Wicca is a modern religion based on witchcraft. It was started by a British retired civil servant named Gerald Gardner in the first half of the 20th century. When Gardner was getting his religion started he believed that he was preserving an intact pre-Christian religion although he felt it was so scarce and fragmented that he needed to put it… Read more »
Some modern Pagan practitioners dedicate themselves to building a personal relationship with a specific deity, or perhaps a group of deities. Here are a few book suggestions to help in that regard. “Dedicant, Devotee, Priest: A Pagan Guide to Divine Relationships” by Stephanie Woodfield. “For the Love of the Gods: The History and Modern Practice of Theurgy, Our Pagan Inheritance”… Read more »
I see it all the time on message boards and forums on the internet. “I want to be a Witch — how should I start?” It is pretty bewildering to newcomers because there is so much information out there, so many different “kinds” of Witches that someone who is just getting started can easily become overwhelmed. Here’s some advice from… Read more »
I’ve seen the question come up more and more often lately: “I’m interested in becoming a Wiccan. How do I start?” Here are some articles and suggestions for books to read that will give you a solid beginning. First, you need to get a better idea of if you want to become a Wiccan, a Witch, or a Pagan. What’s… Read more »
There are lots and lots of books out there about Wicca. Which ones are good for beginners? Here’s a list highlighting some of the best. “Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner” by Scott Cunningham is probably the best book to start out with as it provides a solid foundation in the ideas that are the basis of Wicca, along… Read more »
“Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who was of old also called Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianrhod, Bride, and by many other names…” This opening passage from the Charge of the Goddess used by Wiccans around the world is familiar to many, but how many realize that this introductory statement was inspired by the ancient… Read more »
Paganism and occultism in the English-speaking community today owes a lot to the East. Sure, most of the borrowed Eastern ideas have been adapted and changed over the years by various English practitioners but the basic ideas themselves are from Eastern sources. We don’t have to look very hard to find things that come from the Middle East, from India,… Read more »
Wicca is a pretty diverse religion today with assorted different denominations (usually called “traditions”), independent covens, and thousands if not millions of solitary practitioners around the globe. What exactly makes all of these practitioners Wiccan? Historically the religion of Wicca traces to Gerald B. Gardner who first promoted and taught a form of religious witchcraft as far back as the… Read more »
Way back in the Spring of 1974 during a Pagan conference called “Witchmeet” in Minneapolis, MN USA a diverse group of 73 witches, representing a range of groups as well as solitary practitioners, formed what they decided to call the American Council of Witches. The group held only a single meeting before they chose to disband. At that meeting they… Read more »
Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone have done it again with “Lifting the Veil” — another instant classic which will surely be recommended for years to come. A must-read for Wiccans, Witches, Occultists and Pagans wishing to explore or strengthen ecstatic and trance connections with the Divine and spirit realm. Janet and Gavin’s deep understanding of the topic and years of… Read more »
