Wicca

Merry Meet everyone! This section is about Wicca, which is a Pagan religion. Wicca is a nature-based religion, and is not man-made. Even though Gerald Gardner founded Wicca, he is not the creator of this religion's background. Gardner derived the basics of Wicca from various other Pagan religions and traditions, joined them together under the name of Wicca , and adapted them to match our modernised lives.
To avoid misunderstandings, I will make it clear that Wicca IS NOT a Devil-Worshipping Religion!! In fact, Wiccans do not believe in the existance of the Devil. Wiccans believe in two Gods, a Female God and a Male god. These are neither total good, nor total evil, as no living being can be so. The Gods can be called by various names, depending on every individual's cultural background.
The Goddess is the representative of life, fertility, love, beauty and everything that is tied to the more feminine things. She is symbolised by the moon, because of the moon's 3 phases. The Goddess is known as being the Maiden Goddess, Mother Goddess, and the Crone Goddess. Two of the most popular Triple Goddesses are Isis and Hecate.

The God, the Horned God to be exact, is the one who represents hunting, which is why He is horned. The horns represent the animals which were hunted, and still are at some extent. He is the protector of all wild and tame creatures. He is related to the sun.

The first celebration of Winter and the day in which the Celtic New Year begins. A time for both beginnings and endings, through death in Winter to rebirth in Spring. In ancient times the Celtic people celebrated the Celtic Feast of the Dead to honour the memories of their ancestors. Witches today often share this custom by lifting the veil on this night of high psychic charge to contact their own ancestors. Spells are also performed to do away with old negative patterns or situations to make room for new life. Samhain is also known as Hallomas, Samana, Samhuinn and Samonios (Halloween in modern Christian times as well). The colours are black and orange. Symbols are the cauldron, jack o' lantern, mask, and balefire. Deities for this Sabbat are Crone Goddesses, Dying/Ageing Gods, Sacrificial Gods, Death and Otherworld Gods and Goddesses.

On this day, the Horned God dies. The Godess is said to be both happy, and mourning. Even though she lost her beloved, their child is growing in her womb and will soon be born.

Yule is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. The precise date will change year to year. The darkest time between Samhain and Yule draws to an end as the Goddess, Mother Earth, gives birth to the Sun again. It is a Sabbat for fond memories, reflection on the interconnectedness of all and glory of knowing the Sun has been rebirthed and his rays of warmth will soon start to spill upon us. Yule is also known as Midwinter and Fionn's Day (Christmas is the Christianization of Yule, and is celebrated 4 days later). Yule colours are red, green, gold and white. Symbols are the Evergreen, wreath, Yule Log, holly and spinning wheels. Deities for this Sabbat are Newborn Gods, Triple Goddess and the Virgin Goddesses.

Imbolc is the Sabbat that celebrates and honours the Goddess as the bride-to-be of the returning Sun God. The soon arrival of the plant life whispering beneath the soil, the full warmth of the Sun God being birthed from the Imbolg Virgin Goddesses womb, the promise of fertility that is celebrated on Beltaine, are all honoured on this sacred day. Witches typically charge and anoint seeds that are harboured by their hearths until Ostara, the day in which they are planted. Imbolg is also known as Oimelc, Brid's Day, Bride's Day and Imbolc. Imbolc colours are white, pale yellow and silver. Symbols are candles, grain, burrowing animals, ewes and marigolds. Deities for this Sabbat are Gods as Young Men, Boys or infants, Virgin, Maiden or Child Goddesses.

Ostara is the Sabbat of Balance. The days and nights are of equal length but the Sun God is gaining more power over the darkness of Winter. Ostara is also celebrated as the time of courtship of the God and Goddess in preparation for their consumption on Beltaine. Witches typically plant the seeds that were anointed on Imbolg on this Spring Equinox. Ostara is also known as Eostre or Lady Day. Ostara colours are anything soft and muted, such as pastels. Symbols are the egg, equilateral cross and the butterfly. Deities for this Sabbat are Youthful Gods and Goddesses, Warrior Gods, and Faerie Queens.

Christians developed their own celebration, which is Easter, and is usually held around the same period as Ostara is. For further Ostara information, click here.

As Samhain was the beginning of the cycle of Winter, Beltane marks the second major cycle of the year: Summer. This May Sabbat is a celebration of new life in all it's forms. This is the day God and Goddess are united in sacred marriage, their relationship consummated. This melding of God and Goddess symbolically fertilises the animals and crops for the rest of the year. Witches celebrate the great fruitfulness of the earth and the exuberance of spring this night with a playful sense of carefree abandon. This is the traditional day of Pagan handfastings (known as marraiges or weddings) . A vow made between two, witnessed and blessed by the God and Goddess that commonly lasts for a year and a day (which then can be continued for life). Jumping over broomsticks and dancing around the maypole ( that is a fertility symbol) typically entwining the red and white ribbons (symbols of the God and Goddess) are both symbols of fertility. May Day is a good time for Fire and Fertility magicks. Beltane is also known as May Day, Bealtaine, Rudemas, Giamonios and Bhealltainn. Beltane colours are red and white (symbolising the God and Goddess). Symbols are the May Pole, baskets, flowers and the butterchurn. Deities for this Sabbat are Flower Goddesses, Divine Couples, and Deities of the Hunt.

