Post by *Gypsy* on Jul 2, 2008 11:33:59 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]So you want to be a Wiccan Witch?
There are many arguments over where Modern Witchcraft or Wicca
originates from, but at the end of the day it doesn't really matter;
what it believes in today and what its individual practitioners do
with the knowledge they obtain is far more important, if you are to
understand what Wicca is really all about.
If your interest in Wicca is because you've just seen the film 'The
Craft', and want to have control over the boy (or girl) who's just
jilted you, or have seen 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch' and want to be
able to change your dress in an instant, you've come to the right
place; because we're going to do our best to put you off. But if your
here because you've got an interest in Ecology, Environmentalism,
Human Rights and Spiritual growth, don't worry - we're going to try
and put you off too!
If you're interested in Wicca for excitement, wild sex, large silver
pentacles, black gothic clothing, turning your boy/girl friend in to
a toad/your slave and going for self indulgence, let me tell you
whats going to happen: You're going to be sorely disappointed! Thats
not to say that Wiccans don't like excitement, large silver
pentacles, black gothic clothing, turning your boy/girlfriend into
your slave and having wild sex (at the same time; there are some
kinky Wiccans out there!), but thats not what its principally all
about. It is about Spiritual Growth. Not interested in your own
Spiritual Growth? Not interested in doing all the hard work? Why
become a Wiccan then?
And becoming a Wiccan is hard work; and irreversible. You can't undo
what you have learned; it will be with you for the rest of your life.
There is statements that goes 'Wiccans are born', and another
that 'Wiccans are made'. Neither is quite true for Wiccans 'discover
what they are for themselves'. If you can't do that you aren't going
to be a Wiccan.
Once you start on the path it will become an important part of your
life. Being a Wiccan is a vocation, just as being a Doctor, Nurse or
for that matter, the Priest of any other religion is, because that is
what you are to become a Priest or a Priestess. In Christianity
becoming a Priest is hard work, and so is becoming a Wiccan Witch; a
Pagan Priest or Priestess. You can expect your training to take just
as long as a Christian Priest or even longer. You learn that you
never stop learning; that there is always more to learn, particularly
about yourself. Have you changed your mind? have we put you off yet?
No, well lets try to shake you up some more!
There is a statement used during initiation; 'thou must suffer to
learn'. No truer words have been said. As a Witch you learn
that 'initiations happen in everyday life' . At the end of the day
being a Wiccan Witch is about service to the Lord and Lady, or
whoever your person deity is, so you have to go through that pain. No
Pain: No Gain! If you avoid the pain of initiation who are you
serving? The answer; no one but yourself. Shaken yet? If yes, give up
reading this now. If not, you may make it as a Witch, so read further.
The Wiccan Way
We are not bound by traditions from other times and other cultures,
and owe no alleginace to any person or power greater than the
divinity manifest through our being.
As Wiccans we welcome and respect all life affirming teachings and
traditions, and seek to learn from all and share our learning to
those who want it.
In seeking to exclude those whose ways that our contradictory to
ours, we do not want to deny participation to those who are sincerely
interested in our knowledge and beliefs, regardless of race, colour,
sex, sexual orientation, age, nationality or cultural origins.
We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life
forces, marked by the phases of the moon and the seasonal quarters,
and cross-quarters.
We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility
towards our environment. We seek to live in harmony with nature, in
ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and conciousness
within an evolutionary concept.
We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the
average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary, it is
sometimes called `Supernatural' ; but we see as lying within the
potential of all.
We conceive of the creative power of the universe as manifesting
through polarity - as masculine and feminine - and that this creative
power lives in all people and functions through their interaction. We
value neither above the other, even though circumstances may require
us to put emphasis on the feminine within a patriarchal culture. We
value sex in all its myriad of forms, as pleasure, as the symbol and
embodiment of life.
We recognize both outer and inner worlds, or psychological worlds -
sometimes known as the spiritual world, the collective unconcious,
the inner planes etc., and we see in the interaction of these two
dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomenon and magical exercises.
We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary
for our fulfillment.
We do not recognize any authoritian hierarchy, but do honour those
who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and
wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of
themselves in leadership.
Calling oneself `Wiccan' does not make a Wiccan or a Witch- but
neither does heredity itself, or the collection of titles, degrees
and initiations. A Wiccan Witch seeks to control the forces within
him/herself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well,
without harm to others and in harmony with nature.
We accept that it is the affirmation and fulfillment of life, in a
continuation of evolution and development of conciousness that gives
meaning to the universe we know, and to our personal role within it.
Our only animosity towards Christianity or toward any other religion
or philosophy, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to
be `the only way' and have sought to deny freedom to others and to
suppress other practices and beliefs.
As Wiccans we are not threatened by debates on `the Craft', the
origins of various aspects or different traditions. We are concerned
with our present and future.
We do not accept the concept of `absolute evil', nor do we worship
any entity known as `the Devil' or `Satan' as defined by the
Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of
others, nor do we accept the concept that personal benefit can only
be derived by denial to others.
We acknowledge that we seek within nature for that which is
contributory to our health and well being.
