One of the first things you discover when you begin to explore a Wiccan or Pagan path is that there are many different deities honored in these traditions. How do you know who to connect with?  Are some gods or goddesses better than others? Many of us grew up being told there was only one true divine power. How can we be sure all these old deities are even real?

Choosing a Craft Name
In Wicca, choosing a Craft name for use in ritual or magic is a common practice. Some Witches take names associated with their branch of the Craft (Welsh names in Welsh traditions, Saxon names in Saxon traditions, etc.).  Others try to choose a name that reflects their personality or describes their interests or feelings. Selecting a name associated with a goal you are striving for is also a good option.

In some traditions, if you are in a Coven, your Craft name may be given to you by a Coven member. However, if you follow an eclectic path, you can choose whether or not you want a Craft name and what you want it to be.  The choice is yours.  You get to choose what you want to be known as before your God and Goddess. This is your chance to redefine who you are or who you want to become.

I chose the name Kardia Zoe because I was studying the Greek language at the time, and it reminded me to write from my heart (Kardia) when I write about life (Zoe).  Today it’s easy to go online and find the meaning of words in other languages, so the possibilities are endless!

Just remember that energy follows thought, and a name that makes you think and feel about something positive, will be more likely to draw positive energy to you, than a name like Dark Cloud or Stormy.    You might want to identify yourself with the name of something that you have a strong association with.  A type of animal, tree, plant, or crystal are a few more examples.

The choice is yours. You can decide the name you want to adopt as your own. You may want to change it again when circumstances in your life change,  or you may want to stick with it forever.  Just remember, you are describing who you really are (or want to become) so choose your Craft name wisely!

Wicca and Witchcraft

When someone begins to learn about Wicca it’s easy to confuse Wicca and Witchcraft. We would like to clarify that while these two paths are similar in many respects, they are not the same.  A person can be a Witch, without being a Wiccan, just as a person can be a Christian, without being a Baptist.  Wicca is recognized as a religion, while Witchcraft itself is not. Thus, Wicca might best be described as a modern religion, based on ancient Witchcraft traditions.

Wicca’s temples are the forests, meadows, beaches and deserts.  It is a peaceful and positive religion based on a kinship with nature. We celebrate life, and honor the universal energies of the Goddess and God in all things. One of he best summaries of the path can be found in an article written by the late webmaster of The Celtic Connection. He writes “Wicca is a deep appreciation and awe in watching the sunrise or sunset, the forest in the light of a glowing moon, a meadow enchanted by the first light of day. It is the morning dew on the petals of a beautiful flower, the gentle caress of a warm summer breeze upon your skin, or the warmth of the summer sun on your face.   Wicca is the fall of colorful autumn leaves, and the softness of winter snow.   It is light, and shadow and all that lies in between.”  Excerpt from What is Wicca by Herne

Today, Wicca is a religion with many variations.  In this blog, we will offer generalities about Wicca and Witchcraft in an effort to create an understanding of the nature of the path.  Some major identifying motifs are: reverence for both the Goddess and God; acceptance of reincarnation and magic; ritual observance of astronomical and agricultural phenomena; and the use of magical circles for ritual purposes.

If you would like to learn a little more about Wicca and Witchcraft, we have provided a FAQ page (too lengthy to include here) with answers to many of the more common questions about these nature-based paths.