Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess; she in the dust of whose feet arethe hosts of heaven, and whose body encircles the universe:
"I who am the beauty of the green earth, and the white moon amongthe stars, and the mystery of the waters, call unto thy soul: Arise, andcome unto me. For I am the soul of nature, who gives life to the universe.From Me all things proceed, and unto Me all things must return; and beforeMy face, beloved of gods and of men, let thine innermost divine self beenfolded in the rapture of the inÞnite. Let My worship be within theheart that rejoices; for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are Myrituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power andcompassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you. And thouwho thinkest to seek Me, know that thy seeking and yearning shall availthee not unless thou knowest the Mystery: that if that which thou seekestthou Þndest not within thee, thou wilt never Þnd it without. For behold,I have been with thee from the beginning; and I am that which is attainedat the end of desire."
‹ from Doreen Valiente's Charge of the Goddess
Traduction francaise de laFoire Aux Questions de Alt.Religion.Wicca
This list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) is designed as anintroduction to Wicca and to this newsgroup as well as a reference forthose investigating the religion of Wicca for the Þrst time.
This FAQ was Þrst composed in March 1995 as a composite of threedrafts by different authors: Lleu (wizard@bga.com), Þreyes@computel.comand Rain@teleport.com. Thanks to Lorax (tyagi nagasiva), Ounce, Karen,Janice Barlow, Anthony Thompson, Daniel Cohen, Balachandra, Bruce Jonesand C.M. Joserlin ("Raven") for their helpful and thoughtful comments atvarious stages of this project. Their views have enriched it greatly. TheFAQ was last modiÞed on June 9, 1995.
If you have any questions or comments about the content of this FAQ,please mail the maintainer, rain@teleport.com . The FAQ is postedto alt.religion.wicca monthly on the full moon and is also available viaftp at ftp.teleport.com/users/rain/wicca/arwfaq.txt . Original HTML version created by Anthony Thompson, athomps@netspace.org .
Established in December 1994, alt.religion.wicca is a Usenet newsgroup for the discussion of Wicca, also known by some as Wicce, Goddess Worship, the Old Religion, Witchcraft (with a capital "W") or simply "the Craft."
1.2) What is Wicca and how is it related to Paganism?
"Wicca" is the name of a contemporary Neo-Pagan religion, largelypromulgated and popularized by the efforts of a retired British civilservant named Gerald Gardner. In the last few decades, Wicca has spread inpart due to its popularity among feminists and others seeking a morewoman-positive, earth-based religion. Like most Neo-Pagan spiritualities,Wicca worships the sacred as immanent in nature, drawing much of itsinspiration from the non-Christian and pre-Christian religions of Europe."Neo-Pagan" s imply means "new pagan" (derived from the Latin paganus , "country-dweller") and hearkens back to times beforethe spread of today's major monotheistic (one god) religions. A goodgeneral rule is that most Wiccans are Neo-Pagans but not all Pagans are Wiccans. Please consult alt.pagan or the alt.pagan FAQ for more generalinformation on Neo-Paganism.
2.1) What are some common, basic beliefs in Wicca?
In addition to its positive view of nature, many Þnd Wicca morewelcoming of women than other religions, with an emphasis on personalexperience and a tolerance of other paths. As a whole, Wiccans valuebalance with a respect for diverse complexity, seeing sexuality andembodiment as essentially positive, spiritual gifts. There is a sense ofpersonal connection to the divine life source, which is open to contactthrough "psychic power," mysticism or "natural magic."
2.2) What god(desse)s do Wiccans worship?
Although some Wiccans focus on particular gods from particular worldmythologies, Wiccans may worship many god(desse)s by many different names.Most worship some form of the Great Goddess and Her consort, The HornedGod. Such duo-theistic forces are often conceived as embodyingcomplementary polarities, not in opposition. In some traditions worship ofthe Goddess is emphasized, although in others the Goddess and God are seenas complementary co-equals. The Goddess and God may be seen as associatedwith certain things (such as the Goddess with the earth or moon, God withsun and wildlife, etc), but there are no hard and fast rules. Sometraditions worship the Goddess alone while others see Divinity asessentially beyond human understanding, with "Goddess" and "God" simply aconvenient shorthand.
2.3) What tools and rituals do you use?
