Wicca – The Modern Global Religion of Magick and Witchcraft

What is Wicca:

Wicca is a new wave of Magick spreading all over the world as a modern religion that helps you connect and project your inner powers for the benefit of yourself and the universe.

Wicca is different from ordinary witchcraft and must not be used as
another term for any witch.

Sure Wiccans consider themselves to be at the basic level…witches or
wizards or magickal people, but there are a lot of witches out there
who practice some kinds of magick or witchcraft but who do not qualify
as Wiccans.

To be a Wiccan is to be part of the religion called Wicca. Wicca is a
modern religion inspired by ancient nature based beliefs and practices
that include magick. It has developed in the 21st century itself.

WITCHCRAFT AND WICCA:

A witch can be any kind of magickal practitioner such as a Reiki witch, a Feng Shui witch, a Candle magic witch, a Shaman witch and so on. Any human with magickal powers is arguably a witch and I must declare that we ALL HAVE magickal powers…its just that not all of USE it. With the rise in global consciousness more and more of us are realizing that we create our reality and this is leading to the popularity of Wicca as a modern religious belief system.

Wicca is a totally specific religious system.

History of Wicca:

Religion is shared or organized spirituality.
The Wiccan religion began as a group based practice of spirituality
when Gerald Gardner wrote rituals and initiated witches into what is
known as Gardenerian Wiccan Tradition. Similarly other traditions came
up over the world to initiate more individuals into various forms of
Wicca. Each Wiccan tradition is based on their own unique ways of
practicing the Wiccan faith.

About the Burning Times:

About the notorious practice of witch persecutions and the Burning Times, I do not think Wiccans were burnt at all (the religion of Wicca is
more modern in timeline while the burning time was medieval. The
classical period of witchhunts in Europe falls into the Early Modern
period or about 1480 to 1700 while Wiccan religion is coming up in the 21st century itself). Alleged witches are said to have been burnt
….though it may have included random people who were believed by the inquisitors to have used magickal powers were punished. Wicca is popular at a fabulous period of human evolution, where we are all accepting that we have free will and can affect our future with harm to none and for the best interest of all concerned. There is no longer a fear of our own inner
self. We have begun to love and accept the witch we all are.

Solitary Wicca?

You can be a Solitary Witch…but can you be a Solitary Wiccan? There is confusion or doubt about whether you can still be called a
Wiccan if you are not a member of any tradition. In the absence of awareness or access to a Wiccan tradition that resonates with them, some people do fashion themselves as ‘Solitary Wiccans’ inspired by the writings of authors such as Scott Cunningham and may not be initiates of any tradition though they pick up knowledge from here and there and this
is what was happening so far in India.

Being a part of a coherent tradition helps you gain clarity and focus on as your spiritual path and the Global Wicca Tradition headquartered in Mumbai helps you in this with free membership to anyone who wishes to follow the Wiccan faith as well as official initiations for Qualified Wiccan healers on offer.

Wiccan Traditions:

Wiccan Traditions can have one of more temples of Wicca and the Global
Wicca Tradition has started a few temples such as the Online Temple which is free for public (for Online Rituals), Earth Healing Temple (for rituals held in physical location) and a Children’s Temple of Wicca too has just begun. Members who choose to study and learn Wicca need to pass from one to three degrees of Wicca and can choose to be initiated as a priest or priestess of the Tradition (addressed as Clergy) enabling them to take up Wicca as a career offering ritual services to the public with support and backing of our tradition.

The Global Wicca Tradition is newly launched and is the first of its kind to originate in India. We believe in the scientific basis and practical applications of Magick for the benefit of nature (humans seen as part of nature). Global Wicca incorporates deities, gods, goddesses from all over the Globe from several cultures and religious beliefs into their rituals…. in a Wiccan way, making it suitable for people regardless of religious backgrounds and belief systems. You can study the Global Wicca path online as well as offline – refer to the syllabus given on the website.

The Correllian Tradition headquartered in USA has its own unique philosophy and is a leading organization growing rapidly. I support them as their Clergy member. More on www.correllian.com. Correllian Wicca can be studied through Witchschool International and I am presently in-charge of all their students and mentors in India and also available as mentor on www.witchschool.com

Remember if you are a student of Wicca you may want to study under at least one tradition or another else you may not get a clear understanding and may remain a dabbler as most solitary ‘Wiccans’ remain.

To be initiated into one tradition you may be required to study under their system and being a student of one may not automatically make you eligible to join the rituals, practices and to take up initiation of and into another Wiccan Tradition.

You will find that each tradition is different in ideas, philosophy, leadership, structure, ritual systems and beliefs and you may be a part of one or more tradition if they so allow. In the case that you are associated with more than one tradition, you will have to switch between two differing practices of Wicca as you go from one tradition’s events to another.

Most Wiccan traditions do however share some common beliefs and practices.

Basic Wiccan Beliefs:

• Belief in magick, i.e. we all create our reality and can choose our future consciously.
• Belief in the five elements of nature: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Spirit as the five building blocks of creation aid in magick
• Belief in Deity being both Gods and Goddesses as well as a universal deity that is all encompassing
• Belief in Karma, or Law of Three (All energy you send comes back to you multiple times of three till you learn the lesson). The core code of conduct in Wicca is a simple and rational one: “Do as You Will as Long as You Harm None” – referred to as The Wiccan Rede that protects you from doing harm to others and yourself. (Just following the Wiccan Rede does not make you Wiccan as Wicca includes several philosophies and practices that need to be learned)

Wiccan Practices:
The practice of Wicca includes Rituals (ceremonic rites) celebrating
the wheel of nature (Seasonal Sabbats and Esbats), and spells
incorporated within Wiccan Ritual format for various positive purposes
such as abundance, healing, removing negativity and so on. Here
different traditions have their own Ritual and you may follow your
tradition’s format.

Wiccan Healing as a Professional Service:

Wicca is not just a method or technique. It is a religious belief
system. To be a Wiccan is just like being a Hindu, or Christian and so on…it is a religion. (Media, to whom being a Wiccan comes across as a unique thing, sometimes mentions me as simply as ‘Swati Prakash – a Wiccan’ when truly I am a Wiccan Healer, a leader, an expert)

As a qualified Wiccan Healer, one can surely use the energy and skills for the benefit of the rest of nature.

You can ask our tradition’s Clergy members to perform ritual services for you (for individuals and for groups). These can be performed by a single clergy member or a group of clergy for greater energy.

Bright Blessings on your Path

(*)

Swati Prakash

Excerpt from the speech on 14April 2010 – Wicca Seminar at National College Conference Hall, Bandra West, Mumbai.