Post by TRINITY on Mar 28, 2006 7:11:56 GMT 10
You know, I usually don't post on this type of topic, but it has been brought to my attention that there are those who believe that the Wiccan are Evil. So here is a paper that a friend of mine write on the topic that may clarify the origins of The Wicca.
BELIEVING IN DEITY
*Respecting your own Divine Mysteries
*Building relationship with the One, the Two, or the Many
*Exploring the Higher Self
Most, although not all, Wiccans believe in a creative being or force. However, the way that Wiccans perceive and experience the Divine is unique to each individual. Wiccans stretch the idea of Deity to the outer limits of diversity.
Two people may comfortably call themselves Wiccan. They may perform the same rituals, work the same magic, and hapily practice side by side, but they may have radically different concepts of who, or what, Deity is. Most Wiccans would rather celebrate their differences than become a religion in which everyone must conform to the same belief or seek the same experience.
This dares to explore the nature of the Divine ... er .... the Goddess, the God, the Gods, the Old Ones, the Great Mother, the Higher Self ... you get the idea.
HONORING THE MYSTERIES
You won't see an announcement like this on the 6:00 News: "The Goddess spoke to Jane Doe today and told her to quit her lousy job and join the Peace Corps, Film at 11:00." Jane may, indeed, have received a Divine nudge to write the letter of resignation and pack her bags, but no other person can likely verify the encounter.
You may be absolutely, positively convinced that you received quidance, insight, or comfort from Deity. But here's the thing about Divine revelation: It's personal. Your experience is yours alone. Others may see the results in your life, but feeling the presence of ot interacting with Deity is an individual and a unique experience.
The following sections outsline some ways that Wiccans define the Divine. It's an overall look at some common ways that people think about Deity. The information may help you understand the diversity of Wicca. However, you may not be able to pigeonhole your own experience according to these explanations. Don't try to intellectually choose one of these categories and then force your spiritual life to perfectly conform to one of these examples. Let your spiritual life reflect what is true for you, whether it reflects one, a combination, or none of the following examples.
HONORING THE ONE
Many Wiccans believe in a Deity who is the source of the cosmos. The Wiccan names for this Divine power include, but certainly aren't limited to: The One, The All, the Ultimate Sacred, the Great Mystery, the Source, Creative or Supreme Being, the Life Force, and the All-Encompassing Unity.
Many believe that this Deity is too vast, too complex, too inscrutable, and too infinite (can something be 'too' infinite?) for the human mind to ever comprehend. Although most Wiccans acknowledge this idea of Deity, they have many ways of defining, perceiving, or otherwise making the concept of the Divine more manageable. This section expands on the concept of a single Deity. Later sections deal with other perceptions.
Deity as life Force
Deity, the Goddess (or the God), is the core energy of all that exists. All of reality is an unbroken web of vibrating energy, and that energy 'is' the Goddess. The entire cosmos is the body of the Goddess (including physical and mental energy, as well as the forces of nature and the laws of physics).
The Goddess is 'immanent', meaning that She is right here, right now and is all-present in the world. She is 'manifest' in nature; Her presence is evident and easily perceived. Everything that exists is the Goddess.
Deity As The Primal Goddess
Deity is the primal Goddess. She is the source of all life, and the life force unfolds or flows from Her. Goddess is the only or primary Deity, and She is a supernatural, creative being. If there is a God, He is the child, consort, or manifestation of the Great Goddess. Any other Deities that may exist come from Her. She is known chiefly in the Mother aspect, sometimes calles Great Goddess or Earth Mother.
In addition to being immanent in nature, She also is 'transcendent', in the sence that She is a supernatural, thinking, creative being independent of the cosmos.
This theory is in keeping with the idea of some early Paganism.
Deity As The Source
Although the outlook is not traditional, some Wiccans are reconciling their spiritual beliefs with the teachings of the new physics. Many scientists and philosophers have suggested this type of concept, but physicist David Bohm and scientist and paleontologist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin are largely responsible for the current popularity of this Deity theory.
