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Traditions

 

Written and compiled by George Knowles

 

Witches

 

Witches here, witches there,

Witches everywhere.

White witch, Black witch,

Good witch, Wicked witch,

Who can tell the difference?

 

Contemporary witch, Coven witch,

Traditional witch, Kitchen witch,

Hereditary witch, Heath witch,

Who and what are they?

 

Gardnerian witch, Eclectic witch,

Alexandrian witch, Solitary witch,

Nordic witch, Celtic witch,

Feri witch, Wicca witch.

 

But which 'Witch' is which?

 

(George Knowles)

 

 

Part 1

 

Alexandrian WiccaAquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC) /  Ár Ndraíocht Féin (ADF) /  Blue Star Wicca /  British Traditional (Druidic Witchcraft)Celtic Wicca /  Ceremonial Magic /  Chaos Magic /  Church and School of Wicca /  Circle Sanctuary /  Covenant of the Goddess (COG) /  Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) /  Cyber Wicca /  Dianic Wicca /  Eclectic Wicca /  Feri Wicca / 

 

Part 2

Gardnerian Wicca /  Georgian Tradition /  Hereditary Witchcraft /  Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (H.O.G.D.) /  Kitchen Witch (Hedge Witch) /  Minoan Brotherhood and Minoan Sisterhood Tradition /  Nordic Paganism /  Pagan Federation /  Pectic-Wita /  Seax-Wica /  Shamanism /  Solitary /  Strega /  Sylvan Tradition /  Vodoun or Voodoo /  Witches League of Public Awareness (WLPA) /

 

Wicca is a wonderfully diverse and contemporary spiritual religion.  Many of its traditions are based on and reviving the ancient pagan, pre-Christian religions of Europe.  There are many differing paths and traditions contained within Wicca, each with it’s own brand of ritual and magic.  But perhaps the single most common theme among all these traditions is an overriding reverence for life, nature and the environment as seen through the Goddess and God.  Below I have listed some of the main Paths, Covens, Churches and Organizations that come under the banner of Wicca:

Alexandrian Wicca

Founded by Alex Sanders and his wife Maxine in the 1960's, the Alexandrian Tradition originated in England.  Alex Sanders was often referred to as the “King of the Witches”, and with the help of his wife Maxine, they were instrumental in opening up Wicca to the general public.  During the 1960’s and early 70’s, they were responsible for initiating many hundreds of newcomers into the craft, amongst whom where Stewart Farrar and Janet Owen. 

In the early days the original rituals of the tradition are thought to have been Gardnerian, plagiarized by Alex and embellished with a few of his own amendments.  These he then used to found his own coven from which emerged the Alexandrian Tradition.  Today although still similar to Gardnerian in terms of its hierarchical structure, the Alexandrian Tradition tends to be more eclectic and liberal, focusing strongly on ceremonial magick. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandrian_Wicca  

The Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC)

The Aquarian Tabernacle Church was founded on the 01st November 1979 in Index, Washington, by Pete “Pathfinder” Davis and dedicated to providing religious services and support to the larger Wiccan community.  On the 12th of November 1988 the ATC gained governmental recognition in the USA, and on the 30th of December 1991 won IRS group exemption as a Wiccan tradition.  This means that any congregation that the ATC accepts as a group affiliate automatically receives Church tax-exemption within the US.  Since then the ATC has also won recognition as a Church by the government’s of Canada and Australia. 

The ATC is a positive, life-affirming spirituality; it is a non-dualist, non-racist, non-sexist, non-exclusive, bipolar and ecologically oriented faith dedicated to the preservation of Holy Mother Earth and the revival of the worship of “The Old Gods” in a modern context.  ATC members seek to achieve the fullest of human potential by the creation of a peaceful world of love, freedom, health and prosperity for all sentient beings. 

http://www.aquatabch.org/  

Ár nDraíocht Féin:  A Druid Fellowship (ADF) 

