Post by Emerald Jade Dagger on Feb 8, 2010 14:47:26 GMT -5
This week we are going to talk about What is Wicca. The definition of Wicca is Witchcraft. Now you will have some people try to tell you Wicca is a type of Witchcraft - NO. Wicca is just another name for Witchcraft. Why do we have this other name? It started in the early days of Modern Witchcraft. It was a cover name used by many witches for their religion. Today between the press and the many books on Wicca, it is no longer an unknown term.
Now a question for you:
What is Witchcraft?
We have people who are not followers of Witchcraft who call themselves witches! We have followers of Anton LaVay's Church of Satan who call themselves witches or Satanic witches. They are followers of La Vay's version of Satanism, so they would not be Wiccan, as they are not followers of Witchcraft. Another type is some of the followers of some of the African religions are called witches, or at least the name they use is translated to witch. Again they do not follow Witchcraft, so they would not be Wiccan. Then we have a very scary bunch - who have no concept of Witchcraft other than what they have read in fiction - they do not know that it is a religion - but they call themselves witches. They will kill someone's pet and defend their actions with it's what we witches do - NO WITCH WOULD HARM A PET OR KILL AN ANIMAL AS PART OF BEING A WITCH....(This doesn't mean that they don't kill animals for food, as some hunt and fish, but they do not kill because they are a Witch and they only do so for food).
And we have another kind the "want to be" Witch. They come in two types, the good type, who is trying to learn all they can, and because of one thing or another have yet to master the craft - most of these upon finding a good teacher will become Witches - their only problem was jumping the gun in calling themselves Witches before they knew the ways of the craft. The other is the person who has read a book and said I am a Witch because the Rede says I can do what I want as long as I don't hurt anyone and I sure don't want to read anymore books, except that one on love spells, and this year and a day of study is for the birds - because I Know I Am A witch! This person as long as they stay to themselves is all right, but if they start teaching others what they don't know we have problems. You can usually tell this person because they are always mad that other Witches don't accept them. They know that the Goddess loves them, so what else is there to being a Witch? These will sometimes come upon a teacher or a Coven and become real Witches.
Lets take a look at the long version of the Rede:
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 aboutTo keep the 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, listen much.
Deosil go by the waxing moon, Chanting out the Witches' Rune.
Widdershins go by the waning moon, Chanting out the baneful rune.
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's 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 be the Lady's tree, Burn it 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 the Horned One rules.
Heed ye Flower, Bush and Tree, By the Lady, blessed be.
Where the rippling waters go, Cast a stone and truth you'll know.
When ye have a true need, Hearken not to others' greed.
With a fool no season spend, Lest 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 thy brow.
True in Love ever be, Lest thy lover's false to thee.
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill:
An ye harm none, do what ye will.
This lets you know a lot of what a Witch is, lets look an another poem, the Witches Rune:
THE WITCHES' RUNE
Darksome night and shining Moon
East then South then West then North
Harken To The Witches' Rune
Here we come to call thee forth.
Earth and Water, Air and Fire
Wand and pentacle and sword
Work ye unto our desire
And harken ye unto our word.
Cord and censer, scourge and knife
Power of the witches' blade
Waken all ye into life
And come ye as the charm is made.
Queen of Heaven, Queen of Hell
Horned Hunter of the night
Lend your power unto our spell
And work our will by our magic rite
By all powers of land and sea
By all the might of the Moon and Sun
As we do will so mote it be
Chant the spell and it be done.
Eko, eko Azarak
Eko, eko Zamilak
Eko, eko Cernunnos
Eko, eko Aradia.
And this also shows what Witchcraft is.
Think about what they say.
Now a question for you:
What is Witchcraft?
We have people who are not followers of Witchcraft who call themselves witches! We have followers of Anton LaVay's Church of Satan who call themselves witches or Satanic witches. They are followers of La Vay's version of Satanism, so they would not be Wiccan, as they are not followers of Witchcraft. Another type is some of the followers of some of the African religions are called witches, or at least the name they use is translated to witch. Again they do not follow Witchcraft, so they would not be Wiccan. Then we have a very scary bunch - who have no concept of Witchcraft other than what they have read in fiction - they do not know that it is a religion - but they call themselves witches. They will kill someone's pet and defend their actions with it's what we witches do - NO WITCH WOULD HARM A PET OR KILL AN ANIMAL AS PART OF BEING A WITCH....(This doesn't mean that they don't kill animals for food, as some hunt and fish, but they do not kill because they are a Witch and they only do so for food).
And we have another kind the "want to be" Witch. They come in two types, the good type, who is trying to learn all they can, and because of one thing or another have yet to master the craft - most of these upon finding a good teacher will become Witches - their only problem was jumping the gun in calling themselves Witches before they knew the ways of the craft. The other is the person who has read a book and said I am a Witch because the Rede says I can do what I want as long as I don't hurt anyone and I sure don't want to read anymore books, except that one on love spells, and this year and a day of study is for the birds - because I Know I Am A witch! This person as long as they stay to themselves is all right, but if they start teaching others what they don't know we have problems. You can usually tell this person because they are always mad that other Witches don't accept them. They know that the Goddess loves them, so what else is there to being a Witch? These will sometimes come upon a teacher or a Coven and become real Witches.
Lets take a look at the long version of the Rede:
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 aboutTo keep the 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, listen much.
Deosil go by the waxing moon, Chanting out the Witches' Rune.
Widdershins go by the waning moon, Chanting out the baneful rune.
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's 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 be the Lady's tree, Burn it 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 the Horned One rules.
Heed ye Flower, Bush and Tree, By the Lady, blessed be.
Where the rippling waters go, Cast a stone and truth you'll know.
When ye have a true need, Hearken not to others' greed.
With a fool no season spend, Lest 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 thy brow.
True in Love ever be, Lest thy lover's false to thee.
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill:
An ye harm none, do what ye will.
This lets you know a lot of what a Witch is, lets look an another poem, the Witches Rune:
THE WITCHES' RUNE
Darksome night and shining Moon
East then South then West then North
Harken To The Witches' Rune
Here we come to call thee forth.
Earth and Water, Air and Fire
Wand and pentacle and sword
Work ye unto our desire
And harken ye unto our word.
Cord and censer, scourge and knife
Power of the witches' blade
Waken all ye into life
And come ye as the charm is made.
Queen of Heaven, Queen of Hell
Horned Hunter of the night
Lend your power unto our spell
And work our will by our magic rite
By all powers of land and sea
By all the might of the Moon and Sun
As we do will so mote it be
Chant the spell and it be done.
Eko, eko Azarak
Eko, eko Zamilak
Eko, eko Cernunnos
Eko, eko Aradia.
And this also shows what Witchcraft is.
Think about what they say.