Why do you call yourself a Pagan Wizard (and are you witch)?

First, a little history for context or my answer won’t mean much.

Let’s clarify to start; Pagan/Paganism is an umbrella term for any non-Judeo/Christian faith, such as the religions of Wicca, Druidism and Hinduism. All Pagan religions worship more than one god, usually a singular god and goddess at the very least.

Modern Witchcraft is separate from general Paganism as in of itself it is a religion independent set of skills that traces its roots back thousands of years to shamanism which predates Christianity. The oldest Witch related artifact is a small stone Goddess statue 25,000 years old in fact.

I should also make clear the differences between ancient witchcraft and its modern counterpart. In the mindset of the people who practiced ancient witchcraft, there was no difference between a religion and the skills of such. This is because the ancient peoples saw spirit in everything, things such as trees, herbs, flowers, animals and the like. Thus using an herb mixture to cure an illness was inherently a spiritual practice just as it was also the skill of medicine and science. Unlike today there was no line separating the two. Raven Grimassi has an excellent book “Old World Witchcraft” if you want more on that topic.

Now, let us address the word Witch. There is a lot of dispute on the etymology of the word. Generally speaking, however, it’s accepted as meaning “sorceress, bender, or shaper”. The reason bender and shaper get tossed into the mix is because ancient folk believed one of the abilities of witches was to shape shift into an animal form. Also, due to the shamanistic roots of witchcraft, some ancient cultures also believed witches talked to their spirit guides; that belief exists to this day by some modern witches.

Back in classical times, the person we would call today a Witch preformed several if not all of the following skills: herbal medicine, midwifery (delivering babies), divination (astrology, tarot card reading, fire gazing, rune casting, etc), lore keepers/story tellers, necromancy (communicating with the dead for guidance/information now called mediumship), settling local disputes and the use of natural magick. Magick, which in a nutshell is nothing more than using the natural energies around us for a desired effect, probability manipulation in other words.

Today, most modern Witches perform many if not all of these skills to some degree as well. Also, let’s be clear once more on what a Witch is: technically speaking, a Witch is one who performs the skills of Witchcraft as we listed above. Since skills are not dependent on a religion, it does not necessarily have a religious association. Thus, one can be a Christian Witch, Buddhist Witch, Atheist Witch or the more common Pagan or Wiccan Witch.

The roots of the term Wizard is in far less dispute. The entomology of the word means “sage, philosopher, wise man”. The skill set is very similar to that of a Witch.

Also, keep in mind, the term Witch is unisex so both males and females can be titled a Witch. However some, like me, prefer the term Wizard but do not shy away from the word Witch if it is tossed in our direction either. As we do use the skills of Witchcraft, thus it applies to Wizards as well. The choice of title is simply personal preference in the end.

Philosophically speaking, however, Wizardry and Witchcraft are very similar but there are some significant differences. Both a Witch and a Wizard generally explain the universe in a spiritual context and though occult studies. Yet, all Wizards but only some Witches also seek a balance between those occult studies and hard science. For example, we Wizards realize there are things one can draw from both astronomy and astrology from chemistry and alchemy from physics and magick.

Wizards agree just because something can’t be fully explained now (Such as tarot cards and magick) does not mean it isn’t based in hard science. It simply means we can’t explain it currently. Less than 200 years ago, electricity was considered an “occult science”. Now, it’s firmly understood and our society arguably can’t survive without it. It simply took time and research to understand it. Thus, wizards see the unexplained in the same light as a scientist might.

While technically calling me a witch is accurate since we do the same skills for the most part I am more of the Wizard philosophically hence choose to identify myself as such.

 

What is Wicca?

Wicca is a polytheistic, fertility, nature based religion that believes in karma and reincarnation. It got US federal recognition as a religion in 1990.

What we today call the religion of Wicca originated from a man called Gerald Gardner from the UK in the 1940’s. He claimed it all started in the 1930’s when he met practicing Witches in the New Forest area of England. Their rituals were fragmented and clearly incomplete but allegedly they told him they came from a line of practicing Witches that went back numerous generations. They practiced in secret because of the negative stigma against Witches at that time. He took what they taught him, incorporated mainly the Pagan Celtic religion as well as more modern magick systems from the 1800’s such as Free Masonry to fill in the blanks of their rites. Where gaps still existed, he simply, admittedly, used his and his High Priestess Doreen Valiente imagination to fill the voids. What resulted by the late 1940’s was the foundation of what we call Wicca today. In the early 1960’s Wicca had jumped the pond and was brought over to America by a man named Raymond Buckland who still writes Wicca books and teaches classes.

