The Ultimate Deity and the Gods and Goddess:
Witches believe that there was a single all powerful deity which created or gave birth to the universe. And then things get tricky. Different trads believe differently from this point on.
1.The deity presents itself to us in both male and female aspects as the God and Goddess.
2. The deity gave birth to the God and Goddess.
3. The deity was the Goddess and gave birth to the God.
4. The deity created all the pantheons and all the Gods and Goddesses.
Regardless of which one we believe in, we still worship the God and Goddess. But we don't worship them in the Christian since of the word. We believe that they will work with us if we ask, we don't feel they will perform miracles for us. They will help us with our Magick.
A question that is asked is: What God and Goddess should I use? Unless it is a Sabbat ritual where you need a specific God or Goddess use the generic God and Goddess or Lord and Lady or even Mom and Dad. If they want to be recognized as a specific God or Goddess they will come to you and let you know. (If you are in a coven and in some Trads, you will be given names for your God and Goddess - but you can still have your own private deities)
Another question is: Do I need to learn Mythology ? Learning anything is always good, but do you need to - NO. Myths are stories about Gods and Goddesses that were told on cold winter nights. Some where to let people know about what the Gods and Goddesses did, but more are nothing more than stories. The Farrar's have two good books, the Witches God and the Witches Goddess. They give all the information you need on the Gods and Goddesses.
The God and Goddess have both a Dark and a Light side, as does everything in Wicca.
Reincarnation:
Many people will try and say reincarnation is a Eastern religious belief. No, the form of reincarnation that Witches believe in is Western and was part of many religions including early Christianity. The Wiccan belief is that once a person dies they go to the Summerland (Name my vary by Trads) They stay here for a period of time and then they are reincarnated into another person. The knowledge of all past lives are within you, but out of normal reach.
Now we get to various different views: One is if you are a Witch you were always a Witch or Priest/Priestess in your pass lives.(Sometimes in a past life you would never find out you were a Witch) This is why certain parts of the Craft just seem to come to you.
Others say you follow a different path each time, so you experience different views each time.
And others say it's a cosmic game of chance of what path you follow.
There is even one view that we go back and forth through time. And that it is timeless in the Summerland. (This could explain why at Samhain you can see people who should have reincarnated long ago)
Where to Hold Ritual:
Where ever you want... You should try to find a quite place where there will be little distraction. But if its an open circle, it can be a very public place with tons of distractions.
You can hold rituals indoors and outdoors. We prefer outdoors, it feels right. When we lived in Florida we have held them on the beach. (Had to drive almost 25 miles to find a beach open after dark) And we have had them at a park in Tennessee overlooking a Dam. Both places were wonderful.
There is no set place to hold a ritual. If a place doesn't feel right - don't hold the ritual there. (although we have to hold them inside from time to time and inside never feels right to us.) Try to make sure you will get no outside interference. (A neighbor coming over and asking what you are doing when you are in the middle of the Great Rite can be unnerving to say the least.)
DISCUSSION: Why so many deities if we only believe in the Goddess and the God?
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the “Ultimate Deity”?
2. Why worship a Goddess and a God?
3. What is reincarnation?
4. What is the three fold law?
5 What does Buckland mean by “Your Temple”
6. What should not be used as an Alter?
BONUS QUESTION: Karma and the three fold law. How does the Witch view Karma as opposed to some other religion
