“Wicca is a religion rooted in the mists of Neolithic history… it is basically a fertility and agrarian society. the Farrars and Doreen Valiente) do realize that Gardner's rituals were heavily based on Crowley's rituals, though they tend to overstate the "Crowley was not a Satanist" disclaimer. The benevolent nature-oriented practices of Wicca date back many thousands of years. The word pagan comes from … Wicca is one of … Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Scholars of religion trace Wicca's various contemporary forms back to the late 19th century and even more recently to the 1940's. Wicca is a pagan, earth-based religion that has gained acceptance in early 21st century. But what does a witch do? Many of us celebrate Samhain over the course of several days and nights, and these extended observances usually include a series of solo rites as well as ceremonies, feasts, and gatherings with family, friends, and spiritual community. So, the documented history of Wicca itself goes back only a handful of generations. The Book of Shadows, in this context, was the `holy book' of Wicca, copied out by hand by new initiates of the cult with a history stretching back at least to the era of witch burnings. No definitive answers have surfaced. The real history of witches, however, is dark and, often for the witches, deadly. Wiccans and others usually believe and promote one of three explanations about Wicca: Wicca is a new form of spirituality that re-creates some older practices and ideas. Many knowledgeable Wiccans (e.g. The history of Wicca can really be viewed in two ways: the actual story of its founding in England in the 1940s and 50s, and the broader, somewhat mythical narrative of a timeless quest to understand and connect with the divine source at the heart of Nature’s mysteries. Wicca Magical Beginnings: A study of the historical origins of the magical rituals, practices and beliefs of modern Initiatory and Pagan Witchcraft (Wiccan History) - Kindle edition by d'Este, Sorita, Rankine, David. Recent Wiccan history: There is general agreement that Wicca first became a mass movement in recent times in England during the 1950's with the publishing of books by Gerald Gardner. The religion finds its roots in ancient ways. The history of Wicca has been a subject of much debate ever since its introduction into the public eye. There are countless quirks about humans, but one of the real doozies is that most are confused, divided and downright … What is Wicca? Those events had little if anything to do with actual Wicca or Witchcraft. Gerald Gardner was a British government worker who became known as “the father of modern Wicca.” Before World War I, Gardner spent decades traveling overseas, mostly in Asia, where he was intrigued by folk religions and magic. Gardner spent most of his career in Asia, where he became familiar with a variety of occult beliefs and magical practices. Just keep in mind that Wicca is more than just the sum of its adherents. Today, Wicca is practiced by millions of individuals world-wide. It was only in the 20th Century that witchcraft saw a resurgence. Wicca is mainly a 20th-century manifestation of ancient nature worship systems based out of northern Europe that existed thousands of years ago. (Page of tag wicca) Many of us celebrate Samhain over the course of several days and nights, and these extended observances usually include a series of solo rites as well as ceremonies, feasts, and gatherings with family, friends, and spiritual community.