A question regarding wicca!?

Question

I am currently reading Scott Cunninghams book called Wicca: A guide for the solo practitioner and so far I am finding it a fascinating read. In the book pretty early on he says something along the lines of "Do as you will as long as it harms none, incuding yourself!" He doesnt quite word it that way in the book but it's words to that effect.

So by saying do no harm to yourself, does going out and getting drunk a few nights a week, smoking ciggerettes or wacky backy or other forms of “recreational drug” (not that I do other drugs but I do enjoy a good joint lol) count as “self harm”?

Please could somebody clarify this for me?

Many thanks!

Answer 1

There are so many problems here so far. Let me see if I can help.

"Do as you Will shall be the whole of the Law, Love is the Law, Love under Will," is Crowley, it is the law of Thelema (will.) It is not Satanism in the slightest. You can look it up in "book IV of magick" also called "Magick in theory and practice." It is not Wiccan in the slightest. *I* can probably be described as a Thelemite, in addition to having been Wiccan for over 20 years, so I speak of what I know here.

The Wiccan Rede is "An it harm none, do as you will." It is often confused with a poem called Rede of the Wiccae, which belongs to specific group called "NECTW" and begins "bide the Wiccan laws ye must."

Scott Cunningham wrote Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioners as an introductory book. As such, his version of ethics are really over simplified.

The Wiccan Rede does not teach us to harm none. Wicca is a complex religion that isn't wrapped up in nonsense. If our ethics stated "harm none" we would not bother with the extra 6 words of the Rede. We'd also not breathe, since breathing kills microbes.

Instead, we teach "An it harm none, do as you will," which literally means that those things which do no harm may be done as you will. ANYTHING ELSE, including all the actions of the world which do harm, must be considered with the REST of Wiccan ethics.

For more information on this, I recommend:
http://www.paganlibrary.com/ethics/wiccan_ethics_rede.php
http://wicca.timerift.net/rede.shtml and the first chapter of the book Wicca 333.

For the specifics of smoking, I suggest this Wiccan Blog article:
http://www.cuew.org/archives/003759.html
But be forewarned, you might not like what is there.
Exerpt:
"Volunteering for lung disease is a biomedical decision that each individual should make at the personal health level and the personal fiscal level, but at the same time, our volunteers need to look at the big social picture. Whether you agree with my view or not, the decision to smoke, or to over indulge, or to take high-risk behaviors, should be made with the full knowledge of who pays the bills, who is responsible if things go wrong and stuff like that."

Answer 2

hehe wow, you have a lot of really good answers. not sure what i'm doing trying to top a lot of them, but i have a few things to mention...

the ORIGINAL version of the rede, is only 8 words... an it harm non, do as ye will. NON. not none. Non meant as little as possible, as harming NONE is literally impossible. you can walk down the path and step on a bug... didn't mean to, but u killed it. :( It's a very very common typograpic error. Most of the time, it doesn't matter all that much, except when youre first starting out and it confuses u a bit. ;)

As far as tobacco, alcohol and drugs are concerned, if you're a solo practitioner, you work alone. you aren't part of a coven, and you make your own rules regarding your version of wicca. If you feel it's hurting you, then yes, it can be going against the rede. But, at the same time, how literally you take the rede is completely up to you... that's why we have black or green witches, (depending on the person, the terminology may be different, i'm going for the 'evil' connontation...) they've taken the rede to their own level, and decided that they're willing to take the consequences regarding what they've done that was 'bad'.

going out drinking? I wouldn't say that's bad, against my own views of the rede, but i would say that if you got in a car, then yes... that's bad. you're taking other's lives in your own hands, and have the chance of killing yourself too. Stay home, or call a cab. As for tobacco and other drugs, many wiccans use them in their own ceremonies, creating an altered state of conseousness. But, if you have pot in the house, and you live with someone else, and the cops find out and arrest you and your roommate, it will harm them too.. so, best not to do anything illegal. laws are there to protect most people. not just to ruin a good time. ;)

Blessed be. :)

)O(

Answer 3

Cunningham in a few places states that Wiccans are supposed to "harm none," which IMHO has caused real damage to ethical understanding within Wicca. The Wiccan Rede says 'And it harm none, do what you will." That does NOT mean you can only do things that cause no harm. What it does mean is that only harmless things can be done without further thought. Is this harmful? If no, then go for it. If yes, seriously think about the consequences.

