The Earth is a Witch: Ecofeminism, Deep Ecology, and the Pagan Movement

This is to be taken as a representative sample only; Pagans do not have a body of doctrine, or series of sacred texts.

As formulated by the Council of American Witches, April 1974 (Adler 1989, pp. 101-3)

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.

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.

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 "super-natural," but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.

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 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 energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.

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

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.

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

Calling oneself "Witch" does not make a Witch-but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of degrees, titles, and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well without harm to others and in harmony with Nature.

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.

Our only animosity towards Christianity, or towards any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be "the only way" and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious expression and belief.

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.

We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as "Satan" or "the Devil," as defined by the 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.

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

In dedication to the celebration of Life in its many forms, I hereby declare my commitment to a way of life that is ethical, benevolent, humanistic, life-affirming, ecstatic, and ecologically sane. I subscribe to means and methods that are creative rather than destructive, tolerant rather than authoritarian, gentle rather than violent, inclusive rather than exclusive. I pledge myself to harmonious eco-psychic awareness with the total biosphere of holy Mother Earth.

Like an ancient tree, I would have my roots deep in the earth and my branches reaching for the stars.

I acknowledge personal responsibility for myself, to my fellow humans, and to the whole of Nature, and I recognize this total responsibility, in each of us, as the sources of our infinite freedom to become who we are and do what we will. I dedicate myself to my own inner growth and development that I may be of greater service to myself and the world around me. For these reasons I recognize Divinity both within and without, and I say to myself and others,

Again, this is intended to be a representative sampling only; there is a huge and growing body of Pagan-themed music and poetry currently available.

Patriarch, Patriarch, warrior priest,
Worship your god in the sky!
Separate him and you from the green Earth,
And the lifeblood of Nature deny.
The places once sacred have been overthrown,
The priests of the Old Ways are dead;
The wise-women banished or burned at the stake-
O Patriarch, lift up your head!

Patriarch, Patriarch, warrior priest,
The day of your triumph is near!
Come, exploit and conquer the once-holy Earth,
Humiliate that which you fear.
But watch now and 'ware, as you march in your might,
With arrogant banners unfurled:
Far more than you knew was released when you dared
To challenge the natural world!

Patriarch, Patriarch, warrior priest,
Why this fearful looking behind?
Your victory, Patriarch - Earth is your slave!
What are you afraid that you'll find?
Could it be that the few who weren't fooled by your lies
In secret are gathering force,
And filled by the love of the great Mother Earth
Are striving to alter your course?

Patriarch, Patriarch, warrior priest,
Your ways are the ways of Death.
But the Earth is awaking and breaking her chains -
We remember, her blood and her breath!

We all come from the Goddess, and to her we shall return,
Like a drop of rain, flowing to the ocean!

In the cool of the evening they used to gather
'neath stars in the meadow, circled near an old oak tree
at the times appointed by the seasons of the Earth, and the phases of the moon.
In the center, often, stood a woman,
equal with the others, and respected for her work-
one of the many we call the Witches,
the healers and the teachers of the wisdom of the Earth.
The people grew through the knowledge she gave them,
herbs to heal their bodies, spells to make their spirits whole.
Hear the chanting healing incantations,
calling forth the wise ones, celebrating in dance and song:

There were those who came to power, and domination,
and they bonded in the worship of a dead man on a cross.
They sought control of the common people
by demanding allegiance to the Church of Rome.
Then the Pope declared the Inquisition-
it was a war against the women, whose power they feared.
In this holocaust against the nature people, nine million European women died.
And the tale is told of those who, by the hundreds,
holding together, chose their deaths in the sea
while chanting the praises of the Mother Goddess-
it was refusal of betrayal: women were dying to be free.

Now the Earth is a Witch, and the men still burn her,
stripping her down with mining and the poisons of their wars.
Still to us the Earth is a healer, our teacher, our mother,
she's the weaver of the web of life that keeps us all alive.
She gives us the vision to see through the chaos,
she give us the courage-it is our will to survive!

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The Earth is a Witch: Ecofeminism, Deep Ecology, and the Pagan Movement