Ár Ndraíocht Féin (pronounced - arn ree-ocht fane) in Gaelic means “Our Own Druidism”, is an independent religious fellowship of neo-Pagan Druids founded in 1983 by P.E.I (Isaac) Bonewits, a former Archdruid of several groves in the Reformed Druids of North America.  Ár Ndraíocht Féin has no direct links to the ancient Druids but is a reconstruction of Druidic and Indo-European Pagan rituals and religions.  Organized into groves, many of them named after trees, the ADF integrates religion with alternate healing arts, ecology-consciousness, psychic development and artistic expression.  They have eight seasonal High Days (equivalent to the Wiccan Sabbats) and they conduct regular study and discussion groups in addition to a wide range of artistic activities. 

http://www.adf.org/core/

Blue Star Wicca 

Founded in 1976 in Norristown, PA by Frank Dufner (“the Wizard”) and Tzipora Katz, who later moved to Manhattan, where they trained and initiated a number of people.  Early rituals were based on Alexandrian and Greco-Roman Traditions.  After Frank and Tzipora's divorce, in the early 1980's, Kenny Klein became high priest, steering the Tradition towards a more traditional British form, discarding Alexandrian and ceremonial rituals and replacing them with British folkloric Craft practices, including the 8 Paths of Power, the 7 Tenets of Faith, and the Drawing Down of the Moon and Sun.  Touring the country from 1983-1992 performing music, Kenny and Tzipora continued to teach Blue Star Wicca, initiated many people and founded many covens, at the same time recording and distributing lessons on cassette tapes.  Blue Star’s rigorous training can take 2-3 years before initiation. 

http://www.bluestarwicca.org/

British Traditional (Druidic Witchcraft) 

Druidic Witchcraft is an eclectic tradition, drawing its beliefs and practices from a variety of sources.  These include elements of the Druid religion, as well as Irish, Celtic, and Gardnerian beliefs.  Their coven training consists of a degree structure similar to that advocated by other traditions.  The International Red Garter is perhaps their most popular Order at this time. 

Druidic Witchcraft should not be confused with that of the Druid Religion, which is entirely different.  Druids are not witches and do not practice magick, though there are many links and similarities between the two.  For instance, the traditional cauldron of the witches is in likeness to the Sacred Cauldron of Inspiration, which is presided over by the Goddess Cerridwen, who is revered by the Bards and Druids. 

Other similarities include the four great annual festivals celebrated by the Druids, these mark the four changing seasons; Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn, and are identical to the four great Sabbats celebrated by witches.  The Druids also celebrate the lesser Sabbats, the solstices and equinoxes, known to them by their Druidic names as the four Albans; Alban Arthan – the winter solstice, Alban Eilir – the spring equinox, Alban Hefin – the summer solstice, and Alban Elfed – the autumn equinox. 

The Druids in common with witches hold to a belief in reincarnation.  They are taught that the human soul has to pass through a number of existences while in Abred, the Circle of Necessity, before attaining to Gwynvyd, the Circle of Blessedness.  Abred was the condition of earthly existence, but once transcended and its lessons learned, the soul would return to it no more.  Three things hold back the soul’s progression to achieve Gwynvyd - Pride, Falsehood, and Cruelty. 

http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usxx&c=trads&id=3293

Celtic Wicca 

The Celtic tradition is based on an eclectic blend of materials, beliefs and practices taken from the pre-Christian, Celtic and Gaulish peoples of Northern Europe, including Gaul, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland.  This tradition has obvious close links with the Druids, who of old were the “wise men” and “priests” of the ancient pagan Celts and Gaul’s.  The Celtic tradition is an earth-based tradition, and has a strong focus on its religious belief’s. 

Many aspects of Christianity, as adopted by the church, were taken from ancient Celtic beliefs.  The “Holy Grail” can be attributed to the pagan’s “Cerridwyn’s Cauldron”, likewise the Celtic pagan goddess “Brigit” became the Christian’s “Saint Bride”. 

http://www.janeraeburn.com/brigantia/intro.htm   

Ceremonial Magic:

A form of magic that calls upon the aid of beneficent spirits and is akin to religion.  Ceremonial Magic is based upon a blend of doctrines taken from the teachings of Plato and other Greek philosophers, Oriental mysticism, Judaism and Christianity.  Ceremonial Magic can be divided into three forms:  Enochian, Thelemic and Eclectic.  Enochian Magic originated with John Dee and Edward Kelly in the 16th century who developed the Enochian system of Angelic communication with spirits.  This involved Nineteen Calls (or Keys):  incantations in the Enchonian language, a complex language of unknown origin. 