We see religion, magick and wisdom - in - living as being united in
the way one views the world and lives in it - a worldwide view and
the philosophy of life we identify as:
The Wiccan Way
BlessedBe Gypsy
(Adapted from a statement made by the American Council of Witches,
1975)[/glow]
There are many arguments over where Modern Witchcraft or Wicca
originates from, but at the end of the day it doesn't really matter;
what it believes in today and what its individual practitioners do
with the knowledge they obtain is far more important, if you are to
understand what Wicca is really all about.
If your interest in Wicca is because you've just seen the film 'The
Craft', and want to have control over the boy (or girl) who's just
jilted you, or have seen 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch' and want to be
able to change your dress in an instant, you've come to the right
place; because we're going to do our best to put you off. But if your
here because you've got an interest in Ecology, Environmentalism,
Human Rights and Spiritual growth, don't worry - we're going to try
and put you off too!
If you're interested in Wicca for excitement, wild sex, large silver
pentacles, black gothic clothing, turning your boy/girl friend in to
a toad/your slave and going for self indulgence, let me tell you
whats going to happen: You're going to be sorely disappointed! Thats
not to say that Wiccans don't like excitement, large silver
pentacles, black gothic clothing, turning your boy/girlfriend into
your slave and having wild sex (at the same time; there are some
kinky Wiccans out there!), but thats not what its principally all
about. It is about Spiritual Growth. Not interested in your own
Spiritual Growth? Not interested in doing all the hard work? Why
become a Wiccan then?
And becoming a Wiccan is hard work; and irreversible. You can't undo
what you have learned; it will be with you for the rest of your life.
There is statements that goes 'Wiccans are born', and another
that 'Wiccans are made'. Neither is quite true for Wiccans 'discover
what they are for themselves'. If you can't do that you aren't going
to be a Wiccan.
Once you start on the path it will become an important part of your
life. Being a Wiccan is a vocation, just as being a Doctor, Nurse or
for that matter, the Priest of any other religion is, because that is
what you are to become a Priest or a Priestess. In Christianity
becoming a Priest is hard work, and so is becoming a Wiccan Witch; a
Pagan Priest or Priestess. You can expect your training to take just
as long as a Christian Priest or even longer. You learn that you
never stop learning; that there is always more to learn, particularly
about yourself. Have you changed your mind? have we put you off yet?
No, well lets try to shake you up some more!
There is a statement used during initiation; 'thou must suffer to
learn'. No truer words have been said. As a Witch you learn
that 'initiations happen in everyday life' . At the end of the day
being a Wiccan Witch is about service to the Lord and Lady, or
whoever your person deity is, so you have to go through that pain. No
Pain: No Gain! If you avoid the pain of initiation who are you
serving? The answer; no one but yourself. Shaken yet? If yes, give up
reading this now. If not, you may make it as a Witch, so read further.
The Wiccan Way
We are not bound by traditions from other times and other cultures,
and owe no alleginace to any person or power greater than the
divinity manifest through our being.
As Wiccans we welcome and respect all life affirming teachings and
traditions, and seek to learn from all and share our learning to
those who want it.
In seeking to exclude those whose ways that our contradictory to
ours, we do not want to deny participation to those who are sincerely
interested in our knowledge and beliefs, regardless of race, colour,
sex, sexual orientation, age, nationality or cultural origins.
We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life
forces, marked by the phases of the moon and the seasonal quarters,
and cross-quarters.
We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility
towards our environment. We seek to live in harmony with nature, in
ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and conciousness
within an evolutionary concept.
We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the
average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary, it is
sometimes called `Supernatural' ; but we see as lying within the
potential of all.
We conceive of the creative power of the universe as manifesting
through polarity - as masculine and feminine - and that this creative
power lives in all people and functions through their interaction. We
value neither above the other, even though circumstances may require
us to put emphasis on the feminine within a patriarchal culture. We
value sex in all its myriad of forms, as pleasure, as the symbol and
embodiment of life.
We recognize both outer and inner worlds, or psychological worlds -
sometimes known as the spiritual world, the collective unconcious,
the inner planes etc., and we see in the interaction of these two
dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomenon and magical exercises.
We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary
for our fulfillment.
We do not recognize any authoritian hierarchy, but do honour those
who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and
wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of
themselves in leadership.
Calling oneself `Wiccan' does not make a Wiccan or a Witch- but
neither does heredity itself, or the collection of titles, degrees
and initiations. A Wiccan Witch seeks to control the forces within
him/herself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well,
without harm to others and in harmony with nature.
We accept that it is the affirmation and fulfillment of life, in a
continuation of evolution and development of conciousness that gives
meaning to the universe we know, and to our personal role within it.
Our only animosity towards Christianity or toward any other religion
or philosophy, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to
be `the only way' and have sought to deny freedom to others and to
suppress other practices and beliefs.
As Wiccans we are not threatened by debates on `the Craft', the
origins of various aspects or different traditions. We are concerned
with our present and future.
We do not accept the concept of `absolute evil', nor do we worship
any entity known as `the Devil' or `Satan' as defined by the
Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of
others, nor do we accept the concept that personal benefit can only
be derived by denial to others.
We acknowledge that we seek within nature for that which is
contributory to our health and well being.
We see religion, magick and wisdom - in - living as being united in
the way one views the world and lives in it - a worldwide view and
the philosophy of life we identify as:
The Wiccan Way
BlessedBe Gypsy
(Adapted from a statement made by the American Council of Witches,
1975)[/glow]