[from http://www.oakgrove.org/GreenPages/bos/0947.txt ]

     947


                            BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS OF WICCA
          Not every Wiccan will subscribe to all of these points, but
          generally they are representative.

          1.  The divine Spirit is present in all creatures and things:
          people, animals, plants, stones...

          2.  The ultimate creative force manifests in both feminine and
          masculine modes;  therefore it is often symbolized as the Goddes
s
          and The God.

          3.  In some covens, both are celebrated equally.  In others, The

          Goddess is given precedence or even celebrated without reference

          to the God.

          4.  All Goddesses and Gods are aspects of The Goddess and The Go
d.
            The aspects most popular in Wicca are the Triple Goddess of th
e
          Moon (Maiden, Mother and Crone) and the Horned God of death and

          rebirth.

          5.  Reincarnation and karma are valid concepts.  Upon death one

          goes to a state of rest and reflection, and eventually chooses
          where and when s/he will be reborn.

          6.  Magick is practiced for positive (helping) purposes:
          spiritual development, healing, guidance, safety, etc.

          7.  Rituals are generally performed outdoors when possible, at t
he
          New and Full Moons, and at eight Sabbat festivals which mark the

          progression of the seasons.

          8.  Magick and celebration are performed in small groups, usuall
y
          3 to 13, called covens.  These are basically autonomous -- there

          is no central church authority or hierarchy.

          9.  There is no holy book, or prophet, no equivalent of the Bibl
e
          or Jesus or Mohammed.  Individuals have access to the divine, an
d
          do not require an intermediary.  Every initiate is regarded as a

          priest/ess.

          10. The central ethic is "And ye harm none, do as ye will."
          Whatever energy you send out returns threefold, so it is wise to

          be kind to others.

          11. We should live in harmony with the Earth and Nature, and not

          exploit them.

          12. Though Wicca is a valid spiritual path, it is not the only
          one.  There is no recruiting, and people should be free to choos
e
          the path that best fits their needs.

          13. The concepts of original sin, sacrifice, redemption,
          confession, the divinity of Jesus, sinfulness of sex, Judgment,

          Heaven and Hell, denigration of women, bodily resurrection, and

          the Bible as divine revelation are not part of Wicca.  Neither a
re
          Satanism, the Black Mass, desecration of cemeteries, the sacrifi
ce
          of animals, etc.

          Copyright (c) 1983 Amber K., Our Lady of the Woods. Used by
          Permission