The Wiccan Family Temple
Where all Pagans of all ages, races, traditions etc. can meet and gather together to Celebrate the Goddess and the God
WITCHES, WICCAN, TRADITIONS, OUR BOOK OF SHADOWS ON MARRIAGE, PAGAN PARENTING, DEATH ETC.- OUR BELIEF SYSTEM. 
TRADITIONS
Here you will find our beliefs, our myths, our holidays and their meanings, and all of the foundations for our religion. Our ethics and our actions all arise from our basic beliefs about the nature of the world. Many pagans and witches have a "Book of Shadows" wherein they keep the information that is fundamental to their religious belief and practice. Here then is ours in a nutshell.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Common Questions and Anwers about Wicca:
What is Wicca / Witchcraft?
Wicca is a Neo-Pagan religion with many traditions that date to pre-Christian (and prehistoric) Earth religions. It's roots are founded in a deep respect for nature and the knowledge that we do not have the right to exploit it for our own gain. You will find conservation and ecology, very dear to the heart of Wiccans . We believe, as in all Neo-Pagan religions, that both animate and inanimate objects possess a spirit which forms part of the Whole. Yet here you will find the term "spirit" does not equate to the Judeo-Christian term ghost, rather that essence which everything possesses, linking it to nature, making it an inalienable part of the universe. Wiccans celebrate the life-forces of nature as personified by the Goddess and her consort, the God. It is NOT a cult. You would be very hard pressed to find a Wiccan anywhere who would blindly follow anyone else. Wiccans are historically very independent people who seek truth from within through rituals, meditation, magic, studying and communing with nature. Wiccans respect the right of everyone to worship in their own way. Believing that everyone must find their own path in life. Basic Beliefs of Wicca. Wiccans all have a range of theological, ideological, and philosophical beliefs. The most important beliefs of a religion are the theological ones. Wicca believes that it is important for each individual Wiccan to name their gods. Wiccan covens gather in the name of a few gods agreed upon by all who join the coven circle. Each coven may have a different pantheon. Some emphasize the Goddess force while others include the God force. Wiccans can be atheists only believing in the power of themselves to bring about change, or they may be agnostic not deciding where the higher power comes from. Yet most Wiccans are animists believing that the divine is contained within the elements of the earth, water, fire, and air. Expressed in dreams as female and male divine forms worshipped equally as compliments and finally as the totality of one divine force in the universe which benefits humankind and helps to improve it. We call the divine force which is nature and in all nature God/dess. The God and Goddess as one loving and hating force
Witches do not do evil - They believe that doing evil and harm is against all ethical and moral laws. Further, Witchcraft tells us: "An ye harm none (not even yourself), do what ye will."
Witches do not worship Satan - They do not have a Satan/Devil or any all-evil deity in their religious structure. Witchcraft is a religion that underscores polarity and views God and Goddess as equal entities. Satan, or the Devil, has absolutely no place in Wicca or Witchcraft. The worship of Satan is the practice of profaning Christian symbolism and is thus a Christian heresy, rather than a Pagan religion. The Goddess and God of the Witches are in no way connected to Satanic practices. Satan, or the Devil, it is a Christian creation and they are more than welcome to keep him in all his thought form glory.
A male witch is not a Warlock - The word "Warlock" is a Scottish word meaning "oath breaker" and became a term designating a male Witch during the "burning times" (i.e.; the Inquisition). Male as well as female practitioners of the Craft are known as Witches.
What Wicca is Not-
Wicca is not a cult. A cult presupposes blind faith in a central figure whose every word is regarded as ultimate truth, and the utter conviction that no other way or philosophy will lead to this truth. You would be very hard pressed to find a Wiccan anywhere who would blindly follow anyone else. Wiccans are historically very independent people who seek truth from within through rituals, meditation, magic, study and communion with nature. Wiccans respect the right of everyone to worship in their own way. We do not feel that Wicca is the only way -- only that it is our way. Wicca is not synonymous with Satan worship: The very concept of a supreme evil spirit is alien to Wicca. In fact, most Wiccans do not even believe in Satan. The devil is a Judeo-Christian construct and as such, it has nothing to do with Wicca. The notion that witches worship Satan was propounded by the Roman Catholic Church as it made its way across Studying the Craft If you are interested in pursuing magickal studies, the best advise I can give you is to read, read and read. Other resources available to you are workshops and study groups hosted by your local Pagan or Wiccan ‘witchschools, bookstores, and new age shops’; network locally and on the internet through participation in newsgroups and on-line study groups. We did form the Wiccan Family Temple Academy of Pagan Studies right here in
Witches wear clothing of every color and every style - Many Witches do choose to wear black clothing or ritual robes. The color black is the culmination of all vibrational rates of light on the material plane. Black absorbs light information and helps Witches be more receptive to psychic impressions and energies.
'Holy' day of the week?
No. All seven days are "holy" for, didn't the Creator make 'em all? To set one ONE aside as being "holy" tends to put one in the mindset that "I can do anything I want during the rest of the week", which is wrong thinking. One's religion begins when you LEAVE the building; not for the one hour you're THERE! BECAUSE EVERY day is holy.
Creation According to Bible We believe that Genesis is an allegory symbolising how the world was created; for example, the "seven days " could've been 7 million years. Like the Buddhists, we believe that the two opposite polarities (God/Goddess, positive/negative, yin/yang --whatever you choose to call 'em) merged and created everything. Witches worship the same Creator (for there is only One) as all those who believe in a deity. This is the same Creator who is worshipped by Jews, Hindus, Moslems, and Christians. As no one knows what the Deity looks like (or even if the Deity has "looks"!), people have given the Creator physical form. After all, it is much easier to worship something you can see or imagine, rather than an abstract concept.
Final Judgement Most Witches believe in reincarnation. Like the Buddhists, we believe that we keep coming back to "purify" ourselves; when we've reached a certain level of "attainment", we are "absorbed" into the Godhead and don't come back any more. We feel that it's a cruel God that would "sentence" a soul to eternal Glory or Damnation based on the (relatively) short span of one's life. We don't believe in a "Final Judgment". We believe in the "3-Fold Law" , which states that whatever you do, be it good OR bad , comes back to you (in this life) three times over. And so, there is no incentive to do evil. Witches who do do evil are NOT" Witches"; just as "Christians" who murder people aren't Christians, because they aren't following the tenets of their belief system,
How do witches view death ? Many Witches believe in reincarnation and/or Summerland. After passing over, Summerland is where the spirit waits to be returned into a new physical form. We do not believe in a Heaven or Hell where the spirit spends eternity as reward or punishment for ones earthly actions.
