Wicca and you

[Seeking Knowledge]

Does Wicca play an important role in your life?

Can you identify challenges in practicing Wicca?

 

[Mike182]

Does Wicca play an important role in your life?

Can you identify challenges in practicing Wicca?

well, for Wiccans, i rather do suspect that Wicca plays an important role in their life as for non Wiccans, Wicca does still play some role in the life of the general Pagan, and in the life of those who follow specific paths like Asatru, or one of the reconstructionist movements, because Wicca is the neo-Pagan religion most know, so it's almost become the base of reference when discussing Pagan issues with non Pagans.

i'm not a Wiccan, though i used to be, and i still draw heavily on aspects of Wicca. what are the challenges in practicing Wicca? hard to say, because different people will find different aspects more challenging than others.

to speak in general terms however, a few aspect Wicca that could be challenging are:

1) morality. Wiccans have the Wiccan Rede (These eight words the Rede fulfill, do harm to non, do as you will) and the law of return (or Karma) to guide their actions. what counts as harmful and what consequences from causing harm you are willing to accept come down to personal insight and judgment, there are no set moral codes of conduct. this could be challenging for someone if they are not used to working autonomously.

2) the really complicated mythology. at various parts in the Wiccan Wheel of the Year, different deities have relations with others, give birth, die, are reborn, gain powers, loose powers etc. while the concept of this is not a challenge in itself to understand, it could be challenging to follow, because there is no logical sense in it. i'm honestly a bit wary of posting that, because that is how i understand it from various Wiccans who i have spoken with, i have not myself studied the details of the Wheel of the Year...

i'm sure a few more examples will come to mind over the next few days, but these are the ones at the forefront of my mind. i'll post more later, and i'm happy to answer any specific questions you may have

 

[Draka]

Does Wicca play an important role in your life?

Can you identify challenges in practicing Wicca?

My beliefs do play an important role in my life. I think they do for most people regardless of religion.

The only challenges I can think of in practicing Wicca is when you would really like to do an outdoor ritual but you just can't drive out in the country or anything at the time and you live in a city where you have very close Christian neighbors that tend to react differently. It all depends on where you live and what you are willing to put up with. Though there really isn't anything wrong with doing rituals in your bedroom or livingroom. Just nice to do them outside every now and then.

 

[Mike182]

Though there really isn't anything wrong with doing rituals in your bedroom or livingroom. Just nice to do them outside every now and then.

hmmm, you mean like, those occasional rituals that just feel like they need a bonfire? yeah, good luck doing that in your bedroom

 

[Draka]

to speak in general terms however, a few aspect Wicca that could be challenging are:

1) morality. Wiccans have the Wiccan Rede (These eight words the Rede fulfill, do harm to non, do as you will) and the law of return (or Karma) to guide their actions. what counts as harmful and what consequences from causing harm you are willing to accept come down to personal insight and judgment, there are no set moral codes of conduct. this could be challenging for someone if they are not used to working autonomously.

2) the really complicated mythology. at various parts in the Wiccan Wheel of the Year, different deities have relations with others, give birth, die, are reborn, gain powers, loose powers etc. while the concept of this is not a challenge in itself to understand, it could be challenging to follow, because there is no logical sense in it. i'm honestly a bit wary of posting that, because that is how i understand it from various Wiccans who i have spoken with, i have not myself studied the details of the Wheel of the Year...

1. Morality - I don't really have issues with. Maybe because I have no real problem working autonomously.

2. I guess this would depend on if you are very eclectic or not. It's much easier to follow the Wheel of the Year and the significance of the Sabbats if you follow one pantheon either exclusively or, at least, more devotedly than the others. Being eclectic you have more a tendency to "pick and choose" what works for you from different mythologies. This lends to confusion trying to make them work together for storyline purposes when it comes to the Sabbats. You certainly don't have to be a reconstructionist, but you can definitely devote your beliefs to one main pantheon.

 

[Mike182]

1. Morality - I don't really have issues with. Maybe because I have no real problem working autonomously.

2. I guess this would depend on if you are very eclectic or not. It's much easier to follow the Wheel of the Year and the significance of the Sabbats if you follow one pantheon either exclusively or, at least, more devotedly than the others. Being eclectic you have more a tendency to "pick and choose" what works for you from different mythologies. This lends to confusion trying to make them work together for storyline purposes when it comes to the Sabbats. You certainly don't have to be a reconstructionist, but you can definitely devote your beliefs to one main pantheon.

thanks for that Draka! that was the point i was struggling to get at

 

[Draka]

hmmm, you mean like, those occasional rituals that just feel like they need a bonfire? yeah, good luck doing that in your bedroom

