Today's Witchcraft in UK: Wicca and Magic Gatherings

wiccan spells

Pagan Wicca - A Unique and Intricate Path

If you know anything about word etymology, you would know that the word "Celtic" is derived from the Greek word "Keltoi" and it refers to the people who lived beyond the Alps. In modern geography, Keltoi included France, Germany and northern Italy; but did not originally include Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England as the Greeks were unaware of its existence altogether.

The terms "Celtic Wicca" and "Celtic Witchcraft" are often used interchangeably, but are in truth not one and the same. Wicca is a modern neo-pagan movement, founded by Gerald Gardner. Celtic Wicca refers to a specific Wiccan path which incorporates several of the elements of the Celtic Tradition into their practices, beliefs and rituals. Celtic Witchcraft, on the other hand, is the traditional Craft as practiced by Celtic Witches for centuries, perhaps even millennia. There are sadly very few of the original and truly traditional Celtic Witches around today.

The traditions, practices and beliefs of Celtic Wicca are relatively diverse and to some extent dependent on the lineage of the coven. Each coven within a single lineage may also have their own special deities, rituals, traditions, practices and beliefs. The very nature of Wicca promotes eclecticism - irrespective of the path that is followed.

Strong spirituality, a reverence for the Earth and respect for everything the earth contains, form the basis of Celtic Wicca. An integral part of this religion is the love for and worship of Celtic Goddesses and Gods.

The pantheon is three tiered. On the first tier you will find the children and subjects of Danu / Anu (the Mother Goddess) and Dagda (the Father God). On the second tier are the children of the first tier Gods and Goddesses. They sometimes bumped into humans and nature spirits. Nature spirits form the third tier of the pantheon.

The Celts celebrate the Triple Goddess. She is Danu/Anu in Her maiden aspect, Badb in Her mother aspect and Ceridwen in Her crone aspect.

Although there have been some historic "battles of the sexes" in the traditional Celtic Witchcraft, Celtic Wicca opted for parity and peace. Unlike Dianic Wicca, in which there is either female dominance or exclusivity, Celtic Wicca has a gender-equal belief. Of interest in the Celtic pantheon is that the female goddesses are the warriors (Badb, Brigantia, Macha, Nemain etc.) and also that the Goddesses have multiple portfolios (Brigid = Healing, Fertility, Poetry and the Forge), whereas the Gods generally only have a single task to accomplish.

Source: Rose Ariadne

Wicca: What Makes It A Religion?

The exact nature of religion has long been debated by philosophers, theologians and laymen alike. Creating either a precise or an all-inclusive definition cannot really be achieved. For this reason, a general and generic definition such as the one offered by Encarta, is probably the best to work with when deciding whether Wicca can be classified as a religion or not: people's beliefs and opinions concerning the existence, nature, and worship of a deity or deities, and divine involvement in the universe and human life.

The perhaps, it would be appropriate to include the definition of Wicca according to the Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: polytheistic Neo-Pagan nature religion inspired by various pre-Christian western European beliefs, whose central deity is a mother goddess and which includes the use of herbal magic and benign witchcraft.

That Wicca is a religion, given the definitions available today, cannot be disputed. Let us glance at the elements of Wiccan philosophy and practices that supports its "religionship"

1. Wiccans acknowledge the existence of Deity

All religions have doctrines. Those of Wicca are very explicit: Deity is omnipresent and inspiring; all beings possess a spirit and all spirits are interconnected; all of creation is a manifestation of the Divine. The Goddess and God are acknowledged as aspects of a Deity, humankind cannot comprehend.

2. Wiccans views Deity as creating the Universe

As is the case in all religion, there are creation myths in Wicca too. Whilst not all Wiccans share a single creation myth, the underlying theme throughout is that the Universe and all it contains were created by the Divine.

A very good article, that offers and overview of all the various creation myths across the globe, can be found on Wikipedia.

3. Wiccans interacts with Deity through ritual, thereby acknowledging divine involvement.

Wiccans celebrate the eight Sabbats on the Wheel of the Year and the thirteen Esbats which coincide with the full moon in honor of Deity and in tribute to nature. On each of Sabbats and Esbats rituals are performed in worship. Some Wiccans added celebrations at the dark moon and also at first and last quarter of the Moon.

In addition to celebrating the sacred Sabbats and Esbats, Wiccans also do daily devotionals and prayers to their Deities.

4. Wiccans believe in life after death.

Wiccans believe that all of nature (and that includes humans), is infused by a Divine spark or soul. After death, the soul returns to the spirit world to rest and recover before returning to earth in a new incarnation. In Wicca, - unlike many other religions -, there is neither a hell, nor a Satan-like figure.

source: Rose Ariadne