Question by ????: Pagans what comes to mind when you think of Wicca?
I am interested to know what people associate with Wicca. I personally view Wicca as spiritually empowering, although I am not Wiccan I have studied much about it.
Andymcj78 (atheist); wicca is actually the old English word for wizard; a male practitioner of magic. However it is not related to Wicca today.
Andymcj78 (atheist); I have not seen the definition you give, wicca in olden times referred to wizards.
Rev RG Green; the website you gave a link for is very inaccurate. Not all Wiccans are wizards or witches and neither do they sacrifice babies or any of the evil that you mention.
Wicce was the old word for witch and wicca the male equivalent; wizard. These were old English terms first used about 900 A.D. Check dictionary.com;
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/witch
Moiraes Fate; “wys” is the old English for wise, the root of the word wizard. Wicca does not mean wise. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/wizard. Many people do not know that wicca before being used as the name of a religion/spirituality was a magical word.
brokendaystar; you don’t speak for all pagans, I for one do not worship archetypes. I disagree with impersonalism, The Gods are not just symbols. They are real entities.
Just to be clear, I am not Wiccan, also wicca is an old English word for wizard not magic as it is the male equivalent for wicce however I am not claiming that Wicca (in it’s modern usage) has automatic links to magic which is not true. Also, I was told that Gerald Gardner spelt it Wica and that the second c was added later.
Best answer:
Answer by Stephanie B
Nature, since that is really what’s it’s about.. and i also think of the word History, when i think of wicca
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
For Wiccans, Wicca is fulfilling. For non-Wiccan pagans, often it’s a step in their personal evolution. However, if you’re happy with it, it’s good for you. I’m not a feminist though.
Reprobate SEX WORSHIP.
Hattie the witch, Black cauldrons and broomsticks and warts on noses
i often think of the fluffy bunny teenagers who watch too much tv liked charmed and are trying to rebel or be different.
most wiccans over the age of 18 are completely different than those teens and represent their faith well
so, i guess what comes to mind depends on the age of the wiccans we’re talking about
edit: just for perspective, i consder myself a non wiccan eclectic witch, but with a wiccan flair
edit: lol@ impeyan!
Those are interesting comments about what people think Wicca is. To me, there are two forms of Wicca, Traditional Wicca and Eclectic Commercialized Western Shopping Center Wicca. Wicca is just a word that many Pagans, students of magick, and other groups are gathering under. Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and other movies and shows are romanticizing Wicca, but those too came from popular Young Adult novels on Wicca. Surprisingly there are also many Mexican and South American Wiccans. While Wicca is a religion that empowers women, it is important to remember that not all denominations of Wicca are feminist. Dianic Wicca is. Many others are about the equality between women and men.
Charmed.
Teenagers.
Feminists.
These are the 1st 3 things when I hear the word Wicca, I know Wicca has far to offer: I know the reed, the phases of the Godess, the general afterlife/reincarnation belief. But I read a lot of comments from a lot of ‘wiccans’ that make me think of the 3 things above.
Edit: I will just copy and past a link to Reigans answer.
Edit 2: In what language did Wicca refer to Wizards? Not likely English I know an amount of old English and not that phrase being associated with Magic.
for those that follow that Path, it is very soul filling. Those with the eyes to see, see a balance of the elements and spirit, feel the plight of the earth. Others sometimes see Wiccans as crazy tree-huggers. I say, what is wrong with hugging a tree?
Abby, no actually Wicca is a word that means “Wise”. It has nothing at all to do with wizards or magic. Somehow along the way you got your meanings twisted.
And I find Wicca to be good. I think it has the potential to save the earth with its attitudes. Unfortunately the religion is also overcome with fluffy bunnies who are simply trying to freak people out or feel like they are doing creepy things for the thrill. However, the fluffy bunny syndrome will die down slowly. Its a new religion and that kind of behavior will change eventually.
People sometimes say that Wicca isn’t “real.” Of course, this is very probably true, but neither is Christianity – both are fictions, but Pagans hold the advantage that we actually know our gods are symbols, archetypes, rather than personal entities who’ll for no very good reason, send you to hell unless you kiss his behind.
If you want to understand Wicca’s real heart, rather than the well-meaning but entirely useless nonsense you’ll find on the web, I’d reccomend reading about Carl Jung’s thoughts on symbols.
