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Wicca developed nearly every other form of Wicca, with the possible exception of some "FamTrads" (Family Traditions), although there is evidence that they too incorporated Gardnerian material when it become popular.

(For more on Gardner and the beginnings of Wicca, please see:

- www.geraldgardner.com/
- www.religioustolerance.org/wic _hist.htm
- www.geocities.com/SoHo/Cafe/16 14/Celtwicc/Wicca/Wicca02.htm

USE OF THE TERM "WITCH", and THE BURNING TIMES ERRORS:
Many various kinds of witches feel that the use of the term "Witch" is a way of reclaiming and honoring the tremendous costs that were paid by those Pagans of the Old Religion(s), when they were horrifically tortured and murdered, due to religious persecution.

Just a note here: the figure of 9 Million victims has been thrown around by folks who have unfortunately accepted erroneous information - in fact, there is *absolutely NO* credible evidence for anywhere near that many victims.

From a Statement by Margot Adler, Wiccan High Priestess, journalist, and author of the Pagan classic, http://www.beliefnet .com/frameset.asp">Drawing Down the Moon?
PageLoc=/story/40/story_4 007_1.html&boardID=5077

For more on this, please see: http://www.twpt.com/burning.ht m

Others who use witchcraft feel that the words "witch" and "Witchcraft" have been hopelessly demonized by a culture which does not understand the positive spiritual values embraced by true "witches", and they prefer to use other words to describe themselves.

"WARLOCK":
About "Warlock": the term is beleived by many to come from Anglo-Saxon words that meant "oath-breaker" and therefore, few authentic witches would use it to refer to themselves. It is a term often used by "newbies" and "wannabees" who generally know very little about authentic witchcraft but want to impress people.

So what *is* Wicca?

To answer this question, there are several things to keep in mind:

A. There are various Traditions (like sects) of Wicca - Each of which has their own practices, principles and beliefs.

B. there is no "ruling body", no "Prophet" or "Pope", or head Dude; no single Sacred Text or Bible, in Wicca, to "lay down the law" or make absolute declarations.

Instead, there are High Priests and Priestesses who have many years of study and experience and are generally appreciated for their contributions; there are "Elders" who are generally (but INformally) recognized as such because of their long and dedicated study, experience, and service to the Wiccan Community.
Similarly, there are some books that are considered "classics"; there are some writings that might be termed "Liturgy", which are frequently heard in Wiccan rituals and circles.
However, there is nobody and no group "authorized" to speak authoritatively for all Wiccans.

Thus, it can sometimes be difficult to authoritatively determine what is and is not Wiccan.

C. Wicca is a religion/ Spiritual Path of poetry, myth, and PERSONAL EXPERIENCE rather than "belief" and dogma.

Please NOTE: The term "myth" does NOT mean "a story that is untrue"; it means a story that may or may not be factual, but contains and reveals basic *symbolic* truths about the nature of life, reality, humanity, divinity, etc.

For example, in Wicca, Divinity is envisioned as both male and female, thus God(s) and Goddess(es). Goddess can be seen as a youthful Maiden, a nurturing Mother, or a wise old (or cranky!) Grandmother-Crone - all at the same time.

The God can be Her son, Her lover, and/or Her Spouse.

While paradoxical, these images are not seen as contradictory or mutually exclusive; they are seen as revealing or emphasizing various, equally valid and important truths about Divinity - Just as in poetry, a poet may say that your eyes are "bright as stars" and "deep pools of mystery" without being contradictory. Each of those statements (about the Goddess, the God, and your eyes!) are poetic rather than rigid and dogmatic views of reality.

4. Because Wicca is a very individualistic Spiritual Path, if you ask four Wiccans a single theological question, you're likely to get at least SIX different answers - it's been said that getting Wiccans to agree is like "herding cats" - Wiccans prize their individuality and independence.

For example, there are some Wiccans who prefer to celebrate the Sabbats and do not generally work with magick or spellcasting; thus they may be said to be Wiccans, but NOT use "witchcraft" per se. (This obviously is [yet another] "proof" / demonstration that Wicca is not the "same thing" as "Witchcraft".)

However, there are some things that most Wiccans have in common.

Because of the poetic, symbolic, non-dogmatic nature of Wicca, it makes more sense to me to define it in terms of Experiences and Practices rather than "beliefs":

1. Wiccans experience all things as related, interconnected in a great "web of Life", alive and enspirited/ ensouled.

2. Wiccans experience Divinity as both immanent (right here and now; within us and everything around us) and transcendant ("out there" - above and beyond human experience); as both male and female, God(s) and Goddess(es).

3. Natural Cycles and Energies: Wiccans recognize, seek to understand, respect, attune and work with (rather than against) Natural energies and cycles.

