What in Wiccan? How do weed and the Wiccan community fit together?

Magick and marijuana, Wicca and weed – these are some questions that people have been wondering about. I recently stumbled across a Reddit post that talked about how the collective “Wiccan community” feels about cannabis and the craft.

In this article, I’ll take some of the most upvoted comments and comment on them myself. The fact is, substances have long been associated with mystical states and – in my opinion at least – there should be no real conflict with them unless they distract you from achieving your goal.

Nonetheless, I think it’s important to look at the different perspectives within the Wiccan community and how these people view cannabis in their magical practices.

But first… what is Wiccan?

For those unfamiliar with the occult, the term Wicca could be confusing. According to Wikipedia, “Wicca is a modern pagan religion” where scholars classify it as a new religious movement or stream of western esotericism. While the original principles of Wicca were first published in a series of books in the 1940s and 1950s, the movement has evolved into different interpretations of the craft.

While I won’t detail other sects of the Wiccan movement, some of its core practices involve deities, natural remedies, and an underlying tone of witchcraft.

What does the community think about cannabis?

There have been many different approaches to using cannabis in practice, but the overall message has been, “It’s pretty good stuff!” Of course, each practitioner had their own rationale for why cannabis was a useful tool within the craft.

Seisme1138 said, “I just made a magic jar that contains seeds. They are wonderful for promoting general peace and feelings of friendship, as well as for calming. I have also used the herb in a similar way.

Over the years I have found it easier to meditate or receive messages after taking it. As well as pulling back the layers during shadow work.”

To the uninitiated, the seeds represent opportunity, life, growth and are essentially a fractal representation of the universe itself. When using these elements in spellwork, you connect your thought and intention to the “meaning” you assign to each part .

Hemp seeds are rich in nutrients and very healthy for human consumption. It’s definitely a “feel good” plant that (usually) promotes peace when consumed. As for “doing shadowwork,” that’s something within the occult, which in “muzzling” would be similar to “facing your demons,” but instead of banishing the shadow, you integrate it.

RedColumbine interfered;

I don’t know how much of a “collective” we are – as the saying goes, ask 10 witches a question and you get 11 answers – but witches have been using herbs for a very long time. There are a few I personally wouldn’t mess with, but that’s my own business.

Aside from the eloquent sarcasm, Red Columbine points out that witches have been known to use herbs, some of which are very dangerous. Cannabis has been used in several spells over the centuries, and considering that before 1937 it was actually one of the most important crops in the world, it’s not hard to see witches across Europe using the flowers, the stalks and the seeds within used their magic work.

SandInACan also raised an important point…

“I don’t think there’s a way for us to talk about it as a collective. It’s a personal preference for your craft. Do I think Gardner smoked weed in front of the circle? No. Am I against practicing high? Also no. Cannabis is difficult to recommend for/against implementation into one’s own practice. Everyone will experience the drug differently and there are so many differences in what and how you take it. An edible sativa will affect you differently than a dash of indica. Some like to use a high that calms the mind, some prefer to take a nap. If you are interested in using cannabis in your craft, you should become familiar with it first and then implement it as you see fit.

Remember that Wiccan does not have a collective rule book to speak by, nor a collective voice to speak to. When individual practitioners come together and form a circle with rules, those are just the rules for that circle within its tradition.”

Sandinacan makes a good point that Wicca is fluid. It’s a belief structure that has some history, but the interpretation is very individualistic. Cannabis can be good for certain practices and terrible for others. It could be good to cast a quick spell and completely distracting to cast another. One of the cornerstones of Wiccan is being aware of the energies, both inside and outside of your body. If you just quiet your mind and hold a nut in your hand, you should be able to feel whether or not it’s right for the spell at hand.

This is something that many younger practitioners have not yet developed and are therefore seeking external recognition. Because Wicca can be so individual, they turn to places like Reddit to ask for that validation.

TheDanny942 chimed in randomly;

Funny that this thread was created today, my full moon ritual last night involved cannabis… I’m still figuring out the best way to use it for crafting, but from what I’ve experienced so far I think Allan put it very aptly Good. I think it all depends on the intention of the ritual if it’s a good idea. Showing respect can be a wonderful tool for deity/ancestral connection, meditation, divination, or any work that involves softening the boundary between the worlds. Personally, I wouldn’t use it for directing the will into magic, but the opposite may be true for some.

Last night my intention was to feel the magical energy of the full moon and invite the energy of Hekate and Pan. I found a secluded spot in the hills near my home and created a sacred circle. I wanted to use candles but it was too windy so I just lit some incense and invited both deities to join me through some invocations and prayers I had written. I blessed the joint I had brought and asked her to guide me in using my craft responsibly. Then I played some music, smoked and drank a pint of beer while looking up at the moon.

What an experience! The aura around the moon seemed to glow brighter and when I closed my eyes I experienced beautiful fractal-like images that reminded me of LSD or psilocybin… These images became even more intense as I raised my arms to the moon in a receptive pose, almost overwhelmingly alive. After the ritual was finished I went home and started to somewhat regret invoking the energy of Pan as I could barely walk straight even after just one ale lol… All of this is to say: intention is everything!

As you can see, cannabis can be a wonderful tool when used properly. If you’re interested in learning how to make a sigil joint spell, I’ve written about it in my Weedscraft series.

If you have any questions about magic and cannabis you can always reach me at Minds or on my Discord server where I talk esoteric stuff.

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