BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS OF WICCA 
          Not every Wiccan will subscribe to all of these points, but  
          generally they are representative. 
           
          1.  The divine Spirit is present in all creatures and things:   
          people, animals, plants, stones... 
           
          2.  The ultimate creative force manifests in both feminine and  
          masculine modes;  therefore it is often symbolized as the Goddess  
          and The God. 
           
          3.  In some covens, both are celebrated equally.  In others, The  
          Goddess is given precedence or even celebrated without reference  
          to the God. 
           
          4.  All Goddesses and Gods are aspects of The Goddess and The God. 
            The aspects most popular in Wicca are the Triple Goddess of the  
          Moon (Maiden, Mother and Crone) and the Horned God of death and  
          rebirth. 
           
          5.  Reincarnation and karma are valid concepts.  Upon death one  
          goes to a state of rest and reflection, and eventually chooses  
          where and when s/he will be reborn. 
           
          6.  Magick is practiced for positive (helping) purposes:   
          spiritual development, healing, guidance, safety, etc. 
           
          7.  Rituals are generally performed outdoors when possible, at the 
          New and Full Moons, and at eight Sabbat festivals which mark the  
          progression of the seasons. 
           
          8.  Magick and celebration are performed in small groups, usually  
          3 to 13, called covens.  These are basically autonomous -- there  
          is no central church authority or hierarchy. 
           
          9.  There is no holy book, or prophet, no equivalent of the Bible  
          or Jesus or Mohammed.  Individuals have access to the divine, and  
          do not require an intermediary.  Every initiate is regarded as a  
          priest/ess. 
           
          10. The central ethic is "And ye harm none, do as ye will."   
          Whatever energy you send out returns threefold, so it is wise to  
          be kind to others. 
           
          11. We should live in harmony with the Earth and Nature, and not  
          exploit them. 
           
          12. Though Wicca is a valid spiritual path, it is not the only  
          one.  There is no recruiting, and people should be free to choose  
          the path that best fits their needs. 
           
          13. The concepts of original sin, sacrifice, redemption,  
          confession, the divinity of Jesus, sinfulness of sex, Judgment,  
          Heaven and Hell, denigration of women, bodily resurrection, and  
          the Bible as divine revelation are not part of Wicca.  Neither are 
          Satanism, the Black Mass, desecration of cemeteries, the sacrifice 
          of animals, etc. 

          Copyright (c) 1983 Amber K., Our Lady of the Woods. Used by 
          Permission 



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