Wiccan beliefs include a range of spiritual and religious concepts that form the foundation of the Wiccan faith. Wiccans believe in a polytheistic worldview, honoring and worshiping multiple deities, often associated with nature and the elements. They believe in the existence of a divine feminine and masculine energy, often represented as the Goddess and the God, respectively. Wiccans also hold sacred the cycles of nature and the changing seasons, observing and celebrating these through various festivals and rituals. They believe in the interconnectedness of all things and emphasize the importance of harmony and balance in one's life and the natural world. In addition, Wiccans believe in the practice of magic, which they see as a way to manifest their intentions and desires.
Spanish colonizers immediately prohibited many Aztec health plants like psychedelic mushrooms, but kept chocolate around, even adopting the beverage for themselves (probably because they realized that it was delicious). It eventually became a mass-market phenomenon, with people drinking it every day as opposed to reserving it for special occasions. Chocolate’s popularity became a symbol swept up in the developing patchwork Latin American culture, which was a melting pot of indigenous, African, and Spanish cultures.
Santería favors ritual correctness over personal belief, so if you want to try your hand at accessing some of the religion s power, make sure you find a trustworthy santero. Engagement with Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Brazilian or indigenous religions varies widely among the religiously unaffiliated ranging from 45 who report medium to high levels of engagement in Nicaragua to 22 in Argentina and Mexico.
In addition, Wiccans believe in the practice of magic, which they see as a way to manifest their intentions and desires. They often use rituals, spells, and charms to tap into their personal power and align themselves with the energies of the universe. Wiccans also believe in the concept of reincarnation and the belief in karma, understanding that actions and choices have consequences that may be experienced in this life or future lives.
Brujería in Latin America
A couple of weeks ago I was talking on video call with my fiancé who is, as some of you already know, Honduran. He was telling me about how someone we know had done something wrong, but that it was okay and forgivable because that person had clearly been cursed and wasn’t in their right mind. That was his total explanation, and he was okay with it. I, on the other hand, thought that he was joking. There’s no way he could be serious, he didn’t actually believe in magic and curses and voodoo. First of all, we’re both practicing Catholics. Doesn’t that go against some kind of Church teaching? But as he went on, I realized just how serious and normal this was for him. In retrospect, I remember various instances of him and his family making references to voodoo and strange curative foods and recipes, all of which I had taken as jokes at the time. I was left dumbfounded, completely without comprehension.
It wasn’t a judgement thing, don’t get me wrong. I just didn’t understand it. My whole life I grew up with the understanding that Ouija boards were fake and magic could only be found in books, movies, and my imagination as a small child. I knew that there were different groups of people who followed Satanism or believed in Shamanism or were just really focused on chakras and vibes. I knew maybe 1 or 2 people who personally believed in any of these things. But I had never imagined that ideas like this formed a natural and popular part of a whole culture. So I want to try to understand it. For that reason, I plan to complete my final project with a focus on brujería (magic or witchcraft in English) as a part of popular culture in Latin America. A little farther down the line I will likely find a more focused focus within that focus, but for now I have found an article to get me started on the topic.
The article “Merging Magical Traditions: Sorcery and Witchcraft in Spanish and Portuguese America” by Iris Gareis goes over a lot of the history of the understanding of magic in Latin America, discussing it’s different roots and evolutions over time. Gareis describes the effect of colonization on concepts of witchcraft, and how different forms of colonization made way for different common understandings of magic. The article also describes a general acknowledgement of the perceived difference between witchcraft and sorcery, and details how these two types of magic are seen as different. These descriptions were interesting to me as they matched much of what has been explained to me personally. This was only a small part of the many interesting things described in the article, and I look forward to sharing it all (or as much as I can) in my project.
My question to the class is this: do you believe in magic or witchcraft? All of it? Parts of it? Why or why not?
They strive to live ethically and harm none, promoting a strong sense of personal responsibility and accountability. Wiccan beliefs are diverse and can vary among individuals and traditions within the Wiccan community. However, the core principles of reverence for nature, honoring deities, practicing magic, and living in harmony with oneself and others are common threads that unite Wiccans and form the basis of their beliefs..
Reviews for "The Intersection of Wiccan Beliefs and Modern Witchcraft"
- Mark - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Wiccan beliefs include" but was ultimately disappointed. The book lacked depth and seemed to skim over important topics. There were also several instances where the information provided was confusing or contradictory. Overall, it felt like a rushed and poorly researched book. I would not recommend it to others looking to learn more about Wiccan beliefs.
- Sarah - 1 star - "Wiccan beliefs include" was a complete waste of my time. The author clearly has a limited understanding of Wicca and it showed throughout the book. Not only were there numerous inaccuracies, but the writing style was dry and unengaging. I would not recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about Wiccan beliefs. There are much better resources available.
- John - 2 stars - I was excited to dive into "Wiccan beliefs include" but found it to be rather underwhelming. The book lacked in-depth explanations and failed to provide a comprehensive understanding of Wicca. It felt like a surface-level overview that left me wanting more. Additionally, I found the writing style to be dry and uninspiring. Overall, I would not recommend this book to those seeking a deeper understanding of Wiccan beliefs.
- Emily - 1 star - I was highly disappointed with "Wiccan beliefs include." The book felt disorganized and poorly structured. The information provided was vague and unclear, making it difficult to follow along. It seemed as though the author was merely regurgitating information without actually understanding it themselves. I would not recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about Wiccan beliefs.