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... illative goes against the free will of another is considered wrong by Wiccans. Are Wiccans involved in Black Magick or White Magick? The answer to that is simple: magic is just magic.
As far as good or bad magic is concerned, it is as in any religious group, some are good and some are bad. Each human being is completely responsible for their own actions. To Wicca, evil is a choice, a bad one, that someone might make, not a deity to blame our actions upon. If someone chooses to do evil, it is believed that the laws of karma will punish him or her. Also, if anyone is working for the good of others the same laws will reward them. What goes around comes around.
The majority of Wiccans believe in reincarnation, that karma can follow a person from one life to the next (Harrow, 1996). The third part of the meeting is the ritual. The following is a typical description of what an average Wicca does to prepare and carry out a ritual. The first thing to be done is to determine and set up a ritual area. It is very important that this room or area is clean and neat. The furniture should be moved out of the way and any pieces too large to move should be covered to cut down on distractions.
The carpet should also be vacuumed and many Wicca find it useful to burn some cleansing incense (usually Sage) to make sure the area is clear of negativity. Then the alter should be set up. A ritual shower takes place then. The ritual shower is a shower to calm the spirit and cleanse the aura. Usually non-iodized salt is dissolved in a cup to be poured over the body. This is done as a substitute to swimming in the ocean (this is done to resemble being close to mother earth) (Catterwil, 1994).
All of this is done while chanting. To actually begin the ritual part of the meeting, depending upon how many are present for the event, people line up, male then female, for the anointing and welcome. The anointing and welcome begins with the High Priest and Priestess anointing the opposite sex as they enter the circle with appropriate oil and a kiss (Catterwil, 1994). This is also the time when the challenge is issued if you use the challenge. The challenge is a question that is answered In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust (Catterwil, 1994). You may also be asked from whence you hail, and you should reply I am (Craft Name) from (Your circle / group ) or a solitary (if you have no group) (Catterwil, 1994).
You may also state your degree if you are initiated from a group. Now comes the Ground and Center part of the ritual. A few minutes are taken to settle in and let go of the cares of the day. This period takes between two and five minutes. They cleanse with the Water and Incense any negative forces that may have come to reside in them. Most believe that Fire and Salt are self-cleaning, so a blessing upon the spirit within them is appropriate.
Using a wand, ashamed, or a sword, a circle is cast. If indoors, the walls of the room are usually cast (Catterwil, 1994). The participants are purified (this is also called Censed and Assure) ("Wicca Magick", 1998). The circle is then cast three times with salt and water and incense and fire. Next the Elements are called. Most start in the East, then go South, then West, then North, and then a Salute to the East makes the circle complete (Catterwil, 1994).
The elements are called to the edge of the circle, not into it. This is due to the fact that most Wiccans feel that the elements can cause a lot of mischief, therefore making it understandable to invite them to the edge of the circle not into it. The Lord and Lady are then invited. The deities are always invited, never demanded (they do not like it). To attract The Lord and The Lady, lots of beautiful words and rhymes are used (Catterwil, 1994).
The magick is then done. This is the time that the main work of the circle is done. A circle should always be made, even if its just to honor the deity (Catterwil, 1994). Cakes and Ale- As the Athame is to the male, the Cup is to the Female, so joined the greatest magick is begun (Catterwil, 1994). Announcements, teaching, and acknowledgments are also given at this time. The Lord and The Lady are thanked; they are invited to stay or to go as they will.
Most often they will leave, but once in a while they may stay, creating a special magickal time. Even though The Lord and Lady are invited to stay, the Elements are told to go home. The Elements are unwanted because they can cause mischief. The circle is then dropped, pushing the energy from the circle into the earth and out to the edge of the property. To conclude, there is what is called Merry Meet, Merry Part, Merry Meet Again (Catterwil, 1994). This is a time for food and friendship.
Now that I have given a clear idea of what Wicca is and the details of how its practiced, now let me tell you what Wicca is not. Wiccans have nothing to do with Satan. Satan is part of the Christian/Jewish/Muslim religions. Since Wiccans are not any of the three, they do not recognize the existence of Satan, therefore making it impossible to worship him. Many ask why Wiccans use the Pentagram/Pentacle.