Yeah, those can be a little tricky

Though, if you knew me as a child I could find a way to get around them. I had one of those tent things on my bed and every now and then I would pretend I was camping. Well...can't go camping without a campfire. Old round hamper lid and wadded up notebook paper it was.... I was a naughty little girl! :yes:

 

[Seeking Knowledge]

1. Morality - I don't really have issues with. Maybe because I have no real problem working autonomously.

2. I guess this would depend on if you are very eclectic or not. It's much easier to follow the Wheel of the Year and the significance of the Sabbats if you follow one pantheon either exclusively or, at least, more devotedly than the others. Being eclectic you have more a tendency to "pick and choose" what works for you from different mythologies. This lends to confusion trying to make them work together for storyline purposes when it comes to the Sabbats. You certainly don't have to be a reconstructionist, but you can definitely devote your beliefs to one main pantheon.

Thanks Mike and Draka -
I guess another question would be how has wicca changed your life?
Of course, I am just starting the learning process and have a million questions.

 

[Mike182]

Thanks Mike and Draka -
I guess another question would be how has wicca changed your life?
Of course, I am just starting the learning process and have a million questions.

well, when i was about 16/17, i was living at home, going to college, and stuck in a Christian Evangelical Church that my family goes to. i had believed in Christ in the past, but i had been seriously alienated by the church because i was gay, and to an extent, i had been alienated from my family as well. this, and the bullying i was getting at school meant i had incredibly low self confidence and self respect.

i still believed in a Cosmic Force, i believed God existed, i just knew i didn't believe the homophobic dogma i was faced with in the Church. i won't give more details on my thoughts at the time, that would be an unfair attack on the many great Christian members of this forum.

anyway, i was talking to a good friend at the time about religion, and she said she was Pagan, Wiccan to be precise. i learned the basics off her, did some energy work, some trance and mediumship with her, and i found a self-affirming religion into which i could fit. Wicca seriously helped me build up and express myself, i was introduced to a new circle of friends who were very affirming and caring, and it was the best thing that could have happened for me.

about 2 years after this, i left home and went to uni. at uni, i joined the Pagan Society for Pagan Students, where i learnt about other Pagan paths, and i have been influenced by many other branches of Paganism, though Wicca is still very close to my heart.

 

[turk179]

Thanks Mike and Draka -
I guess another question would be how has wicca changed your life?
Of course, I am just starting the learning process and have a million questions.

As another former Wiccan, Wicca changed my life very positively. Having the courage to look into other religions and break away from the strong Catholic ties of my family I can only credit myself. But Wicca let me realize that there was more to a religion than just following rules to gain salvation and entrance into the eternal happy resting grounds. Wicca taught me that it is how you live your life and the ability to be true to yourself and others that is important and not how you play the rules game.

 

[Draka]

Thanks Mike and Draka -
I guess another question would be how has wicca changed your life?
Of course, I am just starting the learning process and have a million questions.

At the risk of sounding strange here (though I guess that's normal for me):

It has given me peace where there was chaos,
compassion where there was heartache,
understanding where there was confusion,
security where there was instability,
love where there was emptiness.

I was going through a very VERY rough time in my life when I decided to dedicate myself to Wicca. I was contantly depressed over losing my children. I was essentially homeless (crashing at various people's places). There were times I didn't want to live. One day, I found myself in a Barnes and Noble's Booksellers and I was perusing the religion section for books on Buddhism (just liked to learn about different beliefs). Anyway, I came across the section on Wicca. Not knowing really anything about it I picked up a book and started to read a bit on what Wicca was. The beliefs were many of the basic beliefs I had had since very young. It made sense. So it became the first of a library of Wicca books I now own.

Since I dedicated myself to following the path of Wicca it has helped me become more centered and given me the strength to accept certain things in my life and try to move on and better myself. I have since...gone to college, held supervisory positions at a few jobs, found love again, have a stable home, have a beautiful 19 month old son and another baby on the way.

It gave me the spirituality and purpose and drive to survive that I just didn't have before in my life. When everything makes sense and "clicks" into place in your mind and your spirituality then it helps to balance, center, and sort out your life. It fulfills me...a part of who I am.

