Hello all who hast stumbled across this post!
This is my first post and if it is something everyone enjoys, then maybe I will write some more haha!
Perhaps I should start with saying a little bit about myself? My name is Anna, although others may know me as the “vintage emo granny” (it makes sense trust me!) If I do make more posts on different topics, then it will become apparent why! I am 20 years old, and in my last year of college studying Health and Social Care level 3 year 2, I then plan on going to university in September 2021 to study Psychology and Criminology.
Now that those basics are out of the way, for this first post, I thought I would dedicate it to a topic that is extremely important to me, but that also isn’t extremely well know, and when it is known, there is usually a negative stigmatism held around it, I hope to show everyone, that in fact it is truly beautiful. So, let’s begin.
Paganism, a somewhat scary word that may make me sound like I am a devil worshiper (just getting that one out of the way) when in fact, Paganism has nothing to do with the devil at all! The BBC website explains what paganism means pretty well in my opinion, as it states that “Paganism encompasses a diverse community with some groups concentrating on specific traditions, practices or elements such as ecology, witchcraft, Celtic traditions or certain gods. Wiccans, Druids, Shamans, Sacred Ecologists, Odinists and Heathens all make up parts of the Pagan community” (BBC, 2014). In short, Paganism is an umbrella term for many different faiths, practices, and beliefs, that aren’t the traditional and well-known Abrahamic religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
I’ve always been interested in paganism since about the age of 9 or 10, so a good decade, and always found it resonated within me, but never felt I was able to incorporate it as part of my life due to stigmatism, hate and so on. I kind of pushed my beliefs away to keep everyone around me happy and to not get laughed at, as I’ve been told many times “it’s a load of nonsense!”
The last couple years though, I have decided to go with my gut instinct and have started learning as much as I can about Paganism! So, by no means am I an expert on the subject, but what I will be talking about is what I believe and whether you agree with me or not that is fine! Everyone within Paganism will have their own form of beliefs, this may not correlate with another, but that is what Paganism is all about, we read, we learn, and we take in what resonates with us and put it into practice. Within my research, the term Wicca came up, and although I had heard of that term before, I just assumed it was another word for someone who is a witch, but it is so much more than that and ever since I have learnt about it, everything just makes sense for me!
So, what is Wicca?
Contrary to popular beliefs, Wicca is in fact a religion which again, branches off into different types, a bit like Christianity. Within Christianity you have the Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Church and Protestant Church. Wicca is the same in that it has many different paths, such as Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Celtic, Dianic, Eclectic and many more. Wicca is the modern interpretation of practices and traditions that pre-date Christianity that incorporates the practice of magick. Therefore, it is important to remember that from person to person, their practices, rituals, and beliefs will vary. Most individuals who follow Wicca will celebrate the Wheel of the Year Festivals, also known as Sabbats and Lesser-Sabbats or Solstices and Equinoxes. Most Wiccans will worship the Horned God (Aka the Sun God) representing masculinity and The Triple Goddess (Aka the Maiden, Mother and Crone,) representing femininity, she is also associated with the moon. Certain Wiccans may also worship other deities that they feel drawn or called too. Both the Horned god and the Triples goddess represent the human life cycles as well. From birth to death.
These are as follows (Dates are based on the ones in the Northern Hemisphere):
* Yule (Lesser-Sabbat or Winter Solstice) This celebration ranges from around the 20th-24th December. It is the celebration of the shortest day and longest night and the abundance of light that we have had throughout the year, it is a reminder that even though the days have become darker, we know the light will return soon, therefore this celebration focuses on the return of the sun god.
* Imbolc (Greater Sabbat, Brigid’s Day, or Candlemas) This celebration is on the 2nd of February. It is the celebration of the earth ‘waking up’ from its long sleep of winter and beginning to warm up. Winter is coming to an end and the days are slowly becoming more and more bright, we are celebrating the return of light and the prospects of new life arriving. Imbolc is when the sun god is becoming stronger. This is also the perfect time to honour the triple goddess in her maiden form.
* Ostara (Lesser-Sabbat or Spring Equinox) This celebration ranges from around the 19th-22nd March. It is the celebration of when the night and day are the same length, it is the time where the light begins to take over the darkness and the signs of spring begin to show themselves and winter is coming to an end. This is also the celebration of the sun god growing into his full potential. The triple goddess is in her maiden form and is now married to the sun god.
* Beltane (Greater Sabbat or May Day) This celebration ranges from the 31st of April- 1st May. Either day can be used to celebrate Beltane, but traditionally, this festival is celebrated from the eve of the 31st until the end of the 1st. This is the time where the sun god has taken over, letting us know that summer is soon to arrive. This is a good time to celebrate life and new life, whether this be plant or animal that has joined us on earth. Beltane’s main theme is fertility and represent birth, whether this be in us, plants, or animals. This is due to the triple goddess being in her maiden form and in unity with the horned god, both bringing the new life to our world.
* Litha (Lesser-Sabbat, Midsummer or Summer Solstice) This is the celebration of the longest day and shortest night, it ranges from the 20th of June – 24th June. Currently, the sun god is at his most prominent, he is thriving and giving warmth into the earth and helping in growth. This is the time to remember that the days will start to become shorter, and the darkness will start to take over again. At this time, we celebrate the pregnancy of the triple goddess with the horned god, the givers of all life on mother earth.
