Wicca and Witches

Bibliography: Allen, Charlotte. "The Scholars And The Goddess." Atlantic Monthly (10727825) 287.1 (2001): 18. MAS Complete. Web. 4 May 2013. The article looks at the history and background of the religion Wicca, also known as the Goddess movement, or the Craft. Wicca appears to be the fastest-growing religion in America. Thirty years ago only a handful of Wiccans existed. One scholar has estimated that there are now more than 200,000 adherents of Wicca in the United States alone. Wiccans, also refer to themselves as Witches. Witches must be used with the capital W. The capital W is meant to distance them from the word 's negative connotacions. It is often ignorantly mistaken that Wiccans or Witches worship Satan, but Wiccans neither worship Satan nor practice the sort of the malicious magic traditionally associated with witches. Witches, who do nothing but wholeheartedly strive to become one with the earth in the name of God and Goddesses, are given a bad reputation by witches who do the exact opposite in the name of Satan. The article states that they tend to be white, middle-class, highly educated, and politically involved in liberal and environmental causes. About a third of them are men. Wiccan services have been held on at least fifteen U.S. military bases and ships. The article also states that  many individuals come to Wicca after reading "Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess" by Starhawk. The article also discusses the book "The Triumph of the Moon," by Ronald Hutton. (words: 232) Buckland, Raymond. "Healing." Witch Book (2001): 226. MAS Complete. Web. 4 May 2013. An encyclopedia entry for "healing" is presented. It states that the old "Wise Ones" of the villages, from whom Wicca came from, were perhaps best known for their healing abilities. It notes that healing is one of the most important parts of Wicca. Along with how to live life magically, and spiritually, but mostly how to become and stay wholly attuned with nature and our planet, earth. The biggest part of healing and of Wiccan as a whole, is herbs. Weather you use them in spells, for talismans ( An object marked with magic signs and believed to confer on its bearer supernatural powers or protection.) or simply to take advantage of their God given, innate powers. The main part of this book is the listings of the herbs. Each one includes names, associations, and magical attributions. Such as Violets can be used for protection, luck, love, and more. Primrose is for protection and love. Garlic is for protection, healing, exorcism, lust, and prevention of theft. (words: 166) Buckland, Raymond. "Old Religion." Witch Book (2001): 353. MAS Complete. Web. 4 May 2013. A definition of the term "old religion" is presented in this book. The term refers to the religion of witchcraft or wicca since it predates Christianity. It is said that his book is a masterwork by one of the great Elders of the Craft. Raymond Buckland has presented a treasure trove of Wiccan lore. It is a legacy that will provide magic, beauty, and wisdom to future generations of those who seek the ancient paths of the Old Religion. This book contains enough information for all approaches: the historical, the philosophical, and the pragmatic. Spiritualism is a belief in a continuance of life, for the spirit, after that transition that we term "death." More than that, it is a belief that it is possible to make contact with that spirit of the one who has made the transition. Most people think they need a medium to make that connection. Raymond Buckland, posits that anyone can contact the deceased, and that it is easier than you might initially think. Dorothy Morrison, author of The Craft, states “never in the history of the Craft has a single book educated as many people, or spurred as many spiritual paths.” Many people think Wiccan is a form of satanism and demon worship, but this book enlightens people that Wiccan is in fact a spiritual healing. (words: 236) Drew, A.J. A Wiccan Bible. Franklin Lakes, NJ: The career Press Inc., 2003. Print. The ending of the preface of the book says “I am a professional Witch. My profession is reminding people that their Mother and Father love them. If that scares you, I am sorry. But these are scary times.” The introduction of the book states “if you have seen the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, you are blessed.” The author of the book suggests that if you wish to read further, you should first take a look at the portion of the immense work where God is depicted reaching his finger to Adam. In the painting God casually has his arm wrapped around a women who seems to be his lover. It was the authors natural accusation that the women was God’s wife. Then some one told the author that God was a women, and he became terribly confused. “If God is a women then who is that big, almost naked guy with his arm around her? In answering that question I found a beautiful religion, named Wicca.” God is within. The author then talks about the title of the book and why it is the way it is. The title of the book is A Wiccan Bible. It’s ‘A’ and not ‘The’ because he says it is not “The