Why I Love Wicca

What makes Wicca Spirituality so compelling?

Much as I love Wicca, I've been frustrated with it from time to time. The rituals can sometimes fall flat and feel unsatisfying. The sharing of power and processing that requires is demanding.

Yet still it has a hold on my heart that nothing else can rival.

I've been tempted by other spiritual paths. Yoga and Buddhism in particular seem to fill a spiritual need that the Wicca religion barely acknowledges.

But I always come back with longing in my heart for Wicca.

There is something in Wicca — in particular, Wicca Spirituality — that offers what no other religion seems to satisfy.

And the more I thought about that "something," the more I realised Wicca Spirituality is a huge gift to the world, and to everyone who practices it.

What Unique Gifts Does Wicca Spirituality Offer?

Other religions and spiritual paths offer some aspects of these, but none seems to offer them all, or as extensively, as Wicca Spirituality does.

The five key gifts of Wicca Spirituality are . . .

Honouring Earth life,

Personal Authority,

Aliveness,

Mysticism,

Co-Creation with the Divine.

Honouring Earth Life

This is for me the primary difference between Wicca Spirituality and most other religions.

Wicca, first and foremost, honours life on Earth.

Reading through the various ways this respect expresses through Wicca, it becomes clear that this is what really sets Wicca apart as a spiritual path . . .

And what makes it so perfect for the 21st century world.

It is this aspect that calls so many to Wicca in the first place. (Even though it is largely the other three gifts which secure Wicca to Witches' souls.)

Honouring The Feminine & Goddess

One of the most significant consequences of this is a respect for the Divine As Feminine. In other words, Wicca is a goddess-worshipping religion because it honours life.

The physical manifestation of the Divine is universally seen as the Goddess. This is why dominator religions reject both the Earth and the human body. If it's physical, it's not "God."

Ecological Maturity

Another important expression of honouring life is environmental responsibility.

If the Earth is our Mother and our Goddess, we can't — as good Wiccans — abuse or contaminate Her.

In fact, you can't really be Wiccan without being an advocate for our precious Mother Earth.

Witch Tip By the way, have you taken the Green Pledge yet? Click here for tips on simple ways you can minimize your environmental footprint on the Earth.

Respect For All Life

Similarly, all beings are our sisters and brothers. We are all children of the Earth, and so Witches must be kind to all — human, other animals, and plants.

This is so integral to Wicca that it is the one Wiccan Law — Do As Ye Will, An Ye Harm None.

Witches recognise a connection with other beings. We don't see humans as the only intelligent life on the planet. In fact, compared to the qualities of most beings, humans actually rate pretty low on the scale.

So Witches interact with animals and plants and elements as their teachers, friends, and guides.

(And so other beings often fill this role for us, out of their love for the Mother.)

Love For The Earth

Wiccans love for the Earth is perhaps the greatest driving force in Wicca. Many of us come to Wicca out of the love we feel for the Earth, for nature, for animals.

Fully Em-bodied

Another one of the great gifts of Wicca is being fully present in the body.

Wicca is grounded in a way few other spiritual paths can match. Its reverence for the Earth and the Goddess lead naturally to a reverence for the human body. Not only as a Temple of the Divine, but for the sheer pleasure of being alive and embodied.

Honouring Life

Even as a spiritual practice, Wicca does not advocate leaving the body or the Earth behind.

Wiccans aren't motivated by fear of reincarnation, for instance. We enjoy the Wheel that the Goddess created.

Witches live in the here and now, rather than always thinking of future rewards.

Life is not a punishment or a trial. Life is not suffering, except as we make it so.

Life is a great blessing and a priceless gift. It is an opportunity to taste experience in a way even the gods can't.

In fact, that is one likely reason we take material form — to experience mortal life, so the Divine can experience it through us.

While many spiritual practices aim for leaving the Wheel, the Earth, and embodiment behind forever, Witches celebrate these things as gifts. And aim to enjoy them fully.

Actually, many religions have some reference to this concept. One of my favourite quotes is from the Koran . . .

You will be called upon to account
for all the permitted pleasures in life
you did not enjoy while on Earth.”

But few religions other than Wicca actually live this belief.

Honouring Pleasure

Wicca celebrates pleasure as the Goddess' gift. And even more . . . as our gift to the Goddess.

The Charge of the Star Goddess states it clearly . . .

All acts of love and pleasure are my rituals . . .

Let there be mirth and reverence within you.

Pleasure is a sacrament. We were created to live joyfully.

Merry making is equal to reverence, in the view of the Goddess. This is a spiritual path that truly honours joy.

