Any wiccan bronies on the forums?

[~Sole~ 852]

I'm a recently "converted" wiccan in training, and I must say I like being a wiccan, it just feels right. But my question is, how many of us are there here? I'd love to speak with other wiccans.

[Snowy Storm 57]

I know a little of wicca, but i'm not one. Still I think about being one, So you at least have me if that means anything. I'm pagan that believes in the spirits.

[Galen 1,353]

What does it mean to be a wiccan in training? Does it mean learning more of its fundamental beliefs and traditions or is there more to it?

[~Sole~ 852]

I know a little of wicca, but i'm not one. Still I think about being one, So you at least have me if that means anything. I'm pagan that believes in the spirits.

as pleased as I am that you don't downgrade wicca like a lot of people, I'm not trying to convert people. If you wish to become a wiccan, then that's your choice.

 

What does it mean to be a wiccan in training? Does it mean learning more of its fundamental beliefs and traditions or is there more to it?

when I said wiccan in training, I meant that I was just starting as a wiccan. Wiccans have a sacred journal called the book of shadows (basically each wiccan makes their own) and I don't have one yet, and I don't know much of the common practices yet. Sadly I cannot practice them anyways, I live with 5 christians, so I'd probably be hated if they found out,

[Princess Lona 381]

I'm not Wiccan but I have read a bit about magik and made a sigil. The people who got me into magik didn't really have a name for their beliefs but I think some of what they did was derived from Wicca.

[Armchair Adventurer 211]

This is a religion I have recently discovered but I'm very interested in. A few years ago I had kind of a "crisis of faith" (to clarify I'm not religious and I wasn't at that time either) where I did a lot of research on different religions to see if any fits. But none of them felt right to me. But this kinda does for some reason I can't really describe. I think it's time to look into it a bit more.

[~Sole~ 852]

I'm not Wiccan but I have read a bit about magik and made a sigil. The people who got me into magik didn't really have a name for their beliefs but I think some of what they did was derived from Wicca.

well, as far as I know, only wiccan magic is spelled "Magick". And you don't have to be a wiccan to use magic, your friends must've been witches (btw, most are NOT evil in any sense of the word), but I wouldn't doubt that they might've used a wiccan spell or two.

 

This is a religion I have recently discovered but I'm very interested in. A few years ago I had kind of a "crisis of faith" (to clarify I'm not religious and I wasn't at that time either) where I did a lot of research on different religions to see if any fits. But none of them felt right to me. But this kinda does for some reason I can't really describe. I think it's time to look into it a bit more.

if you feel comfortable with wicca, then try it. I can't, nor would I, try to talk you into believing in wicca. Wiccans don't convert people, we let others make that choice on their own.

[MelancholicMemory 2,022]

I'm not a wiccan, but I have friends who are wiccans and I know a bit about the religion. I like it, but it's not my cup of tea.

[Princess Lona 381]

well, as far as I know, only wiccan magic is spelled "Magick". And you don't have to be a wiccan to use magic, your friends must've been witches (btw, most are NOT evil in any sense of the word), but I wouldn't doubt that they might've used a wiccan spell or two.

Hmm, I didn't know that only Wiccan magik is spelled that way. My friend never mentioned Wicca in our conversation. It was cool, I knew this guy because we go to the same local comedy shows but we were just minor acquaintances, not close friends. Then one day he asked me on Facebook if I'd like to get together and chat sometime. When I got to the place where we were meeting he said: "Okay this is going to sound weird but...are you a magician?" I said no and he said that he just got the feeling like maybe I was. He seemed really relieved when I was open-minded about it and then we had a great conversation and I learned a lot. Maybe he is Wiccan but he was afraid to label himself so because he didn't want to scare me off.

[~Sole~ 852]

Hmm, I didn't know that only Wiccan magik is spelled that way. My friend never mentioned Wicca in our conversation. It was cool, I knew this guy because we go to the same local comedy shows but we were just minor acquaintances, not close friends. Then one day he asked me on Facebook if I'd like to get together and chat sometime. When I got to the place where we were meeting he said: "Okay this is going to sound weird but...are you a magician?" I said no and he said that he just got the feeling like maybe I was. He seemed really relieved when I was open-minded about it and then we had a great conversation and I learned a lot. Maybe he is Wiccan but he was afraid to label himself so because he didn't want to scare me off.

well, I could be wrong. I've just only ever seen it spelled that way among wiccans. And your friend is probably a witch, but he might be a wiccan too (yes, you can be both). Did he use a pentagram for any of his spells? And Despite what Christians labeled it as, the pentagram isn't evil.

