1. What is Wicca?

Wicca is a nature centered religion as seen in the Goddess and God. Wicca celebrates both physical and spirtual realities, and combines the attunement of deity with the practice of Magick. Wicca follows one main rule -An it harm none, do what ye will. This basically means do what you want with your practicing as long as you don’t harm yourself or others. Everything done follows the three fold law - good or bad what you do comes back three times. At no time do Wiccans try to convert other religions, as this makes it seem as if their faith isn’t valid. A Wiccans goal is to strictly educate others and let them choose what they feel is right to them. - Scott Cunningham, A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner

2. What is Paganism?

Since the terms Witch and Wiccan are often mistakenly interchanged, many simply call themselves "pagans" or Neo-pagans" when talking with others who may not be familiar with the complexity of the different belief systems. But just as not all Christians are Lutheran or Catholic, so not all pagans are Witches or Wiccan. - http://www.witchvox.com/


3. Do you believe in God?

Wicca follows the belief of a Goddess and a God. The Goddess, seen in the waxing, full and waning moon, is looked to as the giver of fertility, love and abundance. The God, seen in the sun, is the tender of animals, often referred to as the Horned God. Both the Goddess and the God are equal - neither is higher or more deserving of respect. - Scott Cunningham, A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner

4. Do you worship Satan?

No.
In the Wiccan religion there is no “Satan”, although many mistake the God for “Satan” depicted in Christian beliefs due to the horns. Satan is part of Christian and Muslim faith, and does not exist in wiccan beliefs. - http://www.witchvox.com/

5. What’s the difference between Solitary practice and practicing with a Coven?

Wiccan’s can choose either path. One isn’t better than the other. Solitary practitioners prefer to study alone or are in an area with no one to practice with. Coven’s consist of 3 to 13 members practicing together with a mix of both men and women. - Laurie Cabot, Power Of The Witch

6. What is a Pentacle/Pentagram?

The pentagram, or five pointed star, is not Satanic. The five points correspond to the elements Air, Earth, Fire and Water with the top point corresponding to "Spirit". The pentagram in a circle may also represent a human with their legs and arms outstretched, surrounded by universal wisdom or the "Goddess" - humankind at one with the environment. Many Witches and other pagan practitioners do not wear the pentacle at all, but have other symbols of special meaning to them.
Satanists turn the symbol upside-down, which puts the elements of Fire and Earth at the top (Fire symbolizes willpower and passion and Earth) and Spirit, spirituality, at the bottom. This, in itself, does not make the pentagram a Satanic symbol. In some Wiccan traditions, the reversed pentagram is a symbol of "second degree" status - one who has been elevated from "initiate". To members of these traditions, the reversed pentagram is considered highly positive and has no connection to Satanism. A symbol is simply an image or mark in itself. It is the mind and the beliefs of the beholder which attribute to it a particular meaning. - http://www.witchvox.com/


7. What Wicca is NOT:

Wicca is not a cult.
Wicca is not a Satanist worship.
Wicca is not flying on broom sticks.
Wicca is not sacrificing animals.

8. Holidays: (the dates of some holidays vary depending on the year)

Winter Solstice/Yule - Dec 22
Imbolc - Feb 2
Spring Equinox/Ostara - Mar 21
Beltaine - May 1
Summer Solstice/Midsummer - Jun 21
Lughnasadh - Aug 1
Autumn Equinox/Mabon - Sept 21
Samhain - Oct 31

9. Dictionary of Wiccan terms.

Rowens Grimore has an excellent list of Wiccan terms http://www.ro...ixes/dictionary.html

10. Sites for further researching:

http://www.witchvox.com/
http://www.rowensgrimoire.com/
http://www.pagansunite.com/
http://www.wiccan-refuge.com/
http://www.spellsandmagic.com/
http://www.silverravenwolf.com/
http://www.religioustolerance.org/


11. Reading list:

Janet and Stewart Farrar:
8 Sabbats for Witches
The Witches Way
Witches God
Witches Goddess
Pagan Path (with Gavin Bone)

Silver Ravenwolf:
Teen Witch (the first half is an excellent introduction
to the religion of Wicca and its ethics)
To Ride a Silver Broomstick

