*Harmony - Since all form (matter) is created by vibration, the world is made of sound. And not just random noise, but musical harmony. This means that harmony is one of the great Truths. And disharmony is distance from Truth. So harmony with the natural world and with the rhythms of life is at the heart of Wicca.
*Responsibility - Having greater control over our environment than most other terrestrial beings, through intelligence as well as intention, we carry a special responsibility to protect nature. We are aware that every choice we make plants seeds for the future we are creating.
*Personal Power - It is possible to perceive, access, and influence that subtle reality. Doing so causes change in the physical world. Every culture has developed techniques for doing so - shamanism, prayer, meditation, affirmation, and magic.
A Witch employs the methods that work for him/her, which may come from various cultures.
The Nature of the Divine
*The One Divine - The Great Mystery itself is genderless, omnipresent, and incomprehensible to the 3-dimensional brain. It manifests in this universe as a polarity or balance of forces, which we call feminine (Goddess, yin) and masculine (God, yang). These polarities do not align rigidly with our concept of woman and man.
*Sacred Polarity: Primary Faces Of The Divine - The yin holds the Power of the Dark - rest, inner reality, deep wisdom, the nurturing womb in which material life begins, the vast embrace to which life returns. The yang holds the Power of the Light - action, outer reality, abstract intelligence, the pursuit of ideals, the intention that spurs creation. Both are sacred and beautiful. Both are honoured.
Since both yin and yang are Divine, both are equal, and both are necessary to all life, we honour both Goddess and God, female and male, Earth and spirit, nature and intellect equally.
*Love Is The Source Of Life - All life is created and maintained through the ecstatic dance of love between these two polarities.
*The Multitudes Of The One Divine - The Divine is One, manifesting as the polarity of Yin and Yang. These two are perceived by humans in a variety of forms, and worshipped as numerous Gods and Goddesses around the world. Each of these holds a piece of the Truth. Yet the whole of the Truth is the One, which unites all existence within Itself.
The Unity Of All
*Equality Of All Beings - The Great Mystery manifests Itself as all that exists. Which means that the Divine dwells within each of us, and everything else. Every person, every river, every tree, every rock is sacred. The One is the Life Force.
*All Is Sacred - Since the One is manifest in all matter, our bodies and the Earth are sacred. They are Temples in which the Divine dwells. Everything in existence is a Temple of the Divine. It is only our illusions that prevent us from seeing this.
The Circle of Life
*The One Manifests In The World As The Circle Of Life - The Circle or Wheel of Life is the manifestation of the Divine in a polarized universe. With each quality, a corresponding "opposite" quality exists. Thus we experience life and death, up and down, past and future, gain and loss. On opposite sides of the Wheel, this creates balance, which allows the Wheel to keep moving forward in harmony.
*Nothing Lives Forever - All things must pass. The Circle must turn. So that new things may arise, the old must fall away. This is a sacred Mystery, to be honoured and celebrated.
*Nothing Dies Forever - Nothing is truly lost. The Circle of the One is complete; nothing can leave it nor enter it, since it is All. Everything lost is found again in a new form, when the time is right. Another level of the Spiral will reveal a new manifestation of all that was.
*The Ripples Return - Since nothing is lost, and the One is a "circle," everything we do returns to us. There is no way to avoid the consequences of our actions. This is the basis of the Three-Fold Law.
*Nothing Is Hidden - Since nothing is lost and nothing can be hidden from All That Is, integrity and authenticity are vital components of a Witch's practice.
*Life After Death - Since nothing can be lost, and everything is "recycled" by Nature, life is not lost at death. A person's essence continues, although the details of this can't be fully known. We acknowledge the probability of reincarnation as one option.
In Service Of Life
*Constructive Action - Only that which serves life is worthy of veneration. Anti-life forces, whether called evil or "Satan," or disguised as "forces for self-protection" or "warriors for [an individual's] God" are not recognized as having spiritual authority or worldly validity. The basic code of life-serving action is expressed in the Wiccan Rede as "An it harm none, do what you will."
