Wicca

My whole life I have felt ripped apart spiritually My mothers family has always been catholic, no doubt about it from weekly church goers to the ones that go once every 8-10 years. Everyone is catholic with most of them having gone to catholic school at one time or anther. The other half of my family...Well they are Jewish. However, I am not allowed to speak of this in my home. The mention of another religion especially one that in whatever way is associated to a certain member of my family is ruled out. I have felt torn between these two religions between what I was told must be and what I wanted to learn more about as well as what else was out there. Neither Catholicism nor Judaism ever seemed to fit me. Recently I started to question the little faith I have more and more and began to research others to see which is best for me. What religion will allow me to be me and not compromise anything I believe in for what the religion thinks is right. The religion that seemed to fit me best is one that many discriminate against. One that many think is satanic or impure. I consider myself Wiccan. I am a witch.

What is Wicca?

Wicca is known as many things the Craft, Witchcraft, Wicca, Wiccae and the Wiccan to name a few.Wicca is different things for many people I can not explain Wicca to the fullest extent. Wicca is different things for different people, I have even heard of an read about people using Jesus Christ and The Virgin Mary as their god and goddess, To each their own. There are different branches of Wicca, numerous ones actually, so many that I lost count at about 35. Wicca for some is the study of the goddess, and for some such as myself the study of the god and of the goddess. While I can not tell you what Wicca is. I can tell you what Wicca is not. Wicca is not anti- Christian as many believe. As a witch I respect Christians and the Christian religion, while it is not for me it serves its purpose for others and helps them on their spiritual way.

Wicca is not devil worship. Where yes, there is a so called horned god, he is considered to be the representation of masculinity in all things, The Horned god ofen represents the wilderness and the life cycle. The person or evil that many Christians and believers of other religions recognize as the devil or Satan actually is stemmed from the Greek God Pan.

Wicca is not a religion of human or animal sacrifice, It is actually a religion of loving nature and all living things plants, animals and humans equally. I do not nor would I ever condone the practice or thought of sacrificing any type of living thing for spiritual guidance. All living things are beautiful and whether you believe them to be the work of one god, one goddess, a god and a goddess, or many gods and goddesses should all be loved and treated with respect.

Many believe that Wiccans or Witches or Pagans must be dirty or horny, often times called whores or sluts. Pagans and Wiccans do not condone nor deny sex anymore than any other religion. It is a very Beautiful thing yes, when practiced with a loved one safely. It is a sacred thing which should not be taken for granted or exploited.

Another common misconception among other religions toward Pagans and Wiccans is that we practice black magick and are out to hurt everyone. Quite the opposite actually as a Wiccan I hold true to my belief in the thrice fold rule "Ever mind the Rule of Three. Three times what thou gives returns to thee. This lesson well, thou must learn, thy only gets what thou dost earn". As a Wiccan or Witch I also live by the Wiccan Rede "Do what ye will, be it harm none". Both rules in place reminding us to not harm others, to be peaceful, tranquil and loving to all.

Do you really cast spells?

In a way yes, I do. My spells are more chants or poems that I say allowed while performing certain actions much like Catholics sing in church while holding hands or say hail Mary's while counting the beads on their rosary. These are just religious practices of my every day life. I don't cast harmful spells on others or even cast hexes. If you cross me I won't curse you. Many of my personal spells are actually meditations or inspirational sayings.

Isn't your book of shadows filled with hexes and curses?

No, Mine is not. My book of shadows is more like a bible I write myself, It holds the things I believe in. Nothing more, nothing less. A witches book of shadows is like her bible and her diary all rolled in to one, it holds her spells, her beliefs, her rituals and Dedication to the craft in it. Many witches have more than one book of shadows, some have many. It all depends on how long the witch (that by the way can be a guy too) has been active in the craft and how often she is active. Some only observe the changes in the seasons, some only the equinoxes. I have heard of witches observing the equinoxes, changes of seasons, cross seasons and the phases of the moon. To each their own. Wicca is a religion that you change and make your own. You are not told who or what to believe in, you decide, you make your own choices.

Does this mean you don't celebrate Christmas?

Sure, I celebrate Christmas, I also observe passover. Just because I don't consider myself of the Christian or Jewish faith does not mean I can not celebrate the humble beginnings and beauty in such religions. I pick and choose which holidays to celebrate and which ideals to hold higher than others.

Do you go to church?

Wiccans and Pagans do have churches or community meetings, Do I personally go to them? No. I am what is called a Solitary, I practice my faith on my own time, in my own way and alone. I use my book of shadows as my bible to guide me on my spiritual journey much as other religions use the Holy Bible, The Koran and The Torah. I also have a Book of Mirrors, a book I use to place my dreams, aspirations, meditations and so on.

Wiccans/Witches and Pagans are not to be feared, we are not filled with evil or possessed by the devil, we are merely people who believe different things and have different ideals than those of the Christian religion. If you would like to know more about Pagan, Wicca or my journey in the Craft Feel free to ask. However, please do not condemn me for my difference of faith and beliefs.I hope this has been a bit more informative for all of you.

Blessed be,

Cassie