Wiccans: Can you explain your general beliefs?

Question

Maybe there aren't any here......ok.

Answer 1

Wicca is a very complex faith which embraces widely varying practices and many different Traditions. The following, however, is what I consider to be "the basics".

Wicca is about 60 years old, with roots in Masonic practices, ceremonial magic, and the Romantic era's ideas of classical religions. It is in many ways a postmodern faith, embracing religious relativism, and one that resonates powerfully for increasing numbers of people.

The central tenet of the Wiccan religion is the Wiccan Rede: "If you harm none, do what you will." This is a deceptively simple "commandment" which can take a lifetime to contemplate and to master. Many Wiccans also believe in the Law of Threefold Return, sometimes called the Rule of Three: “Whatever you do, for good or ill, will come back upon you three times over.”

Wiccans honor Deity as both male and female, God and Goddess -- or at the very least as Goddess. Many Wiccans believe that the universe is the body of God/dess, and therefore that all things contain Divine energy and that the world itself is sacred. Some Wiccans are polytheists (many God/desses); others are duotheists (God and Goddess, of whom all other Gods and Goddesses are simply aspects); others are monotheists (God and Goddess Themselves are simply aspects of an unknowable Source).

Wiccans generally do not believe that God/dess is separate from the world; therefore, we have no concept of salvation, since God/dess is present to all and always. Many Wiccans believe that God/dess is too big to fit inside one religion -- all religions/spiritual paths are ways of reaching the same goal, and atheism and agnosticism are honorable perspectives on the mystery of life.

Each Wiccan operates as their own priest/ess. We do not have a distinction between clergy and laity. Therefore, each Wiccan is responsible for their own personal development and for forging their own relationship with God/dess. Some Wiccans practice in covens, which are generally initiatory and require a long period of study (traditionally a year and a day) before entering. Others practice in loosely affiliated groups of solitaries, which are Wiccans who practice outside of traditional coven structure. Others simply practice alone.

Wiccans do not usually have churches. We create sacred space as and where needed, by casting "circles" of energy which function as temples. When inside those circles, we invite the spirits of the four Platonic elements (air, fire, water, and earth) to join us, as well as the Goddess and the God (or at minimum the Goddess).

Many Wiccans practice witchcraft, which we see as working with the Divine energy that permeates the world to bring about change. In accordance with the Wiccan Rede, the vast majority of Wiccans will not curse or perform magic to bring harm upon anyone else.

A relatively objective (non-Wiccan) set of articles on what Wiccans do and believe:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm

Another useful article:

http://www.religionfacts.com/neopaganism/paths/wicca.htm

A good site by Wiccans:

http://wicca.timerift.net

And the US Army Chaplains Handbook excerpt on Wicca:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_usbk.htm

If you're looking to do some reading, I'd recommend "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" by Scott Cunningham, and "Triumph of the Moon" by Ronald Hutton. I advise you to stay away from anything by Silver Ravenwolf, for reasons outlined in the following essay:

http://wicca.timerift.net/ravenwolf.shtml

If you have any further questions, please feel free to email me.

Answer 2

They have the Lord and Lady - the God and Goddess, who are the two halves of the all. In some cases, a group may concentrate on the Lord or Lady more, but both are still part of the All. The one Creator spirit.

They believe in the Wiccan Reed "Do what you will and it harm none." That all your actions must be done out of love and without malice. What consitutes harm, and how far to take this rule (i.e. becoming vegan) varies from group to group.

The rule of three: that whatever you do has consequences and will return back to you threefold. It is a real deterent to doing violent acts.

Karma - That you incur a debt from a past life and are repaying it off in this life. So your bad deeds from a past life must be repaid in the next lives before you can spiritually advance.

Reincarnation - except they believe that they are reincarnated only as humans. The only way to break this cycle is to advance spiritually.

Summerland - basically the afterlife, where a soul goes to rest before being reborn.

Rituals - these vary from group to group but most use the four elements, cast circles, use an anthame, a bowl, salt, candles, water and some sort of food. More or less could be added depending on the ritual being done. Some groups do practice skycald - not all. It is not required.

Beliefs in this group are very personal and vary from witch to witch. This is just a brief over view. If you have questions let me know.

Answer 3

Wicca is a nature based religion, Wiccans believe divinity is immanent in nature, there is a God and a Goddess, some believe that they are part of the "All" or "One", most believe that all gods part of or facets of the one God and the same for the Goddess. Some pray to specific Gods or Godesses if they feel a connection with a certain one. The Religious Tolerance website has a good section on Wicca, if you'd like to look there. It explains it.

Answer 4

peace and harmony of the universe. love for nature and all living things.harm none love all. (my husband is wiccan so i dont know too much about it) love and respect for the goddess. manifesting positive energy.

Answer 5

Ye Harm None

Spells are a form of prayer...
They do not try to transform anything because its physically impossible...

They hold the Earth to their hearts because it is sacred.

I don't consider myself anything, but I do have a foot many beliefs, and well, these are mine for my Pagan side.

Answer 6

'An it harm none,do what ye will" In other words if it doesn't harm anyone, than do what you will.