Wicca is not a cult. A cult presupposes blind faith in a central figure whose every word is regarded as ultimate truth, and the utter conviction that no other way or philosophy will lead to this truth. You would be very hard pressed to find a Wiccan anywhere who would blindly follow anyone else. Wiccans are historically very independent people who seek truth from within through rituals, meditation, magic, study and communion with nature. Wiccans respect the right of everyone to worship in their own way. We do not feel that Wicca is the only way -- only that it is our way. Wicca is not synonymous with Satan worship. The very concept of a supreme evil spirit is alien to Wicca. In fact, most Wiccans do not even believe in Satan. The devil is a Judeo-Christian construct and as such, it has nothing to do with Wicca. The notion that witches worship Satan was propounded by the Roman Catholic Church as it made its way across Europe, in an effort to suppress the native earth-based religions prevalent at the time. They succeeded to the extent that they drove the practitioners of these religions underground where much of their knowledge and traditions were lost. Through the work of the Golden Dawn, as well as anthropological and archeological research, many of these traditions have been rediscovered and incorporated into Neo-Paganism, an umbrella term for most modern earth-based and shamanistic religions. Wicca is a positive journey to enlightment through Goddess worship and the mystical art of magick. Unlike many other religions, Wicca does not claim to be the one and only "religion" for everybody, nor does it campain against other beliefs. Wiccans believe that you can be of any "religion" and still be Wiccan and follow the Goddess and God. Wicca is not anti-Christian, Wiccans do not believe in an advenging God, sin or the devil. Wicca encourages free thought, creativity, individuality, personal, spiritual and psychic growth. It is a celebration of the cycles and seasons of the earth and life and believe in living in harmony with all living things. The Rule of Threes - This lesson well, thou must learn, Thee only gets what thou doust earn! Ever mind the Rule of Threes, Three times what thou givest, returns to thee! The Law - We are of the old ways, among those who walk with the Goddess & God and receive their love. Keep the Sabbats and the Esbats to the best of your ability. To do otherwise, is to lessen your connection with the Goddess and God. The Rede is the all important part of the life and is not to be broken. Harm non, this applies to all creatures of great and small. Misery is self-created, so is joy, so distain from misery and unhappiness. Do as ye will but harm none. Teach only what you know, to the best of your ability, to those students that you choose, but teach not to those who would use your instruction for destruction or control. Also teach not to boost your pride, forever remember: She who teaches out of love shall be enfolded in the arms of the Goddess and God. Ever remember, if you would be of our way, keep the law close to your heart, for it is the nature of the Wicca to keep the law. Wiccan ABC's Accept others as they are, we are all individuals. Belief in yourself is a necessity. Concentration is important in any endeavor, both magickal and in life. Do what you will, so long as it harms none. Empathy is an important life skill...learn it, practice it. Find strength in yourself, your friends, your world and your actions. Goddess/God's are multifaceted - The Lord and Lady take many names and faces. Help others every change you get. Intelligence is something that cannot be judged on the surface. Judge not - what you send out comes back to you! Karma loves to slap you in the face, watch out for it. Learning is something that should never stop happening!!! Magick is a wonderful gift, but it is not everything! Nature is precious, appreciate it and protect it. Over the course of time, your soul learns many lessons. Make this life count!!! Pray Quietness both physically and mentally restores the soul, meditate often. Remember to take time for yourself as well as others. Spells can help you, but you must also help yourself. Tools can only do so much, they are not the foundation of all. You are the most important tool to use!!! Unless you enjoy worrying, keep a postive attitude. Visualise the success of your goals before you set out to achieve them. Wisdom can often be found in the least unexpected places. Xenophia (a hatred of those different from you) is a path to misery. You are a beautiful person who is capable of anything!!! Zapping away all of your troubles is not going to happen. ====================================================== THE ORIGINS OF WICCA as from the book Practical Wicca by Christine Seville Wicca can be traced back to the belief systems of the Stone Age peoples of Europe. It is more than one faith from one country. It has sometimes been described as the 'original belief system' because it shares numerous similarities with many shamanistic or earth based religions from all corners of the world. The mix of cultures and faiths that form the basis of the Wiccan faith brought about great changes in Europe and not least the birth of the agricultural economy. Stone circles were the churches and temples of the Wiccan faith and can still be found throughout Europe. Pagan/Wiccan ceremonies marked important times in the farming year and were believed to improve the weather in the following year. Holding magical and religious ceremonies was thought to improve harvests and to encourage good weather to prevail in the seasons of the coming year. Some of these ceremonies still survive today and form the basis of many of the festivals of the Wiccan (Witches) calander. The mid-winter festival of Christmas (Saturnalia) of many much older Pagan/Wiccan festivals that has been adopted by the Christian faith. The use of herbs as medicine is another skill that grew out of this mix of cultures and it is now starting to grow in popularity as an alternative to modern