*Non-Harm - Since we are all manifestations of the One, we are not truly separate from each other or anything else. So we know that to harm anyone is ultimately to harm ourselves. Everything we do comes back to us. And we seek to harm none, but to serve Life instead.
*Joy Is A Sacrament - Since life is created through the union of the Goddess and God, and since the purpose is to celebrate life, in Wiccan belief sexual pleasure - indeed, all pleasure - is a sacrament. And sexual ecstasy is a bridge between the human and the Divine. Through the openness and union with another, we can reunite with the Divine Essence that creates us.
Authority and Power
*Inner Authority - Since we are all manifestations of the One, we are all equal. There is no higher authority, no prophet, no bible, no single leader that can legitimately claim authority over others.
*Following The Heart - The heart - as the voice of the Divine - is our highest authority. It is the truest guide we have in life. Following the heart creates a practice that is vibrant, responsive, spontaneous, and soul-full. This is why Wiccan belief is becoming so widely embraced around the world. It is alive, authentic, and full of spirit. These are qualities we - and our planet - are literally dying for.
*True Power Is Shared - Since we are all our own prophets and priest/esses and leaders, power is a commodity to be shared and passed from hand to hand. So we take turns leading and organizing, surrendering and supporting. And we encourage and assist newer Witches in gaining the skills and the confidence they need to take their full place in the Circle.
Living Spirituality
*Temples Of The Divine - Since the Divine dwells everywhere, anyplace anyone reaches out to the Divine is a Temple.
-Indoors,
-Outdoors,
-Perpetual,
-One-time-only,
-The body,
-The kitchen,
-The workplace,
-The sidewalk,
-The garden,
-The hallway,
-The bathroom,
All existence is the Temple of the Divine.
*The Worship Of Life - Since all the world is a Temple, so all of life is a sacrament. It is as sacred an act to make a bed as to meditate, when awareness of the Divine is present. The worship of the One Divine is the worship of life. Not just the surface of life - the illusions of the world - but the meaning beneath the surfaces. The worship of life is accomplished in all that enhances life: joy, pleasure, love, compassion, charity, service, and grace. These are our Wiccan rites and offerings. (And so letting blood is a death-action, and is contrary to Wiccan belief.)
*By Their Fruit They Are Known - A Witch is created by his/her actions, by living the principles of his/her belief. Merely saying he/she is a Witch, or having others proclaim him/her a Witch, doesn't make him/her a Witch any more than claiming he/she is a tree.
*Spiritual Self-Determination - Anyone who chooses to be a Witch can be a Witch. "Membership" cannot be denied, since there is no outside authority to grant or deny Witch-hood. A person can be a Witch in conjunction with following other spiritual paths, such as Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, etc., as long as he/she finds the two compatible.
*Ritual Creates Harmony With Reality - According to Wiccan belief, the purpose of Wiccan rites is to align ourselves more thoroughly with the natural rhythms of life and the beauty of the Divine Within and Without.
*Magic Co-Creates With The Divine - The purpose of Wiccan magic is to align our lives with our Purpose for incarnating, and our world more perfectly with the beauty of the Divine.
The Purpose of Life
*Creation Is Eternal - Since there is no boundary or limit to the Divine, creation is not a static event that happened long ago, but an evolutionary process that is ongoing. And since the Divine is each of us, we are all co-creators of the universe together. Since the Divine is the universe, the Divine can't be static, but ever evolving. And She relies on us for Her growth. Through our lives and our experiences, we are continually creating not only the world, but God Herself. And it is for this reason She created us.
*Home Coming - Since we are in our essence Divine, it is our path to seek reunion with the Divine. We do this by uncovering this Truth within us.
