hun if you ever have questions....do just what you have been doing..ask. if i can help in any way...just let me know.

Fallon

yes scotts a great person to read his the one that pretty much teach me. Yes very nature base with the turns of the season, Of Course Lord & Lady Im glad we could help you .

Ah, I wouldn't say that Wicca is a nature based religion. It is also not a religion that is "make it what you will." Like all religions, there are set things, how else would it have finally gotten legal recognition? Wicca is an orthopraxic, initiatory, fertility religion. Orthopraxic means that it's members are defined not by what they believe but by what they do. This is because that things do vary from coven to coven, such as what deities/spirits are acknowledged/worked with, but within a tradition everyone is doing the same thing. Initiatory is obvious: you have to be initiated into a coven that can trace its lineage back to the New Forest Coven. That it is a Fertility religion as to nature based means that the focus is on the change found in the seasons, in all life, the ebb and flow, the constant rise and fall of energies that never ends. Nature based would mean the focus is on the natural world, more from an Animistic viewpoint, that all of nature is embodied by a spirit of some kind: immanent divine. While many of these concepts can be found within Wicca, they are not the focus.

But, most people who call themselves are not BTW (British Traditional Wicca) which is what the above is about. They are Eclectic Solitaries, what is more properly called Neo-Wicca, noting that it is based off of Outercourt (BTW) Wiccan info, but varies greatly in that it does differ from person to person and group to group.

From a legal standpoint, Neo-Wicca/Eclectic Wicca is NOT recognized as a religion. BTW and Dianic are, as well as a few Goddess Religions. If you want legal protection as a Wiccan (as Paganism isn't legally acknowledged yet,) you must belong to an established Wiccan group, i.e. Coven, Meetup Group, Church, Organization, etc. Easy way to be a member of a Wiccan group is to join Circle Sanctuary. They are very lenient with membership (I believe you just have to subscribe to their emails or read their magazine...) and Selena Fox and the Lady Liberty League are willing to help any Pagan with legal issues like discrimination.

Anyhoo.... Welcome to the site! Check out Our Cauldron, too! ;D

Namaste,
Dami

Great info Dami you explain it lovely

What are some of the set things in Wicca? Esbats and Sabbats are apart of the set things, I'm sure but what are some of the others? It would be a big help to have somewhat of an idea.

Thanks for all the great info. It's really helped me out a lot to better understand Wicca.

Like said before really wicca is what you make of it. Its not like other religions where you have to follow a code or anything. Like some wiccans only really worship the Goddess. Some dont call them spells they call them prays. Some thing you should only have this & that on your altar & that it. Some think you shouldn't have a altar cloth or you should have special ones for each Esbats or sabbats.
You sound like me when I was looking into wicca I wanted to find the "bible" of wicca the stone writen words. Really its just Harm None Do What You Will is the only words in stone. Its what you feel is right. let your research guide you to the path that is right for you cause I promise you'll find your way I didn't & Im a totally different witch know!

Windora you said that beautifully. Wicca/Paganism is exactly what you make it. Some like covens, some prefer solitary, some like several different books of shadows, some don't, some celebrate every single thing that there is and others only some. It really is all about what works for you as an individual. Listen, read, research, and learn. But always take away what works for you personally and what rings true for you.

Fallon

Thanks Fallon