Some ritual items are common to almost every Wiccan tradition, such asthe athame (ritual knife) and chalice (ritual cup). Others may be used bysome traditions but not others: bells, brooms, candles, cauldrons, cords,drums, incense, jewelry, special plates, pentacles, scourges, statues,swords, staves and wands. The meaning of these items, their use andmanufacture will differ among traditions and individuals. Usually a Wiccanritual will involve some sort of creation of sacred space (casting acircle), invocation of divine power, sharing of dance/song/food or wineand a thankful farewell and ceremonial closing. Rituals may be held atWiccan "sabbats" or "esbats" (see next question) or to mark life transitions such as births, coming-of-age, marriages/handfastings, housewarmings, healings, deaths or other rites of passage.
2.4) Is there a set liturgy or liturgical calendar?
Most Wiccans mark eight holiday "sabbats" in the "wheel of the year,"falling on the solstices, equinoxes and the four "cross-quarter days" onor about the Þrst of February, May, August and November. The names of thesabbats may differ between traditions, and many Wiccans also mark"esbats," rituals for worship in accordance with a given moon phase (suchas the night of the full moon). Although there is no one source for allWiccan liturgy, many liturgical items such as the methods for casting thecircle, the "Charge of the Goddess," certain myths and formulaicexpressions are common to many traditions. Some common formulaicexpressions include "hail and welcome/farewell," "blessed be" (sometimesabbreviated on the net as B*B) and the closing "Merry meet and merry part,and merry meet again." There is no one bible or book of common prayer forall Wiccans, however, and great value is placed on creativity, poetry andthe artful integration of different myths and ritual elements.
2.5) What is basic Wiccan thealogy?
Some myths and associations are common to many Wiccan traditions, suchas the Goddess' giving birth to the Horned God, the theme of theircourtship and His death, the descent of the Goddess into the realm ofdeath and others. Another thealogical point held in common by manyWiccans is the immanence of deity/divinity within thenatural world, self and cycle of the seasons. This places value on theearth and this world, as distinguished from views of transcendent divinityand an unenchanted creation. Wiccans as a whole are very much "into"cycles: of life, of the moon and seasons. Cyclical change as an eroticdance of life, death and rebirth is a popular theme in Wiccan imagery,ritual and liturgy. ( Thea is Greek for "goddess," by the way, so"thealogy" is not a typo here, but a way of emphasizing the Goddess.)
Although it may be foolhardy to compare things as complex asreligions, people do. Many Wiccans distinguish themselves from Satanists,for example, in preferring complementary views of divinity to adversarialones. Others may note their own comfort and embrace of ambiguity andpolytheism (many gods). Unlike the Jewish, Christian or Islamictraditions, there is little emphasis on interpretation of "scripture" ora revealed text. Although many Wiccans may believe in some sort ofreincarnation, they may distinguish themselves from Buddhists in seeinglife as a journey or adventure without any desire to "leave the wheel" ofreturn. Like Hindus, Wiccans may pride themselves on their tolerance forother paths, like Buddhists they may value personal insight and likeTaoists they may seek to align themselves more perfectly with nature. SomeWiccans may separate themselves from the "New Age" in their value for both"light" and "dark" aspects of existence, a do-it-yourself attitude and adistrust of money or hierarchies of "enlightenment" which seem to placespirituality up for sale.
2.6) What are Wiccan ethics, the "Wiccan Rede" and "three-fold law?"
Wiccan ethics are seldom codiÞed in a legalistic way, but may beinformed by some common expressions such as the "Wiccan Rede" and the"three-fold law." According to most versions of the three-fold law,whatever one does comes back to one thrice-multiplied, in ampliÞedrepercussion. One short, rhymed version of the Wiccan Rede states "Eightwords the Wiccan Rede fulÞll: An it harm none, do what you will." Often"none" is interpreted to include the doer themself in analogy to the"golden rule" of other faiths. There are no universal proscriptionsregarding food, sex, burial or military service and Wiccans, as a rule,discourage proselytization (attempts to convert others to a differentreligion).
Since much of Wicca is more worldview and ceremonial practice thananything else, there is no Wiccan proscription of such things. Mosttraditions have no requirement to denounce any other faith and, indeed,Wiccans often look askance at "one true wayisms" which claim to have amonopoly on truth, divine revelation or enlightenment. "ChristianWiccans" probably face the largest skepticism, however, given the historyand ongoing reality of allegedly "Christian" persecution.