Bible” it’s not the only way to live or to believe. He states that it is just one way. It belongs to him, and he gave it to somebody, to share it with us. (words: 243)Garrett, LynnZaleski, Jeff. "WICCAN BELIEFS & PRACTICES (Book Review)." Publishers Weekly 248.13 (2001): 88. MAS Complete. Web. 5 May 2013. A Wiccan high priest, Cantrell, offers this volume as a general introduction to Wicca, aimed especially at people working individually or in small groups. He covers a great deal of ground, from the basics; the ritual calendar and standard spells, to more specialized topics, such as the uncertain practicality of replacing the traditional bound Grimoire with a Floppy Disk of Shadows. One chapter offers tips for the physically disabled pagan. Another draws upon the conclusions of his earlier book, "Out of the Broom Closet?: A Guide to Revealing Your Practice of Witchcraft to Others", That ponders the fact that being identified as a witch was a death sentence only 200 years ago. As the author himself notes, his work relies heavily on old texts, and old-timers will find little here that is fresh, but Cantrell 's engaging style and good sense make this a fine starting place for anyone who 's new to Wicca. (words:152)Johnstone, Michael, and Michael Johnstone. The ultimate encyclopedia of spells. New York, Toronto, London, Sydney, Auckland: Arcturus Publishing, 2003. Print. This book of spells offers eighty eight basic white magic spells. The difference between white magic and black magic, is that white magic is done with pure goodness in the name of God and Mother nature. These spells are made for simply pure reasons, to pot some pizzazz into romance, to improve careers, to restore health, to increase wealth, to strengthen faith, and to simply bring peace to your world in big and small ways. Each spell prepares you and your world for change you want to create. You don’t need to be an avid magician to appreciate the peace of mind a few basic spells can bring to your life. This book provides a charm for just about every problem to be faced, and then, to help you help the magic work. Suggests practical approaches to common problems such as breaking up with a significant other or dealing with your grief when something, for example, a pet dies. The purpose of this book is to prove an important tool on the road to discovering ones true nature. (words:178) Jong, Erica. witches. New York: Harry N. Abrams Inc., 2004. Print. This book is said to be “Nothing less than a complete transformation of our concept on Witches, from loathsome hag to healing mother Goddess.” The popular image of the witch reflected this confusion upon the matter of if one should be a White Witch and do good with herbs, or – more exciting - or to be a bad witch and go to bed with the devils. This book puts the question and confusion into a popular readership for the first time. This book differentiates White Witches from black witches. There were both good and bad witches in picaresque movies like The Wizard of Oz and only bad witches in movies like Rosemary’s Baby. Did witches worship Satan or did they worship a benevolent mother Goddess. The introduction of the book explains, with something along the lines of, the Witch is a descendant of ancient Goddesses who embodied both birth and death, nurturing and destruction, so it’s not surprising that the witch has both aspects. (words:165) Singer, Marian. A Witches 10 commandments. Canada: Dover publications, Print. The art of witchcraft is a different experience for everyone. But there is an underlying code of ethics and principles that binds anything evil from happening. Everything must be done with good intentions and with the good of your heart. The Wiccan author, Mrian Singer uses the biblical Christian 10 commandments for a framing and outline of the 10 tenets a good Witch should live by. The first Judeo Christian commandment is I. I am Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me. The Neo Pagan first “commandment” says 1. Thou art God/dess. They are basically saying there is no need to go hunt for a religion or a God when it’s all around you and God is within you. Every body has a soul, and a spirit, and their own inner faith in God, you just have to find it, pull it out from the depths of your being and embrace it. (words: 172)Swartz, Mimi. "Downward Dog!." Texas Monthly 40.5 (2012): 158. MAS Complete. Web. 5 May 2013. In the Woodlands of Texas fifteen years ago, John Friend  found himself entangled in a string of bizarre accusations. He was gearing up for his 2012 Ignite the Center World Tour, in which he planned to spread the word about Anusara, the brand of yoga he founded in 1997, at workshops held everywhere from Austin to Tel Aviv.  