Amber Rose Johnson Klein Honors World Religions 18 October, 2016 Neopaganism: Nature in Balance Neopaganism, or Wicca is often defined at “The Nature Religion” or “Earth-Based Spirituality” as its foundations lay in the basis of that which is natural and balancing it through witchcraft, the use of magick through one’s spirit as it is connected to all earthly matter. The word “Paganism” is an umbrella term for many religions including druidry, neopaganism or wicca, and witchcraft. Jenny Butler explains in her lecture on neopaganism at University College Cork, “...there’s a problem in strictly defining it as a religion because many followers … would view it more as a philosophy or a way of life… a lot of people have a problem with the term …show more content…
In Witches and Wiccans Rosemary Guiley mentions, “...there is no universal definition of ‘witchcraft’” (Guiley 17), meaning in different …show more content…
As Butler mentions in her lecture, “We’re all connected on a spiritual plane … connected by energy” (Butler). Wiccans believe there are 4 elements consisting of earth, wind, fire, and water. In Wicca, spellcasting is the manipulation of mental and physical energy, facilitated through one’s earth-based spirituality. There are many variances from coven to coven regarding beliefs, as mentions wiccans may range from polytheistic to pantheistic, to animistic. Therefore, different gods are worshipped from one coven to the next. In many cases, Wicca is a religion of polarity and opposites, therefore the Goddess or Lady represents that which is feminine and the Lord or Horned God represent the masculinity. Many Wiccan covens hold belief in Karma and reincarnation in which, after death, one’s soul goes to summerland, much like heaven, and prepares to be reborn. Wiccans do have a generally accepted code of conduct, comparable to the ten commandments, called the Principles for Wiccan Belief that preach of becoming one with nature. The primary Wiccan mission is to find your true will and achieve balance with nature, and between the spiritual and physical worlds. These rules also state that Magick, spelled with a “k” to distinguish from stage magic, is a power to be used for