130 lines
6.3 KiB
Plaintext
130 lines
6.3 KiB
Plaintext
W H A T I S W I C C A ?
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An Introduction to "The Old Religion" of Europe
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and its Modern Revival
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by Amber K, High Priestess
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Our Lady of the Woods
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P.O. Box 176
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Blue Mounds, Wisconsin 53517
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(This leaflet may be reproduced and distributed exactly as in,
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without further permission from the author, provided it is
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offered free of charge. Changes in the text, however, must be
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approved in advance by the author. Thank you!)
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WICCA (sometimes called Wicce, The Craft, or The Old
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Religion by its practitioners) is an ancient religion of love for
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life and nature.
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In prehistoric times, people respected the great forces of
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Nature and celebrated the cycles of the seasons and the moon.
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They saw divinity in the sun and moon, in the Earth Herself, and
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in all life. The creative energies of the universe were
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personified: feminine and masculine principles became Goddesses
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and Gods. These were not semi-abstract, superhuman figures set
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apart from Nature: they were embodied in earth and sky, women and
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men, and even plants and animals.
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This viewpoint is still central to present-day Wicca. To
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most Wiccans, everything in Natures -- and all Goddesses and Gods
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-- are true aspects of Deity. The aspects most often celebrated
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in the Craft, however, are thr Triple Goddess of the Moon (Who is
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Maiden, Mother, and Crone) and the Horned God of the wilds.
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These have many names in various cultures.
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Wicca had its organized beginnings in Paleolithic times, co-
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existed with other Pagan ("country") religions in Europe, and had
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a profound influence on early Christianity. But in the medieval
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period, tremendous persecution was directed against the Nature
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religions by the Roman Church. Over a span of 300 years,
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millions of men and women and many children were hanged, drowned
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or burned as accused "Witches." The Church indicted them for
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black magic and Satan worship, though in fact these were never a
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part of the Old Religion.
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The Wiccan faith went underground, to be practiced in small,
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secret groups called "covens." For the most part, it stayed
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hidden until very recent times. Now scholars such as Margaret
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Murray and Gerald Gardner have shed some light on the origins of
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the Craft, and new attitudes of religious freedom have allowed
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covens in some areas to risk becoming more open.
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How do Wiccan folk practice their faith today? There is no
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central authority or doctrine, and individual covens vary a great
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deal. But most meet to celebrate on nights of the Full Moon, and
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at eight great festivals or Sabbats throughout the year.
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Though some practice alone or with only their families, many
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Wiccans are organized into covens of three to thirteen members.
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Some are led by a High Priestess or Priest, many by a
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Priestess/Priest team; others rotate or share leadership. Some
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covens are highly structured and hierarchical, while others may
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be informal and egalitarian. Often extensive training is
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required before initiation, and coven membership is considered an
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important committment.
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There are many branches or "traditions" of Wicca in the
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United States and elsewhere, such as the Gardnerian, Alexandrian,
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Welsh Traditional, Dianic, Faery, Seax-Wicca and others. All
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adhere to a code of ethics. None engage in the disreputable
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practices of some modern "cults," such as isolating and
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brainwashing impressionable, lonely young people. Genuine
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Wiccans welcome sisters and brothers, but not disciples,
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followers or victims.
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Coven meetings include ritual, celebration and magick (the
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"k" is to distinguish it from stage illusions). Wiccan magick is
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not at all like the instant "special effects" of cartoon shows or
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fantasy novels, nor medieval demonology; it operates in harmony
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with natural laws and is usually less spectacular -- though
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effective. Various techniques are used to heal people and
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animals, seek guidance, or improve members' lives in specific
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ways. Positive goals are sought: cursing and "evil spells" are
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repugnant to practitioners of the Old Religion.
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Wiccans tend to be strong supporters of environmental
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protection, equal rights, global peace and religious freedom, and
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sometimes magick is used toward such goals.
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Wiccan beliefs do not include such Judeao-Christian concepts
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as original sin, vicarious atonement, divine judgement or bodily
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resurrection. Craft folk believe in a beneficent universe, the
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laws of karma and reincarnation, and divinity inherent in every
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human being and all of Nature. Yet laughter and pleasure are
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part of their spiritual tradition, and they enjoy singing,
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dancing, feasting, and love.
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Wiccans tend to be individualists, and have no central holy
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book, prophet, or church authority. They draw inspiration and
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insight from science, and personal experience. Each practitioner
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keeps a personal book or journal in which s/he records magickal
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"recipes," dreams, invocations, songs, poetry and so on.
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To most of the Craft, every religion has its own valuable
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perspective on the nature of Deity and humanity's relationship to
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it: there is no One True Faith. Rather, religious diversity is
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necessary in a world of diverse societies and individuals.
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Because of this belief, Wiccan groups do not actively recruit or
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proseletize: there is an assumption that people who can benefit
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from the Wiccan way will "find their way home" when the time is
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right.
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Despite the lack of evangelist zeal, many covens are quite
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willing to talk with interested people, and even make efforts to
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inform their communities about the beliefs and practices of
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Wicca. One source of contacts is The Covenant of the Goddess,
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P.O. Box 1226, Berkeley, CA 94704. Also, the following books may
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be of interest: (Ask your librarian.)
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DRAWING DOWN THE MOON by Margot Adler
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THE SPIRAL DANCE by Starhawk
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POSITIVE MAGIC by Marion Weinstein
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WHAT WITCHES DO by Stewart Farrar
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WITCHCRAFT FOR TOMORROW by Doreen Valiente
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(This leaflet is distributed courtesy of:
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The WeirdBase Bulletin Board Service
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314-389-9973, 300/1200 baud)
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