Wicca

Wicca is a religion and a way of life. As a religion it pre-dates Christianity. It is a Earth based religion. We revere the Earth and praise her for what she gives us to survive. And as a rule of that, we should not take more from her than we need. We should also give back to her so she may bring forth more of her bounty.

We give praise to the Goddess/God. We praise each one for different reasons. The beliefs throughout Wicca is different. The differences may vary from person to person. That is the good thing about Wicca, there is no one to tell you what you have to believe. We are all free to believe what we wish. But through all, a few "unwritten laws" are practiced. One of the most important ones is "an ye harm none, do what ye will". Simply put, do what ever you want as long as it does not bring harm to anyone or yourself.

If you think about it, on some lever or another there is a basis for all religions. And there are some simularties between different ones.

In my studies, so far, I have found several simularties between religions. But unlike most other religions, Wicca doesn't claim that it is the only true path. We believe that there are many paths, not just one.

Each person may have a different path, but also two people may follow the exactly the same path. It is up to the individual. There is no one that can tell you which path to follow. You are the only one that knows which path is right for you. You may find that you are following one path or you many find that you are following several different paths.

The more you study the more you may find that there are several different paths that you are interested in, and that is fine. You are free to check out each path and decide which one best suits you.

Celtic Wicca

Celtic Wicca today is a very powerful blend of religious thought, philosophy, and magic derived from many sources new and old. Celtic Wicca today is a combination of Druidism, Hinduism, pre-Celtic Fairy Faith. It is based on ancient, proto-IndoEuropean tribal religion.

The pentagram is a symbol of virtue and self-restraint. Single point up, the pentagram is used as a symbol of adherence to the Wiccan Rede. They use the original interwoven form of this star as a symbol of certain knowledge, that people can and should use the will of their spirit not only to lead elemental forces for constructive purpose, but also to channel all natural urges and emotions into healthy avenues of expression.

They realize that it represents spirit maintaining control over the other for elemental energies of earth, air, fire, and water, within as well as without. This does not imply that they try to subdue natural forces, but rather seek to find ethical means of guiding them both without and within. They do not try to suppress sexual urges, anger, etc., because that is unhealthy and self-destructive. They give their passion to their mate (or the healthy pursuit of one), their anger to injustice, their fear to wise precautions, their sadness to the mother Goddess who soothes it and uses the energy for healing, and their loving joy to all the world.

Separation of life energies into 7 distinct elements was taught and practiced by proto-IndoEuropean tribes. The Celts, also descendants of the IndoEuropean tribes, appear to have kept the original beliefs in the 7 elements of earth, sea, stone, clouds, wind, sun, and the Gods or Spirits. Due to the love of teaching in sets of threes they often spoke in terms of sea, land, and sky. Celtic Wiccans use systems of 3,5,7, and 9 elements, the basic principle and magical uses are the same.

Celtic Pledge of Spirituality

I am a Celtic Pagan and I dedicate myself to channeling the spiritual energy of my inner self to help and to heal myself and others.

I know that I am a part of the whole of nature. May I grow in understanding of the unity of all nature. May I always walk in balance. May I always be mindful of the diversity of nature as well as its unity and may I always be tolerant of those whose race, appearance, sex, sexual preference, culture, and other ways that differ from my own.

May I use the force (psychic power) wisely and never use it for aggression nor malevolent purpose. May I never direct it to curtail the free will of another.

May I always be mindful that I create my own reality and that I have the power within me to create positivity in my life.

May I always act in honorable ways: being honest with myself and others, keeping my word when ever I have given it, fulfilling all responsibilities and commitments I have taken on to the best of my ability. May the forces of destiny move swiftly to remind me of these spiritual commitments when I have begun to falter from them, and may I use this destanic feedback to help myself grow and be more attuned to my inner Celtic spirit. May I always remain strong and committed to my spiritual ideals. May the force of my inner sprit ground out all malevolence directed my way and transform it into positivity. May my inner light shine so strongly that malevolent forces can not even approach my sphere of existence.

