What is Wicca?
Wicca is both old and young, combining ancient ideas in new patterns. It exists today in a wide variety of forms, and continues to grow and evolve as a dynamic living tradition. Constitutionally protected and legally recognized in the United States for more than 25 years, Wicca, also known as Witchcraft or simply The Craft, is currently the fastest growing religion in the United States according to the Institute for the Study of American Religion.
Wicca is a Pagan tradition. Like other forms of Paganism, Wicca is characterized by earth-centered /nature-centered spirituality and an ethical system based in personal responsibility. Specifically, Wicca is a reconstruction of the Nature worship of tribal Western Europe – influenced by the living spiritual traditions of other tribes, combined with traditional ceremonial practices, and informed by the mythologies of our ancestors. The myths and religious traditions of the world form a shared heritage we study and celebrate. We believe that humankind is our family and we have much to learn from each other.
Wiccan ceremonies may include chanting, singing and/or dancing, storytelling, ritual drama, the sharing of food and drink, meditation, and/or works of magic, which we define as the direction of will to accomplish a goal in accordance with the natural order of the Universe. Wicca is characterized by a blending of religious and magical elements, and our religious rituals utilize the traditional symbols (such as the pentagram) and practices associated with ceremonial magic. Rituals may be performed by an individual, by a coven or group of covens, or by a larger community of Pagans. They may be practiced privately or publicly.
Ethics
The Wiccan Rede -- “An ye harm none, do what ye will.” -- forms the basis for our ethical system. Essentially, we define “wrong” as that which causes harm, and strive to avoid causing harm to others, to ourselves, and to our environment. We celebrate personal freedom and accept personal responsibility for our actions. We also respect what is called the “Law of Karmic Return” or the “Rule of Three” which tells us that what we send out comes back to us -- good and bad. In other words, “what goes around comes around.”
Basic Beliefs
While beliefs vary among individuals and traditions, the following concepts are central to an understanding of Wiccan religion. (Note also that Wiccans do not share the Christian belief in Satan, or any other personification of evil.)
1. Imminence
We believe that Deity is imminent in the natural world. The Universe itself is Sacred, as is the food and water we consume, the air we breathe, the earth under our feet. We are sacred, our bodies and our spirits. We view the physical and the spiritual as two sides of the same substance, inseparable and interdependent.
2. Polarity
We believe that the Divine, the Great All, manifests as both female and male, as Goddess and God. All that we know scientifically and intuitively about our world tells us that both male and female are necessary to create life, and we believe that creation is an act of love. Each principle – male and female -- balances, completes and interacts with the other. Each is necessary and valued. Each principle contains the other. We accept and honor both.
3. Connectivity
We understand that the universe is interconnected on every level and that we are a part of it. All things are related. We cooperate with and participate in the complex system of the Universe, the cosmic web of life.
kyou_raziel Community Member 
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