Reclaiming's Principles
of Unity
The values of the Reclaiming tradition stem from our understanding
that the earth is alive and all of life is sacred and interconnected. We
see the Goddess as immanent in the earth's cycles of birth, growth, death,
decay and regeneration. Our practice arises from a deep, spiritual commitment
to the earth, to healing and to the linking of magic with political action.
Each of us embodies the divine. Our ultimate spiritual authority is within,
and we need no other person to interpret the sacred to us. We foster the
questioning attitude, and honor intellectual, spiritual and creative freedom.
We are an evolving, dynamic tradition and proudly call ourselves Witches.
Honoring both Goddess and God, we work with female and male images of divinity,
always remembering that their essence is a mystery which goes beyond form.
Our community rituals are participatory and ecstatic, celebrating the cycles
of the seasons and our lives, and raising energy for personal, collective
and earth healing.
We know that everyone can do the life-changing, world-renewing work of magic,
the art of changing consciousness at will. We strive to teach and practice
in ways that foster personal and collective empowerment, to model shared
power and to open leadership roles to all. We make decisions by consensus,
and balance individual autonomy with social responsibility.
Our tradition honors the wild, and calls for service to the earth and the
community. We value peace and practice non-violence, in keeping with the
Rede, "Harm none, and do what you will." We work for all forms
of justice: environmental, social, political, racial, gender and economic.
Our feminism includes a radical analysis of power, seeing all systems of
oppression as interrelated, rooted in structures of domination and control.
We welcome all genders, all races, all ages and sexual orientations and
all those differences of life situation, background, and ability that increase
our diversity. We strive to make our public rituals and events accessible
and safe. We try to balance the need to be justly compensated for our labor
with our commitment to make our work available to people of all economic
levels.
All living beings are worthy of respect. All are supported by the sacred
elements of air, fire, water and earth. We work to create and sustain communities
and cultures that embody our values, that can help to heal the wounds of
the earth and her peoples, and that can sustain us and nurture future generations.
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page last updated 10/05/04
by Matt