Wicca

Wicca is a modern pagan religious movement that emerged in Britain in the mid-20th century. It centers on ritual practice, coven-based initiation, and substantial solitary practice. The form was popularized by Gerald Gardner, notably in Witchcraft Today (1954) and The Meaning of Witchcraft (1959). It has since diversified into traditions such as Gardnerian and Alexandrian, as well as eclectic forms.

Wicca is typically polytheistic or duotheistic, emphasizing a God and a Goddess, often linked to nature and fertility. Adherents honor seasonal cycles—the Wheel of the Year—and celebrate eight Sabbats such as Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lughnasadh, and Mabon. A widely cited ethical guideline is the Wiccan Rede: “An it harm none, do what you will,” though practice varies and not all Wiccans subscribe to it.

Ritual life centers on the sacred circle, with tools such as the athame, wand, chalice, and pentacle, and sometimes ritual salt and incense. Covens may conduct initiation rites; many practitioners are solitary. Witchcraft or spellcraft is common, oriented toward healing, protection, or personal development, with consent and responsibility emphasized. Wicca generally rejects dogmatic authority, and traditions differ in cosmology, ritual structure, and the relationship to deities. It has become a prominent part of modern paganism worldwide.