Merry Meet and Brightest Blessings,

Most of the following is taken from a Wicca page on the net, which I feel shows many of the dictates and ways to which modern witches take a view upon life. Read it and if you have any questions please ask me and I will do my best to answer them for you.

(I wish to apologize for the fact that I have misplaced the original writers name. If you are that person

please do contact me and I shall of course give you full credit)

Lady Guenhwyvar

Wicca is my religion - it is how I perceive the Divine. How I relate to and commune with the Divine and apply my magickal learning I call Witchcraft or simply, the Craft. I use the words Witch and Wiccan interchangeably, although it should be known that there are other forms of Witchcraft besides Wicca. Strega, for example, is an Italian branch of Witchcraft. But just as Baptists and Methodists alike can call themselves Christians, so too, can anyone who practices the Craft call themselves a Witch.

Wicca is a neo-pagan religion based on pre-Christian European traditions. Although Wicca itself is a fairly new religion, its origins can be traced back to Paleolithic people who worshipped a Hunter God and a Fertility Goddess. I don't claim that the Wicca I practice today is anything even similar to Pagan rites practiced in ancient times. Religion is not stagnant; it grows and changes with the times.

In 1951, the last laws against Witchcraft were repealed in England and a man named Gerald Gardner became the first to bring modern Witchcraft to public attention. He called it "Wicca", which comes from the Saxon root "wicce" – loosely translated as "wise," and his tradition came to be known as Gardnerian. From there, many hundreds of traditions of Wicca were formed.

Being a Witch means you have to be painfully honest with yourself and accept full responsibility for anything in your life that you have done wrong. A lot of people have a really hard time with that concept and think that Witchcraft is a quick fix to all the things that have gone wrong in their lives. Not so. If you accept this as your spiritual path, the God and Goddess are going to force you to take a long, hard look at your life and yourself and make you work to fix any problems you have caused. (and I find most people, including myself, generally are the cause of most of their major problems.) I went through this after my initiation - everything in my life sort of fell apart and I was forced to look within myself for what I had done wrong and make some serious changes. It has made me a stronger person, though, so I don't regret a bit of it.

If you are ready to start making some changes in your life to make you a better person and your life a better one to live, then you are ready to become a Witch. If you're looking for a quick and easy solution to what troubles you, then you're not ready. It's really that simple.

The following are some questions that people frequently ask me about Wicca and the Craft and my answers to those questions. The views represented are mine alone.

What are the ethical standards of Witchcraft?

Witchcraft teaches responsibility for one's own actions. Witches don't have a personification of evil to blame for "tempting" them into doing harmful things. What is important is the intent of the Witches' action. Evil actions will reap negative returns, just as positive actions will bring positive things to a Witch's life. The Wiccan religion has a central tenet, called the Wiccan Rede, which says, "If it harms none, do what you will." The harm refers to gratuitous harm; defending oneself is, of course, permissible. This does not mean however go out and provoke someone just so you can use your “powers”. Responding to uncalled for attacks is permissible but don’t deliberately go out and start a Witch War.

Do you worship Satan?

No. This is one of the most common misconceptions about this religion. Witches do not believe in the concept of hell or Satan. As Raymond Buckland points out in "Witchcraft- from the Inside", the whole concept of evil associated with the Devil is due to an error in translation. The original Old Testament Hebrew "Ha-Satan" and the New Testament Greek "diabolos" simply mean opponent or adversary. In his book "Religion and the Decline of Magic", Keith Thomas writes: "The early Hebrews had no need to personify the principle of evil; they could attribute it to the influence of other rival deities. It was only the triumph of monotheism, which made it necessary to explain why there should be evil in the world if God was good. The devil thus helped to sustain the notion of an all-perfect deity." Satanism is usually considered a form of rebellion against Christianity; Witchcraft is not. The only objection many Witches have to Christianity is that it holds itself out as being the only true way to the Divine. I, personally, think that's arrogant. But I have many Christian friends who aren't so snobbish about their religion. I respect their choice of worship, just as they respect mine.

A bumper sticker I saw recently brought it home for me in many ways. “IT’S YOUR HELL, YOU BURN IN IT”. Not only did I find that rather funny but also it’s very true. The concept of heaven and hell is one that has been developed and preached primarily by Christians. If that is what they wish to believe fine however since Wiccans do not believe in heaven and hell we can’t worship Satan, as he is a Christian creation.

Well, then, whom do you honor in your rituals and everyday life?

