[Synnen]

I'll be having a fire, and a solitary celebration on Saturday night. I'm going to do it outside, in the snow, so I hope it's not TOO cold!

[BiWiccanAndProud]

I wish I could do that, but my mom would never let me. I'm doing my celebration solitary tonight too. I have no idea where my friend Deirda is so I'm at a bit of a loss here. I have been studying so much lately I completely forgot that Yule was on the 21st! I'm going to feel terrible if I don't get to do something special for Yule, I didn't get to celebrate Samhain already! The was the one I was most looking foreword to. T.T

P.S. Someone told me the other day that I shouldn't call myself Wiccan just cause I continue to celebrate holidays that are not Wiccan, like Christmas and New Years. They said that the Wiccan New Year is Samhain and there is no reason for me to celebrate the more known New Year. It didn't hurt me or anything, but it did kind of tick me off. This isn't a common view is it? Just out of curiousity...

[Synnen]

It IS a common view--and my answer to that is generally that I am helping my friends and family celebrate THEIR holidays. If my friends or family want to join me in mine, they are welcome to do so, but I have enough respect for them that I prefer to help them enjoy their days.

And Yule is on Saturday the 22nd this year, you know. Today is the 21st, yet tomorrow is the Solstice.

Light a candle, draw a Circle, do it yourself. I've had complete rituals where I never moved except to honor the Elements and actually draw the Circle.

[BiWiccanAndProud]

Thank you so much Synnen... it's not like I'm celebrating Christmas for christ or anything, it's just that I celebrate it as the day of giving more then anything else.

And thank you for correcting me on that! I thought it was on the 21st! I looked it up online cause I couldn't remember if it was the 21st or 22nd and a lot of places said the 21st. Don't the days vary on the time zone? It's a big relief though cause I'm at work till 11:30 tonight and I didn't know if I would be awake enough to do anything when I got home.

And thank you for the advice. Again I didn't get to celebrate Samhain and I don't want to miss celebrating Yule.

[Synnen]

It DOES vary on the timezone, actually, as to when the actual Solstice happens locally--but most Pagans I know celebrate it based on GMT (Because of planning issues with Circles, etc).

For me, locally, Solstice will be at 12:08 AM, tomorrow morning (just after midnight tonight). For California, it's at 10:08 this evening.

So... you can celebrate at local time, or you can use Universal time (GMT).

[BiWiccanAndProud]

I have no clue what it would be for me. I like smack dab in the middle of the United States... good old Kansas...

[Synnen]

Central time, right? 12:08 AM tomorrow.

[BiWiccanAndProud]

Thank you Synnen! You're a huge help! I can't wait to celebrate!

[margog85]

My partner is Wiccan- I've wanted to learn more about it, as it seems like a fairly open-minded and accepting religion. I was raised Catholic- was an atheist for a rebellious year at 13- went back to church and became a bible-thumper- came out of the closet at 18, and decided a church that labels me as 'intrinsically disordered' isn't my cup o' tea- and now, years later, I guess I'm more agnostic than anything else-

So I figured I'd pop in, say hello, and see what I can learn from you all. Although I'm certainly not Catholic any longer, Christianity is where the bulk of my religious knowledge lies... and I feel that it's about time to expand my knowledge a bit and see what else is going on out there.

BTW- you work at Wendy's? I did too, for about a year and a half when I first started college- nobody believes me, but it was really once of the best jobs- great people, not too uptight, and just a lot of fun- =)

[BiWiccanAndProud]

lol I'm glad to know that all wendy's are like that! I've had a few run ins with a girl who doesn't like me but other then that I'm fine there and love it. I even met my boyfriend there ^.^.

So what do you want to know?

[margog85]

Well... I've done some reading a while back, but it's all very hazy in my mind. Do wiccans believe in one god or many gods? I vaguely remember reading something about the god and goddess... but that they were one force, and that they represented the masculine and feminine elements? Sort of like how christians believe in the trinity, but still believe in one god? Or... I don't know.

