Category: philosophy/religion topics
Can someone explain to me the difference between paganism and wicca?
thanks
A Pagan is someone who follows an earth based spirituality. Pagan includes many different spiritual belief systems. Wicca is one of them. Others are Druids and Shamanism.
Wicca is a pagan religion worshiping goddess and nature and creating, changing, or affecting energy called magic.
There is much more I could write...
All Wiccans are witches, but not all witches are Wiccans. All Wiccans are Pagans, but not all Pagans are Wiccans.
yeah, it makes sense but still rather confusingBut, I get your definition
What does the pentagram represent? I always thought that was a cool concept, but anyone I ever asked would say it was a sign of the devil. But then I heard it wasn't. I just know that it's like a star, and each point represents something, right?
Yes, the pentagram is a five pointed star in a circle. The pentagram represents the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water and the fifth element: spirit.
wouldn't the pentacle also represent that?
Yes
Thanks for the explanation.
okay then, why is hekate called the dread goddess?
This is taken from my Wicca class from www.witchschool.com Lesson 2
HEKATE -Hekate is the great Crone Goddess of ancient Greece, patroness of magic and wisdom, and a Goddess of the Spiritworld. Hekate is a Goddess of uncertain provenance, being clearly older than and outside of the Greek classical pantheon. Some say She is of Mycenaean origin -the culture which precedes the classical. Others that She is of Phrygian origin. Some equate Her with Hekat, the Egyptian Goddess of creative force and magic, with Whom Hekate was most certainly identified in Hellenistic times. Hekate was known in medieval times as Dame Hecat, in which form She was considered a Patroness of European Witchcraft.
This is from Lesson 3
Samhain is a Lunar or Grand Sabbat, and is sacred to the Crone Goddess, from whom the image of the “Hallowe’en witch” descends. The Crone has many names, including Hekate, Morgan, and Cerridwen. She is depicted as an elderly woman, and is Patron of magic and of the Spirit World. The Crone is the Goddess of the dead, of wisdom, and of the ultimate Spiritual origin of all things.
so, she is not evil as some might think
is witchschool free?
Some courses are available for free as a basic member. If you become a paying member, all classes are available to you on line. Memberships are 5.00/month, 39.99/year or a lifetime membership is 99.99 and is a one time payment.
do you know of an online school where all courses are free of charge?
There's a lot of good information on here and you can try looking for classes taught in your area: www.witchvox.com
thanks
Anyone interested in an email list group about this topic should check my profile for subscribing info. :)
Cool I will join.
When I was investigating this kind of thing a few years back, the witchvox site was a great help to me.
what is it that has drawn any of you to this topic - as in what event took place that created your interest or curiosity in pagan paths?
I was, and still am, a Christian. However, there was a time when I considered leaving my Christian faith, and it was Wicca that appealed most to me. I suppose for me it was a variety of things that drew me to Wicca. One is that I do love nature, and the Wiccan faith seemed full of that. Another is that even while Wicca realizes that both male and female are needed, it largely seems to emphasize female power, whereas in Christianity, to often women are portrayed as second-class citizens, and I didn't, and still don't like that. However, I have come to realize that applies only to certain people who portray women that way, not the Christian faith itself. Lastly, the Christian faith is about submitting your will to God's, and I am not a very submissive person. I liked the idea of me choosing my own path. I did not take that to mean I could choose it recklessly. Wicca seems to teach that one must actually be extra cautious in their choices and their consequences, but still the choice is one's own, not submitted to someone else. Lastly, I realized that magic was not to be used as a crutch, or a toy, or something to be taken lightly, but I did like the idea that I could control and/or direct various things through its use.
For awhile I even tried to combine the two faiths. There is a small movement out there who does that. However, that did not work for me, either. There is more I could say, but I will sum it up by saying that my Christian faith was and is too much a part of who I am to walk away from. However, I am glad for the learning and understanding I gained while I was doing my research. It helps me to be more open-minded.
I did not write this, but wanted to share:
To be a Wiccan is to move at one with Deity.
