Anonymous asked this question on 3/9/2000:
I'm just curious as to exactly what Wicca is. Is it a religion? If so, what or whom do you worship? Is there really such a thing as magic, or is it folklore. Or is it a type of healing? Using herbs and such? If yoou tell the future, can I ask for my future reading? Really want to know.
minerva gave this response on 3/10/2000:
The Wicca we know is a modern reconstruction of the very first religious and philosophical systems known to the human race. The religions of today have all "borrowed" from the different Pagan paths. The U.S. government finally recognized it as a religion in 1978 (that means, for example, in the armed forces Chaplain's manual there is a section on Wicca for the Pagan people in the service).
What we worship is Nature--whether in the form of a Goddess, a God and Goddess, just a God, or simply The One (which is neither male nor female). However, "worship" is perhaps not the most accurate term. Although Paganism uses a lot of the ancient mythologies (Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Hindu, etc.), most Pagans recognize myths for what they are instead of seeing God/Goddess as someone to be feared.
Yes, magic comes from folklore, but those folk tales have survived this long because it does work. We use the elements of Nature to symbolize aspects of ourselves that we wish to tap into so that we can create the reality we wish to live. And healing is also a big part of it. The ancient "witches" were the wise-women of the village, who knew the right herb to use to cure whichever ailment was tormenting her people.
A lot of Wiccans learn some form of fortune-telling (Tarot, tea leaves, palm readings, etc.) as part of their practice. This must not be misconstrued, however. We don't believe that "fate" is carved in stone. We use divination to communicate directly with our intuitive self--the right side of the brain, so to speak--to determine which course of action (from a series of choices) would be most beneficial; not only for our own well-being, but for the greater good of all. The "big picture" is always kept in mind, which is why a lot of Wiccans, Pagans, and Witches may also get involved in environmental projects.
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