Wicca and Satanism are two distinct belief systems that are often misunderstood and confused with each other. While both fall under the umbrella of modern Paganism, they have different origins, beliefs, and practices. Wicca, also known as Witchcraft, is a modern religious movement that emerged in the mid-20th century. It is based on a reverence for nature and the worship of a goddess and god, known as the Triple Goddess and the Horned God. Wiccans believe in a balance of light and dark, and they follow the ethical principle "An it harm none, do what ye will." Wiccans engage in rituals and spells to connect with nature and the divine, and they celebrate the phases of the moon and the seasonal Sabbats.
The Green Witch Tarot, a 78-card deck that is based on nature-based Paganism, is a beautiful deck. The deck contains thoughtful, warm-hearted, as well as indeterminate cards. They have been reinterpreted to be eco-friendly witchcraft-friendly, but are still easily legible. The cards include a 240-page buddy guide.
Although the Major Arcana titles have been changed to reflect Green Witchcraft s ideas and the original definitions of the cards, they have not been altered. Although the Major Arcana titles have been changed to reflect Green Witchcraft s ideas and the original definitions of the cards, they have not been altered.
" Wiccans engage in rituals and spells to connect with nature and the divine, and they celebrate the phases of the moon and the seasonal Sabbats. On the other hand, Satanism, particularly LaVeyan Satanism, is a religious philosophy founded by Anton LaVey in the 1960s. It is rooted in a humanistic approach and focuses on individualism, self-indulgence, and self-preservation.
The Green Witch Tarot
Ann Moura is a long-time specialist on green witchery who has been writing books on the topic since 1996. She’s teamed up with artist Kiri Østergaard Leonard to create a tarot deck that targets people in this branch of the Craft. Green witchcraft promotes a strong relationship with nature, earth magic, elementals, and the immanent Goddess and God. The deck follows this theme with an emphasis on seasons, the eight sabbats, faerie lore, herbs, plants, animals, and the bounty of nature. Characters in the deck are displayed in the normal activities of daily life.
Moura elected to change the names of several Major Arcana cards to augment the deck’s theme: 0 – Greenman, 1 – Witch, 3 – The Earth Mother, 4 – The Horned God, 6 – The Lady and the Lord, 7 – The Battle Wagon, 8 – The Crone, 9 – The Holly King, 10 – The Wheel of the Year, 11 – The Standing Stone, 12 – The Oak King, 13 – The Lord of the Shadows, 14 – The Sidhe, 15 – Nature, 16 – The Wild Hunt, 20 – Harvest, and 21 – The World Tree. The trump card archetypes are similarly adjusted to reflect the deities and practices of green witches.
Card characters are accompanied by animals and plants that correlate with the card’s meanings. The suits are named for typical altar tools: pentacles, athames, wands, and chalices. The suits correspond to an element, cardinal direction, and a season. Knights can be male or female. Queens and Kings are older and more mature characters that represent an accumulation of power and authority in their suit element.
The accompanying book The Green Witch Tarot Companion begins with an overview. The cards are described in some depth with meanings, reversals, and a few keywords. The third chapter offers six tarot spreads to experiment with. The book is logically organized and will be easy for beginners to work with.
The cards have no borders, something that will please many readers! The imagery features detailed panoramic landscapes with great depth and some interior scenes to provide contrast. The color palette is warm and energetic with bright hues. Seasonal depictions help with timing. Most of the human figures are well rendered and successfully convey the card’s meaning.
Card images sometimes stray to a greater or lesser extent from the RWS canon. In the 5 of Wands, five people are standing around a fire conducting a ritual. Ants crawl along a branch in the foreground. The 7 of Chalices is an interior scene with a woman sitting at a table day-dreaming about the seven chalices before her. Faeries are fluttering around her head and there’s a butterfly near the chalices. A frond of Solomon Seal is visible in the corner. The Knight of Wands is a woman riding a horse along a dirt path that runs past fields ripe with wheat. Golden Seal grows at the edge of the field and a night hawk is soaring overhead. The Ace of Athames features a knife instead of a long sword. Beneath the knife are bright yellow dandelions. A mouse is climbing through the flowers.
