The confusion stems from the fact that those practicing Wicca call themselves Witches, so when people hear Wicca they think witchcraft and think back to the entire negative stigma associated with witches from our history. An easier way to put it would be that all Wiccans are witches, but not all witches are Wiccans.

Wicca refers to a religion whereas witchcraft refers to witchcraft. Wiccans usually work in covens when in a Wiccan group but there are also Solitary Wiccans. Solitary practitioners of Wicca dedicate themselves to the tradition of Wicca and practice spells and divination and other rituals on their own. They worship the God and Goddess and celebrate Shabbats and Esbats.

Witchcraft on the other hand, is not a religion and doesn’t require a belief in a specific God or Goddess. Witchcraft is the art of casting spells and practicing magic, and is separate from religious beliefs.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that Wicca is an old religion that pre-dates Christianity, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Wicca is a relatively new religion, coming to light and gaining prominence only recently. It was started by a man named Gerald Gardner who published many of his Wiccan related literature in the 50s. This didn’t gain much attention until the last 10-20 years.

Wicca advocates a balance of deities, so you may not only pray to a God, but a God and a Goddess. Usually when performing a ritual a Wiccan would call upon the God first to protect the Goddess, and then release the God from the ritual last. This is because they believe that all life comes from the female so the female deity must be divine and worshipped more.

Wiccans believe that there are many religions that teach male dominance and the lower social status of women, and that witches need not subscribe to such outdated beliefs.

Wiccans also believe in the karmic Rule of Three, which states that if you do something morally reprehensible, you will receive such negative energy back threefold. This is similar in nature to the Golden Rule of Christianity.

Witches believe in free will and doing what serves their interests, long as it hurts no one else. Though they may call themselves Witches, they are unfairly persecuted for using a term which doesn’t mean what everyone believes it means.

Followers of Wicca have books of spells that were written by fellow followers of Wicca or by themselves. Wicca is special because there is no centralized set of rules like there are in other religions like Christianity. Even the Wiccan Initiation Rites are different for each person. The only thing there really is in common is that a person can only be Wiccan if they received an initiation; however each Wiccan tradition follows its own initiation ceremony which may be recognized by other Wiccans (but doesn’t have to be).

Many Wiccan initiation ceremonies are simply the marking of a person’s devotion to god, or acceptance into a covenant. Some rituals may undergo “power is passed” rites between the initiator and initiate. The initiation into Wicca needn’t be seen as a conversion to another religion, because Wicca does not turn its back on whatever religion you may have preached before and does not condemn the other deities which are in existence.

The initiation ritual for Wiccans is often surrounded by a shroud of secrecy, and it is expected that those entering a Wiccan group should undergo an initiation but should keep the rituals performed completely secret. This idea stems from the fact that up until recently, Wicca was a relatively closed religion. Wicca is now available to anyone who wishes to learn and read about it, and many of the ritualistic secrets are now found in numerous books and instances online.

It is not true that one must be initiated by someone who is already a Wiccan. It is not true that one must even be initiated by someone at all. There are rituals that one may perform to initiate themselves into Wicca. The initiation into Wicca is a process which can be instant or gradual and represents the individual’s devotion to the prescribed God or Goddess. Many Wicca accept that this is just a ritual, and the true initiation occurs after the “initiation”, in which the student will gradually begin to accept nature, speak to plants and animals, and stare off at the distant moon at night. The appreciation for nature often starts after one has embraced Wicca and started following its ideals.

Many Wiccans consider the moon as the embodiment of the Goddess, which is very important to the Wiccan religion. The moon is a very great source of natural energy that is necessary in magic, and many spells and rituals that you perform may be affected by the lunar phase in which you do them.

The moon cycle lasts 28.5 days and it is referred to as waxing when it is approaching the full moon and waning when it is approaching the new moon. Waxing means the moon is appearing larger and more revealing in the sky. During a waxing moon is when you want to do the majority of your positive rituals that have to do with love, healing and growth. The waxing moon period lasts about 14 days (or half the time of the moon cycle) and is a very positive time.

