SUGGESTED READING: Core Text

SUGGESTED READING: Supplemental Texts

The Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland
Lesson 2: Beliefs, pp. 13-24

The Spiral Dance by Starhawk
Chapter 2: The World View of Witchcraft, pp. 31-47

Pre-Assignment

Please do this BEFORE you read the lesson or suggested reading.....

1. Divide a fresh piece of paper down the middle. On one side write *like* on the other write *don't like* (or *pro* & *con* or *+* & *-* whatever you prefer). Based on what was covered in the last lesson, and on the discussion since, begin your list. What do you like about Wicca? What do you not like?

2. Take a few minutes to think about what you believe. We've had quite a few discussions on the list about a wide variety of topics, everything from Faeries to Reincarnation. Think about the topics that have caught your attention and what your reaction to them has been. On a fresh piece of paper, write down the topics about which you would like to learn more.

Basics of Wiccan Belief

The more you read on this path the more it seems that each author contradicts everything that the previous author said. For the purposes of the lesson I will focus on Wiccan belief because it is, by far, the most accessible of the pagan religions and because the primary text we are using is written for the study of Wicca.

In this lesson I will use the U.S. Army Chaplain's Handbook Excerpt on Wicca/Witchcraft to address the basic beliefs of contemporary Wiccans, to which I will add my commentary. I will then introduce the Charge of the Goddess and the Wiccan Rede, both of which can serve as instruction in what is expected of those who dedicate themselves to *the Craft.* During the next week, Terrastel will post a series of articles which further explore the principles of Pagan/Wiccan belief.

This supplement includes a section entitled *OTHER* GROUPS which according to the table of contents includes American Council of Witches, Church of Ageless Wisdom, Inc., Church of Satan, Church of Scientology, Gardnerian Wicca, Native American Church, Rastafarians, Universal Church of The Masters, and the Universal Life Church. The text below is from the introduction to that section.

The groups considered in this section manifest the wide variety of religious options available in the U.S. They draw upon several distinct religious impulses, each with a long heritage.

Magick (not *magic,* which is considered a stage performer's art and not a religion) groups have experienced considerable growth since the 1960s. These groups are distinguished by their use of occult practices (astrology and divination) and magick (the ability to willfully change the world by manipulating the cosmic forces). While like the psychic dimension, magick is as old as known history. Its contemporary revival, however, began in the early 1900s.

The most popular form of Magick is witchcraft. Not to be confused with Satanism, witchcraft is a nature-oriented religion based on the worship of the male-female polarity, the observance of the agricultural seasons, and magick. Worship of the male-female aspects of nature usually is expressed as allegiance to the Horned God and the Great Mother Goddess. Ritual follows the movement of the sun and moon.

Magick seeks mastery of all the cosmic forces believed to control the world. Witches believe in the ancient principle of *as above, so below,* and in their worship seek to create a microcosm, a magical image of the whole. The universe is generally viewed as a sphere. The magical circle, drawn at the beginning of all magical rituals, is the outline of the microcosm intersecting the floor.

Witchcraft had grown slowly until the repeal of the last of England's anti-witchcraft laws in the 1950s. Growth accelerated in the 1960s and 1970s. There are no less than thirty different witch (or the preferred term *Wicca*) groups plus numerous independent covens functioning in the U.S. The American Council of Witches represents the traditionalist covens which trace their ancestry to various medieval European traditions. The Garderians are one of several modern Wicca groups. Others are the Alexandrians, the Algard, and the Church of Wicca of Bakersfield (CA). There are also several miscellaneous traditions.

Secrecy is a major element of the existence of both witchcraft and Satanism (discussed below). Secrecy is protective (known members often lose their jobs, friends or status), and serves to guard the sacred mysteries of the group.

A later supplement was apparently written by or with the help of the Covenant of the Goddess and while generally very objective, does not reflect the number of Solitary practitioners (probably because CoG deals primarily with covens and with coven rights...) The following is the US Army Chaplain's handbook on Wicca/Witchcraft. For the purposes of this class I have added comments in brackets [] where I felt that they were needed.

No central address. Wiccan worship groups, called covens, are essentially autonomous. Many, but far from all, have affiliated with:

[judging from my interaction with the pagan community for the past few years, both in person and online, I would have to say that the vast majority (by far) of pagans are solitary, practicing alone without the support of a coven or even (in many cases) of a community. --A.]