May I always grow in inner wisdom and understanding. May I see every problem that I face as an opportunity to develop myself spiritually in solving it.

May I always act out of love to all other beings on this planet, to other humans, to plants, to animals, to minerals, to elements, to spirits, and to other entities.

May I always be mindful that the Goddess and God in all their forms dwell within me and that this divinity is reflected through my own inner self, my pagan spirit.

May I always channel love and light from my being. May my inner spirit, rather than my ego self, guide all my thoughts, feelings, and actions.

By the Grace of the Gods

Celtic Traditions

Alexandrian - Although not a Celtic tradition, many Celtic paths today use words and expressions which reflect the Kabbalistic influence of the Pagan tradition. Its founder, Alexander Saunders, was a Pagan leader who successfully blended Kabbalistic practice with Anglo-Celtic practice. Many people believe that this blending first in the late 1400s when Moors, Jews, Pagans, and other non-Catholics fled the Spanish Inquisition. Many of these people came to the west of Ireland, then the end of the known world, to hide and begin a new life.

Anglo-Romany - A tradition based upon the beliefs of the itinerant Gypsy people of Britain and Ireland, commonly called “Tinkers.” This tradition often is blended with the more mystical aspects of Europeean Catholicism.

Anglo-Saxon - An English path combining the practices of the Celts with those of the southern Teutons, whose Pagans are also sometimes called “witches.” Though the popular word “Wicca” is Anglo-Saxon in origin, the followers of this path discard it as a label for themselves. There are many followers of this tradition, and many varied expressions of its teachings.

Arthurian - A tradition from Wales and Cornwall based upon the Arthurian myths which sees each of the figures in his stories as individual divine images. Books on the Arthurian legends can give you a basic idea of the practices of this pathway. Look to the writings of Geoffrey Ashe and John Matthews for the best and broadest presentations.

Brezonek - This is the little-known Celtic tradition of Brittany. It has most likely been influenced by both Roman and Celtic Gaul, and by the Celts of the British Isles, though its followers think of themselves first and foremost as Celtic.

Brittanic - An Anglo-Celtic tradition which encompasses the beliefs brought to England by the invading Romans, as well as those of the Celts.

Brythonic - A generic label often applied to traditions of Wales, Cornwall, and England. Though the Bretons also speak a Brythonic language, this name is usually not applied to their spiritual practices.

Caledonii - This Scottish tradition receives little publicity in the Pagan press. The name Caledonii is Roman in origin and may indicate that it, like the quarterly newsletter of this tradition.

Celtic - A broad and eclectic branch of Paganism originating in Celtic Gaul, western and northern England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Brittany, and the Isle of Man. Generally they share much in common, but, specifically, they have many differences.

Creabh Ruadh - The “Red Branch” tradition is a highly secretive, initiatory, male mysteries Irish path based upon the myths and exploits of the Red Branch warriors of Ulster. It is highly stratified in character, much like Celtic society.

Cymri - The principal Pagan tradition of Wales. It claims to be a pre-Celtic path which may antedate many of the Arthurian legends, though Arthur and his legions figure heavily in the teachings and mythology of this tradition.

Deborean - This American eclectic tradition has Celtic ties in the sense that they use names from the Anglo-Celtic myths to designate their leaders. They are an initiatory tradition which attempts to reconstruct Wicca as it was before the witch persecutions, known in the Craft as “The Burning Times.” They view their principal purpose as being to help all humans find their inner spiritual home.

Druidiactos - A Druidic path, as much cultural as it is magical and religious, which devotes itself to Celtic study and as accurate as possible a reconstruction of past practices. The teaching and beliefs of the Druidiactos are outlined in The Sacred Cauldron, by Tadhg MacCrossan.

