Welcome to The crystal mirror:
Salem's Downtown Rock and Metaphysical Shop
DON'T BELIEVE ALL YOU HEAR ABOUT WICCA!
We're often asked what Wicca is really about. We'd like to take this opportunity to set the record straight, answering the questions we hear most often. Although I do not claim that my personal interpertation of the word and belief of, "wicca" is the only and correct interpertation I'd like to take this opportunity to offer my personal perceptions and do encourage people to investigate further.
WHAT IS WICCA?
Wicca is a form of spirituality, the root of which is the honoring and enhancement of life. Wiccans recognize all life as sacred with a value of self and purpose for its existence. We do not presume that one life is greater than another as all life makes up the world as we know it.
IS WICCA WITCH
Wicca is a form of spirituality not dependent on a specific culture for its understanding of the relationship of humanity to the universe. It does have a foundational set of ideals, laws, holidays, and rituals. Witchcraft is a practice which may or may not be progressive in intent or nature. It has been practiced at various times by virtually every culture and because it is culturally based, it is open to misuse by those seeking power. This of course, is also true of the other world faiths. From time immemorial, unscrupulous religious leaders have fleeced millions and caused holy wars of their own purposes. Witchcraft is neither good nor evil in itself, just as the "three great religions" are neither good evil in themselves, dependent wholly upon the manner in which they are being "practiced." Wicca is governed by the spiritual law and guiding creed. "An it harm none, do what thou wilt." a principle based on honesty and responsibility. Anyone calling themselves Wiccan who is engaged in practices harmful to themselves, other, or to Planet Earth, is not Wiccan, but something else entirely. by their actions shall you know them.
IS WICCA AN EARTH/NATURE RELIGION?
It is a system of spirituality that holds deep respect for all of life including the life of the Earth. Its origins go back to a time when humanity profoundly revered the Earth, moon, sun, and the changing of the seasons. People then knew they drew their sustenance from the Earth and recognized it was crucial for their survival not to destroy the natural environment.
HOW DO WICCANS VIEW LIFE?
Wiccans respect and honor all life and seek ways to create a balanced view of the world. Wiccans use only what they need, are socially active promoting positive solutions to problems, take special care in helping others in need, observe the phases of the moon, sun, and the changing seasons, are focused on their own spiritual development, and feel that life is a series of lessons designed to increase awareness and test knowledge.
IS WICCA A GODDESS RELIGION?
Wicca is based on balance and harmony within the indeividual and in the world around us. Everything contains both feminine and masculine elements so that creation can take place. Aspects of our feminine Goddess nature, or emotional and spiritual essence, give us the ability to nurture and be nurtured. Our ability to reason and physically maneuver in the world are aspects of our masculine or God nature. Each individual contains both elements, both are equal in purpose and function. This is not an issue of sexual orientation. It is an issue of balance.
Wiccans do not worship the Goddess as greater than the God. In fact, Wiccans do not worship any idols at all, although we do use symbols as tools to strengthen our clarity of focus.
HOW OLD IS WICCA?
It would be nice to fix a date and say at such and such a time, but it is not possible to do so. Some archaeologists and historians have tried to pinpoint a day, but since Wicca was, and still is in many ways, an oral tradition, there is no real way to dating this religion. We can comfortably say, however, that Wicca in it's most basic form existed at the close of the last ice age.
WHERE DOES WICCA COME FROM?
Wicca is the aboriginal faith found around the world. The fundamental concepts of Wicca are seen and understood by First Nations people all over the globe. The universality of Wicca helps people bridge differences in color, language, and aspects of culture through it has, of course, become personalized by the cultures in which it is practiced. It is not called "Wicca" except where the Celtic traditions hold. ("What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet)
WHAT IS A PAGAN?
The word "pagan" comes from the Latin word "paganus" which means "country dweller." Wiccans were Pagans by virtue of the fact that most of them lived in rural, not urban, areas. The word "pagan" has since been altered to mean anyone who does not practice one of the Judeo-Christian religions.
DOES WICCA HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH SATANISM?
No, nothing whatsoever. Satan is "the Christian anti-god and has no place in Pagan or Wiccan pantheons, either mythologicaly or theologically. Plainly and simply, Satanism is the dark side of Christianity, and Satan is nothing other than the collective id of Christendom. Let us make it clear: a Satanist is a renegade Christian, who in his rebellion against the authority of the church, worships Satan rather than Christ...Satanists may choose to worship evil rather than good- but they have utterly brought the Christian world view...It is essential to clarify the historic relationship of Pan (the Homed God of the Pagans) and the Devil, as christiantity has tended to confuse the two, giving rise to the accusation that Pagans are Devil-worshipers because some Pagan gods have horns. Judeo-Christian theologians placed all Pagan gods and goddesses in an adversary position to Yahveh, the god of Israel, who, as a monotheistic deity, cannot share a phantheon...a profound cultural difference...." Pan and Dionysos were merry, hairy gods and " by no stretch of the imagination, adversary or even shodowy deities, but because of their exuberant celebrations" the Christians saw to it that Christian Devil "acquired Pan's horns and hooves. It was not until the 447 CE that the Council of Toledo declared the legal existence of the Devil as an actual entity, though he was still not thought of as necessarily manifesting in human form....The final equation of the Pagan Homed God with Satan was not established, however until the 1486 CE when the Dominicans, Kramer and Sprenger, published the Malleus Malifcarum, or Hammer of the Witches, wherein they gave the first Physical description of the Devil as he is commonly depicted today, declaring that this was the god worshiped by those they wanted to call"witches," there by justifying the centuries of terrible persecution inflicted upon those who clung faithfully to their worship of the elder gods."(Morning Glory Zell, The Green Egg Magazine).
Wiccans strive to remain responsible, caring individuals not given to selfish distractions or illusions of power over others. Satanism is contrary to everything Wicca Stands for
HOW CAN i FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WICCA?
Accurate information on Wicca is not plentiful because Wiccans were forced underground for so many centuries and are just now beginning to resurface. Many books on Wicca are written by self styled experts using this topic as they might any other, in order to make a fast buck, so proceed with caution and choose your sources carefully.