Witches come from every socio-economic and ethnic background - Many witches are professional people holding positions of responsibility such as Doctors, Nurses, Police Officers, Teachers, etc. Witchcraft does not discriminate against color or ethnic origin and does view everything as equal in the eyes of the Goddess and God.
Suffer A Witch As was pointed out as early as 1584 by Reginald Scot in his Discoverie of Witchcraft, the original word in Hebrew, chasaph, means "poisoner", not "Witch". As the time of the Bible's writing, a poisoner could ruin a well and kill many people and livestock. This is what the Bible originally referred to. So why did the incorrect translation occur? King James I had a paranoid fear of Witches (as evidenced by his book, Deamonologie), and deliberately had his translators alter the text of the Bible to provide grounds for the extermination of Witches. (Also, the "Witch" of Endor was originally the Woman of Endor).Unfortunately, these incorrect translations are still being used in the same way today. It's not difficult to understand why Scot's book was burned at the command of James I.
Pantheism We believe that the Creator exists in every single atom in the Universe: rocks, buildings, the sky, yourself, and even the mouse you're holding! This concept is called Pantheism. We don't believe that the Creator is "removed" far away from us in some far-distant "heaven".
Where the broom flying originated. After planting their crops, the people of long ago would take brooms (or poles, & pitchforks) into the fields. They would put them between their legs, & gallop around the fields, leaping into the air, in an effort to "show the crops how high to grow". (This is known as "sympathetic magick", the belief that "like attracts like". It's modern-day equivalent is the idea that washing your car will cause it to rain!). Early Christians, in an effort to destroy our faith, deliberately distorted this idea, saying that Witches "flew through the air on brooms"
Wiccan Holidays Since Wicca is an "Earth Religion", we celebrate the Solstices and Equinoxes (the first day of Spring, Summer, Fall, & Winter). We call these "Ostara", "Litha", "Mabon", & "Yule", respectively. We also celebrate 4 days mid-way between the above dates. These are known as "Imbolc" - 2/2, "Beltane" - 5/1, "Lughnasadh" - 8/1, and "Samhain" - 10/31.On these days, we observe & celebrate the changing of the Seasons, & seek to attain balance within ourselves and to become attuned to the rhythms of Life. Please check our Calendar we are going to be coming out with as of October 2008.
Why be called a 'Witch'? The word "Witch" originally meant "Wise One" -- what's wrong with calling yourself a "Wise One"? ("Witchcraft", therefore, means "Craft of the Wise Ones"). Witches were the doctors, midwives, psychiatrists, and lawyers of a town -- a noble profession. It was only due to Christian distortions that the word became associated with "evil" and "devil-worship". Why not? After all it is who we are. Just as you are proud to call yourself 'Christian' so are we.
Witches do use spells - A spell is a thought, a projection, or a prayer. Other religions use prayer, meditation, projection and ritual to produce an intended result. The word "spell" does not imply doing evil or harm.
What does Skyclad mean and why do some Wiccans go Skyclad? The word ‘Skyclad’ means going naked in circle, coven, ritual etc. Some traditions do believe in doing so, others do not. I for one do not believe in it, since whether you are naked or not is quite irrelevant to how powerful your ritual is. At least that is my opinion. So our tradition does not go Skyclad. Others do have strong feelings about this topic.
Witches do use magic wands - Often you see the use of magic wands in children's cartoons and movies making the idea seem frivolous. In actuality the magic wands are used in healing for directing energy.
Witches do use Witchcraft as a science, an art and a religion - They use their knowledge and magic in harmony with the Universe and Nature around them.
The word "Witch" has a deep and rich history - As defined by the Oxford English Dictionary "Witchcraft" is a Celtic (pronounced Kell-tick) word meaning the wise, good people. "Wicce" (wick-kay), designates a female Witch where as "Wicca" (wick-kah) designates a male Witch.
In the religion of Witchcraft we view the pentacle as an amulet and a symbol for protection - The five-pointed star represents the human body and the earth. In combination, the star surrounded by the circle represents the human body encompassed by the protection of the Goddess/God force. The pentacle is the symbol for Universal Wisdom.
Witches do concern themselves with ecology - They have never forgotten this basic fact: the World is not our enemy. Neither is it inert, dumb matter. The Earth and all living things share the same life-force. They are composed of patterns of intelligence, of knowledge, and of divinity. All life is a web. We are woven into it as sisters and brothers of all. Witches need to be grounded in both worlds and awake to their responsibilities for both worlds. It is only being responsible human beings that we can be responsible Witches, and only responsible Witches will survive.*
*Excerpt from "Power of the Witch" by Laurie Cabot,
Delacourt Press. (Dell Publishing) N.Y., N.Y., October 1989 and other internet sources.
What do you believe about Marriage?
Marriage is a sacred contract between two consenting adults, to share their lives and selves with each other, and additionally raise or provide together for any children of the makeup of this households union. Being mindful that children deserve love, stability and guidance from their parents throughout their lifetime. Whatever the setting or the preferences agreed upon together, what is important is that everyone is comfortable and happy with it.
Do you believe in divorce?
While we would like to believe in fairy tales, people change or being human they do make mistakes. It exists as a necessary means of undoing mistakes, or acknowledging change that has caused those in the marriage to grow apart. If all parties enter into a union with a clear understanding of what is wanted, expected, and committed to, it is unlikely that divorce will be a necessary option. When people grow from a place where they are truly together, they rarely grow apart. This is why it is important that all parties be honest with each other, and make sure they know each other well from the start. As I discovered during my short marriage to my husband of 6 years communication, communication, communication it really works.
Do you believe in interfaith marriages?
We have no objection to interfaith marriages, per se, as long as the couple remain compatible enough to be happy together, and have come to a comfortable decision regard which tradition to raise the child or children of the union, if any. It is likely to be necessary that the other faith be one that we consider to be positive, as it's hard to imagine a comfortable union between people who are disturbed by one another's beliefs.
