Playing her cards right
Ericka Dukovich (12) studies her tarot cards to determine the future she is reading.
We have some magick here at Westview, and it’s being provided by one of our own.
Ericka Dukovich (12) is a practicing Wiccan. It is a nature-based religion that believes in one’s power to perceive and exert control over their surroundings.
Dukovich was introduced to Wicca in the seventh grade by a friend who was practicing at the time.
From there her belief in Wicca grew deeper, especially when, one morning, she met her mentor.
“One day I was outside an apartment complex, and a woman came out, saying things,” Dukovich said, “We had never talked before, yet she knew my name, knew what it meant, and knew that it was a powerful name. From there, she guessed everything about me correctly.”
Dukovich lights a candle that has the symbol of luck on it. By lighting the candle and allowing it to burn out, Dukovich says that luck may come her way in any way, shape or form.
This woman soon became Dukovich’s guiding light when it came to the world of Wicca. She helped Dukovich better understand her own powers.
Dukovich says that there have been many misconceptions about Wiccan culture. In Wiccan culture, magick is spelled with a “k” added on to the end, confusing many, but this is one of the more minor points.
“People think of us, and they think of the pentagram,” Dukovich said, “And we are associated with the pentagram. But what people don’t realize is that when the tip is pointing north, it is a sign of good magick. Only when inverted does it become a sign of evil.”
Dukovich said that her and many others believe in using their magick only for good.
“We believe in karma,” Dukovich said, “We believe that if you do good things, use your power for good, then good things will happen to you. It will help you achieve your dreams. But if you don’t use your life for good, then you are welcoming bad things into your life.”
To help out her karma, she is working with her mentor’s organization called Magickal Angel Network (MAN), who’s basic belief is to “pay it forward”.
“MAN is an organization my mentor started,” Dukovich said. “It’s an organization where we pretty much help everyone achieve their goals in life, and to help mankind in general. Right now we have a lot of connections with the homeless population in San Diego. We help them get back on their feet.”
Dukovich says that unlike other organizations, MAN realizes that the homeless need time to get back on their feet.
“Many are dealing with problems such as drug addictions,” Dukovich said, “And other organizations will turn away the homeless unless they are clean upon entering. But it doesn’t work that easily, for many of them it’s not like they can just quit cold turkey. We realize that, and so we try to focus on helping them, no matter what stage they are at.”
But what we all really want to know is what they can do with their powers.
“It really depends on how advanced you are with your magick,” Dukovich said, “There are many ways to practice. There is the power to heal, but at the darkest there is also the power to kill. But to use your powers for harm or self gain would be a bad idea, since it would just be bringing in bad karma.”
This may seem pretty strange to the common person, but Dukovich stresses that it is just perspective. To an outsider any religion can seem strange.
And she is quick to point out; Wicca has similarities with a major fixture in popular culture.
“You know [the movie] The Secret? Wiccans are big preachers of it,” Dukovich said, “A large part of the wiccan belief is about the manifestation of things around you. There is a lot of power in positive thinking.”
And though Wicca is considered an obscure religion in Rancho Penasquitos, it is gaining support.
“Right now MAN is drawing nearer to their $2 million goal from funders, so we can be up and running full time and globally,” Dukovich said.
And Dukovich also says that their group is constantly growing inside, and is always looking for new members.
Dukovich stresses that when she talks about her Wiccanism, her magick and her viewpoints on it, she is not speaking for the Wiccan community as a whole. There are many branches; different persuasions in the religion, all holding differing beliefs.
Dukovich says that when she talks about Wicca, it is her Wicca. And her Wicca has made a huge change in her life.
“Wicca has made a huge impact on my life,” Dukovich said. “It’s completely changed my personality. Before I started practicing, I was in a dark place. But Wicca helped raise me out of that. Now I’m a much more positive person. I use my gift to help others.”