What It Means to Be Wiccan – The Pagan Religion on the Rise

Have you ever wondered what it means to be Wiccan? This pagan religion has recently gained an increase in popularity, but what does it entail?

Chances are when you think of witches you think of old scraggly women in dark robes and a pointed hat who wield magical powers. Well, what if I told you witches aren’t just the stuff of fairytales? They’re all around us

Witches, of course, don’t have magical powers, but they do utilize rituals and spell work to manipulate energy. This works in the same way as the law of attraction to manifest their desires.

I don’t personally consider myself Wiccan, but I do occasionally practice witchcraft, and yes, there is a difference. In this post, I’ll go over what is Paganism, what it means to be Wiccan, Wiccan magic, Wiccan beliefs, and the difference between Wicca and witchcraft!

This post is all about what it means to be Wiccan!

 

What is Paganism?

Paganism is used to define any religion that worships a God other than the Abrahamic God of Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. Christians most often used the term to separate themselves from those who didn’t follow their theological beliefs. Many Protestants even referred to Roman Catholics as pagan due to their use of rituals and the veneration of saints.

Paganism is considered to be a nature-worshiping religion, personifying natural features as recognition of spirit. Emphasis is put on the changing of the seasons, the moon’s cycles, and the importance of nature’s divinity. Pagans celebrate the eight Sabbats, festivals celebrating the changing of the seasons and the sun’s movement around the earth.

Paganism has no set theology and Pagans are encouraged to discover what beliefs best suit them. Some believe in a God or Gods, while others don’t believe in a literal God at all.

 

What it Means to Be Wiccan

Wicca is a modern Pagan or Neo-Pagan religion. Its inspiration was drawn from pre-Christian European religions. It first emerged in England in the 1950s but is now most commonly practiced in the West. The number of practitioners is currently thought to be in the hundreds of thousands.

The symbol representing Wicca is the pentagram, a five-pointed star often misthought to be a satanic symbol. In Wicca, the five points represent the five elements of fire, water, earth, air, and spirit.

Wicca spread rapidly in the U.S. during the 60s and 70s due to an ongoing feminist wave. Wicca places great importance on both God and Goddess, believing in the Triple Goddess and the Great Horned God. While theology differs vastly among Wiccans, some view these as two literal gods and others as two aspects of the same God. Some view these God(s) in a literal sense and others more in symbolic terms. Some Wiccans may draw upon other religions or even mythology to define their deities.

Many Wiccans practice witchcraft, utilizing magic, spells, and rituals in their religious practice.

 

Wiccan Magic

Wiccan magic makes use of the five elements, often using crystals, herbs, candles, or other tools to perform their rituals. They believe through either personal power or by drawing upon a deity, they can perform magic. This magic is often performed through ritual, using tools, robes, and sometimes chants. However, magic can also be performed much more simply, such as repeating a phrase, lighting a candle, or stirring your morning coffee with a certain intention.

This essentially works in the same way as the law of attachment. You put an intention into something, let it go, and wait for it to manifest. The ritual involved in witchcraft makes it even more likely for your desire to manifest because it puts that much more energy into your intention.

Most Wiccans practice alone, but some have covens of witches they practice with. It’s believed the added energy makes spells stronger when performed with others.

 

Related Post: The Law of Attraction Meaning & Methods

 

Wiccan Beliefs

Wiccans adhere to the moral code, “If it harms none, do what you will.” This creates personal responsibility for their actions and an obligation to prevent harm to others.

Most Wiccans believe in the rule of Threefold Return, meaning whatever they do to another, either good or bad, it will have the same effect on them times three.

Many Wiccans believe in reincarnation, some in a literal sense, others more in a metaphorical sense such as cycles and changes throughout their life.

 

The Difference Between Wicca and Witchcraft

Wicca is a religion with a set of beliefs such as the Rule of Threefold, and “If it harms none, do what you will.” Though the exact theology of Wicca is vastly up to interpretation, it is still a religion. Witchcraft, on the other hand, is a practice not inherently tied to any religion. Therefore, people can practice witchcraft without being Wiccan, or even be Wiccan without practicing witchcraft.

 

Why Has Wicca Become So Popular?

Wicca, Paganism, and witchcraft are some of the fastest-growing spiritual practices in America. There’s been a large decline in those following a traditional religious path in recent years and people are looking for alternatives.

Women in particular seem to be drawn to the religion due to the focus on Goddess, and women’s inherent divinity. Whereas, Abrahamic religious place all the divinity on men. Those with more liberal viewpoints, which have become far more common in young people today, are largely the ones adopting Pagan and Wiccan beliefs.

Many view Wicca as incredibly self-empowering, as it places them in charge of creating their life’s desires and putting kindness out into the world to receive the same in return.

With the internet and the rise of WitchTok, its become far more common and accessible to see people practicing witchcraft and divination online. This sparks young people’s curiosity and makes them want to try it out for themselves.

 

As you can see, Wicca is a Pagan religion with no formal doctrine allowing it to be accessible to a wide variety of people. It’s recently become incredibly common among women and young people in the West due to its growing popularity online and its liberal stances.

Post by Morgan Peters

 

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Sources:

White, Ethan Doyle. “Wicca.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 4 July 2023, www.britannica.com/topic/Wicca.