The Old Religion is a pre-Christian European Religion, which is founded upon reverence for Nature, and the worship of Deity through ritual observation of the Seasons, and the phases of the Moon. It is not a worship of these things, but a worship of Deity through these things. It is believed that through a continuous participation in the rituals of the year, that a person becomes "attuned" to the energies of Nature, and begins to merge with Her (so that Her Ways, become our Ways). It is through this attunement, that one gains certain abilit- ies, such as Divinatory skills, psychic awareness, and so on. People who practice this religion refer to themselves as Witches, Wiccans, or Pagans.
It is through this growing awareness, as one practices the Old Ways, that a special rapport begins to develop between the practition- er, and his or her own understanding of Deity. For Witches, this Deity is conceived of as a Goddess and a God (the Feminine & Masculine aspects of the Source of All Things).
The ritual celebrations consist of 8 yearly Festivals, as well as monthly gatherings at the time of the Full Moon. These 8 rituals are often referred to as the Wheel of the Year.
The purpose of the Religion is to teach the soul how to evolve to a higher realm, by revealing the Ways of Nature. Since Nature is a reflection of the Spiritual Laws which established it, a study of its secrets can enlighten the soul, and thus prepare it for a higher existence (freeing it from the cycle of reincarnation). The purpose of the Old Religion is also to give due worship to the Great Spirit, to ensure the Fertility of the Earth, and to create & maintain Balance and Harmony, within the bound Ether of this physical dimension.
The Old Religion teaches personal power and personal empowerment. It also teaches personal responsibility, and reveals that everything is connected together. It is like a web, the threads of which are joined together. Any vibration causes a reaction, felt by every other thread. It is from this Law of Cause and Effect, Action and Reaction, that the code of Ethics for witches arise.
A Witch lives by a code of ethics which is built upon the Laws of Nature. Our behavior is not regulated by a fear of what awaits us in the Afterlife, but a respect for what awaits us in this Life. Everyth- ing, and everyone, is connected. What we do to one another, and to our World, we do to ourselves.
The Holy Strega spoke of this when she said :
" Every act which you perform will draw to itself three times the nature of the act. Such is the Law. This affects not only the acts of each day, but reaches into the Future as well. Here the Law establishes those debts which must be paid. Therefore, consider well your actions. Nothing escapes the Law, nor is hidden from it.
The Law does not punish or reward. It only returns the intent of each action to its origin. If you step off from a high place, you will fall, and this is consistent. There is no intent, there is nothing good or evil. It may be good to leap upon your enemy from a high place, and surprise him, or it may be bad to fall and be injured. But the nature of the descent itself is only a Law. So too is the nature of the Law of Return".
This teaching is similar to the Wiccan Rede of "and as it harm none, do as thou wilt". The Rede is often misunderstood to mean do whatever you want, as long as you don't harm anyone in the meantime. This is not what it is addressing. It is addressing the issue that each person must seek out their True Will (the Nature of their Higher Self). By doing so, one is attuned to the "Spiritual Plan" which has been established for them (or by them, depending upon your view). Once so attuned, no one can be harmed by your actions, because you are following a Spiritual Plan, of which they themselves are also a part. This is the understanding of the connectiveness of all things, and of the Law of Return (and Intent). We were not meant to simply wander about doing whatever seems right, without regard to a goal, and the impact of that goal. We have a responsibility to ourselves, and to each other.
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