Is Wicca Under a Spell?

[erlynn]

Here is an interesting article (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/160/story_16005_1.html) from www.beliefnet.com.


Most alarmingly, the Wiccan ethical focus seems to have gone by the wayside: the new spell books are all about "getting your own way," presenting magic not as an inner pursuit, but merely as a tool for wish fulfillment. As a result, veteran Witches are so outspoken in their criticism of spell books that such titles have been unofficially dubbed "witchcrap."

[~SleepyWillow~]

I don't know if I think this is entirely true. I think that maybe it just seems more rampant because there are more people practicing. The religion is MUCH more accepted now then it has ever been and that brings many more people. You have to keep in mind as well that not all people that buy a spell book are interested in PRACTICING wicca...moreso they are interested in just what the article states and that is getting what they want.

[sari0009]

Actually I've been noticing an increase of interest in ethics in Paganism and Wicca is no exception. Evidence to that is an increase of articles on the topic, some of which appeared on witchvox.com. Books on the topic have also come out.

Besides, getting your way isn't always unethical. It doesn't have to be an either / or sort of dilemma, though some might go that way.

It takes all sorts and you'll get all sorts in any path -- It doesn't mean an entire path or religion is loosing its meaning or is under a spell, so to speak. It means that some people don't want to "get it" and there are "those" in every single religion. Why would Wicca be any exception?

[zakzekezedd]

I agree there seems to be a proliferation of "spell books" hitting the shelves of the book stores lately. As someone who works in retail all I can say is that obviously someone out there is buying enough of these books to justify the publishers printing them and the book stores carrying them And as SleepyWillow has pointed out, not everyone interested in magic or spellwork is interested in practicing Wicca as a religion. On the otherhand, I'm also certain that there are those like myself who do buy the occasional spellbook. While I rarely use a spell verbatim as it's written, I do find it helpful sometimes to look at "how" someone else has approached a spell.

[Ben Gruagach]

There is still a tendency to assume that if it's witchcraft, then it has to be Wiccan. Wicca is just one religion that happens to incorporate witchcraft but it's not the only one. And witchcraft itself is a practice and not a religion -- it can be practiced as part of any religion, or completely independent of religion.

As a Wiccan myself, I think there is nothing wrong with using magick to meet mundane needs. I see the Divine as immanent, as physically present in everything that exists, so to me doing things (mundane or magickal) to make our everyday lives better is a way to honour the Divine as it manifests in the physical realm. Think of it this way -- if my spouse contains a spark of the Divine, how am I honouring the Divine by ignoring my spouse's mundane needs and desires?

(Just as an aside, I see the Divine as both transcendant AND immanent -- I think that's called "panentheism.")

I guess I'm saying that I don't have a problem with spellbooks because A) they are about witchcraft, not necessarily Wicca and B) helping people make their lives better is a GOOD thing!

[SacredWithin]

I personally think this is a step in which religion is actually losing a grip on people in the sense that people won't be joining religions anymore. I'm starting to think that people will use elements from various religions, but lean more towards spirituality. Once people see the distinction between the two, I bet you it's going to happen that way. My 2 cents.

[The High Queen of Faerie]

different people follow different ethical systems.

the dabblers especially just want a quick fix.

[Pandoras]

I generally agree with Ben G (as usual), but I do sometimes think that the religious aspects of Wicca (and similar spiritual paths) are being slowly lost. I've worked in two bookstores and yes there are many, many books on witchcraft and spellcraft. I understand that witchcraft is not the same as Wicca, but the books on Wicca aren't that much better. Your basic Wicca 101 book contains a few pages on the God and Goddess and the rest is on ritual and magic.

Personally, I'd like to see more on theology, ethics, family life, parenting, and history. But I understand that Paganism and witchcraft, like everything else, is a business and companies will publish what will sell.

[Ben Gruagach]

I generally agree with Ben G (as usual), but I do sometimes think that the religious aspects of Wicca (and similar spiritual paths) are being slowly lost. I've worked in two bookstores and yes there are many, many books on witchcraft and spellcraft. I understand that witchcraft is not the same as Wicca, but the books on Wicca aren't that much better. Your basic Wicca 101 book contains a few pages on the God and Goddess and the rest is on ritual and magic.

Personally, I'd like to see more on theology, ethics, family life, parenting, and history. But I understand that Paganism and witchcraft, like everything else, is a business and companies will publish what will sell.

I'm not convinced that for good ol' Gerald Gardner it was all about the religion. He seemed to have enough emphasis on the magick part too (after all, he did insist that he was practicing witchcraft) that to me the push to separate Wicca from doing spells is the "change from the way it used to be done."

Books that really push the religion part of Wicca and minimize the magick part are actually a very recent thing from what I've seen.

[Kitfox]

I think this just reflects the mind set of people these days. People are searching for new ways to define their wants and needs as our moral boundaries shift and dissolve ever so rapidly. Over the last hundred years, large jumps in social, ethical, and moral thinking have occured, many of which shake the foundations of several belief systems.

