how many different kinds of wicca are there. ? how do i know what is best for me ?

Answer 1

Are you interested specifically in Wicca or in other types of witchcraft?

READ!!! There are many denominations, so read. Find out which denomination you would prefer. You may find your answer in, Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft. It covers Wicca AND Witchcraft. All witches are not Wiccan. In truth Wicca is not that old, only 50-55 years, officially recognized in the 1950's. Over all, Witchcraft certainly pre-dates it.

I am Pecti-Witan (aka Hedge Witch, not Wiccan) a "solitary" practitioner of "the Old Religion", and have been for many, many years. Being a "Witch" is nothing like what is portrayed in movies or on Television. There is nothing flashy about it. we are fairly simple people with "abilities" that everyone has, ours are just honed and utilized. Lots of research and practice. There is a lot to learn when you are dealing with herbal, mineral and candle magick.
I read tarot cards, rune stones and utilize a number of other tools for divination but would NEVER charge anyone for anything I do! Besides, I do not do "readings" or "cast spells" for others on demand. That sounds more like a con game to me!
I read a lot before I chose this path and I do not follow the
Gardnerian principles.
Now as for what I did to start, well, it seemed to come naturally to me, (my mother was a witch, she practiced in the 1940's, and my great grandmother was the daughter of a Comanche medicine man) and I believe this is not my first life (nor the last) as a witch. I have always had a deep respect for nature and have an innate ability to communicate with animals. When I was very young my parents encouraged me to learn about all religions, so I did. And I encourage you to do the same to find your true path. Books are an excellent source, providing you get the right ones, there are some I would avoid (Ravenwolf). I prefer Scott Cunningham. If you can connect with other practitioners that would also be a good way to learn. One question you must ask yourself is are you looking for the structured system of a Coven or would you prefer the life as a "Solitary"? Buckland has some very good books outlining both. But my favorite book is still "Wicca, a Guide for the Solitary Practitoner". It is a good place to start (or affirm). The only problem I have with it is that Cunningham calls all witches Wiccan.
I hope you find the answers you were looking for.
BB
)O(

Answer 2

There are several different forms of Wicca (such as there are several different forms of Christianity).

You can check on-line in order to research the different forms.

Examples of Wicca - Celtic Wicca, Seax Wicca, Gardnarian Wicca, Diantic Wicca, Strega Wicca, Coven Life (practicing with other people, Solitary Practitioner (practicing alone), etc.

Have a lovely rest of the day. Bright Blessings.

Answer 3

There are many different Traditions of Wicca, including the "eclectic" variety which subscibes to no other particular Tradition. ;-)

A good way to figure out which path is best for you is to read, read, read -- and the best all-around resource I've found so far is a book called "Which Witch is Which? : A concise guide to Wiccan and Neo-Pagan paths and traditions", compiled and edited by Patricia Telesco. It gives writeups on different Traditions ranging in size from a couple of paragraphs to a couple of pages, written by members of those Traditions.

You might also try posting more questions and starting discussions at the Wiccan forums over on Beliefnet.com:

http://www.beliefnet.com/boards/boards_main.AllCategories.asp?Category=102

Or getting in touch with other Wiccans in your area and finding groups and events to attend at the Witches of the World section on Witchvox:

http://www.witchvox.com/xvn.html

However, the very best way to get started is to start practicing solitary, learn the basics, and then branch out from there. My own practice is Alexandrian influenced; email me if you like, and I'll give you some basic materials like the ritual format that our Full Moon group uses and a little Book of Shadows.

Blessed be, and good luck on your path.

Answer 4

i would box it into 2 types.

British Traditional Witchcraft. they believe that unless you can trace your coven and all of your Priest's and Priestesses directly back to Gerald Gardner that you are not a true Wiccan. they are very big on Coven training and such.

and Eclectic Wicca. wich is the more home taught or solitary variety. they still organise into covens and such but are much more open to different ideas and teachings. i would say that most people fall into this category.

and after that there are hundreds of beliefs and traditions in each group each coven having their own practices and rituals.

as for best for you, read... a lot.. and look up some local covens and ask them if you can visit with them and find out what they are all about.