And do wiccans believe in a god and goddess, like... as though they are PEOPLE, or is it more like... they believe that there is a spirit that has both masculine and feminine aspects and by personifying it into a god and goddess it makes it easier to understand and grasp?

I know that a lot revolves around nature as well, if I'm not mistaken- but not too sure on the specifics.

I guess I just want to know the basics-

Also, what is the difference between Wicca and other forms of Paganism? It seems, as far as I can tell, sort of like Christianity- Pagan and Christian are the main categories... and then you have separate denominations of paganism or christianity- so wiccan would be a form of paganism, just like pentacostal is a form of christianity- is that right?

Drawing those types of parallels when applicable helps me understand it because I was raised catholic and that's where a lot of my religious knowledge lies-

Basically any clarification of the things I said, as well as any other info or even any links to basic wiccan or pagan sites would be helpful.

Thanks!

[Synnen]

Well... I've done some reading a while back, but it's all very hazy in my mind. Do wiccans believe in one god or many gods? I vaguely remember reading something about the god and goddess... but that they were one force, and that they represented the masculine and feminine elements? Sort of like how christians believe in the trinity, but still believe in one god? Or... idk.

And do wiccans believe in a god and goddess, like... as though they are PEOPLE, or is it more like... they believe that there is a spirit that has both masculine and feminine aspects and by personifying it into a god and goddess it makes it easier to understand and grasp?!

We believe, essentially (and you will find this varies a bit, depending on the TYPE of Wiccan) that there is a God and a Goddess, and that they are both one force AND separate forces. They are definitely a god and goddess, not people! However, we believe that they have more direct influence in our lives than most religions believe. For instance, *I* could talk to my Goddess directly (and do, all the time!) even though I'm not a priestess (I still need to test to priestess level, which is hard to do, because you need higher level priests/priestesses to witness your testing). She (or He, if you're talking ot the Lord) answers, but seldom with a direct "DO THIS" answer. Usually it's in signs, or in Karma (or however you want to word "what goes around comes around"). If She is asking you to do something, and you don't hear Her, or ignore Her the first time, believe me, she'll make sure you know what you're supposed to do.

As far as the one or many question--we believe that all gods are one god, and all goddesses are one goddess, and all people just call them by different names. We ALSO believe that there are many aspects to each--the Dark Goddess, the Maiden, the Mother, the Crone, etc; or the Horned One, the Oak Man, the Son, the Father, etc.

I know that a lot revolves around nature as well, if I'm not mistaken- but not too sure on the specifics.!

We respect and rever the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit, and believe that Nature is sacred to some extent--Everything is part of the whole, so to hurt the Earth, to harm nature, is to harm yourself.

I guess I just want to know the basics-

Also, what is the difference between Wicca and other forms of Paganism? It seems, as far as I can tell, sort of like Christianity- Pagan and Christian are the main categories... and then you have seperate denominations of paganism or christianity- so wiccan would be a form of paganism, just like pentacostal is a form of christianity- is that right?

Drawing those types of parallels when applicable helps me understand it because i was raised catholic and that's where a lot of my religious knowledge lies-

Basically any clarification of the things I said, as well as any other info or even any links to basic wiccan or pagan sites would be helpful.

Thanks!

That's exactly right! Other forms of paganism include Druidism, direct Nature Worship (which is something like the Hippies of the 60s), or worship of a specific element. There are at LEAST 3 sects of Wicca, not including the solitary Witch. To get an overview, you might check out the Wiki entry on Wicca, because it's actually pretty acurate.

The hardest thing for most people coming from organized religions to understand is that Wicca (and most paganism) is not organized. We seldom meet in groups greater than 25 or so, and even those groupings are not regular groups. My Circle currently has 3 members. We got together with another 2 groups for Samhain (Halloween) for a larger ceremony--and there were still only about 10 of us. We all pretty much agree to disagree on the particulars, and do what feels best to us, with the major rules being to do no harm to others or to Nature, and that anything you do will come back on you sevenfold, and that you MUST not bend another's free will for your working. I end most workings with "Maintaining the free will of all, for the good of all".