I believe the larger amounts of material pertianing to spell work that can be found in bookstores reflects the seeking minds of people frustrated or curious about how to reflect societies changing ethical and moral standards in their lives. I believe people are becoming more "self centered" in their lives, especially their spiritual ones.

I don't think it's anything to necessarily be concerned about. I know a few people who have picked up a spell book and have "played" around with witchcraft only to abandon it for something more intriguing. But I also know some who picked it up for instant results and ended up getting really into it and peppering me with emails about witchcraft and Wicca. One of these people is one of my best friends, who recently has begun to adopt witchcraft into her Christian beliefs and tells me frequently that that spell book was the best thing she ever bought (even if it was just to get a boy).

I agree with Ben, these spell books are not about Wicca most of the time, they make mention, but usually don't say "This is Wiccan" if you do these spells. I also agree that there is an influx of books just about Wicca, in fact I saw one the other day that was about Wicca minus witchcraft!

[Loopaleigh]

Hi, Kitfox...if you happen to remember the name of that book you mentioned in you're post, could you post it, or PM me with the title?

I would be very interested in taking a look at it.

I enjoy the Magick/Spellcraft aspects of Wicca, but I am really most interested in the Worldview, Philosophy and Theology of Wicca and Paganism in general.

I guess you could say the religious side is more important to me, and any new book out there that focuses on that is one I want to read!

If you remember, please let me know! Thanx!

[MoonDragn]

There is still a tendency to assume that if it's witchcraft, then it has to be Wiccan. Wicca is just one religion that happens to incorporate witchcraft but it's not the only one. And witchcraft itself is a practice and not a religion -- it can be practiced as part of any religion, or completely independent of religion.

As a Wiccan myself, I think there is nothing wrong with using magick to meet mundane needs. I see the Divine as immanent, as physically present in everything that exists, so to me doing things (mundane or magickal) to make our everyday lives better is a way to honour the Divine as it manifests in the physical realm. Think of it this way -- if my spouse contains a spark of the Divine, how am I honouring the Divine by ignoring my spouse's mundane needs and desires?

(Just as an aside, I see the Divine as both transcendant AND immanent -- I think that's called "panentheism.")

I guess I'm saying that I don't have a problem with spellbooks because A) they are about witchcraft, not necessarily Wicca and B) helping people make their lives better is a GOOD thing!


I'm not sure I agree with that exactly. I think magick is something special that exhibits the divine in us, yet I also believe it is a precious force of life that must be conserved and balanced. Thus any frivolous use of magick would upset this balance and cause repercussions in the form of karma. Certain magicks like healing would actually balance out the life force in the world. So while one person may be healthy, someone or something else is dying as a result.

I think of nature as a constant balanced flow, and magick as a tool which helps to trim and shape that flow, not change its direction.

[Ben Gruagach]

I'm not sure I agree with that exactly. I think magick is something special that exhibits the divine in us, yet I also believe it is a precious force of life that must be conserved and balanced. Thus any frivolous use of magick would upset this balance and cause repercussions in the form of karma. Certain magicks like healing would actually balance out the life force in the world. So while one person may be healthy, someone or something else is dying as a result.

I think of nature as a constant balanced flow, and magick as a tool which helps to trim and shape that flow, not change its direction.

To me magick is just as much a part of life and existence as everything else -- and it's all precious and Divine to me. It's all worth honouring and respecting.

My own ethical outlook is based on the Wiccan Rede, "An it harm none, do what you will." To me that doesn't cover just magick but everything we do. When I make a decision to do something (or decide to refrain from doing something) I have to at least try to think ahead to the possible consequences and be willing to accept responsibility for them. And while doing no harm whatsoever is a nice ideal to work towards, I'm realistic in practice and strive to at the very least minimize any harm that might result from my decisions.

The idea of balance, for me, is very much tied into the laws of physics and ecology. Barry Commoner described it well in his statement "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch." Everything we do influences other things because everything is connected in some way. What we do produces ripples. I'm not convinced, though, that the balance is so simple as saying there is a finite amount of magickal energy and by using some of that energy on project A there is less to use on project B or C or D. In fiction (like on the TV series "Carnivale") magickal healing is often done at the expense of draining the life-force from something else -- I'm not convinced that this is an accurate theory no matter how interesting it might sound.

Oh, and I thought I could suggest a few books in response to Loopaleigh's request for titles that are more about the worldview, philosophy, and theology of Wicca and other Pagan religions rather than magick. These ones come to mind:

"Witchcraft: A Concise Guide" by Isaac Bonewits (I highly recommend this one! I consider it a must-read.)

"Philosophy of Wicca" by Amber Laine Fisher (One well-thought-out philosophy, but not necessarily the only or "official" one, of Wicca.)

"The Circle Within" by Dianne Sylvan.

"Deepening Witchcraft" by Grey Cat.

