In Wicca, the Charges and Calls, are they necessary for spells? Rituals? What is their purpose?

Question

I know, I sound ignorant, but as since I am starting out again,I was wondering, and my hand is sore from allllll the writings for my new BOS. I still have to do stone accordances, tables of candles, ect.

Answer 1

Greetings!

Since Wicca (and many Religions ) use "eclectic" Rites and Ritual, there is much of other Systems, like Ceremonial Magick, within the different groups and Covens.

As I mentioned in another Answer, at least one can learn of other Systems in an "eclectic" group, and this is not bad, but is sometimes confusing and beyond the Powers of many.

"Charges" and "Calls" are a Ritualised method of Summoning, and Controlling Power in a Magickal setting. You should use what reflects the goal you are working toward, and make it simple to start.

You may (and probably should ) create your own Ritual, perform it, and write down the results in your daily Journal-if it works, and you like the results, include it in your B.O.S.

The B.O.S. is your record of your activities (outside of your Journal), and does not need to be transcripts or copys of EVERY Book you think relates to your Path, only your specific uses of Magick.

A Library, with a system to find information is where "tables of candles" and other reference works belong.

/!\

"A Witch is not made in a Day, but in a Year and a Day"

Answer 2

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. There is so much information on the web, books etc. that it can seem daunting. I haven't even begun to get ready with my BOS! But what I have gathered from what I have been studying so far is that wicca is a religion that is based on what is comfortable for you. Charges and calls are to aid you in spells and rituals, though they may not always be necessary sometimes you might need that extra boost. It all depends on what type of magick you are doing. If you are celebrating a sabat calling the elements and directions is all you need. But, if you are working a spell or ritual that you really want the best results in, the more detailed you are the more likely your spell or ritual will work. Hope that helped and blessed it be!

Answer 3

I'm not Wiccan, so you can take or leave my opinions as you wish. However, when I first became Pagan my mentor was a Gardnerian Wiccan. Though he was firm in his tradition he urged me to find my own way and to ritual however felt right to me. Is someone guiding you in your studies? This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and you can learn a lot and get a good foundation. However, you'll probably find as you learn more that all the details of using the right colors, crystals, herbs, etc are simply ways for you to focus yourself on your task. A ritual with just you and the gods and nothing else is every bit as valid as a ritual with a huge altar and all the trappings. I still do a little of both. Sometimes I feel like I want to "do it up" and plan and plot a ritual down to the last sprig of sage. Other times, I just sit and talk with the gods person-to-person with nothing other than myself. You'll find your own way that feels right to you. Whatever you do, don't let others tell you that something "has to be done" their way. NO! It has to be right for you. Use your intuition; you'll know what's right or wrong.

Answer 4

Don't be ashamed of asking questions. All of us have to start at the beginning, and the only way to progress is to investigate.

By "Charges" and "Calls", I'm guessing you mean the Charge of the Goddess, the Charge of the God, and the Quarter Calls (of which there are many, many forms). These are, strictly speaking, not connected to spellwork at all: they are ritual components, the means by which we invite the Powers to join us in sacred space and bless our work (which might include spellwork).

Plenty of Wiccans conduct ritual without the Charges (in some form), since there are other ways of inviting the Lord and Lady into sacred space; I personally have them in my own BoS because they are among the earliest Wiccan liturgical creations and because I find them beautiful.

Quarter calls vary from the very simple to the very complex, and unless you are conducting a ritual in silence (which can be an interesting exercise in itself), it's a good idea to include them as a formal invitation to the spirits/Guardians of the cardinal directions and the elements.

Hope this helps.