Witchcraft; Goddess worshippers; Neo-Paganism, Paganism, Norse (or any other ethnic designation) Paganism, Earth Religion, Old Religion, Druidism, Shamanism. Note: All of these groups have some basic similarities and many surface differences of expression with Wicca.

No central leadership. The Covenant of the Goddess annually elects a First Officer and there is a constitutional limit of two consecutive terms, but in practice officers have almost always served for one year only. In 1991, there are two co-First Officers, Phoenix Whitebirch and Brandy Williams.

Because of the complete autonomy of covens, this cannot be determined. There are an estimated of 50,000 Wiccans in the United States.

[I have read of various attempts to conduct a *pagan census.* Unfortunately I haven't seen anything with regards to actual completion of this task. As near as I can tell, this version of the *Religious Requirements and Practices* dates to 1991, and I would not be surprised if the number given was accurate at that time. I would guess that the assertions of some of the pagan activist and networking organisations that Paganism is a rapidly growing path are correct. I would also say that it is much easier to find fellow pagans now than it was when I originally posted this to the internet in 1994. -- A.]

Wicca is a reconstruction of the Nature worship of tribal Europe, strongly influenced by the living Nature worship traditions of tribal peoples in other parts of the world. The works of such early twentieth century writers as Margaret Murray, Robert Graves and Gerald B. Gardner began the renewal of interest in the Old Religion. After the repeal of the anti-Witchcraft laws in Britain in 1951, Gardner publicly declared himself a Witch and began to gather a group of students and worshipers.

In 1962, two of his students Raymond and Rosemary Buckland (religious names: Lady Rowen and Robat), emigrated to the United States and began teaching Gardnerian Witchcraft here. At the same time, other groups of people became interested through reading books by Gardner and others. Many covens were spontaneously formed, using rituals created from a combination of research and individual inspiration. These self-created covens are today regarded as just as valid as those who can trace a *lineage* of teaching back to England.

In 1975, a very diverse group of covens who wanted to secure the legal protections and benefits of church status formed Covenant of the Goddess (CoG), which is incorporated in the State of California and recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. CoG does not represent all, or even a majority of Wiccans. A coven or an individual need not be affiliated with CoG in order to validly practice the religion. But CoG is the largest single public Wiccan organization, and it is cross-Traditional (i.e. non-denominational).

[The resources available to pagans today are ever-increasing. There are small regional groups, national lobbies, educational groups. If you are interested in more information on CoG, you can go to their web page at . You might also want to take a look at the Witches' Voice web page which has contact information for witches all over the world. -- A.]

Wiccans worship the sacred as immanent in Nature, often personified as Mother Earth and Father Sky. As polytheists, they may use many other names for Deity. Individuals will often choose Goddesses or Gods from any of the world's pantheons whose stories are particularly inspiring and use those Deities as a focus for personal devotions. Similarly, covens will use particular Deity names as a group focus, and these are often held secret by the groups.

[In an effort to balance years of patriarchal emphasis on a masculine god, many Wiccans (i.e., *Dianics*) choose to honor nature with purely feminine Deities. It has been my experience that many pagans identify a patron goddess long before they can seperate the idea of a pagan god from the godhead of their previous religions. -- A.]

It is very important to be aware that Wiccans do not in any way worship or believe in *Satan,* *the Devil,* or any similar entities. They point out that *Satan* is a symbol of rebellion against and inversion of the Christian and Jewish traditions. Wiccans do not revile the Bible. They simply regard it as one among many of the world's mythic systems, less applicable than some to their core values, but still deserving just as much respect as any of the others.

[I feel that this cannot be emphasized enough. Wiccans and Pagans do *NOT* regard their beliefs as having an adversarial relationship with Christianity. We have chosen a belief system which works for us, that doesn't make anyone else's beliefs wrong, it just means that they *aren't right for us.* All beliefs are worthy of respect. -- A.]

Most Wiccan groups also practice magic, by which they mean the direction and use of *psychic energy,* those natural but invisible forces which surround all living things. Some members spell the word *magick,* to distinguish it from sleight-of-hand entertainments. Wiccans employ such means as dance, chant, creative visualization and hypnosis to focus and direct psychic energy for the purpose of healing, protecting and aiding members in various endeavors. Such assistance is also extended to non- members upon request.