According to this view, Deity is a being of pure, active, creative, holy intelligence. Bohm called it the 'Subtle Nonmanifest'. Telihard de Chardin and others have suggested many names, such as the Cosmic Apex, the Super-soul, the Hyper-personal, the Evolutionary All, and the Omega Point. Some people simply use the term, 'Source', because Deity, in this case, is the source energy for all that exists.
This holy intelligence existed before the cosmos was formed, and all reality comes from it. Everything is connected because all of reality flows from the Source. The source encompasses all space and time, all dimensions, and all planes of existence.
Everything that exists unfolds out from the Source, and then everything enfolds back into the Source, in a never-ending cycle.
People continually have new experiences, and they gain wisdon and insight. All this new information becomes part of the Source energy, and the Source expands and evolves. People are part of the Source, so they also evolve and grow, reaching higher levels of consciousness. The Source, the core energy that fuels the cosmos, is always moving, advancing, and evolving. People are part of that evolution and even play a key role in the advancement.
Our own intelligence, our insight, allows us to perceive the Source. Our consciousness acts as the bridge between the regular world and this holy intelligence.
Through our consciousness, we take in information from our experiences in the world and share that information with the Source; and through our consciousness, we also can recieve information from the Source for use in the world. In computer terminology, this is a 'feedback loop' of information.
This view is consistent with modern physics. Although the language is con-temporary, the theory isn't so different from the old Pagan idea of the primal Goddess as both life force and creative being.
HONORING THE TWO
Many Wiccans believe in The One, the Source of the cosmos,but they see it as an energy field with two poles. The Goddess and the God are opposite poles of the Divine, and Wiccans honor or Worship both the male and the female aspect of Deity. The majority of Wiccans probably hold this view or a variation of it, but noe one can say for sure.
A World In Balance: Polarity and Duality
In Wicca, espically in certain traditions, polarity or duality is a key principle. Much of Wiccan belief and practice hinges on this concept. Many Wiccans honor the polarity or duality in nature and have incorporated the idea into their spirituality.
Here's the idea: Energy flows in two opposite directions in nature; that's what creates the familiar cycles of the natural world, for example: life and death, light and dark, summer and winter, male and female, and so on. Many Wiccans see the Divine in the same way; the Goddess and the God are like two poles on the same battery. If they were truly seperate beings, according to these Wiccans, confusion and chaos would reign in the universe.
The Goddess and the God, or the Lord and the Lady (as some Wiccans call them) are exactly equal energies, and while opposing each other, they are not in conflict with each other. They are in perfect balance.
The Goddess
The Goddess is the feminine aspect of the Divine. She is known as the Great Goddess, Earth Mother (or Mother Earth), the Universal Mother, the Great Mother, the Lady, and many other names. She has been worshipped by many cultures throughout time.
Maiden, Mother, and Crone
In many traditions of Wicca, the Goddess is closely associated with the Moon. She often is viewed as having three aspects that correspond with the phases of the Moon:
*The 'Maiden' (the Waxing Moon) represente independence and youth. She is the virgin Goddess. She often is identified with a woman's wild nature and is shown as a forest Goddess in he company of animals.
*The 'Mother' (the Full Moon) represents giving birth (not only to children, but to ideas, insight, and projects), and also nurturing, sexuality, sensuality, and creativity.
*The 'Crone' (the Waning Moon) symbolizes age, maturity, wisdom, and the command for respect.
Over the course of the eight primary Wiccan holidays, the Goddess shifts in Her aspects from Maiden to Mother to Crone and back to Maiden. She gives birth to the Divine God child, nurtures Him to adulthood, unites with Him and becomes pregnant, and rebirths Him to begin the seasons again and turn the wheel of the year.
The Importance Of The Goddess for Wemon
Many researchers surmise that the reason that Wicca is growing so fast is because it offers a powerful spiritual alternative to wemon. Unlike most religions, within a Wiccan circle, a woman can honor and worship the feminine Divine.
The importance of that fact can't be overestimated. In the doctrines of many religions, wemon are, at best, considered inferior to men and subject to their control. At worst, wemon are viewed as the source of sin in the world. This religious conditioning profoundly damages the psyches of wemon.
Within Wicca, wemon are equal; they are not "the other." Wemon have authority and autonomy equal to men. When wemon experience their own holiness and when they have the opportunity to direct their own spirituality, their lives can be transformed.
