What is Wicca?

Wicca is a very unique nature religion which historically is not any older then 1951. 

In Europe in 1951 the last of the anti-witchcraft laws were repealed and replaced with the "Fraudulent Mediums Act",  making witchcraft  a valid practice that became legal for the first time in many years. 

It is generally understood that the movement of "Wicca" was founded by Gerald Gardner.   In spite of the controversy from his colleagues on the matter, Gerald forged the way, against ridicule and disagreement from other practitioners of the Craft, to giving this nature religion the publicity which has made it possible for those of us now to be a part of it.  It was very daring feat of its time.  

It is important to note however that Wicca in itself is not the authentic ancient religion that Gerald Gardner would have had many believe.  It is a spiritual practice that was created as a melting pot of many old and ancient practices pieced together from different traditions and different mythologies. 

Within the structure of traditional "Gardnerian" wicca one can find elements of Freemasonry and Hermetic Occult practices as well as snippets of older folklore from Etruscan and Celtic or other European sources. 

Doreen Valiente, one of Gerald Gardners Priestesses and author of a few highly recommended books on my suggested reading list, was responsible for taking this melting pot of information and turning it into a full fledged religion by giving the framework of the bits and pieces some true continuity and scholarship.   According to Janet Farrar whom Doreen mentored in the Craft, it was Doreen Valiente  who should have been credited more then she was, for what Wicca has become today. 

Since those times the religion of Wicca has taken off like wildfire and has mutated over the years to fit the needs of the many alternative minded, nature worshipping  people who fill the ranks of the Craft structure..  The religion continues to be a melting pot which has now incorporated the revival of many different cultural practices including Native American and African traditions.  It has evolved into something that tends to encompass the acceptance of a much wider cultural diversity then it originally did when it started in Europe. 

The newcomer will find many different path in Wicca.

Some covens will place emphasis on the Norse traditions.  This for some is a very difficult energy to work with.  The reason being that many of the nazi related organization tend to place a great deal of emphasis on the Odin mythologies as well, and some people will tend to shy away from this very potent archetypal tradition.  It should be noted that there is a big difference between the Nazi interpretation of the Norse Pagan archetypes and the Wiccan interpretation.  Many Wiccans have had to struggle against this in their personal practice.   

Many Egyptian magic covens abound which may have a much more "Hermetic" flavor to them.  This means that there is the possibility these covens will delve a little more deeply into some arenas of "ceremonial magic" as well as Egyptian pagan mythology.  Many of the "Mystery Schools" of Western Hermetic tradition give credit to Egyptian culture for their origins. 

Many covens will have a Celtic emphasis.  This is probably the most common among many covens.  Celtic lore and myth have become quite trendy these days.  It is of interest to note however that Wicca is not authentically "Celtic" and that Celtic and Druid cultures did not share their mysteries or secrets with those outside of the Druid religion.  Very little is known of the Druid religion since it was primarily an oral tradition which was closed to outsiders.  Janet Farrar very respectfully reminded us of this fact during one of their workshops.   To debate Janet just a little bit however, It is my PERSONAL THEORY, that some of the Druid lore has actually leaked its way to our availability through the arena of High Magic and the Templar/Freemasonic/and Rosicrucian traditions.  There is some support to the fact as far as I can see, that the Druids and The Knights Templars may have been very intimately in contact with each other according to some of my research, and that these teachings may have been handed down by the very ancient pathway of the Essene community and some of the Eleusinian mysteries of the Greeks, and ultimately to the Celtic Church, which may be Nazarene in origin.  The Celtic church was very Druid friendly and the crossover of the stone masonry skills that can be seen in these traditions is also somewhat interesting.   The similarities found in these cultures are very potent and subtle when it comes to the mystery rites of these traditions.  This is a very different and much older arena from that of Wicca however and enters into a whole new kind of spiritual path.    Wicca may be the last of the watered down modern revival trends to have gleaned some tiny snippets from this ancient past. 

Some covens called "Dianic" will usually allow only women practitioners whereas the traditional Gardnerian covens will tend to put more emphasis on gender polarity.  If men are allowed into a Dianic coven they are usually only very allowed in a very submissive capacity.  This tradition of Wicca tends to collect the members of the lesbian pagan community, or those that are truly "feminist" or "eco-feminist". 

The Strega traditions are all about  the Italian folkloric practices

Slavic folkloric covens exist more and more now here in the United States which focus on Russian and Slavic gypsy magic.  I once saw a book I've been meaning to read and have not yet called:  "The Bathhouse at Midnight".  This book is a study of Russian Witchcraft.  It looks very interesting. 

Fairy tradition can be defined as two different traditions within Wicca.  One type of "Fairy" tradition is called so because it caters to the religious needs and communities of  gay men in Wicca.  The other kind of Fairy tradition focuses on the energies of the fairy folklore in the British Isles.  It is advisable to get these definitions straight if you are a newcomer on this path and make sure the Fairy tradition you seek, is really the one you wish to fit into. 

Santeria and African Voodoo are becoming a more recognized and acceptable practice in these times as well, though are not strictly speaking considered Wiccan, and neither are the Native American Indian practices.   Many Wiccans however will  be very friendly toward these traditions and may mingle some elements of these practices into their coven structure.  This can be a bit controversial among actual African or Native Americans.  Some of these folks have a great deal of resentment that their religions are being watered down by the "new age community" and becoming commercially capitalized on.  Its a tricky situation.  You must ultimately do what feels right for you, but should keep in mind the respect of the purity and knowledge of those cultures.  My personal position is I tend to not participate in those practices unless I'm invited by those within the traditional cultural communities.  But that is my own personal opinion.  I have had the opportunity to do just that, within the Native American Indian community, and as a result I have taken with me those things from that experience which are useful in my own private practice.  But it is not something I claim to teach or facilitate for large groups or classes.   I know of many feminist and new age covens who do incorporate a lot of Native American spirituality.   On another page of this website I do include an article on ancestral memory and what is inherited by blood.  I expound on this controversy a bit more in that article. 

This list contains only a few descriptions of the types of covens that are available in any Wiccan community.  Many more will develop and many more exist which encompass various kinds of diversity that are not listed here in this brief article. 

Regardless of the diversity of the mythical or archetypal aspects of any coven or practice, there are a few factors that remain consistent throughout the Wiccan community regardless of the magical slant.  Those elements are composed of a universal and deep abiding love of the earth as well as the welfare of our eco-system and ecology. How they relate to animals and nature may vary.  Some will have the more primitive connection to the animal hunter gatherer instincts and others will display a more vegetarian, new age attitude toward their practices.   Focus on building community, networking and coming together in diversity and harmony should be elements that make all people feel welcome and comfortable in the Wiccan community in general.  Many will have liberal politics but that is not a requirement for the Craft.  It just usually tends to happen that way. 

There are Wiccans in the military, and there are Wiccans who consider themselves "survivalists" just as well as there are hippy Wiccans and Yoga minded Wiccans and Wiccans who are political activists.   There are meat eating Wiccans and Vegan Wiccans.  Mainstream Wiccans abound who work everyday nine to five jobs in corporate atmospheres just as bohemian Wiccans can be found painting or meditating in the forest somewhere.   It is a rich religion full of diversity and myth and culture. 

Persephone RC