THE WICCAN REDE
Bide the Wiccan Laws we must,
In perfect love and perfect trust.
Live and let live,
Fairly take and fairly give.
Cast the Circle thrice about,
To keep all evil spirits out.
To bind the spell every time,
Let the spell be spake in rhyme.
Soft of eye and light of touch,
Speak little, and listen much.
Deosil go by the waxing Moon,
Chanting out the Witches Rune.
Winddershines go when the Moon doth wane,
And the
werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane.
When the
Lady's Moon is new,
Kiss the hand to her, times two.
When the Moon rides at her peak,
Then your heart's desire seek.
Heed the North wind mighty gale,
Lock the door and drop the sail.
When the wind comes from the South,
Love will kiss thee on the mouth.
When the wind blows from the West,
Departed souls will have no rest.
When the wind blows from the East,
Expect the new and set the feast.
*Nine Woods in the Cauldron go,
Burn them fast and burn them slow.
Elder by the Lady's tree,
Burn them not or cursed you'll be.
When the Wheel begins to turn,
Let the Beltane fires burn.
When the Wheel has turned to Yule,
Light the log and Horned One rules.
Heed ye Flower, Bush and Tree,
By the Lady, blessed be.
Where the rippling waters go,
Cast a stone and the truth you'll know.
When ye have a true need,
Hearken not to other's greed.
With a fool no season spend,
Least ye be counted as his friend.
Merry meet and merry part,
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind the Threefold Law you should,
Three times bad and three times good.
When misfortune is enow,
Wear the blue star on the brow.
True in Love ever be,
Least thy lover's false to thee.
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill,
And ye harm none, do what ye will.
*"Nine Woods" in the Rede is probably referring to the 9 woods commonly used in a balefire: Rowan, Dogwood, Mesquite, Poplar, Oak, Juniper, Pine, Cedar and Apple. The Wiccan Rede was written by Adriana Porter, the paternal Grandmother of Gwynne (Gwen) Thompsen, one of the three Non-Gardnerian Priestesses who founded NECTW (New England Coven of Traditionalist Witches) of New England.
Lady Gwynne is best known in the Wiccan community for her connection to the Wiccan Rede. Lady Gwynne attributed our Tradition's version of the Wiccan Rede to Adriana Porter. Adriana was well into her 90's when she passed into the Summerlands in 1946. Lady Gwynne passed into the Summerlands in 1986.
The Wiccan Rede is a basic Law that all Wiccans follow. The basic idea is saying you can do whatever you want to do, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, including yourself. You cannot manipulate the will of other people. Such as casting a love spell. You can cast a love spell to help attract a willing person to you, however you connot cast a love spell to make someone love you.
The basis of the rule is ethics. Witch must be taken into consideration in all of your decisions, especially when writing and casting all spells. You also need to understand the Threefold Law, what you send out comes back times three.
Be sure you understand the Wiccan Rede before continuing. It is a very important piece of information to help each of us understand all aspects of The Craft, and why we do certain things and not others. I have studied the Wiccan Rede and believe that it doesn't ask a lot of us, but common courtesy for others and ourselves. So if we live by the Rede we can live a perfectly balanced life with nature and all that lives in it.
Merry meet, and merry part and merry meet again.
Ranae