Wicca is a modern pagan religious movement that emerged in the mid-20th century and has gained popularity in recent years. Wiccans follow a nature-based spirituality that reveres the earth and its cycles. Central to Wiccan philosophy is the belief in the divine as immanent, meaning that the divine is present in all aspects of existence. Wiccans typically worship a goddess and a god, representing the feminine and masculine aspects of divinity. One of the key principles of Wicca is the Wiccan Rede, which is often summed up as "an it harm none, do what you will." This means that Wiccans strive to live their lives in harmony with others and with the earth, avoiding actions that cause harm to others.
On the other hand, over the last couple of decades, modern Witchcraft practices have changed and shifted. It is, after all, a vibrant and blossoming spiritual practice—the fastest growing religion in North America. As more and more people find their way to a Witchcraft path, the variety of approaches to working within a group structure has changed and shifted, too.
Who Is In Charge Some covens still have the traditional high priest and high priestess, but it is just as likely to only have one, or to have the person or people who lead the group use no titles at all. In lieu of a social life, weekends were spent hovering around the mind, body and spirit section of our nearest Waterstones, hoping that a passing witch might invite me to join her coven.
" This means that Wiccans strive to live their lives in harmony with others and with the earth, avoiding actions that cause harm to others. Wicca also emphasizes personal responsibility, with practitioners taking responsibility for their own actions and decisions. Wiccans celebrate the cycles of the seasons and the phases of the moon, with eight Sabbats marking the changing seasons.
‘I became convinced I was channelling powers’: my life as a teenage witch
I couldn’t afford a cauldron, but did manage to find work experience as a fortune-teller. Would I grow up to find my coven?
Sat 31 Oct 2020 13.00 CET Last modified on Sun 1 Nov 2020 11.24 CETI don’t trust anyone who didn’t have a teenage Wiccan phase. More than being gay, or British, or refusing to upgrade my iPhone, having been a teenage witch is a crucial part of my identity. I treat my dabblings in the craft like a competitive sport. Sure, you were into Charmed – but did you do your high school work experience as a fortune-teller? Did you ever travel to Croydon to attend Witchfest? Did you pay a membership fee to use a coven directory service, only to discover that none would accept ill-adjusted 14-year-olds?
While some kids embraced the late-90s witchcraft boom by hoarding Buffy The Vampire Slayer box sets, or playing light as a feather, stiff as a board at sleepovers, I was not messing around. All it took was a single viewing of seminal teen horror film The Craft for me to realise that the lifestyle portrayed – being intimidatingly mysterious, wearing pleather, having supernatural dominion over others – was very much my vibe.
I began to wonder whether people drawn to mystical realms really were charmed souls, or misfits
As an adult, I’ve realised that a teenage obsession with witchcraft is much more common among kids who grew up to be queer. It checks out. At that age, you already have a secret that you’re terrified might get you set alight – of course you identify with the maligned women of Salem. Plus witchcraft is inherently camp. Candles? Capes? Crystals? I shouldn’t have to join the dots. Factor in that witchcraft is an established gateway to boys wearing eyeliner and sure, I was interested.
Other kids might have imagined life would be perfect if only their parents hadn’t divorced, or they’d made it into the football team, or could will themselves to go up a bra size. As a heroically camp child who was obsessed with Richard Madeley, I knew that any chance of leading a happy and fulfilled school life would require serious occult intervention. I wasn’t into football, or South Park, or casual racism. It was clear that I stood more chance of communing with the spirits of the four quarters than with my actual classmates.
In lieu of a social life, weekends were spent hovering around the mind, body and spirit section of our nearest Waterstones, hoping that a passing witch might invite me to join her coven. (Unless you’ve actually visited Merry Hill shopping centre in Dudley, it’s impossible for me to impress upon you just how much that was Never Going To Happen.) My favourite book was Teen Witch by Silver Ravenwolf, largely because the cover illustration featured four girls and one boy, the precise gender ratio that teenage gay boys need to feel safe. Evenings were consumed by asking my tarot cards if I’d ever meet a Spice Girl or (this felt like a reach) have physical contact with another man. I spent a lot of time performing midnight rituals designed to make myself popular, and no time at all wondering whether the lingering scent of mugwort was stopping me getting invited to the cool parties.