Many, but not all, Wiccans believe in reincarnation. Some take this as a literal description of what happens to people when they die. For others, it is a symbolic model that helps them deal with the cycles and changes within this life. Neither Reincarnation nor any other literal belief can be used as a test of an individual's validity as a member of the Old Religion.

Most groups have a handwritten collection of rituals and lore, known as a _Book of Shadows._ Part of the religious education of a new member will be to hand copy this book for him or herself. Over they years, as inspiration provides, new material will be added. Normally, access to these books is limited to initiated members of the religion.

The core ethical statement of Wicca, called the *Wiccan Rede* states *an it harm none, do what you will.* The Rede fulfills the same function as does the *Golden Rule* for Jews and Christians; all other ethical teachings are considered to be elaborations and applications of the Rede. It is a statement of situational ethics, emphasizing at once the individual's responsibility to avoid harm to others and the widest range of personal autonomy in *victimless* activities. Wicca has been described as having a *high-choice* ethic.

Because of the basic Nature orientation of the religion, many Wiccans will regard all living things as Sacred, and to show a special concern for ecological issues. For this reason, individual conscience will lead some to take a pacifist position. Some are vegetarians. Others will feel that, as Nature's Way includes self-defense, they should participate in wars that they conscientiously consider to be just. The religion does not dictate either position, but requires each member to thoughtfully and meditatively examine her or his own conscience and to live by it.

Social forces generally do not yet allow Witches to publicly declare their religious faith without fear of reprisals such as loss of job, child-custody challenges, ridicule, etc. Prejudice against Wiccans is the result of public confusion between Witchcraft and Satanism. Wiccans in the military, especially those who may be posted in countries perceived to be particularly intolerant, will often have their dogtags read *No Religious Preference.* Concealment is a traditional Wiccan defense against persecution, so non-denominational dogtags should not contravene a member's request for religious services.

Wiccans celebrate eight festivals, called *Sabbats,* as a means of atunement to the seasonal rhythms of Nature. These are January 31 (Called Oimelc, Brigit, or February Eve), March 21 (Ostara or Spring Equinox), April 30 (Beltane or May Eve), June 22 (Midsummer, Litha or Summer Solstice), July 31 (Lunasa or Lammas), September 21 (Harvest, Mabon or Autumn Equinox), October 31 (Samhain, Sowyn or Hallows), and December 21 (Yule or Winter Solstice.) Some groups find meetings within a few days of those dates to be acceptable, others require the precise date. In addition, most groups will meet for worship at each Full Moon, and many will also meet on the New Moon. Meetings for religious study will often be scheduled at any time convenient to the members, and rituals can be scheduled whenever there is a need (i.e. for a healing).

[The Sabbats will be discussed more extensively later. This paragraph gives a little overview of some of the names used and when the Sabbats fall... other names/dates for the same holidays would be Imbolg for Oimelc (also sometimes called Candlemas) frequently celebrated February 2nd, MayDay for Beltane often celebrated the first of May (Walpurgisnacht is a German name for the festival), and Lughnasad or Lugh for Lunasa/Lammas is often celebrated on August 1st. The dates of the Solstices and Equinoxes varies every year by a day or two. A later lesson will cover the actual celebration of the Sabbats. -- A.]

Ritual jewelry is particularly important to many Wiccans. In addition to being a symbol of religious dedication, these talismans are often blessed by the coven back home and felt to carry the coven's protective and healing energy.

[We've already had some discussion of ritual jewelry on the list (*Pentagrams in the Workplace*). Peg Streep points out, in _Altars Made Easy_ that *All over the world, amulets act, in effect, as portable sacred space, signifying the individual's intent to honor the deity and to invoke his or her protection against all manner of evil and ill fortune.* As symbols of our religious commitment they help us to carry our religion with us. -- A.]

