2 Know Your Craft

The WICCA's ABC

A. Acceptance
B. Book of shadows
C. Cleansing and Protection
D. Dances and Rituals
E. Esbats and Sabbats
F. Food and Drinks Recipes
G. God and Goddess
H. Herbal and Spices Knowledge
I. Infinite Universe
J. Journal (Mirror Book)
K. Karma
L. Laws of Magic
M. Moon and Sun
N. Numbers and Colors
O. Owning Divination Tools
P. Pentacle and other Symbols
Q. Quotes and Words of Wisdom
R. Rede
S. South East West North
T. Tools and Altar
U. Using Stones/Gemstones
V. Visualization and Meditation
W. Wicca
X. Xenophobia and Other Hatred in the World
Y. Yourself
Z. Zodiac and Trees

A. Acceptance

To be a real Wiccan is to be Open-minded and accept all kinds of way of life and that not all Wiccan do things the same way. there are so many different ways Wiccan can go....Wicca is the religion of acceptance. And also accept diversity in the world, races, religions, sexual orientations, sexes, everyone is the same inside, no one is beneath or over anyone, we need to accept each other and coexist in this great House called Earth.**REMEMBER**acceptance starts with accepting yourself the way you are, Inside and Out....HERE are some tricks for acceptance to be easier...and for Self-acceptance you may want to do the love letter to your body if you have not yet...HERE it is.


B. Book of Shadows
Also called Grimoire or Spell Book...The Book of Shadows should be in the tools section, but I think it's so important that it has his own section...Every Book of Shadows is different because it's what you feel is right for you. In this Book, you need to add instructions for how you perform your rituals, spells and chants(only ones that resonate with you, not because it's popular) the name of your god and goddess if there is one or more for you...It's like a cookbook and instruction book. The Book itself is any blank book you feel is right for you, it can be a binder(good for adding pages and interchanging them) it can be any blank journal or diary or even make one (like I did). or just buy one already made...(remember it doesn't need it to be expensive..a dollar store spiral notebooks will do as well) FOR THE CRAFTY ONES...HERE are some examples and ideas.


C. Cleansing and Protection
We have the power to cleanse anything and everything in our life, if it has a bad vibe, cleanse it! if it gives you a bad feeling or the "creeps", cleanse it!...there are many ways to cleanse items and minds too...cleansing your mind and thoughts is a must sometimes...and before rituals you should cleanse yourself or Purify yourself...cleansing your home of negative energies is always a good idea...cleansing crystals before using them is necessary...even second-hand furniture you bring in your house is always a good idea to cleanse them....good positive energies are all around us they surrounds us in our daily lives and things... bad negative energies do too, after a while of accumulation you need to wash them away...HERE are some examples on how to cleanse different things and different ways to cleanse them and protect.

Once you've Cleanse yourself or your house you need to Protect from the negative energies...one of the most effective ways to keep yourself or your house protected is with crystals. here are some of them.

You can wear protection charms or necklace...there are so many different kinds out there you need to find the one that is in tune with you. here are some examples...you can also make one.

D. Dances and Rituals

There is never a bad time for dancing why not around a fire or naked (Skyclad) under the moonlight ;)...NOW no one needs to get naked... but for some Wiccans being skyclad is an act of expression and liberation...dances and music are as old as time... humans have been clapping and thumping on things to make pleasing rhythms and sounds and used them to honor the gods and goddess as far as people know...Wiccans are still using these techniques in rituals and celebrations...Rituals is a very important part of being a Wiccan...most Wiccans knows all the steps of a ritual but not all ritual are the same to each Wiccans...HERE are the Basics of rituals and dances.


E. Esbats and Sabbats
There are 8 Sabbats on the Wheel of the Year....Sabbats are solar, seasonal and representations of birth, life, death and rebirth of the God of the Sun....they are Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lughnasadh, and Mabon....Esbats are the 12 to 13 full moons that occur every year..The Esbats represent the Goddess of the Moon at her height of power...these days are the times when Her magic is stronger than any other day of the month...HERE is more info on Esbats and Sabbats.





