Wiccan Studies

Lessons from the Wiccan experience course:

Perhaps the most important lesson I learned from the course has been the issue of intent with rituals. The rituals mean nothing unless the proper intent is present, and the wrong intent does not impart rituals with meaning. Rituals have meaning, but the intent ascribed to them only occurs when the proper intent is used in combination with the ritual.

Another lesson from the course is the benign aspect of the mode of thought, or the presence of spells in conjunction with your meanings. As with most religions, or avenues of worship, spells help focus the wishes and intent of the person involved. The insistence of not doing harm in your spell casting is important, even without the Law of Threefold in place. This law helps a person to remember that anything you send out comes back three fold in power and intent. The aspect of evil spells and intent that is in the modern or ancient literature, usually by persons who have no conception of these rituals, do not hold any validity when seen from this perspective.

As with any ritual, the importance of concentration and focus is paramount. Without concentration the rituals have no power, and can be usurped for other purposes, especially when first practicing rituals. As a help in concentration and focus several preparations are needed, most importantly of these are planning ahead. There should be a clear understanding of the intent, goals, and process before any ritual should take place. Without the visualization of the process/rituals, but most importantly the goals, of the service you are to perform you cannot obtain them. Not only have you wasted your time, but you have opened yourself up to negative or dangerous influences.

Another lesson from the course has been the importance of timing when attempting and completing rituals/spells. Forces are natural in our world, and there are times when the forces are more powerful, or more accessible than others. Paying attention to the calendar, the time of day, even the day of week is important. Certain holidays in our society are based on these situations where forces are more accessible, and for a good reason. These times also help the practitioner to focus on his/her rituals and goals.

Perhaps the most important lesson from the course is that we are not alone, in any religion or religious practice. Current beliefs and practices are built up from the past, from many different cultures and practices. The combination of disparate practices and beliefs only makes current one more powerful, and longer lasting. Although the intent of any religious practice should not be power for the individual or person within the sect, the power here refers to the system of beliefs and practices. The power of belief does lend power to the rituals and spells of the individual and organization, but not for self-aggrandizement instead for accumulation of intent and implementation of rituals for the growing of knowledge for both the individual who practices and those who are interested. After all, the most important aspect of any belief system is the growth of the individual in knowledge and wisdom.

Prepared as the final requirement for the Master in Wiccan Studies by:

David A Woods

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Wiccan Studies

I have been a Wiccan for 10 years and an ULC minister for 18 months.  I decided to take this Wiccan course pretty much just to test my knowledge.  Lesson 2 on consequences had made me realize how important the Wiccan Rede really is. That everything  good or bad has  consequences. I pretty much used this subject to help me make good decisions each day in my own life. In my essay on lesson 2, I wrote how I didn't keep up on my maintenance with my car and how much it would have cost me less if I kept up with it and how the money I spent could have went to more useful things, like diapers for my daughter. this was the consequences of my actions. I am still hung up on drowsing, maybe some day I will concentrate on this subject.  Most of everything else from wiccan holidays to altar tools and the elements I already knew from books written by Buckland and Cunningham, but it is always good refresh your memory. 


I also loved sharing my wiccaning ritual I performed on my daughter with you, I already had it written out before I ever took this course, I posted it on the forum for all to read and hope that anyone who reads it will enjoy. I believe that this course would be good for non-wiccans searching to understand our beautiful religion and help clear them of all the misconception they may have heard from their local church or mainstream tv.   My main Goal as an ULC Wiccan Minister is to reach out to those in touch with nature and help build a Earth-based congregation here on the nh seacoast. I have enjoyed your lesson on Wicca and am thinking out doing the Pagan one next.

Bright Blessings

Rev. Michael Engel

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Wiccan Studies

When I signed up for this course I really didn’t know what to expect. I have never taken an online course. I have been studying the Craft since the 1970’s. I wasn’t sure if I would learn anything or not. Well, I did learn a lot and I have changed my thinking about a few things also. It was interesting to take a course written by one so practiced and knowledgeable, but with very different training from myself.

