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The great French Renaissance critic and writer Voltaire is attributed with the saying, "With great power comes great responsibility," when discussing the role of the monarch. A similar, earlier version of this phrase stems from the Bible. Concerning Jesus Christ potencies, Luke declared, "from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked of him." Even the creator of Spider-Man, Stan Lee, often had his supporting characters make a similar declaration when admiring the powers of this superhero. In each of these contexts, a strong individual with unique powers took upon him or herself to make a change. They acknowledged that the road to success would not come easy, but given the tools in their belt, success or failure was within their control.

In Wicca, as well as other Neopagan and Occult-based faiths, we often mention the pioneers who made these systems what they are today. Ranging from Aleister Crowley to Gerald Gardner to Margaret Murray to Scott Cunningham to Zsuzsanna Budapest, there have been many staples in Wicca and the Occult in general. When mentioning about the history of the faith, common practices, Rituals, or the Casting process, these names must be mentioned as their contributions to modern Neopaganism has been invaluable. There are, however, other well-known individuals who have contributed in a different manner. These individuals might have made their name in politics, in Tinsel Town, in science, or through their writing. All the while, these icons and public figures practiced the Craft with all of their heart. Perhaps they did not play an equivalent part to Gardner or Cunningham strictly in terms of advancing Wiccan techniques and advancing the Faith into modern times, but nonetheless, through their influence, they greatly helped the Faith gain greater recognition. Today we will explore some of these individuals.

Have you ever been to a séance? As we had learned previously, séances have lost their validity over the years due to confidence artists arranging hoaxes to appear as if there was a supernatural happening during the séance. Though this caused many individuals to believe that indeed all existence was only in our physical realm, many faiths including Wicca, Spiritualists, and Native American religions hold that there are forms in alternate realms of the Universe that are able to communicate with us. We call these transcendental beings Spirit Guides.

Universal Eclectic Wicca, or UEW as it is better known, is one of the many traditions of Wicca that was established in the 1960’s United States. After the introduction of Alexandrian and Gardnerian Witchcraft, UEW was developed to expand and elaborate upon these ideas. Soon after, the Church of Universal Eclectic Wicca was established as the corporate body of this tradition. The CUEW is located in Great Falls, Virginia.

We have recently discussed the use of a Practitioner’s powers during warfare. The manipulation of energy can be a very effective weapon when necessary. It helped the British Navy defeat the celebrated Spanish Armada in 1588 A.D. by generating powerful winds and by influencing the Spanish captains’ decisions for the worse about which route they should take and their retreat plans. It also prevented an attack from Napoleon Bonaparte in 1807 A.D. by instilling fear within the French Soldiers that they would end up in Davy Jones’ Locker if they followed their General’s orders. There are certainly other accounts of Magickal happenings at times of combat, likely a result of some Practitioner’s handiwork.