What about interracial marriages?
Until such time as a non-human wants to marry with a human being, and can clearly demonstrate and attest to that fact, and the human is willing, I do not believe there will be such a thing as an interracial marriage. People of all colors and heritage can be happy together; the only requirements are that they be human beings.
What do you mean by "Handfasting"?
We believe that people should know each other well, and in all seasons, before committing to something as serious as marriage, whether to an individual, or to a community. The best way we have found to ensure this is a handfasting, a commitment to make a commitment, if all are suited to it. The people involved are essentially engaged, and the commitment is binding and serious, but on a trial basis, to make sure all are truly suited before committing to what cannot be undone. Genes cannot be unmixed once a child is engendered, and marriage should recognize that. A handfasting can be for any length of time, in various traditions, but in ours we prefer the common year and a day - this ensures that all parties see each other in all moods and seasons. Summer love is very different under the bleak light of a February or November sky.
How do we feel about our children?
Children are a joy and a blessing, and the greatest responsibility known to humankind. They are our own gift to ourselves and to the universe around us. They must be raised in a loving atmosphere, by parents or guardians who have chosen to make them a priority, worthy of care for their health, well-being, and individuality. They deserve stability where possible in an ever-changing world, and love as a constant, in the form of the ready availability of a loving adult throughout their entire growing into their own adulthood. Their schooling should reflect the same attitude, giving them every opportunity to develop to their fullest potential; the direction of their development should be appropriate to their own character, aptitude, and desires, for only then will they be able to give the most to themselves and the world.
Freedom is among the most important elements to maintain in the life of a child, but even more important than that is safety and security and love, the elements in life that allow a child the true freedom to develop in health. Parents, and all other loving adults who have chosen to allow themselves to be important in the life of a child, are responsible for balancing these elements, allowing the child the freedom to develop into the adult they are capable of becoming, while ensuring the safety and health that they need to reach that potential. Above all, they must always make themselves available, or assure themselves and the child of the ready availability of a trusted adult - and that means trusted BY THE CHILD, AND THE PARENT(S)!
For the purpose of this discussion, the parents of a child are the adults who have made themselves responsible for the care and well-being of a child, generally through bringing that child into the world, but often through other means, such as adoption, or fostering. What is most important is that the child love them, that they love the child, and that the care and well-being of the child is the foremost consideration in their decisions until the child reaches adulthood, and is able to care for hirself*. It is impossible for a child to come into this world without some adult somewhere having a responsibility to this new life that is not to be denied; if that person does not remain available, or is unable to care for a child to the best interest of that child, that responsibility may/must be passed on to another person(s), who becomes the parent(s) for the purpose of this discussion. It does not seem to matter to the development of the child what age or gender the adults are, or the nature of their relationship, as long as they provide a loving and stable home.
Whatever the nature of the parenthood, these adults should not have to function alone; the healthiest children remain those who are brought up in a community of caring, trustworthy adults. Children are a 24-hour-a-day responsibility, 7 days a week, though the degree changes as the child grows to adulthood and takes on responsibility for elements of his/her own life. It is difficult for 2 healthy young adults to keep up with this demand and still meet the demands of providing for the family; where there are health problems, or a single parent must function alone for whatever reason, the demand can be devastating to the resources available, unless there is a strong community of dependable family or friends to draw on. Providing this community of support for themselves and their family is in many ways a paramount responsibility of the parent(s). Children don't give you sick days, or vacation; there are no kennels where they can be placed when you have no one to care for them. They need a caring adult to watch over their development, and ensure that no danger suddenly arises for which the child is not yet able take the responsibility of response. If the case is that one parent is raising that child it is sometimes sad to see how much one of the parents of that child leaves a lot of the responsibility to one parent alone. The should always be mindful that whether they are together with that other parent or not they are still to be there for that child as if they are doing this fully responsibly together. For you cannot babysit your child you can only parent them.
As the child grows, and acquires the experience necessary to judge each situation for his/herself, these adults need to gradually release the responsibility for each aspect of life to the manifesting adult, as it becomes appropriate to do so. This does not release these loving adults from the need and desire to keep the newly adult member of the community safe and healthy, insofar as they would do for any other adult that they care about. It is simply an acknowledgement that the developing adult has benefited from the time and opportunity provided to learn life's lessons in a safe environment, and is now able to take responsibility his/her own life. This does not happen all at once, but for each aspect of life in turn, as that point is reached.
How do you mark the birth of a child?
We do not believe in working any form of magic on any person without their informed consent. Therefore, we do not have any ritual which acts on the newborn child, like the Christian baptism into the body of Christ and his church.
However, there is nothing wrong with welcoming a child into the community, and having adults who pledge to be there for certain aspects of the child's life as the child grows. The birth of a child is cause for celebration, and when the baby is of time enough to taken out and about, it is a good time for a welcoming ritual.
The classic image from the fairy tales, of the godmothers gathering around giving gifts, is a good inspiration for the type of welcome that can be suitable. Most important is to welcome the child into the community, making it not just the child of its parents, and so their concern, but the child of the community, and so everyone's concern. The gifts should be hopes, dreams, teachings, and love - the gift of music, of laughter, or knowledge of a craft.
Should children learn magic?
Should children learn science? Remember, we consider the two to be facets of the same truth. Just as I would not teach a small child to make explosives, so I would not teach them any form of powerful action that could be dangerous to them, magical or otherwise. But there is no harm in teaching a child how to focus their will, or ground into the earth. In fact, I consider it important to teach a child how to manage their own energies, and their interaction with the energies around them. It might almost be viewed as a form of metaphysical toilet training those sensitive to the energy (electromagnetic or otherwise) found in their environment may be disturbed by a child with a strong and vital energy who does not know how to manage that energy to keep it from impinging on those around them. From this point of view, a child with any propensity to interact with the metaphysical aspects of his/her world should be trained in the management of his/her own energy.
Do you teach your children to be pagan?