F. Foods and Drinks Recipes

As we all know, food is the number one thing that ensures our survival and this is why every celebration contains some kind of food tradition...HERE are some recipes for traditional food we serve at every Sabbat...Yule(Pork pie, Cake and Wassail), Imbolc(Potato soup, Sour cream and honey cake), Ostara(Cross buns, Honey cakes and Ham), Beltane(Oatmeal cake, Cookies and Strawberry Honey Jam), Litha(Fresh tomato pastas, Honey cake and Mead), Lughnasadh(Cornbread, Wheat bread and Garden Vegetable rice), Mabon(Vegetable chowder, Harvest and Apple pie), Samhain(Pumpkin bread, Apple butter and Colcannon) and many more...




G. Gods and Goddesses

The freedom in Wicca also means you can believe in 1 Goddess or God, 2 Goddess and the God or as many as you like...the most commons are the Goddess of the Moon or Triple Goddess, the God of the Sun or Horned God...since people have different names for the same deities so the list goes on for days...example Goddess of the Moon, Luna, Triple Goddess, Goddess of Three, Rhiannon, Arianrhod, Ixchel, Bendis, Selene, Brigid, Zislbog, Selina and many more.... these are all just for one Goddess and then some believe the Goddess is the Sun and the God is the Moon...then some believe there is only one ruler that has no female or male representation only an ultimate energy source that connects all of us The Infinite Universe... but no matter who you pray to or call upon in your spells you need to know exactly who your talking to...you can have as many gods and goddesses as you like as long as you know what their powers are and what they can do for you(and you for them)...you can't ask the god Seth(God of Chaos)  for peace and love and Aphrodite(Goddess of Love and Beauty) for war and destruction...well maybe you can but it's not going to be as effective....So, who ever you decide to call your God or Goddess be sure to know them, start reading up on them or research on them...HERE are the most popular ones...I personally like Goddess of the Moon and God of the Sun(I don't use surnames) and together in Union, they are the Infinite Universe...so all my spells or chants have these names in it, sometimes only one... depending on the problem I don't always bother both of them.


H. Herbal and Spices Knowledge

Herbs and Spices are particularly used by kitchen Witches, but herbs are not only used in the kitchen....spices and herbs are very powerful since they came from mother nature herself...they are even more powerful if you grow your own herbs since they will be infused with your energy...every herb and every spice have different powers and different purpose...You can easily grow your own herb garden if you don't already have one, you don't even need a backyard to grow one either you can grow many different herbs in one big pot or have many small ones on your window sill...and drying herbs is easy too.
HERE is how to make the herb garden...how to dry them, the list of what you should use them for and how....The Difference between Herbs and Spices is...Herbs generally come from the leafy part of herbaceous plants that grow in temperate climates. For example, basil, oregano, cilantro, and parsley are all herbs. Herbs are a tasty addition to the diet and can be used freely as a seasoning with no negative effects on health. Spices are generally the bark, buds, roots, seeds, or fruit of plants and usually have a tropical origin. For example, ginger (a root), nutmeg (a seed), cloves (a bud), and cinnamon (bark) are all spices. Many spices are quite irritating to the digestive system and can inflame the lining of the stomach and other organs and reduce the stomach’s protective barrier. so be careful with these....So you can't really grow your one Spices as easily but when buying spices try to buy quality spices with vivid colors and smell(since these usually go away when they get old)...Herbs are also used for their medicinal purposes...but the wild weeds are the best ones.


I. Infinite Universe

The Infinite Universe must mean different things to different persons but to me It means Infinite Energy...the Infinite Universe is The Goddess, The God, the 4 elements, the spirit all the living things(not only on earth but everywhere in the universe) and Us(humans) no matter your beliefs no matter your way of life...everyone has energy god or bad it in all of us...We are all connected to a main power source The Infinite Universe..It has no end, no limit, no center...It's where all magic comes from, good and bad, It's always in balance in everything...It's the connection from anything to everything.






