What is Wicca? Wicca is one of the fastest growing religions today. A diverse religion, they have several different branches. Considered a neopagan religion, Wiccans respect nature and see it as a manifestation of the divine. Their religious celebrations and rituals reflect this belief. A complex religion, it is not easy to understand and often people have misconceptions. Accordingly, the purpose of this hub is not to promote Wicca but to dispel some of the common misconceptions.

By the uneducated, Wicca is often associated with Satanic worship and black magic. However, this is a fallacy. The confusion stems from erroneous beliefs from the Middle Ages and the use of the pentagram. Satanists place the pentagram two points upward, whereas Wiccans place it two points downward.

In Wicca, followers can be either atheistic, monotheistic, duotheistic, or polytheistic. In this hub, I will focus on the duotheistic form of Wicca. Although Wiccans do not believe in the biblical God, they do believe in a higher spiritual power. This spiritual power consists of a God and a Goddess, more commonly called the Lord and the Lady. Even though they have different functions in life, they are complementary, equal, and interdependent.

The Goddess is the mother of all life. Considered a triad goddess, she is often referred to as the Moon Goddess and Triple Goddess. The Triple Goddess is symbolically associated with the cycle of a woman's life and the phases of the moon. She represents three different aspects: the maiden, the mother, and the crone. The maiden represents spring, innocence, and new beginnings. The mother represents fertility, birth, and nurturing. The crone represents wisdom, guidance, and the gateway to death and reincarnation. The three different aspects are connected to the phases of the moon: a waxing moon, a full moon, and a waning moon respectively.

On the other hand, the God is often referred to as the Horned God and is symbolically associated with sun. The Horned God represents strength, virility, sexuality, and hunting. Since the goddess is considered the mother of all, the God is both her lover and child simultaneously. Therefore, the God is considered the inspiration of the Goddess.

Unlike other religions, Wicca has no universal book of guidance like the bible. They have two main beliefs: the Wiccan Rede and the Threefold Law. "Rede is derived from an Old English word "roedan" which means to guide or direct." It states, An it harm none, do what ye will. In other words, this means in whatever you do, it should not hurt anyone else. When the rede is violated, the Threefold Law is the consequence. The Threefold Law states any harm or good you do to somebody else comes back to you threefold. Some Wiccans also follow the Ardane. These are 161 laws for witches covering topics on conduct, covens, persecutions, and curses among other things.

Wiccan originates from the word wic which means to shape or bend. An important part of religion is the use of magic. Since Wiccans believe magic is a gift from the divine and the divine lives within us, they also believe they are co-creators with the divine. Through aligning their soul with the divine and channeling the surrounding energy, they believe they can transform themselves and reality to reflect their visions. In addition to magic, in Wicca they also practice divination and healing. These rituals along with dreams, experiences, and incantations among other things are all kept in a book of shadows.

Like other religions, Wicca has its own celebrations. These celebrations can be performed solitary or in a coven. The celebrations usually surround Sabbats and Esbats. Sabbat originates from the old French word, s'ebbatre, and it means to rejoice, frolic, and revel. Based on the cycle of the seasons and the length of daily light, there are eight Sabbats. They are divided into Greater Sabbats and Lesser Sabbats. Unlike Sabbats, Esbats are based on the phases of the moon and celebrated on each full moon.

Lesser Sabbats, also called quarter-days, divide the year into four equal parts. These Lesser Sabbats are the Winter Solstice, the Summer Solstic, the Vernal Equinox, and the Autumnal Equinox. The Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year followed by the shortest day of the year. Conversely, the Summer Solstice is the shortest night of the year followed by the longest day of the year. On the other hand, with Vernal Equinox and the Autumnal Equinox, the hours of daylight and darkness are exactly equal.

In addition to the Lesser Sabbats, there are four cross-quarter days or Greater Sabbats. The Greater Sabbats are midpoint between the Lesser Sabbats. These Greater Sabbats are Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain. Because they represent seasonal turning points, they are considered more important. Samhain is considered the most important one of all because it represents the turning of the year.

Although the Wiccans do not have churches, they communicate with the divine, perform their rituals, and celebrate important days through casting a circle. The circle serves several persons. First, it creates a sacred place. And secondly, it provides protection from outside negative energy and distractions. When casting a circle, it can either be done as a solitary act or as a coven.

Upon death, in Wicca, they believe we go to a place called Summerland. Here, no one is excluded. Both good and evil are included. In some ways, Summerland is like the Christians concept of heaven. A paradise-like place, the time there includes spending time with the divine, reuniting with our loved ones, recuperating, reflecting upon our past life's lessons, and planning our next life's lessons. When a person is ready, they proceed to their next incarnation.

In conclusion, Wicca followers are neither Christians nor Satanists. Their rituals and celebrations are closely connected with the change of seasons and the phases of the moon. Through communication with the divine, magic, healing, and divination; they try to transform their lives to their visions. To be a Wiccan is to celebrate life in its totality. Achieving enlightenment through reincarnation is the ultimate goal.

 This hub is limited by time, length, and my own lack of knowledge. If I have erred or misunderstood a concept, please feel free to leave comments.

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