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Simply put, is a present day version of pre-Christian European spirituality. Wicca combines the practice of the very old art of Witchcraft, (the practice of magick, herbalism, divination) with a modern spiritual belief. The spirituality part of Wicca is based on many of the deities, mythologies, and holidays (seasonal celebrations) of pre- Christian Europe, but since we know little about the rituals of that period, Wiccan ritual and celebration is in all probability no more than 50-60 years old, making Wicca a Neo-Pagan religion.In general, Wiccans believe the Divine is both male and female and thus revere both a God and Goddess. Like the pre-Christian of times past, Wiccans appreciate that we are part of nature and that nature is part of the Divine. For this reason, Wiccans rituals and celebrations (Esbats and Sabbats) coincide with the natural cycles of the seasons, the Earth, the Moon and Sun.

Wicca is made up of many ‘traditions’ of belief (Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Seax-Wicca, etc) and Wicca is not the only Neo-Pagan religion. There are numerous other belief systems that fall under the heading of “Pagan”. To correspond with Christianity, Pagan is like the term Christianity; Wicca is like the term Protestant; Tradition is like the term Denomination (Anglican, United Church, etc); and Coven is like the term Temple or Church. The first modern Wiccan Tradition is Gardnerian named after its founder Gerald Gardner (1884-1964). Since Gardner’s time, however, many other traditions have been formed.

While the traditions seem so different on the surface, there is a core belief that is common. Deity is not separated from Creation, but is part of Creation. By respecting the natural cycles of the Universe and by living our lives with nature instead of against it, Pagans build a relationship with the Divine, a connection or tie that is part of us.

Witchcraft is the practice of magick. There is nothing super-natural about magick. In fact, magick is simply using the forces present in the universe to cause change in our lives. Witches hold power because they understand that they are responsible for their own lives. They effect change through the power of their will and not through luck or divine intervention. In order to use the power within ourselves, we often need to alter our conscious state and we do through ritual, and the use of symbols.

Although Witchcraft is not Wicca, Wicca would not be complete without Witchcraft. We do not pray to our gods to ‘fix’ things in our lives. Wiccans manifest change in their own lives and our gods are simply our guides. So to be Wiccan is to be a Witch, but being a Witch does not mean you are Wiccan.