What the Wiccan Rede Really Means: A Profound and Uplifting Guide for Today’s Practitioners

The Wiccan Rede is often given as the sole commandment of Wicca, but a lot of clarification should accompany that statement. After all, Wicca doesn’t have a set book that tells you what to believe or how to practice your belief or your craft. And, for the uninitiated, Wiccan and Witch are not interchangeable. A person could be one or both. But it’s easy to become confused.

However, many Wiccans do hold the Wiccan Rede to be something of a commandment or rule to live by.

So What is the Wiccan Rede?

The Wiccan Rede is a short poetic statement that provides a deceptively simple rule to live by. It gives Wiccans and Witches a kind of guideline, though not all follow the Rede.

Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill:
An it harm none, do what thou will!

It can look a little odd if you don’t understand the meaning of all of its parts, namely, the word “an.” So, let’s define that first. It’s an archaic form of the word “if.” You might also have seen it in the works of Shakespeare, for example.

rede:
noun
1 archaic : counsel, advice
2 archaic : account, story

Then there’s the word “rede.” It’s an archaic term, too, and can be used as a verb or a noun. So, in the case of “Wiccan Rede,” we could also call it advice or counsel for Wiccans.

Where Did the Wiccan Rede Come From?

I’m so glad you asked. It’s complicated. And there’s some debate. But there are some sources that can be cited.

Gerald Gardner may be the first to write down something similar to what the Rede became. In his 1959 book, “Meaning of Witchcraft,” he states that “[witches] are inclined to the morality of the legendary Good King Pausol, ‘Do what you like so long as you harm no one.'”

It’s important to note that Aleister Crowley’s “The Book of the Law,” published in 1904, includes the statement, “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.” However, this is very different from the intent of the Wiccan Rede, so even if it influenced the creation of the Rede, it isn’t the same thing.

In 1964, Doreen Valiente, who had become a High Priestess in Gardner’s tradition (she has a much longer, more interesting story than this), spoke the Wiccan Rede into being at a Witches’ dinner that was sponsored by “Pentagram,” a quarterly newsletter. This event was recorded in the book “The Truth About Witchcraft” by Hanz Holzer, published in 1969.

But What Does it Mean?

The Wiccan Rede seems to have a simple meaning if you take it literally. In plain English, it says, As long as you don’t cause harm, do what you want. But that’s not the whole of it. If you spend a bit of time thinking about it, you’ll realize that it’s impossible to live a life entirely without causing any harm. And, could it really be saying you can just do whatever you’d like to do?

We’re left to interpret the meaning ourselves, and that makes a great deal of sense if you know that Wiccans (and Witches, Pagans, and others) don’t follow one set of rules or commandments like other modern faiths do. There isn’t an overarching organization defining things.

You should read the interpretations and thoughts of many and allow your own concept of the Rede to shift as you learn the perspectives of others. What I have taken from the Rede is this: Follow your own heart, beliefs, and happiness as long as you aren’t causing harm to anyone else. And apply that to how you see others as well. Does what they are doing cause any harm to you or someone else? Or are you only bothered by their actions because it isn’t what you would do?

Wait, isn’t There a Longer Version?

Indeed, there is! In the 1970s, Lady Gwen Thompson’s long version was published in another Pagan magazine called “Green Egg.” Thompson is said to have claimed it was passed down to her from her own grandmother, Adriana Porter. However, there are reasons to doubt that is the case. Porter died in 1946, and the word Wicca was introduced in the 1950s. Not only does this poem use the term “Wicca,” but it also refers to “The Witch’s Rune,” written by Doreen Valiente and Gerald Gardner around 1954-1955.

The longer piece is still lovely and, like any other writing, it’s as valid as any when it comes to practicing Wicca. However, it technically isn’t the Wiccan Rede, though it includes the Rede as the last two lines.

So, is it a Rule, or Not?

The Wiccan Rede is a guideline. It is exactly what it claims to be: advice to Wiccans for the best way to behave. Don’t turn your powers (magickal or mundane) to causing harm to others. But, if you feel attracted to a person of the same sex, if you enjoy a certain thing that brings you pleasure, if you find joy in collecting childish things, go forth and do as you Will. But don’t hurt anyone else in the process.

We have an obligation to do good, to champion peace, to act in kindness. As Uncle Ben said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Be kind. Don’t be a jerk. Take care of the Earth. You get the idea.