I have tried things again that I had tried and abandoned for what ever reason. I have a new outlook. I was actually feeling a bit bored with Wicca and paganism in general. Every book I picked up seemed to say the same things over and over. Now I see that I was picking up the same kind of book over and over. To truly stretch and grow, I have to pick up the book that I rejected from my attention. I have to try things that I haven’t tried and try things again that I couldn’t or wouldn’t do. I have reached out into my community and made contact with other Wiccans. They may not have the same exact beliefs that I do but that is not scary any more. I thought that I should be around others with the same beliefs. That’s not true. It just caused stagnation and boredom. I need to be around other with different beliefs and backgrounds. I can’t learn if I provide myself with the same lessons over and over. I need new and different lessons to grow.

I can’t thank you enough for this course. I was sad to hear that the man that created this course has moved on to the Summerland. His words live on and I was privileged to learn from him.

Rev. Michelle Larrance

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Wiccan Studies

First let me say how much I appreciate Lord Starwalker for sharing his knowledge and experience on Wiccan studies.

I've been practicing Wicca for 3 years so the first few lessons were pretty basic.

Which it's nice to know how far I've come.

Most of the books I've read always say this goes here, that goes there on your altar.

Rarely do they say, "you can decide for yourself what feels right" like in lesson 4.

This seems to be a common thread in his lessons. Find your own personal meanings.

The energy work in lesson 8 was a challenge that I relished! the focusing, directing, along with the visualization of energy. His description of the elements is an excellent reminder of the power and awesomeness were dealing with.

Lesson 15 was a favorite of mine. Being a Minister or Reverend, one assumes, the writing a ritual will be a needed skill at some point and I loved it.

I found thinking of it like writing a play helped. For each action there has to be a reason for it to happen. No reason = no action. it all goes back to finding person meaning.

I'm still working on the Dowsing, and it may be some time before it all comes together, but it's the journey that matters.

I highly recommend this course.

Rev Lauren Moloney

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Wiccan Studies

I found that the lesson on History was interesting especially since the writings of the “Malleus Malificarum” and the writings of Jean Bodin “De la Demonomanie des Sorciers”, these lead us up to the Infamous Spanish Inquisition of the times (1227-1792) and the “Burning Times” (1550-1600 C. E.

Were it not for Gerald Gardner, modern paganism would not exist. As is

pointed out, he wrote several books on the subject of Witchcraft and paganism in

general with such titles as, “High Magic’s Aid” and “The Witches’ Sabbats”.

Gerald Gardner also wrote “Witchcraft Today”,”Gardner’s Book of Shadows”,

“The Meaning of Witchcraft”, and “Goddess Arrives”.After that the “Neo Pagan”

movement began.

In Lesson 9 on Reincarnation I disagree on several points, First, I’d

like to point out that I know of certain Archangels, namely , Michael, whom I have

seen after my second wife went through her transition and was ascended to be as

she is now, an Angel by the name, ‘Barbarailu”, she is my “Twin Flame”. We were

both created out of the same mold, the “Cosmic Ovid”. Due to our joint Karma, we

were separated from the Godhead, where she began her life here on Planet Earth as

the beautiful daughter of Dioscorus, papal legate to Justinian I at Constantinople.

With the help of Origen, she was later converted to Christianity. She was beheaded by her father c. 235. Barbara was canonized by the Roman Catholic Church as St. Barbara. We will again be joined as “one” in the near future. So that you can understand, we are connected and intertwined, intermingled, so to speak, quantitatively speaking. I, myself started my life here on Planet Earth during the time of Seti I, Pharoah of Egypt and father of Ramesses II. This was during the time of Moses. Later, in another lifetime, we again were brought together as husband and wife (c.e. 1979). That is why I know of reincarnation. I remember at least three past lives. I, also was St. Gordanus. c.1190-1237) This time around I know that I must strive to balance my karma. Angel Barbarailu has already balanced most of her karma. All that is needed is 51%.

Lesson 10 on the holidays was quite interesting. I’ve discovered many things about the different holidays or Sabbats. I’ve discovered the traditional names for the Sabbats and Esbats and in lesson 12 I’ve discovered the names of the 13 moons during the course of a year.   In lesson 13 on Wiccan Mythology, I discovered the chart of mythical entities. Also I discovered the Welsh Myth of Pwyll. It was quite interesting. Lesson 14 is about more Mythology.

Lesson 14 on Rituals is very interesting. There are so many rituals out there I will not attempt to write my own without plagiarism. Skipping now to lesson 18 on herbalism.

