How Wiccans Deal With Death

Because we do not know when we will die, we get to think
of life as an inexhaustible well. Yet everything happens a certain
number of times, and a very small number, really. How many more
times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood, some
afternoon that is so deeply a part of your being that you can't even conceive of your life without it? Perhaps four or five times more. Perhaps not even that. How many times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless.

(Bowles)

In his book, The Sheltering Sky, Paul Bowles describes this feeling of timelessness in everyday activities. The ignorance associated with how long we have to live and our presumed lives after death can lead us in many directions. Fear and suffering is often associated with death, however, Paul describes the feeling of immortality we perceive when we do not know when we will die (Bowles). “All religions off us a way to think about death, usually in the context of some form of immortality,” states Ursula Goodenough (149). Religion also aids in facilitating this feeling of eternality. One specific (and relatively new) religion that does this is Wicca.

“Given the complexities of human relationship,” notes Ursula Goodenough, “an enormous attraction of the monotheistic religions…is that they offer an opportunity for intimate relationship with a deity” (135-136). Wicca has been traditionally seen as primitive and a polar opposite of a monotheistic faith. In reality, Wicca is an often misunderstood neopagan religion which gives one the opportunity to feel connected to nature and a deity simultaneously. It emphasizes on a strong attachment and reverence for nature. “The wonders and majesty of Nature have been deep resources for religious reflection throughout human history” (Goodenough 85). Like the Native Americans, Wiccans have rituals and maintain an intimate relationship with nature, because it is believed that by respecting nature, you respect the gods. In addition, there is a myriad of different gods and goddesses (many traditions choose to focus on only a few), but many are simply duotheistic (worshipping the Lord and Lady). Some (like myself) believe the gods are archetypal “subconscious projections of our own human attributes and experiences” (Galenorn 76). The specific beliefs of an individual vary extensively; there are dozens of Wiccan traditions. In addition, individual covens or practitioners are encouraged to find a path that feels ‘right’ to them. Thus beliefs about death and the afterlife can vary. Virtually all Wiccan traditions emphasize that death is a transformation and should not be feared. “If you fear change and death,” states Amber K, “your mind will throw up obstacle after obstacle as you attempt magical work” (K, True Magick 117).

“Renewal has been a theme throughout the ages,” (Goodenough 129). Unlike many monotheistic religions, death for Wiccans is viewed more as a transformation from one life to another (reincarnation) than as an untimely fate that could result in eternal agony or serenity. Although, exact beliefs can differ extensively most believe that life is not a test but an opportunity to live it to its fullest (K, True Magick 117-118). Most practitioners also believe in Summerland, a serene and heavenly-like temporary, resting place that one resides between reincarnations. It is a place where one can reunite with loved ones and reflect on our past life. It is the ‘resting’ state between one’s ‘waking’ periods (122).

No matter how comfortable one may feel with the idea of death, the passing of a loved one is always difficult. When a coven member dies, the other members and the persons family puts together their last rites. Unfortunately the responsibility of the persons last rites goes to the next of kin, who often has them buried in a Christian service. When a Wiccan funeral service is approved and performed, it consists of an (often elaborate) ritual. Unlike many other funeral services, a Wiccan’s last rite is very personalized and the whole ceremony and ritual is often manifested from scratch. The fundamental structure of the traditional ritual (casting a circle, calling the quarters, stating the purpose, giving gifts, etc) is kept, but the details of the ritual can vary extensively (K, Covencraft 478-480).

Goodenough articulates that, “In Asian traditions the religious person seeks in meditation…a receptivity in order to experience an at-one-ness, a spiritual communion with the universe” (101). In Wiccan traditions, mystical experience is often felt through meditations during rituals or while drawing down the moon or sun (in which the god or goddess is manifested physically in the body of the priest/priestess through possession) (Galenorn 251-252). Rituals are critical to the development of an individual and a coven. Growth and prosperity are some of the most common types of rituals. In addition, without myth the rituals would have little foundation to stand on. The rituals depend on the types of gods and goddesses one is evoking, what one wants to gain or lose, and the time of year. All the different colors of candles, the various herbs, plants, and animals, and the four elements are inseparable from their associated myths (which created their meanings)(K, True Magick 140-150). For instance, a spell for cleansing a house may involve salt, a white candle, and a mixture of specific herbs or oils (such as garlic, clove, and sage) (Galenorn 194). The symbolic meanings of every action and item used during a ritual has an associated myth.

“Organisms usually attribute a meaning to something they’re aware of” (Goodenough 105). This unique feature has given us the ability to use symbolism and myth Ritual is in direct correlation with this predisposition; one makes a myth to ease the existential condition and then creates a ritual in direct relation to the myth. “We need to believe in things,” Goodenough states, “to structure and orient our lives in ways that make sense and offer hope, to identify values and ideals, and to transcend and interconnect” (166). To ease the pain from the loss of a loved one, Wiccans believe that the deceased is at peace (possibly in Summerland for the time being) and will be reunited with them when they die. This belief is much like Christian or Islamic ideas of the afterlife, except Wiccans do not believe in eternal damnation. Thus they do not fear repercussion during the afterlife, they believe they will pay for their crimes through reincarnation or karma during their present life (K, True Magick 127-128).

Like a Christian congregation, the coven provides support for the family of the deceased, offering them advice and a shoulder to lean on. Additionally, if grieving becomes excessive or unbearable a spell may be done to help ease the pain. Acting on accord, ritual work, and getting support from others can effectively make the loss of a love one bearable and an opportunity to grow (178).





Works Cited


Bowles, Paul. The Sheltering Sky. New York: HarperCollins, 1949.

Galenorn, Yasmine. Embracing the Moon: A Witch’s Guide to Ritual Spellcraft and Shadow Work. Minnesota: Llewellyn Publications, 2001.

Goodenough, Ursula. The Sacred Depths of Nature. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.

K, Amber. Covencraft: Witchcraft for Three or More. Minnesota: Llewellyn Publications, 1998.

K, Amber. True Magick: A Beginner’s Guide. Minnesota: Llewellyn Publications, 1999.




2007