Wiccan FAQ - ?????? PROFIT

******** THIS s**t IS HILARIOUS INNIT

STEP 1: CALL YOURSELF WICCAN	11.7%	[ 259 ]
STEP 2: BUY STRANGE CLOTHES	6.3%	[ 139 ]
STEP 3: WHINE ABOUT HOW OPPRESSED YOU ARE	10.7%	[ 237 ]
STEP 4: ????????	37.7%	[ 836 ]
STEP 5: PROFIT!	33.6%	[ 744 ]
Total Votes:			[ 2215 ]

[Kittensrock16]

Kalyani Srijoi

Kittensrock16

so basically, wiccanism *sp?* is like believing in witchcraft?
sorry i didnt read the whole thing. i have a very small attention span xp

It's called Wicca, and while witchcraft is a part of it, it is not all of it. Furthermore, not all witches are Wiccan.

ooh ok.

[Chibikerichan]

[Kudzu]

I'd like to chime in on this with my own, unsolicited opinions (UPG), though I certainly don't speak for Gardner. I come at this notion from a backwards angle. Contacting the Gods of one location from another may not be a challenge due to the presence or absence of the Gods in question, but rather because of the Gods of the location in which you currently are. For example, I live on what was once Native American land. The Elders of my Tradition approached tribal elders to request their permission and the permission of their Gods for us to practice here. It is our belief that if we did not practice under the "blessing" of the Gods of this locale, things might be more difficult for us, and we might not survive here.

Wheeee, that makes perfect sense!

[blindfaith^_^]

Alright, silly question time. Is the concept of balance key in Wiccan beliefs?

I've thought about it some, and it would make sense that in a fertility cult, balance would play a part. After all to create fertility one would need the right proportions of whatever=positive outcome. On the other side, fertility as a focus in worship seems rather unbalanced as it doesn't exactly focus on other life phases. I don't know, maybe I've confused myself. Thoughts or corrections?

[Imbemenelien]

I have to say, that even thought I am not Wiccan, nor am I interested in becoming one, that this is an amazingly well written thread. I enjoyed learning about your religion in general.

Well done.

[ShadowSharrow]

phoenix shadowwolf

Duncan_the_Soulknight

Err... don't kill me for asking... but what is an athame?

generally a dull, black handled blade, with the tang being only about as long as one's palm.

mainly used to "open the door" when a circle is cast, or direct enery. depending on the tradition, not used for physical cutting at all, but for psychic or spiritual cutting.

An Athame is a personal blade concetrated at the 1st degree initation of a person into Wicca or British Traditiona Wicca.

There is a traditional in magic of a blackhandled knife to be used for various tasks it goes back as far to be mentioned in the Key of Soloman, but an Athame is only created at a 1st degree initation and is only weilded by someone who is an initate any other person using a blackhandled knife is doing just that using an blackhandled knife for magical purposes.

An Athame is ment to be sharp like the mind of the witch and priest/ess wielding it, the best metaphore for a sharp blade is a sharp blade.

What sells it's self as 'wicca' in books ( which is infact electic witchcraft ) will advise on a blunted blade due to people not being mindful and hurting
themsevles and others with a sharp blade.

Every 10 year old should know how to handle and respect a sharp knife and a blackhandled knife for magical purposes or a Wiccan's Athame should be handled respectfully.

Cuchullain

Just to point out one last thing.
THe title of High Priest is reserved for Third Degree Wiccans.
You must be initiated to recieve it.

Ah no.
On being initaited to the 1st degree in Wicca the person is then presented to the Gods as a witch and priest/ess, on being initiated to the 2nd segree a person is presented to the Gods and a witch and High Preist/ess and upon being initatied to the 3rd degree a person is presented as being witch, High Priest/ess and Elder of thier Wiccan Tradition.

blindfaith^_^

Alright, silly question time. Is the concept of balance key in Wiccan beliefs?

I've thought about it some, and it would make sense that in a fertility cult, balance would play a part. After all to create fertility one would need the right proportions of whatever=positive outcome. On the other side, fertility as a focus in worship seems rather unbalanced as it doesn't exactly focus on other life phases. I don't know, maybe I've confused myself. Thoughts or corrections?

There is a balance and a focus on doing what is needed, not what is wanted or desired but what is needed and sometimes what is needed is not always
pleasant.

Only adults may seek to undertake Wiccan initations so Wicca does not deal with minors or those that do not have physical fertility yet.

There is more to feritility then that of the body and reproduction, there is that of the mind, of creativity and that of the soul.

