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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFive clusters of definition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In my experience talking to a wide range of people, there seem to be five broad way people use the word “Wicca”. There is some variation in how terms are used (see cluster 1 for an example) that\u2019s regional\/national, too \u2013 the ones I\u2019m talking about here are US\/Canada dominant ones because Wicca\u2019s grown in the US in slightly different pathways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1) Initiatory oathbound mystery priesthood tradition with specific roots<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
This is the most specific, traditional, and focused definition of Wicca. It’s sometimes referred to as British Traditional Wicca in the United States, to separate it from other forms of Traditional Witchcraft. (This usage is more common in the US than the UK, and UK folks are sometimes confused by it.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this definition, Wicca is<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- initiatory<\/strong> (passed from one person to the next by shared experience in specific rituals and practices.)<\/li>
- oathbound<\/strong> (specific material is private within the tradition.)<\/li>
- mystery<\/strong> (focuses on specific religious mysteries: God\/Goddess polarity, the Descent of the Goddess and sacrifice of the God, etc.)<\/li>
- priesthood<\/strong> (every initiate is a priest or priestess dedicated to specific Gods.)<\/li>
- tradition<\/strong> (shared practice)<\/li>
- which directly descends from the New Forest area<\/strong><\/li>
- through a line of direct initiatory lineage<\/strong>. (i.e. each initiation connects one to a direct chain that reaches back to Gardner or someone else in the New Forest coven.)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
There are initiatory traditions that come from other places (other places in England, other places in the British Isles, other places in Europe or in the world) – but by this definition, those are not Wicca. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Likewise, traditions which do not include the above core practices (in specific ways) along with direct lineage aren\u2019t Wicca either, but another kind of religious witchcraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2) Initiatory religious witchcraft tradition<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In this use, Wicca is a religious witchcraft path which shares a majority of common traits including an initiatory practice into the group with specific standards and practices, but does not share a direct lineage of practice or energy to the New Forest area or the traditions which come from there<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
(In other words, the same things as the above definition, except that it does not trace back directly to the New Forest area).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3) Religious witchcraft tradition with shared practices and roots<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In this use, Wicca is used for a wide range of religious witchcraft traditions which have a majority of common traits including with people drawing lines at slightly different places about what that means. However, it may not involve an initiatory practice, and people may work entirely solitary. This version has a certain amount of traction in the larger community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The difficulties lie in where you draw the majority line, and which practices people think are core. (The question of \u2018self-initiation\u2019 is widespread in the community at large, but not something I\u2019m going to get into in this essay, or we\u2019ll be here for weeks.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4) Religious witchcraft tradition with some basic concepts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
This is the version that a vast majority of generally accessible books and sites about Wicca talk about. <\/strong>Some people have started referring to this as Neo-Wicca or NeoWicca. Others have started using the term Dedicatory Religious Witchcraft. (To parallel the Initiatory Religious Witchcraft term)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this use, the term “Wicca” indicates that someone shares some really basic concepts from the above<\/strong> (the ritual cycles, doing ritual in a cast circle, honoring multiple deities). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, it often leaves some other stuff out<\/strong>. Most commonly, these are the male\/female polarity (including the Great Rite), some of the mysteries (especially the more challenging parts like the Descent myth or the sacrifice of the God). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It generally does not include an initiatory practice<\/strong>. If it does, is doing so in the sense of \u2018meaningful personal experience\u2019, not \u2018connecting individual to group energy\u2019).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5) “Wicca is anything I like”<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Some people who\u2019ve said this will say things like \u201cWell, I\u2019m Wiccan, but I don\u2019t celebrate the Sabbats, and I never cast circle, and I don\u2019t really believe in or interact with any deities, and I don\u2019t even do magic, but I do like to meditate, and I like some of the symbols.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All those things might be fine \u2013 but it\u2019s pretty clear that we\u2019re now miles and miles away from what the practice of the folks in definition 1 looks like \u2013 and using the same word for both is going to get confusing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What I do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I personally use \u201cWicca<\/strong>\u201d for things that fit into definition 1 and 2 and some of 3 when speaking generally (unless it\u2019s already being used in the conversation or conversation space in a different way.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I mentioned above, I don\u2019t think what I do precisely fits this meaning, so I use initiatory religious witchcraft<\/strong> to describe my own practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some other practical notes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Practices<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
There are some practices commonly seen in groups using definition 1 and 2 that often aren’t seen elsewhere. These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Drawing down<\/li>
- Specific group ritual roles with esoteric and exoteric duties.<\/li>
- Specific practices around training and sharing information.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Drawing Down the Moon, a particular form of religious reverence and understanding in which a Goddess speaks through the body of the priestess. (There’s a similar practice called Drawing Down the Sun for the God.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is both an impractical and potentially risky practice for people working on their own, or without a solid background and training from someone with experience. (Think of it like learning to drive: why not do what you can to reduce the risk of a crash?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Solitary vs. group<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
As you might have guessed from my commentary already, some people practice with groups, others by themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traditional Wicca is learned in a coven setting or at least from a teacher <\/strong>with occasional other contacts. You can\u2019t connect yourself to an egregore you don\u2019t have access to, or learn oathbound practices that are only shared through direct teaching otherwise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many people using definitions 3, 4, and 5 work solitary:<\/strong> they learn from various sources and combine it in a personal practice (them, or maybe them plus immediate family, like a spouse or children) without a formal group structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s worth noting that many coven members feel it\u2019s necessary to have a strong personal practice as well as coven work. That\u2019s definitely my feeling too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are also a number of groups that are designed to be Wiccan-based, but to create a lay community (people who want to attend Wiccan-based rituals using the mythology, ritual year cycle, etc.) but without making the commitment to the priesthood themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because of the changes in structure and focus that need to happen to make this work (it\u2019s a whole different barrel of ritual techniques, among other things), they\u2019re this odd sort of middle ground. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many of them are fairly good at explaining what stuff they include, what stuff they don\u2019t, and so on. Often, the clergy of that kind of group fit into definitions 1-3, but the participations may fit into definitions 4 or 5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- oathbound<\/strong> (specific material is private within the tradition.)<\/li>
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