The Goddess in Wicca: The Nature of the Wiccan Goddess

Wiccans view the Goddess as everything. She is the consort of the God, She is the earth, the water, and the moon. She has been seen in many different forms, and called by many different names. Her many and varied appearances allow any and all Wiccans to connect to Her in whatever way they feel most appropriate. This allows for an intense and personal connection with this aspect of the divine.

Facets of the Goddess

The Goddess is nature itself. She is the source of all wisdom and fertility for all living things. Wiccans often see her as having three aspects: the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. Sometimes, she will be personified as four aspects instead, to mirror the four aspects of the God: the Maiden, the Lover, the Mother, and the Crone.

These aspects correspond to the phases of the moon. She is the waxing moon as the Maiden, or as the Maiden and the Lover both, young, strong and vibrant, ready to learn, eager for exploration. She is the full moon as the Mother, loving, nurturing, ready to catch us when we fall, and at the height of her power. She is also the waning moon as the Crone, wise in all ways, willing to guide us and advise us, and guarding the gates of death.

The Goddess has many facets. She is all that is nature, so She is both the violent hurricane that destroys life and the gentle spring rain that gives life. She is the bright green and yellow fields in summer and the frost-covered ground in winter. Her gift is life, but it comes with it a price in the very end — death.

However, in Wicca, death is not oblivion at all, but instead a rest from the toils of physical existence, and a chance to prepare for the next incarnation, whatever it may be. Even though the Goddess is possessed of both light and dark, much as every form of life is, Wiccans worship the side of Her that is love, fertility, and abundance. Her darker side is acknowledged, but rarely worked with directly.

Goddess Symbolism in Wicca

Just as with all gods and goddesses, the Goddess has many different names and titles, and many different forms. In addition to the Triple Goddess, she is also commonly known as the Queen of Heaven, the Mother of the Gods, the Great Mother, and by many other titles. She is present in all pantheons, and has gone by many different names at different points in history: Diana, Isis, Bridget, Hera, Inanna, Hecate, and Dana are but a few examples.

Her symbols include silver (both the metal and the color), the moon, the cauldron or chalice, and those items associated with water, such as seashells, pearls, and the like. She is associated with the earth, sea, and moon, and some of Her creatures include the cat, dolphin, spider, horse, and rabbit. No matter how She is seen, or what is connected with Her, She is eternal.

The Goddess has an integral place in Wiccan spirituality. Her various aspects and facets serve to facilitate a connection to Her, for it is Her versatility that Her greatest strength and appeal is found. She is seen as an ever-present and ever-watching mother, the very essence of nature, and the reason for all life.

Wiccan Cosmology: The Wiccan View of the Divine

All religions are based upon a reverence or worship of a divine being, and Wicca is no exception. Wicca acknowledges an ultimate divine power from which the universe originally came. However, Wiccans believe that this ultimate divine is so far beyond human comprehension that any connection to it has been nearly lost, simply because of the difficulty in relating to it. If one cannot relate to deity, it is very difficult to have a personal relationship with it, and Wicca depends on a very individual relationship with the divine. So, Wiccans link with this divine power through deities, and just like all else in nature, the divine can be divided into two basic entities: the Goddess and the God.

Every god or goddess that has ever received worship upon the planet, at any point in history, exists with the Goddess and the God. The many different gods and goddesses that exist within each pantheon are simply aspects of the Goddess and the God. In other words, every goddess exists within the Goddess, and every god exists within the God.

Honoring the Goddess and the God

The twin deities, masculine and feminine, are a direct result of Wicca's close link with nature. Since most of nature is divided into gender, it makes sense that the deities would follow a similar pattern. In the very early days of Shamanism, when the Goddess and the God were as real as the earth and the sky, rituals and other rites of worship were unstructured and spontaneous. Later, rituals began to follow the course of the sun throughout the year, as well as the moon through its monthly cycle.

Today, these or similar rites are observed by Wiccans. The regular performance of these rituals is one of the ways in which modern practitioners can create a strong connection to the divine and all the powers associated with the Goddess and the God. Keep in mind, however, that it is not necessary to wait for these rituals to be reminded of the presence of the divine. Everything in nature is a part of the divine, and so connection to the divine is all around and within every living thing. Living in harmony with nature makes every moment a part of a grand ritual.

