Wicca is a modern practice of witchcraft. However, since the term "witch" is commonly associated with negative images by many people, many of todays witches refer to themselves as Wiccan. Some Wiccans practice their craft in a group, called a coven. Others prefer to practice alone. Although each Wiccans beliefs may differ, there are some basic ideals that most of them hold. The Wiccan Rede is the basic code of conduct and can be summed up in its closing verse, "An ye harm none, do as ye will". This means that as longs as you cause harm to no one, even yourself, you may and should do what your true will leads you to do. Another commonly held belief of most Wiccans is the Rule of Three, or Threefold Law. It states that the energy from everything that you do, bad or good, comes back to you three times as strong as what you sent out. This means that if you do something to cause harm, through intent or negligence, you will receive three times the negativity that you caused to happen. Also, Wiccans try to hold themselves in balance with the earth, respect life in all its forms, and show respect for the divine. Most Wiccans view the divine as having male and female aspects. These aspects are commonly refered to as the God and Goddess, or the Lord and the Lady. Wiccans do practice magick. Some Wiccans cast spells by burning candles, some use herbs, some tie knots in cords, some do all of the above, some do none. There are almost as many forms of spellcasting as there are Wiccans.


 

Wicca is not devil worship. I cannot stress that enough. Wiccans believe in causing good things to happen in their lives and the lives of those they love. Wiccans do not allign themselves with anything or anyone that would cause harm to themselves or another person. The concept of the devil comes from Judeo-Christian beliefs that have no relation to Wiccan beliefs. Wiccans do not try to convert people to their way of belief. As a matter of fact, though most Wiccans will discuss their beliefs with other people, acceptance into a coven or as a student is a slow process. A teacher or members of a coven will take an appropriate ammount of time getting to know someone who is interested in Wicca before even considering to teach them. This is to insure that the student has sufficient interest in following the Wiccan path and for the student to get to know and trust the person or persons who will be teaching them. Another misconception about Wiccans is that they spend most of their time casting spells. Although Wiccans do practice magick, for most Wiccans, spellwork is a small part of their lives. One last point is that because Wiccans respect life in all of its forms, they do not perform human or animal sacrifices.