This was a presentation I gave in May 2025 at the “Compassionate Action Conference”
Introduction
I am Morgana, Anglo-Dutch and I live in the Netherlands. I am a practising Wiccan Priestess, a Wiccan Elder. Over the years, I have facilitated a variety of Wiccan groups for both initiates and non-initiates. I am also active in interfaith and am involved in the Charter for Compassion and URI. My main focus is the Living Environment in all its diverse aspects.
I acknowledge that I stand upon the ancient lands shaped by the waters of the North Sea and the River Rhine — rivers of life, veins of the Earth, flowing long before memory.
I honour the peoples who have called this land home across the ages: the Batavi, the Frisians, the Cananefates, and the countless others whose names are lost but whose spirits remain in the stones and the soil.
I give thanks to the wetlands, the rivers, the low forests and shifting sands — the living, breathing tapestry that has nurtured life here for millennia.
I recognise the long history of human belonging and human impact, the balance kept and the balance broken — and I step into that story with humility and compassion.
May I walk this land with reverence.
May I listen to its rivers, its winds, its silent remembering.
May I always act as a guardian, a weaver of healing, a humble guest and a beloved child of Earth.
Blessed be this land, this water, this sky.
Blessed be the ancestors of place and spirit.
Blessed be the turning of life that calls us home.
As we enter sacred space, a circle of trust and love and compassion, we welcome the Spirits of the Land, and the Elements of the Four cardinal directions, the four Winds, who will guide us.
Opening Invocation
I turn to the East — place of Air,
where the winds of change stir the soul,
where breath gives life, and vision is born.
I call to the Spirits of Air: come, inspire this circle with clarity, with wisdom, with new beginnings.
I turn to the South — place of Fire,
where passion awakens, where will is forged,
where the flames of transformation burn bright.
I call to the Spirits of Fire: come, ignite this circle with courage, with creativity, with fierce love.
I turn to the West — place of Water,
where the deep rivers of feeling flow,
where healing and mystery rise from the depths.
I call to the Spirits of Water: come, bless this circle with compassion, with resilience, with the power of renewal.
I turn to the North — place of Earth,
where roots run deep, where stones remember,
where strength and endurance hold fast.
I call to the Spirits of Earth: come, ground this circle with steadiness, with sacred connection, with the memory of our belonging.
I call upward — to the Stars, the Moon, the endless Sky.
And I call downward — to the rich, dark soil, to the bones of the Mother.
Between Earth and Sky, within and without, I stand —
a child of the Living World, a weaver of the old magic into the new day.
Bless this gathering.
May the words we share awaken memory, ignite courage, and plant seeds of sacred action.
As we remember who we are —
children of Earth, keepers of balance, dreamers of the new dawn.
So may it be.
Come, sit closer. Let me tell you a story. Not the kind you find in dusty books…
but the kind the wind tells the trees, and the river sings to the stones.
This is a story about Wicca. About an old way of knowing… and a new way of remembering.
You see, Wicca has many names. Some call it a Nature religion. Some, a Goddess path.
Some, a dance with the Moon and their silver tides. But at its heart… Wicca is a Mystery Tradition of the Living Environment. Not a mystery to be solved — but one to be lived, breathed, and slowly unfolded.
In Wicca, we are not separate from nature. We are nature. The trees are our elder Brothers and Sisters. The stones, our silent cousins. The ocean, our ancient mother.
When the Earth is sacred, how can we not protect her? In Wicca, tending the land is an act of devotion. Planting a garden is a prayer. Cleaning a river is an offering. Choosing less, walking lighter — these are spells of love.
This is where Wicca becomes more than ritual:
It becomes the way of the environmentalist. It becomes the way of the social activist.
To be Wiccan is to see the sacredness in every river, every tree, every soul. When a river is poisoned, we speak. When injustice rises, we act. Stewardship is not “someone else’s work”. It is spiritual work — sacred, fierce, and tender.
Activism, too, becomes ritual: A spell for change. A prayer of justice. A weaving of new possibilities. And when the storms come — when the world feels heavy —
Wicca teaches Spiritual Resilience. We remember the turning of the Wheel.
We remember that darkness is followed by light. We remember that we are part of something vast, ancient, and alive. The trees teach us patience. The rivers teach us persistence. The stars teach us that even in darkness, we shine.
This is Wicca: A way of living that sees no division between spirit and soil.
A path where the sacred breathes through every action. A journey of protecting what is sacred — and becoming sacred protectors ourselves.
