How to know if you’re Wiccan
I’ve been asked numerous questions along my path as a Pagan, but probably the most common question is “How did you know that this path was for you?”. Now to put it all on one page of this website might be asking a little too much, but I will try my best.
In terms of being under the umbrella term ‘Pagan’, I think there are a couple of main ideas or concepts that one must believe in or follow. Number one is a belief in and/or understanding of cycles; the cycles of seasons, of life and death, of karma, etc. I think that all Pagans, no matter what branch of the tree, would have a belief in cycles of some description. In the Judeo-Christian belief system, there is life, then there is death, and that?s where it ends. You are not reborn or reincarnated. Additionally, the Judeo-Christian belief systems take very little interest in seasonal cycles or anything of that sort, which I think a lot of Pagans take a lot of interest in.
The other thing I would say defines a Pagan is a belief in more than one deity, or a belief in a Goddess as opposed to a God. Monotheism is pretty exclusive to the Judeo-Christian belief systems, and it’s quite often (although very generally) said that any religion that believes in more than the Christian God is a Pagan religion. This would include Hinduism and Buddhism, going by this definition (although I don’t know how many Hindus or Buddhists would agree with being called ‘Pagan’).
The final main defining feature, in my eyes, is an interest in the Occult or magick of some description. I don’t know many Pagans who don’t have an interest in casting circle, or practising witchcraft, or are at least interested in the paranormal or history of magick.
It’s difficult to write a checklist for Paganism alone, since there are so many sub-branches of Paganism that all have their own beliefs, so if I were to write a checklist for Wicca, where my study for the last 5-6 years has been, I would probably be inclusive of the following:
- A reverence for more than one deity, and normally a male and a female deity;
- A reverence for nature, and a belief that all in nature holds spirit;
- A belief in equality between the sexes;
- A reverence for the body – the body is a temple, not a vessel;
- An interest and belief in magickal forces and energy;
- A belief in the ability to utilise such energy for bettering ourselves and those around us.
This list is far from exhaustive (and at 11pm, I’m hardly awake enough to write a conclusive list), but those are definitely some of the things I would personally say are definitive to Wicca in particular. If you answered ‘Yes’ to more than 2 of those points, you might find some interest in looking into Wicca a little more.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
rebecca bruner 02.24.09 at 3:45 am
I dont know if i am right to become a wiccan my beliefs are that i am for god and mother earth not just one , i have always know that i dont think there is only one true god.And i respect nature and i love it . BUt i want to knoe how to get started and to talk to other people like me. I am only 23 i got a lot to learn about.And willing to learn. thanks becky
benjamin1254 02.24.09 at 11:51 pm
also the religion can compose of more then one god or goddess as a whole entity. That being said they are all part to one whole energy that we all come from… ying and yang… the god and goddess.. I am 22 and i have been practicing for over 7 years now. I have yet to come into any part of the religion where a single entity is part of paganism… many to one whole.
thanks a bunch! also please click my name to visit my website!
Taylor 03.07.09 at 8:42 pm
I am a Catholic. My parents are Catholic; my family has been Catholic for many generations. Before that, I’m guessing my mom’s side of the family was Celtic Wiccan (Irish) and my dad’s was Italian.. so… I’m only a teenager… and I’m just not sure what to do becaause it’s expected of me to be a Catholic.. but I’m constantly drawn to the idea of being Wiccan.. I feel terrible for it. I feel like I’m betraying my family and my entire religion as a Catholic. I’m drawn to being a Wiccan to degrees that I can’t explain, but I just can’t give up being Christian. I don’t know what to do. I just feel lost. I saw this website and thought maybe you could give me advice and explain some things that have been going on. I was hoping that maybe you could tell me what it REALLY means to be a Wiccan. I’m just lost and unsure. I believe that because of these internal feelings.. as well as other stuff that’s going on in my life, I’m beginning to become depressed. I just need asswers. Thank you for your time in reading this; I hope you’ll reply
~Taylor~
Rose 04.14.10 at 11:11 am
I don’t know what i am. My dad is Wiccan and i can here the ocean speek to me. But i have not idea if i’m going insane or i here her. What do you think?