J. Journal (Mirror Book)

Now I talked about the book of shadows now the Mirror Book...the Mirror Book is a personal book that is almost like a diary of your magical path...it's basically a journal of all the things you tried, liked, recipes, spells and rituals, how they made you feel and what you think you need to add or remove( it's like a notebook) and also the outcome of your spells...you should write in your Mirror Book before you add anything to your Book of Shadows since the Book of Shadows is like your recipe book you need to try your recipes before adding them to it(like a draft book)....It's more about your feelings towards spells than the spells themselves...So go get a blank diary and start writing your feelings and new findings of your Craft...This also helps you to get to know yourself better....It's also useful for when your scrying and to write down your dreams.


K. Karma

Karma means What goes around comes around....Well! really Karma means "Work, Acton or Deed" in Indian... you can have Good Karma or Bad Karma...but no matter your religion Karma is like Energy it's everywhere....So as Wiccans we already know the "If it harms none, do as you will"...it's very simple don't go around putting curses on everybody because it will come back to bite you...but not only in magic, you should always try to be the best person you can be...even when others are mean, remember it will come back to them...Karma is a wonderful thing it's its own magic, the one you don't need to do..so save your energy for something or someone that really deserves it(always with good intentions).








L. Laws of Magic and Chakras

Before we can understand any laws of Magic we need to know what Magic is...People have been studying Magic for centuries, millenniums even and we still don't know half of it...they say if we would use our entire brain we could be telekinetic(moving stuff with your mind) and telepathic(communicating with your mind) and probably much more...to some people, that's Magic...To me, Magic is much much more...I think people just don't know what Magic really is...if you ask someone what Magic is they will probably say something about magic tricks or unicorns and mystical creatures....but almost no-one will tell you about the energy we possess in ourselves and they most likely won't say it's in everything and everyone...there are more chances they will say it doesn't exist...Yet the Hindus talk about the chakras, the 7 points of energy in our bodies that correspond to different parts of our self-magic, emotions and lives...So we have 7 energy sources in our body that are full of Magic(not only 1 but 7) we should at least be able to feel all the power we hold...yet we are thought at a very young age that Magic isn't real and that it only exists in fairy tales...what if Everybody on Earth would be thought the opposite...that magic is all around us, in the trees, stones, fire, air, water, fruits and vegetables and everything else...and at young age, children parent and grandparents would have taught us Magic...our senses would be much sharper and we would feel and see Magic everywhere...some people can see chakras and everyone can feel them with practice...yet some still say it doesn't exist....Well as a Wiccan we know Magic is real and we practice our mind to feel it, see it, smell it and live it...everything holds Power, Energy, Magic is what connects us all...like the Infinite Universe...Magic is Love, Friendship, Sadness, Regrets, all the Good and All the Bad...Magic is Everything that is in Anything...HERE is More about Magic and Chakras.



M. Moon and Sun

The Story of the Moon and The Sun...Once upon a time there was a young Moon in love with a young Sun, they were happy and free, they were dancing in the sky with the stars. One day the Moon fell pregnant of the Sun. The Earth became full of growing Life, the Sun was shining on the Earth to help the life grow bigger and stronger, they kept on being in love and happy waiting for the new life to be born. But the Sun grew older and weaker, the Moon also grew older but as her hair turned whiter she got wiser. The life was still growing but the stronger it was getting the weaker the Sun was, until one day. The Sun died, but knowingly that the Moon was going to give birth to his son, his heart was filled only with love and happiness and also knowing that his life had not been wasted. The Moon was now old and tired, she couldn't wait any longer for her son to be born, so she gave birth to a nice young Sun full of energy and power. Exhausted after giving birth she fell asleep for a very long time. When she woke up she had been rejuvenated back into her maiden self and the Sun had grown into the young Sun she loved so much. so they fell in love all over again and the cycle of the Moon and the Sun kept on happening. Ever since, every year we can feel the sun growing stronger in the summer, weaker in the fall, dying in the winter and being reborn in the Spring.


N. Numbers and Colors

As we all know Power is in everything but Numbers and Colors are very powerful when used in spells and magic, when you know the power of each Color and Number you can add much more power into your whole life. So HERE is the list of Numbers and Colors used in Magic.







