The Wiccan Rede

The following is the Rede in full


Bide ye Wiccan laws ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust
Live and let live, fairly take and fairly give
Form the circle thrice about, to keep unwelcome spirits out
To bind the spell every time, let the spell be spoke in rhyme
Soft of eye and light of touch, speak ye little, listen much
Deosil go by waxing moon, sing and dance ye Wiccan rune
Widdershins go by waning moon, chanting out ye baleful tune
When the Lady's moon is new, kiss ye hand to her times two
When the moon rides at Her peak, then ye heart's desire seek
Heed the north wind's mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail
When the wind comes from the south, love will kiss thee on the mouth
When the wind blows from the west, departed souls will have no rest
When the wind blows from the east, expect the new and set the feast
Nine woods in the cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow
Elder be the Lady's tree, burn it not or cursed you'll be
When the wheel begins to turn, soon the Beltaine fires will burn
When the wheel has turned to Yule, light the log the Horned One rules
Heed ye flower, bush and tree, by the Lady blessed be
Where the rippling waters flow, cast a stone and the truth you'll know
When ye have and hold a need, hearken not to others' greed
With a fool no season spend, or be counted as his friend
Merry meet and merry part, bright the cheeks and warm the heart
Mind the threefold law ye should, three times bad and three times good
When misfortune is anow, wear the star upon thy brow
Rue in love ye must ever be, lest thy love be false to thee
These eight words the Rede fulfill
An ye harm none, Do what ye will.

The Main Laws

As you can see, the Rede (pronounced like the word "reed") is very long. For many beginners, it can be confusing or hard to follow, so we have broken it up into the main laws in the Rede that all Wiccans should follow. They are:


  • Harm None This is found at the end of the Rede, and is the most basic and important of any of the laws. Wiccans do not harm other people, animals, plant-life, or Mother Earth. If you choose to follow the Wiccan Way, then this idea should be included in any spell. An example would be: "May this be for the good of all, the harm of none."

  • The Threefold Law Wiccans believe that anything you do, or "send", will come back to you - either three times better or three times worse. For example, if you did a good deed one day, you would receive wonderful things for yourself three times over. If you performed a hurtful spell on someone, you would be hurt three times worse. This is karma at work, basically.

  • "In perfect love and perfect trust..." Found at the beginning of the Rede, this concept is used most often when casting a circle, but also for initiates joining a coven. It is very important - both Rhiannon and Ileana have had experiences where another Wiccan did not follow this law, and covens were dissolved as a result. To truly be Wiccan, you must always trust and love your fellow Wiccans - and the God and Goddess as well.

  • The Golden Rule Not truly in the Rede, but it is the rule all Wiccans follow, nonetheless. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." In a sense, it sums up the previous laws mentioned.

    As we said, these are the very basics and a good starting point for anyone who is interested in Wicca - no matter what type of Wicca. However, we strongly recommend much soul-searching, research, and reading before becoming Wiccan.