If I can make it clearer at all, a friend of mine once told me that magicks are “unreal keys for real doors that were never locked in the first place.”
Anyway, I ramble. Hope this helps.
Personally? Fluffy bunnies. Sorry guys!
That being said I know some truely bad ass Wiccans. I don’t know why they dont come to mind when I think Wicca, but they don’t. It’s people who cry about the 9 million (FALSE) the burning times (Salem was hangings), love spells with pink ribbons and purples candles (That woman is a menace to the pagan movement) claim Wicca is thousand of years old (Nope only about 75. It borrows from older paths) or claims it means magic, wizard, or whatever other random Celtic or OE word they think it is.
I love the “true” Wiccans I know who are nothing like the commercially wrapped bs that TRYS to pass itself off as any form of pagansim.
Labgrrl: LOL I’m sorry. Seriously, you guys have it bad. I don’t envy you
I’ve studied it and the first thing that comes to mind is people who take Charmed and similar shows way too seriously and think that everything is good and there is no evil outside your imagination..
I try not to think of ANY teenagers representing ANY faith, since they are all bound to do it poorly.
I think that Wicca is a very valid spiritual path, although too formalized, ritualized and decorated for my taste (I’m a Taoist pagan, and very practical and pragmatic in my methods). It’s all very pretty, but I can’t help but think the structure is not strictly necessary. However, there are many who enjoy that sort of thing, so if it speaks to them, more power to them. In fact I have some very good adult friends who are Wiccan and very level-headed.
God, Goddess, nature, Wiccan Rede
I think that there is much misinformation within Wicca, especially regarding magic and do not like the impersonalist element of Wicca. There are many different traditions of Wicca and am not surprised as it seems to lack doctrine or clear principles. “An it harm none, do what thou will” is all well and good however seems wishy washy and is open to interpretation. Wicca does not go hand in hand with magic however there are many misinformers claiming that all Wiccans are magical, which is fallacy.
However having said all that, Wicca does have a preserving view of the Earth which is important and believes in self empowerment. I am not for the feminist aspect as women are not higher than men we are all equal. Also Heathen Daughter has many valid points especially regarding the so called “Burning Times” which I simply call magical persecution, however few actual wizards and witches were killed. However, wicca is an old English word meaning wizard or magician, despite it being used in modern times as the name of a religion few people today are aware of the origins or etymology of the word. Wicca meaning wizard has no bearing on the religion itself as wicca is no longer used to refer to male practitioners of magic, we now have the word wizard. So the idea that Wicca is magic is false.
Also one thing that gripes me is the misinformation that a prayer is like a spell which is not true. A prayer is asking for what you yourself cannot achieve by asking God(s) for help, guidance etc. In order for them to intervene in your life. A spell is a using your own power to bring about change through the chanting of words with magic potency. I myself come from a magical family and have over forty years of experience and am saddened that there are so many misinformed people out there that are willing to accept these lies.
Not spiritualy endowing per se, i tend to think of wiccans as good people. A little goofy, which i point out to my friends regularly, but still good people.
I dont even want to know about some of the stuff they go through. I drew a line in the sand, I am orthodox and i told them ill tolerate their faith, but i wont have any part of it.
As a Wiccan, I’m actually in a similar boat to ‘daughter, except the bunnies tend to expect me to do favors for them.
I’m going to be completely, truly honest.
At one point, I associated Wicca with teenage goth chicks on a “shock value” kick, old hippies in driving moccasins, and middle aged heavy women wearing too much purple.
And you know what? That was wrong on my part. I don’t like when Christians or other groups stereotype me, so why should I do so to them?
Wicca is still not for me, but I’ve met some really awesome people – of all shapes, and ages – who defy those stereotypes up and down 🙂
So I learned my lesson.
All religious people who are open minded to others are cool in my book 🙂
I think of a Modern Initiatory Witchcraft Mystery Religion.
Hi Abby, Sorry you got hassled for the word Wicca. It would have been better to ignore it ten reply to it. Don’t let it discourage you from asking questions.
I was doing a search on pagan can found your question. I’m Wiccan and words like religious tolerance, harmony with nature and balance between the God and Goddess come to mind.
If you have any questions please feel free to email me.