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Organizational Structure: Wicca is one religion (the largest) within
Neopaganism.
Other Neopagan groups include individuals and groups who are reconstructing Druidic,
Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Sumerian, ancient mystery religions and other ancient
spiritual traditions. Many, perhaps most,
Witches are solitary practitioners; they perform their rites alone. Others form covens
which are informal groups of Wiccans. There is often no hierarchy beyond the coven;
there is no
state, provincial or national organization. Finally, some covens have a High Priestess
and/or Priest democratically elected by the group to that office. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Visibility: Virtually everyone has heard of Christianity,
Islam and Judaism.
But among the three religions that are close to being tied for fourth
place in the United States, almost everyone has heard of Buddhism
and Hinduism. If you mention Wicca to
the average American, you will probably receive a blank stare. A major
reason for this is that many Wiccans tend to keep their religion secret;
they fear physical and economic attack. A recent survey of 3,798
Wiccan visitors to a web site showed that:
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Periodic rituals: Wiccans try to meet out of doors where possible. North American climate
and concern for personal safety usually forces them indoors. They gather in a circle,
which is often nine feet in diameter. Candles on the circumference are usually oriented to
the four cardinal directions. Some Wiccans align the candles to the walls of the room. An
altar is at the center of the circle or at the northern candle. Rites begin with a casting
of the circle, in which the circle is outlined and purified, and the candles lit. A space
is thus created within the circle; this is sometimes visualized as a sphere, or as a
cylinder or cone. The purpose of this space is to confine healing energy until it is
released. The central portion of each meeting may celebrate the full moon, a new moon,
a Sabbat or a special Wiccan ceremony. It might include healing, divination (scrying,
Tarot cards, Runes, etc.), teaching, consecration of tools, discussion, or other
life-affirming, nature based activities. After the major work is completed, food (perhaps
cakes and wine) is eaten, and the circle is banished. Because of the increasing concern
over addictions to alcohol and other drugs, many covens have replaced wine with juice,
water etc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Wiccan tools: Hardware which are used to perform Witchcraft rites often look like
common household items. Although there is much variation among individual Wiccans and
their covens, the following are typical:
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Wiccan Sabbats: (Seasonal days of Celebration) There are eight Wiccan Sabbats,
spaced about 45 days apart during the year. Four of these are minor Sabbats: the
two equinoxes of March 21 and
September 21st when the daytime and nighttime are
each 12 hours long. The Saxons added the two solstices of December
21, (the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere) and June 21 (the shortest night of the year).
Actually, the exact date of these Sabbats vary from year to year
and may occur from the
20th to 23rd of the month. The major Sabbats are also four in number. They occur
roughly midway between the minor Sabbats, typically at the end of a month. Different
Wiccan traditions assign various names and dates to these festivals. Perhaps the most
common names are Celtic: Samhain (Oct. 31), Imbolc (Feb. 2), Beltane
(Apr. 30), and Lammas (Aug. 1). Dates are approximate. Some
Wiccans observe the Sabbat within a few days of the nominal date. The
Sabbats are believed to have originated in the cycles associated with hunting, farming, and animal fertility. | ||||||||||||
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Rites of passage: These include:
Many Wiccans write their own rituals for special occasions in their life. Three
examples are given in the web site of Mary Amanda referred to below. | ||||||||||||
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The Great Rite: This rite is meant to symbolize the sexual union of the
Goddess and God which is said to have created all life, and to renew it every
spring. It is a frequently used expression of the positive view that Wiccans
have toward human
sexuality. This ritual is normally performed symbolically, often after the
main work is completed, at the beginning of the sharing of the food and beverage. In a coven, a male is selected to hold the athame while a female is selected
to hold the chalice, which has been filled with either wine, ale, juice, or
water before this time. The male holds the athame high above the chalice,
blade downward, and words similar to the following are spoken:Both: "All fruits of the Earth are fruits of your union, "Your Womb, your Dance, Lady and Lord. "Come, join with us, feast with us, enjoy with us." Some Wiccan couples who form a loving, committed and sexually active relationship include an act of sexual intercourse during their Great Rite. Again, this symbolizes the union of the God and Goddess. This is done in private and involves only the two Wiccans. |
Reference:
- Norm Vogel, "Witchcraft: The facts," at http://www.nvogel.com/fact.html His survey is at: http://pub21.bravenet.com/vote/vote.php?usernum=1785118146&cpv=1
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Home page > World religions > Wicca > here |
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Home page > World religions > Neopagan Religions > Wicca > here |
Copyright © 1995 to 2009 by Ontario
Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Latest update: 2009-MAY-06
Author: B.A. Robinson
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