So you want to learn about Wicca and you think that eclectic practice fits you much better than the long standing traditions like Gardnerian and Alexandrian? Maybe you’re thinking the flexibility of eclectic Wicca gives you more latitude to do your own thing rather than sticking with a fixed set of practices? Hmmm, maybe but it also comes with some responsibilities and challenges.

Following traditions like Gardnerian Wicca give you a very firm framework in which to sit your practice. There’s much less room to move in terms of bringing different ritual practice into your repertoire and if you’re living in the southern hemisphere this can be a real problem largely because Gardnerian practice dictates you celebrate certain festivals at certain times regardless of the fact that we may be experiencing the opposite of what ecologically that festival is all about. In addition, if you’re learning Gardnerian or Alexandrian Wiccan, then given it’s an initiatory practice, you’ll need to be learning under the guidance of an initiated Gardnerian who knows their stuff. But, if you’re not into the more strict practices that support the longer standing Wiccan traditions and you want to follow a more eclectic path, then the world’s your oyster and you can do what you want, right? Wrong.

Regardless of the tradition you chose to align yourself with, Wicca still has some underpinning fundamentals that govern your practice. These include things like;

• Polytheism
• Wiccan Rede
• The Law of Return
•  An underpinning prescription to honour yourself, others and the world around us.

 “So what” I hear you say. I can do all that within eclectic practice can’t I? Yes you can but you also need to be careful that you don’t include a load of other stuff as well which is not Wiccan and still call yourself Wiccan. Let me explain.

Jane Doe considers herself to be an eclectic Wiccan. She celebrates the eight Sabbats according to a fairly basic liturgical calendar and she also honours the Gods and Goddesses in Esbats. She accepts the Law of Return and she always considers the Wiccan Rede. A model eclectic Wiccan, yep. However, she also loves the underpinning principles of Ramadan and so fasts during the Ramadan period as a means of preparing herself to be a better person. She also refuses to allow any meat or products derived from animals in the circle and she casts her circle using indigenous practices because she feels this brings her closer to her local ecological environment. Hmmm... Is Jane still Wiccan or has she created a new religion called “Jane Doeism”? You’ve got to ask this question.

In my opinion, Jane has deviated from Wiccan practice by adding additional elements to it that aren’t required and that in fact don’t compliment it but contrast with it. Ramadan, while a wonderful opportunity for seeking forgiveness, repentance and moving on to a better way of life, is centred around a patriarchal religion and seeks a period of prayer with that God. He is not one of the Gods Wiccans would honour. Furthermore, to introduce indigenous practice from countries other than where Wicca originated is to weld different cultures/religious principles together and to create a new hybrid culture and religious principle set. 

Let me say right now that I have no problem with anyone adding to their Wiccan practice, especially when it allows the practitioner to connect more fully with the Lord and Lady and with the local environment. No problem with that, but the situation changes when those additions change the fundamental practice and turn it into something else that’s no longer Wiccan.  If the additions move that religious practice away from Wicca and into something else then the simple fact is that it’s no longer Wicca but is in fact “Jane Doeism”. Jane’s responsibility at that point is to change her self-label from Wiccan to Jane Doeism. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with developing a set of religious practices that suit your own needs and honour who you are but you have a clear responsibility NOT to label that as something it isn’t.

So in conclusion this week folks, please think about how far from the underpinning principles of Wicca you might be travelling when you add additional elements of practice. As long as they support your Wiccan practice, that’s Ok but when they detract from it, then your creating a new, personalised religion that you may need to re-label.

Smiles and blessings, Amethyst