The full moon is described as the period when the moon is entirely full as a sphere in the sky. The full moon period is a time to perform spells and rituals which have to do with psychic ability and strength, fertility and power. The full moon is said to represent the Goddess and this period lasts about six days around the actual full moon (3 days before and 3 after).

On the other hand, the waning moon is the term for the moon when it is going from full to new moon. In the sky the waning moon appears as if it is decreasing in size and becoming covered by clouds. The time of waning moon is a time for spells that reverse and banish. This is a time when you can get rid of bad habits and relationships with people who are not exerting a positive sphere of influence on your life. The waning moon period lasts about 14 days as well and is a very divine time.

The various stages of the moon and stars are important for the effect your magic will have. There is a general accepted list of when each type of spell should be performed based on the position of the moon in one of the astrological signs. Earth spells should be performed when the moon is in the position of Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. Air spells should be performed when it is at Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. Fire spells should be performed when it is at Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. Water spells should be performed when it is at Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.

There are three categories of Wiccan love spells:

1. The retrieve a lost love spell. These kinds of spells are designed to reunite someone with their ex lover. It doesn’t really matter what the reason was for the break up, or who initiated it, these spells are designed to fix the relationship.

2. Make someone fall in love with me. These spells are used when the person is in a situation of unrequited love. No pre-existing relationship is necessary, the love spell is designed to bring love where there is none (or at least, where there is no reciprocal love).

3. Find me a lover spells. This final category is completely different to the first two. Whereas they are meant to be cast on a specific individual, these find me a lover spells are for use when one wishes to meet and fall in love with someone new. Of course, the spell should ensure that the love is mutual!

Of the three categories, the first is the most common. People hate losing what they have already got, and a broken relationship can be one of the most painful experiences in life. People who would never normally consider the use of magic, or Wicca, will often put aside their prejudices or preconceptions faced with such pain.

When it comes to actually casting these Wiccan love spells, the methods for the first two are very similar. Most spells call for some item than is easily associated with the person desired. This could be a hair, and item of clothing, or one of their personal belongings. Sometimes just a photograph is used.

For the third category, obviously no personal object can be used, instead the person requesting the spell is asked to define the kind of person they wish to meet. The more specific, the better.

Love spells are cast either by the person who desires the outcome, or by a third party. Opinion is divided on which is the best method.

Advocates of first-party casting claim that the energies are stronger because of the intense desire that the person feels. On the other hand, fans of third party casting suggest that when a spell is cast by an experienced practitioner in the craft, their experience makes it more powerful than any novice could accomplish, no matter what their level of desire.

One thing is for sure; throughout many generations, people have used Wiccan love spells to great effect. Whatever science and technology may have to offer in the future, peoples need for love will ensure that this kind of magic continues to live on for a long time to come.

In time, as the people evolved, so did their life style and beliefs. People no longer felt the need to pray to the sun or the sea, and instead embraced gods which resembled, to some degree, our own anatomical construction. However, isolated tribes are still known for practicing totem worshiping and there are even cults raised into civilization which believe in the power of nature and natural elements rather than humanoid deities.

Wicca is probably one of the most intriguing religions known to exist in modern society. It is a neo-pagan religion to its core and a form of witchcraft, at the same time.

Wicca appeared somewhere in the first half of the 20th century and it is seen, by adepts of conservatory religions, as a disguised form of devil worshipping and black magic. This point of view is largely discredited by the members of the wiccan religion, whose claims regarding the theology of Wicca vary from one geo-social environment to another.

While some believe in the existence of a goddess and a god, others firmly believe that the wiccan deity is in fact one single person with complementary attitudes, which manifests in both male and female forms. At the same time, there are a growing number of atheist members of the wiccan cult who see the wiccan deities as philosophical examples of the human condition and try to adapt their life styles as such.

The variety of wiccan practices and beliefs are numerous, and differ from one region to another. This aspect of Wicca makes it a religion that is easy to embrace by anyone looking for answers in the spiritual world.