Druidic - The pathways based on the practices, rituals, and magic of the Celtic priestly class known as the Druids. Many expressions of this tradition exist, and their differences have often been cause for dissension in the Pagan community. Two of the best books published in recent years on Druidism are Book of Druidry, by Ross Nicols, and The 21 Lessons of Merlin, by Douglas Monroe.

Dryad - A feminist tradition of female Druidesses who were given their name by the tree faeries of the Celtic lands, who are also known as Dryads. Faery lore plays a strong role in their practices, and the majority of their other teachings are Druidic with a modern feminist slant.

Eireannach - Several distinct traditions claiming this label seem to be operating in North America. The name simply means “Irish.” Eireannach is probably best described as a catch-all term for the various Irish paths rather than the name of any one single expression.

Faery - An environmentally-minded path which claims its origins in the oral teaching of the Tuatha De Dannan of Ireland, the deities who became the faery folk. Once a secretive, California-based group, their beliefs and practices have been made public in the Faery Wicca series of books by Kisma K. Stepanich.

Family - Various traditions passed down through individual families are usually tossed together under this label. Some of these are secretive for reasons of personal security, others openly combine their Celtic Pagan beliefs with those of mainstream religions. A Family Tradition can be a part of any culture’s indigenous religion, not just Celtic.

Fennian - An initiatory Irish path which takes its name from Fionn MacCumhal’s warriors, the Fianna. Gaelic - A generic label sometimes applied to the traditions of Ireland and Scotland.

Gardnerian - This is not exactly a Celtic tradition, but many of Gerald Gardner’s ideas have had so much impact on modern Paganism since he first begin writing about his vision of witchcraft in the 1950s that many Celtic groups have adopted them. His tenets include ritual nudity, hierarchies of leadership, and an organized, graduated training system for new converts. A very stratified, initiatory tradition. The many books of Janet and Stewart Farrar best present Gardnerian ways.

Hebridean - A secretive Scottish tradition which is based on the Irish myths, but to which local legends associated with them are applied.

Hibernian - This Irish tradition probably developed during the Middle Ages and shows Roman influence. Irish - A generic term used to identify traditions native to Ireland and her people. Many individual traditions come under this broad heading, though some believe the only true Irish tradition is one which is pre-Celtic.

Kingstone - An English tradition with Celtic roots.

Maidenhill - This initiatory path was founded in England in the late 1970s and worships a generic Mother Goddess, sometimes called Rhiannon, and the Horned God. Maidenhill does not have a significant number of followers in North America.

Majestic - An English tradition which views the long succession of ruling monarchs as sacrificial kings and fertility queens.

Manx - An Irish tradition which traces its roots to the mystical Isle of Man. Lots of faery lore-based beliefs and ritual workings are part of this path. Manann Mac Llyr, God of the Sea, and Fand, a Faery Queen, are its principal deities.

North Country - The Pagan tradition of the Yorkshire region of England. The principal influences on it were from England (which was heavily influenced by Pagan Rome) and from the Scottish lowlands.

North Isles - The tradition from the Orkney and Shetland Islands of Scotland. This path was heavily influenced by the Norse, and many Nordic festivals are still celebrated here. Some of the regional names of the deities, faeries, and other Pagan beliefs are still identified by Old Norse words.

Northern - A combined path which follows the old Norse and Celtic ways--sometimes labeled Asatru. A Pagan group which calls itself “Northern Way” incorporated in Chicago in 1982. Their beliefs are broadly outlined in Northern Magic, by Edred Thorsson.

OBOD - The an acronym for the Order of Bard, Ovates and Druids, a tradition of Celtic Druidry based in England.

Pecti-Wica - This is the solitary path of the pre-Celtic people known as the Picts. They inhabited northern Scotland and warred frequently with the Celts before being absorbed by them. The beliefs and practices of this path are recorded by Raymond Buckland in his book, Scottish Witchcraft.