Lesson 18 - Herbalism was very interesting. I learned abot many different herbs and their uses. I recently read about another herb not mentioned here. It is one called  “Ayahuesca”, a Peruvian plant that causes dreams. It is used by peruvian Shamans.  This is mentioned in the book “The Eagles Quest” by Dr. Fred Alan Wolf. Here, Dr. Wolf attempts to compare Shamanism with Quantum Physics.

Skipping now to Lesson 22 on Spells. There are a lot of free spells that I can uncover, for instance, Llewellyn gives a - Spell - a - Day. I have found out that a majority of these do not work properly. One must work out each spell on their own, and if it works , then it may be recorded in your own Book of Shadows.

Lord Starwalker gives some good advice on perfecting the spells. I have gone through the consecration of the tools and took the self initiation ritual as presented be another source.

This concludes my Final Essay on the Dr. Of Wiccan Studies Course.

Rev. Dr. Gordon S. Reed

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics, as well as courses in Mystical Christianity, Buddhism and Comparative Religion. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

Wiccan Studies

When you say you are Wiccan, people look at you like you are possessed, you are the devil itself. So many people have tainted the name of Wiccans' that now people just believe it is bad. They get it mixed up with being goth, satanism and even a few emo. Although some Wiccans may be Goth or Emo (none are religions) we are not Satanic.

Wicca is about, in short, nature, karma, lunar cycles and your believing. We go by the rule that anything you do will come back to you three fold. That is the karma part. We treat others how we would like to be treated. We do believe in a higher power, some believe in God, some people in many Gods, like the Greeks did. There is nothing wrong with that since so many people before us thought that way.

Emo and Goth are not religions, so you can find some Wiccans that are these. Which is fine. But being Satanic is not the same as being Wicca. Satanism is another religion all together.

Satanism has several definitions. You can be the hardcore one, that does sacrifices, harming others, and living for Satan of the Devil. But a newer kind of Satanism is coming out which is less hardcore, it's living for oneself. Where 'Satan' means me. So Hail Satan would mean Hail Me. They belive that in fact, that the human being is a power all in itself and yet is nothing more than another form of animal.

As with any religion there are the good and bad Wiccans. Or Light and Dark magic. Light magic is anything from helping people, finding something, or anything that doesn't cause harm. Dark magic is anything that causes harm or goes against the person's will.

Wicca is dealing with nature, most of the spells we use are done outside, at a cleansed space (our altar). Some spells even go down to what day they are used at, or what lunar cycle it would be good at, whether on the full moon or the new moon, Monday or Friday. Even during Winter or Spring.

We also have our celebrations, Yule (which some say is the exact same as Christmas), the Equinox, and most are the same as our regular holidays. We thank Mother Earth for allowing such a good harvest for the fall, we thank the Earth for a good spring. We thank nature, which most people over look and take for granted.

We are not evil, we are not dark. We are one with nature, our energies, and Earth. We do believe in God/Gods, fairies and angels. And karma, so we do not do bad unless we want to to come back to us three fold.

Misconceptions

For two thousand years the image of the Witch has been associated with evil, the devil, and blasphemy. These ideas have their origin in Christian myths created to convert members of the Old Religion to that of the new. By making the Witch into a diabolical character of evil and action, the Christian missionaries were able to attach fear to a word that had once meant Healer, Wise One, and Seer.

Witches Do Not Worship Satan

To believe in Satan, one must believe and agree with the Christian dogma. We do not. Wicca does not have any belief in, nor do we worship a concept of evil incarnate. You can't worship something you don't believe in.

Witches Do Not Cast Evil Spells.

(Most)Modern Witches have a very strict belief in the Witches/Wiccan Rede. Whatever we send out into our world shall return to us. The spells that we do involve things like healing, love, wisdom, creativity, and joy. If you see a website, or meet someone claiming to be a witch yet they talk about casting evil spells and hexes, THEY ARE NOT REAL WICCANS.

Are Male Witches Warlocks?

No. There is no such thing as a warlock in witchcraft. This misconception is one of the most popular, it seems. In fact, a warlock is supposedly a "wizard" (according to the dictionary) and in fact, means a traitor, or a devil. It DOES NOT mean a male witch. A male witch is in fact, a witch--just like the female witches.

Rev. Sean Cooper

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

Wiccan Studies

I must say that I have greatly enjoyed this course. There are many wonderful things that I learned to help me on the Wiccan path and to minister to others who are pagan.

