WHAT IS WICCA?
by Christopher Penczak
(Originally appearing in Kaleidoscope Journal)
Wicca is a nature based, Earth centered spiritual path rooted deeply in the history of Europe and even as far back as our Paleolithic past. Practitioners honor and attune themselves with the energies of nature by performing ceremonies noting the lunar cycles, particular the full Moon, and a series of holidays called the Wheel of the Year. Many are familiar with some of these holidays because they were later adopted by the Christian calendar, but not many know the celebrations pagan roots. The Wheel of the Year contains holidays for the equinoxes and solstices and the four midpoints between, called the Celtic Fire festivals. May Day and Halloween are modern interpretations of the fire festivals called Beltane and Samhain, respectively.
Many people have misconceptions about Wicca. Some are due to stereotypes portrayed in movies, books and other media. Others can come from the Wiccan community itself. Like all traditions, some people "walk the talk" and others don't. It's difficult for others to tell what is a traditional belief and what is a personal issue. Practitioners often identify themselves as Wiccans or witches, although as a personal preference, not everyone uses those words synonymously. Wicca technically now refers to the modern revival of the craft in the last hundred years.
Wiccans are polytheistic, meaning they recognize many faces to the divine, as embodied by the gods and goddesses, the archetypes of a tradition. Some groups tend to focus predominantly on the Goddess energy, but both God and Goddess are honored and recognized as parts of the whole. Wiccans do not worship the Devil. They do not believe in the Devil, which is from the Judeo Christian belief system. Most Wiccans draw their roots from pre-Christian traditions. Wiccans are not anti-Christian. They respect the choice and belief in all faiths, but ask for the same respect. They do not seek to convert, nor is there any "official" church. It is a personal private and community practice recognizing no central authority. They do not harm animals or people as part of the religion. Many in fact, are animal rights advocates and environmentalist because of their strong associations with nature. They seek balance and harmony, and usually do not label themselves white witches or black witches. Wiccans often wear the image of the five pointed star, or pentacle, for protection. Originally it is a sacred geometry form taught in the ancient world, including the mystery school of the Greek scholar Pythagoras. As a religion, Wicca is legally recognized and protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments. Some covens are legally recognized by their state and many priestesses and priests in the tradition are legally ordained and able to conduct weddings and funerals.
Wiccans do perform magic and spells, which are similar to prayers and intentions said by other religions. They do not perform curses because they believe what you do comes back to you three fold. Many use their abilities as healers and intuitive counselors. Above all, Witches, Wiccans and Pagans are just people who have chosen a spiritual path that suits them.