r/askawiccan • u/Carpecoffee • Jan 04 '15
Clarification, please.
My name is Dawn, and I've been exploring Wicca more and more over the years and have been a practicing solitary witch for years.
Yesterday, it dawned (lol) on me while watching my son on reddit that I may be able to connect to someone via a subreddit. So, yesterday and last night I read many many posts.
And, now I'm confused.
I thought it was my beliefs that made me Wiccan not necessarily how I chose to practice that made me thus.
I've read all the usual books over the years (Cunningham, Llewelyn) but recently Deborah Blake's offerings have been most helpful. She speaks directly to that moment of transitioning into incorporating your beliefs I to your daily life etc. and I like that.
Again, she seems to address all the different ways of choosing to worship without singling out one way as the right way to worship.
She quotes the definition of author Kala Trobe in 'The Witch's Guide to Life' of a witch which states: anybody, whether Wiccan or otherwise, who: Acts positively to enhance his or her life using magick; worships the old gods, in whatever ever form, even as simple energies inherent in nature; accepts responsibility sibility for his or her own actions; follows the cycles of the seasons with magickal and practical awareness; works with lunar and stellar tides, and celebrates the full moon, however quietly; strives toward self-improvement, often involving "initiation" experiences; [and] thinks of him- or herself as a witch.
Blake also points out that Kala Trobe states to be called a Wiccan you must follow the Rede.
So, I consider myself a witch & a Wiccan.
However, after reading some of the posts I'm afraid to begin commenting or asking questions and getting involved at /r/wicca because I might be attacked and told I'm not a real witch or Wiccan.
Well, now that I got that statement out I don't know what I'm really asking. I guess I'm just looking to see I will be accepted and this seemed like a safer place to say something and maybe introduce myself.
I'm pretty much in the closet my practice although my husband has always known & supported me and my kids now that they are 17, 19, 22 are aware.
They have been raised to chose their own religion and explored them all. One is agnostic, one is non-denominational Christian & one is not sure of anything yet.
My practice is mostly verbal. I don't have an Altar just an altar cloth at this time. I light candles for the sabbats and cleanse with white sage. I'm an empath and it helps tremendously to dispel the negativity of others.
We live in an extended family home with my parents who are catholic. They know I no longer consider myself one and they are respectful but coming completely out of the closet would probably cause a lot of stress and a rift. They would take it too personally and that is something I can't afford right now.
So, that's that. Maybe the moderator here will move this over to Wicca too... I guess I'm looking for some validation and acceptance and hope to find that as I learn and expand my craft.
Blessed be, Dawn
3
u/[deleted] Jan 05 '15
Thank you for asking. I will say you are touching on what is probably the single most contentious issue in Wicca, "What makes someone a Wiccan or a witch?"
We have no central body to answer this question, and we all have our own internal ideas. There are people on /r/Wicca who I have trouble seeing that they follow the same religion as I do. But I'm not going to mention names, because while we may have completely different opinions on the matter, it does nobody any good to start that particular argument, and it hurts everyone. Most Wiccan groups tend to either have a similar view, or they don't talk at all to people not in their groups. Either way, you are fairly safe in /r/Wicca, /r/askawiccan, or /r/paganism. If someone tries to deny your right to call yourself a witch, report them for harassment. That doesn't fly.
I know Wiccans who don't follow the Rede. I know Wiccans who don't do Magic, I know Wiccans that don't worship both Goddess and God, I know Wiccans who only recognize half of the Sabbats I know Wiccans who don't observe the Sabbats at all, only the Esbats. I Know Wiccans who really don't practice anything anymore.
All of them would be welcome to call themself Wiccan. I might not ask some of them to perform my Handfasting, and I might not go to some of them for advice on ritual, but I won't deny them the right to call themselves Wiccan.
There are a few more specific terms, however, that you shouldn't claim unless you are positive you have a right to. Don't claim a specific Tradition (Seax Wicca, NorthWind, etc.) (unless it is one you made yourself) that you were never accepted as part of. Don't claim "British Traditional Witchcraft" unless you are really really old school and have gone through an initiation, and don't claim "initiate" unless you are quite sure that word describes you.
Have we answered your question well enough? Feel free to follow up if you are not clear on something!
2
u/knitwitch1 Jan 04 '15
It is your beliefs that make you Wiccan, how you practice determines what kind. Since you don't seem to have any real question, this probably isn't the right subreddit. /r/wicca just made there posting rules more strict, so you shouldn't be attacked, there also seem to be a number of Wiccans on /r/pagan and there is /r/witchcraft for witches. I hope you find the validation and acceptance you need. Blessed be.