"The Charge of the Goddess"
"The Charge of the Goddess" is a prose poem that is very popular in the Craft and reflects the Wiccan view of the Goddess. An early version appeared in the book, 'Aradia: Gospel of the Witches' by Charles G. Leland (1890). Gerald Gardner produced a later version of the poem. Doreen Valiente wrote a substantially different and very moving version, and many groups use her text today. Possible the most popula is the version by Starhawk, from her book, 'The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess' (1979, 2nd revised edition 1989, 3rd revised edition 1999).
The God
In many Wiccan books and groups, the God is given less page count or time than the Goddess. In American culture, most people are familiar and even conditioned to view Diety as male. The Divine feminine is a more difficult concept for many people to get their minds around, so this is devoted to explaining the idea.
The God is the male aspect of the Divine. He is often represented as the Sun and is sometimes associated with forests and wild animals. He has been worshipped by many cultures throughout time. In most traditions of Wicca, the God is considered equal to the Goddess. The majority of Wiccan groups, traditions, and covens, consider men and wemon to be equal.
The God can be three-formed as the Hunter, Warrior, and Sage. In some beliefs, it is His travels to the Underworld to free His true love that cause the shift in seasons. Some Wiccans believe that the God, like the Goddess, has always existed. Some see the God as having originated from or been born from the Goddess. He often is viewed as Her consort.
Over the course of the eight primary Wiccan holidays, the God progresses throufh a full life cycle. He is born, grows to manhood, marries and impregnates the Goddess, and dies. He is then reborn as the child of the Goddess. He once again grows from the Divine Child to the Sun God, and begins the entire cycle again.
HONORING THE MANY
Many Wiccans honor or worship multiple Deities. These beings may be different aspects or parts of the Divine Source, or they may be separate entities. They may be supernatural beings, nature spirits, or something else. They may or may not have human characteristics. You may hear them called The Old Ones, The Mighty Ones, or The Ancient Ones.
Some Wiccans honor and worship the Goddess and/ or the God and feel no pressure to choose a named Deity or Deities. Other Wiccans feel very strongly that people should choose one or more named Goddesses or Gods to honor, worship, or interact with. For example, you may be familiar with the Goddess Diana or the God Pan. Some traditions (sects or denominations) of Wicca have specific, named Deities that they honor or serve.
The Gods are all Part of the One
Many Wiccans recognize Deity as The One - the infinite, unknowable Source of the cosmos. They believe that Deity is too complex and vast for humans to comprehend, so these Wiccans may choose to define limited aspects, forms, or parts of Deity as Gods and Goddesses. In other words, the many Goddesses and Gods are various aspects or parts of one Great Source. Wiccans gain access to that Source by communicating with their Deities.
Or, perhaps, that one aa-encompassing Source chooses to take many different forms in order to be perceivable and understandable to humans.
The Gods are Seperate Beings
The Goddesses and Gods are seperate, distinct, and named Divinities. Many different Gods and Goddesses exist, and each has its own personality and realm. Some of these beings may be Gods (male) or Goddesses (female), and some may contain both sexes or be able to shift sex and gender.
Sometimes Wiccans choose or feel called by a Goddess and/or God from an old Pagan pantheon for whom they feel affinity. Others choose or feel called by Deities of a particular cultural ancestry (for example, Celtic) and may work with several different Deities from that pantheon.
HONORING THE SELF
For some Wiccans, Deity may be the Higher Self, Deep Self, or Soul Self (a person's spiritual essence), or a symbol arising from the unconscious mind.
The Higher Self
Some Wiccans honor, worship, or seek to communicate with their own Higher Self, Deep Self, or Soul Self. Some consider it to be the Divine energy emanating from within. Most Wiccans believe that people have a level of consciousness is the essence of who we have been, who we are, and who we will always be, our own individual truth.
These Wiccans turn inward rather than outward for spiritual growth and fulfillment.
Truths, Symbols, and Archetypes
For some Wiccans, Deity and/or truth lie only within the human mind and imagination. Deity may be a truth or insight arising from the personal unconscious mind or the collective unconscious, shared by all human beings.