Prejudice (fear of job-loss, child-custody challenges, ridicule,vandalism and even violence) may still keep many Wiccans "in the broomcloset," with concealment and dual observances a traditional Wiccandefense against persecution. This may make contact with Wiccans difÞcultin some areas. Since Wiccan worship is fairly active by its nature,non-participating observers are rarely invited to Wiccan rituals.
3.2) What are "dedication" and "initiation" in Wicca?
These things mean different things in different traditions. Usually"dedication" ceremonially marks the beginning of Wiccan study, while"intitiation" may mark full membership in a coven/tradition (such as after"a year and a day") or may indicate elevation in skill or to specialclergy status. Some traditions look on all initiates as co-equal clergy,while others have grades or "degrees" of initiation, which may be markedby distinct sacramental ceremonies, duties or expectations within thetradition.
Some people claim that "only a Witch can make a Witch," whereas otherssay that only the Goddess and God or demonstrated skill can make a witch.Doreen Valiente was initiated by Gardner himself, but slyly asks "whoinitiated the Þrst witch?" Valiente and others assert that those whochoose to "bootstrap" a coven into existence (by an initial initiation) orto use self-initiation may do so, citing the Universal Declaration ofHuman Rights. Self-dedications are also quite common among newpractitioners and solitary Wiccans ("solitaries").
3.3) Do all Wiccans practice magic/k?
That depends on what one means by magic. The occultist AleisterCrowley helped re-popularize archaic spellings such as "magick", termingthis "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity withWill." Others may think of magic as folk parapsychology or see the changeswrought as primarily changes in consciousness. Ceremonialists maydistinguish between the "high magick" of ritual observance and the "lowmagic" of practical spells (such as for protection and health). Almostall Wiccans, however, have some sort of ceremony or psychological practiceto better attune themselves with divinity, encouraging insight and a senseof efÞcacy. Others may cast love spells or other curses but no, we don'tdo it for strangers on the net and no, we don't confuse this with stagemagic.
3.4) Is Wicca the same thing as witchcraft?
The short answer is no. Many cultures have a negative word like"witchcraft," often viewing it as a malevolent, supernatural tool used bythe weak, old or malicious. Some people use the term "witchcraft" to covermore general skills, such as counseling, the occult and herbcraft. SomeWiccans call themselves "Witches," capitalizing it as a gesture ofsolidarity with the victims of the Burning Times, but this is a personaldecision. Although many Wiccans today may cast spells and practicemagic/k, these are not considered an integral part of Wicca by allWiccans. Wicca is not traditional folk magic and all magic is notnecessarily Wiccan, anymore than all people who pray belong to anyparticular religion.
3.5) What were "the Burning Times?"
"The Burning Times" is the term used by many modern Neo-Pagans andfeminists to refer to the great European witch-hunts of the early modernperiod, coincident with the time of the reformation and seen by many as acrucial step in Christianity's crushing of the Pagan religions, drivingthese underground. Some authors claim as many as ten million people werekilled in these hunts, while more recent scholarship puts the number ofdocumented deaths at 20-100 thousands, 80-90% of these women. Sometimesthese numbers are doubled to account for non-judicial killings and deathsfrom torture, suicide, etcetera. Whatever the numbers, however, victims ofthese hunts are perceived as martyrs by Wiccans today, with the lessons oÞntolerance, misogyny and religious terror clearly noted.
3.6) What are the origins of Wicca?
This is a matter of some debate within Wiccan circles. Some Wiccanssee their inspiration and traditions as coming directly from the gods.Certain Wiccan mythology holds that Wicca has come down from the stoneage, surviving persecution in secret covens for hundreds of years. Otherssay that their Wicca is a long-held family tradition (or "fam trad"),passed down through villages and grandmothers. Aidan Kelly argues thatmodern Wicca was largely pieced together by Gerald Gardner from MargaretMurray, Charles Leland and other sources, with signiÞcant revisions byDoreen Valiente (and others), beginning in 1939. Whatever its origins,Wicca today is a vibrant, modern religion, open to change, creativity andpersonalization.
3.7) What are the major traditions in Wicca and where do they come from?