I greatly appreciated lesson #2 about consequences. It is wonderful to have a warning that reminds us all to be diligent not to cause harm and to be very aware when we are engaged in a magickal setting. I was also pleased with how all the tools were listed and explained. This helped me to know what tool serves what purpose and what to purchase to help me on my path. The lessons on the holidays were wonderful to help me begin to celebrate these special days. I enjoy each and every Sabbat with the Coven I am a part of.

I loved how the lessons became deeper and deeper with each passing week. The God and Goddess lessons were very informative and assisted me on my way to develop my pantheon. Learning about consecration and magick also was very beneficial. I have consecrated my altar and tools and use the magick I have learned for the benefit of others. I have participated in many rites now and I am so grateful for the foundation of rituals in this course that I have learned. Each rite has been its own wonderful experience and accomplished for the good of all.

My favorite lessons in this course were the ones on herbalism. I took great delight in learning about different herbs and their uses. This part of the course gave me a great foundation that will help me continue on into the future. From these lessons I have found a great passion to work with herbs. I have since studied other herbalism materials and hope to help others in the future and use herbs in magick for rites and such. My ultimate goal is to be an herbalist and I am grateful to the Wiccan Studies course for offering this in the lessons.

In conclusion, I would like to thank ULC for creating this course to help me on my path. I appreciate all you have done to help me.

Rev. Holly A. Lee

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

Wiccan Course

Universal Life Church Essay for Wicca Course

By Matooka MoonBear

While I have been a solitary practitioner for over 12 years through self study, never have I come across the style and structure of Lord Starwalker’s work. My practice has been a cross of eclectic Dianic witchcraft. So our flavors are quite different. I opted to do this study with the intention of forming a church in New Hampshire. This idea was cultivated upon my receiving my ordination. I felt it important to do some formal study for the sake of the goal being reached. My ministry would be earth based.

The weekly lessons have been fun. I enjoyed seeing different perspectives compared to my personal studies over the years. I found many things helpful such as altar layout in lesson 4 where I am supported in the idea of choosing what tools go with which elements. Many books have a strong view on this, so the lesson was validating for me.

I did not always resonate with Lord Starwalker’s perceptions on the craft. However, I can appreciate his wisdom and experience with this path. His humor was refreshing as well, making the reading of the material an upbeat and pleasant experience for me. There are many strengths in this program pertaining to it’s structure and information shared. I found the order of this quite useful. I also enjoyed his blessings at the end of each lesson.

My favorite lesson actually was the last #24, because the information on a banishing ritual used was something I have never come across in all my years on the path. The use of Kabalistic style and angels was fascinating to me!

To conclude, I am grateful for having the opportunity to have the ULC Seminary with these studies available not to mention the ordination. I feel supported on this path and guided by the universe. I thank ULC for making this possible for me and so very affordable. I have enjoyed my seminary experience and would recommend it to others who may feel called to minister.

Blessed be,

Rev. Matooka MoonBear

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Wicca

It has taken me a while after completing this very interesting course to compose my thoughts about the content, in large part because of the very personal approach of the author. His asides were inserted at points where he felt emphasis was needed, but were stated in such a way as to make them memorable. One instance was his explanation of the history of witch craft and the beginnings of Wicca as a religion, where he devoted a paragraph to Sybil Leek. He very respectfully referred to her passing, “She was born into the Summerlands in 1982, from her home in Florida .” What a beautiful sentiment, and exactly in keeping with the Wiccan belief in reincarnation.

I was both pleased and surprised to note that he took the path of the Wiccan in that he stated “The Law of Three” was to be considered an integral part of practice as a Wiccan. The growing numbers of neo-pagans and eclectic Wiccans have declined to accept the three-fold return of what is sent out. He stressed responsibility both in the Law and in his discussion of the “Wiccan Rede.” These points were obviously very important to the author, as they are to me as an individual Wiccan.

Re-addressing ethics just prior to spell craft was another example of this instructor’s belief in responsible practice as a Wiccan. Some individuals would have left this chapter out all together, yet he took the time to re-emphasize the need for doing what is right.

Given all 24 dissertations, I would have to commend the most highly the self-dedication. While brief, it was right to the point and beautifully written.

Many of the references he employed seemed to indicate either Alexandrian or Gardnerian background, although it could have been nearly any Wiccan tradition. His approach was generic, without being vague. I wish I could have corresponded with him.

