***Lesson
2***
Second
class- transcripts
Lesson
2-Assignment 1
This
is also known as the "Rede", which translates into "rule",
and is the rule by which Wiccan's live. "Harm None" also
includes yourself, as well as other living beings, and indeed the planet itself.
There are almost as many different interpretations as to what constitutes harm
as there are Wiccans, and it may get confusing at times. It is the
responsibility of each person to look at their actions and their intentions and
decide if harm will be done. You are responsible for all of your own words and
actions, and you may do whatever you want to do within that framework. Which
brings us to two other beliefs of Wicca, that of Threefold Return, and Karma.
The
Law of Threefold Return basically states that whatever you do returns to you
threefold, good or ill. Karma is the manifestation of that law in action. It
isn't punishment, because it is simply a balancing out of what you have earned.
Similar to "as you sow, so shall you reap" or "what comes around,
goes around". This Law also states that you are bound to return good with
good, and ill with ill, but there are people who don't believe in that and don't
practice it. There are ways to defend yourself by simply sending the negative
energy back to it's source.
You
have the sole responsibility for your words. And also for how you choose
to live your life, and how you react to what happens to you. Part of this comes
from the belief that we choose our lives and our circumstances (yes, our parents
too!) before we are born so that we will have the opportunity to learn the life
lessons our soul wishes to learn in this incarnation. That being the case, we
are here to learn, to grow, to love, and to be happy doing it. We do not believe
in a "devil" who makes us act wrongly, nor do we believe that we only
have to say "I'm sorry" and everything is all better either. The best
way to make amends for harming someone is to admit to the person you were wrong
and to ask them how you can make it up to them. Sometimes that just isn't
possible, but with some thought and meditation on it, a enlightened person can
find a solution that helps in a concrete way.
Most
Wiccans believe in reincarnation in some form. Whether or not we all believe
that our souls return as plants and animals, or just as humans, is debated among
different groups. But we do believe that we return, again and again, to learn
our life's lessons on this physical plane. Nature is cyclical, all things that
die are reborn, as in the flowers that return year after year, and the sea that
becomes clouds, that becomes rain, that becomes rivers, that returns to the sea
again. Nature teaches us that nothing ever truly dies, but that it keeps
returning, perhaps in another form. So death holds less sting for us, as we
believe that we will live and love the same people again. We will miss them for
a time, and then be rejoined.
This
means actually two things. One is that most of us believe in male and female
energies in our deity, both God and Goddess. Again we look to nature, which
shows us that it takes both energies to create life. Also, nothing is ever all
good or all bad, and our deities contain creative as well as destructive forces
in them. Nothing new gets created without something being destroyed first, this
is the balance of the Universe. Even scientists tell us that matter and energy
can never be destroyed, just changed from one form to another. And so, take the
leap here, Good and Evil are judgements that we make. Destructive or
constructive is dependent upon your point of view, and our deities contain both
these energies. There is no all good God nor all bad one, there is only the ALL.
You
may hear many Wiccans use different God or Goddess names, and indeed we have
whole Pantheons of Goddesses and Gods. But our inner self is aware that these
are all aspects of the ALL. Let me explain it this way: you may be a mother, an
employee, a sister, a daughter, and a wife, and you will act differently in each
of those roles; yet you are one person. Just as you will have different
attributes depending on the title you are called, so do the Gods and Goddesses.
Since God/dess is ALL, we can call upon whatever attribute or name we need at
the time, knowing that this is but a small part.
Immanent
means that God/dess is within us - within all of us. And also within all of
nature, which is why we revere nature. Deity lives within us, we are the
God/dess incarnate.
If
deity is within all life, then it follows that all life is sacred, doesn't it?
So, then, do we starve? Mother Nature's children don't starve, but they do show
honor and respect to the beings they have to eat to survive. That chicken you
had for dinner a couple of nights ago wasn't made in the supermarket, it was
born from another chicken. It was alive, and then sacrificed, so that you could
eat it to live. Honor that sacrifice, at least silently. That salad you had for
lunch didn't start life in a plastic bag, but as a living, growing plant.
Remember that these are also the Goddesses' creatures, and deserve to be
acknowledged and thanked. Honor can be a simple thank you, or watering a plant
you see on the side of the road that needs a drink, or maybe picking up trash
that someone else carelessly dumped somewhere. Honoring the earth as our mother
goes along with this concept.
This
happens to be our covens' motto, and we picked it for good reason. Reverence
should be balanced by mirth, too much of one or the other, and your life is
either too serious, or too frivolous. The "Charge of the Goddess"
tells us to balance our lives, and to live our lives fully, and to be happy.
Most
Wiccans celebrate the eight Sabbats, though there are some traditions that only
recognize the four Major Sabbats. The word "sabbat" comes from the
Babylonian and mean's "heart's rest". In our tradition we honor all
eight, and we do no personal magic for mundane needs on those days.(anyway there
are Wiccans that do personal magickthis days) We still have the other 357 days
for whatever we need to do! On the Sabbats we honor the Lord and Lady and the
season of the earth that we are in. We try to tie them into both the
agricultural times and what is happening in our own lives. "To every thing
there is a season".
The
following concepts are what we teach in our tradition, and may or may not be
subscribed to by most other Wiccans. Although I have heard them taught often
enough, and not just by Wiccans, these beliefs do not define one as a Wiccan in
any way. They are shared here because we teach them, and no beliefs class
would be complete without them. Many tie directly into magick, and you
may see them repeated there in the Spellcraft classes also.