The pentagram, or five-pointed star, is not satanic (Harrow, 1996). It has been used for ages to symbolize many things. In Medieval times, some Christian knights used the pentagram as their symbol and to bring luck and protection. Today it is used to represent a Masonic group, The Order of the Eastern Star (Harrow, 1996). To modern Wiccans the pentagram means the five points correspond to the elements of Air, Earth, Fire, and Water with the top point corresponding to the Spirit (Harrow, 1996). Wiccans do not do blood sacrifices.
The nature of sacrifice is to give up something of yours in order to get something more important. Wiccans do not feel that the life of another creature is ours to give therefore, they would never kill an animal in ritual. Wiccans also believe that the Goddess is the Mother of all life, so why would she want the destruction of her own creations taking place. No, Wiccans do not have ritual orgies. These rumors come from the lack of taboos regarding sex (Catterwil, 1994). Wiccans have no rules prohibiting homosexuality, nudity, or pre-marital sex.
The only rule the Wiccans have is And thou harm none, do what thou wilt. Wiccans feel that the act of love is to be approached with great respect and responsibility. Is being a Wiccan part of being a cult? Wicca is not a cult. A cult presupposes blind faith in a central figure whose every word is regarded as the ultimate truth.
Youd be very hard pressed to find a Wiccan anywhere who would blindly follow anyone else. Wiccans are historically very independent people who seek truth from within through rituals, meditation, magic, studying, and communing with nature. Wiccans respect the rights of everyone to worship in their own way. How do Wiccans convert others? The answer is simple - they do not. Wiccans feel that the attempted conversion of others is wrong.
Due to the fact that if someone tries to convert another to their religion, this assumes that the other persons beliefs are not as valid as their own). According to their beliefs an individual should choose their own path. They do not try to manipulate others into their way of thinking. They do however, guide those people who have already shown an interest in the Wiccan tradition.
Many Wiccan parents do not teach their children Wicca because they believe that the child should explore and choose the path that is best for them. There are several reasons that people are drawn to Wicca. Some people feel left out of mainstream religions because of the lack of feminine divinity. For them, the Wiccans concept of the Goddess as Mother of all living creatures fills their spiritual search. As a nature based religion, Wicca also appeals to those who feel a strong need to be one with nature. Wiccans believe strongly that we are part of the environment.
People drawn to the mystical find Wicca much more accommodating, as they do not see anything unnatural about psychic ability or the use of magick to create a needed changes in ones life. Another reason is the rede And thou harm none, do what thou wilt (Oakwood, 1992). This tells people that nothing is inherently wrong (sinful) unless it harms someone, including oneself. Finally, here are my own personal thoughts on Wicca. I am quite intrigued by a faith that is so loving, caring, and thoughtful of all human beings. Wiccans eclectic approach to their thoughts on life and how to live it should be a role model for all to follow.
The one thing that I feel that I can truly walk away with from the research I have done would be that above all else Wiccans believe in respect. They respect the environment, animals, and all humans. If we all lived a little more like the Wicca, the world would be a much better place. Wicca is an interesting religion when you look at its communication values. While Wicca can practice in solitary or covens, I believe that they are a collectivist culture. They group together to fellowship and keep each other spirits up.
I found it relatively easy to classify them as a high power distance due to the fact that they have the positions of High Priestess and Priest and that these two normally are in charge of the rituals. Wicca is a feminine religion because they take the nurturing quality of the Goddess and apply it to themselves. They are a formal group based on how they have their rituals structured. The easiest value to figure out was the Human Relationship to Nature. Wiccans believe strongly in living in harmony with Nature.
Again, I found Wicca to be an interesting study of the communication values I studied in class. WORKS CITIED Author Unknown. (1998). Wicca Magick. [On-line] Available: web Catterwil, X. (1994). Celtic Priestess. New York: Pegasus Corp. Harrow, J. (1996).
Cauldrons and Broomsticks. Hartford: Pagan Publications. Hillsburg, E. (1998). History of Witchcraft in England. [On-line] Available: web Oakwood, K. (1992). Gardenia Traditions. Hartford: Pagan Publications.
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Research essay sample on Hartford Pagan Publications Wiccans Believe Strongly Wicca
