I was asked
recently about one of my new books that is coming out soon. Originally it was
going to be a single novel however there was too much to the story I’ve turned
it into a very short series. The change is the concept of magic. Most of my
books are always dealing with vampires and their abilities however as the
family secrets series progressed I found myself adding more magical properties
to it. This new series I wanted more of that present. The first book starts the
introduction to it however the second one really dives in deep. Before the
novel is released I wanted to share various types of “Pagan,” and many other
types that tend to be put under this category. My new novel “Dusk” will be out
in November 2016.
My novel
Dusk is not about Pagans of all kinds in general. She has a long lineage of
Witchcraft and Wicca. Labeling someone as Pagan doesn’t exactly give a very
accurate fit to the name. Many groups are placed under this however I am going
to list several and I know I’ll miss some however the explanation next to them
will be a very shortened explanation of the group and what they believe.
Depending on the group there still may be more variations to these groups also
but this is to give you a general understanding. Many that fall under the term
“Pagan” differ so greatly that one might be a witch however each could differ
from the other by 100%.
"The
major misconception about Witchcraft today is that Witches worship Satan, which
is just not so. We do not believe in Satan. That is a Christian creation. We
don’t worship evil. Indeed, to give evil a name is not a real intelligent thing
to do, because then you give it power." ~ Silver Ravenwolf ~
Pagan:
A person
holding religious beliefs other than those of the main stream religions.
Wiccan: The religious belief of modern
witchcraft, especially an initiatory tradition founded in England in the mid-20th
century and claiming its origins in pre-Christian pagan religions.
Witchcraft:
Witchcraft is the practice of any Magical Art from any religious or
spiritual system, regardless of alignment or intent.
Voodoo:
Louisiana Voodoo, also known as New Orleans Voodoo, describes a set of
spiritual folkways that developed from the traditions of the African diaspora.
It is a cultural form of the Afro-American religions developed by enslaved West
Africans and the French, Spanish, and Creole populations of the U.S. state of
Louisiana.
Hoodoo: Hoodoo (also known as rootwork)
is Southern folk magic grounded in centuries of African American heritage
within the southern United States. Hoodoo is often known by other names
including: conjure, rootwork, root doctoring, laying tricks, working roots or
doing the "work".
Augury Witch: Similar to a shaman in
practice, the augury witch will help to direct those on a spiritual quest by
interpreting the signs and symbols the traveler encounters. The term derives
from the official Roman augurs, whose function was not to foretell the future but
to discover whether or not the gods approved of a proposed course of action by
interpreting signs or omen such as the appearance of animals sacred to the
gods. It is important to note that augury witches are not "fortune
tellers", as their gifts are of prophecy and not divination. In the
context of prophecy, in his Scottish play Shakespeare's witches appear as
augury witches.
Traditional: One who practices
witchcraft by honoring and using old and traditional ways of magick. This type
of witch might be one to practice modern methods of magick but they might also
stick to traditional concepts or techniques.
Ceremonial Witch: Witches who combines
both the practices of witchcraft and ceremonial magic, though they are more
spiritually centered than most ceremonial magicians. Ceremonial witches are
very exacting in the performance of ritual and their rituals are usually
followed by the book, to the letter and with much ceremony. They may use a
combination of various mystical disciplines drawn from the Old Ways, but will
often incorporate scientific approaches such as sacred mathematics and quantum
mysticism as well. They will call upon an
eclectic band of spiritual entities, leaning towards archetypal figures
representative of the energies they wish to manifest.
Eclectic Witch: An individual approach
in which the witch picks and chooses from many different traditions and creates
a personalized form of witchcraft that meets their individual needs and
abilities. They do not follow a particular religion or tradition, but study and
learn from many different systems and use what works best for them.
Elemental Witch: A witch who practices
by honoring/acknowledging the 4 or all 5 elements: Water, Earth, Air, Fire, and
Spirit. Commonly an Elementalist will dedicate different areas of their altars
to each element, call upon them during spells and rituals, and use symbols to
represent each.
Faery (Fairy) Witch: An eclectic witch
who seeks to commune with faery folk and nature spirits in their magick
workings. They have no organization or tradition and it has developed of its
own accord through common practice. (Not to be confused with the 'Feri
Movement' [see below]
Hellenic: A form of non-witchcraft
practice where the practice follows Greek ideals/culture and honors the Greek
pantheon.
