
Wiccans agree on very little, since they are a group
of highly individualistic souls (please see disclaimer at the bottom of
this page), but most Wiccans agree on a few things:
Wiccans
worship both a Goddess and a God
To imagine the existence of life on this planet without the feminine is unthinkable. Life is created from the feminine and the masculine in combination. Wiccans worship the Mother Goddess along with the Father God. Some Wiccans, in fact, worship the Mother Goddess to the exclusion of the Father God. Others worship the Goddess more, but give a nod to the God. I know of no Wiccan who solely worships the God without the Goddess.
Both Goddess and God are worshipped
in many forms. Some Wiccans believe in the deities as separate entities;
some believe in them as an inner force, and some believe both. Most
Wiccans look upon the many names and forms of deity as being but multiple
manifestations of the One. Various forms and meanings of Goddess
and God are often used to invoke a particular manifestation for a particular
task. For instance, if you wanted to bring love into your life, you
might invoke Aphrodite. If you wanted inspiration in poetry, you
may worship the Goddess in the form of Brigit. If your cats need
healing, you may call upon Bast.
Wiccans
follow the Wiccan Rede: "An ye harm none, do what thou wilt" and
believe in the Threefold Law
The Wiccan Rede is considered the single binding sentence in Wicca. Its meaning is abundantly clear. Harm none: Wiccans are not predisposed to "black magic", sacrifices, or any of the other negative allegations made against Witches by those unfamiliar with the religion. Although there is much debate on White vs. Grey Magic, the basic assumption remains that whatever you choose to do will come back upon you three times over ("The Threefold Law"). If you put out something negative, that is what you will draw to yourself. Conversely, if you are helping or healing, you will draw help and healing to yourself. Most Wiccans, as one might imagine, would prefer to draw helpful energies into their own lives, and thus do follow "An ye harm none".
Do what thou wilt: This part of the Rede is
not an open ticket to do anything you wish to do (remember the first part
of the Rede). It is, however, meant to convey several things.
First, that individual choice to act, as long as others are not harmed,
is an essential right. Further, there is the deeper meaning to the
word "wilt", or "will", that implies the inherent necessity of the magician
to focus his/her will on the outcome at hand. Magic works because
of will, intent and focus. What you will to happen is a critical
factor in practicing magic within Wicca.
Wiccans
believe in religious freedom
The freedom to worship in whatever manner one chooses
is sacrosanct to Wiccans. Given the horrendous history of The Burning
Times and the continual persecution of those who follow this faith, it
is understandable why this tenet is held in such high regard by those of
the Wiccan path. Although Wiccans' acceptance of religions contrary
to their own varies from extremely to barely tolerant (it is difficult
for some to imagine fighting for the rights of their persecutors!), the
majority of Wiccans believe in each individual's right to follow his or
her own religious path.
Wiccans
believe in reincarnation
Although the belief in reincarnation is rooted in
the Eastern religions, the majority of Wiccans believe in reincarnation.
Energy is usually understood as an ever-living thing which cannot die,
but can only change form. Much as the plants and trees that "die"
in the Winter return again in the Spring, Wiccans generally perceive human
life to be as cyclical as the earth's seasons of life and death.
Because of this, the belief in reincarnation is accepted by most
Wiccans.
DISCLAIMER
As noted above, we are a contentious and individualistic
lot. Even these four basic guidelines are not absolute. Even
the interpretation of them will provoke disagreement. So take them
as simply a beginning point of understanding, recognizing that although
most Wiccans agree with these precepts, many will not. I do not claim
to speak for all Wiccans, as that would be an impossible task. I
can only speak to some general guidelines and ideas, which is all I am
trying to accomplish with this page.
Links to Wiccan Sites (by no means complete,
but a good place to start)


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