Midsummer is the time when Father Sun reaches the highest power, Mother Earth is green and holds the promise of a bountiful harvest. While steamy Midsummer marks the beginning of the Sun's dying strength the season itself is very lush, erotic and sexy. The Sun, flowers and Earth are in full bloom. Hot Midsummer creates a fiery, mature, breathless passion. Midsummer is also known as Litha, Feill-Sheathain, and Gathering Day. Midsummer colour is green. Symbols are Fire, sun dials, feathers, and swords/blades. Deities for this Sabbat are Gods at Peak Power and Strength, and Pregnant, lusty Goddesses.

Lughnasadh is a grain harvest festival. The Goddess is honoured as the Mother who has given birth to bounty and abundance and the God as Father of Prosperity. This is the first harvest on the Wheel of the Year. The splendour of the bountiful cornucopia of wheat, fruits and vegetables is also reflected upon as it pertains to our lives. Lughnasadh is also known as Lammas, Elembiuos and August Eve. Lughnasadh colours are grey, green, yellow and gold. Symbols are threshing tools, breads, cornucopias and all grains. Deities for this Sabbat are Harvest and Grain Deities and New Mother Goddesses.

Mabon is the second harvest festival on the Wheel of the Year. This Sabbat particularly celebrates the harvests of the vine, wine and apples as symbols of life renewed. Partaking of the fruits of this season as well as leaving apples upon burial cairns and graves as a token of honour are all common neopagan and Old Celt practises. There is a thankfulness for this abundance as well as a wish of the living to be in touch with the dead which comes up in Samhain. Mabon is also known as Feast of Avalon and Wine Harvest. Mabon colours are russet, maroon, orange and all the colours of autumn. Symbols are the apple, wine, vine, gourd, cornucopia, burial cairns and garland. Deities for this Sabbat are Wine Gods, Ageing Gods and Goddesses and Harvest Deities.

Ever since the beginning of time it seems that people have been fascinated by the use of magick. Wizardry, sorcery, witchcraft were always seen as fantastic practices, because they contaceted another plane and tapped into something that everyday people could not explain. Beautiful art has been constructed using magickal images as the focal point. Yet after all this time, people still don't understand what magick is. It remains a mystery.

Magick does not have to be a mystery. Although no one understands how it works, we do understand that it does work, and to some extent we even know what it is. Magick is energy contained within all natural things that can be contacted and manipulated by will alone. The art of the magician is the art of using the mind to contact that energy, focus it, and direct it to do our will. (Hopefully something good)

Magick is a gift of the Goddess. Magick is a personal power that we possess because we are natural beings. It is important to understand that magick is not unnatural. It is not from the Devil. It is something that we have in us from birth, but at such a time it is raw. Through skills such as meditation, visualisation and concentration, the magician learn to control his magick and let it work for him.

This is not to say that one can learn to snap his fingers and make something appear. That is not magick, that is folly. It simply can't be done. One can, however, learn to influence the outcome of a situation, bring good fortune unto himself or others, and heal himself or others. Magick is, in this sense, an all purpose energy, that when used correctly, can do wonderous and amazing things.

There are three commons "sources" of magick: Earth magick, cosmic magick and personal magick. These are all inexhaustable resources. If you know about the law of thermodynamics you know that energy can be neither created nor lost. The same is true for magickal energy. Magick never simply goes away, but it may be transferred from one source to another. We may take energy from the Earth or the Cosmos (which some people say is the same thing as the Gods), and they may take from us. There are two times a year when magick is said to be replenished, and that is on Samhain and individual birthdays. On Samhain, the Wiccan New Year, magick that once belonged to the Earth is returned to it, replenishing us all with power. On our birthdays, likewise, the magick that once was ours is replenished, and we are free to use it all again. But it is important to remember that magick is never lost, it merely gets transferred from one source to another.

Although what I have said above is true, to some extent it is a flawed definition. In my studies, I have come to learn that magick is all of these things, and yet it is none of these things. The truth is, magick is not something that exists outside of us. In other words, there is no division between our bodies, our souls or magick. In Western thought we like to separate things, because it makes it easier to discuss and analyse. But we are made up of energy. We are energy, and since magick is energy and energy is magick, we are magick. It is folly to say that magick lies within us, because it is us. Evertyime you exhale, you ae expending magickal energy. There is no division, there is no separation. You are magick. Remember that.

Magick can be used for good or bad. I won't deny that. But what makes magick good or bad is the intent of the practitioner. If the practitioner wills bad things to happen, then the magick in turn becomes bad. But once that spell is completed, the power that the practitioner released becomes neutralized again. That is to say that there is not an equal amount of good and bad magick floating around. All magick is neutral to start unless charged by the practitioner.

Anyone can practice magick. It is a gift that every one of us was given if we chose to do so. The only requirements to using magick is knowing that it will come back to you threefold, and understanding that it is something that you always have. It is your lifeforce, it is your breath, it is your heartbeat. It is your soul. You are magick. Remember that, and practicing magick may become a lot easier for you.