O. Owning Divination Tools

Everyone is psychic to a certain degree, some are just more in-tune with it than others, and some simply don't believe in themselves...but anyone that wants to be more psychic can...you can practice it and you can use certain tools to help you along the way...there are many many different tools for achieving or exercising your psychic side...Runes, tarot, scrying and more...HERE is a list of some of the most popular divination tools.





P. Pentacle, Sigils and other Symbols

A symbol is a mark, icon or character used as a conventional representation of an object, function, or process. Certain symbols are known trough out the world and has pretty much the same meaning for everyone(ex: the heart 💗, everyone knows the meaning, no matter your religion, origin or beliefs) but certain symbol has different meaning depending on many factors or even your own experiences(ex: the snake 🐍, based on experience it may represent fear, phobia, or pet and softness, in representation for some it represents sexuality and other grounding energy). So basically in your own way you can decide what certain symbols mean to you.

But in Wicca there are many symbols that are being used that has a basic guideline just like symbols in alchemy or science you can't mix them up or you will end up with something that really wont work out the way you want (ex: the symbols of the elements Air Earth Fire Water) if you use the symbol of water in a ritual to invoke a god of fire, you might insult them and not get what you asked for or even get the opposite, therefore knowing and researching the basic symbols before doing any magick is a wise decision.

The pentacle/pentagram, the five-pointed star that has been used in magic for millennia. It was often a symbol of protection, or used to evoke spirits. In Wicca, the pentacle represents the five elements of Spirit, Earth, Air, Fire and Water...HERE is more Information on the history of the Pentacle.

Creating Sigils for magical and everyday uses. A Sigil is a type of symbol, design or ideogram, it's a
representation of a desired outcome or intention. anyone can make a Sigil...HERE is a link for learning how to make them.

Q. Quotes and Words of Wisdom

Some days I don't feel as magical or as in touch with my Wiccan side...some days I need to be reminded of how awesome being a witch is...HERE is my little corner of Inspirational quote and Words of wisdom. 











R. Rede

                                  Bide the Wiccan Law ye must,
                               In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust;
                                   Live ye must and let to live,
                                    Fairly take and fairly give.

                   True in love, ever be, Lest thy love be false to thee.
             With a fool no season spend, Nor be counted as his friend.
              Soft of eye and light of touch, Speak ye little, listen much.

      Ever mind the rule of three, What ye send out comes back to thee.
      This lesson well, thou must learn Ye only get what ye do earn.

Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill - An it harm none, do as ye will.

Deosil go by waxing Moon, Sing and dance the invoking Rune;

Widdershins go by waning Moon, Chant ye then a freeing tune;

When the Lady's Moon is new, Kiss thy hand to Her times two;

When the Bow rides in the eve, Turn to what you would achieve;

When the Moon rides at her peak, Then thy heart's desire seek;

When the Sickle shows Her face, Release the old with proper grace.

Greet the Days and greet the Nights, With joy and thanks for all delights.

Sing the seasons all around, Til wondrous awe and love abound

Heed the North wind's mighty gale, Lock the door & trim the sail;

When the wind comes from the South, Love will kiss thee on the mouth;

When the wind blows from the West, Hearts will find their peace and rest;

When the wind blows from the East, Expect the new and set the feast.

Nine woods in the Cauldron go, Burn them quick and burn them slow;

Grape and fir and apple tree, And Hawthorn are sacred to Thee,

Willow, hazel, rowan, birch, And oak will guide your every search;

Elder be the Lady's tree - Burn it not or cursed ye'll be.

Birchwood in the fire goes, To tell us true what Goddess knows.

Oak trees tower great with might, Burn the Oak for God's insight.

Rowan is a tree of power, Causing life and magick to flower.

Willows at the waters stand, To help us to the Summerland.

Hawthorn burn to purify, And draw the faerie to your eye.

Hazel tree, the wisdom sage, Lends strength that comes with honoured age.

White the flowers of Apple tree, The holy gift of fecundity.

Grape grows upon the fruitful vine, Sacred gifts of joy and wine.

Fir's ever greenness declares life Succeeds beyond any strife.

Heed ye flower, bush, and tree, And by the Lady Blessed be.