However, perhaps the most interesting aspect of the wiccan religion is the one concerning the views of wiccans upon the afterlife. Unlike other religions that see death as the transcendence from a physical life form to a non-physical existence, Wicca adepts believe that the human soul goes through a series of reincarnations. This happens in order to learn valuable lessons regarding the human condition and the universe, therefore evolving. While some wiccans believe that a human person who dies will reincarnate as another human person, others claim that reincarnation is only possible from one specie to another.

A different view point would be that only those who were true wiccans –or witches or wizards- will reincarnate and that will happen in the shape of other witches and wizards.

Whichever the truth might be behind our human condition, one thing is for sure: ever since the early 1950s Wicca has captivated thousands of people all over the world, winning over 750,000 adepts in the U.S. alone.

Nobody knows what Wicca really is, other than a religious belief and a form of witchcraft practicing, but one thing is for sure: Wicca is yearly gaining thousands adepts all over the world, with an estimated number of over 750,000 American adepts at the end of 2009.

You have to admit, the fact that not much is known about, makes Wicca such an intriguing belief and practice. People all over the world, especially those in their teen or early adult years, are embracing Wicca for its liberal life style and positive views upon nature and the world itself.

If you’re not sure whether or not you have witnessed anything wiccan related, chances are that you have passed by several graffiti drawn wiccan symbols and had no idea what they meant, but found them really cool.

Here are the top ten wiccan symbols:

1. The pentacle.
2. The triple goddess
3. The horned god
4. The wheel of the year
5. The septagram
6. The spirit circle
7. The air element
8. The water element
9. The fire element
10. The earth element

The Pentacle is the main symbol of Wicca. It depicts a pentagram situated in a circle and it symbolizes the unity of body and spirit. It is widely used as a recognition sign by Wiccan adepts all over the world.

The triple goddess is, after the pentacle, the most popular wiccan symbol. Its depictions are various, but the symbolism is usually the same: the triple goddess symbolizes the changes of life, from birth to death. Female wiccan adepts wear the triple goddess as a talisman around their necks in order to express their feminine sexual energy.

The horned god depicts a circle with an upside down crescent moon placed on top. It represents the male polarity of the universe and it is widely used as a talisman which boosts men’s sexual energy.

The wheel of the year is the Wiccan interpretation of the calendar and the spirit circle is used in witchcraft as a way of marking the ground that will be used for the wiccan rituals.

The last four symbols, the elements are seen by most of the adepts as symbols of nature’s power and are usually used as talismans, with the belief that the elements can grant one protection from such things as storms, floods, fires and earthquakes.

In fact, to its core, Wicca sees a sense of divine in all that is real and surrounds us. It sees Earth as one living organism and the people who inhabit it as gods and goddesses. However, given the fact that most adepts are women, Wicca considers that the supreme manifestation of divinity is of a feminine nature.

Although world-widely Wicca has been recognized as a neo-pagan religion with a number of adepts that almost doubles at the end of each semester, many people adopt a more conservative attitude towards it. They see Wicca more as a belief rather than a religion, mostly because Wicca does not have a specific set of rules and moral groundings.

This does not imply that Wicca is of a malevolent nature, as Wiccans do have one supreme rule: do whatever you like, as long as it doesn’t harm anyone. Furthermore, Wiccans see women as being at least equal to men; they believe in the importance of preserving the environment and sanctify the passing of the seasons, as a symbol of rebirth and rejuvenation.

Because Wicca sees sexuality as a positive thing and a gift of the Goddess, most monotheistic religions frown upon it, claiming that supporting sexuality is a manifestation of an evil nature.

Another controversial aspect of Wicca is that while many adepts call themselves witches and see their religion as a form of witchcraft, others believe that witchcraft has a ritualistic allure and can be practiced by any religion.

