~ Uewellyn's PracticalMagick Series WICCA A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner Scott Cunningha:m 1996 Llewellyn Publications St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0383,U.S.A. - ,I"' ~- ~-- ~- - - ~ """----- ill ..'\ This book is dedicated to the forces that watch over and guide us-however we may envision or name Them "\ Contents xi Preface Introduction ro SECTION I: THEORY 3 Chapter 1: Wiccaand Shamanism 9 Chapter 2: The Deities 19 Chapter 3: Magic 25 Chapter 4: Tools 37 Chapter 5: Music, Dance and Gesture 47 Chapter 6: Ritual and Preparation for Ritual 55 Chapter 7: The MagicCircle and the Altar Chapter 8: The Days of Power 63 69 Chapter 9: The Spiral of Rebirth 73 Chapter 10: Concerning Initiation SECTION II: PRACTICE 79 Chapter 11: Exercises and MagicalTechniques Chapter 12: Self-Dedication 87 Chapter 13: Ritual Design 93 ." SECTION III: THE STANDING STONES BOOK OF SHADOWS Introduction 109 Words to the Wise. . . 111 The Seasonal Festivals 127 Rituals 144 ix " / - Recipes 152 An Herbal Grimoire 159 Wiccan Crystal Magic .169 Symbols and Signs 175 Spells and Magic 185 -. AppendixI 189 AppendixII 191 Glossary 195 SuggestedReading 205 Index 215 I ~. Preface , This book, the result of sixteen years of practicalexperience and research, is aguidebook outlining basicWiccantheory and practice. It is written with the solitary student or practitioner in mind; there are no coven rituals or magical group dynamics described herein. The Wicca as described here is "new." It is not a revelation of ancient rituals handed down for thousands of years. This does not invalidate it, however, for it is based on time-honored practices. A three-thousand-year-old incantation to Inanna isn't necessarily more powerful or effectivethan one improvised during a private rite. The person practicing the ritual or spell determines its success. Hcenturies-old incantations are nothing more to you than sense- less gibberish, chances are the ritual won't work, any more than would a Shinto ceremony in the hands ofa Methodist. Tobe effective, rituals must speak to you. Rituals are at the heart of Wicca for some, and are pleasant adjuncts to Wicca'sphilosophy and way of lifefor others. In Wicca,as with every religion, ritual is a means of contacting the Divine. Effec- tive ritual unites the worshipper with Deity. Ineffective ritual kills spirituality. . There are rituals in this book, yes,but they're guideposts, not holy writ. I wrote them so that others, using them as general guidelines, could create their own. . Some people might say, "But thars just your stuff.We want the real Wicca! Tell.us the secrets! There isnot, and can never be, one "pure" or "true" or "genuine" form of Wicca.There are no central governing agencies, no physical leaders,no universally-recognizedprophets or messengers.Although specific,structured forms ofWiccacertainlyexist,they aren't in agree- ment regardingritual,symbolismand theology.Becauseofthis healthy individualism, no one ritual or philosophical system has emerged to consume the' others. . . - Wiccais varied and multi-faceted.As in every religion, the Wic- ,fan spiritual experience is one shared with Deity alone. This book is xi /' /- xii / Wicca simply one way,based on my experiences and the instruction I have received, to practice Wicca. Although Iwrote it,it didn't hatch out ofthin air.Thejeweler who facets rough emeralds didn't create the gemstones; nor the potter the clay. I've tried to present a blending of the major themes and ritual structures ofWicca,notto create anew form,butto present one so that others can develop their own Wiccanpractices. When Ibegan learning Wiccathere were fewbooks, certain1yno published Books.of Shadows." Wiccan rituals and magical texts are secretwithin many traditions ofWicca,and itwasn't until recentlythat any systems have "gone public." Due to this fact,few Wiccanswrote books describing the rituals and inner teachings ofWicca.Those out- side the Wicca (or the Craftas it is also known) who wrote of it could necessarily report only garbled or incomplete pictures. Within a few years of my introduction to Wicca,however, many authentic, informative books began to be published. As I continued my studies, both independently and under teachers I had met, I realized that anyone trying to learn and practice Wicca solely from published sources would gain a sadly unbalanced picture. Most Wiccanauthors tout their own form of Wicca.This makes sense: write what you know. Unfortunately, many of the foremost Wiccan authors share similar views, and so most of the published Wiccan material is repetitive. Also, most of these books are geared toward coven (group)- oriented Wicca.This poses a problem for anyone unable to find a minimum of four or five interested, compatible persons to create a coven. It also lays a burden on those who desire private religious practice. Perhaps mytrue reason forwritirlgthis book-besides numerous requests-is strictlypersonal. I not only wish to present an alternate to staid,structured Wiccanbooks, I also want to return something for the training I have received in this contemporary religion. Although I occasionallyteach,and Wiccaalwaysdraws acrowd, I prefer the medium of printed words to point out some of the things I have learned. Although nothing can replace one-on-one teaching, this isn't practical for all those desiring to learn. And so, several years ago, I began jotting down notes and chap- . ters that eventuallybecame this book.Toavoid becoming too narrow- . See glossary for unfami1iar terms. Preface/ xiii minded (Sybil Leek once said that it was dangerous writing about your own religion-you're too close to it), I've had Wiccan mends read and comment on earlydrafts to ensure that the picture of Wicca presented here isn't too limited or dogmatic. Please don't misunderstand me. Though this book's goal is a wider understanding of, and appreciation of Wicca, I'm not pros- elytizing.Likemost Wiccans,I'm not out to change your spiritual and religious beliefs; it's none of my business. However,with the continuinginterest in non-traditionalreligions, concern over environmental destruction and a wide interest in the Wiccanreligion, I hope this book partially answers one of the ques- tions I'm most commonly asked: " "What is Wicca?" ~ Linguistic Note Much disagreement concerning the exact (and original) mean- ing of the word "Wicca" presently exists. It's not my intention to enter into or add to such discussions, but I don't feel that I can use this term without defining it. Therefore, "Wicca" will be used within this book to describe both the religion itself (a loosely organized Pagan religion centering toward reverence for the creative forces of Nature, usually symbolized by a goddess and a god), as well as its practitioners of both sexes. The term "Warlock," though sometimes used to describe male practitioners, is virtually never used by Wiccans themselves; hence I've avoided it here. Though some use "Wicca" and "Witch" almost interchangeably, I prefer the older, less-encumbered word Wicca, and so use it almost exclusively. ., \ Introduction Wicca,the religion of the "Witches,"has long been shrouded in secrecy. Anyone interested in learning "the Craft" had to content themselves with hints from books and articles.The Wiccanswouldn't say much, save that they weren't looking for new members. Growing numbers today are dissatisfi~ _withtJ:aditioW.J'elig!o~ structures. Manx are searching for ~r§oruilly-ij:lvQI$g}:e}igisl one