Wicca Stereotypes

When people hear the word witch they might think of hexes, potions, broomsticks, wands, black cats, black magic, pointy hats, and covens. According to the History Channel’s “Bet You Didn’t Know: Witches” most of these stereotypes came from Western culture. They could also think of pop culture types of witches such as the ones in The Wizard of Oz, the Harry Potter series, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Hocus Pocus, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer; but those aren’t the only kinds of witches one would see in the world, all of that info is for a later time. This will be about a few aspects of Wicca and how a few of the stereotypes listed above is related to Wicca. Wicca is the practice of modern Witchcraft; some Wiccans prefer the word because “witch” has a bad rep; those Wiccans don’t want the negative vibes. The Wiccan Rede, an ethical code, lets people choose their own paths so long as they don’t harm anyone. Good King Pausol, whom the creed took from, said, “Do want you like so long as you harm no one,” and Wiccans have used that motto for generations. Wicca came about in the 1940s and 1950s in England, pretty recent. (Guiley 371-72) John Gordon Melton says that modern day Wicca came from Gerald Brousseau Gardner. Gardner took interest in the occult and magical practices. In England, Garner became involved in British occults. Most people know

Rituals are religious ceremonies to celebrate, pray, request, summon, banish, and release energies. (Guiley 288) Quoting Guiley again, she says, “Rituals in folk magic or witchcraft are spell-castings, usually for luck, healing, fertility, protection, exorcism, hexing, “unwitching,” and so on.” (288) Rituals aren’t just used for magic, everyday people also perform them. From one’s morning routine to one’s meals, rituals are a part of our daily lives. Rituals can be done together or alone. Rituals are usually emphasized in Wicca and Paganism. The site Religious Tolerance says