Enochian Magic was revived in the late 1800’s by S.L. MacGregor Mathers of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and studied at length by Aleister Crowley.  From his studies Crowley developed his own system of Thelemic Magick, which in turn has been expanded and developed into an Eclectic system of Ceremonial Magic based on a variety of different sources including:  Alchemy, Egyptology, Kabalistic doctrines and Chaos Magic etc. 

Ceremonial Magic requires a rigorous discipline and has an intellectual appeal; the mage derives power from God (the Judeo-Christian God) through the successful control of spirits, usually demons, which are believed easier to control than angels.  Demons may be good, evil or neutral.  In its highest sense, Ceremonial Magic is a transcendental experience that takes the mage into mystical realms and into communication with the Higher Self.  Ceremonial Magic is also known as High Magic, Ritual Magic, Theurgic Magic and Theurgy. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_magic 

Chaos Magic

In the late 1970's some twenty years after the death of the great “Austin Osman Spare” (1886-1956), a Mr. Carroll and Mr. Sherwin formed the "Illuminates of Thanateros" (IOT), a new tradition that became synonymous with Chaos Magic.  Chaos Magic is based primarily on the workings and philosophy of Austin Osman Spare.  It would seem to me that Chaos Magic is not exactly Witchcraft.  While it incorporates witchcraft, its the cutting edge of "High Magic" and is more into the realm of the Magician than that of the Witch. 

To explain Chaos Magic I can do no better than to quote the authors introduction to a book I have recently read, “Understanding Chaos Magic - by Jaq D. Hawkins”.  I do so in the interest that shared information helps us all, and have adapted the text slightly for use here: 

"Chaos Magic is the newest and fastest growing area of hands-on practical magic available to the modern magician.  It is an area of study that disposes of the need for religion, or pre-packaged philosophy and superstition in the use of magic.  The Chaos Magician seeks to understand the natural laws behind the workings of magic, and the- reasons behind the use of ritual in the performance of a magical working. 

Chaos magic leaves the practitioner free to establish his/her own ideas of method, ethics and the appropriate uses of magic.  It is magic for a liberated free thinker who is able to go beyond the teachings of any book to the outermost reaches of imagination in the creation of one's own magical world. 

It is magic based on the concept of the primal creative force itself, a realm of infinite probability.  Creative Chaos is a subject most useful to experienced magicians who can determine for themselves the risk factor in the release of powerful spells that work. 

While the actual practice of this form of magic is recommended only for the experienced magician, the subject is of interest to anyone who can understand the way the mind can effect our environment. 

Chaos Magic is based on natural laws, many of which are only just beginning to be understood by the scientific community.  Stripped of superstition and religious bigotry, it is a realm where fact meets theory, and results are the objective. 

This is a magical philosophy that transcends tradition and dogma.  It is a journey toward results rather than hierarchical megalomania.  It is as useful and effective to the individual as it is for a group, and infinitely adaptable to the needs of the many or the few.  Any and all methods are allowed and encouraged, the only requirement is that it works. 

Chaos Magic is the cutting edge of modern magic.  It is on the minds and lips of magic users of all descriptions and in many parts of the world.  As we learn more and more about the nature of magic and reality, we are beginning to realize that behind all forms of magic, are the natural laws of Chaos". 

Adapted from the introduction of a book by:  Jaq D. Hawkins – “Understanding Chaos Magic”, 1996. 

In my opinion the book seems to explain Chaos Magic as advocating the premise that "results justify the means" however extreme the method used to achieve those results.  I'm not sure I fully agree with this for it’s easy to see how such a premise could be used and abused by those would be practitioners inexperienced with the powers and influences of high end magic.  It makes no reference too, nor does it differentiate between good or bad, light or dark, white and black magic.  Magic itself as most people seem to agree is inanimate; it’s the person using it that makes all the difference between white and black and the way that it is used.  Should however "how magic is achieved as long as the method works", make any difference? 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_magic

The Church and School of Wicca  

The Church and School of Wicca was founded by Gavin and Yvonne Frost in the early 1970’s, initially as a correspondence School for presenting courses in their own blend magic, sometimes called Celtic Wicca.  Much of their course material was later published in their book:  The Witches Bible  (1972).  Originally the book had no mention of the Goddess and contained some extremely disturbing practices relating to the initiation of the “Wicca Child” (i.e. children as young as ten years old), which dismayed many who would otherwise have been drawn to the tradition.  While the latter was modified to include mention of the Goddess when the book was re-issued as “The Good Witch's Bible” in (1976), the other business is still cause for contention within the general Wiccan community today. 

