MM,
How can someone live with the wiccan rede?Without harming none it is impossible;when drink water we violates the rede,when we eat and cook we also violate the rede,and believe it or not we violate the rede when we breath becasue we are harming oxygen.So how can we live with the rede,Is the rede a mystery has its own meaning other than what we understand?or we can harm things but not intentionaly or not meaning to do so?or what?

How can we understand and live by the wiccan rede?

You're right to some extent. Obviously it's impossible to exist without affecting your surrondings or having some sort of repercussions of some sort. But of course you can't compare killing germs every time you blow your nose to knowingly giving someone poison with the intention of harming that person. As you can't compare both consequences.

Sometimes we harm people without even having physical contact, with simple gossip you can ruin someone's life.

Also, I think that it has lot to do with the intentions you have, I mean I love the earth yet I won't stop eating its fruits and vegetables because I'd starve, then I would be harming myself.

Applying the Rede is not like following the school's rules, you need common sense too. After all you're the one who'll suffer the consequences of your actions. (positive or negative)

Just for information , the Wiccan Rede is not a law . It is just a guideline and it's optional if you want to follow . Munchi , you brought up a good question about the rede . The rede cannot be taken literally or directly . Walking on the grasses harms the grasses , walking on the pavements harms any microscopic or small insects . Drinking water kills the bacteria and some water maybe dirty which in fact causes harm to ourselves too . Eating consist of taking many lifes whether vegetarian or not . Yes , breathing air harms the microscopic organism and if the air is not clean , it harms us too . Everything is harm if you want to follow the Wiccan Rede to the extreme . If everything harms , then even doing nothing harms because you you are breathing and still harming . Because you stand on the ground and harm small insects that are unseen to the eyes . It would be as good as not existing here .

The rede is not to be taken literally .

ok,I got what you say but also I dont know how to live with ot if I decided to do so,I live my life normally and dont do harm with intention to do it,or just try to avoid harm as I can?

honey, its as the others said, a guideline.

I try to use it as a guideline on a daily basis, however, there are somedays where it just ain't gonna happen, and I accept the consequences from that.

It is in effect no different from say, "treat unto others as you wish to be treated" Its not about asking you to give up "normal" living, just to be aware of what you do and the rammifications thereto. As Wandering Mystic said, if you take the rede literally and to the very basic level you would have to stop living, but then you would still contravene the rede as you would have to hurt yourself.

Each and every one of us has a choice, a) to do our best to cause at least harm as possible to othes and ourselves, b) not to bother and just do what the heck we want. Whichever it is you accept your actions and reactions and take responsibility for any rammifications that may occur.

It also sometimes it really does depend on the situation.

Its there to guide us in our choices, its not a "you must follow this or else". Its about finding a balance as is the way in all things.

Remember also everything isn't black and white, there is a heck of lot of gray in between, and that huge amount of gray has many shades.

Love & Light
Rowan

simple really...treat others as you would like to be treated yourself...

you see the Wiccan rede has but one commandment....
not 10 DON'TS.....

"An it harm none, do as ye will."

The most important lesson I've taken from the Rede about "harm none", is that I will suffer the consequences for that which I intentionally cause harm to. To eat, and to nourish my body and that of my family and loved ones is paramount to the balance of nature. I have the obligation to protect my loved ones from those who wish to do us harm, hence, logic would dictate that I also then have the obligation to turn around a harm that HAS been caused to me and send it back to it's origin.

So did I cause harm to them? Or by sending their harm back ... did they cause it to themself?

There in lays the truth of the "harm none" as I take it into my life and my work.