These cycles embody great truths about the nature and process of all Life:

Birth -> Growth -> Individuation -> Maturation->

-> Fertility -> Reproduction -> Harvest ->

-> Decline -> Death -> Disintegration ->

-> Rebith ->

This constant cycle of growth and rebirth or renewal manifests in many metaphysical systems - everything from the Tarot to Astrology to the Wiccan Sabbats to the Wiccan Esbats, and more.

4. Wiccans generally acknowledge and celebrate the cycles of nature in two basic ways:

a. Sabbats: The eight seasonal holidays (which fall approximately 6 weeks apart), based upon the old agricultural and hunting cultures of Europe.

The Sabbats are as follows:

TITLE : DATE:

- Winter Solstice - Yule - Dec 19-23
- Imbolc/ Oimelc/ Brigidmas/Candlemas - Feb 2
- Spring Equinox/ Eostre/ Ostara - Mar 19-23
- May Eve - Beltane Apr 30-May 1
- Summer Solstice - Litha June 19-23
- Lughnassadh- Lammas Aug 1
- Autumn Equinox - Mabon Sept 19-23
- Hallows - Samhain Oct 31

The Solstices and Equinoxes are considered the "Lesser" Sabbats and have been celebrated by Pagans all over the world, for many hundreds (perhaps thousands) of years; the "Cross-Quarter" Days, are considered "High Sabbats" and are particularly Wiccan.

b. Esbats: The monthly Lunar holidays; these consist of:

- the Full Moon (which is considered "psychic high tide", and whose energies are used by Wiccans);
- and in some Traditions, also the New or Dark moon;
- and (again in some Traditions) the first waxing crescent ("Diana's Bow") of each month.

5. The Wiccan Rede:
Many (but by no means all) Wiccans tend to follow some version of the basic Wiccan ethic called the "Wiccan Rede". A "Rede" is a "strong suggestion" or "recommendation", NOT a law or "rule", as some seem to (erroneously) think.

There are several versions of the Wiccan Rede; the major, shorter version is a simple, two-line couplet:

"Eight words the Wiccan Rede Fulfil -
And ye harm none do as ye will."

Which means: As long as you will do nothing to harm anyone, you can do whatever you want.

NOTE: it does not address the issue of what to do, if what you want to do will harm someone. IOW, it PERMITS anything that does not harm; it does NOT *prohibit* anything (including harm). This can be a difficult concept to understand, especially when there is so much misunderstanding about the Rede that circulates. For more on the Wiccan Rede and its meaning, please see: The Wiccan Rede Project: http://www.wiccanrede.dreamhos t.com/

However, please also note that many Wiccans follow other ethical systems; for example, many follow the "Charge of the Goddess", which can be found Here: www.reclaiming.org/about/witch faq/charge.html

6. Karma and the Threefold Law of Return:

Many (but again, not necessarily all) Wiccans tend to beleive in some version of Karma and the "Threefold Law":

"Whatever you send out, returns to you, multiplied".

Therefore, most Wiccans generally try to avoid sending out negative energy in the form of curses or hexes, and recognize that if they do choose such a course, there will be consequences and prices to be paid.

7. "Satan":

The vast majority of Wiccans do not beleive in, let alone worship - a personalized god of evil, ie the Christian-Islamic "Satan".

Please NOTE: There is some controversy over the fact that there are some who call themselves "Wiccan Satanists" or "Satanist Wiccans". For a discussion/debate on the relationship between Wicca and Satanism, see the following two articles:

"Satanism and the History of Wicca" by Diane Vera http://fcos.us//vera.html

A Response to Diane Vera's Article

9. Wicca is an Initiatory Religion:

Wiccans do not proselytize or seek converts; in fact Wiccans do not necessarily feel that everyone "should" be Wiccan. One must ASK to be trained / apprenticed. Traditionally, there is a period of at least a "year and a day" of training, during which the Dedicant apprentices to a High Priest or Priestess to learn the Craft.

One Dedicates oneself to the Craft; but (with all due respect to those who claim "self initiation") - one cannot self-initiate. Yes, there is controversy over this idea, especially because of the scarcity of good teachers and classes available to those who wish to be taught.

However, Initiation - properly understood - involves several stages which simply cannot be performed for ones self. (I can provide more information on that, for anyone who is interested).

8. Wicca is a "Mystery" religion:

- That is, there are some Truths that cannot be told - not because they are secret, but because they must be *experienced* to be comprehended.

There are several mysteries that most kinds or Traditions of Wicca honor and celebrate:

Many of them are "open Mysteries" - fully available to anyone with "eyes to see and ears to hear" what it is to be alive.

However, there are other mysteries which are particularly Wiccan, and which various Traditions celebrate/ commemorate in various ways:

a. The Mystery of the Descent of the Goddess: (ie the Descent of Innana or Persephone)

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