Wiccan Mythology
Wicca, also known as witchcraft, is a new religion
based heavily upon the beliefs of ancient, cultural societies. Since
Wiccans are autonomous, so are their beliefs. However, there are
certain tenets that the majority of Wiccans accept. The mythology found
in modern day witchcraft is created from the combination of various, cultural
mythologies related through commonalities. This unification allows practitioners
of the Craft to adopt numerous cultural traditions and to personalize them.
The mythology of Wicca comes from the pagan beliefs of the past. The evolution
of these pagan ways is the basis for Wiccan Mythos of today.
Two men in particular can be credited as myth
givers of the Wiccan Way. These gentlemen are Charles Godfrey Leland
and Gerald Brosseau Gardener. Respected authors within the Wiccan
community, Leland and Gardener are not viewed as the Myth Makers of this
Neo-Pagan faith. Most Wiccans consider the beginnings of their religion
to be within the traditions of diverse, ancient peoples. Both Leland and
Gardener conducted research on the witchcraft claims during their lifetimes.
Wiccan Author, Raven Grimassi (1997) writes in his book, Ways of the Strega,
“It was Charles Leland who laid the framework for what became the modern
religion of Wicca. In his works, witches worship a God and Goddess,
gather nude beneath the Full Moon for their ceremonies, and work Magick.
Over half a century later, Gerald Gardner began to write on these same
themes” (72). Gardner believed, however, that the religion about which
he wrote was not just a rekindling of an older belief, but a genuine continuation
of a witch faith. It was the pagan community who further researched
Gardner’s claims; no academic historian has taken his accounts legitimately
(Ankarloo and Clark 1999: 44). At least three others are responsible for
the growth of Wiccan Mythology. Stewart and Janet Farrar and Doreen
Valiente have shaped some of the most widely accepted Wiccan ideologies.
Valiente voiced her beliefs on the subject in Margot Adler’s Drawing Down
the Moon (1997), “[Rituals] were heavily influenced by Crowley and the
O.T.O. [Ordo Templi Orientis], but underneath there was a lot which wasn’t
[Aleister] Crowley at all, and wasn’t the Golden Dawn or ceremonial magic
either—and I had been studying all three of these traditions for years”
(85). She also states her belief that, “Yes, I am responsible for quite
a lot of the wording of the present-day rituals; but not the framework
of those rituals or the ideas upon which they are based” (Adler 1997:85).
Editors Bengt Ankarloo and Stuart Clark (1999)
documented the following observation on modern day Witchcraft, which says:
[Wicca] is a highly eclectic and protean system of operation, in which the basic format of the consecrated circle with potent cardinal points, in which deities are invoked and magic worked, is filled with images and systems taken from a huge span of sources. These include the cultures of ancient Greece, Egypt, Rome, Mesopotamia, Ireland and Wales, and of the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings, the folklores of the British Isles, the structure of prehistoric monuments, Hinduism, Buddhism, eighteenth and nineteenth century Celtic romanticism, Native American, and the modern earth mysteries and radical feminism (74).Wiccans create a ritual circle in order to enter myth time. The idea that the Goddess or the divine spark of creation is within all of nature is a common Wiccan opinion. Distinguished peace activist, ecofeminist, author, and Witch, Starhawk (1997) explains, “The Goddess does not rule the world; She is the world. Manifest in each of us, She can be known internally by every individual, in all her magnificent diversity” (33). Having the divine spark is what allows each Wiccan to alter his/her own reality. This is the act of Magick (spelled with a “k” to distinguish from magicians who use magic in reference to illusions). Wiccans refer to the magical circle that they create as existing beyond the boundaries of space and time. Within this mythic place, the Wiccan can draw upon the divine energy within himself/herself. In this way, the Wiccan becomes part of the creator, and is given the ability to create and/or destroy, and in turn, change his/her own actuality. During a formal Wiccan ritual, a call is said to the quarters. Each of the quarters is represented through the cardinal directions of East, South, West, and North. Each direction is represented by an element: Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. These are the Elements that create the Earth, and in doing so, create existence. Popular Wiccan author, Scott Cunningham (1997) explains the nature of ritual as, “ideally, religion permeates all aspects of life. Even when we’re not lighting candles and casting circles, it’s best to live in a Wiccan manner. Life itself can be seen as ritual….”(45). A popular Wiccan text written by the Farrars and Valiente called The Charge of the Goddess is a Mythic example of why Wiccans perform rituals, where they perform rituals, how they perform rituals, and to whom the rituals are performed. It is probably the most important and most well known piece within Wicca. The Charge of the goddess states:
