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Tiana Stewart
Professor Harvey
REL 181
July 20, 2019
Essay Assignment #8

Wicca, Neopaganism and nature religions are religions that feed off of their ancient roots,

especially dating back to pre-Jesus Europe, but they also encapsulate the new. There are many

practitioners that are inventing new rituals, meditations, chants, and they are sharing them

throughout many platforms. Paganism embraces numerous historical religions of the past, while

the term Neopaganism was implemented to introduce the wider range of modern religions based

partially on the past ones, but which will forever have their significance in a certain time, culture

and place. Therefore, these religions are not new, yet the influence of modern age ideologies and

concepts within Paganism and Wicca are what make the argument for them to be categorized as

“new religions”.

There are many people within this community that believe the influence of the New Age

is warping the historical beliefs of their ancestors and bringing along negative perspectives and

practices, especially along the lines of widespread cultural appropriation. The neo tag separates

Pagans and Neopagans based on their contemporary religions and customs only. Mainly,

Neopagan refers to some of the major New Age associated groups and faiths, including various

Wiccan religions. Some people label themselves as Modern Pagans because they reject the New

Age effect that influences what most people perceive of as Neopaganism.

According to Selena Fox, writer of the article “Introduction to the Wiccan Religion and

Contemporary Paganism,” inside many Pagan and other Wiccan traditions, there are “a variety of

types of groups as well as individual practitioners. Groups differ widely in size, structure,

purpose, orientation, symbology, ritual practices, and other ways” (Fox). There are some Pagan

and Wiccan traditions that are strictly for initiations while others are not. According to Fox,
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“initiatory practices vary from tradition to tradition and include initiations by deities and spiritual

helpers through dreams and vigils/vision quests, self-initiations, and initiations by teachers and

groups” (Fox). Though there are many contrasting factors, there are many spiritually fulfilling

practices and philosophical teachings that Wiccans and other Pagans share in common. They

have a deep admiration and respect for nature and “seek to live in harmony with the rest of the

ecosphere,” as many “have personal communication and friendships with various animals, plants

and other lifeforms” (Fox). The cycles of Nature are honored and at New and Full Moon times,

many of them perform rituals as well as during the eight seasonal Festivals. They call these

Festivals Sabbats and they are spread about six to seven weeks apart, carried on throughout the

year and lining up with the Solstices, Equinoxes, and between what the call the “Cross Quarters.”

Halloween is known as Samhain and it is the New Year in a lot of Pagan and most Wiccan

customs.

As many people may know, “the Wiccan religion and other forms of Paganism are

pantheistic in that the Divine is seen as everywhere and in everything” (Fox). They also hold the

titles of being animistic, holding the belief that in “every human, tree, animal, stream, rock, and

other forms of Nature is seen to have a Divine Spirit within” (Fox). The Elements of Nature-

Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit- as well as their symbolized directions- North, East, South,

West, and Center- are all honored during their rituals in sacred Circles. Fox writes that “rituals

usually include a combination of meditation, invocations, movement, music, and the use of

magical tools” (Fox). Another part of many Wiccan and Pagan spiritual customs include the

development of their abilities to practice magic and using psychic energy for healing purposes.

A new religion is not any less of a religion because it is new. According to the Miriam

Webster dictionary, of the four definitions given of the word religion two of them state a
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“commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance,” and “a personal set or

institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices.” That is exactly what the

Wiccans and Neopagans have. Though it goes against the values of much of our mainstream

religions and beliefs, these people deserve to be able to practice what they believe works for

them, especially as a religion.

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Works Cited

Fox, Selena. “Introduction to the Wiccan Religion and Contemporary Paganism.” Circle Sanctuary,

Circle Sanctuary Inc., www.circlesanctuary.org/index.php/about-paganism/introduction-to-the-

wiccan-religion-and-contemporary-paganism.

“Religion.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, 2019, www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/religion.