I wasn’t raised in religion, so had no prior experience of the altered states that can be achieved through ritual. This was a revelation. Surrounded by flickering candles, smoking incense and crudely drawn pentagrams, my senses would heighten as I cast a magic circle with my wand. Reciting incantations in a hushed voice, I’d feel the veil between our world and the next begin to shimmer. Nine times out of 10, this rapture would be interrupted by my sister storming into my room to reclaim her nag champa incense sticks. Still, I felt sure that my ascent to a higher frequency was simply a matter of time, dedication and copious amounts of sandalwood oil. When a money spell led to me finding £10 in the street, I became convinced I was channelling powers – dangerous ones – beyond my comprehension. I was delighted.
By the time I was 15, I had to choose where to do my mandatory week of work experience. I was torn between Toni & Guy hairdressers (proximity to gay men meant that I might finally lose my virginity and/or emerge with a trendy mullet), or the nearest metaphysical supply store (I was pretty sure they’d teach me to levitate). In the end, I plumped for being bestowed unimaginable powers, but it was a close call.
Joe aged 12: ‘A money spell led to me finding £10 in the street.’ Photograph: courtesy of Joe Stone
In case you’re picturing Hogwarts, I should say that the scene of my mystical education was a cluttered shop next to a chippy in suburban Birmingham. I was already on first-name terms with the staff, who were used to answering my various questions (Is bergamot or coltsfoot better for protection spells? If I can’t afford a cauldron, is it OK to represent the goddess’s womb with a Simpsons mug? Why am I so lonely?). The owner, Jemima, was a huge advocate of urine, which she insisted could be used as a substitute for pretty much any medicine or cosmetic. On my second day, she pulled me to one side and suggested I get into the habit of washing my face in my own wee, which was apparently more potent than the animal urine she said was used in expensive face creams. When I expressed surprise that luxury brands were trafficking in pig piss, she assured me that they got away with it by labelling the ingredient as plant urine. After a moment spent watching me grapple with the ramifications, she assumed the smug expression of a prosecutor about to deliver their killer detail, and hissed: “But. Plants. Don’t. Urinate.”
The next day I listened as Jemima regaled a customer with her conspiracy theory. When they remained unconverted to the notion that bathing in urine guaranteed eternal youthfulness, she lifted her fringe and demanded to know, “How old do I look to you?” I pretended not to hear when Shola, the shop assistant, muttered, “About 79.” Shola was a non-believer, and nurtured a long-running feud with one of the mediums after he implored her to listen to her child’s psychic pronouncements. At 18, she was livid that he thought she looked old enough to have a child capable of speaking, never mind to dead people. When a pair of schoolkids burst in and screamed, “Is this a hippy shop or something?”, she didn’t look up from her copy of Take A Break before responding, “Yes, now fuck off.”
Fortunately for me, the owners were too busy contemplating their own auras to think that there might be a conflict of interest in asking me to price the assorted amethysts I’d later be buying. My other duties included cleaning the flotation tank, dusting the wands and studying Cunningham’s Encyclopedia Of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic as if it were a GSCE set text (I hadn’t been explicitly asked to do this, but my work experience guidelines encouraged me to use my own initiative). I should have been on cloud nine, but by the end of the week I felt deflated. I hadn’t learned how to astrally project, or divine the future with runes, or even mastered working the till. At the very least I’d hoped I could leverage my week of retail experience into a Saturday job at Waitrose; but when I later had an interview for the fish counter, they seemed unimpressed by my extensive knowledge of crystal balls.
As a teenager, I felt powerless in a world I couldn’t make sense of; sometimes I still do
Perhaps the biggest disappointment was that I still hadn’t found my people. The witches I idolised were glamorous and enigmatic – like Maxine Sanders, the peroxide blond Witch Queen who ruled the sketchier parts of 1970s London. The pagans I met in real life didn’t look like people who had harnessed the unseen currents of the universe. A surprising number wore fleeces. I began to wonder whether people drawn to mystical realms really were charmed souls, or misfits who had struggled to find a place for themselves anywhere else. It was painful to consider that I might belong to the second category.
