Notes on Wicca A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner

Wicca was formerly closed off to society at large. Now a days things are beginning to change. Anyone who can read has access to the knowledge of Wicca. The religion of Wicca is based on SHaminism which is one of the oldest religion around. Shamnism came before societies were formed. Shamanism enabled people to access altered states of consiousness via such tools as fasting, music, dance, herbs etc. The Shaman or person who accessed these states often kept the information to himself and shared only a bit of what he knew.

The religion of Wicca is based upon the reverence of the two deities. The Goddess and God both are equal and one cannot have one without the other. The same would go with both good and evil. In nature there is this duality male and female. The Goddess has many different names across a variety of different religions as does the God. Ussually the Goddess is represented by the moon at night and the God is represented by the Sun during the day. A good time to connect to the Goddess is when viewing the moon at night and saying a little prayer. The same could also hold true for the God.

The Goddess goes through three stages, as represented by the moon. First she is the maiden as young woman in the full of life. Her second stage is that of the Mother someone pregnat with life and giving birth. Finally she is the crone advanced in years, nurturing and full of wisdom. The Male God goes through three stages as well represented by the changes in the solar year. First he starts off as a young boy being birthed on December 21 the time of Yule. A young baby comes to manhood during the Beltane holiday and finally passing on dur9ng Samhain. THe cycle repeats itself on the Yule.

Wicca is a religion that embraces magic. Magic is the projection of natural energies to produce a desired effect. There are three kinds of energies or power. The first type is Personal power. This is the power that exists inside each and everyone of us. The second power is natural power. Natural power is the power contained in nature. All elements in nature have power be they stones, fire or water. Finally there is divine energy an energy that comes from the God and Goddess.

To perform magic one needs certain tools or at least the tools are helpful. The first on is a broom. Brooms dispel negative enrgy and protect the home from bad vibes. The next is the wand. THe wand is used for invoking deities or powers. At first a wand can be made of any material later on more specialized forms of wood produce a more beneficial efect. The next is a censer. A Censer is what burns the incence. You can take a vessel fill it with sand or salt to absorb the heat from the charcoal. Sprinkling incesnce on charcoal is the preferred way. THe next is the cauldron where many potions and things are made. It is the most important and it represent the Goddess. Your next tool is the athame or magical knife which is used to direct energies raised during your ceremony. A white handled knife of Boine is used to carve your ritual item. Other items include a pentacle, crystal ball, bell and book of shadows.