The 13 goals of a Witch is an idea that’s been floating around for some time. I would be remiss if I didn’t include it into a series on the Ethics of Witchcraft.
The Goals were originally outlined in Scott Cunningham’s book: Wicca – A guide for a solitary practitioner, first published in 1988.
His essay was since condensed down to the 13 goals that we see pinned all over Pinterest.
However those ideas were not original to Mr. Cunningham. Some of them were as old as civilization. Some were written about by ancient philosphers. The ideas show up in all cultures and can apply to magical people as well as muggles.
They are not only for witches. I feel like if you have a heart beat and happen to be walking around this earth, you have a right and responsibility to work on these 13 goals.
Why?
By working on these goals we will become masters of ourselves because all 13 Goals relate to ourselves and has little to do with other people. These goals, and the actions that support the goals, will help to build up our self esteem and help us develop discipline in our actions and thoughts. It will also help us identify and process emotions, as well as connect us to the natural and spirit worlds.
These are not easy to master. It can be pretty difficult to take that good hard look at yourself. It gets a little messy to sift through your experiences.
You’ll be breaking old habits and starting new ones. This kind of work takes time. Sometimes you’ll have to stop actively working in order to process what you’ve learned. That’s okay.
Now Mr. Cunningham, rest his soul, may not be very mainstream in the Witch community anymore. Wicca, as he practiced it, isn’t as popular as it used to be but the values represented in the 13 goals are timeless.
There will never be a time or place where they aren’t useful to the individual.
The 13 goals of a Witch is basically a guide for life, not unlike the 10 commandments but without the fire and brimstone or threat of eternal damnation if you slip up.
The 10 commandments were also a product of ancient Judaic civilization that put a lot of focus on rules.
Most religions have a code of ethics, most cultures have norms and morals. Society has its own code of conduct that evolves over time. Sometimes that’s a good thing and sometimes its not.
I find it interesting that if you look at these codes that snake their way around the globe over the course of centuries, there is a similar thread that link them all. I see an over all theme of love and respect.
13 Goals in the 21rst century
The 13 goals of the witch is a guide for living an empowered life in harmony with your surroundings no matter how they change.
We happen to be living in one of those volatile times when everything is changing. It’s easy to focus on those internal goals when everything is going well. It’s a lot harder when your sense of security and your sense of familiarity is being shaken.
And yet, the world needs us to do just that, more than ever.
I intend to write about each goal as I understand it, explain why its so Important and break down the things you can do to embrace the goal and fold it into your lifestyle.
I feel like its also important to remember that none of this is a one and done thing. Take each step seriously and slowly incorporate it into your life until it becomes a habit. Don’t kick yourself if you slip up. Its okay, we all do.
13 Goals of the Witch
- Know yourself
- Know your craft
- Learn and grow
- Apply knowledge with wisdom
- Achieve balance
- Keep your words in good order
- Keep your thoughts in good order
- Celebrate life
- Attune with the cycles of nature
- Breathe and eat correctly
- Exercise the body
- Meditate
- Honor the Goddess and the God
