Who are the Wiccans?
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by bob reeves
Janet Lindholm had gastric bypass surgery on June 3, but because of complications with the anesthetic, she was on a ventilator for three days.
Now home from the hospital, Lindholm has been healing gradually, but has remained weak and tired. Friends of many faiths were praying for her, but Lindholm asked practitioners of her own faith - Wicca - for some special spiritual help.
Last Sunday, she met with six other members of the Order of the Red Grail-Church of Transformational Wicca, who performed a healing ritual for her.
The ceremony began with all participants joining hands in a circle and invoking the names of pagan gods and goddesses associated with healing: Brighid, Artemis, Diancecht, Hygeia, Apollo -
High Priestess Cynthia Blodgett-McDeavitt then took a small vial of amber oil and anointed each person's forehead, tracing a pentagram (five-pointed star) in a circle. A candle was lit and High Priest Jason Blodgett-McDeavitt faced the east holding an athame (sacred knife) and chanted, "Friends, lords and ladies of the east, spirits of healing, be with us this day." He did the same in each of the other three compass directions.
After that beginning, the group got down to the "work" of the ritual. Lindholm described her need for healing, then lay on the floor while the others gathered around her. Jason sat at her head while Cynthia sat at her feet. "I'm just channeling a lot of energy down through," Jason said.
For about 10 minutes there was silence in the room except for a CD of Celtic music in the background. Participants placed their hands over Lindholm's body while she visibly relaxed, eyes closed and a placid smile on her face.
The healing work ended with some words from Jason, then a fellowship time in which everyone drank water and ate muffins that Jason had baked for the occasion. The ritual concluded with Jason again addressing the four directions, thanking the spirits "for sharing in our rites."
Lindholm said she felt very peaceful and comforted by the ritual. Others also said they experienced something both physical and spiritual. "I felt lighter, more energized," said Eva Brennan.
While this was a special ritual, it shared many features with other Wiccan ceremonies. The nature-based religion combines elements from pagan traditions of many cultures. The name comes from the Anglo-Saxon word wicce, which is the basis for the word "witch."
That's one of the reasons Wicca is so misunderstood, said Linda Harris, High Priestess of Chalice Circle, another local Wiccan group. "People associate it with fairy tales and the image of the wicked witch," she said. "Some religions teach that witches are evil."
No one knows for sure how many Wiccans there are in Lincoln or Nebraska. Many are solitary practitioners, and many groups meet secretly, said Jann Britton, a long-time Wiccan who leads the Chalice of Our Lady. Most groups meet in people's homes or outdoors on private property.
Many Wiccans stay underground for fear of negative reactions from their neighbors or discrimination on the job, she said.
Britton is employed as religious coordinator at the Lincoln Correctional Center, where she makes no effort to hide her own religion but follows strict guidelines of equal treatment of all religious groups in the prison.
Like most Wiccans, she never does any proselytizing. "It's a very individual path," Britton said. "We believe all people are responsible for their own spiritual growth."
The Order of the Red Grail holds monthly full-moon circles at the Unitarian Church. The rituals are open to the public, but attendees are encouraged to go to a discussion group before the ritual to help help them better understand what's going to happen, Cynthia Blodgett-McDeavitt said.
She and Jason also lead Mysteries of Wicca classes monthly at The Way Home Music and Books.
This weekend, Wiccans will observe one of the eight Sabbats, or major rituals of the year. Sunday is summer solstice, also called Litha. Other Sabbats are Lammas (Aug. 1), autumnal equinox or Mabon (about Sept. 21), Samhain (Oct. 31), winter solstice or Yule (about Dec. 21), Imbolc (Feb. 1), vernal equinox or Ostara (about March 21) and Beltane (May 1).
Such widely celebrated holidays as Halloween (Oct. 31), Christmas (Dec. 25), Ground Hog Day (Feb. 2), Easter (spring date varies) and May Day (May 1) have their roots in these ancient sabbats.
Wiccans worship many different deities, following various pagan traditions. Many practitioners choose specific goddesses or gods that resonate with them spiritually, Cynthia Blodgett-McDeavitt said.
A common theme for many Wiccans, however, is the Earth Mother or goddess and her consort, often called the Horned God, who also represents Father Sky.
