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1For more information about paganism and Wicca, please visit http://austinpagan.com
Wicca 101: Witchcraft and Magicby Heather B.
Spells and Hexes and Charms, Oh My!Not only is Wicca commonly mistaken for a cult, many assume that Wicca is evil simply because the name sounds so close to the word 'wicked.' Wicca's association with witchcraftcertainly doesn't help, given that peopleare so misinformed about magic. Many believe that witches are evil and have sold their souls,that witchcraft is a sin, and that Wiccans are Satanic. Wicca is believed by some to be only thecasting of spells and hexes, but the truth is that magic is only part of this Pagan religion.Moreover, what most people think they knew about witchcraft is nonsense and has little to dowith real magic.That's right: everything you know is wrong. Witches have not sold their souls, and they do notworship any entity known as Satan or the devil. Most Wiccan witches do not even believe inhis existence, because giving a name to evil only empowers it and inhibits personalresponsibility. Witchcraft does not come from any demon in Hell, but from nature and fromwithin our souls. You need no contract with the devil to cast spells, for every living person hasthe ability to harness energy within and around them. We are all witches, whether weembrace magic or not.There are many forms of energy all around and within us, for energy cannot be destroyed--only converted from one form to another. Magic is only a form of energy, and witchcraft is theart of harnessing that energy to create change. Most of that change is not tangible, for we haveour hands for creating physical change. The effects of magic are abstract and cannot yet bemeasured. Magic isn't about shooting fireballs or flying on broomsticks. Simply put, it's aboutincreasing the odds that something will happen by applying energy to a goal. This energy isdrawn from within oneself, from nature, from deity, and from objects on the alter (such asstones).I often compare magic to prayer. Just as the wishes made in prayers are not always granted,magic is no guarantee a goal will be achieved. So many factors can intervene, including natureitself. The results will depend partly on how well the spell is cast, but also on his actions. Just asGod helps those who help themselves, so does magic. How reasonable the goal is will beanother factor. Anything you wouldn't get through prayer, you won't get through magic--likea million dollars. The free will of others may also interfere with a spell, for the actions of othersare out of even God's control.Magic is like assisted, ritualistic prayer. It can be as simple as lighting a candle for someone, just as the Catholics do, in hopes they will fare better soon. There is only one simple differencebetween spells and prayers. In a prayer, God is asked for help. In a spell, God and nature areasked for help, and the witch tries to help herself by pouring her own energy and energy fromher possessions into the goal. She comes with faith, love, and hope, but without expectations,and once the spell is cast, she continues trying to achieve her goal with the way she lives herlife.Wiccans are known for lighting candles for people, and I've heard them ridiculed as peoplewho simply tap their heels together, wish hard, and hope for the best. Witchcraft is not aboutwishing. It's about using every resource you have at your disposal, from magic to your owneveryday actions. You wouldn't cast a spell to lose weight, then sit around eating bon-bons.
 
2For more information about paganism and Wicca, please visit http://austinpagan.com
You'd diet and exercise instead. If you needed a friend to fare better, you wouldn't just light acandle. You would charge the candle with positive energy, say a little prayer for them as youlight it, and then think good thoughts for them whenever you see the flickering flame.Moreover, you would try to help your friend in practical ways by lending a hand, caring forhim when he's sick, or giving her the tools she needs to help herself.Magic can be simple, like lighting a candle or wishing on a star. It can also be complex.Typically more serious goals require more complicated spells whose timing is planned. Thesewould be conducted during a certain lunar phase, perhaps on a specific Sabbat. A rhymingincantation would be carefully composed. The witch would cleanse herself, her mind, herworking space, and her objects of negative eergy, consecrating them. She would cast a circle,invoke deity and the elements, and charge her tools with positive energy. She might use ritualtools such as a sword, rather than a simple wooden wand she uses for everyday magic. Shewould make sure she was using colors, herbs, stones, tools, incense, etc. whose magicalproperties coordinate with her purpose, too.Because Wicca is a religion, there are guidelines as to how magic is used by Wiccan witches.Wiccans follow the Three-fold Law, which states that anything you send out will return to youtimes three, be it bad or good. The Wiccan Law states that Wiccans should "Harm none," whichI interpret to mean to do as little harm as possible. The Wiccan Rede not only gives us tipsabout how and when to best conduct magic, it also gives us advice about how to use magic. Itadvises us to "Live and let live," which means not interfering with freewill. We're told to work