• Is Wicca a True Religion?

Yes. Wicca is a true religion, recognized a such by the US Government.

• Are Wicca and Paganism the same thing?

No. Paganism is a belief system all on its own. Wiccans are considered Pagan, but not all Pagans are considered Wiccans.

• Can anyone become Wiccan?

Yes. Through intense study and Initiation, anyone who truly seeks the ways of Wicca is welcomed. Many people follow the path as Solitary practitioners, this means that they practice on their own either by choice or by circumstance. Be aware, however, that not all Wiccans will accept solitaries as fellow Wiccans. Also, to be considered a true Wiccan one must:

a) Have trained and learned enough to have been ready for initiation.
b) Have been initiated into Wicca and thus:
c) Abide by the Wiccan rede and principles,
d) Follow certain other Wiccan Laws (also known as Ordains),
e) Follow the Eight Wiccan yearly Sabbat Celebrations.

• If I self-initiate, will I be Wiccan?

Yes and No. For many Wiccans who have been initiated by a High Priest/ess within a Coven Structure, the subject of Solitary initiation is quite touchy. This is because many people read a book or two and decide they will self-initiate and be Witches. Initiation done within a Coven structure and/or by a qualified and experienced teacher differs greatly from those which you may find in a book, as these are usually passed down from High Priest/ess to High Priest/ess and from Coven to Coven. Many true Wiccans who published (authors) initiations will usually do a 'generic' version because they abide (or should) by an Oath of Secrecy and certain codes of Wiccan Ethics which prohibits them from making certain things public.

• What is it meant by 'Traditions'?

Tradition, in Wiccan language, means a 'branch' of Wicca. There are dozens of Traditions out there. The most common and popular ones being Gardnerian (founded by Gerald Gardner, the papa of modern Wicca), Alexandrian (founded by Alex Sanders), Celtic - pronounced Kel-tik - (there are also several sub-traditions within Celtic as well), Seax-Wicca, Dianic, Ceremonial and Hermetic (these last two can also encompass any of the others) and Eclectic. Not all Wiccans accept Eclectic because, as many of them put it, "this is a term loosely used by people to describe what they do when they really don't know what they are doing."

• What is a Coven?

Simply put, a Coven is a group of Witches who honor and work together.

• How do I become part of a Coven?

Not easily. Much is involved in becoming part of a Coven and this is not done overnight. You first must find a suitable Coven which is not only open to new members but also follows the tradition you fancy. Then, the Coven needs to have an opening for you and the leaders be willing to train you. After a period of training (traditionally this is a year and a day) you may or may not be welcomed within the Coven structure. If you wonder whether being part of a Coven is worth it, we have to say YES! You learn how to work in a group environment (does quite a lot of good, particularly for people who think the world revolves around them!), you learn from those around you who see things differently from you, and you learn discipline. All this, of course, if the Coven runs as it is should and is led by mature, objective and true High Priest/esses.

• Are Wiccans anti-Christian?

No. Wiccans accept all paths and do not judge any as better or worse. The only time a Wiccan will have a problem with another religion or path is if the path claims to be the only one and insists on 'converting'. Wiccans will stand up and defend their religion with fervor, but will usually not shove their beliefs on anyone. Still, even within Wicca we have the less desirable!

• How do I find other Wiccans?

You are on the trail as you read this and are on-line. The Internet has literally thousands of Wiccan and Pagan resources, some wonderful, some less than so. It is up to your own judgment to find the one which best suits you. As we are all different, some of these sites may not be for you, while others will suit you perfectly. Always remember, it does not mean one site is wrong just because it does not fit your needs. Surf and search! The Inner Light Coven offers links to some other sites and tries to keep with those sites which promote Wiccan growth and serious portrayal of Wicca as a religion. Our 'links' section is by no means extensive, though it is growing, so do search around.

• Are Druids Wiccan?

No. Druids are a whole different ball game than Wiccans, yet share many similar views, beliefs and procedures. Being Wiccan does not make one a Druid nor vice-versa.

• Are Wicca and Magick the same thing? Why is Magick spelled with a 'k'?

No, Wicca and Magick are not the same. Wicca is a religion which embraces magick, but anyone can do magick without necessarily being Wiccan. Being Wiccan, however, stresses an ethical practice in the performance of magick that other paths may or may not require. Magick is spelled with a final 'k' to set it apart form the stage illusion magic.

• What is all this 'Goddess' talk?

In most traditions of Wicca, both the God and Goddess are honored equally, but not in all. Some traditions will only recognize the Goddess. This is partly because these individuals are running as fast and far away as possible from beliefs they grew up with which were patriarchal based. Wicca is flexible enough to allow for differences of beliefs even within its structure, so traditions that honor only the Goddess are still accepted Wicca.

• What does exactly 'a year and a day' mean?

Most traditions (if not all) follow what is called the 'lunar calendar' instead of the traditional 'solar'. This means that Wiccans count their days by the moon, not the sun. When set against the solar calendar, there is an extra day in the lunar calendar within a one year period.

• Do Wiccans believe in Jesus?

