The Significance Of Symbols In Modern Witchcraft Essays - Wicca

The Significance Of Symbols In Modern Witchcraft The Significance of Symbols in Modern Witchcraft Witchcraft, also known as wicca, is a religion with ancestry in an ancient Pagan religion of Northern Europe which pre-dates the Christian era (Simms 30.) It is an earth religion and its main deity is a goddess. Most participants worship the earth and belong to a coven, or group of believers, run by a high priestess. Most covens meet on days determined by solstices and equinoxes or on seasonal or full moon rituals(Luhrmann 46.) During such rituals, many symbols emerge so important that the ritual would not exist without them. Perhaps one of the most important aspects of modern witchcraft is that of the Goddess. She is very different from that of the Judeo-Christian god. She is considered both a deity that controls the earth and she is the earth itself. The Goddess is the personification of nature and is ever changing as the earth is ever changing. The Goddess is symbolized by the moon. It is said that each phase of the moon symbolizes a different time in the Goddess's life or in the cycle of life. The new moon phase symbolizes the Goddess giving birth to the Sun Child and new light is born. The first quarter phase signifies the point just before life bursts forth and the chains of winter are broken. The full moon phase indicates the joining of the Sun King and the Queen of Summer, a time of abundance ad fulfillment. The last phase in the lunar cycle is the last quarter phase which designates a time of harvest, joy, and thanksgiving (Simms 148.) Another important symbol used in witchcraft is that of the pentagram. Often viewed by Christians as satanic, it was not always seen as such. Early Christians viewed the five pointed star as symbolizing the five wounds of Christ. The pentagram originated as the symbol of a Goddess who was worshipped over an area which extends from present-day England to Egypt and beyond. Her name was Kore. Kore's sacred fruit is the apple. When an apple is cut through its equator, both halves will reveal a near-perfect pentagram shape at the core, with each point on the star containing a seed. The pentacle, a pentagram with a circle around it is the working form the pentagram. The circle around the pentagram can also represent the sacred circle drawn by the Witch in ritual. Within the circle, the Witch calls each of these elements (each is associated with a different direction, North, South, East, or West) to guard the circle so that the energy raised by the magical working will remain within the circ le. Today, many pagans wear the pentagram as jewelry and use it on their altars. The symbol is frequently traced by hand using an athame (a ritual knife) during Wiccan rituals. It is used to cast and banish their healing circles. Some Wiccans interpret the five points as representing earth, air, fire, water, and spirit: the four factors needed to sustain life with the addition of spirit (Simms 113.) The four factors needed to sustain life are also seen as important symbols in modern witchcraft. These factors are earth, air, fire, and water. During a ritual, each is represented by a specific object. Air is characterized by a feather. Fire is denoted by a candle that burns throughout the entire ritual. The candle both gives light and can symbolize the Goddess and air when the feather is waved in the flame. Water is a feminine aspect and is represented by a chalice. The chalice is filled with a beverage to drink during the ritual. Wine is often used, but some covens use milk or water (Simms 117.) One very personal tool used strictly in ritual is an athame. It is a double-edged dagger used to cut and direct energy. However, it is never used to physically cut anything. The athame is such a personal tool that only the owner uses. An athame is acquired about the time of their first ritual and is consecrated during initiation (Simms 113.) ?Beyond all else, magicians' immersion in symbolism is perhaps the most compelling element of their involvement, and the experience which has