Jantana 04.15.10 at 3:17 am
I can sometimes see things before they happen. I love EVERYTHING about Nature and i wouldn’t want anything more than to be closer to it. I also have a way with animals. They all love me and I can Calm then down when they need it. It seems as more of an instinct to me though. I do prefer to say that I am Pagan because of my closeness to N ature, but I also have strong beliefs with the Wiccan religion. So am I Wiccan or Pagan?
Lakota 04.26.10 at 5:02 pm
I’ve been reading about the beliefs of Wicca for more then a year now. I seem to spend most of my time outside riding and in the forest. The sounds and the smell could keep me there for days if not for my resposibilities. I have no religion as of now. My family is mainly Irish and my grandfather that recently passed away always told me stories of Wiccans. Ever since his death it seems like I need to know if this is the path I was always ment to take. I believe in everything that I’ve read and have doubted nothing. But shouldn’t their be a knowing feeling if this was my path?
leslie 05.10.10 at 3:37 pm
i believe that all nature has a spirit. i pay attention to the small things and see things that others dont. i feel different from the people around me at times. i feel that i am needing to choose something for ME ya know? am i there? am i becoming pagan? i need to know if what i am feeling is this. ive read on pagan and some on wiccan and have watched full moon rituals. need some answers please! help me get on that beautiful road leading me where i am supposed to be…
codey 05.23.10 at 9:25 am
i dont know really what to say so im gonna say what i feel. It just feels rite,like its the rite way to go for me. I can get intune with nature very easy. I wish i could be outside all day long and enjoy nature. i dont know of any of this stuff is real on my mom or dads side.Iv been trying for so long to trace my family history but there are no records. i have a great desire for this stuff and its just so hard for me to not desire it.
michelle 06.16.10 at 11:46 am
hi my mom is really christian and when she was a tenager she was goofing of with wicca and i guess it was black magic and she had a bad experence and my dad is catholic he dosent belive in anything no ghost witches nothing . and i think wicca is really cool but im afriad my mom will reject me if i do wicca or even speak the name of it. but what do i no im a teenager so plz help me with this.
Jennifer 07.02.10 at 8:25 am
Hi, I was wondering if you could give me some advice or something like that. My whole family is really into Christianity. When they’re all interested in the stories of God, Jesus, and the Bible, I’m just not excited or interested. I feel like I don’t really belong to the Christian group. I have been interested in Wicca and becoming a Wiccan for a few years. Unlike the stories in the Bible and all that, I’m extremely interested in the cycles of life, nature, magick, and seasons. I believe in reincarnation and karma and all that. But I feel like I’m betraying my family and I don’t really want to admit that I don’t really want to be Christian, like them. I’m afraid that if I tell them, they’ll disagree with me and hate me or something. I really want to become Wiccan and I’m not sure how to start. I’m a young teenager, also. What do you think would be the right thing to do, or how to tell them. I always notice the small things about nature that my friends and family ignore. I see things in my dreams about how to help someone or something. Any advice?
Ronnie 07.06.10 at 3:38 pm
I feel that I have an extra gift. I can put myself into a trance and when I do I can make things happen like making the wind blow, making the sun come out, kind of controlling peoples minds and other things of that nature. The only problem is that I’m christian and I love my religion and my church. Help me please? Ohh and can you please tell me if I do have a power or if it’s just my imagination. Thanks!
Lori 07.19.10 at 6:11 am
Hi Im just woundering if im a pagen(wiccan) or if i just have the sixth sence
meaning ive been either dreaming of alot of things an its all in color or i here voices in my head an i see shadows. Ive been ignoring them since i was little but i cant because they seem to be really uncontrollable to me.Im not scared i just want to know what this is.Mabey i can use it to help someone or something.Its just so aggrivating because when i do focus they dont mean anything its all scrambled.But when they talk to me sometimes I understand sometimes I dont.Thank you if uyou can help an if you cant thank you anyways>Regards Lori
Kourtney 07.22.10 at 2:25 pm
I’ve been looking into Wicca a lot lately and have a deep interest in it but can anyone tell if there is a ritual or anything that could help me get the slightest idea if Wicca is the right path for me? I don’t expect the answer to just jump out at me but I do need a little help