Wicca Cultural Immersion

Wicca Cultural Immersion

Bryan Barthlow
Georgia State University

Wicca Cultural Immersion

Abstract
Wicca is a legally recognized religion in the United States. Wicca is not a cult and does not
recruit new members or attempt to convert persons from other religions. Above all Wiccans
follow the mandate of doing no harm. This includes not harming people or animals under any
circumstances. Wiccans also do not disparage or look down on other religions. They believe
that every person has the right to find their spiritual truth.
Becoming a member of a Wiccan church is no easy task. Only the most dedicated and serious
students are given the chance to become members. It is a serious religious commitment
comparable to entering the seminary or rabbinical school.
As a social worker providing assistance to a Wiccan client, maintaining the clients privacy
and respecting their boundaries are of the utmost importance. The client may or may not be
ready to share that part of their lives with the world. The most effective way to provide
assistance is to gain the clients trust. This trust can only be achieved through honesty and
cultural competence.

Wicca Cultural Immersion

Pre-Interview Reflections
I decided to do my first immersion on Wiccan culture and religion. Wicca is a modern
interpretation of Pre-Christian pagan traditions practiced in the British Isles. In essence Wicca is
a religion that promotes harmony with nature, the divinity of the earth, and ancient witchcraft
traditions.
Prior to my visit to the Wiccan festival, I thought of Wiccans as a group of misfits sitting
around a fire at night in the woods casting spells and summoning spirits. Unlike many people,
however, I did not view Wiccans as evil. I did view witchcraft as a strange and misguided, but I
tend to view most spiritual practices in the same way. I also saw the practitioners of Wicca as
outcasts in society. I didnt consider these people to be normal. These were people who do not
quite fit into the dominant society.
I originally was introduced to the Wiccan tradition while I was in high school. During this
time I was a social outcast. The group of friends that I spent most of my time with were
considered the geeks, or uncool by most of our peers. We enjoyed role-playing games and
mystical card and board games. This was my first introduction to any spiritual or mystical
world. For me it was never about serious religious practice, it was about using my imagination
and escaping reality. Although I knew of Wicca and had exposure to some mystical concepts, I
never knew anyone who was Wiccan. I was not even aware that it was an official religion until I
was in college. My knowledge of Wicca was strictly secondhand and acquired only through
what others said. I often heard people speak of Wicca with a judgmental tone. These critics
would often characterize Wicca as a religion full of weird people who practiced demonic
witchcraft. I personally never believed that was the case, but I did consider Wiccans to be
unfamiliar and somewhat weird.
Media portrayals of Wicca align with the negative public perception. Wiccans are mostly
depicted as witches performing dark magic, and are rarely painted in a good light. As I have
previously stated, because I am not religious, I didnt have the same perspective as the dominant
culture. This caused me to question the characterizations of Wiccans in popular culture. If I had
been raised in a Christian environment my views toward Paganism would likely be much
different. Without that influence, I had no negative bias to guide the formation of my opinions.
At this point I dont have much sympathy for the plight of Wiccans because I believe they
choose to be removed from the dominant culture. I think this is the way they prefer it. They
seem to be a group that values privacy and secrecy. If I were to have a Wiccan client I find it
unlikely that this fact would adversely affect my working relationship with said person.

Why Wiccan?
I chose to observe Wiccan culture because I wanted to connect with actual practitioners of the
faith, and better understand their positive attributes. Even though I did not believe the negative
stereotypes associated with Wicca in popular culture, they still had an effect on my personal

Wicca Cultural Immersion

perception. I still viewed Wicca as strange and unfamiliar. This immersion was my chance to
get first-hand knowledge of the culture, and finally form an opinion based on direct experience.

Area of Interest
Wicca is a religion of self-discovery, peace, and harmony with the universe. Its core
principles include doing no harm to others, knowing yourself, and respecting the power of the
natural world. These are concepts I certainly agree with, but what was interesting about Wicca
was the strict structure embedded within the religion itself. I had always pictured Wiccans as
free spirits who were unorganized, undisciplined, and uncommitted. At the festival I learned that
this is the opposite of the truth. If I were to strive to become a Wiccan it would require more
than just showing up to a festival and signing up to join a church. Of course the majority of
Wiccan churches accept all new potential members, but this is only on a probationary basis.
During this probationary period, church members are charged with evaluating the commitment
of potential members. If it is perceived by church members that a potential member lacks a
serious commitment to learning the Wiccan tradition this person will not be allowed to continue
in the faith. Becoming an actual member of the church is a serious commitment involving hours
of studying the Wiccan faith, classroom instruction in various Wiccan subjects, and a significant
amount of patience.
One woman I talked to at the festival had just achieved Neophyte or new church member
status after over a year of preparation and instruction. Neophyte status means that you have been
a student of Wiccan church for at least three months and that you have gone through the churchs
required rite of passage. This status only gets you superficial access to church rituals and
activities. In order to get further access a Neophyte is required to continue learning in order to
achieve an even higher status. In this way, Wicca is a very exclusive religion. In addition to the
restrictive hierarchical structure within the churches, Wiccans also do not recruit new members.
I had no idea that being Wiccan was such as serious endeavor until I was able to have direct
contact with members of the tradition.

Post-Interview Reflections
I walked away from my experience at the festival with a new sense of respect and admiration
for the Wicca tradition. I knew the Wiccans were a tolerant and peaceful people before I
attended the festival, but I wasnt aware of the extent to which they were opposed to violence.
One of their primary principles is do no harm to others. Their only wish is to live in harmony
with all living things. It is a beautiful philosophy that I wish more religions would embrace.
My experience at the festival challenged some of my preconceived notions about Wiccans, but
reinforced others. One fact that I wasnt aware of was that not all Wiccans practice magic or
attempt to cast spells. The Wiccans that do practice magic do so while respecting the principle
of do no harm. Another misconception that people have about Wicca is that they worship evil
spirts such as Satan or demons. This is impossible because the Wiccan faith does not
acknowledge the existence of Satan or any demons.

Wicca Cultural Immersion

Before I interacted with actual Wiccans I was aware of their persecution in society, especially
by believers in major religions. What I wasnt aware of was the extent to which they are
persecuted. This persecution is severe enough that it caused some of the people I talked to at the
festival to request to remain anonymous. One member said he would prefer that I didnt take his
picture because he hadnt come out as Wiccan yet.
The reason most Wiccans hide their spiritual beliefs is apparent when you ask them how they
have been discriminated against in society. One member informed me that coming out as
Wiccan can lead to negative consequences such as alienation from ones family, loss of
employment, and even losing children in custody disputes.

Continued Cultural Work

As a future social worker I would feel honored to help such an enlightened and peaceful
people. I can only imagine one potential obstacle that would impede my work with a Wiccan
client. This impediment concerns the Wiccan tradition of secrecy and exclusivity. Wicca is a
community that is closed to outsiders. It is true that they welcome all people on a superficial
basis, but only a select few are allowed full access. This restriction might prove to be an issue
when trying to ascertain what type of assistance a Wiccan client might need.
The most important step in improving cultural competency for Wiccan clients would involve
learning the Wiccan culture. Wiccans face negativity and stereotyping on a daily basis, so it is
essential that a social worker serving a Wiccan client be culturally informed. If not, the social
worker runs the risk of offending and alienating said client, which could result in a refusal of
assistance.