Reformed - This flourishing tradition was organized at Carleton College in Minnesota in 1963 in protest against a school rule which required Sunday chapel attendance. The original group rituals were based on the Episcopal form of worship, but its splinter groups have since tried to revise their rituals in line with old Celtic ways.

Romano-Gaulish - This traditions combines Celtic and Roman Pagan practices in the same way that they merged and blended in Gaul many centuries ago.

Sacred Wheel - An eclectic neo-Pagan path which was organized in Delaware within the past decade. Calling themselves Wiccan, they focus on balance and learning. Celtic beliefs are a part of their teachings. Still concentrated in the eastern states, covens are formed from study groups which include both old timers and novices.

Scotia - A tradition for which little public information exists. It is a path which attempts to reconstruct the early Milesian faith as practiced about the time the Celts came to Britain. This would of necessity seek to include old Iberian (Spanish) Pagan beliefs which are now virtually extinct thanks to the gross efficiency of the Spanish Inquisition.

Scottish - A generic term used to identify traditions native to Scotland and her people. Many individual traditions come under this broad heading, though some believe that the only true Scottish tradition is one which is pre-Celtic.

Shamanic - While most people do not at first think if Shamanism when they think of the Celts, this spiritual practice has been noted in all ancient cultures. John Matthews book, The Celtic Shaman, is an excellent text on this largely forgotten path.

Tuatha De Danann - An Irish tradition based upon the mythic tales of the Tuatha De Danann, the last race to hold power in Ireland before the Milesian (human) invasion. The mythic figures of the Tuatha constitute most of the Irish pantheon and serve as a divine foundation for virtually all of the Irish traditions.

Ueleda - Ueleda was a name sometimes broadly applied to female Druids, and today it is the name for an all-female, initiatory Druidic tradition.

Welsh - A catch-all term for the several different Pagan traditions which came out of Wales.

West Country - The principal Pagan tradition of Cornwall and Devonshire in southwestern England.

Wicca - The Anglo-Saxon term for witchcraft popularized by Pagan writers since the 1950s. The term usually refers to an Anglo-Celtic practice, particularly as interpreted by Wiccan leader Gerald Gardner. Wicca is an Anglo-Saxon word meaning “wise one,” a term which came to label the craft as it was practiced in England, Wales, and the continental region once known as Saxony.

Wicce - The Olde English word for Wicca. It is sometimes used to refer to an English Tradition where the Saxon influences, but not Celtic ones, have been eliminated wherever possible.

Witan - An eclectic Scottish path which combines the Scottish, Celtic, Pictish, and Norse traditions. Like the Irish Witta, it values the many influences upon itself as an asset to be cherished rather than eliminated. Modern Wita has done away with much of the stratification of Celtic society and accepts self-initiation as valid.

Witchcraft - This is another broad term which encompasses several, rather than any single, Pagan tradition. All witches are Pagans, but not all Pagans are witches. The term “witch” seems to have become a term exclusively reserved for practitioners of any of the Celtic or Anglo traditions, or, less often, for the Teutonic paths (this latter is probably because the Saxons and the Norse had such a great impact on Celtic Paganism). You will find witch used occasionally in this book in place of the word Pagan.

Wittan - An eclectic Irish path which keeps very old Irish traditions and combines them with the influences of the Norse. Witta values Irish Pagan history and recognizes that at each stage in its development, over many centuries, each generation has been able to add something of value. Until recent times Wittan covens were characterized by strict stratification and one-on-one teaching for its apprentices. Today most Wittan covens operate on a consensus basis and will accept self-initiation and the solitary life is valid.

Y Tylwyth Teg - A welsh-based tradition named for the faery folk of that land, a people who roughly correspond to the Tuatha De Danann in Ireland. Though the tradition was officially founded in the United States, it maintains deeply Celtic roots and very humanistic philosophy. Students of this path are asked to place heavy emphasis on the study of Welsh myth, folklore, and faery lore.

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Information sources: Celtic Myth & Magick, by Edain McCoy