So depending upon how you look at the religion of Wicca, it is either one of the newest or one of the oldest religions in the world. Either it was created by Gardner in the 1940’s or it’s reconstruction based on ancient Celtic religion and beliefs from about 800 BCE.

In a 2008 secular poll by the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) the following facts were discovered: about one million people (adults & children) in North America are practicing Pagans, over 75% who define themselves as Wiccans. That may not seem remarkable but considering in 1990 the number of total Pagans in North America was about 20,000 (average estimate) that is a significant leap. Currently Wicca is the # 7 religion in the US membership wise; it is estimated the Wiccan religion is doubling about every 4 to 5 years according to the polling sources.

 

Aren’t Pagans are a bunch of animal killing, devil worshipers?

No and No. First, those under the Pagan umbrella or practicing Witches are very environmentally respectful people who revere life in all forms. Anyone who kills an animal in the name of some form of Witchcraft or the religion of Wicca watched too many B rated horror movies. They should not be taken any more seriously than someone of the Christian faith who kills someone because their God “told” them to do so. Taking innocent human or animal life is rejected by any serious Pagan or Witch follower. Wiccan’s and many witches follow the ‘Wiccan Rede’ which states in its most basic form ‘Do as thou wilt but harm none.’

Historically speaking, and in regards to the belief of Pagans, Satan aka The Devil, is a Christian invention that didn’t come about until centuries after the religion was established. Likewise, if you trace the myth of Lucifer, you actually find its roots mostly (but not completely) come from Middle Eastern pre-Christian mythology. History shows us that Satan is used by the church for exerting fear and thus control. “Listen to me and do as I say, or the Devil is going to get you!” Satan is seen by Pagans for what it is, nothing more than the fictional adult version of the boogie man to modern Wizards and Witches. Thus, we can’t worship something we don’t believe in!

We generally believe in various Gods and Goddesses and various spirits. However, we do not have an all-powerful evil entity like the Christian Devil in our beliefs.

Since we don’t have a Satan figure to live in fear about, our moral compass is simply karma and reincarnation. If we put out positive thoughts and actions that is what we will get back in this life and the next.

 

Do Pagans wear all black to be evil or trying to be emo?

Not quite. We wear black because black is traditionally the color of protection. Back in classical times the color black was a very hard dye color to produce so it became highly revered. As a result over time, it became the color associated with protective qualities. As black represented night, and at night you couldn’t be seen, you thus were ‘protected’. So modern Witches use it for the same rationale our ancestors used it for. If you still dispute that and think black has something to do with evil then I would suggest you walk down to your local Church on the corner. Then ask the priests why they wear all black and if they are ‘evil’ because of it. On a related side note Witches also wear black because black absorbs all light. True black does not reflect any light or color and therefore absorbs the power Witches call on in order to perform their spell magick during rituals.

With all that said some of us, like myself, take it a step further and dress not only in black but Victorian Gothic as well. There is no religious significance to that just personal preference. Because, top hats are cool!

 

Why do Pagans wear the devil star?

We don’t believe in the Christian Satan. Thus, why would we wear something associated with that fictional myth? This assumption is a modern misconception of the symbol propagated by some churches and extremists. That said, you must be talking about the pentagram, the 5 pointed star. This is a long historical discussion however, the short version is this: The pentagram existed long before Christians. In fact, the first recorded pentagram was chiseled in stone about 3000 BCE of Mesopotamian (current Iran/Iraq) origin. It has meant many things over the ages; however, its current meaning comes from a mix of alchemists of the middle ages and it’s middle eastern origins. As alchemists saw it the 4 points of the pentacle representing the 4 elements earth, air, fire and water. The 5th point represents spirit or one’s self. The circle around it represents the universe or as a circle represents infinity, no end or beginning. As for the Mesopotamian use, the pentagram was created as a symbol to banish and protect from evil. Thus is has very positive meaning unlike what certain B horror movies or overly religious types would have you believe.