History: The first religion of human kind was Shamanism. It was a nature or earth based religion. The shamans practiced magic rituals and communicated with the spirits of nature. Shamans were the first humans with knowledge and knowledge is power. Shamans gained knowledge by communing with the spirit world by entering an altered state of consciousness often referred to as ecstasy. They attained this state through the use of tools such as, fasts, self inflicted pain, meditation, ingestion of hallucinogens, drums, rattles, music, chants, and dance. These tools are used in shamanic rituals in primitive societies today. The shamans shared some of this knowledge but kept much of it secret. The knowledge shared by the shamans helped people understand the universe and their place in it. From these humble beginnings arose all magic and religion, including Wicca.

Beliefs of Wicca: Because Wicca is a religion free of any central dogma, I can only speak in generalities about its beliefs. Wicca, like many religions, recognizes Deity as dual. It worships both the God and the Goddess. These deities are equals, loving and warm, not detached living in heaven but omnipresent throughout the universe. Wiccans do not believe in or worship Satan. They generally believe that all evil originates with human kind and is not the production of the devil. Many Wiccans believe in the doctrine of reincarnation. They believe that humans posses souls as do animals and elements. Wicca is a religion that utilizes magic and magical ritual. Much as Catholic priests use magical ritual to transform wine into the blood of Christ. Prayer is a form of magic used to commune with Deity. Magic is simply the use of naturally occurring energy to produce change either in one's self or the external world. There is nothing supernatural about magic. Wiccans believe in free will and that humans have full control of and responsibility for our lives. Our weaknesses and miss deeds are not blamed on some evil deity.

Ethics of Wicca: Wiccans all follow this basic tenant: Do whatever you want to do as long as you harm none. Wiccans also believe in the three fold law of return. This law simply states that anything you put out such as magic, you receive times three. Therefore, a Wiccan would never cast a negative spell, for if they did it would come back on them three times as strong.