Wicca Essay, Research Paper

Wicca/Witchcraft

Wicca is an Old English word that means The Wise Ones or Keepers of Knowledge. Wicca is one of the most ancient followerss. Wicca is a Neo-Pagan following with many traditions that day of the month to pre-Christian times. It is based on a deep regard for nature and the cognition that we should non work it for our ain addition. Wicca is non recognized as a faith by anyone other than its followings. Wicca is non a cult. Many Witchs are independent and worship on their ain or with a group of Wiccans, but they do non follow any one individual.

There are many types of Wicca, every bit many as 13 different traditions have been founded. One of the oldest unchanged traditions is the Strega Witchcraft. A enchantress named Aradia founded this tradition about 1353 CE. Two other big traditions include Gardnerian and Gaelic signifiers. The Gardnerian tradition is based on the plants of Dr. Gerald Brosseau Gardner. He researched much of the history of witchery and wrote The Book of Shadows with that cognition. The Book of Shadows is used as the footing for ritual pattern in the Gardnerian tradition. The Gaelic Wicca is besides a really old signifier. It is based on Celtic/Druidic patterns and uses many of the Celtic divinities, elements, and nature.

Witchs believe that both animate and inanimate objects possess a spirit, which forms portion of the Whole, or The Cosmic Web. The term spirit does non intend shade, it means that which links something to nature so that it is recognized as an unalienable portion of the existence. Wicca normally involves the pattern of magick ( spelled that manner to distinguish from visionaries ) . Magick is defined as the procedure of doing alteration through concentrating natural powers. Wiccans believe in the rule of what you put into something you get out of it. This merely means that the bigger the coveted alteration, the more power a Wiccan must set into it. Wiccan magick is strictly natural ; there is nil supernatural about it. They use tools such as enchantments, chants, tapers, talismans, and speculation to execute this magick, but the magick doesn T come from the tools, it comes from within. Witchs besides believe in reincarnation. They believe in the thought that their spirit is on an evolutionary journey that takes many life-times to finish.

Witchs are non Satan Worshippers. They do non pass on with the Satan. The Satan is a Christian belief and is in no manner connected to Wicca as is believed by many non-Wiccans. Witchs besides do non wing on broom handles. They do hold many rites that involve broom handles thou

gh. The broom is seen to hold really protective powers and therefore is used a batch in Wicca. A male enchantress is a enchantress, non a Warlock. Warlock is a Gaelic word that means treasonist. It was used to depict the work forces who sought out enchantresss during the Middle Ages to be burned. Witchs besides do non utilize magick for their ain personal addition. They believe they have the power to, but they do non utilize it for personal addition as stated in the Wiccan rede.

The Wiccan rede is a list of 13 statements that describe what a Wiccan is and is non. It is fundamentally a codification of pattern for Wicca. Some Wiccans believe in the usage of familiars. Familiars are normally animate beings. They are non devils sent by Satan to help Wiccans. Rather, they are that which the Wiccans believe that their psychic attunement makes them ideal spouses in magickal workings. They besides believe that their familiars

Witchs typically believe in one Goddess and her consort, the God. In some traditions, that is how they are referred to. In other they have names. In some traditions they even have minor Gods and goddesses. They do non idolize these Gods and goddesses, but they respect that they have the power to command nature. Nature is the biggest portion of Wicca. Another frequently misguided symbol of the Wiccans is the pentacle ( pentagram ) . The pentacle is the five-sided star. It represents different parts of nature.

As mentioned earlier, Wiccans believe chiefly in the treble jurisprudence of return. In other words, what you do, state, and believe, you will acquire back three-fold. This is a opportunity for Wiccans to make good workss because they believe they will have three times what they give. If they do bad, they will have three times that bad title.

Witchs celebrate 8 major and minor witches’ Sabbaths. Sabbats are like vacations. They are as follows:

Candlemas ( Imbolc, Oimelc, Lady Day ) February 2

Spring Equinox ( Vernal Equinox, Festival of Trees, Alban Eilir, Ostara, Right of Eostre ) First twenty-four hours of Spring

Beltane ( May Day, Rood Day, Rudemas, Walpurgisnacht ) May Eve and May 1.

Summer Solstice ( Midsummer, Alban Hefin, Litha ) First twenty-four hours of summer

Lammas ( August Eve, First Festival of Harvest ) August 1

Autumn Equinox ( Fall Sabbat, Mabon, Alban Elfed, Second Festival of Harvest ) First twenty-four hours of autumn

Samhain Sabbat ( Halloween, Hallowmas, All Hallow s Eve, All Saint s Eve, Festival of the Dead, Third Festival of the Harvest ) October 31

Winter Solstice ( Yule, Alban Arthan, Winter Rite, Midwinter ) First twenty-four hours of winter.