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Wicca is a religion, not a cult. While no two Wiccans (formal name
for two witches) believe in exactly the same thing or worship the same way, some things are universal. Such as the belief
that the overaraching spiritual power in the world is female. (Wiccans refer to this deity as "the Goddess.")
Witches aren't in the business of practicing evil. They believe
in karma, which means whatever a person does, whether good or evil, comes back to him/her.
Witches aren't the spell-making, spooky, green-skinned hags we imagine
they are. Witches do not worship Satan. Witches don't cast evil spells.
"A spell is like a prayer," says Phyllis Curott, a civil rights
attorney, author of "Book of Shawodws" and a witch herself. "For witches, the only person they're ever trying to control in
a spell is themselves. You're tapping into the divine energy that's everywhere in the world and working in harmony with it."
Halloween is not a Wiccan celebration. Real-life witches celebrate
an October holiday called Samhain, which celebrates the new year.
Wicca is a girl thing. "[Wicca] appeals to women who are tired of
religions where the leadership is predominantly male, where the images of the sacred are mostly male, and where women are
treated differently and don't have equal access to leadership positions," Fox says. (Men are allowed to join, of course, but
women have traditionally been part of Wicca in greater numbers.)
You've already seen the Wiccan's basic principle on the front page. It states, "these eight
words the rede fulfill, an harm it none, do as ye will." It bascially says as long as you don't hurt anyone (including
yourself), do what you wish. This is also known similar to the Threefold Law, saying that any energy you send out gets returned
to you three times as strong. Generally, if you do good deeds, you will have good things happen to you. If you are going to
do bad things, you know that life will kick you in the butt three times harder, so don't even attempt it. Although this is
the Wiccan rede, it doesn't only apply to Wiccans. It exists in Earth, and is always around you.
Magick is as real as any thought or prayer. Magick should be taken seriously, and
not used for fun or parties. Anything with magic should be used with the most care and caution as they have many chances to
go haywire (especially if your energy is negative).
All creatures have free wills. If you attempt to bend this free will, that
is to cross the line. The best thing to do if you are feeling unwell is to try to balance your energy so that more positive
things will come your way.
Witchcraft isn't about spells. If you're just reading this to play with magick, go buy the card
game.
Listen to the voices inside you. You should never go along with something you read somewhere
if it doesn't feel right to you. If you read somewhere that the Goddess' color is green, but you feel she is silver, go for
it. It's all about what it means to you.
Don't proselytize. Wicca and Witchcraft are non-proselytizing, meaning you should never
try to convert people who are not Wiccans or Witches. Yes, they should let you be to do your thing, but leave them alone too!
They're not wrong just because you think you've got what's right for you.
Learning is a gradual process. Any book you read, information you find, or person you meet can only
be a gateway to your personal journey. They can't suddenly give you the endpoint.
Respect your elders. In Pagan circles, the "Crone" aspect of the Goddess, despite the bad connotation
to that word in English, is highly revered as the most wise. People have been studying for a long time have been through a
lot, and you should treat them as a valuable resource. Never let them tell you that they know everything about it, because
they don't.
Magickal theory and practice are highly individual. I have alluded to this but not in
so many words. There are many ways to practice and all of them are right. This also means that if someone shares their
spells with you and claim they work, you need to remember that it worked for them, and that you might not have the same effect.
Never
fall to the 3 R's! They are resentment, resistance, and revenge.
Accept that you will forever be learning.
Don't ever feel that you're at a point where there's no more to learn. There will be a point where you don't feel like a newbie
anymore, but you always need to explore.
Respect the Earth. It's your Mother, you know.
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