Wicca is a nature based lifestyle and forms part of Paganism - Neo-pagan religion though there are people who would say that it is not a religion. The word WICCA means wise and it is actually the old word for witch. Hollywood created the witch to be a"hag" - old, ugly and evil. This is not so. Wicca (witches) were known to be wise in the crafting of herbs and other natural grown plants collected from the land.
The name Witches was given due to the number of females who used the craft in order to experiment what nature has grown for them. Unfortunately, man didn't like the fact that women were dabbling in something they had no idea of.
A witch riding the broom stick. The story behind the tale.
The story of a witch flying was said to be told by a drunkard in a field during the witchcraft trials, He told the court that he saw a group of women naked dancing around a fire and in the middle of the fire floated the "horned one". He was taken aback by this image, stumbled and fell as he watched them take their brooms, sit on them and then off they flew. He woke up hours later to find they had all disappeared. Apparently the man was drunk and the stories of witches had been something during those days that frightened allot of people.
Yes, there were ointments made and brews that were drunk to cause hallucinations though the origin of the broom riding witch came from a man, drunk, scared and apparently dreamt the whole thing. It is said that the courts wiped the man's statement from the records and were too embarrassed to admit the story was a fragment of the man's imagination that they let the people believe the whole tale was in fact the truth.
From there we have the story of witches flying on broom sticks.
Diseased food
Women were the ones who made and prepared food and anything that looked out of the ordinary was questioned by the husband and the male authorities.
At one time the wheat that was collected to make bread was diseased though nobody knew of this when the women were making the bread. It caused epileptic fits, vomiting and other illness. Of course this was blamed on the women and accused of poisoning the men and were accused as witches.
The story is said that the women were gathering together to form a group (a coven) to rid of all men and as they were a danger to their society. There were women who also gotten sick but this was a punishment to them because of their involvement with the devil. (silly isn't it?)
I am a practising Wiccan - a male witch - or a Witch. It is both masculine and feminine. Wiccans are open to other religions and do not preach about who they are or what they are. Wiccans use the earth, nature, the elements as their guide in life and we do not practice the black arts, call upon Satan or involve ourselves in horrific rituals.
Wiccans are at peace with themselves - nature and soul as one.
The five pointed star - the pentagram represents the 4 elements Earth, Air, Fir, Water and the fifth being the Spirit.
This is a brief explanation as to What IS WICCA and some historical information on how witches came about.
If you would like to add anything to this topic, please do so. Would like to hear your comments.
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