By Kristine Dice

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

Wiccan Studies

Rev. Jac Martins

First, let me preface this by saying that I have been a witch and a Wiccan (Alexandrian tradition) for over thirty years, so I was already familiar with much of the material . That being said, the course was interesting and informative.

The section on the history of the Craft was well done, without a lot of the misconceptions and false myths that have crept into Wiccan lore over the years. However I would have mentioned Alex Sanders, Janet and Stewart Farrar, Doreen Valiente, Isaac Bonewitz, and Star hawk (even if you don¢t agree with most of what she writes).

I found the section on mythology and legend interesting. However, I do encourage all people to explore other pantheons besides Celtic. I discovered a very personal resonance with Isis myself.

I found the exercises in dowsing fun and useful. In fact, I found all of the exercises useful, and excellent training techniques.

I also found the discussions of ethics interesting. Since a witch is one who shapes reality, one is then under a greater responsibility to engage in ethical behavior. You can¢t lie, steal and cheat all the time and still be able to work effective magick.

The one glaring inaccuracy I found in the course is in the section on herbs. I make my living dealing in herbs and essential oils. And while I am not an herbalist, I am familiar with herbs and their uses. Diazepam, also known as Valium, is not derived from valerian root. Valium is a benzene - derived synthetic which acts on the same brain receptors as valerian, which, by the way, smells and tastes as bad as they say.

Other then that, I found the course to be of value, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the Craft, no matter their level of experience.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Wicca

I can't say I truly learned anything new during the Wiccan studies program but I did enjoy it. I have been a witch for 21 years and basically took the program to add to my reverend credentials.

As a Witch I feel its important to keep an open mind and continue learning/sharing on this path in life. The Wiccan Studies program was well put together and easy to understand. Its an excellent study program for the beginner and a great refresher for the more experienced. I did enjoy going through this course.

I also was glad to see the links and resources given during the lessons. Too many times, online, people do not give credit where credit is due. Its important when we do not write something to add the source. I was very happy to see the sources given. Bravo!

I really liked how the course was designed. It kept all the essentials of Wicca at the forefront and kept it interesting. Very well thought out and included great information.

As a Witch with a Coven I would definitely suggest this course to anyone. I'm glad I took the course because it gave me another class design to have in mind when teaching. Thank you for putting together a course well done!

Blessings,

Rev. Darlene Marie Meehan

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

Wiccan Studies

I enjoyed this course tremendously! In October my dad came to live with me after a massive stroke left him bedridden. Between his care and 6 children of my own, I had a busy busy time! I did try to keep up and loved the info I learned! My dad passed on 4/23 and I now have the time to sit and do this essay.

I've been a Solitary Wiccan for a couple of years now, worshiping the sacred as immanent in nature. I am raising my sons in the ways of the earth and it's cycles. This course has clarified the religion for me, although I still feel it's a religion all your own.I've taken your class teachings and my experiences and strengthened my knowledge in the craft and my perception of the world around me.

I learned to add my energy in ritual by the elements.

Earth-Body and movement. Swaying back and forth to the rhythm of my chants, radiating heat and energy of my physical life force.

Air- In ritual I add air when I speak aloud my intentions or wishes.

Fire- Rhythm by clapping or stomping.

Water-I can connect to my intentions of my rituals through touching hands of others.

I feel witchcraft usually begins on a personal level with spells for health,love or wishes. As we mature in the craft, we become more adept at raising power and using it for the good "all" around us!

My wand is my dearest treasure. I made it from a fallen Oak branch. It has beautiful natural grain and devots where I inserted crystals for calm, balance, peace, happiness,and protection.

Season after season, nature shows her wonders, beauty and growth. Sometimes she even shows her grief. Flower petals fall,leaves blow in the wind and plants go dormant or die. This cycle repeats over and over in life. We made a special garden between my pet cemetery and our wetlands, that is a dedication to all those we've loved and lost in this lifetime or those we send intentions for. A bleeding heart bush for my Grandma, Lilly of the Valley patch for the needy in Haiti, and a newly planted patch of daisies for my dad. My children bury stones and pieces of wood they've found on our land in honorment of a deceased pet ,friend or relative. We have large rocks circling this area where we can sit, reflect, meditate and remember! There is a natural stream that flows next to it and the sound of the water is relaxing and spiritual. Here is where I hear a whisper within me that says" I am the Goddess inside of you. I am wisdom, compassion,magic and grace. Look deep inside yourself and you will find me." The magic of Wicca is love,and the right path for me. This course has definitely proven that for me. I'm proud that Wicca is an accepting, open minded faith that celebrates diversity and considers us all to be children of the same mother. Our temples are our gardens,backyards,beaches and porches. I feel no one is born Wiccan, but it's a belief system that emerges in our hearts and souls.It reflects who each of us are in this miraculous world with personal integrity and respect for Mother Nature in honorment of the God's and Goddess. Thank you for the lessons learned and the empowerment to achieve greater knowledge of the craft.

