The principle of do as ye will and harm none can be found in the writings of many ancient sages and most scriptures. Witches wisdom wiccan book of shadows witchcraft book. Harm none is a tenet of wicca,the belief is that it is wrong to do harm to others. Wiccan morality is largely expressed in the wiccan rede. Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give. Obviously, just by fulfilling the functions of life, we cause harm in some shape or form. That this law shall ever continue to help us in our plight, no one, however great an injury or injustice they receive, may. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. The pan gardner book of shadows a spiritual guide to. Bide the wiccan laws ye must in perfect love and perfect trust. This book of shadows perfectly balances the religious belief system of wicca and the traditions of the magical arts. Wiccan morality is expressed in a brief statement found within a text called the wiccan rede.
It is open to all juniors, including those not on the initiatory path. They would then take whatever action would minimize harm to others. It ends with the famous words, an it harm none, do what. The wiccan rede is actually a longer piece of poetry, but it is often condensed down to the last line. In my years of teaching and running a group, i have always had a dissatisfaction with the popular book of the law available to most seekers. Book of shadows page or hang on wall in your sacred space guidance pagan these are stunning when framed.
The rede differs from some other wellknown moral codes such as christian or islamic notion of sin in that, while it does contain a prohibition, it is largely an encouragement to act freely. The wiccan rede full version bide within the law you must, in perfect love and perfect trust. The wiccan rede outlines the pagan way of life, from celebrating the cycles of nature to acting honorably toward others. The belief prohibits the sacrifice of animals and humans, casting malicious spells and a variety of things that other religions do not have any moral objection to. A common form of the rede is an ye harm none, do what ye will which was. Harm none is a hard and fast rule that you are never ever to hurt anything for any reason. For tread the circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out. Bide within the law you must, in perfect love and perfect trust. Follow these with mind and heart, and merry meet and merry part. The law was made for the wicca, to advise and help in their troubles. Everyones book will be different because all witches are different. The wiccan rede was written or conceived in the early 20th century, although its exact source is unknown and disputed.
Rede is derived from an old english word roedan which means to guide or direct. Sep 22, 2014 some even argue that statements like the threefold law arent wiccan at all. This means as long as what you do doesnt harm anyone in any way, you can do what you feel like doing. Poster wiccan rede law book of shadows page guidandce pagan 8. Nov 03, 20 the first are the wiccan rede and you harm none, do what you will. Wiccan rede the rede states an it harm none, do as thou will.
The wiccan laws, in their final form in gardners book of shadows, consist of 23 unnumbered paragraphs. Some even argue that statements like the threefold law arent wiccan at all. Which basically is saying youre free and you have the responsibility, you know, they go together. The book contained elements of wiccan theology and ritual, with gardner. Bide the wiccan law ye must, in perfect love, in perfect trust, eight words the wiccan rede fulfill. This means that you must think about how your actions will affect other beings and yourself. This list is a bunch of examples i have come across over the years of things you could include in your bos if you so desired. Beginners book of shadows wiccan rede and three fold law.
While this could be interpreted to mean do no harm at all, it is usually interpreted as a declaration of the freedom to act. An and wilt are old english words for if and want to. I was excited to see this book, as i enjoy reading materials on wicca that go more. It implies a standard of conduct rather than a rule imposed by some outside authority and carrying a threat of punishment. The usual arguments are that the wiccan rede, an it harm none, do what you will is too simplistic and is impossible to follow, and the law of threefold return is a christian concept that is punishing in essence. Valiente, who is responsible for polishing much of gardners work, recited this in a public speech in 1964, where it caught the. Nov 12, 2019 the wiccan rede itself is only eight words. The book of the law, the old laws for the old religion, the great book of the law, the dragon law preface. The magical knowledge that preserved within the pages of this book of shadows respects the two major wiccan laws. Three fold law the basic concept of the law is whatever you do will come back to you three times as more powerful than your original action. Wiccan rede law parchment for book of shadows, altar. Its a simple idea, but one that can have deeply reaching consequences, depending on your interpretation. Only if all be satisfied that none be harmed in any way, may the art then be used.