Most of us teach our children the tradition we follow, as they are growing up. We encourage our children to explore whatever path they are drawn to, and hope that they will evaluate it carefully, with the tools we have given them, to determine whether it is positive and right for them. We hope they will do what is right for them. If it is to follow our path, that would make us happy, but it is not what is essential. What is most important is their well-being, mental, emotional, and spiritual. If we see them following a negative path, we are responsible for speaking to them, just as we would about any other danger to their well-being; if the danger is extreme, as with a young child fascinated by a dangerous cult that imperils its members, we are responsible for intervening on behalf of the well-being of our children, as we would with any other danger beyond their experience or comprehension. We hope that teaching our children to think clearly about the ethics, implications, and merits of different systems of belief will protect them from the dangers of any harmful path, but this does not remove our responsibility to protect them until they are old enough to protect themselves.
Drugs
What do you believe about drugs?
Within our environment we may find many substances that affect the operation of our bodies other than by simply fueling them. These substances are bioactive, and may affect us for positive or negative effect. Some substances have a routinely negative effect, and these we call poisonous. Some substances have a routinely beneficial effect, and these we call "medicinal", or "therapeutic", or even "tonic". Some beneficial substances can have a harmful effect in higher doses, or when used inappropriately, and those require caution. Some beneficial substances have no known negative effects, or those negative effects occur only under exceedingly unusual or unlikely circumstances, or at monstrous, nearly unattainable dosage levels; these we consider to be safe for unsupervised use. Almost all these substances may be considered to be drugs, with the possible exception of those poisonous substances for which absolutely no medicinal or recreational use has been found.
That said, it is difficult to make a blanket statement concerning all drugs. We tend to favor natural medicine, those forms of medicine that owe their efficacy to natural elements of our environment, or the way our bodies work. Synthetic drugs often come from dangerous sources, like petroleum distillates, that leave us questioning their safety for use in the human body without repercussions which there has not been adequate time to study, since these medicines have only been available in their synthetic form for a short period of time. We advocate educating yourself, and bringing up any concerns with the health care practitioner of your choice.
What do you believe about "illicit" drugs?
As for "illicit" drug use, most "illicit" drugs fall into the dangerous category, without adequate history of reliable evaluation to allow the final determination of their effects on the human body, but with initial results indicating significant dangers inherent in their use. An exception to this are the historically used ritual plant medicines of many native peoples; some of these have an extremely long documented history of safe use, in one case even producing such positive benefits, including apparently immunizing the user against other drug use, that the Brazilian government chose to legalize it for continued use by the native population. Those plant medicines that have been demonstrated as safe and beneficial should be available for appropriate use within the world population as a whole, whatever their current legal status in various nations.
What do you believe about recreational drug use?
We do not advocate recreational drug use of any kind, though we recognize that this encompasses every substance from white sugar to caffeine and chocolate, as well as alcohol and many harder substances - this choice is left to the individual, who is called to judge the potential harm in the situation, and make a responsible and ethical decision that causes harm to no one. It is difficult to imagine a circumstance in which less harm would result from choosing to use one of the harder drugs than from refraining from doing so, so it can be generally said that we are opposed to the use of any dangerous drug, or substance that causes harm or high risk of harm to the user or the persons in their environment, unless the alternative poses a worse threat.
What do you believe about driving under the influence?
We do recognize that it is nearly impossible to drive safely while under the influence of certain substances, including alcohol, and for this reason believe that it is unacceptable to choose to allow a situation to arise where one may be called upon to drive under the influence of any substance or circumstance that may reasonably be expected to impair one's driving safety. This includes driving while under the influence of intense emotion, or extreme lack of sleep.
Do you believe drug use can impair ritual functioning?
We believe that many drugs impair the ability of the user to adequately assess incoming information, and/or make a responsible decision based on that information, and therefore remove the ability of the user to give informed consent to any request that would require it. These and other substances can impair the concentration and ability to direct the mind and the will to a given goal or purpose, and therefore we strongly advise that no person attempt to act in a metaphysical way while under the influence of any substance that impairs the awareness, concentration, or other relevant functioning of the individual. One possible exception to this rule of thumb regards rituals such as vision-quests, which historically possess a carefully designed ritual to ensure the safety of the participant, while allowing thereby the safe use of substances which alter the perceptions of the participant in ways that might otherwise endanger his/her safety. Ritual fasting falls in this category as well, along with any rituals that deprive the participant of sleep; all are best undertaken only under the supervision of an experienced practitioner, preferably one with medical training as well.
What do you believe is the difference between drug use and abuse?
Many, if not most, drugs have legitimate medical uses, for which they should be available. If they were not, our medical practitioners, of whatever variety, would be unable to treat us. As properly educated adults, we are able to choose to use some drugs for our own medicinal needs or recreational desires. This includes the choice to consume white sugar or chocolate purely for the enjoyment, or to use pseudoephedrine or acetominophen, or aspirin, as we need it to treat congestion, headache, or mild aches, pains or inflammation.
This choice to use a bioactive substance, or drug, is clearly not the sole indication of drug abuse. Neither can we judge solely by the type of drug; as the medical community is increasingly recognizing, there are many legitimate medical uses for strong pain medications, yet I think we can all agree that the use of such a drug by a person not suffering the pain that would necessitate it for medical use would be drug abuse.
Once again, the choice to refrain from causing harm would seem to be the defining criterion. When a drug is used appropriately, its use causes benefits that outweigh its risks of doing harm. When a drug is abused, it causes harm and/or the serious risk of harm to its abuser, and/or to others. That harm, unbalanced by adequate corresponding benefit, is the defining criterion of drug abuse, regardless of the drug involved.
What do you believe about drug abuse?
While we recognize the right of adults to make choices that risk or harm themselves, no individual has the right to harm or risk harm to another who has not consented to such harm or risk. As with any other decision to cause harm, we believe that the harm will rebound on the person causing it, several times over. We recognize the right of an individual to accept harm to his/herself as a consequence of informed, sane, decisions. As with all other decisions, the applicable criteria are safe, sane, and consensual, with the understanding that either safe or sane may be sacrificed, as long as the other two criteria are met, and consensual is never sacrificed. This means that we never accept drug abuse or any other action that causes harm or risk of harm to others who did not consent to it, and we believe that even with the consent of the recipient, harm done will still be cause for repercussion upon the doer, several times over.
What do you believe about drug abuse in magickal practice?
If one is abusing drugs due to addiction, one has demonstrated a lack of control over one's own energy, and should not be exercising control over the energy of others, or over their own under circumstances that require tight control, such as magickal practice. If a person is choosing freely to abuse drugs, s/he is unlikely to have the balanced positive approach that we respect most, and this is likely to affect the results of any magical work in which this person is involved. So either way, we are concerned and uncomfortable when we encounter ritual or magical practice that is led by a person who abuses drugs.
