Hi magical warriors and welcome to Wiccanow! For those of you interested in learning more about Wicca and the Wiccan afterlife, a question that often comes up is “do Wiccans believe in an afterlife”? The question of the soul, whether it exists, and where it goes when we die is one that has fascinated humanity across the ages. Wicca as a religion offers some guidance concerning these questions, however, the concept of the afterlife as defined by Wicca, is not nearly as clear as that of other religions.
To help you understand the concept of the Wiccan afterlife lets explore the topic together. I hope you find all of the answers you are seeking.
If you are interested in reading more about the basics of Wicca check out these posts we wrote about what Wicca actually is, what Wiccan beliefs are, the connection between the Celts and Wicca, a post on how to become Wiccan, a discussion about who the Wiccan Gods and Goddesses are and an interesting post about what the difference between Wicca and Witchcraft is.
7 Facts about the Wiccan Afterlife
Below are 7 facts about the Wiccan afterlife that we think every fledgling Wiccan should be aware of.
The Wiccan Afterlife Fact #1 The Magic of The Immortal Soul
Like other religions, Wicca accepts that there is a non-material as well as a material reality. Unlike other religions, Wicca does not give preference to either reality but sees them as equal. Wiccans see our physical existence on the earthly plane as a gift from the gods. Wiccans believe in the eternal nature of the soul. For Wiccans, the soul is immortal and can never die.
Wiccans believe in reincarnation and view physical death as part of the natural cycle of life/birth/death. Wiccans believe that while the physical body may die, the soul can never die. Some Wiccans believe that after physical death, the soul enters into a place called Summerland. This is the Wiccan afterlife version of heaven!
The Wiccan Afterlife Fact #2 Discovering the Wonderous Realm of Summerland
Summerland has its origins in ancient Celtic lore. The Celts had little fear of death and no concept of sin and punishment. The Celts believed that when they died, their souls entered the Summerland, where they would be renewed and made ready for re-birth. Many Wiccans have adopted the idea of the Celtic Summerland and believe that, like the Celts, their souls will return to the Summerland upon physical death.
Summerland itself is described as a place where it is perpetually summer. There are meadows of sweet grass and herbs, babbling brooks and rivers, grasslands and lush forests. If we died old and deformed, upon entering Summerland we are once again youthful and vibrant. Wiccans believe that in the Summerland we see ourselves as we wish to be.
The Wiccan belief is that we spend a certain amount of time between lives resting and rejuvenating. During this period of rest, the next life on the physical plane is planned and prepared. The purpose of each reincarnation into the physical dimension is to foster the evolution and growth of the soul.
The Wiccan Afterlife Fact #3 Little Known Wiccan Death Rituals
Because Wiccans believe in the eternal nature of the soul and its eventual reincarnation back into the physical plane of reality, death is not considered as a time of mourning but rather a time of celebration. For Wiccans, death signifies the ending of a learning period.
The individual has completed this part of their cycle and has, so to speak, ‘graduated’. According to Wicca, the sorrow that we feel when someone has died is not because we feel sad or sorry for the individual who has passed, but rather it has to do with ourselves. We are sad because we have been left behind and are without the physical love and companionship of those that have departed.
For Wiccans, the body is understood to be a wonderful and valuable tool through which the soul can experience physical reality. According to Wicca, there are no hard rules about what should happen to the physical remains of one that has passed. However, once the soul has left the body, many Wiccans see little value in celebrating the physical remains and often favour cremation or an eco-friendly burial and a simple death ceremony. Few, if any Wiccans see the sense in elaborate and often expensive modernised funeral ceremonies.
The Wiccan Afterlife Fact #4 A Sacred Death…
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