Emma Fleming
Reporter
Oftentimes, we associate witchcraft and magic with Halloween. A relatively common practice today is Wicca, in which Halloween is one of the “holy days.” Halloween, also referred to as Samhein by Wiccans, is a time when Wiccans can bridge the gap between the living and the dead. A common misconception people have is that wiccans and witches are hell-bent on worshipping the Devil. But Dr. Lucy Busker debunks the myths and stereotypes that sometimes arise with the Wicca belief.
Busker, a Ph.D. of rhetoric here at Parkland, discusses some aspects of the Wicca belief. “There is no central institution,” Busker states. “Wicca is sometimes just what everyone says it is.” Busker explains that there are universal traits that summarize Wicca, but these traits do not exactly define the belief. Some of those traits include the worship of a female deity, a strong connection to nature and a belief that practicing Wiccans can influence the natural world. “Wiccans believe they can act upon the universe; it is very similar to how Muslims or Christians pray,” Busker says. According to Wicca.org, Wicca is a religion just like any other religion people may practice. It is a religion that is known for female empowerment, as it tends to focus around female deities and potential.
Busker practiced Wicca for twelve years. She chose the religion because, at that time, it really seemed like the right fit for her. Busker mentions that, “There was a time in my life when I needed feminine empowerment. I was always a feminist, but this was really my feminist awakening.” She recounts that a student was the one who steered her towards Wicca, and that it was a practice that really worked for her and a practice that works for a lot of people.
According to History.com, Wicca is a contemporary, nature-based religion that went public in the 1950s. Two men named Aleister Crowley and Gerald Gardner are said to be the two who introduced Wicca as a religion. Although Wicca roots are rumored to have been around for ages, Wicca was technically conceived during the 20th century in Great Britain. Wicca is categorized as a form of Paganism. Some Wiccans are polytheistic, and others are monotheistic. Busker was primarily a monotheistic Wiccan.
This religion has literature like other religions, but not just one book. “Wicca doesn’t have a single book,” Busker explains. “Wicca has many different spell books.” When casting a spell, Wiccans refer to the Wiccan Rede. The Wicca Rede reads “An ye harm none, do what ye will.” To Wiccans, this just means that any spell can be casted that does not hurt anyone. Spell-casting is a real thing in the Wicca religion and is quite sacred to them.
Along with spell-casting, there are different types of magic and witchcraft that Wiccans practice. Busker says that, “There are different approaches to it [magic and witchcraft] that affect the universe differently.” She describes a couple of different takes on the Wicca belief. Busker describes that some Wiccans believe Wicca literally, meaning that the spells have a physical and visible influence in nature. On the other hand, some Wiccans believe in Wicca like other religions believe in prayer. “I believed the latter [Wicca as prayer],” Busker explains. “For me, it was a ritual that gave me focus in what I wanted.”
Wiccans often use some form of divination. According to Busker, divination is anything divine that people can use to figure out what will happen in the future. “Nearly every culture has some type of divination,” Busker states. Some forms of divination include reading tarot cards, reading tea leaves, runes, pendulums or numerology. Busker used tarot cards, and in some instances still uses them.
“Wicca made me more aware that most things in religions are human made,” Busker mentions. “God manifests itself in ways best suited for the time and place, and Wicca gave me a time and place.” Contrary to common belief, Wiccans and Witches do exist. And for some, these practices provide people with a better sense of self.