The Foundations of Witchcraft: What is Wicca?

Welcome to the first in a series of foundation posts for the topic of Witchcraft. This foundation series is meant to serve as an introduction to Witchcraft and Wicca by providing general information to the reader in a 101 type of capacity. To see the rest of the posts in this series please head over to the Foundations of Witchcraft index. So let us begin with some simple definitions of what Wicca is:

Wikipedia defines Wicca very simply as “a nature-based religion found in various countries throughout the world.”

The Celtic Connection Website defines Wicca as “a very peaceful, harmonious and balanced way of thinking and life which promotes oneness with the divine and all which exists.”

Scott Cunningham in his book Wicca: a Guide for the Solitary Practitioner defines it thusly “A contemporary pagan religion with spiritual roots in shamanism and the earliest expressions of reverence of nature. Among its major motifs are: reverence for the Goddess and the God; reincarnation; magic; ritual observances of the full moon, astronomical and agricultural phenomena; spheroid temples, created with personal power, in which ritual occurs.”

There are many more definitions of what Wicca is out there, however the above should give a good basis upon which we may proceed. To further define Wicca I will touch on each point in my own definition which I give below:

“Wicca is a nature based, Earth-centric religion formed upon the precepts of polytheism in its recognition of a Goddess and a God in divinity, it’s use of magical means to effect change upon the universe and within the self, and its recognition of all life as being sacred and divine.”

Wicca is a nature based and Earth-centric religion. It’s practitioners hold nature and the Earth in high regard. We believe the Earth and all of the universe to be divine and of the Goddess and the God. Not simply just of them, but many of us Wiccans believe the universe to be the Goddess and The God themselves. Life to us is sacred in all its forms as is also death as it is just a part of the cycle of reincarnation.

I will go more in depth with the concept of the Goddess and the God in a later posting, however it is good to know that in Wicca we see that there is a duality in all things, a male and female energy that pervades life and death itself. Built upon this are the countless cycles of reincarnation, the seasons, the moon, fertility… The list goes on and on.

One of the central core concepts of Wicca, and perhaps the most controversial one for those who are monotheists, is the use of magick as a means of spiritual ascension and as an agent of manifestational change. I will go over what magick is in a separate post, but suffice it to say that magick allows for a great deal of change to occur when used for a particular purpose and with the proper application of thought, will, and focus.

Wiccans also follow a path of observing astrological and agricultural phenomena. From this they observe the wheel of the year, the eight Sabbats and twenty four Esbats of the solar year. Sabbats themselves are the holidays of Wicca. The Wiccan year starts and ends on Samhain, pronounced Sow-in. The Esbats are themselves the observations of the full and new moon, and are a time when magick is typically performed. Each Esbat has a name and a flavor of energy that is typically associated with it. The sabbats also have a story and theme that go with each spoke of the wheel. More about this in a separate post.

Also of great import are the ethics that Wiccans ascribe to. They follow two rules, or more depending on what tradition they happen to be from. The two main rules are the Wiccan Rede and the three fold law. The short version of the Wiccan rede states: “ These eight words the wiccan rede fulfill; An harm ye none, do what ye will.” The second rule is more of a guideline. It is the law of return, a statement of karma. It states very simply that the energies that we put out, whether they be good or bad, will be returned to us three times as strong. Above all though Wiccans hold honor and integrity, or at least I do, to be their most important attributes and values.

Another core concept within Wicca is the use of the four elements, Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. The elements are represented by the pentagram whose fifth and top most point represents spirit which in manifest form, as the witch, controls the four elements of life. This is the point at which Wicca is so often maligned and associated with the monotheistic forms of evil. I state this very simply and plainly. Wicca is NOT evil. To be evil in the eyes of Christianity, to ascribe to their belief of a devil, is a falsehood to Wiccans. Christians often state thoughtlessly and zombie like that we worship the devil. This is quite impossible for a Wiccan however as to believe in the devil is to be a Christian. Understand that the reason that the monotheistic religions see Wiccans and Witches as evil and of the devil is due completely to the inability to acknowledge any other belief systems other than their own. To do so would be to cast away their own religion. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place huh?

So, to sum up what Wicca is, I think that the Magic Wicca website says it best when they say that:

“Wicca is a forest in the light of the silvery moon…a glade enchanted by the light of the Faery. It is the dewdrop on the petals of a flower in bloom, the warmth of the summer sun on the skin, the fall of colourful autumn leaves, and the softness of winter snow upon the Earth. It is light, and shadow and all that lies in between. It is the song of the wind, and the tune of the tides. It is the symphony of life! To be a Witch is to be a healer, a teacher, a seeker, a giver, and a protector of all things living and alive. If this path be yours, may you tread it with honour and with light!”

)O(

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