For many Wiccans, simply watching the sun or moon rise or set is its own ritual. Observing anything in nature can be considered a ritual to one who lives Wiccan ideals. Because of this, many Wiccans are involved in ecology to some extent, whether it be saving the earth from destruction or simply by recycling. Honoring the planet is one of the many ways in which the Goddess and the God can be honored.

Wiccan Theology on the Goddess and God

According the Wiccan theology, the Goddess and the God, and their many incarnations, did not exist until those living in ancient times conceived of them. However, their energies certainly existed, since it was these energies that created life as it exists today.

The earliest worshipers personified these forces as the Goddess and the God in an attempt to understand and relate to them. Once they were worshiped in these forms, the Goddess and the God endured. They did not vanish with the rise of Christianity. Though most of the rites have been lost to time, Wicca and other Pagan religions are alive and well.

When the Goddess and the God are envisioned, what is seen will reflect the experiences of the individual involved. Many Wiccans see them as familiar deities from ancient traditions, such as Diana, Isis, Cerridwen, Bridget, or Artemis for the Goddess, and Pan, Osiris, Lugh, Thoth, or Apollo for the God. Most of these deities have rich histories and mythologies, and this serves to enhance the experience of connecting to the divine for many Wiccans.

Some may feel more comfortable relating to a nameless being, and so worship a generic Goddess and God, instead of a specific incarnation. Either approach is correct, depending greatly upon personal preference. The divine will take whatever form is needed, whatever form we can be most easily related to.

For those completely new to polytheistic religions, it can be difficult to accept the fact that the divine exists as both masculine and feminine. More than that, they are considered equal; neither is higher than the other. Though some Wiccan traditions focus so much on the Goddess that they seem to forget the God completely, this is a reaction to centuries of male-dominated religions. However, religion based solely on the worship of the feminine is just as unbalanced and unnatural as one which focuses totally on the masculine. The ideal is a perfect balance between both male and female — the Goddess and the God.

Shamanism and Wicca

Shamanism is the oldest religion, according to most modern anthropologists. In its pure form, it is the precursor of all Pagan religions (including Wicca) and is the root of most of the neo-Pagan movements found in society today. Shamans, both male and female, held the power in their cultures, because they had the knowledge, and they used it. Knowledge was power, just as it is in the modern world.

Early Shamanic Practices

The earliest Shamans gained their knowledge, their power, through altered states of consciousness, brought on through many different tools. These included fasts, trances, meditation, pain, and even hallucinogenic substances. The specific method used was generally controlled by what the end goal of the shaman was, and the geographical location of the shaman. Through these 'altered states,’ all magickal and spiritual knowledge was obtained. This knowledge was gained through communication with spirits, animals, and even deities. Only some of this knowledge was shared with the general populace, while the rest was reserved for the Shamans themselves.

As time went on, Shamans developed new tools to obtain 'altered states' of consciousness. The introduction of such things as music, dance, and chanting was the very beginning of ritual magick, the practice of which continues today.

In fact, the most effective of magickal rites, even in modern times, are often a combination of the natural and the artificial. Flickering firelight, steady music, darkness, and chanting are still usually more than enough to bring about an 'altered state' and allow modern pagans to access vast amounts of natural energy, the same natural energies once used by the ancient shamans. Ritual is not only found in pagan religions, but in all religions throughout the world. One has only to attend a Catholic service to see that ritual is alive and well in even the most organized or religions.

The very first Shamanic ritual practices gave rise to all 'magickal religions’, including Wicca. It follows, then, that Wicca is a Shamanic religion, despite the fact that it is considered by most to be a ‘new religion’. Though modern Wicca has, for the most part, abandoned the use of pain and hallucinogens, the use of ritual magick allows the same results: a spiritual connection with the divine.

