Is it true that to be concidered a wiccan you have to have studied it for at least a year and 1 day...I know this question seems kinda stupid but im a begginer.
blessed be )o(
2007-12-15 15:08:42 · 10 answers · asked by Stargazer 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Thanks for the answers, they're all great
2007-12-16 03:36:57 · update #1
Most traditions insist on the year-and-a-day for each degree. This for many reasons, but this is the two I think are very important:
A) It proves that you are serious and not just a looky-loo. Many cowans (non-Wiccans) will pretend to be interested just to see what goes on in a Wiccan circle.
B) It requires in-depth study (believe me) and you need to show that you have the time to put forth.
At the risk of sounding like an elitist (that's not my intention), I think it's a bad idea to decide you want to be Wiccan and introduce yourself as Wiccan five minutes later. (In my opinion, it would be better to say "I am studying Wicca".) In the beginning a cowan doesn't have a firm foundation of the belief system, they don't know any history of the craeft...therefore, they can't have an intelligent conversation with anyone and run the risk of being stepped on by others who will persecute you and ask all kinds of questions, twisting things around as best they can. Now, granted, people of other religions often claim a particular religion they are clueless about -- but we should know better. Be armed with intelligence and knowledge of the religion before proclaiming to be a member, please. I'm not saying you HAVE to join a coven; there are many good books out there; but there is also a lot of garbage, too.
It is well worth the time and effort, I assure you. Find yourself a good teacher if you want (watch out for the "fluffy bunnies" who are on a power trip...they do exist.) Look on http://www.witchvox.com for a good coven near you. Look around and interview. Don't jump on the first one you find.
Cheir, since you keep insisting on answering Wiccan questions with absolutely NO KNOWLEDGE...it may be time to take a Midol and lie down a bit.
2007-12-15 15:18:37 · answer #1 · answered by wiccanhpp 5 · 7⤊ 0⤋
No, but it's a good idea.
There's two main types of Wiccans: those who do a solitary dedication and those initiation within a coven. Within a coven tradition, you are Wiccan when you are initiatied, and covens generally train initiates for a year and a day minimum before initiation.
Dedications are done by those studying on their own (generally out of books). There is no authority to tell you when you're really Wiccan or when you're allowed to dedicate, but I strongly recommend a year and a day minimum so that you can be sure Wicca is for you, that it contrinued to make sense to you, and you have built some sort of begining relationship with the gods you are going to dedicate yourself to. Neither a dedication nor an initiation is about gaining a title or description. It's about pledging yourself to beliefs and beings. It's not something to do undertaken lightly or on a whim. Lots of people find a religion to be interesting upon first hearing about it but then change their minds in a few weeks or months as they start thinking about it or reading more in-depth about it.
BTW, its not a stupid question. Like you said, you're a begineer. We all start somewhere. Questions suggest you're taking things seriously.
2007-12-16 16:52:38 · answer #2 · answered by Nightwind 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Haven't you asked this before?
No, you don't have to have studied for a year and a day. Wicca is a religion, you can be Wiccan from the first day you acknowledge that you believe in a goddess and a god or many of them. You also don't have to have a coven or a teacher to learn (might help though)
DO NOT pay for lessons on the net. Be careful with ANY contact, especially from the net. Get yourself a PO Box and never give personal information out. Find a bookstore near you and see if there are any groups that are willing to meet you. Hit Amazon.com used books (read the reviews carefully = not just the publisher reviews).
Keep learning
2007-12-15 23:18:23 · answer #3 · answered by Aravah 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
No. You can consider yourself a Wiccan from the first day you choose to study the path. "A Year and a Day" is usually the time given an intitate to decide their path. If you do the 8 Sabbats for one year, and the moon rituals for one year (13 of them) then you will be able to make a good decision. Then you declare yourself a 1st degree Wiccan Priest/Priestess.
2007-12-18 13:20:27 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can be considered a Wiccan the moment you wish to be considered a Wiccan. But considering yourself Wiccan and actually being initiated is two different things. For me, I'm a Solitary and I studied and waited a year and a day before I performed a self-initiation ritual.
2007-12-15 23:25:53 · answer #5 · answered by Gypsy 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
No. If you agree with the basics, and the defining characteristics (worship a Goddess and a Horned God, cast a circle and call the quarters in your rituals, celebrate eight Sabbats a year, accept the Rede and Threefold Law to some degree or other) then you can call yourself Wiccan. You don't have to wait a year and a day. The Year and a Day rule applies to some coven traditions who want you to study with them for a Year and a Day before they initiate you into the coven -- it is a test of your sincerity and commitment, and also gives you time to get to know the coven (and for them to get to know you) and learn about their tradition before you join. This rule is coven-specific, and does not apply to solitary practitioners.
2007-12-16 17:38:15 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Eh... some traditions enforce this "rule". However it's not some strict dogma. I'm not even sure where it came from.
I think the idea is, however, that you should study the religion to make damn sure it's the one you want to be a part of before you commit with a self-dedication ceremony or initiation into a coven.
Unfortunately, a LOT of people get into Wicca for the wrong reasons... because they're feminists who think that Wicca is goddess worship, because they're rebelling, etc.
2007-12-16 00:26:09 · answer #7 · answered by xx. 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are correct if its a degree your talking about. But you are a Wiccan the moment you start to believe in the Goddess and start doing your spells.
The Truth.
2007-12-15 23:13:33 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
It depends. It is a good idea in general, so you honestly know what you are getting into, and whether it is correct for you, but you can't actually prove to anyone whether you have or not.
2007-12-15 23:12:06 · answer #9 · answered by shiariryu 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
No - it's not true. 'Wiccan' is just another name for witchcraft which majors in magic. It takes time to learn magic - the art of controlling people &/or nature by the use of spells, incantations and rituals etc. But, to be successful, requires the assistance of the demonic.
2007-12-15 23:15:25 · answer #10 · answered by cheir 7 · 2⤊ 15⤋