Where the rippling waters flow, Cast a stone and truth ye'll know;

Four times the Major Sabbats mark, In the light and in the dark:

As the old year starts to wane, The new begins with dark Samhain.

When flowers blossom through the snow, Fair Brighid casts her seed to sow (Imbolc)

When winter yields to warmth's return, Let the Beltane fires burn.

As summer turns to Lammas night, First fruits and Grain Gods reach their height.

Four times the Minor Sabbats fall, Use the Sun to mark them all:

At Yuletide, with feast and mirth We celebrate the God Child's birth.

Spring Equinox, Ostara's fest, All newborn creatures will be blessed.

When the Sun has reached its height, Celebrate the greatest Light.

Offer thanks at second reaping; Mabon poised for winter's sleeping.

Cast the circle thrice about, To keep unwelcome spirits out.

To bind the spell well every time, Let the spell be spake in rhyme.

Follow this with mind & art, Bright the cheeks and warm the heart,

And merry meet & merry part And merry meet again!

S. South, West, North, East

The Four Corners and The Four elements, each cardinal point is related to an element, a color, a quality, a symbol and much much more...HERE is a list of the Elements and Directions... 

Air = East
Water = West
Earth = North
Fire = South




T. Tools and Altar

Most Wiccans that practice witchcraft has an Altars and Magic tools that are used only for Magic... there is a basic list of Witches tool that consists of...Candles, Pentacles, Besom, Wand, Athame, Censer, Cauldron, Bell, Chalice, Salt, Water, Offering bowl/plate and Representations of the Goddess and God... some witches use other tools some uses fewer tools, it's all about what feels right for you...there are also many ways to set up an altar.. the pic. on the left is a basic one... but not all witches use this layout again you go with your feelings... some have the goddess on the left some on the right and so on... HERE is a more detailed list of tool and different Altar layouts



U. Using Stones/Gemstones 

HERE is my favorite website for crystal healing
How to work with crystals for healing: 

Simply carrying your crystals with you or wearing them as jewelry is the easiest and an effective way of working with these crystal helpers. You can carry or wear your crystals whenever you feel the need or you can wear them all the time. That is totally up to you. For me personally, I wear my crystals for particular problems when they flair up. An example is my anxiety and worry, which I wear a Green Aventurine pendant at my Heart Chakra when my anxiety starts acting up. When I remove it before my anxiety is gone I can literally feel the anxiety coming back quickly. Once I put the pendant back on I feel fine again. Another method is to relax or meditate for 15-20 minutes a day, or as needed, with your crystal on the chakra that is best associated with the ailment. Although each ailment has an associated chakra, use your intuition on which chakra feels right for you. For example, I have found that the Heart Chakra works for most of the emotional ailments. The Heart is the center of all of the chakras combining the lower three earthly chakras with the upper three spiritual chakras. Do what feels right to you!

And HERE is a guide for all the Stones & Gemstones.

V. Visualization and Meditation

Visualization and Meditation are two different things... but they are usually used together....they are two different techniques, they are both very important and everyone should know how to use them.(not only Wiccans)
Visualization is a technique used to see or create(manifest) with your third eye, used by Wiccans all the time, ex. grounding yourself, casting circles, protection field, energy balls, etc. The more you practice the better you get and stronger your magic gets....How To Practice Visualization
Meditation is a technique (some calls it an Art) used to quiet the mind and total relaxation. many cultures and religion used meditation, it's also the 12th goal of a Witch. Wiccans use this technique to commune and talk with the deities, there are many ways to do this....so HERE is one of the techniques used by Wiccans that I like.






W. Wicca

X. Xenophobia and Other Hatred in the World
I always try to be positive in my writing and in my life in general but sometimes I just can't... So this part will not be a positive subject... You may want to skip this one if you're looking for some positive thinking.

xen·o·pho·bi·a 

ˌzenəˈfōbēə,ˌzēnəˈfōbēə/ 

noun

1. intense or irrational dislike or fear of people from other cultures, religions or countries.

Hatred towards Wiccan is still something in the world now... even after hundreds of year of evolution and education people still think Wiccans are Devil worshipers... well at least not all countries still burn witches anymore(some still do)...Well!! let's just say I'm not going to KENYA, AFRICA anytime soon...

