WICCA'S WORLD

Claire Slack reveals how a new magical movement flourished in the 20th century

- Claire Slack

While it has often been used as an interchangeable term to describe any form of witchcraft in popular culture, Wicca is a specific religious belief system that firmly has its roots in 1940s England.

Wicca is known for its worship of both a god and a goddess and its eight 'sabbats' (annual festivals) that celebrate the changing seasons and connection to the Earth. Although Wicca has often received negative press for supposed links to dark demonic magic and Satanism, the reality is very different. Wiccans today use their take on magic to conduct religious rituals, drawing on pre-Christian traditions and cultures, but always aligned with a code of “harm none and do as you will”.