He built Anusara into a hugely popular global brand, with adherents everywhere from Japan to Israel. The tour would start off in December with a celebration at theYucatecan pyramids, aligning "with the cosmic connection of the end of the Mayan calendar," as the promotional literature promised, and connecting "the sacred geometry of the ancient pyramids to current-day transformation." Friend had equally big plans out in Encinitas, California. Which is ground zero for yoga in the U.S. This is where he expected to stage a grand opening for his new head quarters, which he intended to relocate from Texas. The Center, as he had christened it, was to be a super spiritual capital for his increasingly global yoga enterprise. He planned to host classes over the Internet that would reach the farthest corners of the earth. Displaying private emails and compromising photos, the web site leveled the kinds of accusations that would challenge the sensibilities of even the most assiduously nonjudgmental yogi. One tab charged that Friend was a member of a Wiccan coven (named Blazing Solar Flame ) that used, in Friend 's words, "sexual/sensual energy in a positive and sacred way to help build the efficacy of our practices."  Friend allegedly was charged for being a member of Wiccan coven called Blazing Solar Flame which used sexual energy in a sacred way. (Words: 280)"Wiccan Warrior." Cosmo Girl 3.9 (2001): 76. MAS Complete. Web. 5 May 2013. This short passage written by a 16 year old Wiccan from Brooklyn tells the reader about misconceptions towards the religion of Wicca and the discrimination she has received due to her religion. The girl talks about how Wicca is really practiced and tells the reader that Wicca is not about devil worship or anything evil like most TV shows, books, and movies make it seem like, but rather a worship of nature and the season, and becoming one with the earth, and mother nature. The article also goes on to say that Wiccans are pacifists and believe in positive thinking. Wiccans do everything in the name of God and Goddesses as well as Mother nature. Everything the do must be done with the good of their heart or it shalt not be done at all. Therefor Wiccans must be rather optimistic or they would be hypocritical against there own religion. She goes on to talk about her friends and the discrimination she has faced at school and in other social situations, but it doesn 't stop there; even some major politicians discriminate against Wicca and some even want followers of it to be banned from the military. (words: 196) Works CitedAllen, Charlotte. "The Scholars And The Goddess." Atlantic Monthly (10727825) 287.1 (2001): 18. MAS Complete. Web. 4 May 2013.Buckland, Raymond. "Healing." Witch Book (2001): 226. MAS Complete. Web. 4 May 2013Buck land, Raymond. "Old Religion." Witch Book (2001): 353. MAS Complete. Web. 4 May 2013. Drew, A.J. A Wiccan Bible. Franklin Lakes, NJ: The career Press Inc., 2003. Print. Garrett, LynnZaleski, Jeff. "WICCAN BELIEFS & PRACTICES (Book Review)." Publishers Weekly 248.13 (2001): 88. MAS Complete. Web. 5 May 2013. Johnstone, Michael, and Michael Johnstone. The ultimate encyclopedia of spells. New York, Toronto, London, Sydney, Auckland: Arcturus Publishing, 2003. Print. Jong, Erica. Witches. New York: Harry N. Abrams Inc., 2004. Print. Singer, Marian. A Witches 10 commandments. Canada: Dover publications, Print. Swartz, Mimi. "Downward Dog!." Texas Monthly 40.5 (2012): 158. MAS Complete. Web. 5 May 2013. "Wiccan Warrior." Cosmo Girl 3.9 (2001): 76. MAS Complete. Web. 5 May 2013. What is societies views on Witches?What is the difference between Good Witches and bad witches? What are the basic beliefs and rituals of Wiccans? The Wiccan religion is one of the fastest growing religions in the United States. Thirty years ago only a hand full of Wiccans existed. It is estimated that there are now more than 200,000 participants of Wicca, in the United States alone (Allen). Wiccan is also one of the most misunderstood religions. It is misunderstood due to the controversies surrounding its history and mystery, shrouding its beliefs, opinions of faith and practicing. Society has often made negative connotations towards Witches. It is often ignorantly mistaken that Witches worship Satan. Witches are descendants of ancient Goddesses who embodied both birth and death, so it is not surprising that a Witch can have both loving and evil aspects. From the medieval times to these modern ages, the Wicca religion is still confused with the unmoral religion of Satanism. The Wicca religion has been around for many centuries. The Christian religion has harmed Wicca’s reputation by spreading fear that Wicca is an evil religion; no better than the worshiping of Lucifer. From the witch burnings in the medieval period, till now, Wicca has been classified as part of Satanism. Common witch lore and costumes around the time of All Hallows Eve depict witches as evil beings, doing unspeakable things with malicious intent. This is a very common occurrence and is unfair to all that practice the ancient religion.  Due to a series of popular TV shows and movies that have presented Witchcraft in a positive light, such as Sabrina, the Teen-aged Witch and, The Wizard of Oz, popularity of Wicca has grown, especially amongst teenagers (Jong). Sadly this popularity has not been partnered with a growth in understanding and respect. Society has also been infiltrated with thoughts and assumptions that all Witches are evil Satan worshipers, due to movies such as The Craft (Buckland “Old Religion”). Although Wicca offers a nature oriented, egalitarian belief system with a rich collection of customs and rituals, ignorance and historically rooted misconceptions still dominate public opinion.  