[Frith is Magick 1,471]

I am an eclectic Pagan, but I was introduced to the path through Wicca. I only know a little bit about Wicca, but it still has had an effect on my path. I don't practice magik on a regular basis, but I have done the odd spell here and there. I won't go into depth, seeing as this is a thread specifically about Wicca.

 

One of the more annoying misconception is the portrayal of magic in media. People see the fiction and think that is what we are trying to do, but magik is more subtle. I admit that I held the misconception that ritual was just empty gestures trying to do the impossible, at least until I actually sought to understand. 

[~Sole~ 852]

I am an eclectic Pagan, but I was introduced to the path through Wicca. I only know a little bit about Wicca, but it still has had an effect on my path. I don't practice magik on a regular basis, but I have done the odd spell here and there. I won't go into depth, seeing as this is a thread specifically about Wicca.

 

One of the more annoying misconception is the portrayal of magic in media. People see the fiction and think that is what we are trying to do, but magik is more subtle. I admit that I held the misconception that ritual was just empty gestures trying to do the impossible, at least until I actually sought to understand.

 

yeah, I understand the misconception. Media either makes magic as shooting lightning and fireballs from your hands, or as totally fake idiocy. But I know from personal experience that Magick is nothing like that. The spells I have used have worked, even if you cannot see the effects, there is still proof. And wicca is annoyingly seen as the same thing as being pagan, as if they are the same. Like if you say your a pagan, many will say "oh, so your a wiccan". This personally irritates me, and makes some pagans dislike wicca.

[Frith is Magick 1,471]

 

 

And wicca is annoyingly seen as the same thing as being pagan, as if they are the same. Like if you say your a pagan, many will say "oh, so your a wiccan". This personally irritates me, and makes some pagans dislike wicca.

All Wiccans are Pagan, but not all Pagans are Wiccan. I don't like how Wiccan, Witch, Heathen, Satanist, and Pagan are used as synonyms even though each one has a different meaning. I don't expect everyone to know everything about Paganism, but calling a Wiccan Heathen is like calling a Christian Muslim. It defeats the whole purpose of having these terms if they are consistently misused. 

[~Sole~ 852]

All Wiccans are Pagan, but not all Pagans are Wiccan. I don't like how Wiccan, Witch, Heathen, Satanist, and Pagan are used as synonyms even though each one has a different meaning. I don't expect everyone to know everything about Paganism, but calling a Wiccan Heathen is like calling a Christian Muslim. It defeats the whole purpose of having these terms if they are consistently misused.

 

I agree with the point your making, but at the same time I see why they do it. They call more minor religions pagan so as to generalize them easier, even if it is sorta disrespectful. Also, I know wiccans count as pagans, but most prefer the term wiccan over pagan. In fact, most pagan religions dislike being called pagan, they prefer their actual terms over a semi ignorant term like "pagan".

[Frith is Magick 1,471]

 

 

I agree with the point your making, but at the same time I see why they do it. They call more minor religions pagan so as to generalize them easier, even if it is sorta disrespectful. Also, I know wiccans count as pagans, but most prefer the term wiccan over pagan. In fact, most pagan religions dislike being called pagan, they prefer their actual terms over a semi ignorant term like "pagan".

 

Pagan is a useful term when used properly. It covers a wide variety of paths and can be used safely to refer to someone when you don't know their specific path. I can also refer to more of a community than standoffish factions. The problem emerges when it is used as a specific term equal to a path without differentiating path. It also gives a title to eclectics like me who borrow from various paths without actually identifying as a member.

 

You can think of it as a progression: Pagan, Wiccan, Gardnerian. Abrahamic, Christian, pentacostal. It is a matter of how specific you wish to be.

 

I can't claim to speak for everyone, but one of the major issues with the term Pagan is the negative connotation. Even Pagans are generally raised in a christian culture where pagan is almost synonymous with evil, thus we feel that non-pagans using the word pagan is insulting. Personally, I have no problem with it. Pagan comes from the Latin "paganus", meaning someone living in a rural area, much like Heathen means "of the heath". When I hear Pagan, I think of a person who follows a non-abrahamic religion or whichever religion is predominant in that person's region.

[~Sole~ 852]

Pagan is a useful term when used properly. It covers a wide variety of paths and can be used safely to refer to someone when you don't know their specific path. I can also refer to more of a community than standoffish factions. The problem emerges when it is used as a specific term equal to a path without differentiating path. It also gives a title to eclectics like me who borrow from various paths without actually identifying as a member.

 

You can think of it as a progression: Pagan, Wiccan, Gardnerian. Abrahamic, Christian, pentacostal. It is a matter of how specific you wish to be.