Hereditary/ Blood Witch: Also known as
a Family Tradition Witch, it is someone who has been taught "The Old Ways
" as a tradition passed down through the generations of their family.
Though you may be born into a family with the tradition, you cannot be born a
witch, a conscious decision and acceptance of “The Craft” is necessary to
become a witch. Many witches claim to be hereditary witches when in fact, they
are not. You must be brought up in a family of witches to be a hereditary
witch.
Science: A form of Magick that both
metaphysical ideas and scientific facts/theories are mixed together by the
individual practice.
Green (Garden) Witch: A practitioner of
witchcraft whose focus is on the use of natural items and places. The goal of
the Green Witch is upon achieving magic through communion with Mother Nature
and using Her energies. A Green witch is very similar to a Kitchen/Cottage
witch (see below) with the exception that the Green witch practices in the
fields and forest in order to be closer to the Divine spirit. The Green witch
makes his or her own tools from accessible materials from outdoors. A Green
or Garden Witch, that works primarily with floral materials and flowers in
their practice is often called a Flora Witch and one who works with herbs and
other plants an Herbal Witch.
Hedge Witch: Hedgecraft is a path that
is somewhat shamanic in nature, as they are practitioners of an Earth-based
spirituality. These are the ones who engage in spirit flight and journey into
the Otherworld. They can, in this capacity, be very powerful midwives and
healers. A bird of one kind or another is usually associated with the Hedge
Witch, most commonly the raven and the goose. The term “hedge” signified the
boundary of the village and represents the boundary that exists between this
world and the spiritual realm.
Kitchen (Cottage) Witch: A practitioner
of witchcraft who uses the tools at hand to work their spells and create their
rituals and who deals with the practical sides of religion, magick and the
Elements of the Earth. Some who hear the term “Kitchen Witch” may think it is a
magickal art confined only to the kitchen or cooking, but it is much more. It
is about the finding of the sacred in everyday tasks, no matter how mundane
they may appear to be. An increasingly popular type of witchcraft, it is about
working with the energies of nature to make the hearth and home a secure and
sacred place.
Dream (possible
variation of hedge) Mindful and internal magickal practice mainly based
from interpreting dreams and/or engaging in lucid dreaming. Those who intensify
as this may “de-code” symbols and messages in the dream world similar to how
one would use a divination technique
Sea: A type of magick derived from
materials and abstract ideas involving the ocean and oceanic world. Sea/ocean
magick can be worked using seashells and bones, sea weed, beach sand,
driftwood, ocean water, etc. and a sea witch might draw their energy from that
of the sea!
Secular Witch: One who practices a
secular or non-theist approach to the Craft, not connecting with deities in
their rituals and magick. Secular witches believe the energy used in their
magick comes from the Earth and natural world and they will use tools like
plants and herbs, crystals and stones, or other things that they do not worship
as deities.
Solitary Witch (Solitaire): One who
practices alone, without a family or group and without following any particular
tradition. Sometimes they are among that class of natural witches whose skills
have been developed in previous lifetimes. There is a legend among witches that
when an individual soul has practiced "the Craft" over a period of
several lifetimes, the knowledge is reawakened upon reaching puberty.
Satanic Witch: A pernicious epithet
used by those who wish to demonize those practicing witchcraft. Satanic
worshippers are not witches. Traditional Witches do not worship Satan as this
is a Christian concept not recognized in traditional pagan beliefs.
Accordingly, the labels of “white witch” and “black witch, (popularly meaning a
“good witch” as one who practices “white magic” and a “wicked witch” as one who
practices “black magic”), are also misnomers as Traditional Witches practice a
“natural magic” drawing on the forces of Nature and they refrain from
attempting to manifest any form of black magic and the drawing down of negative
or demonic energies.
Warlock: In common, but incorrect
usage, the definition of a warlock is said to be “a male version of a witch”. However,
there is much debate about the usage of the word among witches and male
practitioners of the Traditional Craft, many of whom find the term offensive
and prefer to be known simply as witches, never referring to themselves as
warlocks. The most common etymology of the word can possibly be traced back to
the old English or Scottish word "waerloka" which many centuries ago
had the meaning "oath breaker" or even "traitor". In which
case, the term oath breaker may have been applied to witches as they had 'broken
their oaths' with the Christian church, by becoming witches. Conversely though,
the word "waerlak" meant "honor bound" and exactly which
word became associated with witchcraft is a matter of speculation. Today some
wiccans will use the term "warlocking" to refer to the
excommunication of someone from their group or "coven".