"Devoted to You" edited by Judy Harrow. (An excellent introduction to how modern Pagans can really deepen their devotion to specific deities. Includes some Wiccan perspectives as well as Reconstructionist ones.)

"Magical Religion and Modern Witchcraft" edited by James R. Lewis. (An excellent collection of essays covering history, philosophies, etc. for a variety of modern magickal religions.)

Pretty much anything by Dion Fortune is good to get you thinking deeply about Pagan and mystical philosophies and how magick might be an integral part of it all. In particular I like to recommend her book "The Training and Work of an Initiate." [Edited to add: Dion Fortune's work is also good for those who want to incorporate Christian ideas with Pagan ones. Freemason, Rosicrucian, and Golden Dawn materials are also good for that.]

Raven Grimassi has a few books out, including his recent "Witchcraft: A Mystery Tradition" which are more about deepening Wiccan theologies by drawing on ancient Pagan history and practices than they are about spellcraft.

There are other books too like "Polarity Magic" by Wendy Berg and Mike Harris which are more philosophical and theoretical than strictly magickal how-to guides. Or you could branch out into other topics such as shamanism. A good book on shamanism is "Shamanism: A Reader" edited by Graham Harvey.

I'm sure there are lots of other good books that could be recommended, but those should be good to get started with.

[Loopaleigh]

:fpompoms Yeah! Thanks Ben for the list of books!

It's like having my own personal Giles! Are you British too?

A couple of these I read, but most of them I didn't even know existed!

Like Pandoras said, sometimes it's hard to sort through the beginner books at the local B & N to find the more in depth ones.

I appriciate the recommendations. :)

[Aeres_Stormcrow]

I see this too, and I have even found many lately who hate authors such as Conway, Cunnningham and Ravenwolf because they are presenting a version of the craft that is "watered down" and not true or what not. Though I don't entirely support this opinion, I can see this with Conway as I find her books to be devoid of any real depth, and Cunningham (though I actually do like him) is filled with some information that seems inacurate and contradictory at times. The only author as of now that I feel at home with is Freya Aswynn. Her books are in depth, but passionate and have the ability to speak directly to you.

Anybody else have any opinions on this?

[Ben Gruagach]

:fpompoms Yeah! Thanks Ben for the list of books!

It's like having my own personal Giles! Are you British too?

A couple of these I read, but most of them I didn't even know existed!

Like Pandoras said, sometimes it's hard to sort through the beginner books at the local B & N to find the more in depth ones.

I appriciate the recommendations. :)

I'm a Canadian but I do have dual Canadian/British citizenship...

(And I do think that out of all the Buffyverse characters, I'm probably closest to either Giles or perhaps Willow. I'm an info-junkie-witch after all.)

[erlynn]

I'm a Canadian but I do have dual Canadian/British citizenship...

(And I do think that out of all the Buffyverse characters, I'm probably closest to either Giles or perhaps Willow. I'm an info-junkie-witch after all.)

Maybe you're close to Miss Calender too...a techno-pagan! :lookwhats

[charmedkisses1]

I can believe it

[Ben Gruagach]

Maybe you're close to Miss Calender too...a techno-pagan! :lookwhats

I forgot about Miss Calendar. She was one of my favourites.

[Elderbush]

This just bring up so many issues that an easy answer is impossible:

Is the source that magic draws on inside or outside the person? Is it universal power or personal power? If it is the latter, does each person only have so much in the bank, so to speak, and best not waste it on frivolous stuff?

I personally think that it is universal and that there is nothing wrong with using your brains, your physical body, prayer and your focused will to get what you want. Otherwise, you are basically saying you'll take whatever comes your way and I don't see people as helpless victims of a universal crap game.

Who is to say what's frivolous or not? I think some of it is chosing the best tool to do the job. For example, to I use my will to get the dishes washed or do I just use my hands? Probably be a lot easier and less time consuming to wash the dishes than try to get the universe to do it through the use of my will.

Another issue is all the spell books - ok it is annoying. It is a fad, I think, and either the people drawn to it will move on the the next fad or they'll stick around and learn something.

[Ron]

I'm a Canadian but I do have dual Canadian/British citizenship... YOU HAVE WHAT I WANT!!! lol. Canadians cannot get dual citizenship anymore. It's terrible.

_vb_ Ugh and this floor needs sweeping lol.

[Loopaleigh]

:vamp: Stay away from Vampires!
You don't want to end up like Jenny :(

[Ben Gruagach]

YOU HAVE WHAT I WANT!!! lol. Canadians cannot get dual citizenship anymore. It's terrible.

_vb_ Ugh and this floor needs sweeping lol.

Canadians can't get dual citizenship? When did that start?

It used to be that the US was one of the few places that expected its citizens to renounce citizenships in other countries. I understand they've changed that not so long ago. I'm not sure I understand why Canada would go the other way and start saying people can't have dual Canadian-something-else citizenship when it was allowed before.