Listen to
the Words of the Goddess. She; who of old was called among men Artemis,
Astarte, Diana, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arianrhod, Bride, Isis, and
by many other names.
"Whenever
you have need of anything, once a month and better when the moon is full,
then shall ye assemble in some secret place and adore the Spirit of me
who is Queen of all Witcheries. There shall ye assemble who fain to learn
all sorceries, and who have not yet won my deepest secrets. To these I
shall teach that which is yet unknown.
And ye
shall be free from all slavery. As a sign that ye be really free ye shall
be naked in your rites. Sing, feast, make music and love all in my name.
For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit and mine is also joy on Earth. For
my law is love to all beings. Mine is the secret that opens on the door
of youth. Mine is the cup of the wine of life and the Cauldron of Cerridwen,
which is the Holy Grail of immortality.
I am the
gracious Goddess who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man upon the
Earth. I give knowledge of the Spirit Eternal and beyond death, I give
peace, freedom and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do
I demand aught in sacrifice for behold, I am the Mother of all things and
my love is poured out upon the Earth."
I am the
fire within your heart, the yearning within your soul. I am the Hunter
of Knowledge and the Seeker of the Holy Quest.
I -- who
stand in the Darkness of light am he who You call Death.
I -- Consort
and Mate of she whom we adore, call unto thee. Heed my call Beloved ones,
come unto me and learn the secrets of Death and Peace.
I am the
Grain at Harvest, I am the Fruit upon the Trees.
I am he
who leads you home. Scourge and Flame, Blade and Blood, these are
my gifts unto thee. Call upon me in the Forest wild and on the Hilltop
bare and seek me in the Darkness Bright.
I am he
who has been called Pan, Hearn, Osiris, and Hades and I call to thee in
thy search. Come, Dance and Sing, Come Laugh and Love for these are my
worship. You are my Children and I am your father. On swift night wings
it is I who lay you at the Mother's feet to be reborn and return again.
Thee who
would seek me, know that I am the untamed Wind, the fury of the Storm and
the Passion within your heart. Seek me with Courage lest you be swept away
with your seeking. Seek me with pride and humility, but seek me best of
all with love and with strength for this is my path, Walk it with purpose
and Dance boldly. Hear my call on long winter's night and we shall stand
together, guarding her Earth as she sleeps.
-
Index of Goddesses
-
Index of Gods
Click
on the Witch to return to the main Wiccan menu
Just continue on down for the next section!
Bide
these Wiccan laws ye must,
With
perfect love and perfect trust;
Live
ye must and let to live,
Fairly
take and fairly give.
Cast
the circle thrice about,
To
keep unwelcome spirits out.
To
bind the magick every time,
Let
the spell be spoke in rhyme.
Soft
of eye and light of touch,
Speak
ye little, listen much.
Honor
the Old Ones in deed and name,
Let
love and light be our guides again.
Deosil
go by the waxing Moon,
Chanting
out the joyful tune.
Widdershins
go by the waning Moon,
Chanting
out the baneful rune.
When
the Lady's moon is new,
kiss
the hands to her, times two.
When
the moon rides at her peak,
then
your heart's desire seek.
Heed
the North wind's mighty gale:
Lock
the door and trim the sail.
When
the wind blows from the East,
Expect
the new and set the feast.
When
the wind comes from the south,
Love
will kiss thee on the mouth.
When
it whispers from the West,
Aching
hearts find peace and rest.
Nine
woods in the cauldron go,
burn
them fast and burn them slow:
Birch
into the fire goes
In
sign of what the Lady knows.
Oak
in the forest towers with might,
In
the fire brings the Gods in sight.
Rowan
is a tree of power,
Causing
life and magic to flower.
Willows
which by water stand
Ease
us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn
is burned to purify,
And
to draw Faerie to your eye.
Hazel,
the tree of wisdom and learning,
Adds
its strength to the bright fire burning.
White
are the flowers of apple tree,
That
brings us fruits of fertility.
Grapes
which grow upon the vine,
Give
to us both joy and wine.
Fir
tree bough are evergreen
Immortal
life in them is seen.
Elder
wood, the Lady's tree --
burn
it not, or cursed be.
Four
times the Major Sabbats mark,
Twice
in light and twice in dark.
In
death the spark of life is born
At
Samhain when the veil is torn.
When
the time for Imbolg shows,
Watch
for flowers through the snows.
When
the Wheel begins to turn,
Soon
the Beltaine fires will burn.
As
the wheel turns to Lugh's night,
Power
is brought to magic rite.
Four
times the Minor Sabbats fall,
Use
the Sun to mark them all.
When
the Wheel has turned to Yule,
Light
the log - the Horned One rules.
In
the Spring, night equals day,
Time
for Ostara to come our way.