Witches are
the kind of more traditional, home and family, craft people, so they're the
ones who are making things; crocheting shawls and things like that. But then
they also have that slightly confident, dangerous, edge. ~Deborah Harkness~
Traditions of Witchcraft
African Tradition(s): Different African
tribes refer to witchcraft differently. Generally, in African traditions there
are generally three classifications of practitioners who use magic ... The
“Thakathi” (often improperly translated into English as "witch" and
almost exclusively female) are practitioners who operates in secret to curse
others. The “Sangoma” (usually female)
who is a diviner, akin to a fortune-teller, often predicting or advising on a
person's future, or identifying the guilty party in a crime. And the “Inyanga”, (usually translated as
"witch doctor" and almost exclusively male), whose job is to heal illness
and injury through herbalism and naturopathy and to provide believers with magical
items for everyday use.
Vodoun (or the anglicized Voodoo): A
tradition practiced in the Caribbean and the southern US which combines
elements of Roman Catholic ritual with traditional African magical and
religious rites, and characterized by sorcery and spirit possession.
Appalachian 'Granny' Tradition: The tradition of Appalachian Folk Magic dates
back to the first settlers of the Appalachian Mountains who came to the United
States from Scotland and Ireland in the 1700's and who brought with them their
"Old World" magical traditions. Those traditions were then blended
with the local tradition of the Cherokee Tribes into a combination of local
herbal folk remedies and charms, faith healing, storytelling and magick. The
'Granny' Witches will often call themselves 'Doctor Witches' or 'Water Witches'
depending upon whether they are more gifted in healing and midwifery, or if
they are more in tune with dowsing for water, lay lines and energy vortexes.
This tradition is termed 'Granny' from the prominent role played by older women
in the mountain communities.
Asian Tradition(s): In Japan, the
Shinto religion is itself a shamanistic religion and thus the Japanese do not
attach negative connotations to witchcraft. The word "witch" is
actually used with positive connotation in the Japanese language as a female
with high skills or fame. Asian witchcraft generally centers on the
relationship between the witch and the animal spirits or familiars and in
Japanese witchcraft, witches are commonly separated into two categories: those
who employ snakes as familiars and those who employ foxes; the Fox Witch being
the most commonly seen witch in Japan. In China, witches employ books, staffs,
and other implements, similar to the western traditions of witchcraft and the
witches are often accompanied by familiars in the form of rabbits, which are
universally associated with the Moon, with fertility and with the Goddess. The
witches of China are notable for their extensive knowledge of the occult
properties of plants and herbs, as well as for clairvoyance and the study of
astrology.
Australian Aboriginal Tradition:
Aboriginal female elders were labeled by Christian missionaries as
"witches" or, if men, as "witchdoctors” and these missionaries
saw the traditional female practice of "love magic" or yilpinji as
"witchcraft". Yilpinji is achieved through a creative integration of
myth, song, gesture and art against a background of country. Yilpinji, love
magic, is invariably based in the empowering link with the homeland shared by everyone
in Aboriginal culture.
British Tradition: (Not to be confused
with 'British Traditional Wicca’) Traditional British Crafters generally
practice a solitary form of witchcraft and each traditional witch draws on an
eclectic mix of beliefs and rituals from the myths and religions of the various
pre-Roman and pre-Christian tribes and cultures of the British Isles. The
culture of the ancient British determines the cultural context of the
tradition. British Traditional Witchcraft is drawn from the "energy"
of "The Homeland” and its people. So, there are often differences between
the practices of those witches from Welsh or Scottish regions for example, but
also many similarities such as the common belief in the "magic" of
the British forests and woodlands. Over time though it has begun to evolve into
a much more regimented system and some in the traditional craft have become
less solitary and started coming together in groups with the Wiccan covens
structured initiation and degree process. Though continuing to insist on being
"Traditional" and not "Wicca" by adopting its structure
they are in realty becoming Wiccan in practice if not in name.
