Pardon, But What is the "Wiccan Way?"

Although I am well aware that there thousands of articles, books, blogs, and "vlogs" concerning the "What is Wicca" topic, I feel obligated to begin my blog with my personal answer to this.

It is frequently stated that if you ask 100 Wiccans the same question, you will recieve 100 different answers. Why? It isn't because our religion is false or without structure--quite the opposite: the structure of our religion provides us with a way to experience the divine in a way that is personal and tailored to each practicing individual.
There are several branches of Wicca (of which I will post about as well) which can lead to even more confusion for the person seeking a basic answer, so here is how I personally see it:
--Wicca is a religion that provides structure and a way of practicing and honoring the Ancient Gods in the modern day and age. This structure is the "skeleton".
--Wiccan's are (typically) pantheistic-- believing that all the gods are the same under different monikers from culture to culture. This is expressed as the Goddess and the God. Every God and Goddess can be seen as the various faces these deities take on. They are the polarities of the life force--the all. The all pervading essence of life and the world and universe.  These 2 polarities can be seen as the "right and left" brain (continuing with my human analogy). They are equal and opposite and influence the entire being. The pantheon of deities you use then are the various necessary "organs"--is it odd to equate deities with bodily organs? I think they understand-- each is necessary for a specific function.
--Now, these beliefs are expressed by Wiccans through everyday honorings and workings with these deities, celebration of life and its milestones, nature and it's cycles, and (for most) performing what is dubbed as "magick". This is the use of world energies/divine, spiritual tools, and personal will to achieve a specific goal. These actions are called spells. This is similar to prayer, albeit the Wiccan takes action along with the divine to achieve the desired outcome. The honoring and actions then can be seen as the "personal appearance" of our anological human.

Some other more important points that concern "what Wicca is" include The Rede and  The 3-Fold Law. The Rede (in short) states "Harm None, Do as Thou Wilt." Clearly, don't cause intentional harm, pain, or suffering to someone without cause. I say without cause, because defending yourself is perfectly acceptable in my opinion, perfectly acceptable.
Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about Wicca. This is due to the fact that Wiccans are also known as "Witches." Originally, this was not a negative or ill-intended moniker. It meant wise one, and was a title bestowed upon elders, religious leaders, and healers. When other religions invaded, they persecuted what they did not understand. Instead of taking the time to do so, they perverted the word "Witch" to be synonymous with "Satan Worshipper." This could not be further from the truth. Wiccans do not believe in Satan. Wiccans are not evil and do not cause malice. The Witch Trials was a mass slaughtering that became a political game for power and property. It was due to this that followers of the Old Ways went "underground" so to speak. Now, in today's day and age, Wiccans are able to come forth. We do not worship in exactly the same way our ancestors did (why would we need to? It is a new era, and therefore needing a new structure. If the Gods are being honored in a positive manner, that is all that matters.) but we honor the same ideals, values, and cycles.

To summarize, the" Wiccan Way" is a religion that puts one in touch with themselves and the world. It is a positive, life-altering religion that preaches balance, life, and love for nature, self, and the divine. I hope that if you read this exhaustive post all the way through, that it was helpful and informative, and makes a positive mark on your own spiritual path. Blessed Be )o(