The Major Arcana cards are more mythic and folkloric. Trump 4 – The Horned God features a handsome deity with deer horns surrounded by animals in a forest glade. It’s clear that nature is his primary venue as well as the source of his power. Trump 18 – The Moon is simply gorgeous. It features a night scene with a woman approaching a tree-encircled pond. A fish leaps as a gentle full moon glows overhead.
The only trump card I felt really didn’t work was Trump 20 – Harvest. It features a scene with a man standing behind a table covered with fresh produce. A woman standing near a cottage is in the background. There’s nothing wrong with the quality of the image, but it doesn’t capture the profoundly spiritual and karmic nature of the Judgment card. There are many possible mythic events and deity transformations that could have been chosen to give the card more oomph.
Nevertheless, this is a fine deck for any green witch or pagan. The deck and book do a great job of conveying the themes of the Craft. The cards can be integrated into rituals; the deities in the trump cards correlate with sabbats. The imagery of the more difficult cards is thoughtful and somewhat less threatening than decks in the RWS family. The Green Witch Tarot would be a lovely, thoughtful Yule gift to give this year.
~review by Elizabeth Hazel
Creator: Ann Moura, art by Kiri Østergaard Leonard
Llewellyn, 2015
boxed kit with 240-page book, deck, and non-custom unlabeled white box, $28.99
Creator: Ann Moura, art by Kiri Østergaard Leonard
Llewellyn, 2015
boxed kit with 240-page book, deck, and non-custom unlabeled white box, $28.99
LaVeyan Satanists do not believe in a literal Satan or a deity but instead view Satan as a symbol of rebellion and individual freedom. They advocate for the pursuit of personal desires and reject societal norms and authority. While both Wicca and Satanism are often portrayed negatively in popular culture and misconstrued by mainstream religions, they have different beliefs and practices. Wiccans seek to live in harmony with nature and use their magic for positive purposes, such as healing or protection. Satanists, on the other hand, prioritize self-interest and promote their own personal growth and empowerment. It is important to recognize and respect these differences to avoid perpetuating stereotypes and misinformation about these belief systems. Both Wicca and Satanism offer individuals a spiritual path that allows for personal expression, but they have distinct ideologies and practices that should not be conflated..
Reviews for "The Representation of Wicca and Satanism in Literature and Media"
- John - 1/5
"I was really excited to read 'Wicca vs Satinism' as I am someone who enjoys exploring different belief systems. However, I was extremely disappointed with this book. The author barely scratched the surface of both Wicca and Satanism, providing very little depth or insight into these religions. The comparisons made between the two were shallow and lacked any real substance. Additionally, the book had a very biased tone, clearly favoring one religion over the other. Overall, I would not recommend 'Wicca vs Satanism' to anyone looking for a well-informed and unbiased exploration of these fascinating belief systems."
- Sarah - 2/5
"I had high hopes for 'Wicca vs Satanism', but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The book lacked cohesion and clarity, jumping back and forth between different topics without any clear structure. It felt like a jumbled collection of random thoughts rather than a well-researched and organized comparison. The writing style was also dry and uninspiring, making it a struggle to stay engaged with the content. While there were a few interesting points here and there, overall, I found this book to be a letdown."
- Michael - 2/5
"As someone who is interested in exploring different religious and spiritual paths, I was intrigued by the premise of 'Wicca vs Satanism'. However, I found the author's approach to be overly simplistic and lacking nuance. It seemed like they were more focused on presenting a biased and sensationalized view of these religions rather than providing a balanced and insightful comparison. Additionally, the book suffered from numerous spelling and grammatical errors, making it difficult to take the author's arguments seriously. Overall, I was disappointed with 'Wicca vs Satanism' and would not recommend it to those seeking an accurate and thoughtful exploration of these belief systems."