Wicca: Understanding the religion beyond witchcraft

BY LIZET IBARRA Staff Writer

From acknowledging nature to self-healing, Wicca is a religion involving an eclectic set of beliefs and experiences. It is often misunderstood due to its non-governed nature and association with witchcraft.

Wicca is often associated as a Pagan religion, which takes inspiration from pre-Christian religions. Additionally, its origins are associated with the ideals of Gerald Brosseau Gardner, a British civil servant.

Wiccans hold different types of rituals and vary based on the occasion. The altars are also set up catered to the event, whether it be an initiation or full moon celebration.

Circle-casting is commonly used in rituals, where the altar is usually placed in the middle and those gathered in the circle must not step outside of it.

Wiccans are not satanists nor do they incorporate anything evil within their beliefs or practices.

Though there is much debate, witchcraft and Wicca are not the same thing. Wicca is a religion, while witchcraft is a practice.

“There are many Wiccans who consid- er themselves to be witches, and there are many witches who do not consider themselves Wiccan,” said Kim Wallace, a Wiccan practitioner of about 40 years.

Wallace considers herself a witch and follows Wiccan beliefs. Most of the work that she does involves hoodoo and high magic. She even involves magic into her cooking.

She incorporates magic into her cooking by acknowledging a personal problem that she might have and then identifying an herb that may help with it. She then remains mindful of it while cooking and eating.

Nature is a very prominent aspect within religion. Wallace explained that when picking plants, one must be very aware and respectful.

Wicca caters to a person, in the sense of using Wicca to help overcome things such as personal problems.

“I use it to help me stay grounded and centered, to try to be a better person,” said Wallace. “It’s been instrumental in helping me control my temper.”

In Wicca, there is a Wiccan rede which mentions “perfect love and perfect trust,” which Wallace acknowledged as one of the tenets of the religion.

“In order to have, or give others, perfect love and perfect trust, you have to be grounded and get rid of that temper,” Wallace said.

With the association of witchcraft, some believe Wicca to be evil or satanic, but as Wallace explained, Wiccans do not believe in hell and in the religion, there is no Satan.

Wallace mentioned other beliefs in Wicca as well, including reincarnation and past lives, as well as spirits.

One instance in which her belief in spirits was held to be true was when Wallace described a dream in which her grandfather held her son. This was significant because she didn’t have the opportunity to bring her son to her grandfather when he was born, due to her grandfather moving away.

In the dream, her grandfather told her that she needed to let him go. The morning after, Wallace received a call that her grandfather had passed. Wallace explained that she truly believes that her grandfather visited her and said goodbye to her in the dream.

It is experiences like this that make every religion worth learning about.

Some users on TikTok have been seen posting videos under the hashtag “witchtok,” and with that, viewers might want to try the practices that are being shown.

With witchcraft becoming increasingly popular on platforms like TikTok, it’s important to learn about the religion through someone who actually practices it, as well know the differentiation between Wicca and witchcraft.

It’s essential that thorough research is done before practicing anything, so that you know in advance what is okay and what isn’t.

It is also important to be mindful when practicing any ritual, especially if you don’t know much about it, and to consult with people who are experts in the practices or in the case of Wicca, the religion.