Book of Shadows

In Wicca, a private journal, core religious text or history is kept by practitioners. In some groups, the book’s contents are kept secret from other people. There are various versions of this book and most will contain the Wiccan Rede and the “Charge of the Goddess”. Some Wiccans prefer to create their own Book of Shadows and keep the contents private.

Wiccan Altar

The Wiccan Altar can be any table or chest, as long it is not used for any other purpose. It is usually covered with a plain or elaborate altar cloth. Wiccans often place sea salt in the north of the altar to represent the earth element. In the northeast will be a sacred pentacle. In the east is incense to represent the air element. There will be a censer in the southeast area, a fire candle in the south and the Athame (Wiccan knife) in the southwest, with the black pointing to the east. There is a chalice of water in the west and a cauldron in the northwest.

There are more Wicca tools but the novice usually just sticks to these. Some Wicca practitioners might choose a more simplified altar but almost all will have a sacred altar in their home somewhere, where they can respect the Goddess, perform rituals and use it as a concentration tool.

Wicca Basic Symbols

Wiccans use symbols for many things, such as rituals, ceremonies, spells and in day to day life. There are various symbols with a range of meanings. Each Wiccan symbol has a basic meaning but they can represent different things to different people.

Wicca Elemental Symbols

The most commonly used symbol in wicca is the pentagram within the circle. This is a five-sided star and is used to identify yourself as a Wiccan or Pagan. The five points represent the spirit and the four elements. The circle symbolizes a connection between them all.

The seven pointed star (or septagram) is another Wiccan symbol. The number seven corresponds to the spirit realm. The points are sometimes labeled above, below, within, earth, fire, air and water. Other times there are no set representations for them. The classical view of the sky comprised seven planets so the septagram is associated with astrology too.

Another Wicca symbol is the triple moon. This is a circle with a crescent moon either side, symbolizing the maiden, mother and crone as the waxing, full then waning moon. It is associated with psychic ability, female energy and mystery. This symbol is often found on head-pieces such as crowns, especially those worn by High Priestesses.

An Ankh is an Egyptian hieroglyphic which is used as a symbol for love, life and reincarnation. It looks like a cross with a looped top.

Wicca Alphabet Symbols

The Wiccan alphabet or “Theban” alphabet has been used as a code to protect Wiccan writing from prying eyes for many years. Its exact origin is not known. To use the Theban alphabet, Wiccan practitioners substitute the Theban letter for each English letter.

To go slightly further into the dangerous territory of describing beliefs, we can include animism -the belief that all life, animate or inanimate, has a spirit or soul.  Pagans have a deep reverence for the earth and every creature that inhabits the earth, believing that the divine resides in all things.  Many believe in multiple gods and goddesses (polytheist) but since Paganism is such an individualistic religion, you’ll find polytheists (many), monotheists (one) and even atheists (none)!

Even if the variety of beliefs within Paganism is manifold, one thing that you can be sure of is that they are NOT devil worshippers.  Abby Willowroot says it beautifully, when answering the question of are Pagans devil worshippers?  “Most Devil worshipping groups are not Pagan, because they are centered on a Judeo-Christian supernatural being, namely Satan. These devil worshippers are a sect of Christianity, even though Christianity does not want to claim them.”

The Occult is also different from Paganism, although Pagans and members of any other religion can deal with the Occult.  Wikipedia defines “The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine, hidden, secret), referring to “knowledge of the hidden”.   But for many people involved with the occult, they are simply studying a deeper spiritual reality than that which we can see with our human powers of reason and the physical sciences with which we measure and quantify things.

How Do I Become A Pagan?

When a person comes to the conclusion that the things they have always believed in now need a name different from that which their family or their community has given, they may want to somehow “become” a Pagan.  Here the dilema begins.

Paganism is a very individual and personal journey of spiritual discovery and Pagans generally do not seek converts, nor do they feel a duty to share or guide the novice “into the faith” as many conventional religions do.  Finding a path to like-minded people can be difficult and will be different for each locality in which you may live.  The agreed starting point is to first gain knowledge. 

Find out if you are truly in sympathy with Pagan beliefs, are you committed to living in harmony with the Earth and caring for and honoring all of her creatures?  Will you strengthen your understanding of your role in the whole scheme of things, no longer taking for granted all that the Earth offers you?  By reading the books and periodicals available and looking at websites that explain Pagan beliefs, you can explore your own beliefs so you really understand what they are and discover why you want to follow the Pagan path. 