The unconscious mind has two parts:
*The 'personal unconscious' is the location of everything that isn't presently conscious but can be, including memories that you can call up easily and those that you have buried deep in your mind.
* The 'collective unconscious' holds the accumulated knowledge and experiences of all humankind (and possibly animals). It is the inherited part of the brain. It holds instincts, which are patterns of behavior. Instinct tells a bird to build a nest, and a turtle to go to water. Humans also have instinctive ways of behaving.
The unconscious mind doesn't have language to express these human behaviors and experiences. It communicates only in pictures. It uses symbols. A 'symbol' is an image or object that represents something else. The collective unconscious uses archetypes, symbols that are common to all humans. An 'archetype' is not an image, but a tendency for humans to represent certain ideas with a specific symbol.
These archetypal symbols appear in religions, dreams, myths, and fairytales. The Earth Mother is an example of an archetype. Some Wiccans believe that when they communicate with Deity, they are reacing this symbolic information in their own minds.
A person may be an agnostic or an atheist and still practice Wicca. Wicca is a very big tent. Each individual's perception and experience of Deity is unique. Although Wiccans debate the issue, most would rather preserve their own freedom to worship as the Spirit leads them, rather than conform to a common doctrine about Deity.
Wiccans aren't Satanists
Although Wiccans hold varying beliefs about Deity, Wiccans don't believe in or worshipSatan. Satan, as the opponent of God and the embodiment of evil, is a Christian concept. Wicca is a revival of pre-Christian nature religion. Wiccan belief and practices are rooted in a time well before the Christian era.
Historically, the Catholic and Protestant churches regarded Witches as followers of the Christian Satan. During the widespread Witch hunts of medieval and Renaissance times, the churches falsely accused alleged Witches of consorting with and worshipping the Christian Devil. (Actually, most of the accused were Christians, not Witches.) The historical link between Wicca and Satanism is unfounded but remains deeply embedded in many cultures.
In addition, some Christian groups today believe that anyone who worships a God other than theirs is following Satan. It's true that Wiccans don't worship the Christian God, nor do people of many other religions all over the world.
Wicca and Satanism were and are separate and entirely different systems of beliefs, practices, and ethics.
BELIEVING IN DEITY
*Respecting your own Divine Mysteries
*Building relationship with the One, the Two, or the Many
*Exploring the Higher Self
Most, although not all, Wiccans believe in a creative being or force. However, the way that Wiccans perceive and experience the Divine is unique to each individual. Wiccans stretch the idea of Deity to the outer limits of diversity.
Two people may comfortably call themselves Wiccan. They may perform the same rituals, work the same magic, and hapily practice side by side, but they may have radically different concepts of who, or what, Deity is. Most Wiccans would rather celebrate their differences than become a religion in which everyone must conform to the same belief or seek the same experience.
This dares to explore the nature of the Divine ... er .... the Goddess, the God, the Gods, the Old Ones, the Great Mother, the Higher Self ... you get the idea.
HONORING THE MYSTERIES
You won't see an announcement like this on the 6:00 News: "The Goddess spoke to Jane Doe today and told her to quit her lousy job and join the Peace Corps, Film at 11:00." Jane may, indeed, have received a Divine nudge to write the letter of resignation and pack her bags, but no other person can likely verify the encounter.
You may be absolutely, positively convinced that you received quidance, insight, or comfort from Deity. But here's the thing about Divine revelation: It's personal. Your experience is yours alone. Others may see the results in your life, but feeling the presence of ot interacting with Deity is an individual and a unique experience.
The following sections outsline some ways that Wiccans define the Divine. It's an overall look at some common ways that people think about Deity. The information may help you understand the diversity of Wicca. However, you may not be able to pigeonhole your own experience according to these explanations. Don't try to intellectually choose one of these categories and then force your spiritual life to perfectly conform to one of these examples. Let your spiritual life reflect what is true for you, whether it reflects one, a combination, or none of the following examples.
HONORING THE ONE
Many Wiccans believe in a Deity who is the source of the cosmos. The Wiccan names for this Divine power include, but certainly aren't limited to: The One, The All, the Ultimate Sacred, the Great Mystery, the Source, Creative or Supreme Being, the Life Force, and the All-Encompassing Unity.