Most Wiccans meet with a coven, a small group of people. Each coven is autonomous. Most are headed by a High Priestess, often with the assistance of a High Priest. Some are headed by a High Priestess or High Priest without a partner, and some regard themselves as a gathering of equals. Covens can be of mixed gender, or all female or male, depending on the preferences of the members. Every initiate is considered to be a priestess a priest. Most covens are small. Thirteen is the traditional maximum number of members, although not an absolute limit. At that size covens form a close bond, so Wiccans in the military are likely to maintain a strong affiliation with their covens back home.

[As I mentioned above, based on my observations I would say that the majority of pagans today practice their religion in isolation. -- A.]

There are many distinct *Traditions* of Wicca, just as there are many denominations within Christianity. The spectrum of Wiccan practice can be described as ranging from *traditional* to *eclectic,* with Traditions, covens and individuals fitting anywhere within that range. A typical difference would be that more traditional groups would tend to follow a set liturgy, whereas eclectic groups would emphasize immediate inspiration in worship.

These distinctions are not particularly important to the military chaplain, since it is unlikely that enough members of any one Tradition would be at the same base. Worship circles at military facilities are likely to be ad-hoc cross-Traditional groups, working out compromise styles of worship for themselves and constantly adapting them to a changing membership. Therefor, the lack of strict adherence to the patterns of any one Tradition is not an indicator of invalidity.

While many Wiccans meet in a coven, there are also a number of solitairies. These are individuals who choose to practice their faith alone. They may have been initiated in a coven or self initiated. They will join with other Wiccans to celebrate the festivals or to attend the various regional events organized by the larger community.

[There is a growing acceptance of solitaries in the pagan community as a whole as more and more pagans have chosen to be solitary rather than being forced into that role by the lack of community in their area. -- A.]

Within a traditional coven, the High Priestess, usually assisted by her High Priest, serves both as leader in the rituals and as teacher and counselor for coven members and unaffiliated Pagans. Eclectic covens tend to share leadership more equally.

Wiccans usually worship in groups. Individuals who are currently not affiliated with a coven, or are away from their home coven, may choose to worship privately or may form ad-hoc groups to mark religious occasions. Non-participating observers are not generally welcome at Wiccan rituals.

Some, but not all, Wiccan covens worship in the nude (*skyclad*) as a sign of attunement with Nature. Most, but not all, Wiccan covens bless and share a cup of wine as part of the ritual. Almost all Wiccans use an individual ritual knife (an *athame*) to focus and direct personal energy. Covens often also have ritual swords to direct the energy of the group. These tools, like all other ritual tools, are highly personal and should never leave the possession of the owner.

Other commonly used ritual tools include a bowl of water, a bowl of salt, a censer with incense, a disk with symbols engraved on it (a *pentacle*), statues or artwork representing the Goddess and God, and candles. Most groups will bless and share bread or cookies along with the wine. All of these items are used in individual, private worship as well as in congregate rituals.

None. Recognition of the death of a member takes place within the coven, apart from the body of the deceased. Ritual tools, materials, or writings found among the effects of the deceased should be returned to their home coven (typically a member will designate a person to whom ritual materials should be sent).

It is desirable for a Wiccan priest or priestess to be present at the time of death, but not strictly necessary. If not possible, the best assistance would be to make the member as comfortable as possible, listen to whatever they have to say, honor any possible requests, and otherwise leave them as quiet and private as possible.

No medical restrictions. Wiccans generally believe in the efficacy of spiritual or psychic healing when done in tandem with standard medical treatment. Therefore, at the request of the patient, other Wiccan personnel should be allowed visiting privileges as though they were immediate family, including access to Intensive Care Units. Most Wiccans believe that healing energy can be sent from great distances, so, if possible, in the case of any serious medical condition, the member's home coven should be notified.

With respect to attitude toward military service, Wiccans range from career military personnel to conscientious objectors. Wiccans do not proselytize and generally resent those who do. They believe that no one Path to the Sacred is right for all people, and see their own religious pattern as only one among many that are equally worthy. Wiccans respect all religions that foster honor and compassion in their adherents, and expect the same respect. Members are encouraged to learn about all faiths, and are permitted to attend the services of other religions, should they desire to do so.

The best general survey of the Wiccan and neo-Pagan movement is:

Adler, Margot. _Drawing_Down_the_Moon_. Boston: Beacon Press, 1986. 595pp

For more specific information about eclectic Wicca, see:

Starhawk. _The_Spiral_Dance_. New York: Harper & Row, 1979.