The cycles of the seasons, the rhythms of the moon, the dance of birth, life, death, and renewal — these are not just events. They are Mysteries. They are doorways through which Wiccans seek understanding — not just of the world, but of themselves.
In Wicca, the Divine is not distant and removed. The Divine is immanent — alive within all things. And often, that Divine is honoured in the forms of the Goddess and the God — complementary forces representing the full spectrum of life.
The Goddess is central: she is the Earth, the Moon, the waters of life.
She waxes, she wanes, she is renewed — just as we are.
The God, her consort, is the Horned God of the wildness of the forest, the vital spark in every living being. He is born, he grows strong, he fades, and he is reborn — mirroring the cycles of the year.
Through rituals, seasonal festivals, and personal practice, Wiccans attune themselves to these natural cycles. They seek not to control nature, but to live in harmony with it — to be conscious participants in its eternal flow.
At its heart, Wicca teaches a sacred relationship:
A relationship between human beings and the Earth that supports them. A relationship with the unseen forces that shape life. And ultimately, a relationship with the deepest parts of themselves.
Wicca is not just a belief. It is a Way of Life, of lived experience — a journey into the sacred mysteries of existence itself. It invites us to awaken… to listen… and to remember that we are not separate from the Earth. We are part of her. We are her. ‘I am the Earth, and the Earth is me’.
Wicca and Daily Practice… (Tip: keep a Magical Diary)
What does our daily practice look like, grounded in the Wheel of the Year and in the solar and lunar cycles? In Wicca, practice is not just something we “do” — it’s the way we live. It’s about moving with the cycles of the Earth, the Sun, and the Moon — daily, seasonally, soulfully.
Our life becomes a spiral dance with time itself. Each day is a microcosm of the greater cycle. Even the simplest acts are offerings when done with awareness. Here are some suggestions for a daily practice
In the morning, greet the Sun. If possible, go outside, even outside on the balcony of your apartment is enough. Start with a simple blessing:
“Hail to you, Great Sun,
Giver of light, of warmth, of life.
As you rise, so do I rise,
To walk this day with honour and with heart.
Shine your golden blessing upon my path.
I walk in clarity, in strength, in joy.
Blessed be.”
Throughout the day, notice the direction of the winds, the feel of the air. Acknowledge the spirits of place — trees, rivers, stones, sky. Move through the world as a sacred guest and steward.
In the evening, have a chat with the Moon. Reflection: “What have I learned? What seeds have I planted?” Offer gratitude, even for challenges.
Other daily practices: Bless your food (even silently). Touch the earth — even just a potted plant, if that’s what you have. Speak to the Elements. Notice the cycles around you: are the plants blooming, withering, resting?
Close your day with an Evening Blessing and a greeting of the Night
“Night falls, and I give thanks.
For the lessons of this day, I am grateful.
As the stars awaken and the Moon watches over,
I lay my burdens down.
May my spirit rest in peace and renewal.
Blessed be the night, blessed be my dreams.”
An even shorter version: a Whisper Blessing for the Night
“The day is done.
I release, I rest, I renew.
Blessed be.”
Daily practice is not about perfection. It is about presence.
Let me tell you a little more about The Wheel of the Year: and the 8 Seasonal Festivals
The Wheel of the Year marks the sacred dance of the Earth around the Sun — the great Solar Cycle and the seasonal agricultural cycle.
Each festival honours a moment in that dance, and calls us into deeper harmony with life’s rhythms. Here is an overview of this cycle for the Northern Hemisphere. (In the Southern Hemisphere, the dates are ‘reversed’. Samhain is then around May 1, Winter Solstice Jun 21/22… and so on.)
Samhain (Oct 31 – Nov 1) This is our New Year, when we celebrate the ‘affirmation of new life’, when we honour our Ancestors, Death and Rebirth. We honour endings and the unseen.
Yule (Winter Solstice, Dec 21-22) This is The Longest Night, when the Sun reaches the lowest point, when we celebrate the ‘Promise of the returning light’.
Imbolc, Brigid’s Day (Feb 1-2). At this time, we celebrate the First stirrings of Spring, Brigid’s Fire. We bless new beginnings.
Spring Equinox, Ostara (March 21-22). At the equinox, when day & night are in equilibrium, we celebrate the Balance of Light and Dark and renewal. We plant dreams.
Beltane, May Eve (April 30). We celebrate fertility, fire, and the union of Earth and Sky. We dance around the Maypole. We celebrate life.
Summer Solstice, Litha (June 21-22) This is the Longest Day, when the Sun is at its zenith, the Height of Light, Power and Blessing. We honour abundance.
