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Below are
three versions of the Wiccan rede, the short, the long, and the
explained! Please also note that there are a few slightly altered
versions floating around. The Rede is a set of beliefs and customs
that Witches adhere to, it is also a general guide. I believe the
short "Wiccan" version is merely a snippet of the "Witches" Rede,
and I don't like the short version much.
The Wiccan Rede
(Also known as the Advice of the Wise)
Bide the Wiccan law you must,
In perfect love and perfect trust.
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill,
"And you harm none, do what you will".
What you send forth comes back to thee,
So ever mind the rule of three.
Follow this with mind and heart,
Merry meet, and merry part.
(And merry meet again!)
The Witches Rede
- full version
Bide the Witches' Law ye must,
In perfect Love and perfect Trust.
Live and let all else live,
Fairly take and fairly give.
First tread the Circle thrice about
To keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind the spell well every time,
Let the spell be spake in rhyme.
Light of eye and soft of touch,
Speak ye little, listen much.
Honour the Old Ones in deed and name,
Let love and light be our guides again.
Deosil go by the waxing moon,
chanting out the witches rune.
Widdershins by the waning moon,
Chanting out the baneful rune.
When the Lady's moon
is new,
Kiss the hand to Her times two.
When the moon rides at Her peak
Then your heart's desire seek.
Heed the North winds' mighty gale,
Lock the door and trim the sail.
When the Wind blows from the East,
Expect the new and set the feast.
When the wind comes from the South,
Love will kiss thee on the mouth.
When the wind blows from the West,
Departed souls will have no rest.
Nine woods in the Cauldron go,
Burn them fast and burn them slow.
Birch in the fire goes
To represent what the Lady knows.
Oak in the forest towers with might
In the fire it brings the God's insight.
Rowan is a tree of power
Causing life and magick to flower.
Willows at the waterside stand
Ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is burned to purify
And to draw faerie to your eye.
Hazel-the tree of wisdom and learning-
Adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree
That brings us fruits of fertility.
Grapes grow upon the vine
Giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen
To represent immortality seen.
Elder is the Lady's tree
Burn it not or cursed you'll be.
Four times the Major Sabbats mark,
In the light and in the dark.
As the old year starts to wane,
The new begins, it's now Samhain.
When the time for Imbolc shows,
Watch for flowers through the snows.
When the wheel begins to turn,
Soon the Beltane fires will burn.
As the wheel turns to Lammas night
Power is brought to magick rite.
Four times the Minor Sabbats fall
Use the Sun to mark them all.
When the wheel has turned to Yule
Light the log the Horned One rules.
In the spring, when night equals day
Time for Ostara to come our way.
When the Sun has reached it's height
Time for Oak and Holly to fight.
Harvesting comes to one and all
When the Autumn Equinox does fall.
Heed the flower, bush, and tree
By the Lady blessed you'll be.
Where the rippling waters go
Cast a stone, the truth you'll know.
When you have and hold a need,
Harken not to others greed.
With a fool no season spend
Nor be counted as his friend.
Merry Meet and Merry Part
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind the Three-fold Law you should
Three times bad and three times good.
When misfortune is enow
Wear the blue star upon your brow.
True to love ever be,
Lest thy lover's false to thee.
Eight words the Rede fulfill
"And it harm none, do what ye will".
The Witches Rede - full version with explanatory notes
Bide the Witches' Law ye must,
In perfect Love and perfect Trust.
In essence this refers to Perfect Love and Trust in the
Lord and Lady, but also extends to people. Remember, all witches
are human first, and they will have the same faults and shortcomings as
everyone else. Honour them for their knowledge and experience, but don't
expect them to know everything and be saints; and recognize that
"perfection" is an ideal not a realistic state.
Live and let all else live, Fairly take and fairly give.
Pretty self-explanatory, live your life and allow others to
live theirs. Balance what you give, and what you take, it's not good for
your personal wellbeing to give or take in excess or for deceptive
motives.
First tread the Circle thrice about
To keep unwelcome spirits out.
This refers directly to circle casting - first with
whatever tool you use, then casting again around fully with salt & water,
then a third casting is done with the Incense. Different traditions/covens
will have variations.
To bind the spell well every time,
Let the spell be spake in rhyme.
This refers to your subconscious
mind, which hears and reacts more quickly and more fully to rhymes and
chants. It will make a spell more powerful (and easier to remember!) if it
is in rhyme.
Light of eye and soft of touch,
Speak ye little, listen much.
The first line is referring to gentleness (no aggressive staring!) and the
power in touching gently. The second line is self explanatory, the more
you listen, the more you learn; but often hard to master! (For me anyway)
Honour the Old Ones in deed and name,
Let love and light be our guides again.
This line refers to both the wise Witches of the past,
and in present life. Similar to "Honour thy father and mother,
but this means anyone elder, not just family, as wisdom only comes
with age. Remember the second line though, as not every "Old one" is
wise or kind.
Deosil go by the waxing moon,
chanting out the witches rune.
"Deosil"
is "sun-wise", (or counter-clockwise here in the Southern hemisphere), and the waxing moon is from New Moon to
just before the Full Moon, while the moon is "filling out. It is
a good time to bring what you desire into your life. ("Rune" is
another name for spell, but specifically a rhymed, chanted, spell working).
Widdershins by the waning moon,
Chanting out the baneful rune.
"Widdershins" is
"against the sun" (or clockwise here in the Southern hemisphere) , and the waning moon is
after the full moon, when it is "dwindling." This is the time to get rid
of unwanted habits, weight, bad feelings, or anything you wish to be rid
of. "Baneful" comes from "banish" and that's what it means.