There is One power, the All, which is composed of everything It ever created. It does not rule over the Universe, It is the Universe. It tends to be difficult to talk to and call upon a faceless mass of Divine energy, so this supreme Power is personified into male and female aspects: the Goddess and the God, two who are One. I believe that the Divine is both within us and outside of us - It resides within everything and surrounds us all. Some Witches use certain names, like Astarte, Isis, Odin, Pan, Diana, etc., when calling upon the Goddess and God in ritual. These names, which arose in many parts of the world throughout time, are simply aspects of the Divine. This One power is the same no matter by what name It is called. Some simply call upon the God and the Goddess, without invoking a particular aspect or name, some simply refer to them as the Lord and Lady. It's a matter of tradition or personal preference. (a 'tradition", is sort of the Witch equivalent of a Christian denomination.)

So, if I become a Witch, can I hex or curse people?

Witchcraft and spells are tools. Witches believe in the law of return, which is a good thing to remember if you ever think about doing magick to harm someone. The law says that whatever energy, whether positive or negative, that is sent out returns to the sender. This means that if you curse someone, you will also be cursed. It might not happen immediately and usually does not take the same form as the original curse, but it will happen. By the same token, if you do positive things and work positive magick, then good things will happen in your life. If the sole purpose for wishing to become a Witch is to curse and hex someone then you should reconsider it seriously.

Always keep in mind our Law.

“An Ye Harm None, Do as Ye Will”

Witchcraft is a religion? Really?

Yep. Witchcraft is recognized in the United States and in at least some parts of Canada as a legitimate religion. In I985, Dettmer v. Landon, the District Court of Virginia pursuant to rule 52 (a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, ruled that Witchcraft falls within a recognizable religious category and therefore is protected by the Constitution. I'm sure it's recognized in other countries as well, but I'm working on researching that. Also, check out The U.S. Armed Forces Chaplain's Handbook section on Wicca.

Do you really cast spells and work magick?

Magick, to me, is an important part of Witchcraft, although certainly not the only part. (magick is spelled with a "k" to distinguish it from the types of illusions performed by stage magicians.) There is nothing supernatural about magick - it is simply using the natural energies found in yourself, in the Divine and in everything created by the Divine to bring about a desired result. Anyone can work magick, but the wise Witch will know when to work magick to accomplish a task and when to leave it in the hands of the Divine. Magick is practiced for positive purposes: spiritual and psychic development, healing, to attune with the forces of nature or to better yourself in some way. Rituals usually are performed at the New and Full Moons, and at eight Sabbat festivals, which mark the wheel of the year and the changing of the seasons, although one can work magick or do ritual, every day if one wishes. Rituals are performed within groups called covens, or by individuals called solitaries. A group of solitaries may perform rituals together but still remain solitary. You don't have to have a certain number of people to work spells - one can work spells as easily as four or forty. No, you don't have to work spells or practice magick to be a Wiccan. Wicca is, first and foremost, a religion. Many feel that spells must be performed at a certain hour, certain day with the moon in a certain position for them to work. Spells are based upon the forces surrounding you. If you learn how to tap into those forces then you will be able to work a spell. You don’t need to do a spell for everything that occurs to you that you are unhappy with. You can call up on the Gods or you can do what most people do and work towards fixing the problem. Of course a little bit of Divine help certainly can make life easier. Just do not limit yourself to thinking that you MUST cast spells in order to follow Wicca or that you MUST cast them in prescribed times. Do what feels right within yourself as long as ye harm none.

So, there's this really cute guy/girl that I'm interested in.

Can you give me a love spell to make him/her fall for me?

No way. Witches should never cast love spells involving specific people. It is wrong to use magick to try to force someone to feel a certain way about you. This constitutes an extremely high level of interference with another person's free will and as such is considered negative energy, which will return to the sender. Imagine if somebody had a crush on you, but you didn't feel the same way about him or her. Now, imagine if that person worked a spell to try to force you to love him or her. You would feel angry and hurt. A spell that a Witch knows will cause harm to another person will return negative energy to the Witch. You can work magick to bring love into your life, as long as you don't have a specific person in mind.

So can I be a Christian or Jewish or some other religion and a Wiccan at the same time?