Celtic (Irish) Tradition: The Irish
Tradition is really many traditions under the general heading of
"Celtic" and Celtic paths are some of the more popular traditional
witchcraft traditions. Most are very eclectic and hold to the ancient Celtic
myths, divinities, magic and rituals. They are practitioners of the Elements,
the Ancient Ones and of Nature. They are usually physical and spiritual healers
who work with plants, stones, flowers, trees, the fauns and the faires.
Cornish Tradition: The traditional
magic of Cornish Witches commonly includes the work of the making and provision
of magical charms, simple rituals and magical gestures with muttered
incantations, the healing of disease and injury and divination. (see below:
Cunning Folk)
Cunning Folk Tradition: The term
"cunning man" or "cunning woman" was most widely used in
southern England, the Midlands and in Wales. Such people were also frequently
known as "wizards", "wise men" or "wise women" or
"conjurers". In Cornwall they were sometimes referred to as
"pellars", which originated from the term "expellers",
referring to the practice of expelling evil spirits. Folklorists often used the
term "white witch", though this was not used amongst the ordinary
folk as the term "witch" had an evil connotation. The relationship
between cunning-craft and witchcraft is controversial. The original cunning
folk were often times witch hunters; seeking out and condemning an individual
as a witch responsible for some evil or affliction and then performing curses
against the supposed offender. Today “Cornish Tradition Witches” are often
mistakenly referred to as cunning folk.
Hecatine (Scottish) Tradition: A
tradition in The Craft that comes from a Scottish origin which preserves the
unique rituals of the Scots. Drawing on the same cultural influences of Pictish
Witchcraft they differ in that Pictish is a more solitary practice. A fairly
secretive tradition, not much is known of their rituals by outsiders. In Wicca
the Caledonii Movement mirrors much of the same practices and the two are often
confused.
Nordic Tradition (Seiðr): A type of
traditional witchcraft practiced in Norse and Germanic tribal societies which
flourished during the Northern European Iron Age. In Norse mythology it is associated with both
the god Oðinn and the goddess Freyja.
Seiðr practitioners are of both genders, although females are more common.
Many of the Nordic female witches are Augury Witches (see above) and are
referred to as a Völva ("wand carrier" or "carrier of a magic
staff"), who practice meditation or introspection for the purpose of
clairvoyance and divination.
Pictish (Scottish) Tradition:
Originally from Scotland, it is a "solitary witch" form of "The
Craft". Pictish Witchcraft attunes itself to all aspects of nature;
animal, vegetable, and mineral and it is more magickal in nature and practice
than it is religious. Pictish witches are solitary and rarely, if ever, do they
work in groups or covens
Pow-Wow Tradition: (Pennsylvania Dutch
Tradition) Taken from the Algonquin word “pauwau”, which means literally
"vision seeker", its principles encompass shamanic like rituals of
healing through visions and the application of traditional medicines, which are
often accompanied by prayers, incantations, songs, and dances. The word pauwau
(pow-wow) was came to be used for Native American ceremonies and councils
because of the important role played by the pauwau in both. The Pow Wow
Tradition places great significance on the vision seeker as the nexus of group
(coven) activities and rituals. Though some claim that the Pow-Wow Tradition is
German in origin, but seems to be more of an amalgamation of local Native
American traditions with those traditions of the Dutch immigrants of pagan
heritage who settled in the Pennsylvania region of the United States.
Slavic (Russian) Tradition: In traditional Slavic witchcraft, the power
of magic is considered a realistic part of life without any link to the devil
or demonology. It is believed anybody can learn witchcraft with the proper
teaching and that teaching often comes in the form of riddles that the initiate
must solve. The Slavic witch often possesses the ability to astral travel and
can quite easily fall in and out of trance states. Slavic witches observe three
canons during their rituals; nudity, silence and not looking back after the
working’s conclusion.
Stregheria (Italian) Tradition: Stregheria (an archaic Italian word for
"witchcraft") is sometimes referred to as "La Vecchia
Religione" (the old religion). These witches are called Streghe (plural),
with the title Strega (for a female) and Stregone (for a male). They follow a
tradition that is based on the appreciation of wisdom and beauty. Stregheria is
not a singular tradition, but instead a collection of practices that have
descended from the native traditions of the Italian/Sicilian regions. It is
said by some to be based on the teachings of a 14th century woman named
Aradia, but, this does not mean that witchcraft in Italy began in the 14th
century. The tradition taught by Aradia was a revival of the Old Ways of the
folk religions of the ancient Etruscans and Romans during a time of
persecution of the peasants of Italy by the Catholic nobility. To many
modern Stregherian Witches, most Catholic saints are simply ancient pagan gods
dressed in Christian garb and the majority of Stregherians have removed these
saints Catholic veneer and restored them to their pagan deity heritage.