TRADITIONS Here you will find our beliefs, our myths, our holidays and their meanings, and all of the foundations for our religion. Our ethics and our actions all arise from our basic beliefs about the nature of the world. Many pagans and witches have a "Book of Shadows" wherein they keep the information that is fundamental to their religious belief and practice. Here then is ours in a nutshell. FOR YOUR INFORMATION Common Questions and Anwers about Wicca: What is Wicca / Witchcraft? Witches do not do evil - They believe that doing evil and harm is against all ethical and moral laws. Further, Witchcraft tells us: "An ye harm none (not even yourself), do what ye will." Witches do not worship Satan - They do not have a Satan/Devil or any all-evil deity in their religious structure. Witchcraft is a religion that underscores polarity and views God and Goddess as equal entities. Satan, or the Devil, has absolutely no place in Wicca or Witchcraft. The worship of Satan is the practice of profaning Christian symbolism and is thus a Christian heresy, rather than a Pagan religion. The Goddess and God of the Witches are in no way connected to Satanic practices. Satan, or the Devil, it is a Christian creation and they are more than welcome to keep him in all his thought form glory. A male witch is not a Warlock - The word "Warlock" is a Scottish word meaning "oath breaker" and became a term designating a male Witch during the "burning times" (i.e.; the Inquisition). Male as well as female practitioners of the Craft are known as Witches. What Wicca is Not- Studying the Craft If you are interested in pursuing magickal studies, the best advise I can give you is to read, read and read. Other resources available to you are workshops and study groups hosted by your local Pagan or Wiccan ‘witchschools, bookstores, and new age shops’; network locally and on the internet through participation in newsgroups and on-line study groups. We did form the Wiccan Family Temple Academy of Pagan Studies right here in Witches wear clothing of every color and every style - Many Witches do choose to wear black clothing or ritual robes. The color black is the culmination of all vibrational rates of light on the material plane. Black absorbs light information and helps Witches be more receptive to psychic impressions and energies. 'Holy' day of the week? Creation According to Bible We believe that Genesis is an allegory symbolising how the world was created; for example, the "seven days " could've been 7 million years. Like the Buddhists, we believe that the two opposite polarities (God/Goddess, positive/negative, yin/yang --whatever you choose to call 'em) merged and created everything. Witches worship the same Creator (for there is only One) as all those who believe in a deity. This is the same Creator who is worshipped by Jews, Hindus, Moslems, and Christians. As no one knows what the Deity looks like (or even if the Deity has "looks"!), people have given the Creator physical form. After all, it is much easier to worship something you can see or imagine, rather than an abstract concept. Final Judgement Most Witches believe in reincarnation. Like the Buddhists, we believe that we keep coming back to "purify" ourselves; when we've reached a certain level of "attainment", we are "absorbed" into the Godhead and don't come back any more. We feel that it's a cruel God that would "sentence" a soul to eternal Glory or Damnation based on the (relatively) short span of one's life. We don't believe in a "Final Judgment". We believe in the "3-Fold Law" , which states that whatever you do, be it good OR bad , comes back to you (in this life) three times over. And so, there is no incentive to do evil. Witches who do do evil are NOT" Witches"; just as "Christians" who murder people aren't Christians, because they aren't following the tenets of their belief system, How do witches view death ? Many Witches believe in reincarnation and/or Summerland. After passing over, Summerland is where the spirit waits to be returned into a new physical form. We do not believe in a Heaven or Hell where the spirit spends eternity as reward or punishment for ones earthly actions. Witches come from every socio-economic and ethnic background - Many witches are professional people holding positions of responsibility such as Doctors, Nurses, Police Officers, Teachers, etc. Witchcraft does not discriminate against color or ethnic origin and does view everything as equal in the eyes of the Goddess and God. Suffer A Witch As was pointed out as early as 1584 by Reginald Scot in his Discoverie of Witchcraft, the original word in Hebrew, chasaph, means "poisoner", not "Witch". As the time of the Bible's writing, a poisoner could ruin a well and kill many people and livestock. This is what the Bible originally referred to. So why did the incorrect translation occur? King James I had a paranoid fear of Witches (as evidenced by his book, Deamonologie), and deliberately had his translators alter the text of the Bible to provide grounds for the extermination of Witches. (Also, the "Witch" of Endor was originally the Woman of Endor).Unfortunately, these incorrect translations are still being used in the same way today. It's not difficult to understand why Scot's book was burned at the command of James I. Pantheism We believe that the Creator exists in every single atom in the Universe: rocks, buildings, the sky, yourself, and even the mouse you're holding! This concept is called Pantheism. We don't believe that the Creator is "removed" far away from us in some far-distant "heaven". Where the broom flying originated. After planting their crops, the people of long ago would take brooms (or poles, & pitchforks) into the fields. They would put them between their legs, & gallop around the fields, leaping into the air, in an effort to "show the crops how high to grow". (This is known as "sympathetic magick", the belief that "like attracts like". It's modern-day equivalent is the idea that washing your car will cause it to rain!). Early Christians, in an effort to destroy our faith, deliberately distorted this idea, saying that Witches "flew through the air on brooms" Wiccan Holidays Since Wicca is an "Earth Religion", we celebrate the Solstices and Equinoxes (the first day of Spring, Summer, Fall, & Winter). We call these "Ostara", "Litha", "Mabon", & "Yule", respectively. We also celebrate 4 days mid-way between the above dates. These are known as "Imbolc" - 2/2, "Beltane" - 5/1, "Lughnasadh" - 8/1, and "Samhain" - 10/31.On these days, we observe & celebrate the changing of the Seasons, & seek to attain balance within ourselves and to become attuned to the rhythms of Life. Please check our Calendar we are going to be coming out with as of October 2008. Why be called a 'Witch'? The word "Witch" originally meant "Wise One" -- what's wrong with calling yourself a "Wise One"? ("Witchcraft", therefore, means "Craft of the Wise Ones"). Witches were the doctors, midwives, psychiatrists, and lawyers of a town -- a noble profession. It was only due to Christian distortions that the word became associated with "evil" and "devil-worship". Why not? After all it is who we are. Just as you are proud to call yourself 'Christian' so are we. Witches do use spells - A spell is a thought, a projection, or a prayer. Other religions use prayer, meditation, projection and ritual to produce an intended result. The word "spell" does not imply doing evil or harm. What does Skyclad mean and why do some Wiccans go Skyclad? The word ‘Skyclad’ means going naked in circle, coven, ritual etc. Some traditions do believe in doing so, others do not. I for one do not believe in it, since whether you are naked or not is quite irrelevant to how powerful your ritual is. At least that is my opinion. So our tradition does not go Skyclad. Others do have strong feelings about this topic. Witches do use magic wands - Often you see the use of magic wands in children's cartoons and movies making the idea seem frivolous. In actuality the magic wands are used in healing for directing energy. Witches do use Witchcraft as a