Wicca

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Wicca
By: / Beginner
Post # 1
I want to be Wicca, but I don't know about the Gods. I heard of a lot of them, but are they the same as Pandora, and Medusa? Or are there certain ones for Wicca?

What can I read to learn more?

What websites can I visit?
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Re: Wicca
By:
Post # 2
well wiccans dont have specific gods

they can be greek ,roman , norse

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Re: Wicca
By: / Beginner
Post # 3
So, If I wanted to believe in Greek Gods.. Then would that make me a different kind of Wiccan? or does the Gods you believe in not effect anything?
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Re: Wicca
By:
Post # 4
Pagans are generally people who follow nature based religions, worshipping various different deities. Wicca is a neo-paganism path, which was formed in the early 20th century, where the female and male aspect of deity is worshipped, ie: the God and the Goddess. Usually, people who worship pantheons (groups of deities) are known as pagans. People who worship the Greek pantheon are called Hellenists. Hope that clears some things up for you :)
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Re: Wicca
By:
Post # 5
This artice is about Wicca, fro about.com I hope this gives you a general starting point where then you will be able to expand or branch out your studies. Introduction:

There's an old saying that if you ask any ten Wiccans about their religion, you'll get at least fifteen different answers. That's not far from the truth, because with nearly half a million Americans practicing Wicca today, there are dozens -- perhaps even hundreds -- of different Wiccan groups out there. There is no one governing body over Wicca, nor is there a "Bible" that lays down a universal set of guidelines. While specifics vary from one tradition to the next, there are actually a few ideals and beliefs common to nearly all modern Wiccan groups.

Origins of Wicca:

Wicca as a religion was introduced by Gerald Gardner in the 1950s. Gardner's tradition was oathbound, initiatory, and secret. However, after a few years splinter groups began forming, and new traditions were formed. Today, many Wiccan groups owe their basic foundation to the principles laid out by Gardner. Wicca is not an ancient religion, but Gardner did incorporate some old esoteric knoweldge into his original tradition, including Eastern mysticism, Kabballah, and British legend.

Who Is a Wiccan, and How Do You Find Them?:

Wiccans come from all walks of life. They are doctors and nurses, teachers and soccer moms, writers and firefighters, waitresses and computer programmers. In other words, anyone can be Wiccan, and people become Wiccan for many reasons. In fact, there are nearly half a million Wiccans in the United States today. As to where to find them, that might take a bit of digging -- as a mystery religion that doesn't proselytize or actively recruit, it can sometimes be difficult to find a group in your area. Never fear, though -- the Wiccans are out there, and if you ask around enough, you'll bump into one eventually.

Calling Upon the Divine:

Wicca acknowledges the polarity of the Divine, which means that both the male and female deities are often honored. A Wiccan may honor simply a non-specific god and goddess, or they may choose to worship specific deities of their tradition, whether it be Isis and Osiris, Cerridwen and Herne, or Apollo and Athena. In Gardnerian Wicca, the true names of the gods are revealed only to initiated members, and are kept secret from anyone outside the tradition.

Initiation and Degree Systems:

In most Wiccan covens, there is some form of initiation and a degree system. Initiation is a symbolic rebirth, in which the initiant dedicates themselves to the gods of their tradition. Typically, only an individual who has attained the rank of Third Degree dedicant may act as a High Priest or High Priestess. Study is required before an individual may advance to the next degree level, and often this is the traditional "year and a day" period.

Someone who is not a member of a coven or formal group may choose to perform a self-dedication ritual to pledge themselves to the gods of their path.

Magic Happens:

The belief in and use of magic and spellwork is nearly universal within Wicca. This is because for most Wiccans, there's nothing supernatural about magic at all -- it's the harnessing and redirection of natural energy to effect change in the world around us. In Wicca, magic is simply another skill set or tool. Most Wiccans do use specific tools in spellcrafting, such as an athame, wand, herbs, crystals, and candles. Magical workings are often performed within a sacred circle. The use of magic is not limited only to the priesthood -- anyone can craft and perform a spell with a little bit of practice.

The Spirit World is Out There:

Because the concept of an afterlife of some sort is typical in most branches of Wicca, there is a general willingness to accept interaction with the spirit world. Seances and contact with the unknown are not uncommon among Wiccans, although not all Wiccans actively seek communication with the dead. Divination such as tarot, runes, and astrology are often used as well.

What Wicca Isn't:

Wicca does not embrace the concepts of sin, heaven or hell, the evils of sex or nudity, confession, Satanism, animal sacrifice, or the inferiority of women. Wicca is not a fashion statement, and you do not have to dress a certain way to be a "real Wiccan."