Teutonic (Germanic) Tradition: From
ancient times the Teutons have been recognized as a group of people who speak
the Germanic group of languages. Culturally, this includes the English, Dutch,
Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish peoples. A Teutonic Witch finds
inspiration in the differing traditional myths and legends and in the Gods and
Goddesses of “The Homeland” where each individual dialect originated. A
German Teutonic Witch might differ from the Nordic Tradition, for example, in
that they may not focus on manifesting prophetic power like the witches of Scandinavia.
Welsh Tradition: Originating in Wales,
Welsh witches believe themselves to be one of the oldest traditions. It is
sometimes said to be confined to certain families and members of the family
become "awakened" to their calling and pass through 9 levels of
attainment. It is theoretically hereditary, but you can "be adopted"
into the tradition.
Asatru: Asatru is regarded as the
modern day attempt to revive the old Norse faith. During the early part of the
20th Century, the National Socialist Party in Germany under Adolf Hitler
attempted to pervert Ásatrú by grafting parts of the religion onto the Nazi
Aryan beliefs, but this died away for the most part at the end of World War II.
Its followers today hold as closely as possible to the original religion of
ancient Norse paganism. Modern Asatru is polytheistic and centered around the
worship of eight main deities, along with other minor deities and supernatural
beings of varying importance and their rites and rituals are centered upon the
exchange of gifts with the Gods and one's kinfolk.
Odinism: The modern revival of an
ancient Germanic folk religion widely practiced by various people throughout
northern Europe, primarily dedicated to the gods of the Norse pantheon. (Some
modern day Odinists often mistakenly refer to themselves as followers of
Asatru). Ancient Odinism had the shamanic attributes of Odin and the “trickster
god” Loki, as well as the ancient Germanic ‘honor and shame” nature of its
warrior centered belief system. Organized Germanic groups such as the
Germanische Glaubens-Gemeinschaft began a revival in Germany in the early 20th
century, which was first overshadowed and then suppressed by the Nazis Aryan
movement. A second revival came in the late 1960s and early 1970s. An extremist
element of Odinism (Wotanism) has emerged primarily in the United States over
the past few decades, attracting white supremacists who see it as a racially
"pure white” religion.
Druidry: In the Celtic religion, the
modern words Druid or Druidry denote the practices of the ancient Druids, the
priestly class in ancient Britain and Gaul. The historical knowledge of the
Druids is very limited, as no Druidic documents have survived. Julius Caesar's
‘The Gallic Wars’ gives the fullest account of the ancient Druids and he
describes them as the learned priestly class, who were guardians of the
unwritten ancient law and who had the power of executing judgment. To most
people today, the Druids conjure up images of a mysterious, religious sect
wearing strange robes and conducting archaic ceremonies out in the open air at
Stonehenge. However, archeologists have shown that Stonehenge was built, over a
during the stone age, long before the emergence of the bronze age Druids and
there is no evidence that they ever used Stonehenge as a religious site. Modern
Druidism (Neo-druidism) came out of the Romanticism Movement of the 18th
Century and is thought to have some, though not many, connections to the Old Religion,
instead being based largely on writings produced during and after the 18th
Century from second hand sources and dejected theories.
Feri Movement: A
modern movement that was begun in the 1940’s by Victor Anderson and originally
called the 'Vicia Tradition'. It has its
own theology with its own Gods, known as the Star Goddess, the Divine Twins and
the Blue God. It utilizes ecstatic sexual practices which seek to raise and use
“Feri energy” which is seen as a specific power that is passed between members
of the movement. This movement is often confused as being Wiccan and while Feri
members make no claims to a Wiccan lineage, a case could be made that Wicca is
a child of the Feri Movement.
Humanistic Movement:
Adhering to an ideal of “Religious Humanism”, Humanistic practitioners follow a
Nature-centered path, as contrasted with a deity-centered path. Humanistic
practitioners tend to be atheistic or non-theistic and they define their
approach to their interpretation of the Craft through the direct existential
experience of the Natural world and not through the intervention of any Gods or
Goddesses as they seek direct attunement with the power of Nature.