When
the Sun has reached its height,
Time
for Oak and Holly to fight.
Harvesting
comes home for all
When
the Autumn Equinox does fall.
Learning
flower, bush, and tree;
by
the Lady, blessed be.
Where
the rippling waters go,
cast
the stone and truth you'll know.
When
ye have and hold a need,
harken
not to others' greed.
With
a fool no seasons spend,
Lest
ye be counted as his friend.
Merry
meet and merry part;
bright
the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind
the Threefold Law ye should:
Three
times bad and three times good.
When
misfortune is enow,
Wear
the blue Star on thy brow.
True
in love thou must ever be,
lest
thy love prove false to thee.
Eight
words the Witches' Rede fulfill,
An'
it harm none, do what thou will.
Law of the Power, scott Cunningham
The Power shall not be used to bring harm, to injure or control others. But if the need rises, the Power shall be used to protect your life or the lives of others.
The Power is used only as need dictates.
The Power can be used for your
own gain, as long as by doing so you harm
none.
It is unwise to accept money for use of the Power, for it quickly controls its taker. Be not as those of other religions.
Use not the Power for prideful
gain, for such cheapens the mysteries of
Wicca and magick.
Ever remember that the Power is the sacred gift of the Goddess and God, and should never be misused or abused.
And this is the law of the Power.
Return
to the main menu of Beliefs
13 Goals of a Witch, Scott Cunningham
1. Know
yourself
2. Know
your Craft (Wicca)
3. Learn
4. Apply
knowledge with wisdom
5. Achieve
balance
6. Keep
your words in good order
7. Keep
your thoughts in good order
8. Celebrate
life
9. Attune
with the cycles of the Earth
10.
Breathe and eat correctly
11.
Exercise the body
12.
Meditate
13.
Honor the Goddess and God
The Council
of American Witches finds it necessary to define modern
Witchcraft
in terms of the American experience & needs.
We are not bound by traditions from other times & other cultures, & owe no allegiance to any person or power greater than the Divinity manifest through our own being.
As American Witches, we welcome & respect all life-affirming teachings & traditions, & seek to learn from all & to share our learning within our Council.
It is in this spirit of welcome & cooperation that we adopt these few principles of Wiccan belief. In seeking to be inclusive, we do not wish to open ourselves to the destruction of our group by those on self-serving power trips, or to philosophies & practices contradictory to these principles. In seeking to exclude those whose ways are contradictory to ours, we do not want to deny participation with us to any who are sincerely interested in our knowledge & beliefs, regardless of race, color, sex, age, national or cultural origins, or sexual preference.
We therefore ask only that those who seek to identify with us accept these few basic principles:
1. We
practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life
forces
marked by the phases of the Moon & the seasonal quarters &
cross-quarters.
2. We recognize that our intelligence gives us unique responsibility toward our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, inecological balance offering fulfillment to life & consciousness within an evolutionary concept.
3. We
acknowledge a depth of power far greater than is apparent to the
average
person. Because it is far greater than ordinary, it is sometimes
called
"supernatural," but we see it as lying within that which is naturally
potential
to all.
4. We conceive of the Creative Power in the Universe as manifesting through polarity - as masculine & feminine - & that this same creative Power lives in all people, & functions through the interaction of the masculine & feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sexuality as pleasure, as the symbol & embodiment of Life, & as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practices & religious worship.
5. We
recognize both outer worlds & inner, or psychological worlds
sometimes
known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious & Inner Planes,
etc. & we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis
for paranormal phenomena & magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension
for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.
6. We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge & wisdom, & acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.
7. We
see religion, magick, & wisdom-in-living as being united in the way
one
views the world & lives within it - a world view & philosophy of
life,
which
we identify as Witchcraft or the Wiccan Way.
8. Calling oneself "Witch" does not make a Witch - but neither does heredity itself, or the collecting of titles, degrees & initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within herself/himself that makes life possible in order to live wisely & well, without harm to others, & in harmony with Nature.
9. We
acknowledge that it is the affirmation & fulfillment of life, in a
continuation
of evolution & development of consciousness, that gives meaning to
the Universe we know, & to our personal role within it.
10. Our
only animosity toward Christianity, or toward any other religion or
philosophy-of-life,
is to the extent that its institutions have claimed tobe
"the
one true right & only way" & have sought to deny freedom to others
& to suppress other ways of religious practices & belief.
11. As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present, & our future.
12. We do not accept the concept of "absolute evil," nor do we worship any entity known as "Satan" or "the Devil" as defined by Christian Tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor do we accept the concept that personal benefits can only be derived by denial to another.
13. We work within Nature for that which is contributory to our health & well-being.
Click
here to return to the main Wiccan menu
Click
here to move onto the next section-->