What is Shakti Wicca?

Durga as Brahman, the Ultimate Reality

Shakti Wicca defines itself (with some verbosity) as a progressive, eclectic Wiccan, universalist, shamanic Shakta educational tradition .

June McDaniel, Director of the Religious Studies program at the College of Charleston, and also a respected scholar on Shaktism, defines the Universalist Shakta Bhakti path as one that:

"...empahsizes the goddess's true nature as brahman, rather than as a seperate entity, with philosophy and ethics as the best way to understand her. She is an ideal form or representation of ultimate reality, and the sacred texts for followers of this approach would be biographies of Ramakrishna as well as classical Hindu texts such as the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita [and the seminal devotional texts of Shaktism, such as the Devi Mahatmya, also known as the Chandi Path, and the Devi Gita]. The goddess is understood to be present within all deities, and all religions are legitimate paths to her worship. However, the goddess's form represents maternal love, and is the sweetest and most appealing to practitioners."

June McDaniel, Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls: Popular Goddess Worship in West Bengal, page147. Oxford University Press, 2004.

In the spirit of Western occultism and the Wiccan tradition, Shakti Wicca also embraces practices that would be classified seperately by McDaniel as folk Shaktism, where elements of shamanism, diverse forms of psychicism and mediumship, and the utilizatization of practical magick can be seen. Folk Shakta practices are the traditions of the people, traditions that are close to the Earth, that find wisdom in and celebrate all aspects of physical Creation, and speak to personal issues of the here-and-now. While many high classical Hindu Vedantic traditionalists view these practices with suspicion (and in some cases disdain) due to the opinion that they distract from true spiritual pursuits, Shakti Wicca believes that when incorporated and utilized in an ethical and balanced fashion, these highly indivdualized-experiential methods can all be tools for greater personal healing, spiritual transformation, and Divine knowledge.

While Shakti Wicca views itself as a unique, independant, and viable spiritual tradition of education, it currently identifies itself as a non-dogmatic tradition of mentorship. This means that although we provide a specific cumulative educational structure with supportive mentorship, there is no set ritual liturgy or dogma that dedicants must adhere to. We do ask that all members resonate with and agree to a set of ideals and basic tenents, and ask that those sincere about following this path undergo the in-depth mentorship developed specifically for Shakti Wicca.

Many traditions of Wicca, such as Gardnerian or Alexandrian, tend to have a core liturgical cycle with tradition-exclusive language, oaths of secrecy, pre-determined totemic gaurdians and Deities, and staunch opinions on male-female classifications of elements, tools, etc. Shakti Wicca will always seek to provide mentorship, advice and support in the process of acquiring the fundamental information and spiritual skills to allow our dedicant's to experientially discover and define these aspects of spirituality for themselves. We strive to focus on the universal aspects of Spirit, using Hindu and Wiccan perspectives and through interaction with the Hindu pantheon.

We have developed a system which guides our students through the creative process of developing their own IndoWiccan Wheel of the Year Sabbat celebration cycle which plays an integral part of our tradition. However, it will never be our intent to require strict adherance to specific scripts - and in fact although we will provide example IndoWiccan ritual scrips as they are created for use by students of our tradition, we will never demand that our scripts be followed to the letter, or even be used as more than inspirational guideposts. The unique IndoWiccan format will be kept intact (which is based firmly in eclectic Wiccan structure, with indispensible aspects of Hindu puja blended in), but the specifics should be molded to suit each dedicant's Ishtadevata and particular needs. Our mentorship program provides a foundational education in universalist Hinduism and guidance in a methodology that allows the member to create intelligent syncretism that is suited to them.

As all traditions have a set of core beliefs that hold them together as a community, below are listed the core elements, values and goals that those within Shakti Wicca educational system share and around which our mentorship program is developed:

Elements Unique to Shakti Wicca

Shakti Wicca worships exclusively within the Hindu pantheon, with a focus on the Goddess, as "Shakti" in the title suggests

The God and Goddess of Wicca are parallel to and invisioned as the dance of Shiva-Shakti in the Hindu cosmology. Although the bulk of devotion may be paid to the Goddess, it is understood that nothing is possible without the equal Divine interaction of these two principles. In every ritual there is formal acknowlegement of the balanced dance of Shiva-Shakti, regardless of the specific deity/ies are being honored in that particular ritual.

Mantras and folk-magick are used as the primary means of spiritual and personal transformation.

Dedicants are encouraged to discern which Deities they are called to serve (Ishtadevata). Shakti Wicca does not dictate which god/desses one must personally serve, or adopt as their matron or patron, nor do we specify which deity/ies a Terra-based circle must work with.

Meditation on the Divine Names and Divine Forms through personal academic research, shamanic journeying, namajapa, and other forms of contemplation and intuitive knowing, will be the main means of discovering and fostering a deep connection to the dedicant's Ishtadeva.