Scott Cunningham:
Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner
Living Wicca

Laurie Cabot:
Power Of The Witch

Kenneth Meadows:
Rune Power - The Secret Knowledge Of The Wise Ones

Vivianne Crowley:
Wicca: the Old Religion for a New Millenium
(Thorson's) Principles of Wicca

Paul Tuitean:
Pocket Guide to Wicca (Crossing Press Pocket Series)

Starhawk:
Spiral Dance

Denise Zimmerman and Katherine A. Gleason:
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft

Rae Beth:
The Wiccan Path: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner

Robin Wood:
When, Why, … If: An Ethics Workbook

Ellen Hopman, ed.:
People of the Earth

Margot Adler:
Drawing Down the Moon

Ronald Hutton:
The Triumph of the Moon – A History of Modern Pagan
Witchcraft

12. What does Blessed Be mean?
Blessed Be is mostly used as a farewell. Its basically a saying to wish someone a good day with no troubles. Sort of how some religions use God Bless You. You may also here Wiccans use Merry Meet or Merry Part. That would be a hello and good bye. Additionally, you may hear "Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again", which means pretty much what it sounds like - "Good to see you, take care, I hope to see you well next time we meet".

The Thirteen Principles of Belief
posted on 30-Jun-2004 10:35:22 AM by mommymoonbaby12199
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The Council of American Witches was organized in 1973, it began with 73 attendees of different traditions. The 13 Principles of belief were drafted at this council and are considered the cornerstones of Wicca. Five years later this document was incorporated into the Department of the Army Pamphlet No. 165-13: Religious Requirments and Practices of Certain Selected Groups--A Handbook for Chaplains.

1. We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross-Quarters.

2. We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibilty toward our enviroment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.

3. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called "supernatural", but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.

4. We concieve of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity--as masculine and feminine--and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive to the other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magical practice and religious worship.

5. We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological, worlds sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, Inner Planes,etc.--and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magical exercises. We neglect neither dimensin for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.

6. We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.

7. We see religion, magick and wisdom in living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it--a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft--the Wiccan Way.

8. Calling oneself "Witch" does not make a Witch--but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles,degrees and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well without harm to others and in harmony with Nature.

9. We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness giving meaning to the Universe we know and our personal role within it.

10. Our only animosity to Christianity, or toward any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be " the only way" and have sought to deny freedom to thers and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.

11. As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.

12. We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as "Satan" or the "Devil", as defined by the Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.

13. We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.

Basic Principles
posted on 30-Jun-2004 9:53:44 AM by mommymoonbaby12199
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The Wiccan Rede: An harm none, do what you will
The Rede is not a law, it is a counsel, advice, a guideline, something on which to base your decisions before you take any action. Wiccan's follow the Rede, which means we consider our actions-magical or physical carefully, we consider the consequences and we willing to accept the consequences.
Many other belief systems follow the Rede, it did not start with Wicca, Gardner or Crowley, as some would have you think. In 563 BC, Gautama Buddha said, "If there is a deed you wish to do, reflect thus: is this deed not conducive to my harm, nor to others' harm, nor to that of both? Then is this a good deed entailing happiness? St. Augustine(354BC) said, "Love, and do what thou wilt" Basically the Rede is advice to the followers of the Wiccan path to consider what you do before you do it, and to accept responsibilty for your actions.

Karma: Karma is not about retribution or punishment, Karma is about evolution, about change. Karma is cause and effect. What you do creates your future. If you show by your actions that you have not learned what you should have, you will be taught. Karma is the lesson plan you set up for yourself, it is the lessons you have to learn, the steps in growth you still have to take. The Goddess and God don't punish, they teach!

The Law of Three: Once again this is not about punishment, it is about spiritual growth. If your reason to refrain from doing harm is to keep from being punished, that is fear and not spiritual growth. It is really very simple, YOU are responsible for what you do, think about your actions whether magical or physical, think about the results of your actions, take responsibilty for them.

These are the basic principles of the Wiccan Way.

Posting the bookstore link (and subtly bumping this thread so it doesn't get pruned away by forum maintenance.)
Pagan & Wicca Books