 

I can't claim to speak for everyone, but one of the major issues with the term Pagan is the negative connotation. Even Pagans are generally raised in a christian culture where pagan is almost synonymous with evil, thus we feel that non-pagans using the word pagan is insulting. Personally, I have no problem with it. Pagan comes from the Latin "paganus", meaning someone living in a rural area, much like Heathen means "of the heath". When I hear Pagan, I think of a person who follows a non-abrahamic religion or whichever religion is predominant in that person's region.

well, I see your point. You do make a good reason for the word, I just dislike being refered to as a pagan, even when people know my religion. Pagan isn't really a bad term, but many religions dislike being called so. But I will never except the term "neopagan". I don't care what you say there, that just sounds dumb lol.

[Princess Lona 381]

well, I could be wrong. I've just only ever seen it spelled that way among wiccans. And your friend is probably a witch, but he might be a wiccan too (yes, you can be both). Did he use a pentagram for any of his spells? And Despite what Christians labeled it as, the pentagram isn't evil.

He didn't use a pentagram but he did link me to this video about Sigil Magik.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioiYwpsL44M

Actually the vid he linked me was longer but it's not available anymore. This is just part of it. It's from Disinfocon 2000.

[Snowy Storm 57]

The pentagram is my biggest pet peeve. people are so quick to call it evil. what it mean is fire, water, earth, water, and the top point is spirit. I don't remember what holding it upside down means, but i think it was something about spirit decent to matter, or human desire, which isn't evil.
I also do know how to read the tarot cards as well. Like I said before, I'm a pagan of spirits. still learning about it though, so my knowledge is limited.

Edited November 17, 2013 by Snowy Storm

[Frith is Magick 1,471]

 

 

The pentagram is my biggest pet peeve. people are so quick to call it evil. what it mean is fire, water, earth, water, and the top point is spirit. I don't remember what holding it upside down means, but i think it was something about spirit decent to matter, or human desire, which isn't evil.

 

 

I'm going to preface this post by saying that symbolism can be tricky. Symbols can be wonderful things, a single image containing a large amount of meaning or information. The issue with this is that different groups or individuals may have different interpretations. Because there is no way to decide which meaning is correct, when interpreting a symbol one must account for the context.

 

The Pentagram has different meanings for different groups. We already know what it means in modern Pagan paths, such as Wicca, so I will not focus on that. In early christianity the pentagram (called by them pentalpha) represented the five senses or the five wounds of christ (hands, feet, torso), and was sometimes used as a protection from demons. The Latter Day Saints movement (mormons) use the pentagram in temple architecture. Supposedly this use was inspired by symbolism in revelations. I kid you not, this is a line in the bible: "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars" (revelations 12:1, KJV). A Great Lady, clothed in sun (clad by the sky, some might say), who has dominion over the moon. Another good example of shared symbolism and slight variation in interpretation. 

 

The Wiccan use of an inverted pentagram represents flesh above spirit. In some groups it is used by (or for) second degree initiates. It does not represent evil, but it can act as a caution against excessive materialism. In general, the association of the inverted pentagram with evil seems to stem largely from the idea of flesh over spirit. I have encountered the idea that the direction has no effect on meaning, and an inverse pentagram is simply used for banishing. LaVeyan Satanists use the symbol of flesh over spirit in part because they emphasize pursuing individual pleasure.

 

Interpretation is an important concept, especially for people who read runes or tarot. You have to account for the various meanings of the symbol, and the context it appears in. This makes a familiarity with as many interpretations as possible a valuable asset. I don't want to tell anyone how to go about their practice, I'm just saying that having only one interpretation of a symbol can become limiting.

 As for whether or not human desire is evil or not, that is a topic of it's own. The key is moderation, materialism is not inherently negative, but in excess can have negative consequences. An inverse pentagram could be saying that desire is natural and not to be feared, but it can also be a warning against allowing the flesh to overwhelm the spirit. Once again, it is a matter of context and interpretation.

 

 

 

But I will never except the term "neopagan". I don't care what you say there, that just sounds dumb lol.

For the sake of discussion, I will make a case for "neopagan". Neopagan simply means new pagan. Rather than draw from the original meaning of pagan, it draws from a modern context. Neopaganism could refer to a path that is Pagan in nature, but does not draw from older ways. Wicca, Druidry, Asatru, and many others draw from ideas from the past. Some of them interpret the old ways in a modern context, but re-constructionists try to be as authentic as possible. Neopaganism is the idea of following or creating paths that are Pagan but do not have strong ties to older paths. It can also refer to modern interpretations of older paths. Something like New Age could be classified as Neopagan. Just as with Pagan, it is a term that, when used properly, is a means of classification.