Bhakti, or loving devotion, is main form of worship; this may take many forms in addition to daily devotions at one’s personal altar.

The main ethical standards of Shakti Wicca are based in neo-ahimsa (non-injury), and a definition of karma that takes into account the intention behind the act. Overall this is a call for the dedicant to accept personal responsibility for any unforseen consequences resulting from an act, no matter how well intentioned. This is parallel to the true spirit of the Wiccan Rede.

The Shakti Wicca ritual structure is based on well-founded eclectic Wiccan methods and structure, with significant puja elements (primarily the offering of light, food, incense, flowers, and water) added. Those dedicants called to perform more fully traditional Hindu rituals as part of their individual practice may freely do so.

Usage of Sanskrit and adherance to traditional Hindu observances of dietary restrictions, fasts, sexual taboos, etc, is optional and flexible. Shakti Wicca recognizes that such things are a matter between the dedicant and their Ishtadevata, and are likely to naturally evolve and change as the dedicant's practice develops and deepens.

Main Hindu celebrations observed are Navaratri, and Ganesha Chaturthi; additional celebration observances (most specifically, those pertaining to the dedicant’s Ishtadevata) are up to the dedicant.

Utilizes neo-shamanic journeywork for deep introspective healing work, and obtaining direct Divine teachings and knowledge from Guides and Deities.

Dedicants are encouraged to study folk-magick from many world cultures in order to draw intelligent comparisons between them, and better prepare themselves to decide what methods suit their practice.

Shakti Wicca stresses cross-cultural and comparative education in all spiritual, religious and occult topics. This helps create a balanced perspective of available methods and techniques to the student of a blended path of Eastern and Western spiritualities, as well of greater understanding and compassion towards those following different spiritual paths.

An IndoWiccan interpritation of the Wheel of the Year is utilized that places the Wiccan holidays in an Indo-centric context. The IndoWiccan Wheel also allows for slight variations in observance dates, as many Hindu holidays fall close to Wiccan ones, and this allows dedicants the freedom to choose in which exact way they will celebrate the Wheel. The Shakti Wiccan Beltane and Samhain observances are the only two Sabbats at which the central ritual theme is mandated to dedicants - the relationship between Shiva and Shakti is honored in its Creative and Dissolution aspects respectively on these dates.

Although mainstream Wiccan holidays are celebrated as the dedicant sees fit, seeking out and attending some form of public observances of Samhain and Beltane is highly encouraged to maintain a connection with the Wiccan and NeoPagan community as a whole.

No High Priest/ess is necessary per se, but groups may be founded, organized and led by a facilitator experienced in the material and techniques who acts as a guide for those s/he decides to teach; the long-range goal is to provide a training scheme for those who wish to enter the clergy proper.

As Shakti Wicca is eclectic, leaving much room for personal preference and style, dedicants are encouraged to share their rituals, prayers, meditations, etc with the Shakti Wicca community (where appropriate) so as to build an open community resource of ritual material from varying perspectives.

Shakti Wicca & The 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief

Shakti Wicca also resonates with the 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief that was drawn up at Witchmeet in 1973 in an attempt to provide a set of core-values that Wiccans as a whole accepted. The Principles were also created to help stem the tide of yellow-press that Wicca was receiving (and to some extent, still is), and form a basis for understanding and tolerance of the Wiccan religion in the mainstream - hence, some of the more obvious statements within the Principles, such as the tired (but sadly still neccessary even 34 years later), "we do not worship Satan".

These 13 Principles were debated and agreed upon by representatives from over 70 various North American Wiccan traditions, and Shakti Wicca feels that they reflect the spirit of modern Wicca, as well as the Shakti Wiccan tradition.

1. We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters.

2. We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our environment. We seek to live in harmony with nature in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.

3. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called ‘supernatural’, but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.

4. We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity – as masculine and feminine – and that this same Creative Power lies in all people and functions through the interaction of the masculine and the feminine. We value neither above the other knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sex as pleasure as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energy used in magical practice and religious worship.

5. We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological worlds sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconsciousness, the Inner Planes etc – and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magical exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.

6. We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.

7. We see religion, magick and wisdom in living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it – a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft – the Wiccan Way.

8. Calling oneself ‘Witch’ does not make a Witch – but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees and initiations. A Witch seek to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and without harm to others and in harmony with nature.

9. We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness giving meaning to the Universe we know and our personal role within it.

10.Our only take issue with other religions or philosophies of life, to the extent that some of those institutions have claimed to be ‘the only way’ and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.

11. As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.

12.We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as ‘Satan’ or ‘the Devil’ as defined by Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.

13.We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.

OM GAM Ganapatayei Namaha! OM DUM Durgayei Namaha!