Whenever you have need of anything, once in the month and better it be when the moon is full, then shall you assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of me, who am Queen of all witches. There shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets; to these will I teach all things that are as yet unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery; and as a sign that ye be truly free, you shall be naked in your rites; and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love, all in my praise. For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit, and mine also is joy on earth; for my law is love unto all beings. Keep pure your highest ideals; strive ever towards them, let nothing stop you or turn you aside. For mine is the secret door which opens upon the Land of Youth, and mine is the cup of the wine of life, and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Vessel of Immortality. I am the gracious Goddess, who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man. Upon earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal; and beyond death, I give peace, and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do I demand sacrifice; for behold, I am the Mother of all living, and my love is poured out upon the earth. I am the beauty of the green earth, and the white moon among the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the heart of man. Call unto they soul, arise, and come unto me. For I am the soul of Nature, who gives life to the Universe. From me all things proceed, and unto me all things must return; and before my face, beloved of Gods and of men, let thine innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite. Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth; for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. Therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you. And thou who thinkest to seek for me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knowest the mystery: that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without thee. For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and I am that which is attained at the end of desire. (Grimassi 1997b: 44)The Farrars and Valiente have aided in the development of the Wiccan ways though the invention of this text. Since its origin, the text has been adapted and changed. It is still used by many Wiccan Covens. Some traditions even tell The Charge in the form of a story. This story depicts the creation of ritual. In the latter section of the text, the Goddess defines herself as, “the white moon among the stars” (Grimassi 1997b), and at the beginning of the text it is specifically stated that Wiccans should meet, “When the moon is full” (Grimassi 1997b). This is symbolic representation of an encounter with the Creator. When Wiccans assemble under the full moon, they are meeting the Goddess. At the same time the Goddess is described as, “I am the beauty of the green earth” and “the mystery of the waters” (Grimassi 1997b). Metaphorically speaking, the earth would be seen as the creator. According to The Charge, “From me all things proceed, and unto me all things must return” (Grimassi 1997b). This is suggesting that all things in nature are created from the same elements of the earth, and after physical existence has ended, all natural things decompose back into the earth and into the basic elements from which it was formed. As previously mentioned, these elements are commonly viewed as Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Grimassi reveals more interpretation of this myth, “The cup of the wine of life is a reference to the life-giving powers of the womb, and to the Blood Mysteries as well as the intoxicating elixirs generated by the female body through magickal stimulation of the endocrine glands”(1997b: 45). The final section of The Charge discusses the mysteries. It states that, “if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without thee” (Grimassi 1997b). This indicates that one should look within himself/herself for answers to questions, and for meaning. For example, if one cannot find happiness within himself/herself, he/She will not find it in a material form. The previous quote also refers to acknowledging the divine spark of life within all of creation. As mentioned before, the Goddess is manifest in all.