Seeking legal recognition for the School as a Church and a tax-exempt non-profit organization, on the 31st August 1972 the IRS issued the Church of Wicca with a “Letter of Determination” making it the first legally recognised Wicca Church in America.  It also helped to redefine witchcraft in America as a bona-fide religion entitled to all the same benefits and representation as all other religions. 

Over time the Frost’s continued to develop the School of Wicca and now offer correspondence courses on such subjects as:  Astrology, Celtic Witchcraft, Psychic Development, Tantric Yoga, Healing and Herbs among others, these they continually update to include new trends and wisdom.  Through the School they have published America’s longest lasting Wiccan periodical called “Survival”, which today is edited by their daughter Bronwyn.  In 1996, Gavin and Yvonne moved to their present location in Hinton, West Virginia. 

http://www.wicca.org/

Circle Sanctuary:  

Circle as a craft tradition was founded in 1974 by Selena Fox and Jim Alan, and differs from many other traditions of Wicca in that it blends both old and new forms of Pagan spirituality and folkways with cross-cultural Shamanism and transpersonal psychology.  In 1978 Circle was incorporated as a non-profit spiritual centre and was given recognition as a legal Wiccan Church by state and federal governments.  Also in 1978 Circle published a newsletter called “Circle Network News”, which by 1998 had expanded into a quarterly magazine format and is one of the oldest Pagan journals to remain in continuous print.  Today its headquarters are centred at Circle Sanctuary, a 200-acre Nature reserve and organic herb farm in the rolling hills of Mount Horeb near Madison, Wisconsin. 

http://www.circlesanctuary.org/

Covenant of the Goddess (COG): 

The Covenant of the Goddess (CoG) is an internationally recognized Wiccan church with an organization of Wiccan clergy, covens and solitaries.  The COG was founded in 1975 at Coeden Brith, a wildness sanctuary owned by Alison Harlow and situated on Greenfield Ranch near Ukiah in California.  Organized into a cross-traditional federation of over one hundred covens, solitary practitioners, elders and associates, members of the COG have joined together to win recognition for the Craft as a legitimate and legally recognized religion.  Incorporated as a non-profit religious organization in California, COG has grown to be an international organization with members throughout the United States, Canada and Overseas. 

Decisions of the COG are made at the annual Grand Council meeting or in local “Chapters” that cover major Cities, States or other countries.  Coven’s can apply for membership to the COG if they have a cohesive, self-perpetuating group that has been meeting for six months or more.  Groups and covens are expected to follow a code of ethics as defined by the COG, in that a coven must have three or more members studying for the priesthood, one of whom is an Elder; and the focus of the group’s ritual and theology is the worship of the Goddess and the Old Gods (or the Goddess alone). 

Politically the COG is proactive and have social and professional networking for Education, Legal Assistance, Information and Referrals.  They advocate and support Clergy and Elder’s, and perform and give out Handfasting Certificates.  The COG Interfaith Network provides representatives for Paganism at World Religious Conferences, and their Children’s services includes the Boy Scouts Of America Paganism merit badge and the “Hart & Crescent Award”.  Each year the COG sponsors and holds a National Festival on Labour Day weekend, alternating the festivals sites between the East coast, Midwest and West coast area’s of the United States. 

http://www.cog.org/

Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS)

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is a liberal religious denomination formed in 1961 by a merger of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America.  By the mid-19th century the Unitarians and Universalists held to a similar but separate set of principles, each with a strong emphasis on congregational independence and humanitarian concerns.  During the early half of the 1900’s, each began to promote closer cooperation and in 1953 the Council of Liberal Churches was formed bringing together their publishing and educational programs.  After a plebiscite in 1959 showed that members in both groups were in favor of complete union, separate denominational meetings ratified a common charter in 1960 and the merger was completed the following year. 