While we do cast spells, that's generally NOT what most Witches do--simply because the reprecussions are so many, and so unpredictable. Plus, the energy required to do a spell is based on how big the spell is. A spell of protection for myself, maintained by my own personal energy, isn't that hard. Protecting someone else--not so much. But protections are the easiest spells--if I wanted to cast a circle of protection on my home, that's not as difficult as, say, casting a spell to meet someone I'd like to date. The particulars get too complicated!

In general, I hope that gives you an overview! Please feel free to ask more questions, and I'll answer as I can!

[simoneaugie]

I didn't know it bothered those of more public religions that I celebrate on both my sacred day and theirs. Yes, helping them with preparations is something I do to be supportive. They don't talk to me about what I celebrate. They just kind of ignore what I do. Too bad so many of us hide what is sacred to us.

[Thisby649]

I am not Wicca, but I have a question. Is Wicca the religion who's members sometimes talk to trees and was it a Wicca family that was once featured on either "Wife Swap" or "Trading Spouses" ?

[Synnen]

Druids are more likely to talk to trees than Wiccans, but since one of the aspects of our God is the Oak Man--it might be.

I don't watch TV at all--couldn't tell you on the second question.

[simoneaugie]

I don't watch TV at all either. Mass media and the press want to sell viewership, and thus commercials. My first thought of putting a Wiccan family on one of those shows was as a commercial venue. They sell more ad time, the more controversial or "talked about" something is. If you want to learn intelligently about anything, balance your TV information with books, internet, conventions and conversations and trying safe things yourself. Always ask yourself, "does this source of information want to inform me, or sell something?" A tree has never tried to sell me anything. So I do have occasional conversations with them.

[BiWiccanAndProud]

I very much agree with you on that simoneaugie! I watch a lot of TV but the only things I ever take seriously... are things I see on the travel channel and discovery channel! To many lies come from TV... but then again it is the same with the internet. At my school we are never supposed to use Wiki cause it is a source that can be edited by anybody any time and so is unreliable. It's always going to be my firm belief that books are the best way to go. Though sometimes it's hard to find a reliable source in books too. When I first became Wicca and was researching it I went to Hastings to get my books. I found one IN THE NEW AGE SECTION (why wicca books are in NEW age I have no clue), that went into detail about how to protect yourself against zombies and vampires, and one of the spells included ingredients such as a sparrows heart and eye of newt, I couldn't stop laughing!! So in all aspects you got to be careful with what ever source you look at, cause that book I just described actually had some accurate info about wicca... IN THE BEGINNING of the book. I've found though that Scott Cunningham is the best author of Wiccan books out there, but that's my opinion.

Say on the subject of books, does anyone know any good books on Crystal Healing? I've looked at many Judy Hall books but a lot of them contain the same info. I'd like to find a book that tells me what specific places a stone should good for certain symptoms. Thanks guys!

[BiWiccanAndProud]

Imbolc is almost here guys!! And unfortunately... I'm the most unorganized person >.<. I understand what Imbolc celebrates yes, but I have not been able to find any celebration rituals or write my own. I'm also at a loss cause my friend got taken into the system for not going to school (come to find out she has social anxiety) and is in Nebraska! Normally we go to her house to do sabbat celebrations cause we have a perminate circle in her back yard and we can have fires and everything. With her gone though I can't just go to her house for the celebration, and I wanted to do a fire but I have no where else to go. So does anyone know a simple but fun ritual I could do inside or outside for Imbolc?

[Synnen]

Imbolc is preparation, really.

One book I read said that a great celebration of Imbolc by a solitary witch is to cast the circle around your home, call the elements and the goddess, and then CLEAN.

[BiWiccanAndProud]

My mom would ask me what was wrong >.< lol...