science, an art and a religion - They use their knowledge and magic in harmony with the Universe and Nature around them. The word "Witch" has a deep and rich history - As defined by the Oxford English Dictionary "Witchcraft" is a Celtic (pronounced Kell-tick) word meaning the wise, good people. "Wicce" (wick-kay), designates a female Witch where as "Wicca" (wick-kah) designates a male Witch. In the religion of Witchcraft we view the pentacle as an amulet and a symbol for protection - The five-pointed star represents the human body and the earth. In combination, the star surrounded by the circle represents the human body encompassed by the protection of the Goddess/God force. The pentacle is the symbol for Universal Wisdom. Witches do concern themselves with ecology - They have never forgotten this basic fact: the World is not our enemy. Neither is it inert, dumb matter. The Earth and all living things share the same life-force. They are composed of patterns of intelligence, of knowledge, and of divinity. All life is a web. We are woven into it as sisters and brothers of all. Witches need to be grounded in both worlds and awake to their responsibilities for both worlds. It is only being responsible human beings that we can be responsible Witches, and only responsible Witches will survive.* Marriage is a sacred contract between two consenting adults, to share their lives and selves with each other, and additionally raise or provide together for any children of the makeup of this households union. Being mindful that children deserve love, stability and guidance from their parents throughout their lifetime. Whatever the setting or the preferences agreed upon together, what is important is that everyone is comfortable and happy with it. While we would like to believe in fairy tales, people change or being human they do make mistakes. It exists as a necessary means of undoing mistakes, or acknowledging change that has caused those in the marriage to grow apart. If all parties enter into a union with a clear understanding of what is wanted, expected, and committed to, it is unlikely that divorce will be a necessary option. When people grow from a place where they are truly together, they rarely grow apart. This is why it is important that all parties be honest with each other, and make sure they know each other well from the start. As I discovered during my short marriage to my husband of 6 years communication, communication, communication it really works. We have no objection to interfaith marriages, per se, as long as the couple remain compatible enough to be happy together, and have come to a comfortable decision regard which tradition to raise the child or children of the union, if any. It is likely to be necessary that the other faith be one that we consider to be positive, as it's hard to imagine a comfortable union between people who are disturbed by one another's beliefs. Until such time as a non-human wants to marry with a human being, and can clearly demonstrate and attest to that fact, and the human is willing, I do not believe there will be such a thing as an interracial marriage. People of all colors and heritage can be happy together; the only requirements are that they be human beings. We believe that people should know each other well, and in all seasons, before committing to something as serious as marriage, whether to an individual, or to a community. The best way we have found to ensure this is a handfasting, a commitment to make a commitment, if all are suited to it. The people involved are essentially engaged, and the commitment is binding and serious, but on a trial basis, to make sure all are truly suited before committing to what cannot be undone. Genes cannot be unmixed once a child is engendered, and marriage should recognize that. A handfasting can be for any length of time, in various traditions, but in ours we prefer the common year and a day - this ensures that all parties see each other in all moods and seasons. Summer love is very different under the bleak light of a February or November sky. Children are a joy and a blessing, and the greatest responsibility known to humankind. They are our own gift to ourselves and to the universe around us. They must be raised in a loving atmosphere, by parents or guardians who have chosen to make them a priority, worthy of care for their health, well-being, and individuality. They deserve stability where possible in an ever-changing world, and love as a constant, in the form of the ready availability of a loving adult throughout their entire growing into their own adulthood. Their schooling should reflect the same attitude, giving them every opportunity to develop to their fullest potential; the direction of their development should be appropriate to their own character, aptitude, and desires, for only then will they be able to give the most to themselves and the world. Freedom is among the most important elements to maintain in the life of a child, but even more important than that is safety and security and love, the elements in life that allow a child the true freedom to develop in health. Parents, and all other loving adults who have chosen to allow themselves to be important in the life of a child, are responsible for balancing these elements, allowing the child the freedom to develop into the adult they are capable of becoming, while ensuring the safety and health that they need to reach that potential. Above all, they must always make themselves available, or assure themselves and the child of the ready availability of a trusted adult - and that means trusted BY THE CHILD, AND THE PARENT(S)! For the purpose of this discussion, the parents of a child are the adults who have made themselves responsible for the care and well-being of a child, generally through bringing that child into the world, but often through other means, such as adoption, or fostering. What is most important is that the child love them, that they love the child, and that the care and well-being of the child is the foremost consideration in their decisions until the child reaches adulthood, and is able to care for hirself*. It is impossible for a child to come into this world without some adult somewhere having a responsibility to this new life that is not to be denied; if that person does not remain available, or is unable to care for a child to the best interest of that child, that responsibility may/must be passed on to another person(s), who becomes the parent(s) for the purpose of this discussion. It does not seem to matter to the development of the child what age or gender the adults are, or the nature of their relationship, as long as they provide a loving and stable home. Whatever the nature of the parenthood, these adults should not have to function alone; the healthiest children remain those who are brought up in a community of caring, trustworthy adults. Children are a 24-hour-a-day responsibility, 7 days a week, though the degree changes as the child grows to adulthood and takes on responsibility for elements of his/her own life. It is difficult for 2 healthy young adults to keep up with this demand and still meet the demands of providing for the family; where there are health problems, or a single parent must function alone for whatever reason, the demand can be devastating to the resources available, unless there is a strong community of dependable family or friends to draw on. Providing this community of support for themselves and their family is in many ways a paramount responsibility of the parent(s). Children don't give you sick days, or vacation; there are no kennels where they can be placed when you have no one to care for them. They need a caring adult to watch over their development, and ensure that no danger suddenly arises for which the child is not yet able take the responsibility of response. If the case is that one parent is raising that child it is sometimes sad to see how much one of the parents of that child leaves a lot of the responsibility to one parent alone. The should always be mindful that whether they are together with