The UUA has no official statement of faith and does not require its Ministers or members to subscribe to any particular religion, indeed congregations may include many widely different beliefs and practices.  Their headquarters are located in Boston, from where they coordinate Ministers’ Associations, Women’s Federations, Service Committees and Religious Education throughout 23 administrative districts across the U.S.A. and Canada.  There are currently some 950 UU Churches with about 172,000 members in the U.S.A., and about 48 Churches and some 6200 members in Canada.  The organization holds an annual General Assembly and is associated with the International Association for Liberal Christianity and Religious Freedom. 

The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) is an independent affiliate of the UUA, and was chartered by them as a liturgical and theological community in 1987, making it the first Pagan organization to be formally accepted into a “mainstream” religion.  Membership of CUUPS is open to all UU members and those in sympathy with UU beliefs, purposes and principles.  One of the beliefs of the UUA is:  “The spiritual teachings of Earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred Circle of Life and instructs us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature”. 

http://www.cuups.org/content2/index.php

Cyber Wicca 

Cyber Wicca is less of a tradition of witchcraft in the practical sense of the craft, and more about networking and disseminating information.  The Internet is the ultra-modern age of Wicca, and more and more people are turning to it in their quest to practice The Old Religion.  It is the ideal medium for the solitary or eclectic practitioner, to learn from and communicate with others in the craft.  It is also ideal for those people unable to meet with and practice with others, and indeed for those who for various reasons need to remain anonymous. 

There are now many groups on the Internet that take part in live play and group rituals.  This is accomplished through synchronized live imagery and the typed word.  When you think about it, magick holds no boundaries, a person practicing in England using the same tools, method and intent, synchronized with a person in America, should and now do work together in common magical goals. 

Many teaching covens operate on the net, offering no end of courses in varying aspects of the craft.  These range from courses on Healing, the use of Herbs & Spices, Stones & Gems, courses on Divination including the use of Tarot cards and Crystal Ball scrying.  Some even offer degree courses for certain traditions, and the list goes on. 

I would caution readers here, for many people charge for the privilege of learning, nothing wrong in that, but some do so unscrupulously.  It’s worth finding out who they are, what they are, and how qualified they are, before paying them anything.  Bare in mind what the “Wiccan Rede” tells us: 

"When ye have and hold a need, harken not to others greed.     

With a fool no season spend, nor be counted as his friend". 

There are on the Internet many Chat rooms, News groups and E-mail discussion groups that can be joined where many Wiccans and other like-minded individuals meet, talk and exchange information freely.  These are well worth investigating.  My own internet E-mail discussion group can be found at: 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Email_Witches

Dianic Wicca

Dianic Wicca is a relatively new phenomenon in relation to traditional witchcraft, though the goddess Diana has been revered since ancient times.  Zsuzsanna Budapest of California founded the tradition in the United States during the 1970’s, and in the early 70’s was arrested and tried for her belief’s. 

Dianic Wicca is a feminist religion, for women only.  They honour the deities in their feminine aspects only, and never invoke the God or other male aspects into their rituals or sacred spaces.  This practice has caused many conflicts and heated discussions amongst its members.  Aside from this exclusion of men, they follow the same ritual paths and beliefs as other Wiccan traditions. 

Many Dianic members are politically active in the feminist movement, striving to lift the oppression of female rights, and to bring about the equality of the sexes into all walks of life.  This is not a requirement of the tradition; its left to the individual to make her own stand and practice her own beliefs. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dianic_Wicca

Eclectic Wicca

An eclectic Wiccan as the term implies doesn’t follow any strict traditional guidelines in their practice of the craft.  Eclectic Wicca includes a broad range of groups and individuals who have based their philosophies, rituals and practices on a wide and varied number of sources, and practice only those beliefs that suit them best.  They often mix traditions and practices together in order to find that which most suits their own circumstances, lifestyles and religious belief’s, practicing whatever magic they consider obtains best results.  This is mostly of modern origin for previously Wiccan traditions had more restricting boundaries. 

