Today we’re going to discuss Ethics in Witchcraft so that everyone has a basic understanding of Ethics. This the third post in the Good Witch Series. I hope to offer some key concepts to determine and define your own ethical practice.
Ethics refers to a philosophical study of morality or morals. Morals refers to a more narrowed and specific code of behavior.
The definition of Ethics is considered the moral principles that governs a persons behavior or conducting of an activity.
Some ethical questions to ponder are the ideas that connect what is good for individuals and and what is good for society as a whole. In other words, what is good for you, the witch? Does that coincide with what is good for society as a whole?
It’s important for us, as witches, to define our own set of ethical guidelines for our lives and personal practice. Witches have power and that power effects not only ourselves but also the people around us.
The Council of American Witches
Neopaganism and Wicca began growing as a movement in the 60’s and 70’s. In 1973, a group of 73 Neopagans from various traditions came together write up a set of principles to clarify and unite the groups in an effort to dispel misunderstandings, misinformation, lack of understanding from the public and encourage government recognition.
The idea and the coalition was assembled by Carl Llewellyn Weschcke, the president of Llewellyn International. Llewelln International is the leading publisher of occult and new age books.
In April of 1974 the adopted their set of principles. {You can find more here}
The Ethics of Witchcraft
1.) We practice the rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters.
2.) We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.
3.) We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called “supernatural” but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.
4.) We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity – as masculine and feminine and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. Valuing neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.
5.) We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological worlds sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, Inner Planes, etc. – and see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.
6.) We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.
7.) We see religion, magick, and wisdom in living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it = a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft – the Wiccan Way
8.) Calling oneself “Witch does not make a Witch – but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees and initiations. A witch seeks to control the forces within him/herself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well without harm to others and in harmony with nature
9.) We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness giving meaning to the Universe we know and our personal role within it.
10.) Our only animosity towards Christianity, or towards any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be ‘the only way’ and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.
11.) As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of carious aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.
12.) We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as “Satan” or “the Devil” as defined by the Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor accept that personal benefit can be derived only by the denial of others.
13.) We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and wellbeing.
The council of American Witches also made this statement:
“In seeking to be inclusive, we do not wish to open ourselves to the destruction of our group by those on self-serving power trips, or to philosophies & practices contradictory to these principles. In seeking to exclude those whose ways are contradictory to ours, we do not want to deny participation with us to any who are sincerely interested in our knowledge & beliefs, regardless of race, color, sex, age, national or cultural origins, or sexual preference.”
This is historically significant because it is the first group of witches in the U.S. to come together to to define ethics in witchcraft. However, they disbanded later that year because they couldn’t reconcile the differences between their traditions.
In 1978 that US army incorporated these principles into their Religious Requirements and Practices of Certain Selected Groups: A Handbook for Chaplains in a section on the Wiccan religion.
In 1986 Wicca was officially recognized as a religious practice by the United States government.
Their was an attempt to revive council of American Witches in 2011 and 2015. Both attempts collapsed due to concern over unclear goals and a lack of transparency.
The Wiccan Rede
Not all witches are Wiccan and not all Wiccans are witches. But Wicca is a recognized religion and most well known among the non-magical public. Its an easy reference that does have a code of ethics for witchcraft.
The Wiccan Rede states: “Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill, an it harm none do as ye will”. It’s rather simple as far as ethical codes go but its easy to remember.
This was originally penned by Doreen Valiante in 1964. However, the concept was probably adapted from the writings of Alester Crowley in 1904. (Rumor has it that Crowley adapted it from earlier writings that dated back to the middle ages.)
Regardless of where it originated, it became a very liberating battle cry of early witches.
I feel like we should probably break down the real meaning, though. There is a distinct difference between Will and Want:
Will refers to your hearts desire, what feels right and true, deep in your soul.
Want is fleeting and temporary. Usually comes up to soothe an ego.
Do as ye will
So when we talk about ‘do as ye will’ we’re not talking about those fleeting, temporary emotions that drive our actions. Its the difference between ‘wanting’ to punch someone in the face and ‘willing’ yourself to live a life free of violence.
“Do as ye will” can cover a whole range of life choices that may upset the status quo and anger others. Yet, it feels like the right thing for the individual. Living you’re life openly, can be scary at first but brings us peace later on. THis is true if you’re stepping out of the closet (broom or otherwise) or speaking your mind
This is totally different than wanting that second piece of chocolate cake or your third Michael Kore’s handbag.
I’m always concerned for people that take that phrase to do things that hurt themselves or others. I want every one to understand that will is not want. It was a struggle when I first start my journey.
The Rule of Reciprocity
Another tenament to ethics in witchcraft is the Three fold Law or the Rule of Three.
The concept behind the rule of reciprocity is that whatever energy you send out into the world will come back to you three fold. If you send out a curse, you’ll be cursed three times as bad. Or, if you send out blessings, you’ll receive three time as many blessings in return. If you’re negative, you’ll see more negative but if you’re positive you’ll see more positive.