in love, to be fair and to have perfect trust (realistic expectations).Before casting a spell, a Wiccan witch should ensure that she is operating within these guidelines. Should she not, she may not achieve her goal and only succeed in making mattersworse, and karma may punish her in the end. A Wiccan witch will ask himself questions like,"Will this harm someone? Is there a less harmful course of action? Am I taking care to protectmyself, others, and the world? Do the benefits outweigh the risks? Will this interfere withsomeone's freewill? Is love my motivation? Is this fair? Can I live with the consequences? HaveI been careful in the spell's design?"Wiccans aren't the only type of witches, and many witches will hex people. Wiccan witchesabsolutely do not hex people. Wiccans do not conduct "black magic." Wiccans believe thatmagic is neither black nor white; it is neutral. The witch's intent determines whether the magicdoes good or evil in the world. A Wiccan witch does her best to ensure that only good comesfrom her witchcraft, or at the very least that as little evil as possible is done. Wiccans do notcast love spells on people to force them to love. They do not summon rain, because they know this may take rain away from a place where it is needed more. Wiccans also do not harmanimals when practicing witchcraft, nor do they commune with demons or attempt to raise thedead.Wicca is not a cult, nor is it the practice of magic. It is a religion and way of life that involvesmagic. Magic is energy that comes from within and around us in nature, not from Satan.Witchcraft is the art of using this energy to help create change. Wiccans do not believe inusing magic to do harm or to control. Magic is neutral, but if you must affix a label, it wouldbe best to consider Wiccans to be white witches. Not all witches are Wiccan, but you havenothing to fear from Wiccan witches. They are not evil, though each has her own morals,interpretation of the Rede and Law, and beliefs about what is harmful. Wiccans are using every resource they can find, magical and mundane, to do as much good in the world and their livesas possible.
 
3For more information about paganism and Wicca, please visit http://austinpagan.com
Wicca 101: The Pagan Afterlife, Reincarnation, & the Summerlandby Heather B. 
Is There Life After Death?What happens when we die? This is a question no one can answer, given that no one has beento death and back to tell us the truth. Christians believe that the good go to Heaven while thesinners go to Hell, andBuddhists and Hindus believe we are reincarnated until we reach nirvana. What do Wiccansbelieve? Well, as the Wiccan religion isn't exactly an organized religion, it depends on who you ask.Most Wiccans believe in the Summerland, which is a paradise much like the Christian heaven.All people, except spirits who remain behind lost and wandering, go to the Summerland, eventhe wicked. The Summerland will be different for everyone, their own version of Shangri-La.There, they can be reunited with their loved ones, look over those they left behind on Earth,and take time to recuperate from life. Our time in the Summerland is spent processing whatwe learned, recovering from the hardships, walking with the Lord and Lady and being onewith them, and then planning our next life.Most Wiccans agree that when you are ready, you are reincarnated. You may choose whatform you take and even a little about your situation. You decide this based upon which lessons you wish to learn in your next life. Someone who was very selfish and arrogant may choose alife of humility to humble himself, for example. People even choose lives of hardship in orderto learn their lessons, although they don't get to plan specifically what the circumstances willbe.Wiccans do not believe in Hell or in an eternity of punishment for one life-time of sin. Some,however, do believe that you may be punished for the harm you do. I believe that you may keptfrom reincarnating, if you are not yet ready, or reincarnated into an undesirable life as ameans of punishment. There are other Wiccans who believe this, as well as Wiccans who don't.Like Buddhists, I and some other Wiccans believe the point of living is to learn and to perfect your soul, until you reach an enlightened existence.Whether or not Wiccans believe in angels and demons depends upon the person. Those whodo believe in such creatures each have their own opinions about them. As for me, I think thatangels and spirit guides are simply spirits that have reached an enlightened existence aftermany lifetimes. They exist to guide us and to protect us, to help us become who we are meantto be. Demons, in my opinion, are tainted souls, corrupted with hate, greed, and even sorrow,so that they bare ill will towards all of life because of their pain. They are to be pitied--andfeared.Wicca is a very diverse religion. Most Wiccans believe in Reincarnation, the Summerland, orboth, but not all do. Specifics about these paths vary from person to person. There are differenttraditions of Wicca just as there are different denominations of Christianity. Many Wiccans aresolitary. Most of us just believe what makes sense to us. All of life moves in a circle, not astraight line, like the changing of the seasons and the water cycle. It makes sense to me that lifeitself should do the same.
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