Many believe that this Deity is too vast, too complex, too inscrutable, and too infinite (can something be 'too' infinite?) for the human mind to ever comprehend. Although most Wiccans acknowledge this idea of Deity, they have many ways of defining, perceiving, or otherwise making the concept of the Divine more manageable. This section expands on the concept of a single Deity. Later sections deal with other perceptions.
Deity as life Force
Deity, the Goddess (or the God), is the core energy of all that exists. All of reality is an unbroken web of vibrating energy, and that energy 'is' the Goddess. The entire cosmos is the body of the Goddess (including physical and mental energy, as well as the forces of nature and the laws of physics).
The Goddess is 'immanent', meaning that She is right here, right now and is all-present in the world. She is 'manifest' in nature; Her presence is evident and easily perceived. Everything that exists is the Goddess.
Deity As The Primal Goddess
Deity is the primal Goddess. She is the source of all life, and the life force unfolds or flows from Her. Goddess is the only or primary Deity, and She is a supernatural, creative being. If there is a God, He is the child, consort, or manifestation of the Great Goddess. Any other Deities that may exist come from Her. She is known chiefly in the Mother aspect, sometimes calles Great Goddess or Earth Mother.
In addition to being immanent in nature, She also is 'transcendent', in the sence that She is a supernatural, thinking, creative being independent of the cosmos.
This theory is in keeping with the idea of some early Paganism.
Deity As The Source
Although the outlook is not traditional, some Wiccans are reconciling their spiritual beliefs with the teachings of the new physics. Many scientists and philosophers have suggested this type of concept, but physicist David Bohm and scientist and paleontologist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin are largely responsible for the current popularity of this Deity theory.
According to this view, Deity is a being of pure, active, creative, holy intelligence. Bohm called it the 'Subtle Nonmanifest'. Telihard de Chardin and others have suggested many names, such as the Cosmic Apex, the Super-soul, the Hyper-personal, the Evolutionary All, and the Omega Point. Some people simply use the term, 'Source', because Deity, in this case, is the source energy for all that exists.
This holy intelligence existed before the cosmos was formed, and all reality comes from it. Everything is connected because all of reality flows from the Source. The source encompasses all space and time, all dimensions, and all planes of existence.
Everything that exists unfolds out from the Source, and then everything enfolds back into the Source, in a never-ending cycle.
People continually have new experiences, and they gain wisdon and insight. All this new information becomes part of the Source energy, and the Source expands and evolves. People are part of the Source, so they also evolve and grow, reaching higher levels of consciousness. The Source, the core energy that fuels the cosmos, is always moving, advancing, and evolving. People are part of that evolution and even play a key role in the advancement.
Our own intelligence, our insight, allows us to perceive the Source. Our consciousness acts as the bridge between the regular world and this holy intelligence.
Through our consciousness, we take in information from our experiences in the world and share that information with the Source; and through our consciousness, we also can recieve information from the Source for use in the world. In computer terminology, this is a 'feedback loop' of information.
This view is consistent with modern physics. Although the language is con-temporary, the theory isn't so different from the old Pagan idea of the primal Goddess as both life force and creative being.
HONORING THE TWO
Many Wiccans believe in The One, the Source of the cosmos,but they see it as an energy field with two poles. The Goddess and the God are opposite poles of the Divine, and Wiccans honor or Worship both the male and the female aspect of Deity. The majority of Wiccans probably hold this view or a variation of it, but noe one can say for sure.
A World In Balance: Polarity and Duality
In Wicca, espically in certain traditions, polarity or duality is a key principle. Much of Wiccan belief and practice hinges on this concept. Many Wiccans honor the polarity or duality in nature and have incorporated the idea into their spirituality.
Here's the idea: Energy flows in two opposite directions in nature; that's what creates the familiar cycles of the natural world, for example: life and death, light and dark, summer and winter, male and female, and so on. Many Wiccans see the Divine in the same way; the Goddess and the God are like two poles on the same battery. If they were truly seperate beings, according to these Wiccans, confusion and chaos would reign in the universe.
