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FAQ
Intro to Wicca
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Do I have to be in a coven
to be a Witch?
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No you don't if you prefer to work on your own.
You will have just as much right to call yourself a Witch. Many
chose this path, either from choice , or because of their isolated
location. They may call themselves a Solitary or Hedge Witch.
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Why do Witches use knives
and what are they for?
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A Witches knife is called an "Athame" (pronounced
'a thame me'), it is a black handled double edged knife with it's
edge deliberately blunted. It is used for ritual purposes and
to project energy, never for cutting. The Athame is a very personal
item, you should never touch a witches athame, without first obtaining
their permission.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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What is a Witch?
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Witches are sensitive, intuitive people who work
with the cycles of the moon. They are in tune with natures cycles
in the form of the eight seasonal festivals of the year. They
worship and reverence the Goddess and the Horned God, and have
a deep regard and understanding for the mother earth and nature.
Witchcraft includes a magical element, so Witches' cast spells
using a wide variety of techniques and materials, but always obeying
the wiccan rede.
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Why do some witches work
naked?
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Some witches work skyclad (naked). It gives
the Witch a sense of freedom and greater ability to project energy
without the restriction of clothes. It is also a way of moving
from the mundane world where clothes are the norm to the spiritual
world of the circle (robes or other ritual attire are just as
effective for this).This encourages contentment with ones own
body, while affirming union with the mother earth and the Goddess
and God. There is also a practical reason, as the Lord of the
Summer Isles says in the film the Wicca Man "It is much too dangerous
to jump over a fire with your clothes on!".
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Do Witches worship the Devil?
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The simple answer is no, but an explanation of
this requires an understanding of the difference between Wicca
and Christianity. The Devil is a Christian
concept, essentially invented to explain the paradox of the existence
of evil in a world supposedly created by a single all powerful
benevolent God. The early church deliberately attempted to demonise
other faiths, by the simple statement that all other gods/goddesses
were either the devil or minions in his service. Often people
were effectively forced to change their religion and pay homage
and money to the church. The anti-pagan emphasis was made even
more obvious by the adoption of the image of Pan as standard depiction
of the devil (whose image is not mentioned in the bible).
As Wiccans do not believe in a single all powerful
God they do not have any need, nor believe in the devil.
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What is the Witches' view
of sex?
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All life originates from the union of male and
female. Everyone has both male and female aspects within them regardless of your actual sex. Sex is precious and regarded as sacred to witches, certainly
not something to be abused. It is the ultimate union of love between
two people, and is a blessing from the Goddess and God. It
is an expression that can only be experience by a married or established
couple in private, and never to be used in a circle with other
members of the group as it would ruin the trust between members.
To quote Maxine Sanders
"when you consider joining a coven, one of the questions
to ask them is:
Is there any sex involved?
If their answer is yes or even maybe, don't even think of joining!"
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Are there any Rules in magic?
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The wiccan rede
is "An it harm none do what you will". This positive
morality advises against using the power of magic to do anything
other than help anyone or anything. The price of braking this
rule can be high.
The law of three fold return means that
anything you do for good or ill is ultimately returned to with
three times the power.
There is also the belief among many Wiccans that
if a spell meets with a magical barrier it cannot reach then it
rebounds on its caster immediately. This isn't a problem if the
spell is intended to help, but could be very serious indeed if
it was intended to harm.
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Wicca/Witchcraft
is a very individualistic religion, so all the views expressed below
can only be a personal view. Many would agree with much stated here,
but some may have different views on some subjects
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| Witches'
create sacred space in the form of a circle each time they work.
This is in contrast to many other religions that permanently consecrate
a place. There are many ways of constructing a circle, varying
from the very complex to surprisingly simple. The important ingredient
in all of them is you must have absolute belief that your circle
has been correctly cast. We have included a simple
circle cast suitable for beginners, or those with limited
time or space. |
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 There
are many books available on the subject of Witchcraft & Wicca.
In fact the choice for a newcomer can be completely bewildering
with many similar titles to choose from. We have tried to locate
some of the best books, with an emphasis on UK based authors on
our book pages. If you can't find what you want there try our
book search engine. |
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How old do you have to
be to join a coven?
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Any respectable and ethical group will not
take any trainees until they are eighteen.
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Do I need to be careful
when contemplating a spell?
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Always think carefully before attempting any
spells. They do work and must be thought through carefully.
Make sure you have attempted to improve the problem on the mundane
level before trying a spell, and they must only be done for
need not greed. For your own sake and everyone else's, always
remember to obey the wiccan rede.
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