10. The Wiccan Rede
While a Wiccan can choose to be part of a coven, they can also practice on their own and decide what's best for their own spiritual journey. Even covens vary wildly in how they go about things. However, many people may not realize that Wicca still has a very strong moral foundation despite those differences. The main laws of Wicca come from a poem called the Wiccan Rede. The poem was only published recently, but some Wiccans claim it has been handed down for generations and has ancient origins.
The most important lines of the poem make up the main laws of morality in Wicca. The first law states "Mind the threefold law ye should, three times bad an' three times good." This is usually called the law of return or the threefold law and is similar to the idea of karma. The second comes at the end and states "An it harm none, do what ye will." This law bears some similarity to the golden rule. So if you come across a true Wiccan, you don't need to worry about them casting an evil spell on you—-it goes against their moral code.
9. Casting The Circle
Sadly, many people's idea of Wiccan rituals is very far removed from the truth. Wiccans do not sacrifice people and animals or commune with demons. The way Wiccans actually prepare a ritual is first to cast a circle twice about. The symbolic purpose of casting the circle twice is to honor both the God and Goddess of Wicca. After the circle is cast, prayers will often be said to the lord and lady. Candles can then be placed at the cardinal points of the circle to represent the four elements.
After this, an altar is prepared in the exact middle, to represent the element of spirit. Wicca is very much a religion of fertility, placing importance on life continuing through the sacred bond of man and woman. In fact, two of the most important magical tools in Wicca are a ceremonial dagger, called an athame, which represents the phallus, and a chalice, which represents the womb. In rituals, the dagger is often dipped in the chalice to celebrate the union between man and woman.
8. Book of Shadows
Those who practice Wicca usually have something called a book of shadows. This is sometimes referred to as a sort of Wiccan bible, but it doesn't really compare because there isn't one textbook that all Wiccans follow. A book of shadows is actually more like a diary of a Wiccan's own spiritual journey and is thus very personal. If you sneak a peek inside, it might not even be all that interesting. In fact, depending on the Wiccan, you might mostly find musings on all of their various dreams and attempts at magic, with very little in the way of spells to perform.
Of course, when a Wiccan first begins training, their book of shadows may include many different bits of information taken from other practitioners, but as time goes by it will evolve into something uniquely their own. In modern times, the book of shadows isn't even necessarily an actual book. For the sake of convenience and security, some witches choose to keep their books in digital form.
7. Earth Religion
As we mentioned before, the Wiccans have both a God and a Goddess, but some Wiccans also believe in multiple gods and goddesses. While this may seem confusing, all of these beliefs share something in common. Wiccans are an earth religion, so the God and Goddess are in a way a representation of the Earth itself—where all magic power comes from. While some Wiccans may disagree on the number of deities, most agree that the genders need to be kept in balance, as they are representative of the balance of nature.
Since Wicca is an earth religion, its practitioners believe in a cycle of new beginnings, and many Wiccans believe in reincarnation. However, unlike some religions where you might go backward if you don't live properly, Wiccans simply go to Summerland when they die. Wiccans can stay in Summerland for as long as they like and return when they are ready to continue their path. For this reason, Wiccan funerals are referred to as a crossing and are more about celebrating the life of the one who has passed on. A Wiccan will be sad to lose someone they love, but they also believe that, just like nature, it is all part of a cycle of death and rebirth.
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Book Of Shadows
عشوائيThis will be stuff about the life of a Wiccan and Witch. I will write down herbs, practices, spells, all sorts of things in this book that I learn!
