Wicca is perhaps the largest and best known of the modern Pagan paths; it is also one of the most misrepresented. Many people see Wicca a modern form of witchcraft, while that may be true in some ways it is not a direct evolution of traditional witchcraft and neither is it the only form of witchcraft practiced today. Indeed Wicca is not even a single path in itself.

 

Many labour under the impression that Wicca is simply a renaming of classic witchcraft, and that all witches, including those that were persecuted during the witch trials (or the ‘Burning Times’ as they are often so emotively described), are Wiccan; in truth these assumptions are untrue. Wicca is in fact a recent movement, founded no earlier than the mid twentieth century, and it has a very mixed pedigree. Wicca was first revealed to the general public in a novel High Magic’s Aid written by retired civil servant and returned colonialist Gerald Brosseau Gardner (1884-1964). This book was published in the UK in 1949, prior to the repeal of the Witchcraft Act (1951), hence its position as a work of fiction. Once the act had been repealed Gardner published Witchcraft Today (1954), and set out the basis of the Wiccan faith.

 

So if Wicca is not ancient witchcraft what exactly is it? Gardner remains a man of much mystery despite the efforts of many to chronicle his life, but  whatever the truth, he claimed to have been initiated into a New Forrest coven in 1939, possibly by one Dorothy Clutterbuck but maybe by a lady known as ‘Dafo’, and he certainly new many of the leading figures in the pagan and occult society of the time including Doreen Valiente (who can name The Charge of the Goddess amongst her contributions to Wicca), Osman Spare and ‘The Beast’ himself Aleister Crowley. Gardner had himself belonged to a number of occult societies including the OTO (Ordo Templi Orientis), Rosicrucian Crotona Fellowship and a Co-Mason order. During his career Gardner had worked in Malaysia and brought back a fascination with knives. Certainly in the creation of Wicca, Gardner incorporated the ideals and practices of many of the societies and philosophies he had experienced as well as, some say, his own personal peccadilloes of naturism and S&M. How much of the rituals and practices were solely of Gardner’s own devising is unknown and there are certainly claims that he collaborated with others, particularly Crowley in their construction. However nothing is absolutely certain, baring the contributions attributed to Valiente, who is said to have rewritten much of the original material granting it much of its current power and a degree of continuity. What can be stated with real surety is that on examination the rituals and beliefs of Wicca owe as much to eastern philosophies/religions, Masonic traditions, ceremonial magic and occult societies as they do to any form of classical witchcraft.

 

Wicca can best be described then as a fairly modern, though it’s relatively recent genesis is no reason to doubt its validity, spiritual path that incorporates practices and ideas from many sources, including those predating Christianity and practiced as witchcraft, in a structured and integrated manner. Gardner’s original Wicca included such practices as attending rituals skyclad, the fivefold kiss and the Great Rite, it was structured around the eight festivals of the, now traditional, Wheel of the Year (sabbats) and the lunar calendar featuring rituals on the full moon (esbats). Worship took place in a coven led by a High Priestess and a High Priest, with members being initiated and progressing through three degrees, by which time they had earned the right to leave the coven and found their own group.

 

However, as in all groups and organisations some conflict will arise, and with Wicca this lead to the formation of different paths and interpretations. The first schism resulted in the classification of the original as the Gardnerian Tradition and the new branch, founded by Alex and Maxine Sanders, as the Alexandrian Tradition. While there may have been some rivalry at first both these traditions are very similar and based on Gardner’s original foundations. Over time many more traditions split from the main groups, often incorporating the personal interpretations of their founders though still holding to the basics of Gardner’s design.  Two of the more successful of these new traditions are Saex Wicca (founded by Raymond Buckland and based loosely on Saxon gods) and Georgian Wicca (an eclectic path founded by George ‘Pat’ Patterson). 

 

Two things that often causes conflict within Wiccan circles are the matters of initiation and lineage. Gardner laid down the practice that all members of a coven are initiated through three degrees, based upon knowledge and experience, with the final degree giving the right for the initiate to leave the circle and form their own group. Thus all Wiccans had to prove their abilities and all covens could be traced back to Gardner’s original. However with the later traditions these two conventions have been subject to much reinterpretation. Many traditions are now arising spontaneously based on the growth in books purporting to teach you everything you need to know to become a witch (of a Wiccan variety at any rate). As a result many people now perform self initiation and as such any covens they form will have no direct link back to Gardner. Furthermore, many new Wiccans do not even join a group, either because they are unable to find a coven or simply because they wish to remain solitary. Many will argue that if a group can not trace its lineage then it is not valid, or if someone is self initiated they are not a true Wiccan.  While some will differentiate between the two as Wicca for the ‘recognised’ traditions and wicca or neo-wicca for the self initiated/spontaneous groups. Personally as far as I am concerned if you follow the basics of Wicca with honesty and with serious intent, you are just as entitled to use the term to describe your path. However I do agree with the initiated and lineaged groups that you should not make claims to which you have no right. So while I am more than happy to accept any Wiccan as a Wiccan, if they make claims to lineage, history, authority or experience that they have no right to I feel that they dishonour both themselves and their path/groups.

 

So if there are so many different interpretations of Wicca out there now, how do you recognise Wicca from the other Pagan paths and practices? Well simply put Wicca has some very basic concepts and practices which are largely in common:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two most important ideals are:

 

The Law of Threefold Return – basically a reworking of karmic debt, it states that whatever you do comes back to you, either in this life or the next, three times over. Therefore cause someone harm and you get the same harm back three times over.

 

The Wiccan Rede – probably the only piece of doctrine within Wicca, in its simplest form the rede states:

 

An it harm none, do as you wilt

 

This basically means that providing you cause no harm to others you should act as you think best. This is often confused with Crowley’s statement:

 

Do as you will is the whole of the law.

Will under love.

Love is the law.

 

Though whether this indicates Crowley was influenced by Gardner or Gardner by Crowley no-one can really say, a lot depends on when Gardner and Crowley actually met, something that like much of Wicca is subject to conflicting opinion.

 

One thing that must be made clear though is that while some may claim that Wiccans have to be initiated and others that self initiation can be made, no matter what the route becoming a Wiccan it is not something that happens overnight. While book learning may be enough to start the process, the ability to question what is offered and the knowledge gained by experience are the two things that will cement the title.

 

 

 

The Tale of the Newbie Witch

 

Round and round the circle,

Chants the newbie witch.

Calls all the quarters,

It goes without a hitch.

She calls down The Goddess,

And the God with horny head,

Intoning words mispronounced,

As they are written but not said.

She has the books with velvet covers,

The ancient wisdoms from this year.

Written out by odd named folk,

Not cheap, but not too dear.

She'll follow them like a slave,

As what’s written down is true.

Now under winter skies she stands,

Skyclad; slowly turning blue.

White magic is the only kind,

No dark powers will she invoke.

Well she may perhaps, work one for love.

As she knows the perfect bloke.

Her work now done, the candles out,

The cakes and ale now shared.

She breaks the circle with chattering teeth,

Never once was she truly scared.

She proudly calls herself a witch,

But as most can plainly see.

She has very little claim to that,

She's all 'Merry Meet' and 'Blessed Be'.

But given time she could surprise.

With work and effort made.

She might yet look past the print,

And then a witch be made.

The moral of this little tale,

All told in cunning rhyme.

Is that to be a witch takes more than books,

It takes experience and time.

 

© Kev the Cosmic Fool 2005