Wicca
What is Wicca?
WICCA (sometimes called Wicce, The Craft, or The Old Religion by its practitioners)
is an ancient religion of love for life and nature.
The Wiccan Rede!
Wiccans follow a basic law called the Wiccan Rede. The idea of the law is to that you can do whatever you want, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone- including yourself.
Since the Wiccan Rede is the spine of Wicca, every action you take must adhere to it. The basis of the rule is ethics. Ethics must be taken into consideration in every decision, most especially when it comes to writing and casting spells. Spells must never manipulate someone to make them think or feel a certain way, and they must never cause psychological or physical damage.
A common misconception is that one can cast a love spell at will to cause someone to love you involuntarily. This is a violation of the Wiccan Rede and is, in fact, often considered black magick. It manipulates the will of the individual being targeted. There are intricacies to love magick... you can cast a spell to draw a willing person to you, but you cannot cast a spell to force a specific person to love you.
Since we've been leading up to it, here it is- the Wiccan Rede. Make sure you understand it thoroughly before continuing. It's an essential piece of information to help understand all aspects of The Craft- why we do certain things and not others.
This poem known as the Wiccan Rede today was written by Adriana Porter who died in 1946.
The Wiccan Rede
Bide the Wiccan laws ye must,
in perfect love and perfect trust.
Live and let live -
fairly take and fairly give.
Cast the Circle thrice about
to keep all evil spirits out.
To bind the spell every time,
let the spell be spake in rhyme.
Soft of eye and light of touch -
speak ye little, listen much.
Deosil go by the waxing Moon -
sing and dance the Wiccan Rune.
Widdershins go when the Moon doth wane,
and the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane.
When the Lady's Moon is new,
kiss the hand to Her times two.
When the Moon rides at Her peak,
then your heart's desire seek.
Heed the North wind's mighty gale -
lock the door and drop the sail.
When the wind comes from the South,
love will kiss thee on the mouth.
When the wind blows from the East,
expect the new and set the feast.
When the West wind blows o'er thee,
departed spirits restless be.
* Nine woods in the Cauldron go -
burn them quick and burn them slow.
Elder be ye Lady's tree -
burn it not or cursed ye'll be.
When the Wheel begins to turn,
let the Beltane fires burn.
When the Wheel has turned a Yule,
lighty the Log and let Pan rule.
Heed ye flower, bush and tree -
by the Lady blessed be.
Where the rippling waters go,
cast a stone and truth ye'll know.
When ye are in dire need,
hearken not to others' greed.
With the fool no season spend,
or be counted as his friend.
Merry meet and merry part -
bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
When misfortune is enow,
wear the blue star on thy brow.
True in love ever be,
unless thy lover's false to thee.
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill -
an ye harm none, do what ye will.
Basic Wicca
Writing your own spells is a much more successful method than using ones written by others. This will help you decide what to put into your spell so it will produce the desired effect.
But here are some to help with eveyday things!
(before that you must beware of the threefold bind- what ever you do will come back to you three fold. There is away around this, but it is best left alone, as it could corse nasty after efects!)
Casting the magik cirle to keep unwelcomed forces out. (As you are entering another realm, it is possible for others to enter this one.)
Before casting a circle and performing magick, your work will be much more effective if you first bath yourself in purification herbs, or other herbs specific to your workings.
Try this for purification!
A Cleansing Chant
Perhaps this is something we could all use!
Uphold the rules of the Wiccan Rede.
Be high in spirit ye shall succeed.
Power of the Elements Five,
Will help Mother Nature stay alive.
From grains of Earth to the moving Air.
Past the burning Fire that magick flares.
Flow with Water, lakes, and streams;
Around the Spirit's aura and dreams.
(Purify before a casting for a more posative efect!)
Be sure to cast your circle properly before practicing any magick ritual.
(you never know what may wander in!)
PREPARATION
Prepare the room you will be using by thoroughly cleaning it first, and then going around the room with your censure lit with protection incense, or with a smudging wand
Of course, if you are casting your circle outside, you do not need to worry about cleaning.
Generally, the size of my circle is about 9 feet in diameter. The size can be changed as needed. (You may not have enough room, etc).
Place your 4 corner candles around the circumference of the circle. One candle to mark the East, one for the South, one for the West, and one for the North.
