Wicca music

Wicca music or Wicca rock is music influenced by Wicca [ [http://www.webradio.ca/artists/genre/wicca_rock.htm Wicca music defined at WebRadio Canada] ] written by Wiccan musicians living in the forests of Canada. [ [http://radio3.cbc.ca/bands/Themis/ A Canadian Wicca Band at CBC Radio] ] It is said by some [ [http://www.webradio.ca/artists/themis/ " Still a fairly new genre of music, it is catching on quickly in North America and in Europe."] ] to be an emerging sub-genre of alternative music

The emergence drew some note when a band called [http://www.webradio.ca:2031/wiki/index.php/Themis Themis] began touring Canada and the USA. [ [http://e-music.ca/focus1-themis.htm Fans speak of emerging Genre] ] [ [http://www.torontomusicscene.ca/rock/themis.html Toronto Music Scene Magazine] "that means that it is hard to categorize except to say that it is Wicca Rock, a new genre. ... Each song is: melodic, most have ultra bright lyrics filled with hope and love with a quick time for dance... feature live tribal drumming (no drum machines in Themis music) and percussively rythmic guitar"] The Themis repertoire promotes things that are Wiccan such as the divinity of nature; the Lord and Lady (dual deity aspect of Wicca) [ [http://www.unc.edu/~reddeer/gs_course/lesson1.html The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Wicca 101] ] and an ethical credo [ [http://www.themismusic.com/creed/ Wiccan Music Creed at ThemisMusic.com ] ] that resembles Wiccan philosophies.

Another Canadian band, a group of vocalists from Vancouver Canada, the [http://www.chaliceandblade.com Chalice and Blade] , also perform original pieces based on the beliefs of Wicca and [http://www.chaliceandblade.com/about.html "sing songs which show (their) reverence for the earth and the balance of the God and Goddess" -Chalice and Blade]

The [http://www.themismusic.com/wicca/ "Ethics of Wicca music"] also mirrors the [http://www.earthspirit.org/Parliament/parliamentstat.html global ethic standard] adopted by the United Nations and by the 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago. [ [http://www.scarboromissions.ca/Golden_rule/global_ethic.php 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions] ] .

Comparing [http://www.themismusic.com/wicca/ Wicca Music ethics] with [http://www.earthspirit.org/Parliament/parliamentstat.html the Global Ethic Standard] Wicca Music's ecological and ethical aspects suggests that Wicca Music (and Wicca in part) satisfies the [http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/index.cfm Council for a Parliament of World Religions'] Declaration for a Global Ethic's request for universal adoption.

"All historical experience demonstrates the following: Our earth cannot be changed unless in the not too distant future an alteration in the consciousness of individuals is achieved. This has already been seen in areas such as war and peace or economy and ecology. And it is precisely for this alteration in inner orientation, in the entire mentality, in the "heart," that the religions bear responsibility in a special way. Here we remain aware, however, that a universal consensus on many disputed individual ethical questions (from bio- and sexual ethics through mass media and scientific ethics to economic and political ethics) will be difficult to attain. Nevertheless, even for many questions still disputed, differentiated solutions should be attainable in the spirit of the fundamental principles jointly developed here.

In many areas of life a new consciousness of ethical responsibility has already arisen. Therefore, we would be especially pleased if as many as possible national or international professional organizations, such as those for physicians, scientists, business people, journalists, and politicians, would compose up to date codes of ethics." [ [http://astro.ocis.temple.edu/~dialogue/Antho/kung.htm Temple University Article] - Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago commissioned Hans Küng to develop a draft of a "Declaration of the Religions for a Global Ethic"] [http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/_includes/FCKcontent/File/TowardsAGlobalEthic.pdf (Download Full PDF Document from parliamentofreligions.com)]

Wicca Music Subculture

Evidenced in lyrics of "Wicca" songs like "I am The Shadow" by Themis [ [http://www.themismusic.com/shadow.htm Lyrics for the Wiccan Rock song: 'Shadow'] ] , "Love of Life" by Themis [ [http://www.themismusic.com/love_of_life.htm "Love of Life" Lyrics] ] , and "Ancient Trees" by Chalice and Blade [ [http://www.chaliceandblade.com/lyrics/ancienttrees.html Chalice and Blade song lyrics 'Ancient Trees'] ] Wiccan musicians advocate a culture promoting ecology; of non-violence and respect for life; the divinity of mother nature; solidarity with 'earth'; a just economic order; tolerance, healing and truthfulness and equal rights and partnership between men and women (although Wiccan women have a higher rank) [ [http://www.themismusic.com/the_spirit_that_haunts_our_music.htm Wiccan Ethics in Music] ] .

Moving Into The Mainstream

According to [http://www.religionlink.org/tip_041011a.php The Religion Newswriters Foundation] "Wicca is moving into the mainstream" smashing stereotypes as their movement matures. Throughout America, Wiccans are organizing congregations and youth groups, training clergy, pursuing charity work, sharing parenting tips and fighting for civil rights [ [http://www.religionlink.org/tip_041011a.php Wicca Moves Into The Mainstream ] - The Religion Newswriters Foundation] , .

Wicca is a diverse earth-based religious tradition that honors nature and the cycles of the seasons. Wiccans celebrate solar holidays such as the solstices, equinoxes and the four midpoints in between, as well as lunar cycles. This religion is one of the fastest-growing in the United States, and it is notable for the leadership of women, concern for the environment, and in some cases for political activism, particularly efforts to counter misunderstanding and stereotyping.

-- [http://www.pluralism.org/research/profiles/display.php?profile=74108 The Harvard University Pluralism Project]

Wicca has enchanted pop culture and many teenagers. The number of Wiccans in the U.S. and Canada is doubling about every 30 months. But neverthelss the percentage of Wiccans in the entire U.S. and Canada populations is still less than 1%. [ [http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_teen3.htm Religious Tolerence Org.] ]

Contrast with Gothic rock

Unlike much Gothic rock,and even alternative rock, Wicca music is bright and cheerful [ [http://www.themismusic.com/wicca_rock Wicca Rck Creed Adopted by some musicians] ] , promoting positive Wicca ideals.

"The Craft is a joyous creed; it is also a socially and ecologically responsible one... Love of life in all its forms, is the basic ethic of the Craft." - [http://www.unc.edu/~reddeer/gs_course/lesson1.html The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Wicca 101]

Converse to Gothic rock which explores a dark and brooding aesthetic, Wicca music brings influence from gentler reconstruction of pagan European teachings and can be said to "(come) from the light side." [ [http://www.webradio.ca/artists/genre/wicca_rock.htm WebRadio Canada - Wicca Rock defined] ]

In 2007, Themis, with a strong pro-ecology message morphed from a Punk rock background into the Wicca music realm. [ [http://e-music.ca/focus1-themis.htm E-Music review of Local Music Event] ] The band's followers advance the idea that modern Wicca should be more about nature, ecology and feminism and less about witchcraft and spirtualism. ( [http://e-music.ca/focus1-themis.htm "...the new music direction is about loving life, nature and Earth as a living thing"] ) "We thrive in the song and spirit of the birds and other creatures of the wild -- our music is written from a love of all life. The cycles of nature are our holy days: the earth is our temple, its plants and creatures our partners and teachers so we respect life, cherish the free will of sentient beings, and accept the sacredness of all creation. [http://www.themismusic.com/beliefs.htm "Our bible is the wind and the rain."]

ee also

*Goth subculture
*Wicca
*Gothic fashion

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/themismusic Wicca Rock Category on MySpace]
* [http://radio3.cbc.ca/bands/Themis/ Wiccan Rock on the CBC Radio 3]