The use of magic is not limited only to the priesthood - anyone can craft and perform a spell with a little bit of practice.īecause the concept of an afterlife of some sort is typical in most branches of Wicca, there is a general willingness to accept interaction with the spirit world. Magical workings are often performed within a sacred circle.
Most Wiccans do use specific tools in spellcrafting, such as an athame, wand, herbs, crystals, and candles. In Wicca, magic is simply another skill set or tool. This is because for most Wiccans, there’s nothing supernatural about magic at all - it’s the harnessing and redirection of natural energy to effect change in the world around us. The belief in and use of magic and spellwork is nearly universal within Wicca. Someone who is not a member of a coven or formal group may choose to perform a self-dedication ritual to pledge themselves to the gods of their path. Study is required before an individual may advance to the next degree level, and often this is the traditional “year and a day” period. Typically, only an individual who has attained the rank of Third Degree dedicant may act as a High Priest or High Priestess. Initiation is a symbolic rebirth, in which the initiant dedicates themselves to the gods of their tradition.
In most Wiccan covens, there is some form of initiation and a degree system. In Gardnerian Wicca, the true names of the gods are revealed only to initiated members, and are kept secret from anyone outside the tradition. A Wiccan may honor simply a non-specific god and goddess, or they may choose to worship specific deities of their tradition, whether it be Isis and Osiris, Cerridwen and Herne, or Apollo and Athena. Wicca acknowledges the polarity of the Divine, which means that both the male and female deities are often honored. Never fear, though - the Wiccans are out there, and if you ask around enough, you’ll bump into one eventually. As to where to find them, that might take a bit of digging - as a mystery religion that doesn’t proselytize or actively recruit, it can sometimes be difficult to find a group in your area. In fact, there are nearly half a million Wiccans in the United States today.
In other words, anyone can be Wiccan, and people become Wiccan for many reasons. They are doctors and nurses, teachers and soccer moms, writers and firefighters, waitresses and computer programmers. Who Is a Wiccan, and How Do You Find Them?: Wicca is not an ancient religion, but Gardner did incorporate some old esoteric knoweldge into his original tradition, including Eastern mysticism, Kabballah, and British legend. Today, many Wiccan groups owe their basic foundation to the principles laid out by Gardner. However, after a few years splinter groups began forming, and new traditions were formed. Gardner’s tradition was oathbound, initiatory, and secret. Wicca as a religion was introduced by Gerald Gardner in the 1950s. While specifics vary from one tradition to the next, there are actually a few ideals and beliefs common to nearly all modern Wiccan groups. There is no one governing body over Wicca, nor is there a “Bible” that lays down a universal set of guidelines. That’s not far from the truth, because with nearly half a million Americans practicing Wicca today, there are dozens - perhaps even hundreds - of different Wiccan groups out there. There’s an old saying that if you ask any ten Wiccans about their religion, you’ll get at least fifteen different answers.