Wiccans, like many other religions, believe that Jesus existed, but do not believe in Jesus as their 'god' or 'messiah'. They view Jesus as one among many wise Masters who have walked the Earth teaching the basic belief of 'unconditional love' and 'love of self and others'.

• What exactly is a High Priest/ess?

The Titles of High Priest and High Priestess (simplified as High Priest/ess) denotes a rank within Wicca. Traditions differ, but in a nutshell a High Priest/ess is a person who, through intense training and study has achieved one of the highest levels within the Craft. Other titles you might encounter are Maiden, Priest/ess, Cowan, among others. Seldom will a true High Priest/ess have been made before a three year period.

• What is it meant by the word 'cowan'?

There are different opinions as to where the origins of this word come from (some attributing a meaning to the word which is less than nice), so we will not discuss them. In modern Wicca, Cowan simply denotes an individual who is not Wiccan. 'Cowan' is a term used by Wiccans to describe non-initiates, non-Craft person or outsider. Unfortunately, with the success of the Harry Potter films, many Wiccans have began to use the word 'Muggle' instead. While it began as a joke, it seems to have stuck. However, such term is not an accepted Wiccan term and the word 'Cowan' is still used. The word is by no means derogatory - although originally was - but simply states that an individual is a non-Wiccan.

The origin of the word is shrouded in mystery. However, many sources cite this as either a derivation of, or the ancestry of the English word "common." Old English spelled the word both 'coen' and 'comon.' If this is correct, 'Cowan,' meaning common, is still a term meaning the lesser, "common people," also the English "House of Commons" as distinguished from the House of Lords. It is interesting to note that the word 'Cowan' is also used within Freemasonry to denote those also non-initiated.

• Are Witchcraft and Wicca the same thing?

Yes. Wiccans also go by the term Witches and see the Craft as Witchcraft. This is not the Christian concept of a Witch, which stems mostly from King James and 'his' version of the bible. Both words, Witchcraft and Wicca, share the same origins and mean basically "Wise Ones", though there are other meanings to both terms as well. Be advised that though all Wiccans are considered Witches, not all Witches are Wiccan.

• I am new to Wicca. What do I wear for Holidays?

Wicca is a very flexible religion. If you have been initiated into and are thus Wiccan, you usually would wear your Coven's ritual garments for the festival celebrations. If you are a Solitary Practitioner, you would then wear the ritual garments you always wear for your rituals or specifically made ones for the Sabbat celebrations. The important thing is that what you wear not be mundane every day clothing. This separates the every day life from the ritual one and makes the ritual ones more sacred. It also prevents mundane energies from entering your Circle, unless you smudged intensely beforehand. Happy Sabbat!

• Do Wiccans recognize Satan in their beliefs (the $20,000 question!)?

No. Satan is a Christian concept. To recognize (or even worship) this concept one must be Christian. Wiccans are not Christian, thus, do not embrace the concept. Many Wiccans do not even embrace the concept of 'good' and 'evil,' but those of necessary polarities opposing each other. The origin of Satan is a fascinating study in itself, and this study will take you through early Judaism, Christianity and even Zoroaster. The modern view of Satan basically stems from the time when Christianity became opressive of the masses and conversion was not optional. As such, the concept of Satan (which in Hebrew actually meant 'oponent') began to take a more evil representation.

• Can you initiate yourself alone? Or do you need to be part of a Coven to be initiated? In other words... Is the only way to be initiated is by a High Priest or Priestess?

As mentioned earlier in this page, this is a touchy subject for many in the Craft. The answer to this depends also on tradition. Technically, one can self initiate if they have spent enough time studying the craft and are honest with themselves about the level of knowledge they possess. Many may or may not recognize you as initiated, but if you show a good level of knowledge, common sense and respect for Craft ethics, most will.

• Do you have to be born a Witch or Wiccan to be one? Any ideas on a Wiccan name?

Any who will answer 'yes' to this question is grossly misinformed. No, you do not have to be born a Wiccan to be one. Actually, many find Wicca at a much later time in their lives, when they are in need of spirituality and stumble upon it. Most have a feeling of 'coming home' when they find Wicca and set out on this path and never look back. Others are attracted to Wicca based on a misguided idea of power and magick. True Wicca is neither of these and frowns upon manipulating others. Wicca is a religion that honours self, life and God/dess. When magick is practiced within Wicca is is for spiritual self betterment.

Regarding the Wiccan name. This can be tricky. Normally we do not set out to find a Wiccan name before starting to study and becoming Wiccan. A Wiccan name is a serious affair, and when ready, we acquire one. This is the name the God/dess will know you by as you dedicate yourself to the path. There are many ways a person picks their Wiccan name. Some have the wonderful experience of a patron deity choosing them during a ritual or meditation and then choose a name which reflects this energy. Others choose a quality they want to emulate, while others go a step further and change the spelling to match their birth number. Neither approach is incorrect. Remember that, aside from the basics of Wicca, which must be followed if one is to be called Wiccan, the religion itself is as individual as those who practice it.

We will continue posting questions as they come up, so keep checking in periodically. If you have any questions which have not been covered, please e-mail them to us and we will gladly review them for posting on this page!