Blessed Be.

Barbara B Decker

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Wiccan Studies

Wicca Final Essay

Thank you Lord Starwalker and Amy for all your work. This course was well written. It was very interesting and informative to me. Even though I’m a Christian, I’ve found it enlightening to take different courses on different types of religion. Just before this course I took the one on Buddhism. Taking these courses will make my walk as a minister better.

I have a couple of close friends who are wiccans. Before this course we talked about their beliefs and some of their rituals. We talked about their views of their God and Goddess. This course gave me a much better understanding of them and their ways.After taking the Wicca course, I realized I basically knew almost nothing about Wiccans.

This course covered may areas, such as: history, philosophy, holidays, mythology, theology and rituals. The part on dowsing was especially interesting to me, since it brought back childhood memories. My grandparents owned a ranch and whenever they wanted to dig for water they would use dowsing. Using two sticks about three feet long; they would hold them loosely straight out. When the sticks crossed each other, they usually found water when they dug. To me as a child it was magic. Another part of the course was the charts. I made all the charts and one of my friends made me a real nice pendulum. I practiced with it until I got good enough to ask questions I would trust the answers. It really worked! I still use the charts.

I read some great books about Wiccans. Without this course I never would have gone to that section of the bookstore. One of my favorite authors was Scott Cunningham. Mr. Cunningham had several great books.

Another interesting phase in the Wicca course was on Bioelectric energy. It is the energy that every living thing has. It is what carries the instructions from our brain to our fingertips. This energy can be channeled externally. One assignment was to put one hand above the other (palm to palm). Close your eyes and think of a flow of light. After a few moments of concentration you should have felt some tingling or coldness or a hot sensation. If it didn’t work try again by rubbing your hands together in a circular motion, then proceed as written above. This is manipulating your field or aura. I was so fascinated I went to a lady who takes pictures of your aura. It was of my head and chest. She explained what all the colors and chakras meant in my picture. I got to keep the picture and the written explanation of the colors. This led me to read some books on auras and chakras. My favorite author on these was Anodea Judith.

I enjoyed this course very much and would definitely recommend it. Lord Starwalker explained it in such a way a novice like me could understand it. Even as a Christian you need other views to have a successful ministry. My favorite saying was from discourse 15. "May your right hand always be stretched in friendship, and never in want."

Blessings to you all,

Rev. Nancy Rutledge

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

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Wiccan

Wiccan Studies

This essay will be a three part essay. The first part will be about things that I have learned from the course. The second part will be about things I already knew. The third part will be about things I had hoped to learn but didn’t.

In the very first lesson, in the history of Wicca, I learned all about the significance of planting the crops to the point that men would take small portions of their blood to put in with each seed. If that is something I already knew, it has been buried deep within the archives of my brain, but I think it was a new insight for me.

I also learned a little more about Gardnerian Wicca versus Seax Wicca; particularly that Raymond Buckland had been in Gardner’s original coven and had branched out on his own, forming the Seax Wicca Trad.

Also, after learning about some of the practices of Gardnerian Wicca, such as the secrecy, Seax Wicca suddenly started making more sense to me. I’d already known a little about other Trads; Dianic Wicca, for example. Now, the more I know, the more closely I relate to Seax Wicca, rather than any other Trad.

I also learned about dowsing. I was unable to make any distinguishable differences in the definition of dowsing versus the definition of scrying. What the course instructor referred to as dowsing, some of those methods used, I had thought were scrying. I’m still confused as to whether there is a difference, or if it is one of those things in which it depends upon where you are coming from that determines how you name it. For example, one person in one part of the country may pronounce tomato completely different than a person in another part of the country. Could, in fact, some of Lord Starwalker’s dowsing techniques also be considered scrying?

As for things I already knew, I’ve cast many circles and many spells. I’ve actually gotten quite adept at the art of spell writing. I already understood the concept of not leaving your circle until you are done, or if you have to, you must cut a doorway.