The life stages of Maiden, Mother, Crone and Youth, Warrior, Sage
are honoured with in Wicca as they are the life stages and the life mysteries that those who are the Wicca undergo.

[ShadowSharrow]

You can not work with Hecate in a celtic context, be you a magical practioner of any ilk.

But you can be work with her outside of that context.

Hecate has has a very long connection wtih witches, this would be seen to have happened during the burning times as she was prayed to by midwifes
as she is the guardian of the door way and holds the keys to all doors
and birth being a door way into life, she was also prayed too to spare
mother's and children who were not faring well during birth to not open the door to the underworld and death.

Hecate starts her takes as the maiden Godess torch bear who leads persphone up from the under world and unlocks the door, then she bacame a mothering Godess of childbirth and then she became during the burning times the Hag Godess at the crossroads with her hounds.

While there is a speculated link twixt Ireland and Greece due to the travels of the Fir Bólg and the Thútha De Danna who were both eventually kicked out of Greece and then traveled until they settled in Ireland it would not be rigth or respectful to try and shoe horn either into the traditions of the other.

[Kalyani Srijoi]

How does Hecate fit into the Maiden/Mother/Crone model? At what point can she be seen as a mother? I understand that she can be viewed as an old woman, or a young girl with three aspects, but I've never seen her depicted as a mother, and I've never heard of Greek midwives invoking her. Also, can you provide a source about women invoking her during the witch trials in Europe?

Edit: Incidentally, Hecate was depicted as an old woman before the witch trials - you probably knew that, but I figured I'd mention it. It's not really accurate to say that she became a crone during that time.

As far as the high priest/priestess issue goes - it seems that this varies from tradition to tradition, or perhaps it has changed over time. Cuchullain has been initiated, though, for the record.

[ShadowSharrow]

Kalyani Srijoi

How does Hecate fit into the Maiden/Mother/Crone model? At what point can she be seen as a mother? I understand that she can be viewed as an old woman, or a young girl with three aspects, but I've never seen her depicted as a mother, and I've never heard of Greek midwives invoking her. Also, can you provide a source about women invoking her during the witch trials in Europe?

http://www.sibyllineorder.org/history/hist_hecate.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hecate

While Hecate is said to have had no children of her own she is the surrogate mother to many, first Persephone guiding and guarding on her journey were Demeter can not go and then for all children as they come into the light of this life.

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/MysticalArts/Hekate.html

Hekate's Triple Nature.
Hekate is one of

the oldest embodiments of the Great Triple Goddess, known as Hekate Triformis, who expressed her threefold dominion over many realms, Porphory wrote, 'The moon is Hekate... her power appears in three forms.' Statues of this goddess often depict her as three female figures, or crowned with a triple-turreted headdress, or with three heads. Her three faces reflect the triple extension of her powers over heaven, earth, and underworld, Here in the realm of nature she was honored as Selene, the moon, in heaven; Artemis, the huntress, on earth; and Hekate, the destroyer, in the underworld. In this triad form she had control over birth, life, and death.

As the essence of the moon, Hekate also presided over the three lunar phases in the raiment of Artemis, the crescent new moon, Selene, the luminous full moon, and Hekate, the Waning moon. Artemis/Diana represented the moonlit splendor of the night, while Hekate represented its darkness and terror reigning over the power of the dark moon,

The new, full, and dark phases of the Triple Moon Goddess also reflected the three stages of a woman's life as Artemis the virgin, Persephone the nymph, and Hekate the crone, and alternately as Persephone the daughter, Demeter the mother, and Hekate the as the grandmother. She was also a part of the Queen of Heaven trinity and, as the three phases of a woman's mating relationship, consisted of ********* the maiden, Hera the wife, and Hekate the widow.

Hekate was worshipped as a goddess of fertility, whose torch was carried over freshly sown fields to symbolize the fertilizing power of moonlight. In women's agricultural mysteries, her trinity took form as Core the green, Persephone the ripe ear, and Hekate the harvested corn.

Hekate was also a key figure in reuniting the mother and daughter in the story of Persephone's abduction into the underworld by Hades, and her periodic return to her mother, Demeter. This myth was the basis for the Eleusinian initiation rites of birth, death, and rebirth, which were derived from the mysteries of the vegetative cycle. Demeter was an expression of the force that sustains the vegetative growth above the ground; while Hekate, as female keeper of the underworld, pushes the vital force of the plants from below to above, sending the wealth of the earth, the crops, to the living. Persephone here mediates between the light-filled upper world and the dark underworld.