Eclectic Wicca emphasizes spontaneity and therefore plays down the importance of such concepts as Initiations, Oaths, Tradition and Lineage.  Critics claim that the majority of Eclectic practitioners take the position that Wicca is a completely modern religion created by Gerald Gardner, and that the beliefs and practices of Wicca are completely individualistic, therefore nobody can define “Wicca” for others.  Many traditional Wiccans object to these groups using the name Wicca, and believe their practice should simply be called Eclectic Witchcraft. 

http://www.cuew.org/ 

Feri Wicca

The Feri Tradition, (also known as the Faery or Faerie tradition) was founded by Victor and Cora Anderson in the mid-late 1950’s, when they were inspired to form their own tradition after reading a book by Gerald B. GardnerWitchcraft Today”.  Anderson based the tradition on fairy folklore and beliefs and was universally recognized as the Grand Master of the Feri Tradition.  In 1959, Anderson initiated Gwydion Pendderwen, and together they were responsible for writing most of the tradition’s rituals, later adding Alexandrian and Celtic influences. 

An old African priestess initiated Victor Anderson into Witchcraft in 1926, they practiced a form of Witchcraft with Huna and African influences that was primarily Dahomean-Haitian.  Anderson was one of the last genuine Kahuna.  Some of these earlier influences he incorporated into the new Feri tradition.  After visiting an Alex Sanders coven in England, Pendderwen incorporated material from the Alexandrian Book of Shadows.  Today the tradition has evolved and contains of a mixture of Green Wicca, Celtic and Druidic practices as well as modern Witchcraft. 

The Feri Tradition honors the Goddess and Her son, brother and lover (The Divine Twins) as the primary creative forces in the universe.  The Gods are seen as real spirit beings like ourselves, and not merely aspects of our psyche.  The tradition is an ecstatic tradition, rather than a fertility tradition with emphasis on polytheism, practical magic, self-development and theurgy.  Strong emphasis is also placed on sensual experience and awareness, including sexual mysticism, which is not limited to heterosexual expression. 

This is a mystery tradition of power, mystery, danger, ecstasy, and direct communication with divinity.  Most initiates are in the arts and incorporate their own poetry, music and invocations into rituals.  The Tradition is gender-equal, and all sexual orientations seem able to find a niche.  According to Francesca De Grandis, founder of the 3rd Road branch: “Faerie power is not about a liturgy but about one’s body: a Fey shaman’s blood and bones are made of stars and Faerie dust.  A legitimate branch of Faerie is about a personal vision that is the Fey Folks’ gift to a shaman”. 

Initially small and secretive, many of the fundamentals of the tradition have now reached a larger audience, mainly through the writings of Starhawk, one of the tradition’s most famous initiate.  Some secret branches of the tradition remain, but while only a few hundred initiates can trace their lineage directly back to Victor Anderson; many thousands are estimated to practice neo-Feri Traditions. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feri_Tradition

Sources

Books

Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft  - By Raven Grimassi

An ABC of Witchcraft Past and Present  - By Doreen Valiente.

Understanding Chaos Magic  - By Jaq D. Hawkins

  The Encyclopedia of Witches &Witchcraft  - By Rosemary Ellen Guiley.

Witta, An Irish Pagan Tradition - By Edain McCoy

Websites

To many to mention  :-)

First published 02 September 2007  ©  George Knowles

Best Wishes and Blessed Be

 

Site Contents - Links to all Pages

 

Home Page

 

A Universal Message:

 

Let there be peace in the world  -   Where have all the flowers gone?

 

About me:

My Personal PageMy Place in England / My Family Tree (Ancestry)

 

Wicca & Witchcraft

 

Wicca/Witchcraft /  What is Wicca What is Magick

 

Traditional Writings:

 

The Wiccan Rede Charge of the Goddess Charge of the God  /  The Three-Fold Law (includes The Law of Power and The Four Powers of the Magus) /  The Witches Chant The Witches Creed Descent of the Goddess Drawing Down the Moon The Great Rite Invocation Invocation of the Horned GodThe 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief /  The Witches Rede of Chivalry A Pledge to Pagan Spirituality

 

Correspondence Tables:

 

IncenseCandlesColours Magickal Days Stones and Gems Elements and Elementals

 