The short answer to this is no, you can't. Now, before anyone starts getting offended, notice I didn’t say that you could not combine the practices of Christianity (or any other religion) and Wicca if you wanted to. But that makes you neither a Wiccan nor a Christian, but something else entirely. See, Wicca is its own religion, just like Christianity is. And both religions have central beliefs and tenets that are completely incompatible with each other and make it impossible to believe in and truly follow both religions at the same time. What you end up doing is picking and choosing what you like from each religion and combining them to form your own religion, which like I said is neither Wicca nor Christianity. (or Judaism or whatever religion you currently practice.) For example, Christians believe that the only way to salvation and heaven is through Jesus Christ - that is the central tenet of that religion. Wiccans, however, believe that all spiritual paths are sacred and equally valid. If you don't believe that Jesus Christ is the means to salvation, then how in the world can you call yourself a Christian? But if you do believe that, then you can't truly be a Wiccan. I typically get this kind of question from young people who are scared that if they convert to a different religion, they'll go to hell when they die. That's OK - changing your spiritual path can be a scary and uncertain process at first. But if the only reason you're hanging on to your old religion is out of fear, you need to do some serious self-examination. I look at it this way: all the Gods and Goddesses are one God – and why would God get angry at you for worshipping Him in a different way and calling Him by a different name than other religious followers do? If your fear persists, though, then maybe Wicca is not the right spiritual path for you, and you should concentrate on being the best Christian, Jew, Buddhist, Muslim, whatever, that you can be. Of course, if you feel that Christianity or some other religion is the path for you, that doesn't have to stop you from reading and learning more about any other religion. You can only benefit yourself by learning more about other paths. I've gotten a few e-mails from people who try to convince me that they are, in fact, Christian and Wiccan at the same time. You're not going to change my opinion on the subject, but hey, you have the right to call yourself whatever you want. You can call yourself a Tibetan monk Christian Jewish Hindu Wiccan if that's what works for you. I'm certainly not going to stop ya! :)

How old do I have to be to become a Wiccan?

There is no specific age limit in Wicca, because age is not what's important. Maturity, dedication, willingness to learn and study and willingness to be honest with yourself and others are some of the things that are important in Wicca. Now, most established covens and study groups will not accept any members under the age of 18. That's because the laws (in the United States at least) require that minors abide by the rules of their parents' household, including their religious rules. So if a minor's parents don't want him or her learning about Wicca, then anyone who taught it to him or her could get in serious legal trouble. But I always recommend that new Wiccans study and learn by themselves for at least a year, and preferably longer, before they even consider joining a coven anyway.

How do I tell my parents that I'm a Witch?

Most of the time I get this question from people who are under the age of 18, because most people older than that don't live with their parents anymore and it's not as big of an issue. I recommend that you print out copies of your favorite websites on Wicca or photocopy parts of some of your favorite books and give those to your parents to read. After they've read your material, sit down with them when you all have time to talk and ask them what they thought about what they read. Then explain your beliefs and views to them. Be prepared to answer, calmly and rationally, any questions they may have. Remember, if you are a minor, you are required to obey the rules your parents set forth for you. So, please, respect them and their opinions. If you start screaming and whining, it will just make them think that you're not mature enough to make your own decisions about something as important as religion. NEVER try to hide your religion from your parents if you live with them. They will find out eventually, and then they will distrust you. They will also think that, since you were trying to hide it, it must be something bad or evil. If your parents throw a fit and tell you you're not allowed to practice Wicca in their home, don't fret too much. This religion has been around for a while, and it will continue to be around when you become an adult and move out of your parents' home. Sneaking around behind your parents' backs is a very good way to get yourself in a whole lot of trouble, plus it's not honest - and honesty is a big part of being a Witch. If you're over the age of 18 and still living with your parents and they say you can't practice Wicca, I don't know what to tell you except, for Goddess' sake, move out and get your own place. You're an adult, now. :)

What's the difference between Witchcraft and Paganism?

That's kind of like asking what the difference is between Baptists and Christians. Paganism is a word used to describe a very broad range of beliefs. Wicca and other forms of the Craft are sort of denominations of Paganism. In other words, most Witches are Pagans, but not all Pagans are Witches. Some Pagans follow Asatru or Druidism or another religious path.

Why are Witches so hard to find?

You won't find us passing out tracts on street corners or knocking on doors spouting sermons. Witches do not try to convert others to their faith because we believe there is more than one path to the God and Goddess. People eventually will find the path that is right for them, whether it's Christianity, Buddhism, Witchcraft or whatever. Handy tip: Don't try to convert a Witch to another faith. First of all, it won't work, and secondly, as we respect other religions and faiths, thus do we expect the same respect to be accorded to our faith.

So, how do I find other Witches in my area?

There are a number of different ways to do this. One, you can find listings on the net of groups in your area. There, you can post to different boards or read the posts to find others near you. Two, if you're lucky enough to have an occult or New Age store in your city, check there for postings on bulletin boards about meetings and such. Or just ask some of the employees for advice on finding Witches in your city.

What do you call a male Witch?

A male Witch is called a Witch, just like a female Witch. Male witches are not warlocks! Warlock is a Scottish word meaning oathbreaker. It is an insult to call a Witch a warlock.

What do you think happens after you die?

Wiccans believe that upon death, one goes to a state of rest and reflection in another plane (often called the Summerlands), and eventually will be reborn. Rebirth is not a penalty, but a gift of the Divine. There is no heaven nor is there a hell, because death is not a tool for punishment or reward. Death is not an end; it is simply another form of existence - a means by which our life lessons are continued. Some believe that we eventually will learn all our lessons and then will have eternal rest in the Summerlands. Others believe we continue to be reborn for eternity.