Honouring Sexuality

The greatest sacrament and most joyful mortal pleasure is sexuality. And the Wiccan Goddess blesses this.

The Goddess gave us sexuality for a reason. Procreation is only the smallest part of it.

Wicca has always celebrated the divine sexual union of the Goddess and the God. It is their ecstasy in this Great Rite that gives birth to the universe, and sustains life.

So when Witches make love in a sacred context, they open themselves to be channels for the Goddess and the God to love each other through these physical bodies. This is the Wiccan Great Rite.

And every sexual experience is meant to be sacred. That is sexuality's greatest power.

Physical love is a gateway to the Divine.

The Great Rite is a spiritual practice that can open us to union not only with our beloved but also with the Divine.

Honouring the Cycles

Wicca celebrates all the cycles of life.

Many religions seem to view life as a more or less straight path. You get born, you live a while, you leave and go somewhere else forever, the end.

Wicca sees life as a cycle. You take birth, you live this life, you pass over, you may spend some time there, then you take birth again.

Maybe it's this acceptance of cycles that makes Wicca more forgiving and laid back. There's not an inherent panic about getting it right this time, because you don't have any more chances.

Honouring the Dark Seasons

Inherent in all cycles is expansion and contraction. Life comes forth, and life dies back.

Wicca honours the sacred Dark. While this part of the cycle may not be easy, it is extremely fruitful.

It is sorrow that supports joy. It is despair that births hope. It is suffering that spurs evolution.

And, it is rest that allows growth.

The Dark is not a Witch's enemy. The fallow season is also a time of relaxation and renewal. It is in the dark season when we can go deep within ourselves, and find the Goddess.

Personal Authority

Wicca is founded on the spiritual authority of the individual.

There is no outer authority in Wicca to enforce any dogma.

Each Witch decides for herself what Wicca is, to her. Each Witch is the final authority on how she will practice Wicca.

This is why Wicca is called "a religion of priests."

Personal Relationship with the Divine

It is could just as well be called a religion without priests.

Witches don't need mediators to talk to God for them. Every Witch communicates directly with the Divine. And the Divine speaks personally to everyone.

No one has the authority to interpret the Divine's wishes, except for herself. No one may interpret what the Goddess wants other people to do. No one may tell a person that she is wrong in her beliefs.

Personal Religion

So Wicca Spirituality is personalised by each person who practices it.

It's not exaggeration to say that there are as many forms of Wicca as there are Wiccans.

Every Witch adjusts her practice of Wicca to suit her heart's needs, her soul's longings, and her mind's creativity.

Wicca Spirituality is entirely self-directed. We follow our own inner promptings and divine guidance, rather than adhering to anyone else's beliefs or paths.

Personal Responsibility

Every Witch is personally responsible to the Divine for her actions, and the repercussions of her choices.

You can't "buy" forgiveness or dispensations in Wicca. You can earn them, but you can't bribe the Divine or any intermediary to release you from reaping the effects of your choices.

Personal Empowerment

Wicca Spirituality is a practice of personal empowerment. Witches don't hoard power, but neither do we shun it.

Instead, we gather Power, and use it in the service of life.

And empowerment can only come from autonomy and personal responsibility.

Making Magick

Making magick is an expression of personal empowerment. It is taking responsibility for and taking power in your life.

There is a place in Wicca for surrender, but there is also a place for taking appropriate action, and for asking for what you want. That's what making magick is about.

Sharing Power

Since we are all children of the Goddess, we are inherently equal. To subordinate or exclude our sisters and brothers is to violate this equality.

So we share power with each other. We help empower each other.

Recognising and unlearning dysfunctional power dynamics is an important gift that Wicca Spirituality offers the world . . . And one that the world desperately needs!

In Wicca Spirituality, we develop other forms of Power than "power over" others. Power within, and power with, are key components to Wicca Spirituality.

Openness

Wicca Spirituality is accepting of differing viewpoints.

More than tolerance, Wicca Spirituality celebrates and honours diversity. Other beliefs are respected, because everyone is her own authority in spiritual matters.

Aliveness

Wicca as a spiritual practice is alive: it is always changing, evolving. It is responsive to the needs of the moment, and to the intention of the participants.

Spontaneity

Wicca Spirituality responds to the moment. Rather than being bound into formulas and dogma, it can shift as needed. While we practice within a general framework — for example, how we do ritual — we allow for inspiration in the moment to come through us as well.

This keeps Wicca Spirituality from being a mechanical practice.

So Wicca is always new, always fresh. The old, predictable, and stale never attract a soul to come out and dance.

But what is fresh is exciting, engaging.