 

[Rochelle0913]

I am wiccan, so yes it plays an important role in my life. I do try to harm none. I try to live selflessly in order to do that. I try to avoid bad karma, to be forgiving, and not hate anyone no matter what they do to me. That is challenging.
The most challenging things I have found though, are factors of being solitary. Wicca isn't exactly the most popular religion, and a lot of people who say they are wiccan, are merely attracted by the idea of having magical power.
In wicca, you learn through experience, there isn't anyone telling you what to do, no one to confess to except yourself. There isn't even anything telling you what god or how many gods/goddesses to worship. You are independent and have to watch your own *** and deeds.
There is a lot of discrimination towards pagans, it is almost something you have to hide. You can't tell someone is wiccan by looking at them. I have uberly long hair, but i don't dress goth or anything, so it is pretty easy to hide for me. People, especially, people ascribing to major religions like christianity look down on pagans. We are viewed as sinners who have separated themselves from god and will burn in hell for it. I found a southern baptist congregation on the web that had little soundbits from church services. The pastor said to take the wiccans down to the basement, chain them to a hot furnace and poke them with a hot iron while singing religous songs until they accept jesus christ as their savior. It is frightening what people will do when they feel justified.
It is a lonely religion, but it is safer that way.

 

[Draka]

I am wiccan, so yes it plays an important role in my life. I do try to harm none. I try to live selflessly in order to do that. I try to avoid bad karma, to be forgiving, and not hate anyone no matter what they do to me. That is challenging.
The most challenging things I have found though, are factors of being solitary. Wicca isn't exactly the most popular religion, and a lot of people who say they are wiccan, are merely attracted by the idea of having magical power.
In wicca, you learn through experience, there isn't anyone telling you what to do, no one to confess to except yourself. There isn't even anything telling you what god or how many gods/goddesses to worship. You are independent and have to watch your own *** and deeds.
There is a lot of discrimination towards pagans, it is almost something you have to hide. You can't tell someone is wiccan by looking at them. I have uberly long hair, but i don't dress goth or anything, so it is pretty easy to hide for me. People, especially, people ascribing to major religions like christianity look down on pagans. We are viewed as sinners who have separated themselves from god and will burn in hell for it. I found a southern baptist congregation on the web that had little soundbits from church services. The pastor said to take the wiccans down to the basement, chain them to a hot furnace and poke them with a hot iron while singing religous songs until they accept jesus christ as their savior. It is frightening what people will do when they feel justified.
It is a lonely religion, but it is safer that way.

How did I know exactly where to go to find what you were talking about?

This is funny! http://www.landoverbaptist.org/audio/wiccantrap.mp3

Alright people...please be aware that this is from Landover Baptist site. It is fake, but still funny as all get out!

 

[Rochelle0913]

That is funny. It creeped me out the first time I found it. It definitely made me laugh, and hopefully it is fake, but there are some INSANE religious zeolots.

 

[Draka]

That is funny. It creeped me out the first time I found it. It definitely made me laugh, and hopefully it is fake, but there are some INSANE religious zeolots.

It's fake. Landover Baptist is a fake church/site that is meant to poke sarcastic fun at other such churches that are "overboard" such as the Westboro Baptist Church. Look around their site some more and you will realize just how made up it all is. Not to mention that it is supposedly in a town called "Freehold, Iowa". I'm in Iowa, born and raised here, there IS no such town. It is all made up.

 

[darkmage121]

My name is Kevin and I am 24 years old. I am currently located on Long Island, New York and I have been practicing Wicca for a few weeks now. I am looking for some local people who wanna get together and maybe perform some rituals or whatever. If you are interested, drop me an e-mail at [email protected]

 

[Phillip00001]

hi everyone my name is phillip and i was wondering could anyone perform a love spell for me? i need all the help i can get so please let me know more information on it cuz i am not expierenced @ spells or just perform the spell for me...
Thanks

 

[Father Heathen]

hi everyone my name is phillip and i was wondering could anyone perform a love spell for me? i need all the help i can get so please let me know more information on it cuz i am not expierenced @ spells or just perform the spell for me...
Thanks

Just out of curiousity, wouldn't that conflict with your own faith?

 

[Mike182]

hi everyone my name is phillip and i was wondering could anyone perform a love spell for me? i need all the help i can get so please let me know more information on it cuz i am not expierenced @ spells or just perform the spell for me...
Thanks

Not that I will perform a spell for you along these lines, given that I don't know you or your intent, but I am curious...

What sort of a love spell? Is there a specific person who's fate lines you want to cross with yours? Do you want your own fate lines to encounter a person you will lust after? Do you want that lust returned? Do you have the wording of the spell for us to review?

Where do you want the energy for this spell to come from? Yourself? Someone else who is performing the spell? A Deity?

How long do you want the spell to be active for?

What are you willing to sacrifice for it?

Why can't you gain an attraction via mundane methods?

Answer these questions and I will give you an appropriate warning for where you are going wrong with asking someone online to do a love spell for you.

 

[Sacaida]

Wicca has also been extremely possitive for me. I have been pagan/wiccan/witch for 13 years and I completely contribute most of my mental health to experiences communing with the Divine through ritual.