Wicca was believed to have originated from Ireland, Scotland, and Whales, but archeologists have recently found cave paintings that are traced back to the Paleolithic Era, almost 30,000 years ago. The pictures were of a stag-headed God and a pregnant Goddess standing in a circle with eleven women. Those and many other findings show that Witchcraft can be reasonably called the oldest religion in the world.
In some cultures today, and many cultures before us, Witchcraft was known as �The Craft of the Wise� because its followers were healers, were in tune with the forces of nature, had knowledge of herbs and medicines, and were valuable to the village and community they lived in. These people understood that we are not superior to the Earth, but are equal to the trees, dirt, bugs, deer, and everything else that makes up the Earth, and must return everything we take or use from it to maintain balance.
Before people started turning against Wicca, it was actually just called Witchcraft. The medieval church decided that we didn't belong, so they put fear into people's minds, making Witches look like Satan worshipers with wills to hurt everybody they had any sort of grudge against (according to the church people). That is why still today many Witches get discriminated against, only because people don't understand that we are for the good of the Earth and NEVER have intention to harm anyone or anything on this world. The most well known occurrence was the Salem Witch Trials, where women were accused to be Witches and people of the devil, so therefore were hung.
What We Believe: For starters, we have the strong belief that we are not superior just because we are humans. Everything in nature is equal, and deserves equal rights. If you take something from the Earth, it is only just to give something in return, like if you eat a carrot, plant a cucumber! We wish to understand nature and its powers. We worship the God (Lord/Sun) and the Goddess (Lady/Moon), who go by many different names. Our lives are based around The Wiccan Rede, and more specifically the line "And it harm none, Do what ye will".
Our daily lives go by the cycles of the sun, moon, and nature. We celebrate our holidays by the changing of the seasons. The energy of the Earth is what gives us the power to live our lives happily. The elements that make up all of creation are Earth, Water, Air, and Fire.
For the most part, we dedicate our lives to trying to keep nature and humanity in peaceful harmony; we rejoice when the Earth rejoices, and cry when the Earth cries. Now we must try our best to keep mankind from destroying the world in their greedy quest for power. Plant a tree, use candles, make your own clothing, or anything that makes you feel like your helping the planet out. All these things cannot only help the Earth, but make our lives more fulfilling and happy. Keep in touch with nature, and love every single bit of it. Humbly serve the God and Goddess, and they will reward us all greatly with their love and compassion.
Another part of us that stands out is the belief in reincarnation. A death, although sad because of the parting of a loved one, is also a time for celebration, because that person has moved on to another life. What happens exactly to a person's soul when they die is still a controversy, but many believe we go to a place called the Summerland until our soul enters another body, and thus is reborn again.
Daily Lives of Wiccans: Although I cannot account for all Wiccans, many practice loving and caring for others daily. I have noticed that many Wiccans chose to be nurses or doctors so they can help heal others, though usually not with magick. Many also keep a Book of Shadows (BOS), which is like a diary of "witchery". A BOS does not need to be written in daily, of course, but it can hold things like spells, herbs, lores, poetry, or even what you did that day (relating to Wicca, of course). Mine has started out with a letter to the Goddess, thanking her for showing me that she is really there, and my plans for worshiping her.
Not all Wiccans practice magick. Some choose not to do so for their own personal reasons, and not practicing magick definately doesn't mean you're not Wiccan. There are many other ways to worship the God and Goddess, and magick isn't even near the number one way. Those that do, though, draw the power out of themselves and channel it for good deeds. ANYONE that practices any form of dark magick to harm anyone else is NOT Wiccan, NOT a witch, and definately should not even have a place on this Earth. That is the ultimate sin of any man, and to use magick just makes it even worse.
Other than that, all the Wiccans I have met are extremely nice and friendly, and I can contribute that to the blessing of the Goddess. Worshiping the Lord and Lady is the greatest blessing and honor on this Earth, and everyone should be able to do so in harmony. So down to the point, we're basically normal. *lol*