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Help with basic Wiccan/Pagan info please? :)

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    Help with basic Wiccan/Pagan info please? :)

    This is my first post so.. hello everyone! Though I really love Paganism so I'll hopefully participate a lot more in this forum

    Anyway, it's really upsetting me how people are so prejudiced and ignorant of other's beliefs. There's even conflict and abuse because of it! Therefore over this past year, I have decided to write a book briefly explaining the major religions to educate children and adults alike, and showing the many similarities that all religions share.

    However, I realise that Paganism, and even Wicca itself, is extreeeeemely diverse! Writing about it simply is quite a challenge! Therefore I would be incredibly grateful if you could possibly look over this document and tell me if there's any mistakes or if I've missed out any important information... There's sooo many dangerous misconceptions about Wicca especially, so I really hope to do the beautiful religion justice :')

    Also, does anyone know any good parables/stories that promote love and equality between everyone?

    Thank you very much in advance and Blessed Be!

    --------------------------

    EDIT: Oh, the forums won't let me post the link to the document, so I'll copy and paste it here.. sorry about the cramming!


    WICCA
    Factfile

    Definition(s) 'Wise' in Anglo-Saxon. Also "bendy" or "wiggly" to show their adaptive nature to the constantly changing environment.
    Founder Gerald Gardner
    Place and time origin England, first half of the 20th century
    Where now? Predominently English-speaking places, like Britain and North America
    Branches Traditions/paths = Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Saxon, Hedgewitches/Solitaires, Hereditary, Radical Faery/Dianic Wicca/Eclecticism/Paganism/Druidry/Asatru
    Clergy Priests and Priestesses, Lords, Ladies, witches/wiccans
    Places of worship Covens, altars, outside with nature, inside your home, anywhere really!
    Practises Cast a circle, healing, divination, magick, potions, incense making, other rituals…
    Belief of God Numerous deities and numerous beliefs. Some Wiccans are atheist, some believe that the gods and goddesses represent a higher power/ female/male energy and others believe that these gods and goddesses really exist.
    Sacred texts There are usually a personal Book of Shadows kept.
    Holy Places Anywhere where a circle is cast.
    Festivals Sabbats (8 celebrations at regular intervals, depending on the sun, throughout the year)

    Esbats celebrated monthly at a full moon


    #2
    Re: Help with basic Wiccan/Pagan info please?

    and here's the second part

    Beliefs

    Wicca is a religion, which branches off from the very large Neo-Paganism movement, which itself divides into many different 'Traditions'



    Due to the variation, Wiccans are free to believe in many different forms of god, or none at all:

    • Triple Goddess - Moons, stars and fate
    • Horned God - associated with forests, animals and realm beyond death
    • The Goddess - just one deity, (other Wiccans believe this god to be genderless)
    • Atheists and agnostics - other Wiccans believe that there is no actual deity, instead believing these gods are powerful parts of the human mind that can be interacted with.



    The infinite consciousness created everything, this force empowering all is Love.



    DUALITY (PIC)

    The God and Goddess represent the opposite forces working in harmony in the universe, a duality, like the North and South of a magnet, day and night, male and female. One cannot exist without the other so are both equally important.

    The Goddess is often symbolised as Mother Earth and the Moon.

    The God is often views as the Sun.

    Other Wiccans believe that many different deities, all from different cultures and religions, all make up either the Goddess or God.




    AFTERLIFE

    Most Wiccans believe in reincarnation, though some believe that the soul reincarnates to learn more and advance spiritually, whereas others believe that we reincarnate through different species. However, there is a great emphasis on living in the present. If this is done, then the next life will benefit.



    MAGICK PIC

    It is nothing supernatural or scary, because it is all to do with nature's uncovered energy. Like the soul, it just has not been fully understood by science yet.

    It can never mess with people's will however. Most spells are cast during ritual practises in a sacred circle, for healing, protection, fertility, or to get rid of negative energy.



    ETHICS

    There aren't really any set code to follow, but there are a few rules that all Wiccans agree with and follow:

    • Wiccan Rede - "Do what you will, so long as it harms none" (you can act freely, but must accept responsibility for the consequences and minimise harm to yourself and everyone else
    • Law of Threefold Return - good or bad actions you perform will return to you with triple the force, or equal force but on the three levels of mind, body and spirit
    • Eight Virtues - mirth, reverence, honour, humility, strength, beauty, power, compassion



    FIVE ELEMENTS (PIC)

    These are symbolic of the different phases matter goes through. In magical rituals, the five elements, air, fire, water and earth, as well as aether (spirit) which binds the four, are all used, especially when making a magic circle.

    The five elements can be explained with the analogy of a tree: A tree contains earth (soil and plants) water (moisture and sap) fire (through photosynthesis) and air (oxygen created from CO2) which are all connected by the spirit.





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      #3
      Re: Help with basic Wiccan/Pagan info please?