I would definitely say that getting drunk, smoking and drug use counts as self harm. These things poison the body. This does not mean that Wiccans are not allowed to drink or smoke. It means seriously consider what the real consequences of your actions might be and, if you go through with them, be prepared to accept responsibility for what happens.

Wicca isn't big into making rules. It is big into personal responsibility.

Answer 4

An if it harm non do as thou wilt is the Wiccan Rede. We are free to do whatever we wish as long as we do not harm anyone.or anything. Now that is impossible to harm not completely so the only thing we can do is the best we can to harm none. I am a meat eater but animals are harmed for our food, but vegetables are just as much a part of the Goddess as live animals so we harm them when we eat. We harm the grass when we mow it etc.

I do not drink or smoke or smoke pot or do drugs. Many Wiccans do these things. I hope no hard drugs. As far as drinking it depends on the individual and how they feel about it. I think most everyone who is an alcoholic knows they have a problem whether they want to admit it or not. If you have a problem then it is harm to you Smoking has been known to cause cancer for many years now. I am 55 and started smoking when I was 14 and we called them cancer sticks back then.

Many Wiccans smoke. You and only you can determine what harm none is for you. This like any other spiritual concept can be taken to either extreem.
BB
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PB

Edit

I don't think Anton LaVay said this. His religion is the oppisite of what we believe and practice. The Wiccan Rede is a very impartant of Wicca teaching and it was around before Anton LaVay created his spirituality.

Answer 5

Oh my. I really hope that person is just being sarcastic. JIC they are serious: I actually know several who have been involved with Wicca for decades, and no they do not fit that description at all. One of my coven elders was involved in a coven a decade before Gerald Gardner coined te word Wicca. He actually looks very good for someone of his age. I've been in coven for 6 yrs and I haven't been used or abused. I haven't contracted or spread any diseases other than the common cold LOL. I wonder just what diseases this person believes are caused by being Wiccan.

Answer 6

Anton LaVay was the founder for the Satanic Church. He did not "write" the WICCAN rede. That is much much earlier. It was written near the 1920's and parts of it are parts of original credes of other European pagan beliefs. This way it would encompass all the pagan beliefs known of that time.
"In it, harm none, do what thou wilt" Do not harm you or others when it comes to your rituals and spells, potions and lotions, and take care that all is well in the world before doing anything. Do not do anything with evil intent and keep everything in a positive energy level. The three fold rule applies to his comment.
Blessed be

Answer 7

Only if you think it does.
I believe what the auhor maybe trying to put across is no deliberate harming of the self.
But if you feel smoking, drinking and whatever else is harming you as an individual, then you can stop doing them.
That is the beauty of being Pagan, you have that choice.
There is nothing in the way of any carved in stone commandments to adhere too. Just be at the best peace you can find and get on with your life.....just do as you will, but harm none.

Answer 8

EXCELLENT QUERY! A sincere answer;
"Do NO harm" is the emphasis regarding the "Laws of three".
Basically stating what energies you work with and send out will come back THREEFOLD!
Wicca celebrates Nature and our connection to it [the ALL]
Wicca does NOT place limits or conditions upon Honoring your connection and place. The statement "Do no harm" is an affirmation reminder to do your "work" for the good of the ALL, yourself included as you are part of the ALL.
Intent and Intentions MUST be pure, without malice, judgment, harm or attempt to "control" another.
To do no harm means to not attempt to spell-cast for revenge, fear, hate, malice or personal "Power". {Empowerment for the task at hand is different, you are looking to empower your strength/courage and fortify your positive energies}
Hope this helps. When in doubt, look within. Your HEART knows the way, don't let your mind distract its message!
~BLESSINGS~DIVINE LOVE~HEALING LIGHT TO ALL~

Answer 9

I personally think we don't need religion of any sort to be decent people, but at least Wicca is one of the more harmless ways to run your life.

I think 'harm' from drinking is simply drinking too much and making yourself sick (it's easy to have one too many, but I think once every so often is good for your soul ;-) ) or harming others through your drinking, either by harming yourself frequently (i.e. drinking too much) or by harming others with your behaviour after drinking.

In terms of cigarettes, I think it's pretty easy to see how you can harm others by smoking. Someone else breathes your smoke, you're harming their body, and that's just wrong.

Be a decent person, enjoy yourself and be kind (but not unnecessarily / unnaturally so!) to others and you can't go far wrong.

Answer 10

Robin Wood's "When, Why, If" is a great book on Wiccan ethics. Mostly the Rede involves ethics in magickal practice but it some people try to apply it to all of life.