What I changed was how i presented what I practice as being Wicca. See the problem with this is it wasn't till modern practitioners that Wicca was even named a religion.
You can search youtube and find several people post vids on the difference between Wicca, Witchcraft, and Paganism but what a lot of people dont know is that Wicca use to just mean that you were a male practitioner of a faith based on the worship of Gods and Goddesses. The females are called Wicche.
It wasnt until Gardner that Wicca was the name of the religious practice, and has only been around for about 60/70 years. Before then they were just Pagans who practiced various coven based practicing. Now that Ive gotten that out of the way lets begin.
Now me personally this is how I separate the difference's between the three and why I define myself as a Pagan Wicche.
WITCHCRAFT
Witchcraft is the practice of using earth, elements and natural energies. This meaning people who are herbalist or aromatherapist who use natural properties of herbs, fruits, flowers and so on to aid them in a cause be it healing, relaxation, pain relief and so on. This also applies to people who do say yoga because it helps with pain or acupuncturist who use pressure points to alleviate pain and brake habits. Witches are more so Shamans then Wiccans and do not have to believe in Gods or Goddesses and can practice any religion freely. They do not have to adhere the the Wiccan Rede and are not a religion. And a witch can be anyone who uses natural remedies as oppose to medicine, say your Grandmother who tells you about using sweet onion oil for ear aches, or chewing whole clover to numb your gums cus you have a tooth ache and are out of Orajel. Witches can also cast spells without calling on gods and goddesses for help.
Witches can be both Wiccan and Pagan but can choose not to be.
(DISCLAIMER: This doesn't give you permission to call your grandma a witch.)
WICCA
Wicca, is a new religion based on old Pagan practicing of covens worshiping and having ceremonies and traditions for various Gods and Goddesses. The term Wicca, like I stated before is actually the male practitioner and Wicche the female. Now they are both considered Wiccans. Practitioners of Wicca believe in Gods and Goddesses and follow a standard of living and practicing based on the Wiccan Rede (the link is the full version). It was published by Gwen Thomson in Green Egg Magazine in 1975, and attributed to her grandmother. The Rede has been redone several times and most have shortened it down but all follow these rules:
An it harm none, do as ye will.
This means if it harms none then do as you please.
That what you do comes back to you 3 fold, or 3 times as bad or good.This means if it harms none then do as you please.
And ever mind the Rule of Three:
What ye send out, comes back to thee.
Follow this with mind and heart,
And merry ye meet, and merry ye part.
Follow both the laws and the beliefs with all your heart and mind otherwise you will not be happy and you will not enjoy your practice to its fullness.
Now with Wicca you can be a Witch just like you could be a Witch if you are Christian, however you do not have to be a witch. Now most Wiccans believe that all Gods and Goddesses are real and just chose to focus on one set pantheons, or set of mythologies, or pick and choose what feels right to them, usually after spend years ahead of time studying and learning to the best of their abilities about their practice before choosing the God(s) and/or Goddess(es) who they believe has chosen them or to work with and even after then they spend all of their lives learning from their God(s) and/or Goddess(es) to learn what all they are willing to teach them in this life. Some also choose to believe in just Male and Female energy aka God and Goddess or Father and Mother. They do not choose a named god or goddess but just focus on the energies that the Male and Female represent.
Wiccans are Pagans and most are Witches.
PAGANISM
Paganism is an umbrella term for any one who dose not follow the Abrahamic religions: Christianity, Muslim and Judaism. All pagans are nature based religions or cultures and include everything from Buddhist, Hinduism, Native American cultural practices, Naturalist and Yogies. Pagans are people without God meaning the Abrahamic god. Like wise Pagans can be divided between a diagram of :
Community- worshiping with a community or focusing on that group of people (this part is controversial but I have to agree that it is a component because you can choose to worship with people or without)
Deity- The worship of a deity of any kind and can be one or more.
Self- The worship and building of you yourself.
Nature- The worship of nature and all that it gives us and the energy that comes from it.
This means you can focus on worshiping all, some or just one of the four aspects but most stick to just one or two aspects.
Pagans do not have to be Wiccan or Witches.
(I basically restated the definition on this one because there are to many that fall under Paganism also I am saying that its both nature based religions or practices but also cultural practices that are non abrahamic and this includes life styles)
Now I mix a lot of religions to make up my path both Wicca, a little bit of Voodoo, some Celtic traditions and a lot of Witchcraft, I have a lot of values that are also taken from all over the place like Buddhism and Native American because I feel they fit with my practice and are me. I believe in my God and Goddess, I worship them and hope to learn as much as I can from them. And going through my mind at this point in time is that I am a female pagan who practices a lot of various pagan religion practices spread out not just wicca and as I cover a little of all the circles but community atm and that is only because I do not live in an area where that is available, I decided for me I am a Pagan Wicche, a female practitioner of paganism not just wicca. If I'm wrong to call my self as such then I guess thats on me.
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