What is Wicca.....Let us first begin, with what, Wicca is not! Wicca is not Satanism! Therefore to call us satanists, is to do so without ant true understanding of our beliefs.

While Wiccans do not believe in the Christian God or Satan, we neither critisize nor condem those that do!

Wicca is a Nature based religion, whos followers see a glimpse of the Divine Ways in the study of nature, and from this we see the reincarnation of life, in the returning of the seasons, and the laws of cause and effect, Karma, in the use and misuse of the earth and its creatures. Wiccans believe that all creation began with The One, The One created the God and Goddess, and the God and Goddess, in return created mankind. And just as everything bears the touch of The One, so too, does every creature bear The One's Divine Spark.

And while Wicca in it's modern incarnation can be said to date back to 1954, and the publishing of "Witchcraft Today", by Gerald Gardner. Its roots lie in Ancient Europe where it is known to pre-date Christianity by many thousands of years.

Before the advent of Chritianity the Wiccan religion was the dominate religion the world over. And while the names of the Gods might change from culture to culture the one constant, was, a deep and abiding love and respect for nature, and a reverence of the God and Goddess, and for all, that they had wrought.

*It is interesting to note that some of the most influencial cultures in the History of man, such as, the Norse, Greek, Egyptian, Roman and Mayan cultures, were all Pagan cultures.*

With the birth of Christianity, and the dawning of the Burning Times, Wicca began to change. Sighting their Bible the Christians proclaimed, Thou shall not worship false Gods!" and "Thou shall not suffer a witch amongst thee!" And in 1484 Pope Innocent VIII proclaimed his bill against Witches and unleashed a a mass hysteria that led to an estimated 9 million deaths over the next 300 years.

* It is also interesting to note that while a very prominent part of todays history is given to the Nazi's religous persecution and anhilation of the Jews, this was by no means the first time that religion had been used as a reason for death, but rather only the first time that death had been the cost of the Christian faith.*

As the mass hysteria spread across Europe, and through out the Americas, Wiccans began to hide in the shadows. Rituals and ceremony once done proudly in the light of day began to be done by the faithful in the dark of the moon. Our Spell Book, hidden away, for fear of discovery, became the Book of Shadows. Wiccans receded further and further into the shadows untill the Wiccan religion all but ceased to excist, to all but a few scatterd faithful who still believed in the Old Religion.

Finaly, in England, in 1951, the last laws against witchcraft were replealed. And in 1954 Witchcraft Today by Gerald Gardner was published, followed by, The Meaning of Witchcraft in 1959. And while many have critized Gardner and his account of the beliefs and traditions of his Celtic Coven, there is no disputing the fact that Gardner was among the first to speak out from the shadows, and his courage and his willingness to share have made possible all that is Wicca as we know it today.

Gerald Gardner, Doreene Valenti, Janet and Stewart Farrar, Raymond Buckland, Scott Cunningham, Silver RavenWolf, and even Aleister Crowley can all be said to have left their mark on all Traditions of Wicca Today.

The Triple Goddess is Called Upon in her particular forms for her Unique Powers.

The Triple Goddess, known as Maiden, Mother,and Crone is three in one. Just as we are all of these things yet one.

This, is the Goddess of Love, Hope, and Beauty. The Waxing Crescent Moon signifies the MAID. Her many Names the essence of Fantasy: Kore, Athenea, Bast, Blodeuwedd, Brigit, Ostara. Every culture shares her aspects.

In Asgardian Wicca The Madien is known as Iduna, the keeper of the sacred apples of imortality, she who gives eternal youth to the Gods themselves. Iduna is also the Patroness of spring, the season when all is young and new. She is also a healer, she who is called on when life force ebbs, and strength and vitality are needed.

Call upon the Maid aspect of the Goddess when: You wish for a New Begining, to welcome a child, during a young woman's first Menstrual cycle.

This is the Goddess of Love and Care, she is a Creative Goddess a woman fulfilled. Summer is her Season, animals and Plants her friends.

This is the Goddess of the Full Moon. Freya, Juno, Demeter, Aphrodite, Ariadne, Isis, Selene, Ishtar, and Lillith.

Call upon the Mother when: A birth draws near, protection, to help an animal, to heal, to grow, to develop your pshychic gifts,  to bless a marriage.

The Least Understood and the most Feared aspect of the Triple Goddess the Crone symbolizes the Closing of a Circle.

The Waning Crescent Moon is her Chariot. The Number Nine her Fullfillment. When we Call upon a Spell to be given Power three times three we are Calling upon the Crone to Fullfill that Spell and make it a Reality.

The Crone is the Aspect of Justice. She is Bidden Time and Patience but Above All the Crone is Wisdom. The Impatient Maid, the Protective Mother give way to the Peacefull Beauty of Time that is the Crone.

The harvest fulfilled, the thirst slaked. The Crone represents the best time has to teach us. Hecate, Kali, Siris, Ceridwenn are all Goddesses who are Aspects of the Crone.

Call upon the Crone to: End associations, divorce, to accept death, age, to find peace or protection.

The God is Father Sky. He is Represented by the Sun, rising and setting in the Endless Cycle that governs Life. Without the Sun there would be no Life so It, just Like the God, is the Lifeforce.

The yearly Cycle of Greening, Maturation, and Harvest, have long been associated with the God(Sun).

The God has Domain over the forests, Deserts, Stars and Mountains.

The God is also the Keeper of wild Animals. As the Horned God he is sometimes Seen with Horns on his head which Represents his Connection with these Animals. Some of his Creatures include the Bull, Eagle, Lizard, Wolf, Dragon, Dog, Snake, and Bar.

With the Goddess, the God Celebrates and Rules Sex. Since it brings Pleasure, Perpetuates our species, and Brings new Life, it is thought of as Sacred.

Symbols that Honor and Represent the God are Horns, Knife, Wand, Candle, Gold, and the Diamond.

In the various Traditions He is known as: Odin, Zeus, Cernunnos, Osiris.

While Wiccans hold the Female in Equal if not Higher regard to the Male......

Wiccans hold Neither the Goddess or the God above the other, but Rather view Both as Equal seeing that Both are Needed to Ensure the Circle of Life.

Wicca is a Religion of Nature, of Oneness with our Surroundings.As the Goddess and God are One with the Universe so Wiccans expire to be One with All of Nature and Seek to Find the Magick and Spirit held Within in Every Creature. It is for this reason that its not unusual to find Wiccans at the, forefront of the Enviromental Protection, and Animal Rights Agencies as active participents.

Wicca is a Positive Religion stressing a Good Positive attitude about Self and the World around Us.

Yes Wicca is a Religion of Magick, but Magick is not Practiced by all Wiccans. And Those that do Practice Magick strive to live by a stingent code of ethics. Never to do that which Harms or controlls another. In Wicca Magick is to Heal, Help, and to Protect ones Self and Protect ones Loved ones.

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