that other parent or not they are still to be there for that child as if they are doing this fully responsibly together. For you cannot babysit your child you can only parent them. As the child grows, and acquires the experience necessary to judge each situation for his/herself, these adults need to gradually release the responsibility for each aspect of life to the manifesting adult, as it becomes appropriate to do so. This does not release these loving adults from the need and desire to keep the newly adult member of the community safe and healthy, insofar as they would do for any other adult that they care about. It is simply an acknowledgement that the developing adult has benefited from the time and opportunity provided to learn life's lessons in a safe environment, and is now able to take responsibility his/her own life. This does not happen all at once, but for each aspect of life in turn, as that point is reached. We do not believe in working any form of magic on any person without their informed consent. Therefore, we do not have any ritual which acts on the newborn child, like the Christian baptism into the body of Christ and his church. However, there is nothing wrong with welcoming a child into the community, and having adults who pledge to be there for certain aspects of the child's life as the child grows. The birth of a child is cause for celebration, and when the baby is of time enough to taken out and about, it is a good time for a welcoming ritual. The classic image from the fairy tales, of the godmothers gathering around giving gifts, is a good inspiration for the type of welcome that can be suitable. Most important is to welcome the child into the community, making it not just the child of its parents, and so their concern, but the child of the community, and so everyone's concern. The gifts should be hopes, dreams, teachings, and love - the gift of music, of laughter, or knowledge of a craft. Should children learn science? Remember, we consider the two to be facets of the same truth. Just as I would not teach a small child to make explosives, so I would not teach them any form of powerful action that could be dangerous to them, magical or otherwise. But there is no harm in teaching a child how to focus their will, or ground into the earth. In fact, I consider it important to teach a child how to manage their own energies, and their interaction with the energies around them. It might almost be viewed as a form of metaphysical toilet training those sensitive to the energy (electromagnetic or otherwise) found in their environment may be disturbed by a child with a strong and vital energy who does not know how to manage that energy to keep it from impinging on those around them. From this point of view, a child with any propensity to interact with the metaphysical aspects of his/her world should be trained in the management of his/her own energy. Most of us teach our children the tradition we follow, as they are growing up. We encourage our children to explore whatever path they are drawn to, and hope that they will evaluate it carefully, with the tools we have given them, to determine whether it is positive and right for them. We hope they will do what is right for them. If it is to follow our path, that would make us happy, but it is not what is essential. What is most important is their well-being, mental, emotional, and spiritual. If we see them following a negative path, we are responsible for speaking to them, just as we would about any other danger to their well-being; if the danger is extreme, as with a young child fascinated by a dangerous cult that imperils its members, we are responsible for intervening on behalf of the well-being of our children, as we would with any other danger beyond their experience or comprehension. We hope that teaching our children to think clearly about the ethics, implications, and merits of different systems of belief will protect them from the dangers of any harmful path, but this does not remove our responsibility to protect them until they are old enough to protect themselves. Drugs Within our environment we may find many substances that affect the operation of our bodies other than by simply fueling them. These substances are bioactive, and may affect us for positive or negative effect. Some substances have a routinely negative effect, and these we call poisonous. Some substances have a routinely beneficial effect, and these we call "medicinal", or "therapeutic", or even "tonic". Some beneficial substances can have a harmful effect in higher doses, or when used inappropriately, and those require caution. Some beneficial substances have no known negative effects, or those negative effects occur only under exceedingly unusual or unlikely circumstances, or at monstrous, nearly unattainable dosage levels; these we consider to be safe for unsupervised use. Almost all these substances may be considered to be drugs, with the possible exception of those poisonous substances for which absolutely no medicinal or recreational use has been found. That said, it is difficult to make a blanket statement concerning all drugs. We tend to favor natural medicine, those forms of medicine that owe their efficacy to natural elements of our environment, or the way our bodies work. Synthetic drugs often come from dangerous sources, like petroleum distillates, that leave us questioning their safety for use in the human body without repercussions which there has not been adequate time to study, since these medicines have only been available in their synthetic form for a short period of time. We advocate educating yourself, and bringing up any concerns with the health care practitioner of your choice. As for "illicit" drug use, most "illicit" drugs fall into the dangerous category, without adequate history of reliable evaluation to allow the final determination of their effects on the human body, but with initial results indicating significant dangers inherent in their use. An exception to this are the historically used ritual plant medicines of many native peoples; some of these have an extremely long documented history of safe use, in one case even producing such positive benefits, including apparently immunizing the user against other drug use, that the Brazilian government chose to legalize it for continued use by the native population. Those plant medicines that have been demonstrated as safe and beneficial should be available for appropriate use within the world population as a whole, whatever their current legal status in various nations. We do not advocate recreational drug use of any kind, though we recognize that this encompasses every substance from white sugar to caffeine and chocolate, as well as alcohol and many harder substances - this choice is left to the individual, who is called to judge the potential harm in the situation, and make a responsible and ethical decision that causes harm to no one. It is difficult to imagine a circumstance in which less harm would result from choosing to use one of the harder drugs than from refraining from doing so, so it can be generally said that we are opposed to the use of any dangerous drug, or substance that causes harm or high risk of harm to the user or the persons in their environment, unless the alternative poses a worse threat. We do recognize that it is nearly impossible to drive safely while under the influence of certain substances, including alcohol, and for this reason believe that it is unacceptable to choose to allow a situation to arise where one may be called upon to drive under the influence of any substance or circumstance that may reasonably be expected to impair one's driving safety. This includes driving while under the influence of intense emotion, or extreme lack of sleep. We believe that many drugs impair the ability of the user to adequately assess incoming information, and/or make a responsible decision based on that information, and therefore remove the ability of the user to give informed consent to any request that would require it. These and other substances can impair the