Aidan Kelly argues that all of Wicca derives from Gerald Gardner, withsome crucial editing and revision by his initiate Doreen Valiente. AlexSanders is widely thought to have acquired a Gardnerian book of shadows,with which he started his own "Alexandrian" tradition, initiating Janetand Stewart Farrar. Other well-known traditions include Raymond Buckland'sSeax Wicca, Victor and Cora Anderson's Faery Wicca and feminist DianicWicca, which emphasizes the Goddess as put forward by such authors asZsuszana Budapest. There are also branches of Wicca identifying themselveswith various ethnicities and traditions such as druidism, shamanism and soforth.
3.8) What is the "Book of Shadows?" Where do I get one?
The Book of Shadows (or "BoS") is sort of a customized reference bookfor Wiccans, containing useful information such as myths, liturgicalitems, one's own writings or records of dreams and magical workings.According to Gerald Gardner, such a book should be handcopied from teacherto student but in practice not every Wiccan has a "book of shadows" andfew are exactly alike. Sometimes only initiates are allowed access to atradition's book, or it may be called by a different name, such as "mirrorbook," "magical diary" or "grimoire." There are many "books of shadows"available in print and on-line (leading to the "disk of shadows" or even"directories of shadows" several megabytes large). If you'd like to copyfrom these sources for your personal use, you may assemble your own book,but please observe copyright laws in your newfound enthusiasm.
3.9) What is a coven and how do I join one?
The coven is the basic, cellular "congregation" for some Wiccans, butis often very formal, selective and closed, aiming for an ideal of"perfect love and perfect trust" among members. Most Wiccans begin in lessformal ways such as attending festivals, public rituals, classes or moreopen groups (often called "circles"). Many Wiccans probably begin andcontinue practice as "solitaries," whether before, after or while a memberof a coven. Solitary practice is a valid "tradition" in the Craft, butsome good places to Þnd other Wiccans are on the net, at public Paganevents or through occult, political or "new age" bookstores.
3.10) How do I witness about Jesus Christ to a Wiccan?
First of all, please don't do it here. Alt.religion.wicca isexplicitly for discussions on Wicca and Wiccan practice: evangelicalposters are not welcome. Those posting and reading here are adults, manyof whom are or have been Christians, have read a bible, heard of Jesus andconsidered their beliefs as seriously as you have yours. The more youknow about Wicca, however, the more intelligent you will seem and you arecertainly welcome here as long as you remain on-topic. Reading this FAQ isa good Þrst step, and in general it is a good idea to "lurk" and read fora while before posting to any newsgroup. Please keep inmind, however, Wicca's distrust of proselytization and its conscious lackof an evangelical tradition. Posts which claim we are all going to hell orblather about TRUE POWER!!! [IN ALL CAPS!!!] are particularlyinappropriate, and may be answered with e-mail complaints to you and/oryour service provider.
3.11) How do I learn more about Wicca?
Sticking around and reading this group is one way, as are books and local contacts. Below is a list of initial resources, beginning with the books most frequently recommended, two historical books and a few well-respected authors. At least a few of these should be available through your local library, and most are easily ordered through any local bookstore. All contain bibliographies and pointers towards other material.
4.1) Introductory books on Wicca
Margot Adler , Drawing Down the Moon: Witches,Druids, Goddess-Worshippers and Other Pagans in America Today (Boston: Beacon Press, 1979). Second, 1986 edition, ISBN 0-8070-3253-0.
Starhawk , The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess (San Franciscso: Harper & Row, 1979). Second, 1989 edition, ISBN 0-06-250816-4.
Scott Cunningham , Wicca: A Guide for the SolitaryPractitioner (St Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 1992). ISBN 0-87542-118-0.
Stewart Farrar , What Witches Do: A Modern CovenRevealed 1983 (Custer WA: Phoenix, 1989). ISBN 0-919345-17-4.
Silver Ravenwolf , To Ride a Silver Broomstick: New Generation Witchcraft (St Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 1993). ISBN 0-87542-791-X.
Aidan A. Kelly , Crafting the Art of Magic: A History of Modern Witchcraft, 1939-1964 (St Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 1991). ISBN 0-87542-370-1.
Ronald Hutton , The Pagan Religions of the AncientBritish Isles: Their Nature and Legacy (Oxford: Blackwell, 1991).Paperback ISBN 0-631-18946-7.
Other authors who are generally well thought of include Amber K., Zsuzsanna Budapest, Janet and Stewart Farrar, Gerald Gardner, Jade and Doreen Valiente.
4.2) Other Usenet Newsgroups besides alt.religion.wicca that may be of interest