How can I learn about Wicca before it was polluted by other irrelevant things?
I am 17 years old and I study different religions and always have since I had what I call an awakening when I was 13 years old after a near death experience I had when I was 13 , it opened my eyes to the fact that there is infact something after death and that there are forces that exist here that we can not see, as well as karma, reincarnation etc.
I used to not believe in it or anything of the sort but sort of had a religious belief but at the same time, I doubted it because it seemed too brutual and like it was trying to use fear to control people into believing in Christianity ... I was fighting myself and was very depressed and broken in spirit because I felt like nothing I ever did was good enough because I was being taught VERY wrongly about Christianity and not only that, but the fact that I didn't really believe in it but forced myself to just because my parents did.. so yea, me forcing myself ot believe in it ended up hurting me worse. I have many religious beliefs but I decided to practice Wicca, the thing is though, that Wicca is like a mix of a lot of different things and it's hard for me to find out what is REALLY true.
What I mean by, what is really true, is what belongs to Wicca and what does not. It's hard for me to find that anywhere online without finding something like" oh astrology isn't included in Wicca" or something. What are the Native American/European beliefs of Wicca? And where can I read about them both at ?
N2012-02-19T03:56:24Z
Favorite Answer
Merry Meet Stephanie,
Wicca is first and foremost a spiritual belief system that focuses on the duality of the divine powers (aka a Goddess and God). So your search for spiritual fulfillment should begin there.
Astrology, Herbalism, Stones and such are intricate parts to Wicca. Wicca is set up to incorporate the use of the Stars and Planets (Astrology) in order to keep track of the seasons and the powers of those seasons. Herbalism is a part of all religious paths that incorporate nature into its practice, Wicca is not alone nor do Wiccans own the monopoly on the idea. So feel free to use the concept of using plants natural healing as well as magickal properties in your practice.
In all reality it’s by what name you wish to use something. Energy Vibrations by any name is still energy. As an example the word “Reiki” is derived from two Japanese words: rei which means universal or divine, and ki which means life force or life energy. Even the word Chakra is a Sanskrit word that literally means “wheel.” It is used to help describe energy centers along a meridian in the body. Neither Reiki nor the Chakras are a common practice in Wicca, but many Wiccans do incorporate them into their practice. Many Wiccans choose to simply call working with energy vibrations energy work. Using names from other cultures or practices simply help to explain things to those individuals not familiar with Wicca but are familiar with what Reiki is or what the Chakras are.
A deeper research on western concepts of “The Law of Return” and “Reincarnation” will help to give you a better understanding of whether to use the concepts in your practice of Wicca.
No one can really tell you what to believe or not to believe, it’s your choice. But please do understand that there are core beliefs and practices that do make up the religious practice of Wicca. By understanding the core beliefs and practices of Wicca you begin to understand what Wicca is, what Wiccans do, and how Wicca relates to us and our world.
I would also like to add one last comment for you to read. Many people will offer you links to various web sites or e-resources. I recommend that if you are sincerely wishing to grow in Wicca to avoid certain groups or sites that promote negativity by insulting or attacking others or stirring up trouble, as well as individuals that contradict what they say. They will only slow you down or even cause obstacles in your walk that could stunt your growth in Wicca as well as hurt your inner spirituality.
I hope that I have helped some. Wish you the best in your journey.
Wait a year, join a Gardnerian coven. You can read Gardners books and get some of it, you can join a different tradition, but that will be colored by the additions that made it a *different tradition*. Gardner's coven is pretty much accepted as the origin of what became Wicca (Traditional Wicca anyway) so that's the best place to get the unsullied content.
It's not about beliefs though. It's more about action. Most people who think that religion is about what you believe are surprised when they find out that being a Priest/ess of the Old Religion is about what you do.
If you think one thing is *really true* then Wicca is probably not for you after all.
Sure, there are certain core practices & tenets of Wicca... but Wicca isn't a dogmatic religion and individuals and covens operate autonomously, which leads to great diversity.
If you're looking for dogma-- like scripture, or rules/commandments, you're not going to find it in Wicca.
If you really want to know what Wicca is at the bare core, strip away everything about Witchcraft, spells, astrology, familiars, elements, tarot, runes, divination, spirits, crystals, fairies, etc.; sure, Wicca does not prohibit any of these beliefs or practices, but that doesn't make them Wicca. Not all Wiccans even believe in such things. If Wicca is the pizza, these things are all the toppings.
The real bread and cheese of the pizza, at it's very core, Wicca is about how we worship our Gods and how we live our lives. It's that simple, and yet that complex.
If you're not looking for that... then Wicca isn't what you're looking for.
I agree that wicca.cnbeyer.com is a really good site, but it's not enough-- check out the recommended reading list and begin going through it.
And if you really want to know what Wicca originally was, then try reading the books written by Gerald Gardner, Wicca's founder. Though he called it Witchcraft then... this was before the "old religion" theories of Margaret Murray were debunked. Another author you want to look out for that had a big role in shaping Wicca is Doreen Valiente.
Wicca isn't Native American, by the way. It's a 70 year old religion that originated in the UK. There is an American Wiccan trad that combines Native American with Wiccan beliefs, but please know this is fairly recent invention, not original to Wicca.
There is no such thing as "Native American beliefs" of Wicca because Wicca is a 70 year old British religion.
However, you know we have books written by people who WERE THERE 70 years ago, right? And there are a lot of students of students out there who've met or known people who were there at the start...our religion started in the lifetime of a lot of people...there are a lot of people still alive that are over 70, and there are 2nd and 3rd generation Wiccans who learned directly from students of Gardner's.
I strongly suggest picking one tradition of Wicca to learn from at a time. It might be hard if you're filling up your mental shopping cart with unrelated materials, but if you pick one tradition at a time to learn from you should be fine.
It also sounds like you have some huge issues with Christianity to work though. Having trouble with Christianity is not reason enough to be Wiccan.
I will tell you that when I meet prospective students there are a few key phrases I expect to hear right at the beginning, you can think of them as a code if you want (I think that's a silly way to look at it) but I don't see anything like it in your post- I see you talking about what religion you SHOULD NOT be, but not what makes Wicca and you a good fit... Why have you picked Wicca, specifically? (You don't need to answer that for me, but it's something you should be able to answer for you.)