The Goddess and the God, or the Lord and the Lady (as some Wiccans call them) are exactly equal energies, and while opposing each other, they are not in conflict with each other. They are in perfect balance.
The Goddess
The Goddess is the feminine aspect of the Divine. She is known as the Great Goddess, Earth Mother (or Mother Earth), the Universal Mother, the Great Mother, the Lady, and many other names. She has been worshipped by many cultures throughout time.
Maiden, Mother, and Crone
In many traditions of Wicca, the Goddess is closely associated with the Moon. She often is viewed as having three aspects that correspond with the phases of the Moon:
*The 'Maiden' (the Waxing Moon) represente independence and youth. She is the virgin Goddess. She often is identified with a woman's wild nature and is shown as a forest Goddess in he company of animals.
*The 'Mother' (the Full Moon) represents giving birth (not only to children, but to ideas, insight, and projects), and also nurturing, sexuality, sensuality, and creativity.
*The 'Crone' (the Waning Moon) symbolizes age, maturity, wisdom, and the command for respect.
Over the course of the eight primary Wiccan holidays, the Goddess shifts in Her aspects from Maiden to Mother to Crone and back to Maiden. She gives birth to the Divine God child, nurtures Him to adulthood, unites with Him and becomes pregnant, and rebirths Him to begin the seasons again and turn the wheel of the year.
The Importance Of The Goddess for Wemon
Many researchers surmise that the reason that Wicca is growing so fast is because it offers a powerful spiritual alternative to wemon. Unlike most religions, within a Wiccan circle, a woman can honor and worship the feminine Divine.
The importance of that fact can't be overestimated. In the doctrines of many religions, wemon are, at best, considered inferior to men and subject to their control. At worst, wemon are viewed as the source of sin in the world. This religious conditioning profoundly damages the psyches of wemon.
Within Wicca, wemon are equal; they are not "the other." Wemon have authority and autonomy equal to men. When wemon experience their own holiness and when they have the opportunity to direct their own spirituality, their lives can be transformed.
"The Charge of the Goddess"
"The Charge of the Goddess" is a prose poem that is very popular in the Craft and reflects the Wiccan view of the Goddess. An early version appeared in the book, 'Aradia: Gospel of the Witches' by Charles G. Leland (1890). Gerald Gardner produced a later version of the poem. Doreen Valiente wrote a substantially different and very moving version, and many groups use her text today. Possible the most popula is the version by Starhawk, from her book, 'The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess' (1979, 2nd revised edition 1989, 3rd revised edition 1999).
The God
In many Wiccan books and groups, the God is given less page count or time than the Goddess. In American culture, most people are familiar and even conditioned to view Diety as male. The Divine feminine is a more difficult concept for many people to get their minds around, so this is devoted to explaining the idea.
The God is the male aspect of the Divine. He is often represented as the Sun and is sometimes associated with forests and wild animals. He has been worshipped by many cultures throughout time. In most traditions of Wicca, the God is considered equal to the Goddess. The majority of Wiccan groups, traditions, and covens, consider men and wemon to be equal.
The God can be three-formed as the Hunter, Warrior, and Sage. In some beliefs, it is His travels to the Underworld to free His true love that cause the shift in seasons. Some Wiccans believe that the God, like the Goddess, has always existed. Some see the God as having originated from or been born from the Goddess. He often is viewed as Her consort.
Over the course of the eight primary Wiccan holidays, the God progresses throufh a full life cycle. He is born, grows to manhood, marries and impregnates the Goddess, and dies. He is then reborn as the child of the Goddess. He once again grows from the Divine Child to the Sun God, and begins the entire cycle again.
HONORING THE MANY
Many Wiccans honor or worship multiple Deities. These beings may be different aspects or parts of the Divine Source, or they may be separate entities. They may be supernatural beings, nature spirits, or something else. They may or may not have human characteristics. You may hear them called The Old Ones, The Mighty Ones, or The Ancient Ones.
Some Wiccans honor and worship the Goddess and/ or the God and feel no pressure to choose a named Deity or Deities. Other Wiccans feel very strongly that people should choose one or more named Goddesses or Gods to honor, worship, or interact with. For example, you may be familiar with the Goddess Diana or the God Pan. Some traditions (sects or denominations) of Wicca have specific, named Deities that they honor or serve.