I had also already become quite familiar with how to set up an altar and how to position things the way I liked them. I had to agree to disagree with the instructor’s ideas of how an altar should be set up. I follow the very traditional set-up of East = Air, South = Fire, West = Water, and North = Earth, with Akasha, the Spirit, and fifth element, somewhere in the middle, towards the north. My circles have followed this East to South to West to North to the altar many a time. In this, I am set in my ways.

Another thing about me is that I do not use, or even own, a wand. I use my athame for all circle and spell-casting purposes. I feel more as one with steel. I know that is somewhat of a controversy amongst witches and Wiccans. Many swear by their wooden wands. But I’d like to remind that steel also comes from within the Earth too. I don’t think it’s so much the tool that you use as the intent behind the spell and the Spirit that one is in when casting the spell.

One major thing that I did not learn that I had hoped to is how to perform handfastings and Wiccanings. I was directed, by a fellow minister, to a good website containing information on handfastings. I also found several websites with suggestions on Wiccaning ceremonies.

Perhaps not having all the answers was good in this course. It made a person think; to search out one’s own answers. If I didn’t know something, because the lesson wasn’t specific enough, it would lead me to do research on my own to get the answers.

Overall, I would rate this course positively but would caution that, if you’re taking it just to learn how to perform a handfasting, you should visit www.handfasting.info. The course was very well worth it and I will miss receiving the weekly emails. It is time to choose another course and move forward.

Special thanks to all who helped me along the way.

Brightest Blessings!

Rev. Jayne Morrison

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

Wiccan

Having been a practicing pagan, and at one point a devout wiccan, for several years I decided to take this course for three reasons, none of which were to actually learn anything new. I took it to see what kind of courses and what quality of courses ULC Seminary offered, to reaffirm the ideals and beliefs that I had already had and ultimately as a step towards completing the ULC Seminary Program. Having taken the course I can honestly say I learned some new things that I had not originally thought I would.

After practicing for almost ten years and doing a fair amount of research on my own I thought I knew a fair amount. However, I discovered through the course that there are different ideologies within Wiccan than those that I personally was taught and followed. In fact some of those ideologies and practices are quite different from my training and practices. I attribute part of this to my specific group following a Celtic Wiccan path and part of it to the differences between Gardnerian, traditionalists and modern eclectic Wiccans see and do things. A good example of this is the different grounding rituals. This course taught a grounding and banishing ritual based on Jewish tradition and my personal grounding and banishing ritual is based on the tree of life.

The course also brought about some new thinking and contemplation on my part. Lessons 6 and 7 on Dowsing and Lessons 8, 23 and 24 on Magic, for example gave me new ideas on spell craft and implementation. Some of the things mentioned are things I already did while others were things I had never even thought off. The magic lesson covering morality was nice to read as I know a lot of my fellow pagans do not have a strong moral compass with regard to magic use and will now have guidance on proper use and disuse.

In short, while I went into this course feeling that I wouldn’t truly learn anything and that is was just a simple step on the way toward my goal; I discovered a wealth of knowledge and view points I hadn’t seen before, which caused me to open my mind a little further and refreshed my thirst for knowledge.

by Justin M. Oles

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

Wiccan Studies

The Introduction to Wicca is a very interesting and well-written course. I took it because I had no prior background or knowledge in Wicca. From the very first lesson it was engaging and very thorough. It was very informative and insightful and the author used humor throughout to get his points across.

All of the tools used in Wicca were discussed in detail, the reasons why they are used, and how to set up your altar properly. Lord Starwalker gave a lot of background information which I found very helpful. It not only helped me understand the position of items on the altar, but helped me be much more creative with it because I had the sense I knew what I was doing!

Information was presented on all of the Wiccan holidays, what they are, the gods and goddesses involved, the history and symbolism, the wheel of the year, and the Sabbats and Esbats. There certainly are a lot of them to keep track of! It must be fun to have these celebrations all year long. It is interesting how many parallels there are between Wiccan and Christian holidays.

Another facet of Wicca is the use of energy. We hear so much today about energy medicine for healing. Energy is something that Wiccans have always known about and used for healing and for spells. Energy healing has been around for at least hundreds if not thousands of years.