It is important you clarify things for yourself before trying to join a group.  Once you have answered these questions, you need to explore the various groups within Paganism to determine which group – Wicca, Druidry, Shamanism, Witchcraft, Asatru, Heathenry, Hedgewitchcraft, even Hinduism, among so many others – you wish to attach yourself to. 
Once you have looked into your own heart, gained greater knowledge of yourself and found your connection with the natural world around you, you can look to join others. 

In America, to find a group of like-minded people talk to people in new age or pagan bookstores, check their bulletin boards. Many books and periodicals give information on how you can find contacts in your area. Check out online groups, but be wary – there are many unsavory characters out there.  Alternatively an updated guide to pagan groups  is now available by mail-order from the Circle Network, based in Wisconsin.

If you are in Great Britain, some of these and other ways can led to you finding like-minded people.  Look for “moots” – these are advertised, regular gatherings usually held in pubs or perhaps the organizers’ homes.  There is usually a contact number, so phone the organizer before the event and get enough information before hand so you know what to expect.
You can also check out egoups on Yahoo, other web-based forums, Pagan conferences or camps and ritual that are open to the public and of course, contacts obtainable through the Pagan Federation and other reputable Pagan organizations.

However I do suggest a certain modicum of caution – although pubs and the web are public places, you must trust your intuition; don’t share more than you are comfortable revealing.  Please keep in mind not everyone is honest.

Although it may be frustrating, don’t be in too big a hurry to find a group or even a spiritual teacher.  Many Pagans will follow a solitary path to greater enlightenment, perhaps for a lifetime.  It can even be said that a time of studying on your own is far better because you will find what works for you without the potential confusion or pressure others’ beliefs may provide.  Knowing your own beliefs and the basics of rituals will show any group you may wish to join, that you are willing to learn and serious.  It is also a good idea to have explored what you want from the group you join.  Will you be able or willing to meet their expectations, etc.?

You may find that because Pagans are still so much in the minority, your spiritual path will continue to be a solitary one because there aren’t any folk living near you to physically guide or share Pagan rituals with.  In such a case, or as an adjunct to your own growth, joining organizations such as the British Pagan Federation or the Reformed Druids of North America, the Order of Bards or the Rowan Tree Church, among others, could be the best way to enlarge your training or contact opportunities.

The term Paganism is actually an umbrella under which many traditions live.  It is an ancient religion that venerates nature, believes that everything in the Universe is interconnected and part of the Devine and that this interconnectedness extends beyond the boundaries of space and time.

It is a religion but without a centralized, organized church or body, with a great variety of beliefs and practices but without any standardized dogma.  Pagans, like many of us, seek answers to life’s great questions – what is the meaning of our lives, is there life after death, is there a God, and what is our place within the greater universe?

Pagans do not generally try to convert anyone.  Rather than being converted, Pagans decide to call themselves that because what they already believe fits in terms of their view of the world, the way they live and their spirituality.

For most Pagans, their spirituality is a very personal path, walked either alone or with a small group of like-minded individuals.  Paganism believes that we are born with all the skills and tools required to live an ethical and spiritual life without, as many other religions profess, the need to overcome the flaws humanity brings with it at birth, be it original sin or the ego or desire or whatever else one might call it.  They do not believe that humanity is spiritually doomed unless purified and “saved”.

Because Pagans place so much value on the earth as their mother, their religion is often called earth-centered. They celebrate seasonal festivals based on the Wheel of Life and the cycles of the moon.  Because of their deep connectedness with the Universe, Pagans celebrate belonging to the natural world by adjusting their lives to the cycles of the earth, sun, moon and the stars.  In line with this reverence for the natural world, they express themselves by living environmentally ethical lives and many participate in actions to save the eco-systems of the planet.
 
Through the ages, Pagan came to mean someone who had not yet converted, or refused, to convert to Christianity and its meaning extended to those who did not belong to one of the established religions or someone who was irreligious or anti-religious.  Pagans are neither without religion nor against religion, instead they are a distinct religion – different from others but a religion nevertheless;  even the American courts recognized Wicca as an official religion in the case of Dettmer v. Landon (1986). 

Another misconception is that Pagans worship the devil.  While acknowledging life can be difficult and sometimes cruel, Pagans do not believe in evil or the devil, they believe instead in the need to seek ways to end conflict and personal responsibility for one’s beliefs and ethics.

The more we know about Pagans, the less likely we are to fear or denigrate them.  In fact there may be much to embrace.

“With its respect for plurality, the refusal to judge other ways of life as wrong simply because they are different from one’s own, with its veneration of a natural (and supernatural) world from which Westerners in the age of technology have become increasingly isolated, and with its respect for women and the feminine principle as embodied in the many goddesses of the various pantheons, Paganism has much to offer people of European background today.” – the British Pagan Federation.