The Gods are all Part of the One
Many Wiccans recognize Deity as The One - the infinite, unknowable Source of the cosmos. They believe that Deity is too complex and vast for humans to comprehend, so these Wiccans may choose to define limited aspects, forms, or parts of Deity as Gods and Goddesses. In other words, the many Goddesses and Gods are various aspects or parts of one Great Source. Wiccans gain access to that Source by communicating with their Deities.
Or, perhaps, that one aa-encompassing Source chooses to take many different forms in order to be perceivable and understandable to humans.
The Gods are Seperate Beings
The Goddesses and Gods are seperate, distinct, and named Divinities. Many different Gods and Goddesses exist, and each has its own personality and realm. Some of these beings may be Gods (male) or Goddesses (female), and some may contain both sexes or be able to shift sex and gender.
Sometimes Wiccans choose or feel called by a Goddess and/or God from an old Pagan pantheon for whom they feel affinity. Others choose or feel called by Deities of a particular cultural ancestry (for example, Celtic) and may work with several different Deities from that pantheon.
HONORING THE SELF
For some Wiccans, Deity may be the Higher Self, Deep Self, or Soul Self (a person's spiritual essence), or a symbol arising from the unconscious mind.
The Higher Self
Some Wiccans honor, worship, or seek to communicate with their own Higher Self, Deep Self, or Soul Self. Some consider it to be the Divine energy emanating from within. Most Wiccans believe that people have a level of consciousness is the essence of who we have been, who we are, and who we will always be, our own individual truth.
These Wiccans turn inward rather than outward for spiritual growth and fulfillment.
Truths, Symbols, and Archetypes
For some Wiccans, Deity and/or truth lie only within the human mind and imagination. Deity may be a truth or insight arising from the personal unconscious mind or the collective unconscious, shared by all human beings.
The unconscious mind has two parts:
*The 'personal unconscious' is the location of everything that isn't presently conscious but can be, including memories that you can call up easily and those that you have buried deep in your mind.
* The 'collective unconscious' holds the accumulated knowledge and experiences of all humankind (and possibly animals). It is the inherited part of the brain. It holds instincts, which are patterns of behavior. Instinct tells a bird to build a nest, and a turtle to go to water. Humans also have instinctive ways of behaving.
The unconscious mind doesn't have language to express these human behaviors and experiences. It communicates only in pictures. It uses symbols. A 'symbol' is an image or object that represents something else. The collective unconscious uses archetypes, symbols that are common to all humans. An 'archetype' is not an image, but a tendency for humans to represent certain ideas with a specific symbol.
These archetypal symbols appear in religions, dreams, myths, and fairytales. The Earth Mother is an example of an archetype. Some Wiccans believe that when they communicate with Deity, they are reacing this symbolic information in their own minds.
A person may be an agnostic or an atheist and still practice Wicca. Wicca is a very big tent. Each individual's perception and experience of Deity is unique. Although Wiccans debate the issue, most would rather preserve their own freedom to worship as the Spirit leads them, rather than conform to a common doctrine about Deity.
Wiccans aren't Satanists
Although Wiccans hold varying beliefs about Deity, Wiccans don't believe in or worshipSatan. Satan, as the opponent of God and the embodiment of evil, is a Christian concept. Wicca is a revival of pre-Christian nature religion. Wiccan belief and practices are rooted in a time well before the Christian era.
Historically, the Catholic and Protestant churches regarded Witches as followers of the Christian Satan. During the widespread Witch hunts of medieval and Renaissance times, the churches falsely accused alleged Witches of consorting with and worshipping the Christian Devil. (Actually, most of the accused were Christians, not Witches.) The historical link between Wicca and Satanism is unfounded but remains deeply embedded in many cultures.
In addition, some Christian groups today believe that anyone who worships a God other than theirs is following Satan. It's true that Wiccans don't worship the Christian God, nor do people of many other religions all over the world.
Wicca and Satanism were and are separate and entirely different systems of beliefs, practices, and ethics.