cerridwen.

Water Witching

Water witching (often called dowsing) is the art of using a pendulum, water witching rods or your psychic abilities to find underground sources of water. Water witching is a very specific form of divination (divination means accessing information not available to the normal five senses) and has been practiced for centuries and is still used very successfully today.

Probably the easiest way to start water witching is to use a pendulum. Almost any lightweight suspended object can be used but many dowsers use crystal pendulums from choice. To find underground water with a pendulum here's a short note from the American Society of Dowsers.

"The water witcher usually seeks flowing underground veins suitable for drilling and pumping. The veins can be large and deep or small and shallow. You can discriminate by focusing on a need, real or imaginary . Ask mentally, either successively or all at once, for a vein of good drinking water, less than twenty feet in depth, which will flow uninterrupted at the rate of 5 gallons a minute or more. Thus when you receive a reaction, you will know that it is not a pipe, a polluted vein or a source that might otherwise be too deep or seasonally unreliable for the purpose at hand. When the water witching reaction takes place, mark the spot and approach it from the opposite direction. If the two points do not coincide, the mid-point between them should be the center of the vein."

A left-to-right pendulum swing indicates a "no" while a back-and-forth swing indicates a "yes." If you find that the opposite works for you - go with it!

An alternative means of water witching is to use two wire rods approximately between 8 " and 15" in length which can freely swivel. One should be held in each hand about 12" apart. When you move over the location that contains the underground source the rods will swing together and cross.

All you have to do now is practice, practice, practice! Practice makes perfect as with all divination techniques