The Pageless Book

Above Photo by Conor Lawless. Photo Below by Hyperfinch. Goddess Image by Dave Gough. Last Photo Below by D.A.K. Photography.

Wicca is one religious path that remains near and dear to my heart. When I first began looking into other religions, Wicca was one of the first that piqued my interest. While I am far too monotheistic to fully embrace Wicca, what I have learned from that religion affects my spiritual journey even today.

I first learned of Wicca by reading the original printing of True Magick by Amber K. I was a teenager and, having officially declared myself a non-Christian to my rather open minded parents, felt like being a little bit rebellious. Getting involved in something like “witchcraft” seemed to more than qualify. However, my interests became less superficial the more I learned. Wicca opened my eyes to the divine within nature, within the feminine, and within myself.

Nature

Western Culture has this annoying habit of sanctifying concepts and secularizing the physical world. In no way is this more tangible than in the way we treat the natural world. We have this perception of land being a commodity and limitless resource, believing wrongly that it exists solely to support humanity and our interests. This attitude has taken a toll on the environment and its wildlife. Only now in our history are we beginning to seriously fear the repercussions of our actions and looking for ways in which we can repair the damage. Many people wonder if we are too late.

In Christianity and other mainstream religions, the innate Divinity within nature is down-played and sometimes even demonized. Being raised Christian, my connection to nature was muted, even though I had always been humbled by nature. When I finally tapped into nature as a source of spiritual sustenance, the Wiccan doctrine of embracing nature as Divine came easily, as if it was a part of my heritage. This truth had been at the foundation of humanity’s first spiritual experiences. Honoring nature instead of seeing it as yet another resource for plundering helped me touch another side of the Divine I had never considered, and showed me how the delicate web of life cradles us all.

The Feminine

Sexuality has a lot in common with spirituality; both speak to the very essence of who we are as individuals and both are rooted painfully deep within the psyche. Like most Americans, at some point I was indoctrinated into believing that sex is some dirty cheep thrill, meant only for the pretty and well-endowed. Our culture became saturated with this message that turns women into objects and men into animals. The root of the problem is the failure to accept sexuality as being an expression of the Divine. Wiccan celebration of sexuality and the personification of the Divine as female goes against the grain of our culture and, in part, helps to heal the damage this message has done.

I cannot honestly say that I am as enlightened to the spiritual nature of sexuality as I would like to be. As a man, I still have problems separating myself from the message of what our society says sex should be like and accept the spiritual significance of a female divinity. However, my experiences as a Wiccan have helped me accept and embrace the feminine aspect of myself, which helps in reaching the other two truths. Despite not seeing the Divine as being female or male, my understanding of the Divine has been greatly affected by the Wiccan Goddess and the truths she represents.

The Self

It may smack of egotism and hubris to some, however, recognizing the self as being divine is probably one of the most powerful ways in which to get in touch with the Divine. Western Culture frowns upon reveling in one’s own innate divinity, beauty, and truth, preferring instead that we accept the Christian doctrine of original sin. Wicca, however, encourages radical use of innate divinity by teaching that each individual has a direct affect upon the world in which we live through ritual. They call this witchcraft or simply magic. Say what you want about the plausibility of magic - it is still one of the central teachings of Wicca and does have a noticeably positive impact on spirituality.

Although I didn’t practice much Wiccan magic, the concepts behind witchcraft later opened me to other occult theories and ideas. Together, these have been a boon to my self confidence, self respect, and self love. How many people today can say that they love themselves? I can. While I don’t stand behind witchcraft’s claim to manipulate reality, I do trust that ritual, whether Wiccan or otherwise, is a powerful psychological tool with which an individual can change themselves.

Perhaps Wicca no longer fulfills my spiritual needs, but it should be obvious that I still hold this religion in high esteem. Where other religions are several steps back from liberating the individual, this religion represents several steps forward. Because it has been such a large part of my personal spiritual journey, Wicca will always have a place in my heart.

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written by John \\ tags: God, Humanity, Occult, Religion, Ritual, Sexuality, Spirituality, Wicca