Basic Beliefs of Wicca:

While not exclusive to every single tradition, the following are some of the core tenets found in most Wiccan systems:

  • The Divine is present in nature, and so nature should be honored and respected. Everything from animals and plants to trees and rocks are elements of the sacred. You'll find that many practicing Wiccans are passionate about the environment.

  • The idea of karma and an afterlife is a valid one. What we do in this lifetime will be revisited upon us in the next. Part of this idea of a cosmic payback system is echoed in the Law of Threefold Return.

  • Our ancestors should be spoken of with honor. Because it's not considered out of the ordinary to commune with the spirit world, many Wiccans feel that their ancestors are watching over them at all times.

  • The Divine has polarity -- both male and female. In most paths of Wicca, both a god and goddess are honored.

  • The Divine is present in all of us. We are all sacred beings, and interaction with the gods is not limited just to the priesthood or a select group of individuals.

  • Holidays are based on the turning of the earth and the cycle of the seasons. In Wicca, eight major Sabbats are celebrated, as well as monthly Esbats.

  • Everyone is responsible for their own actions. Personal responsiblity is the key. Whether magical or mundane, one must be willing to accept the consquences -- either good or bad -- of their behaviour.

  • Harm none, or something like it. While there are a few different interpretation of what actually constitutes harm, most Wiccans follow the concept that no harm should intentionally be done to another individual.

  • Respect the beliefs of others. There's no Recruiting Club in Wicca, and the Wiccans are not out to preach at you, convert you, or prosetylize. Wiccan groups recognize that each individual must find their spiritual path on their own, without coercion. While a Wiccan may honor different gods than you do, they will always respect your right to believe differently.

Source: http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/wiccaandpaganismbasics/p/Wiccan_Basics.htm

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Re: Wicca
By: Moderator / Adept
Post # 6

Hi there, I?ve been practicing Wicca for a good many years now and one of the first questions that comes up is the one about where to start. My suggestion is always to start by doing some reading and studying to make certain that you understand what Wicca is really all about, and so that you can then decide whether this is truly the path that you want to follow. So with that in mind I thought I would offer some books and websites that are full of sound I information which can help you get started on your path.

To start with, here are some books that I would suggest.

''A Witch Alone'' by Marian Green
''The Elements of Ritual'' by Deborah Lipp
''Witchcrafting'' by Phyllis Curott
''21st Century Wicca'' by Jennifer Hunter
''Before You Cast a Spell'' by Carl McColman
''When, Why...If'' by Robin Wood
''Practical Pagan'' by Dana Eilers
''Wicca; A Year and a Day'' by Timothy Roderick

You can also find the recommended reading list that my coven uses at: http://www.tangledmoon.org/reading_list.htm

Here's some websites that you may find useful in helping you with questions.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/7280/?20 0520

http://www.wiccanrede.dreamhost.com/

http://wcc.on.ca/faq/faq1.html

http://www.widdershins.org/vol10iss3/04.htm

http://wicca.timerift.net/

http://www.witchvox.com

http://www.branwenscauldron.org/index.php/topi c,5398.0.html

http://www.branwenscauldron.org/index.php/topi c,5355.0.html

http://www.tangledmoon.org/wiccan-exercise.htm

http://www.tangledmoon.org (this is my own coven site.)

Hope this helps you get a good start on your studies. And feel free to ask me, or the others here on the board if you have any specific questions we can help you with.
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Re: Wicca
By: / Novice
Post # 7
Wiccans are generally duopantheistic meaning that the believe that there is one god and one goddess who appear in every culture under various names and aspects. Ex Athena Venus Hathor Damona and Freya are all the same goddess. They also believe that the goddess can be represented in a triple form maiden mother crone.
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Re: Wicca
By:
Post # 8
Medusa and Pandora arent gods. Get educated.
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Re: Wicca
By: Moderator / Adept
Post # 9
"Wiccans are generally duopantheistic meaning that the believe that there is one god and one goddess who appear in every culture under various names and aspects. Ex Athena Venus Hathor Damona and Freya are all the same goddess."

While it is true that some Wiccans are indeed what one might term soft-polytheists (Believing that all Gods are one God and all Goddesses are one Goddess.) that does not in any way hold true for all of them. Many Wiccans, myself included, are hard-polytheists who believe that each God and each Goddess is a separate and unique entity unto themselves. For a hard-polytheist Freya is not the same as Athena, nor would Juno be the same as Brighid. And I know other Wiccans who view the Gods as being Jungian archetypes, and others who are atheists.

What is true of Wiccans in general is that Wicca is an experiential religion in which what is important is how one directly experiences the nature of the Divine.
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Re: Wicca
By: / Novice
Post # 10
I never claimed that all Wiccans were soft or duopantheists. Most sources out there will teach it that way though.
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