To be a Wiccan is to honor Nature and all that is in Her. To acknowledge the life in all things, and be in harmony with it.
To be a Wiccan is to work with the seen and the unseen. To learn the magical secrets of stones, of plants, and animals - to speak to the faeries and the spirits and to hear their replies.
To be a Wiccan is to use every tool available to grow, to learn, to become the best that you can be. To use magic, meditation, and ritual to overcome all limitations, all fears, all imperfections, and to move always in harmony with Deity, always to the good, always in accordance with your highest self.
This is what it is to be a Wiccan.
I will always be a Wiccan. I wish I had been born into a Wiccan family. Everyone in my family are Christians and I just do not like or feel comfortable with any of their beliefs. Also Christians bible say it is wrong for two women or two men to be together and that whole judgment thing...
Sister Dawn, I can certainly understand your displeasure with the patriarchal matter within Christianity. It's interesting how exploring an alternative strengthened your commitment to your Christian path and yet made you brauder minded. It's great that you were able to explore your options and in doing so learned much more about yourself. Exploring ourselves and the world around is so important. Congratulations to you for being able to explore and find your nitch. Thanks for sharing. :)
Rose thanks for sharing that lovely poem. :)
I also come from a Christian family - born-again Baptists. My orientation has been a point of tension between them and I for many years. I do have one christian friend who is not judgmental of lgbt people or in genral. I know many non-judgmental Christians exist, I just have unfortunately known more of the judgmental kind. But my friend and posts like Sister Dawn's give me hope.
I agree with you - I wish I'd come from a wiccan family too - but maybe I will be the beginning of change in my family.
I do have a good friend who is a lesbian, and she has taught me much about being judgmental. So has life. It seems that many of the things I once judged the most harshly I have either done myself, or through someone else's experience, have impacted me in some huge way as to soften my heart and make me more compassionate. Sometimes I think god orchestrated some of that. He knew he had to knock me down a peg or two, as judgmental Christians give the rest of us a bad name. I think there is a line for standing up for one's belief system and not compromising it, and yet being compassionate and open to listening and learning.
I also think that too often, Christians are ignorant. We judge that which we do not understand. Many Christians I know judge pagans, when they really have no clue what pagans believe. So, if a Christian wishes to try and reach out to a pagan person, instead of just telling that person they're wrong, the Christian needs to do their own research and education, so they have some idea to whom and what they're reaching out to. Otherwise, all they come off is as ignorant and arrogant, and it helps no one, and there can be no good dialogue. I learned that one the hard way too.
this is a fascinating topic. i attend a southern baptist church. they had to be affiliated with something and back in the day that's the path they took. personally, I have no problem with the things sister dawn said. In fact she expressed my beliefs better than I could have said them myself. Thanks.
As for the pentagram, it isthe same as a lot of other things. The culture and the attitude depend on what these things mean. I love the claddagh. some of the older People at mhy church are appalled because it is "of the devil.". amazing howif we don't understand something the dark angel gets blamed automatically. anyway, I heard that it means the hands holding symbolize man and woman loving one another with the heart standing for god as the head their unifier and the crown stands for god being in control. the circle on some of them means for ever. it's easier to condemn then to research. knowledge gives us power and that includes in the religious arena.
my whole family is catholic, as for me i am a solitary wiccan, i don't exactly do physical rituals, i lean more towards astral travel, the elements, crystals, and other various things... wiccan and gay and proud of it, and a woman who is a strict goddess worshiper
Oh, Turricane, how cool! I love the Claddagh, and many things Celtic, too! It positively fascinates me.
i looked on witchvox, and it was helpful, but still no classes i could find
I am a pagan and right now, I lean toward Druidry, seeing as I'm fascinated by Avalonian mysteries and Arthurian legend. I also identify and click with some aspects of shamanism and animism. I'm definitely a spiritualist, even going so far as to draw in wisdom from Buddhism, Christianity, and Judaism or whatever happens to come my way. An older and simpler definition of pagan is any belief that's not Christian-based.