Lord Starwalker is an excellent teacher and had a great sense of humor. I enjoyed and looked forward to each lesson. I am so glad I took this course because it gave me such a great perspective on this tradition. I wanted to know more about Wicca after taking this course and have bought a couple of interesting books to further my reading and knowledge.

Rev. Patricia Buben

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

Wiccan Basic Training

The Wiccan Basic Training Course did not hold my interest as much as the other courses I have taken though the ULC Seminary. I truly had misgivings when I found most of the course online at another website and for free. By time my concerns were passed onto the Seminary, Lord Skywalker had passed into the Summerland. Perhaps communication with him would have removed the barrier I had erected regarding the validity of this course.

That being said, Lord Skywalker touched on many subjects and showed the variety, scope and depth of Wicca.

This is obviously a subject which cannot be learned through reading but must be lived. The course was written from personal experience and holistic viewpoint, unlike some agenda driven books I’ve read on Wicca and practitioners encountered. Any magik works and ceremonies were pleasant, gentle and always reminding of the nature of magik and its power, his web links fun and informative.

I particularly liked the lessons on pendulum use and dowsing. These were non invasive uses of energy and fun to play with. As with all Wicca, practice, total concentration and dedication made worlds of difference in the outcome. I found the most successful attempts at these occurred when I didn’t have any stimulant in my system i.e. coffee, tea, chocolate, sugar. Windy days seemed to interfere with dowsing as I couldn’t keep a steady energy going and consecrating the dowsing tool with the element searched for seemed to make a positive difference in the outcome.

The Banishing Lesson #24, confused me, why were Wiccans using the Hebrew Kabbala and invoking the Hebrew God Yahweh and archangels Rapheal, Gabriel, Auriel and Micheal? And then end with an Irish blessing? All the components, deities and rituals are familiar to me; I’ve not encountered them in this combination. This lesson just didn’t have the feel of the other lessons, although it does demonstrate the variety and freedom Wicca allows.

I would recommend this as an introduction to Wicca; it appears some on the Forum has taken to filling some of the blanks left by Lord Starwalker’s passing, thank you.

A personal note, Wicca is an earth religion; therefore the practice of it is subject to one’s surroundings. The ceremonies, herbs, simple feasts, garments or lack of, tools etc…in my opinion, should reflect and be a part of the natural surroundings. The ethics, soul and spirit of Wicca is universal, the practice is regional.

May the Energy Which Animates Your Heart bring your Hearts desire, and the Lord and Lady bring their Blessings.

Rev. Linda Spicer

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Wicca

I have been studying and Practicing Wicca for the better part of 9 years now but I found this course very enlightening and informative. It is an excellent way for a beginner to become familiar with Wicca and the traditions. This course helped to reaffirm my beliefs and cement the path I have followed and shall continue, For being a solitary it is easy to get caught up in everyday routine tasks and not set aside time for spiritual side.

I have always found a similarity between many religious traditions and the Pagan ways, and I firmly believe the Catholic religion especially adopted there ways and traditions from the pagan ways but put a different twist on many. The section on Dowsing I found very interesting for it is an area I up to now never paid much attention to, But when I tried it and found the level of accuracy to be so high I was amazed. I also found the section on spells so very important. Wicca has become so misunderstood in this area, so to relate prayer to spells is an excellent observation. For we cast spells to bring about change in ourselves not others. By changing ourselves everything else changes also. 

Another Most important subject touched upon is fact we don’t believe in Satin or the Devil. A part of society believes that we worship Satin but in fact we do not believe in the devil and in fact we can wish harm nor cause harm we are quite the opposite. Positive energy is what we are about, For positive begets positive and the respect for all living things. The only thing we banish is negativity and what it creates.

A very interesting phase in the Wicca course was on Bioelectric energy. It is the energy that every living thing has. It is what carries the instructions from our brain to our fingertips. This energy can be channeled externally. One assignment was to put one hand above the other (palm to palm). Close your eyes and think of a flow of light. After a few moments of concentration you should have felt some tingling or coldness or a hot sensation. If it didn’t work try again by rubbing your hands together in a circular motion, then proceed as written above. I found this to be quite enlightening, perhaps a form of self awareness. 

Overall the course is setup in an excellent structure in the way it teaches you step by step but in an important order. I found it left me wanting the next lesson, waiting a week was in most cases a long wait. I think this course could be a great information resource even for someone who is not following a Wiccan path.

Blessed Be

Rev. Frank L Ducharme

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.