A Pagan Primer
Five key words in a widely misunderstood religion.
Magic
1. The unseen motivating power of the universe or creation, and the thread that determines all the laws of nature.
2. The physical practices required to bring about what the practitioners are trying to bring about, and the praying and calling upon the Divine to make happen whatever part they can't complete.
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Pagan
Any earth-based, naturecentric, polytheistic, tribal, or indigenous faith. Traditionally, a label given by Christians to those who didn't believe in the Christian God. Pagans believe the Divine is its own quantity, but can present itself in many forms.
Wicca
A diverse subcategory of Paganism, just as Protestantism relates to numerous Christian sects. Wiccans see the Divine as present within everything, including all of nature, and believe in many different pathways to God. The Wiccan Rede, a core ethical statement, states: "An' it harm none, do what you will." Some examples of Wiccan faiths include Reclaiming, Druidry, and NROOGD (aka New Reformed Order of the Golden Dawn).
Witch
This historically negative word is being reclaimed by some Pagans. It refers to a woman or man who practices a life-affirming, Earth- and nature-oriented religion, honoring female as well as (or instead of) male aspects of the Divine, and practicing Magic. A Witch needn't practice Wicca, but usually has some Wicca influence in his/her rituals. Not all Witches are Wiccans and not all Wiccans are Witches, although some are both.
Witchcraft
Another Pagan subcategory. Members of this nature-based faith, typically polytheistic, believe they can bend reality to their will. Similar to Wiccans, but they tend to practice more independently. Modern Witchcraft may be seen as the sum total of all a Witch's practices, which may include spellcasting, divination (fortune-telling), meditation, herbalism, ritual and ritual drama, singing and dancing to raise energy, healing, clairvoyance and other psychism, creative mythology, and more.
(Sources: Patrick McCollum, US Army Chaplain's Handbook, Covenant of the Goddess, JoHanna Coash)
Editor's Note: Comments are not edited or fact-checked by the East Bay Express.
Why is it that everyone who wants to write an article about magick writes about Druids and Wiccans. First of all, the Pagan umbrella has so much more to it, then there's the Other paths, and no, not just Satanism, things like Chaos Magick, Discordianism, Thelema, the Golden Dawn throwbacks, all sorts of things that never get covered because someone wants to do a fluff piece and not actually do any research 93/42/17 WhAtS yOuR pOiNt? Random
Comment by Anonymous - March 29, 2007 @ 07:48 AM
Well. At least it's being written about in a positive manner or at least creating dialogue. Naturally, there should be a more informative follow-up to this very brief piece. We're waiting... In the the meantime, a new social network similar to MySpace or Friendster for the Pagan community called OurGrove.net is being quietly launched. OurGrove.net is currently in ALPHA and will be upgraded to BETA this Spring. We welcome active sharing of knowledge and expression from all Pagan and neo-Pagan belief systems. Effective today, the welcome mat is out for new members to join with full access to all available networking features at http://www.ourgrove.net/referral/7777772f Blessed be
Comment by Anonymous - March 29, 2007 @ 01:44 PM
Slight error in your article, well slight in my view a Druid might not see it so slight. Wicca was created by Gerald Gardener in the 1940's and first publicized by him in 1954, he claimed it was a surviving witchcraft religion from pre-christian civilizations in Europe. Druidry (modern druidry that is) is a faith rebuilt using the available historical records of the last active druids in the British Isle's and Ireland, some said to have still survived into the 17th century. Wicca and Druidry differ greatly in their beliefs and origins. Druidry is not now, nor has it ever been a part or sub sect of Wicca. It's revival began a century before Gardener's Wicca was unveiled to the world.
Comment by Anonymous - March 28, 2007 @ 06:14 AM