Several practitioners said they were attracted to Wicca because of its equal emphasis on the female aspect of the deity, as opposed to Christianity and some other religions where the male tends to dominate.
Lynn Kreider, a member of the Order of the Red Grail, said she came to Wicca through feminism. "I felt that there wasn't a place for female spirituality in my church," she said. "The idea was to do what the male says to do."
In Wiccan rituals, the priestess often plays a more important role than the priest, Cynthia Blodgett-McDeavitt said. "I think it's important that women realize they are just as valid spiritual leaders as men."
Another appeal of Wicca is its basis in the material world of nature, Jason Blodgett-McDeavitt said. Many scientists practice Wicca because it is tied to observable phenomena such as the movements of the sun and moon, the natural elements and the law of cause and effect, he said.
Many Wiccans believe in reincarnation, the doctrine that whatever you do will have an effect either in this or a future life. That concept encourages people to feel fully responsible for their own decisions, Britton said. "You have to deal with the consequences of your choices and learn lessons from those choices."
A common statement of Wiccan ethics is the Wiccan Rede, which states, "An ye harm none, do what ye will." That means that people should consider the effects of every action not only on themselves and other people, but on the environment as well, Jason Blodgett-McDeavitt said.
Do witches cast spells? Yes, they do, several Wiccan practitioners said. But so-called spells are merely special rituals focusing on specific needs and are never used for evil purposes.
"You have to be careful, because you may get exactly what you ask for," Britton said. She told about once doing a ritual asking for a new car, but really expecting a used car. Surprisingly, a few days later she found a car for sale on the Web with only 75 miles on it. "I paid $200 down and drove off in a new car," she said.
But she also noted that often people seek what they think they want, but instead get what they need. For that reason, Wiccan rituals include thanksgiving and gratitude for all of life's blessings. "We have to be open enough to realize that we live in a very abundant universe," she said.
Many people incorrectly associate Wicca with Satanism. In fact, Satan is a Christian concept that is totally foreign to Wiccan practice, Harris said. Wicca does not view the world as a battle between good and evil, but rather as "one complete circle of nature," she said.
Several practitioners said they believe they were passed over for job promotions or shunned by their neighbors because they are Wiccans. Harris was once featured on television and soon afterward a neighbor moved away, apparently not wanting to live next door to a witch.
Some parents have fears about their children dabbling in paganism or the occult. For that reason, most Wiccan groups do not admit teenagers without their parents' permission.
Nadine Murphy, who hosts a pagan music program on KZUM-FM, has been a Wiccan for many years and is very open about her religion.
When she worked at Goodyear, she said, she had no problems with other employees. "They thought it was a great kick to have a witch in the department."
Like many Wiccans, Murphy began by doing rituals alone, but felt the need to be part of a group.
"In a group you have different energies, but when you're solitary you can tell yourself you're doing it and not be really getting it. It's like any creative function. We feed off each other's creativity."
Wiccan events open to the public
n The Order of the Red Grail holds Full Moon Circles from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Sundays closest to the full moon at the Unitarian Church, 6300 A St.
The next circle will be June 27. A discussion session begins at 6 p.m., followed by the ritual at 7 p.m. People are asked to contribute $3 or bring a donation of a health or grooming item for Fresh Start Home for Women.
n Mysteries of Wicca workshops are held the day before each Full Moon Circle, from 2-4 p.m. at The Way Home Music and Books, 3231 S.13th St. Next Saturday's topic is "Real Life Rede." The cost is $5.
n Members of Order of the Red Grail are available to speak to classes or other groups about Wicca or paganism in general. For information call 304-6336 or 304-2154.
n The Chalice of Our Lady offers free meditation sessions at 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays and classes at 8:30 p.m. Saturdays. For information contact Jann Britton at 601-5336, e-mail chaliceofourlady@;neb.rr.com.
n For information about Chalice Circle, contact Linda Harris by e-mail at moriah009@;netzero.net.
n Murphy's Magick Mess, a program of pagan music, airs 9-11 a.m. Sundays on KZUM (89.2 FM) radio.
n The Order of the Grail sponsors a listserv for Nebraska pagans. Special events and updates are posted at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EarthenVoices.
Reach Bob Reeves at 473-7212 at or breeves@;journalstar.com.
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