This
has been known for centuries. In fact, throughout history, rulers and despots
kept the "masses" ignorant and illiterate on purpose to prevent
"peasant" uprisings. Knowledge applied with Wisdom gives you control.
You can be in control of your own life, your own destiny, and yourself. There
are many differents paths, of which Wicca is only one.
This
is so true, and one of the reasons why magick, and positive affirmations do
work. Everything that has been invented, started with a thought. Scientists
today are starting to be able to measure "thought energy" and there is
no doubt that it exists. This maxim has been taught for years in magickal
circles. Postive thoughts will bring positive results, and negative thoughts
will bring negative reults. You get what you expect to get, basically. People
who are constantly complaining and having negative thoughts, always have
something more to complain about, don't they? And people who are happy most of
the time, and think that they CAN accomplish things usually do so.
Underline
this one, remember it! If you can develop observation as a habit, it will pay
off for you again and again in so many ways. One example is if you want to
accomplish a goal, look at people who have done what you want to do, and observe
how they did it. You can learn what to do, and what to avoid without having to
make all the same mistakes over again. Be especially observant of other witches,
in circle, and out of circle. You can learn a lot just by being observant.
History
of Wicca
(The
history as documented by Kevin Baker.)
The
history of Wicca is under much debate in the Wiccan community. Some people say
that it dates back to as early as the stone age. Others say that it's origins
are much more recent. The problem with the history of Wicca is that there has
been much persecution throughout the years, making it very hard to keep records.
The more recent history can be confirmed, but the problem lies in the ancient
history.
Archaeologist
have found drawings in caves from the stone age that would suggest that Wicca,
or witchcraft, dates back that far, but it's hard to be certain. In the earliest
age of man writing was nonexistent and the drawings found are hard to interpret.
It's believed that even in the stone age there was some concept of a higher
being and various forms of worship. Evidence has been found to support that
there was some form of Wicca in early C.E.
Artifacts
have been found from the first few centuries that suggest there were
“witches” back then. Some of these things include decorated knives, mixing
bowls and jewelry. The Christian church was also more tolerant of witchcraft in
early C.E.. People who were found to be practitioners only had to repent with no
real threat of harm. Then in the late 13th century the view of magic began to
change.
The
belief that magic was a form of evil that came from the devil himself grew.
People who practiced witchcraft were viewed as being bonded with Satan. This
began what most Wiccans refer to as "The Burning Times" . The
Inquisition was founded and many witches were put to death. The numbers vary,
but the lowest estimates are well into the thousands. The witch-hunts ended by
the 18th century, the last outbreak being the Salem witch trials. In Salem,
Massachusetts twenty people, supposedly witches, were put to death after an
outbreak of hysteria cause by several young girls we said they were bewitched.
.In
the mid 20th century there was a rebirth of witchcraft, referred to today as the
Neo-Pagan movement. Several writers drew great attention to Wicca and its
beliefs. The most famous of these writers was Gerald Gardner who wrote
"Witchcraft Today" in 1954 and began to revitalize the Wiccan
movement. Today Wicca thrives and has a large following.
Magick Name
Most Wiccans
choose a Craft name (also known as a magickal name). Because Wicca is a new way
of life, it is traditional to find a new name that you feel suits you. At birth,
we are given names without any personality to base it on. When you choose a
Craft name, it will be something very much a part of you, perfectly fitting and
comfortable. A name is a symbol of yourself. You should choose a name that fits
you just right. It should say something about your personality. And of course,
choosing a new name represents the birth of a "new" you as you enter
the world of magick, paganism, and the God and Goddess.
Here are some
guidelines:
Let your name come
to you. If you try
to force yourself to come up with a name, you'll only end up with something that
sounds nice, but will always seem a little less than fitting. The name that
suits you will come along and be just right.
Try thinking of it
from this perspective:
What would you be, if you weren't a human? An animal? An inanimate object, like
a flower or a tree? Or would you be a great body of water, or a torrent of wind
and rain, or a mirage in a hot desert? Think of yourself that way, and it may
help the name form in your mind.
Think about how
others see you. Imagine
being on the outside, talking to yourself... a little like reflecting your
personality so it's more tangible. Then maybe that name will come to you!
Consider your
personality. What name
would represent your characteristics best? Names like "Charisma" or
"Star" might suggest an outgoing personality, while a name like
"Dove" or "Innocence" would represent a shy, gentle person.
Go from there.
Here´s
your first assignment: Write an intro about yourself. The specific information
I'm looking for is this:
1)
Your magickal experiences
2) Your estimated level
3) Time studying magick
4) Any references you have read dealing with Magick
5) What kind of magickian you would class yourself (talking about paths or
anything that fits)
6) Any further pertinent information about you.
7) If you already choose a magick name- and if you
did, why you choose that one.
You
can include things like your sex, your location in the world, your age, and
other information of the same type.
This
assignment is due in two weeks.
We
need to know each other before going any further (I´ll post an intro about
myself too- so you all can know me better) , and this is going to show your
progress in magick at the end of the course too.
Remember
how to submit your assignments: send
it to the group wicca101basic with the subject line “assignment
1(yourIDhere)” (I already sent an email explaining the ID thing
May
the god and goddess light your path
Bb
Solo
podran enviar el assignment aquellos que integran el grupo wicca101basics
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