Reincarnation in Wicca and Shamanism

As with most pagan traditions, Wicca embraces the idea of reincarnation, much as the ancient shamans did. It is important to note that, in general, Wicca teaches that we are reborn into another human body, unlike some Eastern philosophies, which hold that we can be reborn into many different forms. There are some exceptions to this rule of Wicca, but they are few and far between. Ancient shamanistic cultures also differ in their view of reincarnation.

Wicca, like ancient shamanism, holds firm to the idea that reincarnation should not be a subject of 'belief.' Rather, through tools such as meditation and past-life regression, reincarnation should be studied until it can be accepted as more than belief, but as an undisputed fact.

For the most part, Wiccans do not believe in destiny or fate. Instead, Wiccans take responsibility for their actions, or lack thereof. In addition, Wiccans take responsibility for their reactions to those things done to them, but certainly not for the actions of others.

Many of the basic beliefs in Wicca come from shamanism, including reincarnation and the use of ritual magick. Though no direct line between ancient shamanistic practices and modern Wicca exists, the striking similarities cannot be denied. While it would be inaccurate to say that Wicca is a truly ancient religion, it is easy to see how it could be said that Wicca, as a modern religion, does indeed include the basic elements of Shamanistic practice.

An Introduction to Wicca: Wiccan Beliefs and Practices

Wicca is a spiritual path that combines an attunement to the divine with the practice of magick. Many factors make Wicca so appealing: its ancient roots, acceptance of magick, and mysterious nature all draw many seekers. However, it’s probably Wicca's versatility that is responsible for its popularity.

Basic Beliefs of Wicca

Wicca is a contemporary, Earth-based spiritual path, acknowledging both a Goddess and God. The divine is usually seen as both within and around all living things. In Wicca, it is believed that the divine is present in every living thing, and so all life is perceived as sacred and interconnected, and leads to a reverence for nature. Wiccans don’t treat the earth as an object to be used for gain alone. Rather, nature is seen as sacred, and Wiccans treat the earth accordingly.

Wiccans acknowledge that the divine is feminine as well as masculine, and the Goddess is essential to Wiccan worship. The power of the Goddess is also seen in many aspects of nature, such as the moon, and the very earth itself. The honoring of the feminine divine is one of the reasons for the very rapid growth in the popularity of Wicca.

Wicca combines ancient beliefs with modern practices which are designed to help its practitioners to attune to the natural rhythms of the universe. This connection to nature is personal, and leads to an equally personal relationship with the divine. This relationship is not facilitated by another, but is instead unique and sacred to the individual. Wiccans honor nature as a great spiritual teacher, and many devote themselves to the study of the power inherent in the natural cycles of the universe. These include, but are not limited to, the cycles of the seasons and the moon.

Ethics in Wicca

Wiccans have no central doctrine, however, there is one fundamental principle: 'An ye harm none, do as ye will.' This means that a Wiccan can do as he or she pleases, provided it does no harm to themselves or others. This honors the freedom of individual, while stressing the responsibility for choices and actions made willingly. Being individuals, each Wiccan decides for him or herself what exactly 'harm' means. As a consequence, Wiccans have very different opinions when it comes to many issues, including abortion, war, vegetarianism, and capital punishment.

Wicca is an ever-changing, completely accessible system of teachings, which allows each individual to form a relationship with the divine. Most Wiccans, though certainly not all, view their learning process as a priesthood, taking years of training and involving several initiations.

Spiritual Practices of Wicca

Wiccan spiritual practices are a combination of ancient and modern techniques for shifting states of consciousness at will in order to achieve many different ends. Sometimes these techniques are used for purposes such as divination, blessing, healing, and other uses that involve the raising of energy. The specific techniques are many and varied, including dancing, chanting, meditation, ritual, song, and prayer. To properly execute these techniques requires much practice, study, patience, and faith. Wiccans may perform spiritual work for others, such as healing or divination, but only with their expressed and informed consent.

Ultimately, Wicca's greatest strength, in the past, present, and future, is its diversity, its adaptability, and its vitality. While its core beliefs, spiritual practices, philosophy, and ethics may remain the same, there is much room for interpretation and individuality. This encouragement of individual expression continues to attract many new seekers.