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Wicca, Paganism, & Witchcraft

What is Wicca?

Wicca is an ancient nature religion which is about 25,000 yrs. old. If you think that the Wiccan symbols remind you of "witchcraft", it is because they are both one in the same. Many Wiccans believe that their religion was slandered by the medievel churches, and now their symbols and god(esses)s represent christian ideas of evil. Wiccans want everyone to know that their religion stands for peace, goodness and harmony with all. And to let it be known that any aspect of true Wicca does not involve "devil worship" or "satan" because the devil is a christian belief and not recognized by the Wiccan religion, regardless of what the chrisitan conservatives say. If you really want to see what kind of lies are spread about the religion go here :LIES

Basic Tools of the Craft

Here is a list of some basic tools used in the Wiccan religion.

Athame--a double edged knife used to cast circles and focusing energy. Not used as a cutting tool.---Male aspect.
Candles--Colors depend on the spell you are doing (but white always seems to work for me).
Cauldron--iron pot used for cooking, brewing, and other uses. Candles work nice too instead of a cauldron.
Incense and Thurible (burner)--sticks, cones, chunks, any kind used as a purifying substance. A long wooden burner or a small brass one will do just fine.
Book of Shadows-- Book used to keep spells, pictures, coven meetings, anything you want. Each Wiccan should have his/her own or one for a whole coven.
Pen of Art--pen only used for Book of Shadows
Chalice--goblet used for wine/juice (any glass will do, but I got mine at the salvation army and it is beautiful!!)--Female aspect and used in conjunction with the athame.
Wand--about the length of your forearm, wooden with a phallice symbol on the end (acorn, crystal), used to also cast circles and focus energy.--Male aspect.
Salt--naturally clean mineral, essential for ritual and purifications. Usually used in conjuction with water.
Pentacle--disc of wood, metal, or anything with a pentagram on it and other special symbols.
Broom--used to ritually sweep negativity from a circle. A newly married (or "hand-fasted") couple will "jump the broom" to encourage fertility.
Oil--used for the ritual anointing of coverners or the solitary, sometimes mixed with herbs.
Bell--used in rituals to invoke the Goddess.

Symbols in Wicca

Pentagram--symbolizing the 4 elements of nature knit together by spirit. Wiccan pentagrams point upwards, where as people who call themselves "satanists" display this upside down as they do with the chrisitan cross.
Wheel of the Year--progression through the yearly cycle of life.
Goddess--Wiccans believe in the duality of the creative force-Female as well as Male.
God--the consort to the Goddess.

Deities

The Goddess--She who holds all in her bosom. She gave birth to the Earth and all living things on it. Mother Earth ringed by the moon, which reflects in its orbit woman's menstrual cycle. Known by many names and in many cultures throughout history.
The God--The Goddess's consort, who is always represented with horns or antlers because he is the Lord of the hunt or of the forests. Because the christian devil is also represented with horns, that is where the misconception comes in about Wiccans being devil worshippers.
The Green Man--represents the God.
The Familiar--usually a cat, but may be any animal that the witch feels a special bond with. Wiccans honor life above all things and feel a special kinship with the animal kingdom, so human or animal sacrifice is in no way a part of Wicca.

Major Sabbats

Samhain--Oct. 31--This is the day when the veil between the two worlds is the thinnest. Good time to contact departed loved ones.
Imbolc--Feb. 2--This is the first celebration of the awakening Earth.
Beltane--May 1--This is the observance of the uniting of the Goddess and the God.
Lammas--Aug. 1--This is time to be thankful for the first harvest.

Minor Sabbats

Spring Eqinox(Ostara)--This symbolizes the Goddess bursting forth with fertility.
Autumn Equinox(Mabon)--The completion of harvest.
Summer Solstice(Litha)--The height of the Goddess's powers.
Winter Solstice(Yule)--The God who died at Samhain is now reborn to the Goddess. He begins his journey back from the shortest day of the year.

Moon Phases

New--beginning and end of the magickal cycle, a time of meeting.
Full--the apex of the magickal cycle, a time of meeting.
Waxing--a period of building magickal forces.
Waning--a period for releasing magickal forces.