concentration and ability to direct the mind and the will to a given goal or purpose, and therefore we strongly advise that no person attempt to act in a metaphysical way while under the influence of any substance that impairs the awareness, concentration, or other relevant functioning of the individual. One possible exception to this rule of thumb regards rituals such as vision-quests, which historically possess a carefully designed ritual to ensure the safety of the participant, while allowing thereby the safe use of substances which alter the perceptions of the participant in ways that might otherwise endanger his/her safety. Ritual fasting falls in this category as well, along with any rituals that deprive the participant of sleep; all are best undertaken only under the supervision of an experienced practitioner, preferably one with medical training as well. Many, if not most, drugs have legitimate medical uses, for which they should be available. If they were not, our medical practitioners, of whatever variety, would be unable to treat us. As properly educated adults, we are able to choose to use some drugs for our own medicinal needs or recreational desires. This includes the choice to consume white sugar or chocolate purely for the enjoyment, or to use pseudoephedrine or acetominophen, or aspirin, as we need it to treat congestion, headache, or mild aches, pains or inflammation. This choice to use a bioactive substance, or drug, is clearly not the sole indication of drug abuse. Neither can we judge solely by the type of drug; as the medical community is increasingly recognizing, there are many legitimate medical uses for strong pain medications, yet I think we can all agree that the use of such a drug by a person not suffering the pain that would necessitate it for medical use would be drug abuse. Once again, the choice to refrain from causing harm would seem to be the defining criterion. When a drug is used appropriately, its use causes benefits that outweigh its risks of doing harm. When a drug is abused, it causes harm and/or the serious risk of harm to its abuser, and/or to others. That harm, unbalanced by adequate corresponding benefit, is the defining criterion of drug abuse, regardless of the drug involved. While we recognize the right of adults to make choices that risk or harm themselves, no individual has the right to harm or risk harm to another who has not consented to such harm or risk. As with any other decision to cause harm, we believe that the harm will rebound on the person causing it, several times over. We recognize the right of an individual to accept harm to his/herself as a consequence of informed, sane, decisions. As with all other decisions, the applicable criteria are safe, sane, and consensual, with the understanding that either safe or sane may be sacrificed, as long as the other two criteria are met, and consensual is never sacrificed. This means that we never accept drug abuse or any other action that causes harm or risk of harm to others who did not consent to it, and we believe that even with the consent of the recipient, harm done will still be cause for repercussion upon the doer, several times over. If one is abusing drugs due to addiction, one has demonstrated a lack of control over one's own energy, and should not be exercising control over the energy of others, or over their own under circumstances that require tight control, such as magickal practice. If a person is choosing freely to abuse drugs, s/he is unlikely to have the balanced positive approach that we respect most, and this is likely to affect the results of any magical work in which this person is involved. So either way, we are concerned and uncomfortable when we encounter ritual or magical practice that is led by a person who abuses drugs.
Wicca is a Neo-Pagan religion with many traditions that date to pre-Christian (and prehistoric) Earth religions. It's roots are founded in a deep respect for nature and the knowledge that we do not have the right to exploit it for our own gain. You will find conservation and ecology, very dear to the heart of Wiccans . We believe, as in all Neo-Pagan religions, that both animate and inanimate objects possess a spirit which forms part of the Whole. Yet here you will find the term "spirit" does not equate to the Judeo-Christian term ghost, rather that essence which everything possesses, linking it to nature, making it an inalienable part of the universe. Wiccans celebrate the life-forces of nature as personified by the Goddess and her consort, the God. It is NOT a cult. You would be very hard pressed to find a Wiccan anywhere who would blindly follow anyone else. Wiccans are historically very independent people who seek truth from within through rituals, meditation, magic, studying and communing with nature. Wiccans respect the right of everyone to worship in their own way. Believing that everyone must find their own path in life. Basic Beliefs of Wicca. Wiccans all have a range of theological, ideological, and philosophical beliefs. The most important beliefs of a religion are the theological ones. Wicca believes that it is important for each individual Wiccan to name their gods. Wiccan covens gather in the name of a few gods agreed upon by all who join the coven circle. Each coven may have a different pantheon. Some emphasize the Goddess force while others include the God force. Wiccans can be atheists only believing in the power of themselves to bring about change, or they may be agnostic not deciding where the higher power comes from. Yet most Wiccans are animists believing that the divine is contained within the elements of the earth, water, fire, and air. Expressed in dreams as female and male divine forms worshipped equally as compliments and finally as the totality of one divine force in the universe which benefits humankind and helps to improve it. We call the divine force which is nature and in all nature God/dess. The God and Goddess as one loving and hating force
Wicca is not a cult. A cult presupposes blind faith in a central figure whose every word is regarded as ultimate truth, and the utter conviction that no other way or philosophy will lead to this truth. You would be very hard pressed to find a Wiccan anywhere who would blindly follow anyone else. Wiccans are historically very independent people who seek truth from within through rituals, meditation, magic, study and communion with nature. Wiccans respect the right of everyone to worship in their own way. We do not feel that Wicca is the only way -- only that it is our way. Wicca is not synonymous with Satan worship: The very concept of a supreme evil spirit is alien to Wicca. In fact, most Wiccans do not even believe in Satan. The devil is a Judeo-Christian construct and as such, it has nothing to do with Wicca. The notion that witches worship Satan was propounded by the Roman Catholic Church as it made its way across
No. All seven days are "holy" for, didn't the Creator make 'em all? To set one ONE aside as being "holy" tends to put one in the mindset that "I can do anything I want during the rest of the week", which is wrong thinking. One's religion begins when you LEAVE the building; not for the one hour you're THERE! BECAUSE EVERY day is holy.
*Excerpt from "Power of the Witch" by Laurie Cabot,
Delacourt Press. (Dell Publishing) N.Y., N.Y., October 1989 and other internet sources. What do you believe about Marriage?
Do you believe in divorce?
Do you believe in interfaith marriages?
What about interracial marriages?
What do you mean by "Handfasting"?
How do we feel about our children?
How do you mark the birth of a child?
Should children learn magic?
Do you teach your children to be pagan?
What do you believe about drugs?
What do you believe about "illicit" drugs?
What do you believe about recreational drug use?
What do you believe about driving under the influence?
Do you believe drug use can impair ritual functioning?
What do you believe is the difference between drug use and abuse?
What do you believe about drug abuse?
What do you believe about drug abuse in magickal practice?