You may need a compass to orient yourself with North. If you do not have a compass, simply notice where the sun comes up (in the East) or sets (West) and you can figure out the Quarters from there.
Set up your Altar so that everything you need is within easy reach.
BEGINNING THE RITUAL
Sit in front of your Altar facing East.
Meditate for a moment to relax and prepare yourself for your ritual.
While you are doing this brief meditation, envision yourself surrounded by a protecting ball of light.
Build this vision mentally until you feel ready.
CASTING THE CIRCLE
Ring the Altar bell three times and stand.
Light your Altar candle, and then move to the East with your lit Altar candle.
Say:
"Here in the East I bring in Light and Air. This is to illuminate my temple and bring it the breath of life."
Light the East candle from the Altar candle, and move on to the South.
Say:
"Here in the South I bring in Light and Fire to illuminate my temple and bring it warmth."
Light the South candle from the Altar candle, and move on to the West.
Say:
"Here in the West I bring in Light and Water to illuminate my temple and wash it clean."
Light the West candle from the Altar candle, and move on to the North.
Say:
"Here in the North I bring in Light and Earth to illuminate my temple and bring it strength."
Light the North candle from the Altar candle, and return to the Altar.
Replace the Altar candle and pick up your Wand or Athame (whichever you use to raise power). Move to the East corner. Point your wand or athame down so that you "see" the edge of the circle off of the point of the tool.
Concentrate all of your energies down through your arm into the tool. Let the energy be released out of the tip and move around the circle deosil "drawing" the circumference or the circle with the energy flowing from the tool.
Go completely around the circle, finishing in the East before returning to the Altar.
Stand again in front of the Altar, hold your wand or athame in your right hand, and the Altar bell in your left. Ring the bell three times, and replace it on the altar.
Put the tip of your wand or athame into the dish of salt and say:
"As salt is life, let it purify me in all ways that I may use it. Let is cleanse my body and spirit as I use it in this rite dedicated to the Goddess"
Take three pinches of the salt from the dish and drop them one at a time into the dish of water. Stir the water deosil with your wand or athame and say:
"Let this sacred salt drive out any impurities in this water so they may be used together in the service of the Goddess - throughout these rites, and at any time and any way I choose to use them."
Take the bowl of salt water, begin in the East, and sprinkle the water around the circle, finishing again in the East.
Return the bowl of salt water to the Altar. Pick up your censure, and go around the circle beginning in the East and ending in the East, drawing your circle with the smoke.
Return your censure to the Altar. Dip your finger in the water and mark a cross with a circle around it over your third eye.
Dip your finger again in the salted water, and draw a pentagram over your heart.
Say:
"I consecrate myself in the name of the Goddess, bidding her welcome to my temple."
Move again to the East with your wand or athame. Draw a pentagram in the air over the East candle while letting your energy flow down your arm into the tool.
Say:
"Angel of Air, I do summon you to witness this rite and guard this circle. Powers of air, protect me as I journey between worlds."
Move to the South. Draw a pentagram in the air over the South candle while letting your energy flow down your arm into the tool.
Say:
"Angel of Fire, I do summon you to witness this rite and guard this circle. Powers of fire, protect me as I journey between worlds."
Move to the West. Draw a pentagram in the air over the West candle while letting your energy flow down your arm into the tool.
Say:
"Angel of Water, I do summon you to witness this rite and guard this circle. Powers of water, protect me as I journey between worlds."
Move to the North. Draw a pentagram in the air over the North candle while letting your energy flow down your arm into the tool.
Say:
"Angel of Earth, I do summon you to witness this rite and guard this circle. Powers of earth, protect me as I journey between worlds."
Return to the altar, and raise your wand or athame up high while saying:
"I hail the four corners and the Goddess. I invite the Lady and welcome her to witness this rite I hold in her honor."
Continue to hold your told up high and say:
"This circle is now cast and I am between worlds. I am beyond the bounds of time, where night and day, birth and death, joy and sorrow meet as one"
Note: Be sure to properly close your temple after your ritual, and be sure not to leave the circle during your ritual without opening a "doorway" first.
It is never recommended to leave the circle (even with opening a doorway first) during magickal work.
Mail me at the following add. for any help with castings or rituals.
asianrudebird@hotmail.com