In love, the Horned God, changing form and changing face, ever seeks the Goddess. In this world, the search and the seeking appear in the Wheel of the Year. She is the Great Mother who gives birth to Him as the Divine Child Sun at the Winter Solstice. In spring, He is sower and seed who grows with the growing light, green as the new shoots. She is the Initiatrix who teaches Him the mysteries. He is the young bull; She the nymph, seductress. In summer, when light is longest, they meet in union, and the strength of their passion sustains the world. But the God’s face darkens as the sun grows weaker, until at last, when the grain is cut for harvest, He too sacrifices Himself to Self that all may be nourished. She is reaper, the grave of the earth to which all must return. Throughout the long nights and darkening days, He sleeps in her womb; in dreams, he is Lord of Death who rules the Land of Youth beyond the gates of night and day. His dark tomb becomes the womb of rebirth, for at Midwinter She again gives birth to Him. The cycle ends and begins again, and the Wheel of the Year turns, on and on. (53)Within this Mythic tale lies the explanation for the changing of the seasons. The Wheel of the year also reconfirms the statements within The Charge of the Goddess. The Wheel of the Year myth states that, “She is reaper, the grave of the earth to which all must return” (Starhawk 1997), while the Charge states that,” From me all things proceed, and unto me all things must return” (Grimassi 1997b). Witches celebrate eight holidays; also know as Sabbats, marked by the quarters and cross-quarters of the moon. Four of these holidays mark the solstices and the equinoxes. Yuletide is also the winter solstice. The tale tells Wiccans that the Goddess gives birth to the Sun God. In reality the days after the solstice begin to grow longer until the summer solstice, when the days begin to grow shorter and the nights become longer. The ideals of Wiccan Mythology also have different focus within the Wheel of the Year. Generally the time from Winter Solstice to Summer Solstice is considered the “Light” portion of the year, and more concentration is bestowed upon the Goddess. From Summer Solstice to Winter Solstice is considered the “Dark” half of the year and more attention is brought upon the God. The first holiday after Yule is called Imbolc. Based mainly on Celtic traditions, Imbolc is the first of the three Wiccan spring fertility festivals. On the day of the spring equinox, day and night are of equal length. This day represents the celebration of Ostara. German traditions are the typical foundation for this celebration. In the Wheel of the Year mythos, the God and Goddess are in the stages of youth; “He is the young bull; She the nymph, seductress” (Starhawk 1997). The last of the fertility festivals is known as Beltane. As told in the myth, this is the symbolic union of the Lord and Lady. At this point, the goddess moves away from her Maiden aspect and into her Mother phase. Again, the majority of traditions celebrated at this time are Celtic in origin. At Summer Solstice, also known in Wiccan theology as Litha, the God sacrifices himself to the earth, and back to the womb of the Mother, so that all may be nourished. Lughnassagh is the beginning of the three Wiccan harvest festivals. Lugh is the Celtic god celebrated at this time. Mabon marks the fall equinox. Welsh traditions celebrate abundance and thanks. The final holiday is called Samhain. This is the Celtic New Year. During this portion of the Wheel of the Year, the God and Goddess are in their Wise Sage and Crone stages. Of course, depending on the traditions of Wicca one practices, the traditions and names of the Sabbats may vary. One can easily find the combination of culture and mythology within the titles of the aforementioned festivals. The tale also brings into light the Wiccan belief in reincarnation or rebirth. Since the Wheel of the Year, “turns on and on” (Starhawk 1997) and nature rejuvenates, so must all things return. The specific beliefs in reincarnation are left to interpretation by the tradition or individual practitioner. Grimassi points out the adaptation of cultural beliefs in rebirth stating that, “In the theology of Wicca where exists a realm known as the Summerland in which souls rest and are renewed for their next experience. Reincarnation…was one of the Mystery Teachings in ancient Greece…and was a tenet of Roman Mystery Cults as well….Such beliefs were well known in Greece generations before the arrival of the Celts” (1997b: 111).
REFERENCES
Adler, Margot. 1997. Drawing Down the Moon. New York, NY:
Penguin/Arkana.
Ankarloo, Bengt and Stuart Clark, Eds. 1999. Witchcraft and
Magic in Europe: The Twentieth Century. London:
The
Athlone Press
Cunningham, Scott. 1997. Living Wicca: A Further Guide for
The Solitary Practitioner. St. Paul, MN: Levelly
Publications.
Grimassi, Raven. 1997a. Ways of the Strega. St. Paul, MN:
Levelly Publications.
------. The Wiccan Mysteries. 1997b. St. Paul, MN:
Levelly Publications.
Moura, Ann. 2000. Origins of Modern Witchcraft: The
Evolution of a World Religion. St. Paul, MN: Levelly
Publications.
Starhawk. 1999. The Spiral Dance. 3rd Ed. New York, NY:
HarperSanFrancisco Publishers.
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