Bide the Wiccan laws we must
In perfect love and perfect trust.
Live and let live,
Fairly take and fairly give.
Cast the circle thrice about
To keep the evil spirits out.
To bind the spell every time
Let the spell be spake in rhyme.
Soft of eye, and light of touch,
Speak little, listen much.
Deosil go by the waxing moon,
Chanting out the Witches’ Rune.
Widdershins go 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 rules at her peak,
Then your heart’s desire seek.
Heed the North wind’s mighty gale,
Lock the door and drop the sail.
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.
When the wind blows from the East,
Expect the new and set the feast.
Nine woods in the cauldron go,
Burn them fast and burn them slow.
Elder be the Lady’s tree,
Burn it not or cursed you’ll be.
When the Wheel begins to turn,
Let the Beltane fires burn.
When the Wheel has turned to Yule,
Light the log and the Horned One rules.
Heed ye flower, bush and tree,
By the Lady, Blessed Be.
Where the ripling waters go,
Cast a stone and truth you’ll know.
When ye have a true need,
Hearken not to others’ greed.
With a fool no season spend,
Lest ye be counted as his friend.
Merry meet and merry part,
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind the threefold law you should,
Three times bad and three times good.
When misfortune is anow,
Wear the blue star on thy brow.
True in love ever be,
Lest thy lover’s false to thee.
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill:
An’ ye harm none, do what ye will.
The short version of the read which most Wiccans know my heart is the last line, "An' ye harm none, do what ye will." This phrase alone stands out as probably the greatest rule in Wicca. According to belief, any action which causes a consequence which harms another person is bad, and therefore should not be done. This goes as far as physical as well as psychological harm, which condemns the actions of psychic vampryism as well. The consequences of violating this rule is given in the Threefold Law, which states everything a witch does will be met with return action that is three times greater, either good or bad depending on the initial action.