Traditions:

 

Traditions Part 1  -  Alexandrian Wicca /  Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC) /  Ár Ndraíocht Féin (ADF) /  Blue Star Wicca /  British Traditional (Druidic Witchcraft) /  Celtic Wicca /  Ceremonial Magic /  Chaos Magic /  Church and School of Wicca /  Circle Sanctuary /  Covenant of the Goddess (COG) /  Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) /  Cyber Wicca /  Dianic Wicca /  Eclectic Wicca /  Feri Wicca /

 

Traditions Part 2 Gardnerian Wicca /  Georgian Tradition /  Henge of Keltria /  Hereditary Witchcraft /  Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (H.O.G.D.) /  Kitchen Witch (Hedge Witch) /  Minoan Brotherhood and Minoan Sisterhood Tradition /  Nordic Paganism /  Pagan Federation /  Pectic-Wita /  Seax-Wica /  Shamanism /  Solitary /  Strega /  Sylvan Tradition /  Vodoun or Voodoo /  Witches League of Public Awareness (WLPA) /

 

Other things of interest:

 

Gods and Goddesses (Greek Mythology) /  Esbats & Full Moons Links to Personal Friends & Resources Wicca/Witchcraft Resources What's a spell? Circle Casting and Sacred Space  Pentagram - Pentacle Marks of a Witch The Witches Power The Witches Hat An esoteric guide to visiting London SatanismPow-wowThe Unitarian Universalist Association /  Numerology:  Part 1  Part 2  /  Part 3A history of the Malleus Maleficarum:  includes:  Pope Innocent VIII  /  The papal Bull  /   The Malleus Maleficarum  /  An extract from the Malleus Maleficarum  /  The letter of approbation  /  Johann Nider’s Formicarius  /  Jacob Sprenger  /  Heinrich Kramer  /  Stefano Infessura  /  Montague Summers  /  The Waldenses  /  The Albigenses  /  The Hussites /  The Native American Sun DanceShielding (Occult and Psychic Protection)  The History of ThanksgivingAuras  - Part 1 and Part 2 Doreen Valiente Witch” (A Book Review) /   

 

Sabbats and Festivals:

 

The Sabbats in History and Mythology /  Samhain (October 31st)  /  Yule (December 21st)  /  Imbolc (February 2nd)  /  Ostara (March 21st)  /  Beltane (April 30th)  /  Litha (June 21st)  /  Lammas/Lughnasadh (August 1st)  /  Mabon (September 21st)

 

Rituals contributed by Crone:

 

Samhain / Yule Imbolc Ostara /  Beltane Litha Lammas Mabon

 

Tools:

 

Tools of a Witch  /  The Besom (Broom) /  Poppets and DollsPendulums / Cauldron Magick Mirror Gazing

 

Animals:

 

Animals in Witchcraft (The Witches Familiar and Totem Animals) /  AntelopeBatsCrow Fox Frog and Toads Goat / HoneybeeKangarooLion OwlPhoenix Rabbits and HaresRaven Robin RedbreastSheep Spider SquirrelSwansUnicornWild Boar Wolf /  Serpent /  Pig /  Stag /  Horse /  Mouse /  Cat /  Rats /  Unicorn

 

Trees:

 

In Worship of Trees - Myths, Lore and the Celtic Tree Calendar.  For descriptions and correspondences of the thirteen sacred trees of Wicca/Witchcraft see the following:  Birch /  Rowan / Ash /  Alder /  Willow Hawthorn /  Oak /  Holly /  Hazel /  Vine /  Ivy /  Reed /  Elder

 

Sacred Sites:

 

Mystical Sacred Sites  -  Stonehenge /  Glastonbury Tor /  Malta - The Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni /  Avebury /  Cerne Abbas - The Chalk Giant /  Ireland - Newgrange /

 

Rocks and Stones:

 

Stones - History, Myths and Lore

 

Articles contributed by Patricia Jean Martin:

 