Suspected Witches Burned Alive by Christians in Kenya, Africa

1. And when I look at this picture it makes me sad and sick to think how some people are still not on the evolution train and Why is there so much violence and hatred in the world today...I try hard with all my will power not to hate anyone I meet in my life(even the mean ones I used to go to school with)... so far I had pretty good success... but there will always be some people who I will never be able to forgive with all my heart... Sometimes it's hard not to hate... but as my mother always told me... you can forgive but sometimes you can't forget... which to me always made sense... I'm not the kind of person to keep grudges, I know how to forgive... but I don't forget easily and I don't let myself be fooled twice... but even with this view of others.. there are some evil people in the world and not only in Kenya... My father always told me when I was a child that monsters and devils were not real but evil people were... as an adult now I see that this is very true and I don't understand why people hate Wiccans and think we are devil worshipers when they are the ones doing the Evil....Well, these are my thoughts on the subject...and I hope Karma will get to them.

And on a more positive note...I live in Canada where most people are tolerant and peaceful... there are many Wiccans in Canada and no-one I know thinks I'm a devil worshiper... and for those who don't know what Wicca is, I tell them "it's actually a very peaceful and nature-based religion"... I try my best to educate them about it... (Acceptance, one step at a time) I hope one day the whole world will know.

Y. Yourself

Knowing yourself and loving yourself as much as you want to be loved...this is the greatest thing you can do for YOU...it's also the #1 Goal of a Witch... HERE is the link to the post I made on it... In life, we need to know ourselves to really know what we need and what we are capable of... You need to find your powers... the powers of your Words, your Mind, and your Body... Only once you really know yourself you can really be happy with yourself and be in complete charge of your Life, your Happiness and You entirely.






Z. Zodiac and Trees

The Celtic Astrology is based on different Trees instead of mythical beings, which to me makes allot of sense since trees are so powerful and important in our lives...HERE is some more information on these trees.

                   Birch - The Achiever

               December 24 - January 20

           You are highly driven and often

            motivate others, You are also

            tolerant, tough, and resilient.

                                                                    Rowan - The Thinker

January 21 - February 17

You are a keen-minded individual

and are highly influential. You have

a cool exterior but you are burning

within from your passionate ideals.

Ash - The Enchanter

February 18 - March 17

You are free-thinking, imaginative

and naturally artistic. You are easily

inspired by nature and in a constant

state of self-renewal,

Alder -The Trailblazer

March 18 - April 14

You are filled with fiery passion

and are motivated by action and

results. You are easily confident

and have a strong self-faith.

Willow . The Observer

April 15 - May 12

You are highly creative, intuitive

and intelligent You have a keen

understanding of life cycles and a

realistic perspective of things.

Hawthorn - The Illusionist

May 13 - June 9

You are a natural listener and have an

interest in a broad range of topics.

You have a healthy sense of humor and

an amazing insight to life.

Oak - The Stabilizer

June 10 - July 7

You are nurturing generous and

helpful, You exude an easy confidence

and naturally, assume everything will

work out to a positive outcome.

Holly - The Ruler

July 8 - August 4

You are noble, high-minded and

easily take on positions of leadership.

You are very confident in your abilities

and quite generous and kind.

Hazel - The Knower

August 5 - September 1

You are highly intelligent, organized

and efficient. You are naturally gifted

in academia and have an eye for detail.

Vine - The Equalizer

September 5 - September 29

You are a connoisseur of refinement

with very distinctive taste. You are

charming and elegant with classic

style and poise.

Ivy - the Survivor

September 30 - October 27

You have a sharp intellect, but more

obvious is your compassion and loyalty

to others. You endure troubling times

with silent perseverance.

Reed - The Inquisitor

October 28 - November 24

You dig deep inside to the real meaning

of things and discover the truth

hidden beneath layers of distraction. You

have a strong sense of truth and honor.

Elder - The Seeker

November 25 - December 23

You are freedom-loving and live life

on the wild side. You are deeply thoughtful

with a philosophical bent. You genuinely

strive to be helpful.