It’s interesting to observe how the freedom of judgment has influenced Wiccans’ believes regarding their own religion. While some see the Wiccan Gods as displays of moral values and positive energy, others choose to believe that Wicca is either a monotheistic, ditheistic, polytheistic or henotheistic religion.

It is important to know that despite the many variations regarding the means of worship or the dogma itself, Wicca has been officially recognized in most countries as a neo-pagan religion. Moreover, although it doesn’t follow the strict moral paths of the more conservative religions, Wicca is a positive belief, with no intents to harm anyone in any way, shape or form.

If you are sure you are ready to get started in Wicca but want to know how, you need to start subscribing to Wiccan publications and start communicating with Wiccan communities over the internet. Once you have embraced a Wiccan community (or coven) you can expect to be accepted and initiated. There is no unique initiation process and it is different for different groups of Wicca.

To get started in Wicca you need to follow the Wiccan Rede, which states “Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill, An it harm none do what ye will”. This rule is essentially the Golden Rule as taught in Christianity and it means “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” or “treat others the way you want to be treated”.

Wiccans also believe in the Law of Three, meaning whatever energy you put unto another person, you will receive back three times that. If you harm someone, you will receive three times that amount of harm in return (similar to the karma principal).

Remember to respect everyone and everything. Everything is sacred, especially Mother Nature. Accept divination and see the divine spirit in everything. You have free will in life, and are your own person. Because you have the freedom to choose, you must take responsibility for your actions, always.

Once you have accepted these principals to that of your core being, you will be ready to be initiated. Initiations are usually held in a coven, but are in no way required to be. You don’t even need to be initiated by another Wiccan, and we’ll describe the process for initiating yourself into Wicca.

You will need to clean the area in which you will be performing your ritual. To set the mood, light a candle or some incense, you can even put on some relaxing music. Some materials you will need for your initiation ceremony are things you would like to place on the altar, a photo of yourself, something to represent your old/new life, something to eat/drink, some scented oil and a bowl of saline (saltwater).

You will need to relax, clear your mind of thoughts, and then call upon the elements. Call upon the God and Goddess. Kneel facing your altar and speak your mind, almost as if meditating and letting your consciousness flow. Open your mind up to the God and Goddess and sprinkle yourself with the saltwater. Face the east and present yourself to the elements. Once you are finished you may do a blessing and meditate, reflecting upon the new life you have taken on.

In fact, Wicca is such a controversial religion simply because its adepts have the freedom to do and think as they will, as long as they don’t harm anyone in any way. This quickly led to major belief variations – some claim that Wicca is an atheistic religion, others that is a polytheistic religion. Moreover, some believe that Wicca is a hedonistic belief.

It is because of these major discrepancies that not much can be said about common Wiccan rituals. However, it is commonly accepted by adepts that any Wiccan ritual is an attempt to contact the divine.

As an example, one of the most common Wiccan rituals is the one similar to the Christian baptism. The newborn is this way introduced to the community. The major difference however, is that the baptism ritual performed by Wiccans does not imply in any way that the child becomes a Wiccan. Such a decision is taken individually at a mature age, when the person feels ready to become a Wiccan priest or priestess.

Another commonly accepted Wiccan ritual is the Great Rite. It is a form of sex magic, performed usually by a high priest and a high priestess, who ask divinity to enter their bodies as they engage in sexual intercourse. The goal of this practice is to raise magical energy which will be later used in witchcraft.

Most common Wiccan rituals are held with the intent to purify one’s mind and soul, or to cleanse the nature, allowing it to be reborn or continue its evolution at the end of a season. These practices usually involve the drawing of an encircled pentagram. Five priests or priestess will then invoke the Guardians, which represent the natural elements. Different spells will be then spoken individually or together. At the end of the ceremony, the drawn circle will be cleaned, symbolizing the end of the ritual.

As a conclusion, not much is known today about the Wiccan rituals and practices, despite the rapidly growing number of its adepts. However, one thing is for sure, and it has been for centuries now: Wicca is a positive religion form, with no intent into harming or controlling anyone.