Religions in Canada - Wicca
Note: The primary source of information for this chapter is the Wiccan Church of Canada website at http://www.wcc.on.ca.
DESCRIPTION
Wicca is a pagan religion in that it is polytheistic and nature-revering. Since it is an old religion that is practised currently, it may also be referred to as neo-pagan. Its roots can be found in pre-Christian paganism, and it is a blend of European pagan folk tradition and 19th- and 20th-century occultism. Its present form was most likely developed in the 1930s or 1940s; however, this is a point of considerable debate inside and outside the religion. The point most often disputed is exactly how many of the traditions stem from ancient traditions and to what extent Wicca can be considered modern. There are several traditions related to Wicca, and some of them have led to other “denominations” or kinds of Wicca. Generally, however, Wicca can be defined by a few principal beliefs.
Wicca honours many gods and goddesses. The religion may be considered pantheistic in that its gods and goddesses are identified with and manifested in nature. Some Wiccans believe that all gods and goddesses are simply different manifestations of a single god and a single goddess who are together the essence of the natural world. Generally, gods and goddesses are emphasized equally.
Wicca is a mystery religion, meaning that personal faith is influenced by religious experiences that instill knowledge or religious truths in ways that are not fully understood by the individual. The term also refers to secret rites undertaken to bring the individual to a state of bliss. Secret rituals and oath-taking help deepen religious understanding for Wiccans and are an integral part of their tradition.
Practising Wiccans demonstrate religious devotion through meetings with their covens, through group rituals, and through practising magic. For Wiccans, magic is a form of prayer to the gods and goddesses, asking them to grant the seeker the power to carry out an act or achieve a goal. Wiccans believe that the use of magic will increase the chances of success for an action that would be undertaken or has been undertaken with or without divine intervention.
Belief in reincarnation is common among Wiccans. Some believe that time between lives is spent in another realm called Summerland. Since Wiccan traditions are also influenced by other traditions, such as ancient Norse, Celtic, Buddhist and Hindu traditions, each group's view of the afterlife is influenced by its root tradition.
RELIGIOUS ELEMENTS
Scriptural and Doctrinal Sources
- Charge of the Goddess: This text is sometimes used by Wiccans; it discusses the nature of the goddess.
- Legend of the Descent of the Goddess: This text deals with the balance and interplay of life and death; it is not as commonly used as Charge of the Goddess.
- Book of Shadows: An individual uses a Book of Shadows to record spells, recipes, thoughts, dreams, experiences, details of rituals and other items that may be useful to the individual. Consequently, each Book of Shadows is different and personal. The information may be shared, and items in one's Book of Shadows may be used to carry on a new Wiccan tradition.
- Other classical works may be referred to, for example, the Egyptian Book of the Dead or works by ancient Greek and Roman writers and philosophers.
Rituals
- Wiccaning: the naming and blessing of children.
- Dedication: a public declaration of commitment to the gods and goddesses.
- Betrothal: an official engagement, which will result in marriage after one year.
- Handfasting: a wedding at which the hands of the bride and groom are tied together throughout the ceremony.
- Handparting: a severing of the bonds made at handfasting, at which time property is divided and the custody of children is decided.
- First blood: a rite performed by the women of a community at a girl's first menstruation.
- Rite of manhood: a rite performed by the men of a community when the male's voice breaks or facial hair begins to grow.
- Trimesters: A pregnancy blessing performed by the community women at each trimester of a pregnancy, led by a priestess who has had a child.
- Passing the veil: a funeral.
- Neophyting: recognizing a student's calling to the priesthood.
- Initiation: admittance to the Wiccan priesthood.
- The ritual bath: a purification bath, which prepares the body to enter the Sacred Circle; involves use of herbs or oils and is a time for meditation concerning the intent of the ritual.
- The Sacred Circle: cast before beginning a ritual to ensure a pure and sacred space; a sword, staff or wand is carried around the sacred space, which may not always be cast in the same place.
- Sweeping with brooms: used to clean the Sacred Circle for the gods and goddesses.
- The elemental purification: bringing elements of earth, air, fire and water into the circle to bury, blow, burn or wash away unwanted spirit presences.
- Elemental evocations: calling of the four elements to guard the Sacred Circle during the rite; after this, a particular deity or gods or goddesses are called into the circle, and which of them is present depends on the point of the rite.
- The wine blessing: celebrates the union of god (represented by the blade of a dagger) and goddess (represented by a chalice filled with wine) and the creation of the universe; when the dagger is dipped into the chalice, the result is a blessing that is shared by all who drink the wine.
