Misconceptions about Wicca

This article is not about how Wiccans are misunderstood, or how witchcraft isn't "evil", but merely worshiping nature. There are plenty of those articles already. Instead, this article deals with the most misunderstood facet of Wicca among its own followers its history and origins.

It seems strange that those who have the deepest misconceptions about Wicca are the Wiccans themselves. Many believe that Wicca is a direct link to the ancient Celtic religion of pre-Christian days. Others believe that it was totally made up by a bunch of new-age hippies in the 20th Century. Both views have valid points, but neither is entirely correct.

Wicca began in a far different form than its current incarnation. Following the Christianization of the Celtic lands, and the destruction of the Druidic fellowship, many people were left wanting to hold to the old ways, but stripped of their spiritual guidance. These people paid lip service to the new faith, in order to avoid the same fate as those who openly refuted Christianity, but had precious little of their own heritage left to them.

To fill the void, a loose order of "Wise Ones" arose. These individuals, mostly village shamans and healers, preserved what little remained of the old ways as best they were able. Though often no two would agree on the exact methods of ceremonies, or the reasons behind them, it is through their heroic efforts, under threat of death for heresy from the Christian Church, that any remnant of the authentic Celtic culture has been passed down to us today. After all, written records were not an option at the time: neither were they available, nor were they safe for those doing the writing.

These Wise Ones passed on the ancient myths, legends, fables, and stories, from generation to generation, orally, and centuries went by. Sometimes the Wise Ones would band together for mutual protection. Occasionally, they would put their knowledge into practice, forming worship groups, keeping the faith they guarded alive. More often, though, the secrets they held remained hidden. Because of that, much of the knowledge that remains to the present has been altered by the interpretations, mistakes, and personal beliefs of those who have kept these secrets through all the long years. Bloodlines merged, along with their own versions of the histories, split apart, and sometimes vanished altogether. Information became distorted and lost. Yet, still the guardians

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