Some feel that it shouldn’t be taken literally, instead, what we send out will return to us as many times as we need it to in order for us to learn the lesson of that energy.
Other witches don’t bother with either of these ideas and just follow thier heart.
The Three-fold Law, Karma, and the Bible
The threefold law is similar to the Hindu idea of Karma which focuses on cause and effect. What we do, our action (cause), will return to us in the manner in which it was sent out (effect)
The concept of the Rule of Reciprocity is also found in other places as well such as the bible verses that says you reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7-8, 2 Corinthians 9:6) and the Golden rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
These are all concepts to take into consideration as you’re developing your own code of ethics for your witchcraft practice. They are timeless and well researched. Take what you need from them to start you off.
Free Will
Another aspect to witchcraft and ethics, which is especially important, is the idea of violating another person’s free will. In my experience, this is kind of a grey area. It’s important that you explore this subject carefully so you’ll know where to draw your personal line.
So let’s start exploring.
The concept of free will is obvious in our humanity. People have the right to choose what they do and when. As 1000’s of years of literature has shown us, Free Will is a defining characteristic to human nature.
As Witches waking up to our power, its easy to try to control all aspects of our lives including the people that share it. I’m asking you to think twice about that.
The subject I often see discussed the most is about romantic relationships and the desire to compel a love interest to subvert to our charm or stay when they seem to be pulling away.
I understand the inclination, however, I advise against it. Those types of spells tend to go all wonky. You may be able to magically make them stay but deep in their hearts they wouldn’t want to. Do you really want to be stuck with someone who doesn’t want to be with you? I wouldn’t.
Save your love spells for yourself. Cast to make yourself open to accepting love, or attracting the right kind of person for yourself.
Banishing and Binding
There are other aspects to controlling people that some more skittish people would advise against, such as banishing and binding spells. I personally, am more open to these kinds of spells. In my opinion, witches have an obligation to protect themselves and others from bullies, brutes, and those who would do harm.
Setting Boundaries
What do we mean by setting boundaries. There are physical boundaries; I.e. walls, fences, state lines, etc. Then there are magical boundaries such as protective circles, shields and salt lines. There is also what we allow in our lives, such as how we let the people in our lives talk to us or treat us.
However, when talking about ethics in witchcraft, I’m referring to the boundaries we set for ourselves. Will we allow ourselves to be destructive when angry? Will we allow some jerk to alter our mood? We get to determine these things and we are solely responsible for holding ourselves accountable.
Living an ethical life
Walk your talk
I think one of the most important parts of setting up your own ethics code for your witchcraft practice is to walk your talk.
It irritates the hell out of me when I see Christians spouting ‘The Word’ and then treating people like shit. I get that we’re human. We all slide from time to time, but some people don’t seem to try at all.
If kindness to others is important to you, then it’s important that you are kind to others. If living a healthy lifestyle is something you preach to others, then you better be backing it up with your own healthy choices.
As humans, we have a tendency to project our own shortcomings onto others and try to control them or get them to change.
Take responsibility
Your life, your practice and your mistakes are all on you. Its time for you to own up to it and take responsibility. I get it, not all people are born with the privilege of the few. But newsflash, even those born in to wealth, aren’t always born into healthy relationships.
We’re all lacking something from our early years, something, that would have, should have made life easier and gave us the tools to master adulthood quickly.
Would have, could have, should have…doesn’t matter any more. You’re an adult now, no more excuses.
I’m not saying it’ll be easy. I promise it won’t but the sooner you figure out how to stop blaming your parents for your shortcomings, the sooner you’ll be able to take control of your life and create something you’ll be proud of.
Where do we start? You start where you are. That means taking a good hard look at exactly where you are. What obstacles are in front of you and what tools you have to forge your way past those obstacles.
Everyone is different. They have different obstacles and different tools. They have differnt goals and destinations in mind. However, we all have one tool that is the same. We have the ability to decide what we want and how we feel.
How you use that tool is up to you. I highly suggest that you learn to master those feelings. Feelings and emotions create energy that we can harness to propel us forward or backward. Choice is yours.
Expanding your practice
We don’t live in a bubble. We live in a volitile and chaotic world with a whole lot of other people that don’t necessarily share our values. As witches, we have an obligation to use our power, intentions and energy to make the world better. We have a responsibility to the earth and all her inhabitants.
Determine what’s most important to you. Some topics to consider would be human rights, animal welfare, enviromental protections, gender roles and/or sexuality, inclusive feminisim, workers rights, cultural heritage. The list can go on a lot longer but you get the idea.
There may be more than one topic or even subtopics under those categories that are especially important to you. Start there.
Ask yourself what will you do (physical actions to support this value) and what magic can you perform. Are your idea’s for the good of all? Do they ‘feel’ right?
Journal Question
What does Ethics in Witchcraft mean to you?
What do you value in your life and in the world?
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