What ye send out comes back to thee, so ever mind the rule of three. Some cast spell which are simaliar to christian prayer. Usually a list of clear dos and donts and thou shalts. Every once in a while there will be a vague reference to the law of three or the. Aside from the harming none principle of wicca, the only other concept found in the wiccan rede that could be considered a consequence of doing something bad is the concept of the threefold law. Biblio magica wiccan book of shadows witchcraft book of magic. Let each wiccan and circle always debate these matters at length. Those of our ways are kind to all creatures, for hurtful thoughts are quiet draining and arent worth the loss of energy. Live ye must and let to live so dont harm others, and dont harm yourself. A common form of the rede is an ye harm none, do what ye will which was taken from a longer poem also titled the wiccan rede. If youve read any modern books on wicca, or searched the internet for it, youll probably have found both versions repeated quite often. In truth there are two sets of laws, which govern us one setting forth the ways of the wiccan, and the other the ways of the universe. Do what you want as long as it doesnt harm anyone the longer version has a line in it that expands on this point. Theres a distinct difference between harming none, and doing as you will.
We dont have a pagan equivalent of the kosher diet. When the wheel has turned to yule light the log the horned one rules. Pagan studies scholar graham harvey has it as an it harm none, do as you. Bide by the wiccan law ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust. What you do for good or for ill shall be returned to you threefold. Obey the law some translations of the rede start with bide ye wiccan law ye must but i believe the message is essentially the same. Wiccan rede poster page traditional rhyme outlining the wiccan rede, which is the only law accepted by most wiccans. I will follow the wiccan lawdo as thou will but harm ye none.
The most common form of the rede is an it harm none, do what ye will. The word rede derives from middle english, meaning. The wiccan rede bide the wiccan law ye must, in perfect love, in perfect trust, eight words the wiccan rede fulfill. I do not seek power over others but aim to increase my own knowledge, selfesteem, and happiness through the craft. Poster wiccan rede law book of shadows page guidandce. Considered by wiccans something like a code of conduct similar to the golden rule the principle of treating.
Each paragraph is assumed to be a single law, such that there are 23 long complex gardnerian wiccan laws. When this philosophy is followed correctly, it encourages you to think about the effect your actions whether magical or mundane have on others. The term rede, or wiccan rede, refers, apparently interchangably, to either the long poem i have provided a link to or, more accurately i believe, to the eightword form below. Wicca simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Gardner created a second precursor to the wiccan rede in his 1959 book the meaning of witchcraft. That none shall use the art in any way to do ill to any. Four times the minor sabbats fall use the sun to mark them all. As it reads in this common conceptual form the rede turns into a moral rule and guideline. Nothing on this list is mandatory, nothing here is required. I cast no spell against anothers wishes or best intentions. The laws of wicca are derived from the wiccan rede, a poem that early wiccans claim to be handed down for generations and said to have its ancient origin. Through them we learn the basic principles of wicca. This, the oldest law, is not open to interpretation or change. That is also often shrunk further to simply harm none.
The wiccan rede wikisource, the free online library. While this could be interpreted to mean do no harm at all, it is usually interpreted as a declaration of the freedom to act, along with the necessity of thinking. The full wiccan rede begins with bide within the law you must, in perfect love and perfect trust. This necessitates the wiccan evaluating the degree of harm each option is liable to cause. This book of shadows perfectly balances the wicca religious belief system and traditions of the magical arts. Follow this with mind and heart, merry ye meet and merry ye part. There is a long poem or teaching that is sometimes called the wiccan rede, but to avoid confusion is more specifically known as the rede of the wiccae this rede of the wiccae is much more detailed than the wiccan rede, and deals with various aspects of the craft, beyond the basic harm none. An it harm none, do what ye will oldfashioned language for as long as you arent harming anyone, do as you wish. Sep 18, 2011 the connection between this line, and the quote of harm none is tenuous at best.
