1. No conversion or recruitment is necessary.
Wiccans have no insecure compulsion to convert everyone to their way of thinking. People come to Wicca when and if they are ready/interested. Furthermore, you are not required to accept or do anything that you're not comfortable with.
2. No artificial code of morality.
Out of all of the creatures of this Earth, only humans are forced to live under unnatural moral codes. Wiccans believe simply: "An It Harm None, Do As Ye Will."
3. Progressive Reincarnation.
Wiccans believe we are here to learn and to progress, not suffer eternal damnation if we 'slip-up' in someone else's eyes.
4. No Discrimination.
There is no such thing as being the 'right' race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national, or ethnic origin to be Wiccan; ALL ARE WELCOME!
5. No middle man (or woman)
Once you know all of the basics, you can be your own "minister" or "priest", you need never bow before (or rely upon) some religious dictator for spiritual guidance, you go straight to the source.
6. Be yourself.
By sharing a common interest with others in Wicca, you do not lose your identity as an individual. You are unique and can and should stay that way without becoming a blob in a homogeneous mass.
7. No repression.
Wiccans are not forbidden from reading, learning, eating, drinking, or saying anything. You can actually even disagree with someone without being "excommunicated".
8. Contribution
NO!! Not money, but knowledge. The craft has always, and will always be an experimental religion. If it works, we use it. Then share it so that all in the Craft may benefit.
9. No rigid Dogma
Wiccans DO NOT believe that their path is 'The One and Only Path'. The only 'true' path is the one that works best for you. All paths are valid as long as they HARM NONE.
10. Self-empowerment.
Wicca allows you to truly feel your own power, if you will, and a true sense of self. You are 'allowed' to be the best person that you wish to be with all of the love and support that you can possibly hope for. Wicca allows you to take your hopes, dreams, and most heart's desires and manifest them in this reality. All is possible. All is real.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Sunday, March 11, 2007
The Spiritual Laws of Witchcraft
Witches know that no truths are absolute. There is no one absolute truth for anything. There is no one way to interpret reality, behave, think, or live. Therefore there is no single way to practice magick, pray, celebrate the seasons or spirituality. The idea that there is only one truth to any question leads to fanaticism, compulsion, and persecution.
Witches understand that the Universe is in perfect harmony and balance. Therefore, everything has an equal and opposite, not necessarily equated to a negative. For example: male and female, light and darkness, up and down, positive and negative, left and right.
Witches realize that for every action there is a reaction. Most of us view this as the Law of Karma. Therefore, if you create evil, you will receive evil in return, create good and receive good in return. Harmony begets harmony, evil begets evil, and balance begets balance.
Witches know and realize that we are all one. We are connected. Everything that you do to another, influences yourself either directly or indirectly.
A Witch should never close his or her mind to knowledge of any kind. It is through the continuous process of learning that we raise our personal vibration and our attunement to Deity.
A Witch acknowledges the Magickal Circle as Holy Ground. Therefore, a Witch shall purify him/herself before entering or casting a Circle. All notions of hatred, arguments, or prejudices of any kind have no place within the Circle.
Witches use the energies around themselves to effect change within their lives and the lives of others. These energies are manifest as the 5 Elements---Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. The Witch becomes a conduit for the Divine and Earthly energies used during Magick and Ritual.
Witches use common sense and wisdom and do not share the Mysteries with common fools. The Mysteries are not to be wasted in this, or any other manner.
Witches understand that the Universe is in perfect harmony and balance. Therefore, everything has an equal and opposite, not necessarily equated to a negative. For example: male and female, light and darkness, up and down, positive and negative, left and right.
Witches realize that for every action there is a reaction. Most of us view this as the Law of Karma. Therefore, if you create evil, you will receive evil in return, create good and receive good in return. Harmony begets harmony, evil begets evil, and balance begets balance.
Witches know and realize that we are all one. We are connected. Everything that you do to another, influences yourself either directly or indirectly.
A Witch should never close his or her mind to knowledge of any kind. It is through the continuous process of learning that we raise our personal vibration and our attunement to Deity.
A Witch acknowledges the Magickal Circle as Holy Ground. Therefore, a Witch shall purify him/herself before entering or casting a Circle. All notions of hatred, arguments, or prejudices of any kind have no place within the Circle.
Witches use the energies around themselves to effect change within their lives and the lives of others. These energies are manifest as the 5 Elements---Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. The Witch becomes a conduit for the Divine and Earthly energies used during Magick and Ritual.
Witches use common sense and wisdom and do not share the Mysteries with common fools. The Mysteries are not to be wasted in this, or any other manner.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Principles of the Wiccan Belief
1. We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters.
2. We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility towards our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.
3. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called "supernatural", but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.
4. We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity--as masculine and feminine--and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.
5. We recognize both outer and inner, or psychological, worlds--sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, Inner Planes, etc.--and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.
6. We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.
7. We see religion, magick and wisdom-in-living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it---a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft, the Wiccna Way.
8. Calling oneself "Witch" does not make a Witch---but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well, without harm to others and in harmony with Nature.
9. We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness, that gives meaning to the Universe we know, and our personal role within it.
10. Our only animosity towards Christianity, or toward any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be "the only way," and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.
11. As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the origins of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.
12. We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as "Satan", or the "Devil", as defined by Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor do we accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.
13. We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.
2. We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility towards our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.
3. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called "supernatural", but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.
4. We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity--as masculine and feminine--and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.
5. We recognize both outer and inner, or psychological, worlds--sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, Inner Planes, etc.--and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.
6. We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.
7. We see religion, magick and wisdom-in-living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it---a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft, the Wiccna Way.
8. Calling oneself "Witch" does not make a Witch---but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well, without harm to others and in harmony with Nature.
9. We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness, that gives meaning to the Universe we know, and our personal role within it.
10. Our only animosity towards Christianity, or toward any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be "the only way," and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.
11. As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the origins of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.
12. We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as "Satan", or the "Devil", as defined by Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor do we accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.
13. We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.
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