All wild animals were sacred to Hekate, and she was sometimes shown with three animal heads - the dog, snake, and lion, or alternately the dog, horse, and bear. This aspect refers to her rulership over the ancient tripartite year of spring, summer, and winter. However, her primary animal form and familiar was the dog. She was associated with the three-headed dog, Cerberus, who derived from the Dog Star Sirius, whose helical rising foretold the annual flooding of the Nile.

In later times the Triple Hekate took on the form of a pillar called a Hecterion. One such statue depicts her with three heads and six arms, bearing three torches and three sacred emblems - the Key, Rope, and Dagger. With her key to the underworld, Hekate unlocks the secrets of the occult mysteries and knowledge of the afterlife. The rope, which is also a scourge or cord, symbolizes the umbilical cord of rebirth and renewal. The Dagger, later the Athame of the witches, is related to the curved knife that cuts delusion and is a symbol of ritual power.

Hekate, invoked as the 'Distant One', was the protectress of remote places, roads, and byways. At night, particularly at the dark moon, Hekate could be seen walking the roads of ancient Greece accompanied by her howling dogs and blazing torches. As Triple Hekate of the Crossways, her nature was especially present where three roads converged at one of the entrances to the underworld...

Her devotees kept the places of her worship sacred by erecting the triple-figured Hectarea at these sites. At dead of night or on the eves of full moons, they would leave offerings of ritual foods known as Hekate's suppers. They would also call upon her in this way on her festival days or in rites of divination, magic, or consultation with the dead. Thus was the threefold goddess honored at places where one could look three ways at once.

http://www.stregheria.com/Society.htm

Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English wrote a book called Witches, Midwives, and Nurses: A History of Women Healers and this book references the statues and the giving of keys to a woman in child birth to hold on to and call upon Hectate.

Quote:

Edit: Incidentally, Hecate was depicted as an old woman before the witch trials - you probably knew that, but I figured I'd mention it. It's not really accurate to say that she became a crone during that time.

Yep you are righ there but it was that aspect of her that was bandied about and pushed to the forefront which fell in line with the idea that all evil things are ugly and all good and moral things are beautiful.

Quote:

As far as the high priest/priestess issue goes - it seems that this varies from tradition to tradition, or perhaps it has changed over time.

That is the case for all British Traditional Wiccan lines and traditions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Traditional_Wicca

Quote:

Cuchullain has been initiated, though, for the record.

I would not expect anyone to out thier own initations to someone such as I who have just started posting here and I would consider it ill of anyone to out another's status irregardless of what tradtion BTW or otherwise.

If he who is named after the foster son of he who bore 'The Ocean' wished to impart such information that would be for him to do.

[CuAnnan]

Kalyani Srijoi

Cuchullain has been initiated, though, for the record.

Thaed knows that, she and I go waaaay back.

[killers_are_quiet_666]

I want to say this about the whole Gardner thing... Witchcraft, be it earth magik, or fire magik, air magik or water, it has been around Longer than some man claiming to have founded it. Wicca comes from an ancient religion called shamanism. All Gardner did was modernize it. All he did, in my opinion, is taint it by changing it and using it to attain fame and fortune,

[Peaceful Revolution]

killers_are_quiet_666

Wicca comes from an ancient religion called shamanism.

Evidence?

[killers_are_quiet_666]

Peaceful Revolution

killers_are_quiet_666

Wicca comes from an ancient religion called shamanism.

Evidence?

All Magikal religion comes from Shamanism, INCLUDING Wicca.

[Mr. Cynical]

killers_are_quiet_666

Peaceful Revolution

killers_are_quiet_666

Wicca comes from an ancient religion called shamanism.

Evidence?

All Magikal religion comes from Shamanism, INCLUDING Wicca.

You're full of s**t.

[killers_are_quiet_666]

Mr. Cynical

killers_are_quiet_666

Peaceful Revolution

killers_are_quiet_666

Wicca comes from an ancient religion called shamanism.

Evidence?

All Magikal religion comes from Shamanism, INCLUDING Wicca.

You're full of s**t.

Evidence? How long have you been practicing Wicca?

[AngryRobotsInc.]

killers_are_quiet_666

Peaceful Revolution

killers_are_quiet_666

Wicca comes from an ancient religion called shamanism.

Evidence?

All Magikal religion comes from Shamanism, INCLUDING Wicca.

Do they now? And why are you spelling magic with a "k"?