Wicca and the followers of Wicca worship the Deity in a male and female aspect, a God & a Goddess, who are known by many names throughout the world. Many Wiccans, as do many of our Pagan ancestors & contemporaries, believe in reincarnation. Therefore Karma is a strong force in our lives.
We hold fast to a very basic rule, which is As it harm none, do what you will, or simplified: Harm none. which explains why a lot of Wiccans are powerful allies to the environment & embrace Vegetarianism.
Wiccans ARE NOT affiliated with Satanism. As a matter of fact, the religion does not accept the theory of a "devil" or of a place known as hell. This is a very common Misconception. Actually, the idea of this evil character is a fairly new one, and arrived long after Nature religions were strongly established.
Yes, Wiccans do practice magick. Magick is using natural & personal energies to create a positive change. We use the natural forces & energies present in all of the Earth's gifts such as herbes & stones. However, do not confuse the terms Wicca & Magick. They are not interchangeable. Yes, most Wiccans practice forms of Magick, but not everyone who uses these natural forces is Wiccan, there are even some foolish enough to try to appease their own selfish needs through Magick, this is not Positive, however & is best left to those who wish to suffer the repercussions.
BLESSED BE!
I must give credit to the late Scott Cunningham for supplying us with these definitions.
The first is perhaps the most misunderstood:
PENTAGRAM: A five pointed star, always drawn with one point upward. The Pentagram is rich in symbolism: The five senses, the Elements combined with Akasha (or spirit); It has been used in Magick, usually for protection, for at least 2,000 years. Today it is also frequently associated with Wicca. Through misinformation, or the transmission of out-right lies, the Pentagram is sometimes believed to be a symbol of satanism. It has never possessed this symbolism, it still doesn't, save in the minds of those that would twist & pervert it's true meaning for their own benefit.
REINCARNATION: The doctrine of rebirth. The phenomenon of repeated incarnations in human form to allow evolution of the sexless, ageless soul.
KARMA: What is done, will be returned to the doer three-fold.
DIVINATION: The magickal art of discovering the unknown through interpretation of seemingly random patterns or symbols, including the use of tools such as clouds, Tarot cards, flames, and smoke. Divination contacts the Psychic mind by bypassing the Conscious mind.
WITCH: Anciently, a European practitioner of the remnants of pre-Christian Natural Magick. One who practiced Witchcraft. The term's meaning was later deliberately altered to denote demented, dangerous, super-natural beings who practiced destructive magick and who threatened Christianity. This was a political, financial, & sexist move on the part of organized religion. Though this negative meaning is still currently accepted by many non-Witches, it doesn't describe Witches themselves, who simply practice non-threatening, loving Natural Magick.
The term Witch is also used by some members of Wicca to describe themselves.