These parchment posters are printed on highquality parchment paper. Biblio magica wiccan book of shadows witchcraft book of. The long poem is called the rede of the wiccae by lady gwen thompson and adriana porter, and the wiccan rede itself is the eightword phrase, an it harm none, do what you will. Eight words the wiccan rede fulfill if it harm none, do as thou will. All follow the wiccan law harm none, do what ye will. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Book of shadows page or hang on wall in your sacred space. He found the first reference to a ethical guideline similar to the wiccan rede in gardners third book. The usual arguments are that the wiccan rede, an it harm none, do what you will is too simplistic and is impossible to follow, and the law of threefold return is a christian concept that is. Some modern wiccans have decided to not include the wiccan rede and the law of threefold return in their philosophy.
That this law shall ever continue to help us in our plight, no one, however great an injury or injustice they receive, may use the art in any way to do ill, or harm any. Mind the threefold law you should three times bad and three times good when the misfortune is enow wear the blue star on thy brow true in love ever be lest thy lovers false to thee eight words the wiccan rede fulfill. While the rede is often mistaken as law or holy script, it is merely advice. An early version of the rede was made famous by doreen valiente in the early 1960s. Most every wiccan is familiar with the wiccan rede and law of three. Wiccan rede law poster a4 traditional rhyme outlining the wiccan rede, which is the only wiccan law accepted by most wiccans. In other words, people are free to do whatever they want as long as their actions do not harm themselves or others.
Many, perhaps most, wiccans substitute harm least for the wiccan redes harm none in this case. This pocketsized edition will show you how to extract the redes wisdom and put it into practice, and how to live by its underlying principle, an ye harm none, do as thou will. Follow this with mind and heart, and merry ye meet, and merry ye part. That having been said, there are some pagans who believe that eating meat violates the concept of harm none, as outlined in the wiccan rede, so they choose for that reason to become vegan or vegetarian. The wiccan rede wcc bide ye wiccan laws ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust live ye must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give form the circle thrice about, to keep unwelcome spirits out to bind the spell well every time, let the spell be spake in rhyme soft of eye and light of touch, speak ye. The old laws 1961 a the law was made and ardane of old. All of the other wiccan laws were written later, from 1957 to 1961. This is most likely based from crowleys do what though wilt, shall be the whole of the law. Wicca is an earth based religion in which a person normally worships a god and goddess. There it is the wiccan rede if you already have your own bos book of shadows it would good to but it inside of it.
What ye send forth come back to thee so ever mind the law of three. The wiccan rede an it harm none, do as thou will and the threefold law what you do comes back to you threefold get bandied about as being the ethical pillars of witchcraft. The wicca should give due worship to the gods and obey their will, which they ardane, for it was made for the good of the wicca, as the 5 wiccas worship is good for the gods, for the gods love the wicca. Eight words the wiccan rede fulfil, an it harm none, do what ye will.
The wiccan rede is the heart and central tenet of the ancient wiccan religion, and contains all its fundamental teachings. One of the most similar comes from around 1600 years ago, by saint augustine of hippo. Wiccan book of shadows archives lapulia book of shadows. And like all aspects of a living spiritual tradition, the wiccan rede continues to evolve. The magical knowledge that preserved within the pages of this book of shadows respects two major wiccan laws. Ever mind the rule of three, as thy selfdefense it be. I was mistakenly taught that the wiccan rede came from crowleys law of thelema which reads. An ye harm none, do what ye will is the very basic wiccan rede, which means, do what you want to do, but do not harm anything in the process. Yes a deceptively simple positive morality expressed in a mere eight words. Wiccan law initiates this course delves into the new book of the law by lady galadriel at the level appropriate for those initiated into wicca. Dec 23, 2018 the wiccan rede is merely a guideline. Its easy to see how people could easily mistake lady gwens poem for some sort of longform version of the wiccan rede. The laws were created to give our lives form and order, that all might be balanced throughout all of the planes. The threefold law states that whatever you do, good or bad, returns to you times three.
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