Wicca ethics and beliefs are very important to practicing Wiccans. Despite popular beliefs about their belief system Wiccans must subscribe to a strict moral and ethical code. This code has strict boundaries. While Wiccas do believe in the free will of humanity, this does not mean that they believe that humans can do whatever they like.
Wicca ethics and beliefs include the view that what is right and wrong is decided by the Goddess and God and that these feelings are communicated to the Wicca by means of contact with these deities. The idea that a Wicca must take personal responsibility for his or her actions and deeds is a critical component of the Wicca belief system.
Wicca ethics and beliefs are not found in a book as Christian rules are contained in The Bible. Instead the Wiccan rules have been passed down by an oral tradition. The rules are at first seemingly simple but given thought and investigation they can be applied to all ethical responsibility dilemmas.
There are two important Wicca ethics and beliefs that must be adhered to by a Wicca. The first of these is the Wiccan Rede (or rule) which states: “And it harm none, do what thou wilt.” In modern English this translates as “as long as you do no harm, do what you like”. While this may seem like an easy rule to follow, for a Wiccan it can become complicated.
“Harming none” refers to the Wicca, other people, animals, the earth and even things that cannot be seen or touched. To follow this ethic Wiccas must be aware of their connection to all living things. This means that when other things are harmed they harm themselves and vice versa. Wicca ethics and beliefs always relate to the interconnectedness of all life.
The second of the cornerstone Wicca ethics and beliefs states: “Lest in thy self defense it be, ever mind the rule of three.” This is the Wiccan three-fold law or ‘Law of Three”. In practice the law states that whatever a human does to another will come back to them threefold. Harming another is acceptable if it is in self-defense, however, but this is the only exception.
Wiccans do not believe that the earth or humans are sinful. They regard all life and living as sacred and worthy of rejoicing and respect. This does not mean they have loose moral, but simply that in holding to the Wicca ethics and beliefs they create a pleasant and loving experience in their own lives.
While many people often regard the Wicca as having loose morals, nothing could be further from the truth. Because Wiccans respect and revere life, they hold themselves to the highest ethical standards. Wicca ethics and beliefs may seem simple, but how many of us could claim to find it easy to honestly “harm none” in daily life and behavior?
Wicca ethics and beliefs should always form an important part of any mentoring in witchcraft because all your activities as a witch should be based on these two important rules.
