Are you new to the Craft?

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Are you New to the Craft?

This section is more of Frequently asked Questions, meant to answer those that someone new to Paganism (Wicca in particularly) usually has.

Q: What is Paganism?

A: Paganism can be pretty much classified as any belief system that is not based upon the Christian idea of God. It can include such diverse religions as Buddhism, Shinto, Wiccan, Asatru, Magi, and Hindu, but is mostly seen as being a blanket description covering pre-Christian earth-based religions.

Q: Do Wiccans worship Satan?

A: While Satanism is seen as a Pagan religion, followers of the Wiccan religion (who are sometimes known as Witches, but not all Witches are Wiccan), do not worship Satan. In fact, the idea of Satan was an adaptation of the Christians from the Pagan God sometimes known as Pan. The Pagans I know do not even acknowledge the existence of a Satan.

Q: Do Witches practice magic?

A: Yes, in a sense. The magick most Witches practice is not the flashy visual stuff that Hollywood has glamorized, but rather more environmental and internal. Witches' magick consists more of chants, herbs, oils, incense, and such petitioning the forces of nature and your own internal energy to reach a particular finale. It can consist of a very long, intricate ritual, or be as simple as cutting an apple and asking the God and Goddess for help.

Q: Is it true that Wiccans have no moral code and bad ethics?

A: Not at all! In fact the Wiccans have a very simple ethic code, called the Wiccan Rede. It goes as such:

An ye harm none, do as thou will.

The meaning is pretty much like that of the Golden Rule we all were taught as children. Most Wiccans also believe in the threefold law, which basically states that whatever energy you put out returns to you thrice... three times as good or three times as bad as that which you gave out. This is exactly the reason most Witches do not perform magick or spells on individuals without their permission and DO NOT mess with Black Magic.

Q: Is Wicca a religion?

A: Yes! Wicca is recognized as a religion by the United States government and has all the benefits of that distinction. However, due to intense social conditioning and years of brainwashing by the Christian church, many people are still afraid to come out of the broom closet. They may have good reason to, as there is still persecution and prejudice prevalent in our society.

Q: Do Witches ride brooms and fly at night?

A: Not exactly. The references to Witches flying is more of a reference to what is known as Astral projection, or the spiritual subconscious traveling outside the body, as in meditation.

Q: Can Witchcraft be an inherited trait?

A: Not really. Any person has the ability to perform Magick. Many families have a tradition that they follow and many family covens include generations of Witches.

Q: What is a Book of Shadows?

A: A Book of Shadows is a documentation of celebrations, rituals, spell work, and recipes exclusive to a solitary Witch or a Coven. Some Covens or Families have Books of Shadows that go back decades, others have newer journals that contain information from the last few years or even more recently.