For more specific information about traditional Wicca, see:

Farrar, Janet, and Stewart Farrar. _Eight_Sabbats_for_Witches_. London: Robert Hale, 1981. 192pp.

______________. _The_Witches'_Way_. London: Robert Hale, 1984. 394pp.

[I could probably add another 10 books to this list without breaking a sweat, all of these, however, are good books. The books we've chosen for resources are good reference books for Beginners and that's why we've chosen them. -- A.]

Because of the autonomy of each coven and the wide variance of specific ritual practices, the best contact person would be the High Priestess or other leader of the member's home coven.

This text is several years old, and the addresses for CoG and for the military newsletter may both be out of date. A web search would probably point you in the direction of quite a bit of information (including the Military Pagan network, and the web page for CoG).

Wicca has no one Great Holy Book. We take our *scripture* from our coven traditions, from pagan/wiccan books, or from our own experience with the Divine. Some people new to Wicca may be uncomfortable with this, accustomed to their former One Great Book to turn to.

But Wicca does have some wonderful set pieces. *The Charge of the Goddess*, *The Charge of the God*, and *The Wiccan Rede* are texts that reflect core Wiccan belief and philosophy. This is about as close as we get to sacred text, and they are often turned to (and some other ritual pieces also drawn from the Gardnerian Book of Shadows) for some general direction. I have copied several versions of *The Charge* below, including the *Charge of the Star Goddess,* and the *Charge of the God.*

In Charles Godfrey Leland's _Aradia, Gospel of the Witches_ (written in the 1890's), Leland translates a manuscript he received from a witch he refers to as *Maddalena* in Tuscany, northern Italy. _Aradia_ is an important text to the Strega religion and is significant to all of modern paganism because it pre-dates the work of Margaret Murray and of Gerald Gardner. It is asserted to be a fragment of the scripture of *La Vecchia Religione* -- the Old Religion of Diana-worship (or in a word, witchcraft).

In one part of this *vangelo* [gospel], Aradia, the daughter of Diana and Lucifer, sent to Earth to lead and help the witches, says:

About half a century later, Gerald Brousseau Gardner and Doreen Valiente composed what in Wicca is called *The Charge of the Goddess*, the ritual speech in which the coven's High Priestess, having invoked the Goddess (*drawn down the moon*), now speaks with Her voice. The High Priest acts chiefly as a master of ceremonies, so to speak, introducing Her. The similarites between the Gardnerian Charge and Aradia's speach suggest that the Charge, as it appeared in the Gardnerian Book of Shadows, was adapted from Leland's Aradia.

In yet another version of the Charge it says:

The format of the Charge and its message have been changed and adapted so that the *words* of other deities are expressed.

The Rede is our primary ethical guideline. The phrase *As it harms none, do as you will* appears in many forms and is often repeated. Below I have copied a poetic version of the Rede (there are several of them running around) which gives instructions on numerous aspects of practicing the old religion.

As posted on alt.pagan by Jencina, with the comment:

*As I understand the history of this, it was originally publicly published in _The_Green_Egg_ in the late 60's or early 70's by Lady Gwen, a Celtic Traditionalist.*

Topics of Discussion and Assignments

1. In many coven traditions a student is expected to copy from their teacher's (or coven's) Book of Shadows in creating their own BoS. Hand writing passages for your BoS is a meditative chore; the belief is also that you will learn the material better this way. Into your notebook, copy at least one of the texts included in this lesson, the Charges, or the poetic Rede.

2. Looking in books or browsing the web, try to find other Charges or versions of the Rede. Share what you find with the list.

3. Read the Charges and the Rede carefully; what are the instructions that they give?

4. Looking back at the pages in your notebook from your pre- assignment, continue your lists. Do you have questions? Are there aspects of wiccan/pagan belief which you would like to see discussed on the list? Post any questions or comments which the lesson may have brought to mind.

5. In your reading or browsing, have you found other statements of pagan/wiccan belief or philosophy which you would like to see discussed on the list? Post about your own beliefs, about what is important to you, about why you feel drawn to this path.

Document Copyright (c) 1998 Andi Woods-Fasimpaur

This and all related documents can be re-published only as long as no information is changed, credit is given to the author, and is provided or used without cost to others.