[~Master~ Button Mash 2,307]

I was considering becoming Wiccan for a while. If I believe in anything, at the moment I'm a mix of pagan and buddhist. Kinda making my own spiritual path, but I still might become one (a Wiccan) someday.

[MelancholicMemory 2,022]

I was considering becoming Wiccan for a while. If I believe in anything, at the moment I'm a mix of pagan and buddhist. Kinda making my own spiritual path, but I still might become one (a Wiccan) someday.

Yeah, I believe pretty much the same thing. In terms of Pagan stuff, I lean towards Eris, the goddess of chaos. I know a lot of Wiccans, but I don't think I'll become one in the future, unfortunately.

[)O( Scarlet )O( 1,259]

Merry Meet,

 

I am one, A Wiccan/Pagan. I follow the beliefs and I am in tune with nature. How-ever I do not practice any magik, as whilst I do believe there is a certain amount of magik everywhere and a certain type, the whole ritual/spell stuff has never worked out for me, so I stopped that part. Also, I admit I still do not a whole lot about Paganism/Wicca as I am still learning, I was practicing it when I met my ex-wife, but because she was a Jehovah's Witness, I stopped, but as I am no longer with her, I can start practicing again. So I guess, if you wanna talk to me, you're more than free to, but like I said, I still don't know very much, I do know that I am following my ancestor's path (Celtic/Druids) so I guess I'm like you, a wiccan in training. Sorry, I tend to go on a tangent when talking about these sort of things.

 

Also, if you haven't already heard of them, I can suggest a few good pagan/wiccan bands:

- Emerald Rose

- Inkubus Sukkubus

- The Brobdingnagian Bards

well ,just about anything that you can hear on the renaissance festival music podcast, it is a free podcast which has over 200 episodes, and plays stuff from bands/musicians that perform at Renaissance Festivals, here is the link: http://www.renaissancefestivallmusic.com

 

So mote it be!

[Galen 1,353]

when I said wiccan in training, I meant that I was just starting as a wiccan. Wiccans have a sacred journal called the book of shadows (basically each wiccan makes their own) and I don't have one yet, and I don't know much of the common practices yet. Sadly I cannot practice them anyways, I live with 5 christians, so I'd probably be hated if they found out,

 

Yeah, I know what that's like. My family went all in flames when I told them I'm agnostic for the first time, so I can just imagine the reaction of a christian family if one of their "successors" turned to wicca, especially with all the misinformation going around, as you say. Reason I asked is mainly because I'm interested in knowing what the process of learning is and what kind of spells are used. From what you're saying, it's nothing like what the media shows, so I'm guessing it has more to do with healing, achieving clamness and a greater sense of awareness, right?

 

(No need to answer if you're not allowed to talk about it)

Edited November 27, 2013 by Freedan

[)O( Scarlet )O( 1,259]

Yeah, I know what that's like. My family went all in flames when I told them I'm agnostic for the first time, so I can just imagine the reaction of a christian family if one of their "successors" turned to wicca, especially with all the misinformation going around, as you say. Reason I asked is mainly because I'm interested in knowing what the process of learning is and what kind of spells are used. From what you're saying, it's nothing like what the media shows, so I'm guessing it has more to do with healing, achieving clamness and a greater sense of awareness, right?

 

(No need to answer if you're not allowed to talk about it)

 

 

There is a bit of a difference really, but that could just be me,

To me, Paganism is solely the belief in many gods/goddesses, Wicca is Paganism, but also involves being in tune with nature, and is more focused on natural healing and such, where-as Witchcraft is Wicca and Paganism, along with the practice of magik, which involves the rituals and spells.

 

But that could just be my own personal view on it, how-ever I will suggest NEVER EVER using things like Ouija boards etc, as the only spirits you will be contacting are dark spirits, who will stop at nothing to hurt you and anyone else foolish enough to contact them. I have heard stories from some very reliable sources of extremely bad things happening after they or someone they knew used something like a Ouija board, (Bad things including innocent people dying).

[Dark Dawn 24]

I have studied it, and my ex-wife was.  We did cleansing rituals for our home and other little things.  However, over time I have come to instead just believe in a general universality as opposed to any portrayal of an organized religion.  I doubt any creator could fault me for finding value in people, friendship, love, tolerance, acceptance and striving to be the best person I could be.  So I stopped labeling it.  I am am happy for anyone that finds solace in what they believe though.

 

Wish you all the best, and to a degree, I guess I count.  

 

TLDR:  Everypony should just believe what they want and be happy, as long as it's not at the cost of another.  Much support.