Wicca evolves. It is fluid, adaptable. As consciousness evolves, Wicca can be practiced in new ways.

This is, in fact, how Wicca Spirituality came to be.

Creativity & Inspiration

Because each individual Witch creates Wicca Spirituality for herself, it draws out her creativity.

This aspect draws lots of creative people to Wicca, including those who never thought of themselves as creative before becoming Wiccan.

Inspiration is a major part of Wicca Spirituality, because creativity is required. Inspiration is the font of creativity.

And inspiration is insight sent by the Divine. When you are called upon to be creative, you open yourself to these Divine insights.

You open to hearing the voice of the Divine.

Playfulness

All these qualities allow room for playfulness. And as Jesus liked to point out, be as little children if you want to get close to the Divine.

Wicca uses props and drama that inspire your inner child to participate. And laughter and joy are always welcome to the Goddess.

Cultural Symbolisms

Wicca was developed with symbols that are culturally ingrained in Western Europeans.

This is a gift to those of European descent, because Wicca is the only mystical path that is native to Europe.

Many people come to Wicca after exploring Native Spirituality. Native Spirituality is attractive to proto-Wiccans for several reasons, not the least of which is, I believe, because we live on the same soil that fed that spiritual path.

Native Spirituality is clearly a mystical tradition, and starts many Witches on the mystical path. But for those of European descent, there is the question of cultural appropriation of Native traditions.

And through the practice of Native Spirituality, familiarity with Wicca and mystical practices are gained. This makes it natural for non-Natives wishing to respect Native culture to come to Wicca.

Mysticism

Wicca, especially Wicca Spirituality, is a mystical spiritual practice.

As mentioned above, Wicca encourages and requires a not simply obedience or faith, but a personal relationship with the Divine.

Mysticism is tied in with Wicca from its beginnings, but it is in Wicca Spirituality that it really flowers into its full potential.

Personal Relationship with the Divine

Wicca allows for knowing the Divine personally — in fact, Wicca Spirituality requires it.

This means 2-way communication . . . You talk to the Divine, and the Divine speaks to you.

Like any relationship, the ability to understand each other comes with practice. And the practice is a source of pleasure.

Wicca creates a relationship of near-equals between a Witch and her Goddess. Rather than solely as a child to her parent, a Witch relates to the Divine as lover to Beloved, Mother to Child, and Handmaiden to Spiritual Teacher.

Knowing the Divine's thoughts is an immense gift, because then you get to know how much She loves you and cares about you.

Divine Incarnate

In Wicca, the Divine isn't some distant judge or absent father. The Divine is embodied in every atom in existence.

We are all made of the Divine. And when the blinders are removed, we can see the Divine in everything.

This is a joyful way to live . . . moving in, breathing in, acting from the Divine constantly.

Continual Connection with the Divine

The Divine Incarnate means that we can have ongoing interaction with the Goddess, as long as we choose to cultivate this awareness of the Divine.

Wicca Spirituality is not something you do once every Sunday for an hour, then forget about. It permeates your consciousness and makes everything you do an act of worship.

Speaking the Language of the Divine

Symbolism is completely integrated into Wicca. The tools and practices are rooted in symbolism.

This helps Witches to communicate with the Divine, because . . .

Symbolism is the mother tongue of the Divine.

Our attunement with the meaning of symbols helps us spot the Divine at work in the world. And it teaches us to recognise Her communication when it comes.

Personal Divinity

In Wicca, you not only are your own priest/ess, you are the Divine!

Thou art Goddess; Thou art God is our greeting. Like "Namaste," this is recognition that each of us is, at our core, Divine.

We are each a piece of the Divine.

Channeling Energy

Wicca is a practice that taps into Divine Energy, channels it, and focuses it to specific purposes.

This fills the Witch with the essence of the Divine.

One of the most beautiful ways to do this is Drawing Down the Moon. We open ourselves to the Light of the Divine, and fill ourselves up with Her.

Working with energy is key to being a Witch. In essence, we become more Divine, when we align with Her Energy. v

Co-Creators with the Divine

The Gods need us, as we need them:
To learn, to grow, to live again

  ~ The Wiccan Way, e Dragonsong

To me, this is one of the most important ideas about the Divine — that She is not static, finished, perfected, unchanging, stagnant... but that She is learning thru our explorations, growing and evolving thru our evolution.

We are in this together, us and the Divine, each needing the other to complete us, neither sufficient or content alone.

I believe the Divine is even more in love with self-transformation than we humans are! But from a position of godhood, little can be learned, and less experienced, and so She lives our lives, within us.

As we live within Hers.

A true partnership.