Liber ab Gens (Book of Tribe)^235
The 13 Goals of the Witch
1 Know yourself
2 Know your Craft (Wicca)
3 Learn
4 Apply knowledge with wisdom
5 Achieve balance
6 Keep your words in good order
7 Keep your thoughts in good order
8 Celebrate life
9 Attune with the cycles of the Earth
10 Breathe and eat correctly
11 Exercise the body
12 Meditate
13 Honor the Goddess and God—From Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner
By Scott CunninghamDid Scott Cunningham write this? Maybe and maybe not. Although it is often cited
to Scott Cunningham, he presented it as if it were part of the Wiccan religion as already
established. Now I do think Scott created The 13 Goals of the Witch, but I do not think
that in so doing his writing becomes a sacred Wiccan text any more than the 13 Prin-
ciples of Wiccan Belief, or the Charge of the Goddess or any other text unless it comes
from one’s own heart. In fact, I may only include it here because it is less than 250
words in length and used for academic purposes and to present critical commentary
(exceptions to copyright law).
So then, like a Charge of our Mother or Father, the 13 (or whatever number)
Goals of the Wiccan should come from the Wiccan heart, not a Wiccan book. This is
not for legal concerns but because there is absolutely no point in creating a set of ethics
or goals if you are not going to follow them and because you are not going to follow
them unless they came from your heart rather than a book. In that matter, I feel the
one primary Wiccan goal is the first of the 13 listed in Scott Cunningham’s book: “Know
yourself.” No, those two words are not the sum total of Wiccan belief, but only with
those two words can one listen to established Wiccan dogma and doctrine and deter-
mine if it sings to the soul or if maybe there is a better religious choice for you. You see,
the rituals and teachings of Wicca are not the religion. Instead, your perception of
those rituals and teachings are.v WB Chap 13.p65 235 7/11/2003, 5:58 PM