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Blessed Ways Textbook Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 3 Charge of the Goddess.................................................................................................. 5 Charge of the God.......................................................................................................... 6 Descent of the Goddess ................................................................................................ 7 Chapter 1: History of Wicca ............................................................................................................ 8 Chapter 2: Introduction to Wiccan Theology and Philosophy .............................................. 16 Chapter 3: The Wheel of the Year................................................................................................ 19 Chapter 4: Casting the Circle......................................................................................................... 22 Chapter 5: Tools of the Craft ......................................................................................................... 25 Chapter 6: Overview of Ritual ...................................................................................................... 27 Chapter 7: Reclaiming Worship.................................................................................................... 31 Chapter 8: Crafting Magic.............................................................................................................. 33 Chapter 9: Ethics and Faith ............................................................................................................ 36 Wicca 102 Chapter 10: Introduction to Earth ................................................................................................... 40 Chapter 11: Introduction to Magical Herbalism.......................................................................... 42 Wicca 101 Chapter 12: Ecospirituality and Green Ethics.............................................................................. 48 Chapter 13: The Chakra System...................................................................................................... 51 Chapter 14: The Hills Are Alive: Intro to Gaia Theory ............................................................ 54 Chapter 15: Introduction to Air ....................................................................................................... 56 Chapter 16: Imagination and Faith ................................................................................................. 57 Chapter 17: The Cloak Meditation ................................................................................................. 59 Chapter 17: Wheel of the Year Mediation.................................................................................... 60 Chapter 17: Totem Animal Retrieval............................................................................................. 63 Chapter 18: Introduction to Fire...................................................................................................... 65 Chapter 19: Anything That Moves: Pagans, Ecstasy, and Sexuality ..................................... 66 Chapter 20: Personal Transformation and Sacrifice................................................................... 68 Chapter 21: Energy............................................................................................................................. 71 Chapter 22: Introduction to Water .......................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 22: Healing and Cleansing................................................................................................ 74 Drawing Down the Moon Ritual.............................................................................. 78 The Great Rite Ritual (Symbolic) ............................................................................ 80 Introduction One of the most exciting things about writing about the Wiccan religion is that there is so much potential material to cover. Between the complementary topics of Wicca, Witchcraft, ecospirituality and responsible living, there is a lot of material for the new Wiccan to uncover. But it also means that designing a six-month course that covers all the basics adequately can be quite a challenge. This textbook does not in any way attempt to teach the necessary aspects of Wicca in depth, nor is this textbook an adequate substitute for in depth study or in person teaching. The Blessedways course is designed to teach what we feel are the fundamental lessons and values required to enter into this religion. This textbook was written specifically for students and teachers as a supplement to the material that you will be covering in class. Rather than present here a complete discourse on each subject and merely rehash the same material in class, we have provided you with reading that introduces you to the material that will be covered much more thoroughly in class. The chapter for each class in the 101 section is generally related to the lecture and discussion you will have in class, but might explore a different tangent or provide you with food for thought. (For example: The reading for week 5, the chapter entitled “Reclaiming Worship”, explores the nature of Wiccan worship, while in class you will be exploring the many ways in which to increase your awareness of Deity and therefore build a stronger relationship with it). This way, you will be acquainted with the material before entering class and can come prepared with questions, comments, and challenges without having to listen to the teacher merely regurgitate the material. This also allows the teacher to spend the two hour long class discussing the material more in depth, leaving the very basics for you to study on your own time. The chapters for the 102 class are divided by element. Each chapter contains reading that relates directly to what you will be doing and discussing in class, with additional reading intended to flesh our your understanding of the element and how it relates to Wiccan theology. Most of the chapters presented here are written from the author’s unique point of view. The study of religion is deeply and intensely personal, and the relationships that you have and will have with your gods are your own—no one can tell you what those will be like, and no two people will therefore share identical philosophies. While the chapters in this textbook certainly represent valid points of view with the Wiccan tradition, they are not the only ways to approach the material. You are encouraged to read each chapter with an open mind and open heart, and decide for yourself what applies to your life and practice and what doesn’t. Similarly, you are encouraged to make note of anything in the reading that particularly moves you or that you particularly disagree with, and bring those notes to class to discuss with your classmates and teacher. The material presented in the textbook should be considered a starting point for in depth exploration and discussion, but should always be weighed against your own thoughts, ideas, and experiences. (And that goes for any religious material that you read. Wicca is not a “leave your brain at the door” religion.) The first section of this textbook contains standard pieces of Wiccan liturgy, poetry, and prose. These are some of the seminal works of Wicca, and in reading and taking these writings to heart, you will gain a deeper and more robust appreciation for what it is to be Wiccan. These readings are not required for the course, though your teacher may recommend that you read them as supplemental material for a specific class. As always, what you get out of this class will be determined by how much you put into it. The liturgy section is included to help you form your own ideas about our theology, philosophy, and values. Wicca 101 It is important that you understand that the Blessedways 101/102 course may be different from other Wicca classes you may have taken. Because Wicca is a non-proselytizing religion and because every Wiccan and seeker are encouraged to think for themselves, many teachers are loathe to express personal opinions, or let their love and enthusiasm for their gods and their chosen religion infect their students. You won’t find this the case with this course. This course is not meant to be merely a dispassionate, academic overview into Wicca, paganism, or witchcraft—rather, it is meant to be an introduction into a new way of thinking, living and serving your gods. While we present enough basic information that even someone who knows nothing about Wicca could enroll in this course and not be intimidated, this course is designed for the individual who has already chosen Wicca or is considering choosing Wicca as his/her religion. With that in mind, this course is designed to do more than introduce you to basic Wiccan concepts. It is designed to encourage you to invite the gods into your life, to live a faithful, ethical life, and to know yourself. This course is designed to be a personal challenge. How successful that challenge is is of course entirely up to you. As a technical note, various chapters may refer to God, the gods, Deity, Goddess, etc. This is not meant in any way to dictate to you how you should envision the Divine—they are merely the author’s choice of words to convey her own interpretation of the Divine. Please feel free to substitute any of these words with
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