| In 1954, Gerald Gardner published Witchcraft Today in | | | | (When the moon is waning is the time to move round |
| which he advocated the use of old, long established | | | | the circle anti-clockwise as this takes away negativity. |
| rituals and introduced many of his own devising. | | | | Wolfbane's toxicity makes it a feared palnt.) |
| Gardner venerated The Goddess and women in | | | | When the Lady's moon is new |
| general. He believed in the power of nature and that | | | | Kiss thy hand to Her times two. |
| men and women could tune into it to alter the course | | | | (Welcome the new moon - just visible in the sky after |
| of things. Gardner's work, according to several | | | | being dark for three night - welcome her by kissing the |
| anthropologists, three direct links to ancient paganism - | | | | index and middle fingers twice.) |
| the use of high magic, the use of plants and herbs in | | | | When the moon rides at her peak, |
| spells, and the involvement of folk rites and customs to | | | | Then your heart's desire speak. |
| manipulate the powers of nature. | | | | (When the moon is full, you can ask her for anything |
| Gardner's work lead to a revival in interest of the | | | | as she will grant the heart's desire.) |
| traditions of witchcraft, not just in Britain, and he is | | | | Heed the north wind's mighty gale, |
| credited by many as being the founder of what has | | | | Lock the door and drop the sail. |
| become an officially recognized new religion - Wicca. | | | | When the wind comes from the south, |
| Wicca honors The God and The Goddess (their | | | | Love will kiss thee on the mouth. |
| names vary from group to group) as the two main | | | | When the wind blows from the east, |
| deities and followers worship them in rites and rituals. | | | | Expect the new and set the feast. |
| Wicca spread and as it did, different groups developed | | | | When the west wind blows o'er thee, |
| their own rites and rituals. In England, Celtic practices | | | | The departed spirits restless be. |
| and Gardnerian belief are blended together in the form | | | | (These lines refer to the elements with the four |
| of what has come to be known as British Traditional | | | | directions.) |
| Witchcraft. In the United States, where Gardner's work | | | | Nine woods cauldron go, |
| was introduced and developed by Raymond Buckland, | | | | Burn them fast and burn them slow. |
| Wicca has now become an officially recognized | | | | Elder the Lady's tree, |
| religion. | | | | Burn it not, or cursed be. |
| Wicca has followers all over the world, wherever | | | | (There are nine different magical woods burned in the |
| people feel a need to turn from traditional religions and | | | | witch's cauldron during various rituals - apple, birch, fir, |
| return to a more Earth-based one. They practice | | | | hawthorn, oak, rowan, vine, and willow. Elder wood is |
| various forms of white magic and perform rituals to | | | | never burned because the tree is sacred to The |
| attune themselves with the natural rhythm of life | | | | Lady.) |
| forces, particularly those marked by the phases of the | | | | When the Wheel begins to turn, |
| moon and the four seasons. | | | | Let the Beltane fires burn. |
| Wiccans belong to a wider movement - neo-paganism, | | | | When the Wheel has turned to Yule, |
| which as the name suggests has its roots in ancient | | | | Light the log and let Pan rule. |
| pagan belief systems. But not all neo-pagans are | | | | (This refers to the cycle of the year. Beltane, the |
| Wiccans: the term also refers to Druidism, New Age, | | | | spring Sabbath and Yule the winter one, sit at opposite |
| shamanism, ceremonial magicks, the occult sciences, | | | | ends of the wheel of the year.) |
| voodoo, and the revival of any of the other in the | | | | Heed ye flower, bush and tree, |
| myriad of pre-Christian mystical traditions. | | | | And by the Blessed Lady be! |
| The Wicccan Rede | | | | (For The Lady's sake, nurture and respect nature.) |
| Wiccans live by the Wiccan Rede, a simple | | | | Where the rippling waters flow, |
| benevolent moral code that holds that as long as no | | | | Cast a stone and truth you'll know. |
| one is harmed, "Do what thy wilt". One popular version | | | | (Actions spread like the ripples caused by a stone cast |
| of the Rede goes as follows and some simple | | | | on the water, affecting everyone and everything |
| interpretations follow each portion: | | | | around.) |
| "Bide the Wiccan Law you must, | | | | Whenever you do have a need, |
| In perfect love and perfect trust. | | | | Harken not to others' greed. |
| (Keep the laws of Wicca lovingly and with perfect | | | | (Never take money in exchange for using magical |
| trust.) | | | | powers.) |
| Live and let live: | | | | With the fool no seasons spend, |
| Fairly take and fairly give. | | | | Nor be counted as his friend. |
| (Treat both nature and people as you would like to be | | | | (Others associate you with the company you keep. If |
| treated.) | | | | you mix with fools, then that is how you will be |
| Cast the circle thrice about, | | | | regarded as well.) |
| To keep evil spirits out. | | | | Merry meet and merry part, |
| (When making magic, Wiccans usually cast a circle | | | | Bright the cheeks and warm the heart. |
| around themselves. They do this three times because | | | | (The company of friends is the best company there |
| the number three stands for the three phases of The | | | | is.) |
| Lord and The Lady.) | | | | Mind the threefold law you should, |
| To bind the spell every time, | | | | Three times bad and three times good. |
| Let the spell be spake in rhyme. | | | | (Always remember that whatever you do, good or |
| (By speaking their spells in rhyme, witches believe it | | | | bad, will come back to you threefold.) |
| gives the conscious mind something to think about, | | | | When misfortune is enow. |
| while the unconscious mind taps the energy of nature | | | | Wear the blue star on your brow. |
| and the magic is done.) | | | | (When trouble beckons, visualize a blue pentagram on |
| Soft of eye and light of touch | | | | your forehead for protection.) |
| Speak little and listen much. | | | | True in love ever be. |
| (Wise magic makers are gentle. They listen and learn.) | | | | Unless thy love is false to thee. |
| Deasil go by the waxing moon, | | | | (Always be loyal in love, but if you are let down, then |
| Sing and dance the Witches' Rune. | | | | move on.) |
| (When the moon is waxing - moving from slim | | | | Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill, |
| crescent to plump fullness, it is the time to move round | | | | "And it harm none, do what ye will". |
| the ritual circle clockwise as this draws in good things.) | | | | (Feel free to do as you like, so long as in doing so no |
| Widdershins go when the moon doth wane, | | | | one else comes to harm. |
| And werewolves howl by the dream wolfsbane. | | | | |