New Reformed Orthodox
Order of the Golden Dawn: An American denomination founded by researcher
Aiden Kelly of the Covenant of the Goddess, drawing its foundation on the
Victorian Era Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. It was established 1967 as a poetic theater
arts project for San Francisco State College, and has developed into a fully
acknowledged religion by 1976. It has an emphasis on poetry, individual intuition,
and experiential ritual.
Quantum Mysticism:
A term that has been used to describe the attempt to interconnect mystical
views to quantum mechanics and its scientific interpretations. Quantum
physicists attempt to explain how all dimensions of life and reality consists
of "quanta", of "energy" as the vibratory nature of atomic
particles in. Mystics attempt to explain how everything in the Universe, in all
dimensions of life and reality consists of "prana", of "Qi (or
Chi) energy" as the vibratory nature of reality. Quantum Mysticism,
viewing the two concepts as harmonious and not contradictory, seeks to
establish that both paths lead to the same destination.
Wiccan Movement:
Wicca is not “Witchcraft". Witchcraft and Wicca are two separate and
distinct paths. Though many Wiccans
often incorrectly refer to themselves as whereas, traditional practitioners
will never call themselves Wiccan, but will refer to themselves as being a
witch, a heathen or they will use another label altogether.
Wicca as a modern organized religion (or some say cult) was
developed around 1954 by Gerald Gardner.
Wicca, as created by Gardner, is a concoction of ancient Western European
folk traditions, mixed with ancient Egyptian and Kabbalistic mysticism. The
general public, (and many Wiccans themselves), are under the mistaken belief
that Wicca has been brewing up over the millennia in some witch's cauldron
rather than it being a mid-20th Century “concoction”. However, historically
speaking, there is no evidence of the usage of the word "Wicca” prior to
1920 when it first appeared in ‘An Encyclopedia of Occultism’ compiled by Lewis
Spence. The word was later usurped by Gardner as a label for his Wiccan
Movement and he erroneously claimed “Wicca” to be a synonym for the word
witchcraft.
Although initially Wicca was based more in magickal
pursuits, it has since evolved into more of a New Age religious movement
centered around a hegemony of priests and priestesses who administer rites and
practices based on a doctrinal system of beliefs (a Wiccan Rede), and with a
shifting ethics base within each separate group or “coven". To be of Wicca
you must swear an oath of allegiance and secrecy to the coven in a structured
ritual initiation. In short, if no
Wiccan priest or priestess with proper initiation themselves puts you through
the process, you are not Wiccan. This stands in complete contrast to
Witchcraft's tradition of self-awakening and self-empowering in the craft. A
Traditional Witch does not swear an oath to another human and is bound only by
personal allegiance to their own moral codes and ethics.
Alexandrian Wicca:
A modified Gardnerian system founded in the 1960's. More eclectic in practice,
in most ways the Alexandrian Movement is very close too Gardnerian with a few
minor changes. As with the Gardnerian, it is not considered to be "Old
Religion" by traditional witches.
Blue Star Wicca:
The "Coven of the Blue Star" was begun in 1975 by Frank Dufner. The
original coven described itself as practicing "Great American
Nontraditional Collective Eclectic Wicca".
Which is confusing as eclectic practitioners do not adhere to any
particular code and rarely are part of any group or coven. Although modeled
from Gardnerian Traditions, some members reject the term Wicca and refer to
their movement as Witchcraft. This sect also uses initiation and a degree
system, which is Wiccan and Traditional Witchcraft
British Traditional
Wicca (BTW): An umbrella term used to describe the Wiccan Movement as it is
established in Britain, the most prominent of which are Gardnerian and
Alexandrian Wicca. Most British Wiccans practice a modern neo-pagan religion,
more in line with the new age, humanist movement. Most BTW conveners consider
the term Wicca to be rightfully exclusive to BTW coven members. They do not recognize anyone as a Wiccan that
has not been initiated in a BTW lineage coven.
