Welcome to Ishaia's Wicca Page

Wicca, as a religion, was founded by Gerald Gardner in England during the Victorian era. Many people believe that it is far older than that, but there is no proof of an organized religion by that name prior to its founding. There are many sites on the web where you can find out more about this form of neo-paganism, its history and practice. I am not a scholar, simply a former practitioner of the religion, which is sometimes called "Witchraft," "The Old Ways," or simply, "The Craft," and is based on the ancient religion of the Celts.

As I have stated in other places on this site, I am a pagan by spirituality, though not by religion. When I discovered Wicca, I hoped that this religion would encompass my personal spirituality, and in many ways it did, though not completely. On several occasions, I came very close to initiation into an oathbound, or secret, tradition; however, I came to an important realization before the ritual. This religion which I would profess was not entirely what I believed. I was seeking initiation to belong to something larger than myself, and to a group of people who were all my friends. This sense of "belonging," while a valid desire, is not a good reason for initiation into any religion. Therefore, I backed away from Wicca as a religious practice, while continuing to work with a coven in spiritual practice and ritual for a time.

What I've seen of paganism in the UK so far is quite different from what I know of American paganism. First of all, the Brits are typically much more quiet about their religious beliefs. You don't see a lot of pentagrams on neckchains, and people dress less eccentrically than their American counterparts. Also, they don't seem to be too concerned with "title" or "station" here. Nobody goes prancing about in fancy garb or jewelry, or claiming "I am Lord So-&-so," or "I am Lady Thus-&-such." Paganism in Britain just simply is, and does not put on airs about its own importance.

Still, many people here join the religion for the same reasons as back in the States: to be different from everyone else. If you want some good information on basics of Wicca, check out Old Ways. They offer Wicca 101 course, as well as lots of info on their own tradition. For more information on "oathbound" traditions, you can read works by Gerald Gardner or Stewart Farrar, or do a search on "Wicca" in any search engine.

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