*Serving The Divine - Since the Divine is neither static nor separate, the Divine too is evolving and growing. And She needs us for Her growth and well-being. A Witch's relationship with the Divine is balanced and reciprocal. A Witch gives back to God as well as receives from Her with thanks. The greatest gift we can give is to live our dreams. Everyone is created as a gift to the world, with special talents to offer. To refuse to use those talents is to deny your reason for being here, and to let us all down. The Divine is counting on you, to do what only you can do.
Respect For All Beings
*All Paths Lead To The One - Since everyone's path is unique and worthy of respect, all religions and belief systems are valid to their practitioners. No one has the right to judge another's path or to coerce them to a different one.
Personal Spiritual Path
*Validity Is Created By Service Of Life - A spiritual path is not legitimized by its history or the extent of its membership, nor diminished by internal debates. It is justified or not depending upon the actions of its adherents. Its impact on the present and its potential for the future are the sole basis for assessment. So Wicca is valid to the extent that it is a positive force in the life of its adherents and the world.
*Personal Responsibility - Every Witch is personally responsibility to the Divine for his/her choices, words, actions, and inactions - and even his/her thoughts, since he/she recognises the power contained within them.
*Everyone Can Communicate Directly With The Divine - The Divine interacts with all beings on a continuous basis, but few are willing to notice and understand.
The Divine is directly accessible to every person, through meditation, prayer, introspection, ritual, and magic. No one needs an interpreter or intervener, but his/her own heart and body and mind. According to Wiccan belief, the mind of God is open to understanding, and many tools exist to aid us in this great task. Tarot, runes, astrology, and all other divination techniques help us understand the Divine's wishes for us.
*The Obligation And Right Of Personal Choice - It is not only every person's right but responsibility to find their own way, determine their own values, and live by their own choices. No one may dictate another's Path, or judge it by his/her own perspective. We must choose for ourselves. And having chosen, we are then directly responsible for those actions. No excuses can be offered, when we are acting of our own free will.
Giving Back & Paying It Forward
*Honouring Teachers And Guides - While there is no worldly authority and no interpreters mediating between a Witch and the Divine, there are many who help us understand our way. These leaders and guides are offered respect and gratitude.
*Balance Is The Law Of The Circle - A balance must be maintained. It is the way of all circles. To take, something must be given. If it is not given voluntarily, it will be lost nonetheless. This concept is found not only in Wiccan belief but most aboriginal belief systems.
*Offering True Gifts - Only what is ours to give can be an offering. For example, blood sacrifice is theft and harm, unless it is our own blood willingly offered. In Wiccan belief, another's sacrifice can't bring us any good.
The Essence of Magical Power
*All Power Is Divine Power - The source of all Power is the Divine. To gather Power, all that is necessary is to clear the conduit to the Divine Within you.
*You Are The Conduit - No props are necessary to work magic. The Power is the Divine and your ability to connect and channel that creative energy. Symbols such as wands, candles, pentacles, incense, etc. merely aid us in focusing our attention and accessing other levels of consciousness. But the only magic tool that is ultimately necessary is you.
*The Nature Of Power - To abuse Power by harming another or succumbing to greed is to contaminate the conduit to the Divine. This results in an inevitable loss of Power.
Even though each Witch follows her own Path, there are commonalities that most Witches can agree to. These principles are contained within the Wiccan Rede. the Charge of the Star Goddess, the Invocation of the Goddess, and the Three-Fold Law.
This philosophy is not necessary followed in all ways by all Witches. The core of Witchcraft is that each Witch has his/her own belief system.
So you can still be a Witch without belief in all of these principles.
Witches tends to be very open to others' beliefs. This is built-in to the philosophy: no one can say how another should worship. Of course, sometimes our lower traits rise up. It is not hard to find Wiccans ridiculing Witches, but this should be an aberration and not the norm.
The very core of a Witch's belief system is founded upon the heart and spirit as the utmost authorities. Since everyone's heart knows what's best for her, there is no justification in a personal belief that judges anyone else's path.
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