Wiccans sometimes refer to themselves as Witches. The ‘w’ on the word ‘witches’, must be capitalized to differentiate them form the words negative connotations. Witches, being good and witches being bad (Allen). What describes the difference between a "good person" and a "bad person"? Witches are just that - people. Their intent and their personal ethics define whether they are "good" or "bad". Good Witches and bad witches do have one thing in common, they both live magically and spiritually. They both practice magic; Good Witches, or White witches use the innate powers of herbs to heal and to summon love, where as bad witches or black witches use dark and malicious spells to summon evil. Good Witches do all things wholeheartedly with love and good intention in the name of God. On the other hand bad witches do all things with an intent to be evil and gain power, in the name of Satan. Wicca is also referred to as the “old religion” because it predates Christianity. Witches from the villages where Wicca was originated, were perhaps best known for their healing abilities. The ones who understood and appreciated the Witches called them the “Old wise ones.” Witches strive to become wholly attuned with nature, as well as to become one with mother earth. Healing is one of the most important parts to the Wiccan religion. Healing is done with all things natural such as oils and herbs. Such as violets, they can be used for protection and love, garlic is used for protection, healing, exorcism, lust, and prevention of theft. (Buckland “healing”). The art of witchcraft is a different experience for everyone. Good Witches do preform spells, but again, with the intent to do good. There is an underlying code of ethics and principles that bind anything evil from occurring. These spells are usually gently and carefully crafted with a Witches whole heart, love, and passion. One of the Wiccans rituals is; after a spell is preformed the chant must end with, “And let it be done that it harm no one” (Singer). Wicca is a pagan religion, which means that it doesn 't acknowledge the Christian concept of God. Generally, Wiccans worship more than one god or goddess while also paying reverence to the earth an to nature herself as a source of life and all that we are. Wicca is a spiritual path, a way of seeing the world and Divinity, and our relationship to it. They believe that Goddess is imminent in the world around us. Goddess permeates every living thing, and most of them define rocks, soil, water, air, fire, and the plant herself as living things. "The God of Wicca is the Horned God, the ancient God of Fertility: the God of the forest, flock, and field and also of the hunt. He is Lord of Life, and the Giver of Life, yet he is also Lord of Death and Resurrection. It is said that Wicca evolved during the days of pre-historic man who developed a strong bond with his surroundings. Early man found a sense of "divine power" in the world around him, attuning himself to the rhythms and cycles of nature. Wiccans believe that both animate and inanimate objects possess a spirit, which forms part of the Whole. These spirits were connected to the world around us and given physical representations, most often as animals, but also parts of the natural terrain, such as streams and the wind blowing through the trees (Buckland “Old religion”). These things, all the things of the earth, form what is referred to as the 'The Cosmic Web '. The first Judeo Christian commandment is I. I am Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me. The Neo Pagan first “commandment” says, 1. Thou art God/dess. The Wiccan first “commandment” basically is implying, there is no need to go hunt for a religion or a God when it’s all around you and God is within you. Everybody has a soul, a spirit, and their own inner faith in God, you just have to find it, pull it out from the depths of your being and embrace it.The Three-Fold Law is one of the main basics of Wiccan belief. Despite the name, the Three-Fold Law isn 't a Wiccan law, exactly, but rather a universal spiritual principle. The essence of the Three-Folds Law, is that whatever you send out into the universe comes back to you in three folds. The Wiccan version of karma. With that being said, the wondrous gift of the Three-Fold Law is that, one little thought of compassion, one little act of kindness or even one little choice for forgiveness, multiplies. It keeps multiplying, as the ripples spread out to infinity, and back again (Drew). The state of the world is not an accident. It is not fate. It is not out of human control. The world is exactly what we humans make. It is the sum total of what we each allow our thoughts and feelings, our speech and actions to be. The Three-Fold Law is not punishment. It 's more like a reminder. Three-Fold Law reminds them to choose consciously, carefully. Because we reap the benefits and hazards of our choices. “I want nothing less than a complete transformation of our concept on Witches...” (Jong).