Wicca A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner Sparknotes

The book I chose was “Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner” by Scott Cunningham. I decided on this book because I felt I knew the least about pagan religions. Wicca in particular, seemed as though it would be an interesting choice to study. The book covers nearly every aspect of the Wiccan religion. I learned a bit of their history, and a great deal of their common beliefs and practices. Pagan religions by design are often centered around nature, and Wicca is no exception. However, unlike many other religions, it neglects to seek out new members and is at risk of becoming nothing more than another relic in today’s world. Modern Wicca is fighting a to resistance to irrelevancy and has been subject to much change since its roots originating

These are referred to as deities. These deities are thought of as a personified view of the “supreme divine power, unknowable, ultimate from which the universe sprang”(9). Almost every aspect of the world is divided to be representative of the God or the Goddess. Be that as it may, “in Wiccan thought, the deities didn’t exist before our ancestors acknowledgement of them. However, the energies behind them did; they created us.”(10). In contrast to other religions the God and Goddess are not viewed as distant entities, they are “both within ourselves and manifest in all nature”(4). Because they are present in nature, time spent outside and engaging with the natural world is considered a ritual within itself. A ritual such as this, is utilized as an opportunity to expand knowledge to optimize personal power and to further connect with the Earth. As a result, Wiccans tend to be heavily involved in the study and concerns of ecology. Despite being heavily Earth based, the physical world is thought of as one of many realities, and additionally does not receive added merit “the only difference between the physical and spiritual is that the former is denser”(5). Reincarnation is a common belief among practitioners as well. Wicca’s established moral code is relatively uncomplicated, but should be held in the most high regards: “do what you want, as long as you harm none. This rule contains another unwritten

This is a valid notion, nonetheless, as far as Wicca is concerned, there is probably quite a number of misconceptions about the type of magic which is performed.With many religions, it is often difficult to determine where religion ends and faith begins, or in this case magic. Magic in Wicca can be defined as “the projection of natural energies to produce needed effects”(11). Natural being the keyword in this definition, as magic is not thought of as supernatural, but rather a practice of utilizing energies which have not yet been discovered or recognized (22). Magic in Wicca is relatively versatile, with the purpose to “develop special relationships with the God and Goddess.” but also to enrich and improve the lives of practitioners while giving back to the planet. In the case of self enrichment versus ritual, “not every spell is a prayer, nor are invocations differently worded spells”(21). The most important attribute of practicing magic is that it remains positive.The book does not delve into the consequences of opposing practices, but states that the repercussions are “unimagined”. Magic which connotes negative energy is thought as the greatest of insults to the human race and the universe itself. Wiccan rituals do not always include magic and are often formed through the casting of a circle. In this space practitioners can directly connect with the God and Goddess and more efficiently strengthen their bond