When the Lady's moon
is new,
Kiss the hand to Her times two.
I believe this refers to the custom in days gone before to send kisses to the
New Moon. In essence, it means to celebrate on the full moon, and rejoice
in all the blessings of the Lady.
When the moon rides at Her peak
Then your heart's desire seek.
This of course is the Full Moon, and the time when the
magick of the Moon is at full power, especially for the manifestation of
your will or action.
Heed the North winds' mighty gale,
Lock the door and trim the sail.
These next four verses are "wind wisdom" and refers to
the four seasons, any symbolically to life phases. It is a little turned
around here on the east coast of Australia where I live (Where it's the
southerly winds that are strong), so I don't take the literal meaning, but
the symbolism is clear.
When the Wind blows from the East,
Expect the new and set the feast.
The second line refers to the tendency the East wind
has to bring changes, and unexpected visitors.
When the wind comes from the South,
Love will kiss thee on the mouth.
The warm southern wind brings Springtime, romance, and new
life.
When the wind blows from the West,
Departed souls will have no rest.
The West is the direction that the souls of those passing
on to the Summerland will take.
Nine woods in the Cauldron go,
Burn them fast and burn them slow.
Nine woods are placed in the Beltane fires and each one
is significant, and is outlined under each wood's name.
Birch in the fire goes
To represent what the Lady knows.
Oak in the forest towers with might
In the fire it brings the God's insight.
Rowan is a tree of power
Causing life and magick to flower.
Willows at the waterside stand
Ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is burned to purify
And to draw faerie to your eye.
Hazel-the tree of wisdom and learning-
Adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree
That brings us fruits of fertility.
Grapes grow upon the vine
Giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen
To represent immortality seen.
Elder is the Lady's tree
Burn it not or cursed you'll be.
Elder is the 10th tree, and the Balefire only
gets Nine. This is a warning to those who would burn the elder.
Four times the Major Sabbats mark
In the light and in the dark.
"Major" doesn't refer to the
Sabbats' importance, all are equally important. Rather, it refers to us
celebrating these Sabbats at the height of the Season, when the Sun
reaches 15º in one of the four Cardinal Astrological signs that mark each
season.
As the old year starts to wane
The new begins, it's now Samhain.
Samhain, is the Witches' New Year, and marks the
beginning of winter, and is the first
Sabbat on the Wheel of the Year.
When the time for Imbolc shows
Watch for flowers through the snows.
Imbolc marks the beginning of spring.
When the wheel begins to turn
Soon the Beltane fires will burn
Beltane marks the beginning of Summer.
As the wheel turns to Lammas night
Power is brought to magick rite.
Lammas (or Lughnasadh) marks the beginning of Autumn.
Four times the Minor Sabbats fall
Use the Sun to mark them all.
All of the Sabbats are considered
"solar, meaning that they are calculated by the sun. Esbats are the Lunar
celebrations calculated by the phases of the Moon.
When the wheel has turned to Yule
Light the log the Horned One rules.
Yule - Winter Solstice.
In the spring, when night equals day
Time for Ostara to come our way.
Ostara - Spring Equinox.
When the Sun has reached it's height
Time for Oak and Holly to fight.
Litha - Summer Solstice.
Harvesting comes to one and all
When the Autumn Equinox does fall.
Mabon - Autumn Equinox.
Heed the flower, bush, and tree
By the Lady blessed you'll be.
Protect all the gifts of the earth. All life is Sacred to the Goddess, and proper respect
should be shown for the sacrifice of Her Creatures and Plants so that we
may eat and survive.
Where the rippling waters go
Cast a stone, the truth you'll know.
This is referring to a water divination, where one tosses a
pebble into the surface of still water to watch the ripples and divine the
future.
When you have and hold a need,
Harken not to others greed.
One should not do magick out of greed, but out of need. So
if someone offers you money to do a spell for them, what is your
motivation? And what is theirs? Do you want to attract dependent people to
you who could possibly put so many demands on your energy that you have no
time for yourself? This one is thought provoking, isn't it? That isn't to
say you shouldn't take money, just to make sure it is for the right
reasons when you do. But it isn't only referring to money, it also refers
to greed for power, and others coveting what you have.
With a fool no season spend
Nor be counted as his friend.
Or in other words, people know you by the company you keep,
and what those individuals say about you. Always strive to surround
yourself with people of good, supportive, and strong character, as they
reflect on you; and will either build you up or tear you down.
Merry Meet and Merry Part
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Traditional greeting and farewell, with expressions of affection,
and well wishes.
Mind the Three-fold Law you should
Three times bad and three times good.
The three-fold law refers to the belief that whatever you
sent out, be it good or ill, will return to you three-fold. It's similar
to Karma, or "What goes around, comes around." - which
means much the same thing, except that we multiply that energy by three.
I don't know if I necessarily believe this one, but obviously you should
always strive to do your best with pure intentions.
When misfortune is enow
Wear the blue star upon your brow.
In this form, it means to open your third eye and listen to
your higher self/Spirit Guide/Guardian Angel whenever you find yourself in
difficulties.
True to love ever be,
Lest thy lover's false to thee.
Witches don't give their word lightly; However, if your lover is untrue
they have already broken vows with you. Pretty normal thought of love
really!
Eight words the Rede fulfill
"And it harm none, do what ye will".
This "Rede" is the law by which Witches live, with harm to
none. Harming none, includes not harming yourself. it is the
most important part of the Rede, and the cornerstone of Wiccan beliefs. It makes
you totally responsible for your actions and their results. Obviously
there are times when it will harm yourself not to harm another (We need to
harm other forms of life to eat, or to protect ourselves on occasion for
example), at these times it is up to the individual to make that choice of
least harm.
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