Caledonii Wicca:
A Wiccan sect that mirrors the Hecatine Tradition of Witchcraft. (see above: '
Disciplines of Traditional Witchcraft'/'Hecatine Tradition')
Christian Wicca:
(Trinitarian Wicca) A religious movement which purports to follow the
principals of both Wicca and Christianity. Wicca is an earth-based religion in
which its followers worship nature in all of its aspects: both feminine and
masculine, (the God and the Goddess), in the tradition of the ancient pagan
religion. Christianity teaches that accepting Jesus Christ is the only path to
spiritual redemption, as set forth in the Bible. It is fair then to say that
the two philosophies are vastly at odds and Christian Wicca is much more a
Christian Evangelical movement than a Wiccan sect.
Covenant of the
Goddess: A cross-traditional Wiccan
group of solitary Wiccan practitioners and over one hundred affiliated covens
(or congregations). It was founded in 1975 in order to increase co-operation
among Wiccans and to secure for witches and covens the legal protection enjoyed
by members of other religions. Member covens generally focus theology and
ritual on the Gardnerian established general practice within Wicca.
Dianic Wicca: Sometimes referred to as a modern Cult of
Diana, this is the most feminist Wiccan movement. It is a mixture of
different paths, though its primary focus is the Goddess who is worshiped in
her three aspects of Maiden, Mother and Crone.
As a reflection of a "divine feminine tradition", its covens are
mostly for women only. (see: Arcadian Wicca) To an outside observer, Dianic
Wicca may appear as a single movement, but actually it is an intertwined group
of practices that have influenced each other. Most Dianic Wiccans worship the
Goddesses exclusively. An offshoot of Dianic Wicca, "Arcadian Wicca",
was begun in the 1950's and unlike most Dianic groups, this movement allows
both male and female members and it accords equal status to the divine
masculine along with the divine feminine. It centers around the worship of
the Horned God of Greece's Arcadian Mountains.
Dynion Mwyn Coven:
(also called: 'Y Tylwyth Teg’) A modern Welsh movement that was originally
created in 1967 in the United States and which was the basis of a legally
incorporated church of Georgia state in 1977. This tradition is said by its
adherents to be derived from Welsh and Pictish and Druidic religious
practices.
Eclectic Wicca:
There are 2 differing ideas of Eclectic Wicca. The first as an American Wiccan
movement which developed following the introduction of Gardnerian and
Alexandrian Wicca to the United States in the early 1960s that was incorporated
under the banner of “The Church of Universal Eclectic Wicca". This established church borrows elements from
several Wiccan movements which some say is a "make it up as you go
along" approach to Wicca. Secondly,
'Eclectic Wicca’ as a label, may be better viewed as a term applied to
practitioners that don't fit into any established Wiccan movement. An
individual may be creating his or her own tradition of beliefs and practices
and because their system can't be labeled as something else, it can be said to
be eclectic. Or one might be a solitary, practicing what he or she has learned
from available sources on Wicca and so his or her Wiccan practice would be
considered eclectic. Though in such examples the practitioner would but not be
part of an initiatory nor oath bound lineage, which are primary foundations of
Wicca. So Eclectic Wiccans are in practice more like traditional eclectic
witches than they are adherents of the Wiccan Rede of an established group or
coven
Gardnerian Wicca: These are the followers of the original Wicca
as founded by Gerald Gardner in 1954. According to Gardner's manifesto; the
Wiccan practice has a fairly dogmatic set of elaborate ceremonies and rituals
which are overseen by his own initiated lineage of priests and priestesses.
Wicca was created during the time of a'neo-pagan spiritual revival' movement
which sprang up in Europe in the 1950s and this new religion, (which was
probably based on the earlier Feri Movement of the 1940's), has never had
credibility amongst traditional witches who see it as promoting the idea of
'weekend witchcraft' and not fostering a true dedication to the Craft. Some
people also speculate that the general public’s misconception that witches hold
their ceremonies in the nude is directly traceable to Gardnerian Wicca. Gardner
was the owner of the Five Acres Nudist Club in Herefordshire, England and his
nudist camp became a mecca for those who wanted to come to “dance skyclad under
the Moon” which gives credence to the idea that Wicca was a marketing gimmick
for Gardner’s business that took on a life of its own. Today Gardner has come
to be remembered by many as a fraud and a huckster who stumbled into the
neo-pagan revival at the right moment.
Georgian Wicca:
The name "Georgian" refers to George Patterson, who founded the
tradition in 1970 in the United States. It is normally taught from male to
female and female to male in a coven by persons who have been initiated and elevated
to the priesthood according to the rites and rituals of the tradition, although
members are said to be encouraged to learn and study through all resources
available. It incorporates both Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca Traditions and
although it is a God and Goddess system, it leans strongly toward the Goddess.
