Wicca hasn't been around very long. It is a part of the Neopagan movement. It has exploded in numbers because of the many virtues it offers. Also when you compare Wicca with all it possibilities to Christianity with all of its limitations, how could you resist Wicca. If you have been watching how paganism has grown and become more mainstream, you probably seen this coming. To many people becoming "wiccan" without someone to help them accomplish the goal.
Many wiccan traditions require a person to be initiated by a high level priest or priestess. But so many people have chosen this path and they are so spread out it is impossible for everyone to get shown all of the structure in that belief system. This has resulted in many people creating a belief that is missing major parts. Many people have mixed understandings on how things should be. People letting personal feelings interfere with something that has the potential of being wonderful.
Recently I read "Living Wicca, by Scott Cunningham" I enjoy his books and they do give me things to think about. He made a couple statements that I have been pondering...... "Wiccan traditions are one of our religion's strongest survival mechanisms. Structure is necessary for every religion's survival. Without it, it will crumble in confusion and chaos."...... "Wicca isn't a spiritual free-for-all. A true wiccan tradition must be based on Wiccan Conventions. Though there is plenty of room for personal touches, some things are essentially wiccan and can't be discarded." So what happens when these traditions are ignored or forgotten? I believe that many people that say they are wiccan, have only half the story. Since Wicca is a branch of Paganism, what effects Wicca effects paganism.
Let's start off with the most overwhelming one. "Hey , I am male and I am not evil." I find it troubling that many wiccans have such a hard time accepting a male god aspect. They are so scarred by Christianity that they will shun any male god concept. That is like getting a bad haircut and deciding to go bald from that moment on. Just because there was a bad result with this one male god concept doesn't mean that they are all bad. There is a male and female aspect, the lord and the lady. Yet I have talked to many wiccans that 'honor' at least 4 goddesses, but not one single god. How can you honor the many aspects of the universe if you are refusing to accept a male god?
Wouldn't it be great if we were all just happy and didn't have a care in the world. Well then you are dreaming, in reality there is light and dark aspects of nature. And too many wiccans seem to shun anything remotely 'negative'. The cycle of life requires us to be born and for us to die to make room for the next generation. It is a reoccurring cycle of life that everything that lives must also die. The crone is so abused and neglected by many 'happy' wiccans. The crone is called upon for dark mean things, I have seen wiccans call on a crone for vengeance, but shun her the rest of the time. The crone is not evil, she is wisdom, kindness, caring, nurturing, and if you piss her off she will make you pay dearly. How many of you had a grandmother while you were kids. She was there to help you, care for you, she loved you. And in those rare occasions when someone did you wrong, she got angry. The crone is a spiritual grandmother.. Treat her with some respect.
Light and Dark, you can't have one without the other. Moments in life require us to be not so nice. Just like above where wiccans seem to shun the crone. They also seem to shun anything considered dark. Many wiccans will yell and scream "Harm none", but that is not realistic. You have to be able to protect yourself and others around you. And how do you know that something that helps you doesn't hurt someone else. The concept of Harm none is about making people think before they do something that they might regret. I remind wiccans that talk about shunning darkness if they love looking at the full moon. And of course they love looking at the full moon and rituals during the Esbats. I have to remind them that the moon shines brightest during the darkness of night. Even in darkness there is beauty and purpose, stop shunning it.
Be honest with yourself. There is a structure of titles with Wicca and most of paganism. You can't just read a book or two and declare yourself a priest or priestess. I have seen people claim a title that they have not earned, not only does it make them look bad, it makes other wiccans look bad as well. I could spend twenty bucks and become an ordained minister, but have I earned the title, no. Think long and hard if you really deserve to be called a certain title before you claim it. And a title doesn't make you a better person, you are still you without or with that title.
Wicca is a form of paganism, it is not a separate entity. Wicca is pagan just like Asatru is pagan. As pagans you have to embrace the diversity of the pagan community. To shun any group of pagans because they are 'hostile' or 'negative' is to turn your back on fellow pagans.
Honoring gods and goddess should take time. I have seen wiccansyoutube video that covers this perfectly. Too many wiccans treat gods and goddesses as Pokemon cards. whenever the need arises they pull the card out and demand service. That is not how it works, You have to build a relationship with the gods and goddesses. going down a list of Celtic goddesses until you find the one that fits doesn't work. You have to do what they call on you to do first, before they are going to help you in anyway.
I have read the Wiccan Rede many times. It is not the law of Wicca, In 1974 a complete twenty-six line poem entitled "The Wiccan Rede" was published in the neo-Pagan magazine Earth Religion News. Use it as a guideline not as dogmatic laws.
There has to be structure, something that is not changing to build your beliefs on. I believe that too many people that are new to Wicca have failed to build this structure. They are constantly reworking what they believe to fit the moment that they need it. That is just as wrong as the Christians that pick and choose from the bible to justify the actions that they do. They will have one verse that says don't do it, and another that says to do it, so they are covered in anyway needed. Sometimes we can't rewrite our beliefs to fit the situation. If the situation doesn't fit your beliefs, maybe the situation is wrong and you have to change that.
I am not saying that you can't be a solitary practitioner, I am a solitary practitioner, but not wiccan. I think that many wiccans have jumped into this head first without thinking and without taking the time to learn all the details. I would be great if there were more groups so that everyone can find someone to interact with about the path they have chosen. I believe that those that are knowledgeable of Wiccan and paganism should reach out to those that are needing a hand and guide them on their path. We shouldn't and can't walk their path, but maybe our paths could run along other 's paths and help them out from time to time.
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