      I wouldn't put paganism under wicca as wicca falls under paganism more accurately. I definitely would not put hedgewitches, druidry and asatru under wicca as they are there own traditions and, while a wiccan can borrow from them or even practice those traditions, they are their own traditions first and foremost. It is a wide misconception that all pagan beliefs are also wiccan. It is very far from the truth.

      edited for typos
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        #4
        Re: Help with basic Wiccan/Pagan info please?

        Originally posted by wisp View Post
        I definitely would not put hedgewitches, druidry and asatru under wicca as they are there own traditions and, while a wiccan can borrow from them or even practice those traditions, they are their own traditions first and foremost.
        I agree with this. These often all fall under the pagan umbrella, as does Wicca, but they don't fall under Wicca. I know there's a popular misconception that a hedgewitch is just a solitary Wiccan (I think Rae Beth started that one), but it is it's own tradition which stands apart from Wicca, as are Asatru and druidry - both their own traditions that contain their own sub-groups.
        Hearth and Hedge

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          #5
          Re: Help with basic Wiccan/Pagan info please?

          Hehehe... most Heathens that I know take great (and loud) exception to being called wiccan. I am included amongst them.

          I've known many witches, I've only ever known one Wiccan, of the Georgian branch.
          I often wish that I had done drugs in the '70s. At least there'd be a reason for the flashbacks. - Rick the Runesinger

          Blood and CountryTribe of my Tribe
          Clan of my Clan
          Kin of my Kin
          Blood of my Blood



          For the Yule was upon them, the Yule; and they quaffed from the skulls of the slain,
          And shouted loud oaths in hoarse wit, and long quaffing swore laughing again.

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            #6
            Re: Help with basic Wiccan/Pagan info please?

            Hehe thanks everyone! I was reading the Wiccan Bible and was a bit confused about why they said that Druidry etc were a branch of Wicca, because I thought they were different Pagan traditions... Maybe I just read the book wrong so thanks for clearing that up!

            - - - Updated - - -

            And not all of the research I have would fit on the one post (Wicca is just such a diverse religion! :P) so here's some more.. (oh joy!) :P

            These are some links to other religions that I have tried to make, so please tell me if they are grossly wrong :P

            Links

            Worship godesses and gods from all religions

            Hinduism

            Heavy belief in cycles

            Cycle of rebirth

            Lunar and solar cycles, being basis of most Wiccan celebrations and rituals (Summer/Winter Solstice)



            Baha'i Faith


            Buddhism

            The Three Fold Return(you receive anything you give out, good or bad, 3 times as strong) is basically karma

            Lada Tara = (englightened) = Buddha



            Christianity

            There are in fact quite a few Christian Wiccans

            Baptism

            Catholicism especially, and Paganism share very similar rituals:

            • Tools. An altar with objects, such as chalices, incense, sacred books, candles, wine all specifically placed.
            • Catholics often have statues of archangels for example, who they might ask for protection before a ceremony. This is very similar to the deities that Wiccans ask for help from when casting a circle for example too!
            • They both use a physical object to represent the deity they wish to worship (Cross , statue of female form for Divine Feminine)
            • Pagans cast circles to honour gods, ask for blessings - Catholics follow the circle of a rosary and chant words to open channel to God to ask for divine favours
            • Magic is about asking the divine to be heard, asking for something, and then thanking the divine for listening, just like prayer. Neither expect immediate or exact results, but just want a little help in life, and if God does not give it, it wasn't meant





            Islam


            Judaism


            Sikhism

            Ahimsa - wiccan rede

            Jainism


            Taoism

            Two polarities, the God and Goddess, like male and female (?) energy of yin and yang


            Taoism, like Wicca,includes magick, like rituals, spells, divination (commonly Yijing) andtalismans. Eg. Call upon Jade Women for good fortune.
            I Ching (divination)uses yin or yang lines to create a specific hexagram shape. This shape is thenlooked up in the I ching to give a specific reading .
            In Wicca, Runes andTarot are used for divination, where the card/rune you get gives you an insightinto you and the circumstances in your life too.

            Pantheon - JadeEmperor, Three Pure Ones

            Atheism

            Jung archetypes?

            Shinto

            locus genii = kami



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              #7
              Re: Help with basic Wiccan/Pagan info please?

              Wow, thanks for this post it is a great starting point for a newbie like me. There was so much interesting information the research and confirm which will not doubt lead to other avenues of investigation. Really nice to the read the OP and the replies where just as illuminating.

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Help with basic Wiccan/Pagan info please?

                Just a note but the Buddhist notion of Karma is nothing like the three-fold law of return found in Wicca or many pagan practices. Especially given that Buddhist karma functions over multiple lifetimes and such where western karma functions against one lifetime and is subject to manipulation where eastern is not. Factor in also that Eastern karma is an attempt to accrue no karma through good or bad deeds which is part of what causes the person to experience reincarnation over and over until they have no karmic debt.
                I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

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