Lammas / (Aug 1) This ‘Cross-Quarter Day’ marks the First Harvest and the first bread, ‘Loaf-mass’. We show our Gratitude for the plentiful harvest. We give thanks for growth and prosperity
Autumn Equinox (Sept 21-22) We once again celebrate the equilibrium and balance of day and night, but now looking towards the dark half of the year. This is also the Second Harvest, of fruits and nuts. We gather wisdom as we learn of the Essence of the Seed.
Each festival is a turning of the Great Wheel of the Year, The Wheel of Life, and a doorway into new work, new focus, new inner growth.
Now we look more closely at The Lunar Cycle, and The Moon as Teacher. The Moon teaches us about change, emotion, intention, and letting go. There are 4 distinct phases. At the New Moon, we set new intentions, and during the Waxing Moon, we take action to build, grow, and energise.
At Full Moon, we celebrate by Drawing Down the Moon into a Priestess and listen to the words of the Great Goddess. Or we see the full moonlight reflected in a bowl of water. We gaze into it and listen to words of wisdom, and also ask for healing for all those who have requested it.
During the Waning Moon, there is the release of the magical energy, which cleanses and heals. It is also a time for reflection and rest.
The fourth phase is when the Goddess transitions from Crone, or Wise Woman, to the Virgin of the new cycle at New Moon. In this period, when the Moon is barely visible, we see the light of the Stars and experience the Wisdom emanating from the Cosmos.
For our daily practice, I advise having a chat with the Moon every day, and coming to know what the Moon is doing – is it the time of waxing, waning, full or dark Moon? Then you can align your actions — planting, releasing, reflecting — with the tides. Remember how the Moon influences the ebb & flood of the seas, the ocean? Remember, we are made up of between 60 & 75% water and are also influenced by the Moon.
So in summary, a Wiccan daily life might look like this: greeting the Sun and Moon, blessing the Earth with our footsteps, noticing the changing seasons and aligning our life with them. We mark the Great Sabbats (the 8 Festivals) with rituals, stories, and ceremonies. We dance with the Moon’s phases —building, celebrating, releasing. Above all we live in reverence, even in small things.
Wicca is not a religion of escape. It is a religion of presence, of belonging, of holy daily work and the unfolding of our personal Mysteries.
In a world hungry for reconnection, Wicca offers a way — a path that honours the Earth as holy ground, that sees stewardship not as sacrifice, but as sacred joy, and that builds resilience in the spirit by weaving us back into the living tapestry of life.
We don’t have to have all the answers. We just have to listen… to the land, to the seasons, to the wisdom deep within our bones. Because in the end, Wicca reminds us: we are the Earth, dreaming herself awake.
Thank you for listening.
Thank you for remembering.
Thank you for walking this path with me today.
As we prepare to return to the weaving of our daily lives, let us carry the seeds of this gathering within us —seeds of remembrance, seeds of courage, seeds of love.
May the breath of the East keep our visions clear.
May the fire of the South keep our spirits strong.
May the waters of the West keep our hearts open.
May the earth of the North keep our roots deep and steady.
We give thanks to the spirits who have walked beside us —
to the Earth, our Mother; to the Sky, to the Forests, our Woodland Father;
to the Ancestors, and to the unseen ones who bless the path.
May the words spoken here ripple outward,
kindling change, inspiring action, and nurturing hope.
The circle remains unbroken. The work continues.
The Mystery unfolds.
And so, with gratitude, with love, and with trust in the turning of the Wheel…
we go forth.
Merry Meet and Merry Part… and Merry Meet again
Blessed be.
Video:
“Morgana Sythove talking about “Wicca – the Way of the Environmentalist?” What is Wicca? Described as a Nature, a Goddess and a Lunar Religion…it is first and foremost a Mystery Tradition of the Living Environment. In this presentation, Morgana describes how Wiccan Philosophy can create a guideline for Environmental Stewardship and enhance Spiritual Resilience in a down-to-earth (sic) narrative.”
References:
The Tree of Life: https://stock.adobe.com/nl/images/digital-fantasy-art-the-tree-of-life-a-spiritual-concept-bridging-nature-religion-and-god-with-sunlit-roots-background/549284561
Tips for Daily Practice: https://roundthecauldron.com/2023/02/28/self-care-and-witchcraft-what-it-is-what-it-isnt-and-ideas-for-your-routine/
How to Create Your DAILY Witchcraft Practice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTpwocU6UeU
Silver Circle Moon Calendar: https://silvercircle.org/wicca-hekserij/mystery-moon-calendar/
Wiccan Rede Online: https://wiccanrede.org/