* Lammas (Lughnasadh) This is the celebration of the harvest, celebrated on the 1st of August. It is a time of remembrance that the earth is starting to slow down, and that the dark and colder days are drawing in, although it will still remain warm for a while. At this time, the sun god is starting to lose his strength, as he is finishing putting his energy into the first harvest of the year, he has not yet come to the end of his life cycle. The goddess is now in her mother form, she allows the seeds from the dried crops to fall to our earth and lay dormant till Imbolc, when they will return after a long winters rest.
* Mabon (Autumn Equinox). This is the celebration of the days and nights being in balance again, a time for us to give thanks to what the summer has brought to us and of the warmer days that have just passed. This is also the time of the second harvest. The sun god has now been sacrificed and his body becomes one with the earth and turns into seeds which lay there till the next spring. The triple goddess has started to lay down for her winter rest.
* Samhain, celebrated traditionally from the eve of the 31st of October to the morning of the 1st of November, Samhain, pronounced Sow-in (Sow as in the ow from cow) is the celebration of the Wiccan New Year. This means that the wheel of the year has done a complete turn. It is a time to celebrate and honour the dead, at this time of year, the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest, thus making communication the best time between our world and the spirit world. Life and death are the balance within the wheel of the year, without life there can be no death and without death there can be no life. This isn’t a sad celebration, it is a joyous, fun one! We are celebrating the fact that although the days are now dark and short, the light will soon be returning, and life will be coming back to the land. The triple goddess, who is in her crone form, morns the sun god and brings darkness over the land for the winter rest, the sun god descends to the underworld, where he will lift the veil between our world and the spirits.
This is just a small grasp of the wheel of the year and the different festivals within Wicca, but if any of what has been said resonates with you, I encourage you to do your own research and find out more! The wheel of the year and the festivals are amazing to learn about, for me, they resonate deeply within me, for each festival I feel a special bond between mother earth and myself that simply can’t be put into words. The beauty that she brings us, the cycle of life and death and how they all balance together to keep the world turning, there is just something magical about that! Now I completely understand if you’re sitting here thinking “this girl is crack-pot” I totally understand, sometimes, to fully understand something, we have to send it deep into our soul, think about it, learn, and find the aspects that make us think “this is stupid” and work out why we think this. Not only will you potentially learn something about yourself, but you may begin to see the other side of the story, understand something, or even find something that resonates deep inside you.
I think the most important thing that I have learnt from Paganism and Wicca is that it’s important to follow your heart, believe and do what you will as long as it harms none and to not let other opinions bring you down. This is why they have become an extremely important part of my life; I’ve noticed how I’ve already begun to reap the benefits and I know for certain that since coming to terms with my spiritual beliefs and not just ignoring them I have become a happier person in myself and the practices of Paganism and Wicca just make me feel good, and at the end of the day, that is the main thing!
I’d like to conclude this post with my favourite aspect of Wicca, and that is the Wiccan Rede which most wiccans follow. It is a beautiful piece of text that guides us on how to live our lives, kind of like a moral code. You have the short version and then the full version, which you will be able to read below!
“Bide within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust.
Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give.
For tread the Circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out. To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be said in rhyme.
Light of eye and soft of touch, speak you little, listen much. Honour the Old Ones indeed and name, let love and light be our guides again.
Deosil go by the waxing moon, chanting out the joyful tune.
Widdershins go when the moon doth wane, and the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane.
When the Lady's moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two. When the moon rides at Her peak then your heart's desire seek.
Heed the North winds mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail. When the Wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.
When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth. When the wind whispers from the West, all hearts will find peace and rest.
Nine woods in the Cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow. Birch in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows.
Oak in the forest towers with might, in the fire it brings the God's insight. Rowan is a tree of power causing life and magick to flower.
Willows at the waterside stand ready to help us to the Summerland. Hawthorn is burned to purify and to draw faerie to your eye.
Hazel-the tree of wisdom and learning adds its strength to the bright fire burning. White are the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility.
Grapes grow upon the vine giving us both joy and wine. Fir does mark the evergreen to represent immortality seen.
Elder is the Lady's tree burn it not or cursed you'll be. Four times the Major Sabbats mark in the light and in the dark.
As the old year starts to wane the new begins, it's now Samhain. When the time for Imbolc shows, watch for flowers through the snows.
When the wheel begins to turn, soon the Beltane fires will burn. As the wheel turns to Lamas, night power is brought to magick rite.
Four times the Minor Sabbats fall use the Sun to mark them all. When the wheel has turned to Yule, light the log the Horned One rules.
In the spring, when night equals day time for Ostara to come our way. When the Sun has reached it's height, time for Oak and Holly to fight.
Harvesting comes to one and all when the Autumn Equinox does fall. Heed the flower, bush, and tree by the Lady blessed you'll be.
Where the rippling waters go cast a stone, the truth you'll know. When you have and hold a need, harken not to others greed.
With a fool no season spend or be counted as his friend. Merry Meet and Merry Part bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind the Three-fold Laws you should three times bad and three times good. When misfortune is enow wear the star upon your brow.
Be true in love this you must do unless your love is false to you.
These Eight words the Rede fulfil: "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
I truly hope you have enjoyed this first post of mine, and I look forward to hopefully writing more! Blessed be to all - Anna T (Instagram: @vegan_food_delights)
References:
BBC, (2014), Paganism. Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism/. Accessed on: 27th April 2021.
Comentarios