- The cake blessing: a short prayer asking the gods and goddesses to bless cakes in the shape of crescent moons before they are consumed.
- Libation: a mixture of the remaining wine and cakes, offered to the gods and goddesses so that they may take strength from them.
- Energy raising: singing, dancing or other activities to honour the deities invited to the circle.
- Closing the circle: thanking the gods, goddesses and elemental guardians at the end of Sacred Circle ritual.
Moral Code
- Wiccan rede — “An it harm none, do as ye will”: This means that a Wiccan should think twice before any action and consider the consequences to others.
- Threefold law — “What ye send returns three times over”: An action will bring back three times as much good karma or bad karma to someone, depending on whether the action was positive or negative.
Houses of Worship
- Generally, Wiccans choose to worship outdoors, but they may use designated indoor spaces, which are called temples, to cast circles and meet for classes.
- Outdoors, the space of worship may be different every time, so each time Wiccans gather, they make a Sacred Circle for the space of worship. The land may be in a forest, campground, park or private land.
Devotional Practices and Services
- Generally, classes are offered once a week, and meetings take place on Sunday evenings.
- In Canada, meetings during the winter months may take place indoors. During the warmer months, meetings take place outdoors in areas designated by the high priest or priestess.
Clergy, Organization and Government
- Wicca has no a central authority, and there is no centralized structure.
- The internal structure and size of each Wiccan group or coven vary.
- Some specific traditions of Wicca may define a role of leadership for the group, while others have no particular concept.
- The high priest or priestess leads the meetings.
- The high priest or priestess is ordained, and this may take a period of several years.
Propagation of the Faith
- Wiccans believe that every individual should find his or her own spiritual path and so do not promote their own religion as being necessarily more correct than any other.
MAJOR CELEBRATIONS AND OBSERVANCES
Dates on which events are celebrated may vary from year to year according to lunar calendars and other influences.
Days of Regular Observance
- Participants in different Wiccan traditions may meet at different times, but generally, classes are held once a week and worship occurs every Sunday night. It may occur in time with the lunar cycle as well.
Special Observances
- Yule: A celebration of the winter solstice, at which time the days get longer as the sun is reborn. A yule tree is dressed with fruit so that the gods will provide a fruitful summer. A ritual feast takes place and may include venison, goose, fruit breads and puddings, nuts, spiced wine and hot cider.
- Imbolc: A festival of fire and light that takes place on 2 February, generally. Corn dolls may be burned as offerings to the sun. Ritual foods include salted meats, breads, fruit preserves and red wine.
- Ladyday: Celebrates the vernal equinox. Ritual foods include fowl, seed breads, pancakes and white wine.
- Beltain: A celebration of the mating day of the Sun God and Earth Goddess, which results in a bountiful harvest. Usually celebrated on 30 April and may involve Maypole dances and a ritual feast of eggs, rabbit and wine flavoured with woodruff.
- Litha: Takes place on the summer solstice, when the sun is at the height of its power, creating the longest day of the year. Feasts may include berries, veal, new vegetables and honey wine.
- Lammas: celebration of the first harvest of grain, generally observed 2 August. The Corn God is honoured, and corn is harvested. Corn breads, blueberries, seafood and beer are appropriate feast foods.
- Harvestide: A harvest festival celebrated on the autumnal equinox. At this time, wine and cider are made, and feast foods include apple, game birds, pears and ale.
- Samhain: The feast of the dead, celebrated on 31 October. The spirits of people who died in the last year are honoured with a feast to which they are invited. Foods common to the feast are pork, bread, root crops and red wine. No salt is used in preparing the food, and salt is not consumed.
DRESS REQUIREMENTS
- Wiccans may wear a consecrated pendant, usually a pentagram.
- Each coven may have its own symbol or pendant, which should not be touched by anyone except the person who wears it, and should not be removed.
- Robes with braided cord belts may be worn during worship.
- Generally, Wiccans avoid bright colours at a time of worship.
- Some covens may worship nude.
DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
- Since individual Wiccans may follow different gods and goddesses, their dietary requirements may differ. For example, someone who follows a god that protects animals may be a vegetarian.
- There are no specific food prohibitions.
MEDICAL AND HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
- None specified.
DEATH AND BURIAL
- Wiccans generally follow the customs of the local society.
SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
http://www.wcc.on.ca/ — official website of the Wiccan Church of Canada.
Wiccan Church of Canada
509 St. Clair Avenue West
PO Box 73599
Toronto, ON M6C 1C0
Phone: (416) 656-6564