Hellenic Wicca:
(Hellenism) A movement in Wicca in which the practitioner follows Greek
ideals/culture and honors the Greek pantheon. Followers of the Hellenic path
worship their Gods and make offerings in exchange for the favour of their Gods.
Aphrodite for example may be petitioned in matters of the heart or offerings
made be made to Dionysus to ask for a good wine harvest.
Seax-Wicca:
(Saxon Wicca) Founded by Raymond Buckland in 1973 and it is loosely based upon
Saxon Paganism. Seax Wica does not require initiation or membership into a
coven or lineage group. Members may self-dedicate themselves to the path and
they are encouraged to add to or modify the rituals and practices of the tradition
as needed. Germanic deities and runes play a significant part in the practice.
Witta: Said to
have been "created" by author Eden McCoy in 1992, Witta is basically
Wicca simplified. The most important belief in Witta is that a Witch (Wittan)
must connect and work with nature. This leads to a belief that rituals and
covens are secondary to one's love for and connection with nature. It has a
similarity to traditional Irish witchcraft and because of Witta's more
"solitary" tones it, (or rather McCoy herself), has become
controversial among some Wiccans.
The Wiccan
Rede is a statement that provides the key moral system in the Neopagan religion
of Wicca and certain other related Witchcraft-based faiths. A common form of
the Rede is “An it harm none, do what ye will.”
Wiccan Rede:
Bide within
the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust.
Live you
must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give.
For tread
the Circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind the
spell well every time, let the spell be said in rhyme.
Light of eye
and soft of touch, speak you little, listen much.
Honor the
Old Ones in deed and name,
let love and
light be our guides again.
Deosil go by
the waxing moon, chanting out the joyful tune.
Widdershins
go when the moon doth wane,
and the
werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane.
When the
Lady's moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two.
When the
moon rides at Her peak then your heart's desire seek.
Heed the
North winds mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail.
When the
Wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.
When the
wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth.
When the
wind whispers from the West, all hearts will find peace and rest.
Nine woods
in the Cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow.
Birch in the
fire goes to represent what the Lady knows.
Oak in the
forest towers with might, in the fire it brings the God's
insight. Rowan is a tree of power causing life and
magick to flower.
Willows at
the waterside stand ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is
burned to purify and to draw faerie to your eye.
Hazel-the
tree of wisdom and learning adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are
the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility.
Grapes grow
upon the vine giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does
mark the evergreen to represent immortality seen.
Elder is the
Lady's tree burn it not or cursed you'll be.
Four times
the Major Sabbats mark in the light and in the dark.
As the old
year starts to wane the new begins, it's now Samhain.
When the
time for Imbolc shows watch for flowers through the snows.
When the
wheel begins to turn soon the Beltane fires will burn.
As the wheel
turns to Lamas night power is brought to magick rite.
Four times
the Minor Sabbats fall use the Sun to mark them all.
When the
wheel has turned to Yule light the log the Horned One rules.
In the
spring, when night equals day time for Ostara to come our way.
When the Sun
has reached its height time for Oak and Holly to fight.
Harvesting
comes to one and all when the Autumn Equinox does fall.
Heed the
flower, bush, and tree by the Lady blessed you'll be.
Where the
rippling waters go cast a stone, the truth you'll know.
When you
have and hold a need, harken 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
Three-fold Laws you should three times bad and three times good.
When
misfortune is now wear the star upon your brow.
Be true in
love this you must do unless your love is false to you.
These Eight
words the Rede fulfill:
"An Ye
Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
I’ve had
some argue that anything related to paganism/ Occult/mediums or psychics came
after the bible and after main stream religions. Here is my answer to that.
King James
version, 1 Samuel chapter 28 versus 8-14
Saul
(Apostle Paul)
“8. And Saul
disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him,
and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me
by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee. 9. And
the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath
cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land:
wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? 10. And
Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no
punishment happen to thee for this thing. 11. Then said the woman, Whom shall I
bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. 12. And when the woman saw
Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why
hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. 13. And the king said unto her, Be
not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods
ascending out of the earth. 14. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And
she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul
perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and
bowed himself.