As I entered my late teens, other things started to preoccupy me, like reordering my Myspace top eight and tending to an asymmetrical haircut that required straightening every four to six hours. By the time I left school for a different sixth form, I’d reinvented myself as someone who wore distressed denim and had never accidentally referred to their form teacher as “Mum”. There was no single moment when I disavowed my pagan past, but my esoteric pursuits began to take up less space. Sabbats would pass unmarked, and I discovered a gay club that charged £8 for entry and all-you-could-drink spirits and mixers. I imagine many of history’s most promising occultists fell by the wayside in a similar manner.
While my interest in mysticism receded, it has never entirely left me. I still occasionally visit psychics, and maintain a crystal collection that could fairly be described as unnerving. As a teenager, I felt powerless in a world I couldn’t make sense of; sometimes I still do. But somewhere along the way, I lost my conviction that the solutions lay in a red candle, or a green knotted ribbon, or a five-pointed star. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss it.
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While some kids embraced the late-90s witchcraft boom by hoarding Buffy The Vampire Slayer box sets, or playing light as a feather, stiff as a board at sleepovers, I was not messing around. All it took was a single viewing of seminal teen horror film The Craft for me to realise that the lifestyle portrayed – being intimidatingly mysterious, wearing pleather, having supernatural dominion over others – was very much my vibe.
These Sabbats include Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lammas, and Mabon. Each Sabbat has its own significance and rituals. Ritual magic is also an integral part of Wiccan practice, often involving the use of tools such as candles, incense, and pentacles. Wiccans may perform rituals for healing, guidance, protection, and other purposes. They believe that through ritual, they can connect with the divine and create positive change in their lives and the world. Another important aspect of Wiccan philosophy is the concept of balance, represented by the belief in the duality of nature. Wiccans see both light and darkness, masculine and feminine, as essential and complementary forces in the universe. They strive to maintain balance in their own lives and in their relationship with the natural world. Overall, Wicca is a religious philosophy that celebrates the diversity and interconnectedness of all things. It promotes a reverence for nature, personal responsibility, and the use of ritual and magic as tools for spiritual growth and positive change. Wiccans seek to live in harmony with the earth and follow the Wiccan Rede, striving to do no harm in their actions..
Reviews for "Wiccan Divination: Understanding the Art of Fortune Telling"
1. John - 2/5 rating: Although the book "Interpreting the Wiccan Religious Philosophy" claimed to provide an in-depth understanding of Wiccan beliefs, I found it to be quite disappointing. The author, in my opinion, did not approach the subject matter with enough depth or clarity. Instead of offering a comprehensive analysis, the book seemed to rely heavily on personal anecdotes and unsubstantiated claims. Furthermore, the writing style was convoluted and difficult to follow at times. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone seeking a thorough understanding of the Wiccan religious philosophy.
2. Lisa - 1/5 rating: As an individual interested in learning about different religious philosophies, I was excited to delve into the world of Wicca through "Interpreting the Wiccan Religious Philosophy." However, my enthusiasm was short-lived. The book lacked any coherent structure, making it challenging to grasp the core concepts of Wicca. Additionally, I felt that the author's tone came across as condescending, dismissing alternative viewpoints without proper consideration. This book would have greatly benefited from a more organized approach and a more open-minded perspective.
3. Mike - 2/5 rating: "Interpreting the Wiccan Religious Philosophy" fell short of my expectations. Instead of offering a balanced and objective overview of Wicca, the book seemed to focus on promoting the author's personal beliefs. I found this approach to be biased and unhelpful for someone like me, who sought an unbiased exploration of the Wiccan philosophy. The author failed to provide sufficient evidence or logical arguments to support their assertions, making it difficult to take their claims seriously. Given the lack of depth and objectivity, I cannot recommend this book to anyone seeking a genuine understanding of Wicca.