I am a Celtic Pagan, our practices are similar to Wiccan beliefs.
my gorve has a Friends program, where we open our ceramonies and rituals to people that are not members of the grove but are friends of ours or friends of friends that want to participate in the circle but not join any specific groups. they are free to practice and follow their own religions and beliefs. and are also able to bring any knowlege or prayers that they have to our circle. many people get a feel for Pagan beliefs through us and then move on to more organised Covens and Groves. or go off to start their own.

Answer 5

the best thing you can do is look into all these different religions and forms of wicca and make the decision based on what feels right to you anyway this question really belongs in the religion and spirituality section but here goes a link for you to check out

http://www.wicca.com/celtic/wicca/wiccas.htm

Answer 6

It's not that there's different kinds of Wicca, just that there are many different views of that one religion. You can view it as monotheistic, that there is only one Goddess or only one God, duotheistic, that there are only the supreme Goddess and God, polytheistic, that there are many different Goddesses and Gods, or atheistic, that there are no Gods/Goddesses and all things represent themselves through nature. There is no rule as to how to tell what is best for you personally, it's just how you prefer to see things. I believe that it is polytheistic, but that is just my preference. They are all the same religion, but there are just a bunch of ways to fit it to your personal beliefs as well.

Answer 7

Wicca is a personal religion. As long as you follow the Principles of Wiccan Belief, you are free to make your own tradition. There are some more established traditoins that have exact ways of doing and saying things. but for the most part, that is semantics.

I am Wiccan. This is the 13 Principles of Wiccan belief. I hope I can help you understand them.

1. We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal quarters and cross-quarters. (Wiccans believe that the moon is a part of the power of the Goddess. That is relevant by its correlation to a woman's menstrual cycle and the tides. We have 8 Sabbats that make up the Wheel of the Year as well as 13 Esbats-Full Moons.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbaigo8rv...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvtyltahy...

2. We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our environment. We seek to live in harmony with nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than is apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary, it is sometimes called sometimes called "supernatural," but we see it lying within that which is naturally potential to all.
(Magick comes from an ability to control your environment through attuning with the elements and keys)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g3j7pteq...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4quqrsua7...


3. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called "supernatural", but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogT7qXpa3rg

4. We conceive of the Creative Power in the Universe as manifesting through polarity--as masculine and feminine--and that this same creative power lives in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sexuality as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of Life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7amcuqnoz...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edltlev1t...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f76p-xcsb...

5. We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological worlds--sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, the Inner Planes, etc.--and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.
(Our innerverse is ours to control and as part of that, we can contrl the outerverse)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pqrkigrb...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzxdya-qo...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guvf1guac...

6. We do not recognize and authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.
(We have high priests and priestesses, but we don't let them interpret what we believe. We make up our own minds and lead our own rituals.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sln_q73up...

7. We see religion, magick, and wisdom-in-living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it--a world view and philosophy of life, which we identify as Witchcraft or the Wiccan Way.
(Magick is everywhere and everyone does it. It shapes the way we look at the world.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwossk97y...

8. Calling oneself “Witch” does not make a Witch--but neither does heredity itself, or the collecting of titles, degrees, and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within him/herself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well, without harm to others, and in harmony with Nature.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zgbrutbo...

9. We acknowledge that it in the affirmation and fulfillment of life, in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness, that gives meaning to the Universe we know, and to our personal role within it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udy5upzmp...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axykowjsk...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l-hodcsl...

10. Our only animosity toward Christianity, or toward any other religion or philosophy-of-life, is to the extent its institutions have claimed to be “the one true right and only way” and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practices and belief.
(We believe that all people come to their own religious path. To interfere and try to actively convert someone away is a deception of the soul.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qylfbcj3e...

11. As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present, and our future.
(Some people claim that Wicca is a very new religion, others say it is pre-Christian. This does not concern us as we see our beliefs as personal and not political.)

12. We do not accept the concept of “absolute evil,” nor do we worship any entity known as “Satan” or “the Devil” as defined by Christian Tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor do we accept the concept that personal benefits can only be derived by denial to another.
(The Devil or Satan is purely a Christian and Muslim concept. Wiccans don't see our Gods as having a Good and Bad persona. They are Nature and nature is both)

13. We work within Nature for that which is contributory to our health and well-being.
(Wiccans have a strong desire to be environmentally conscious)