Apophyllite  / Amber Amethyst Aquamarine Aragonite Aventurine Black Tourmaline Bloodstone Calcite Carnelian Celestite Citrine Chrysanthemum StoneDiamond  /  Emerald / Fluorite Garnet /  Hematite Herkimer Diamond Labradorite Lapis Lazuli Malachite Moonstone Obsidian Opal Pyrite Quartz (Rock Crystal) Rose Quartz Ruby Selenite Seraphinite  /  Silver and GoldSmoky QuartzSodalite Sunstone ThundereggTree AgateZebra Marble

 

Wisdom and Inspiration:

 

Knowledge vs Wisdom by Ardriana Cahill I Talk to the TreesAwakening The Witch in YouA Tale of the Woods I have a Dream by Martin Luther King /

 

Articles and Stories about Witchcraft:

 

Murdered by Witchcraft The Fairy Witch of Clonmel A Battleship, U-boat, and a Witch The Troll-Tear (A story for Children) /  Goody Hawkins - The Wise Goodwife /  The Story of Jack-O-Lantern The Murder of the Hammersmith Ghost Josephine Gray (The Infamous Black Widow) /  The Two Brothers - Light and Dark

 

Old Masters of Academia:

 

Pliny the ElderHesiodPythagoras

 

 

Biographies

 

A "Who's Who" of Witches, Pagans and other associated People

(Ancient, Past and Present)

 

Remembered at Samhain

(Departed Pagan Pioneers, Founders, Elders and Others)

 

Pagan Pioneers:  Founders, Elders, Leaders and Others

 

Abramelin the Mage /  Agrippa Aidan A KellyAlbertus Magnus - “Albert the Great” Aleister Crowley - “The Great Beast” /  Alex Sanders - “King of the Witches” /  Alison Harlow /   Allan Bennett - the Ven. Ananda MetteyyaAllan Kardec (Spiritism) /  Alphonsus de SpinaAmber KAnn Moura /  Anna FranklinAnodea JudithAnton Szandor LaVey /  Arnold CrowtherArthur Edward Waite /  Austin Osman SpareBalthasar Bekker /  Biddy EarlyBarbara Vickers /  Bridget Cleary - The Fairy Witch of Clonmel /  Carl " Llewellyn" Weschcke Cecil Hugh WilliamsonCharles Godfrey Leland /   Charles WaltonChristopher PenczakChristina Oakley Harrington Cornelius Loos /  Damh the Bard - "Dave Smith" /  Dion Fortune /  Dolores Aschroft-NowickiDonald Michael Kraig Doreen ValienteDorothy MorrisonDr. John Dee & Edward Kelly /  Dr. Leo Louis Martello /  Edain McCoy /  Edward FitchEleanor Ray Bone - “Matriarch of British Witchcraft” Eliphas Levi /  Ernest Thompson Seton /  Ernest Westlake /  Fiona Horne /   Frederick McLaren Adams - Feraferia Friedrich von Spee /  Francis Barrett /  Gavin and Yvonne Frost and the School and Church of Wicca /  Gerald B. Gardner - The father of contemporary Witchcraft /  Gwydion Pendderwen Hans HolzerHelen Duncan /   Herman Slater - Horrible Herman /  Heinrich KramerIsaac Bonewits Israel RegardieIvo Domínguez Jr. /  Jack Whiteside Parsons - Rocket Science and Magick /  James "Cunning" Murrell - The Master of Witches /  Janet Farrar and Gavin BoneJean Bodin Jessie Wicker Bell - “Lady Sheba” / Johann Weyer  / Johannes Junius - "The Burgomaster of Bamberg" /   Johann Georg Fuchs von Dornheim  -  the “Hexenbrenner” (witch burner) /  John Belham-Payne John George Hohman - "Pow-wow" /  John Gerard /  John Gordon Hargrave and the Kibbo Kith Kindred /  John Michael Greer /  John Score /  Joseph “Bearwalker” Wilson /  Joseph John Campbell /  Karl von Eckartshausen Lady Gwen Thompson - and "The Rede of the Wiccae" /   Laurie Cabot  - "the Official Witch of Salem" /  Lewis SpenceLodovico Maria Sinistrari Ludwig LavaterMadeline Montalban and the Order of the Morning Star /  Margaret Alice MurrayMargot AdlerMichael Howard and the UK "Cauldron Magazine" /  Margaret St. Clair - the “Sign of the Labrys” /  Marie Laveau - " the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans" /  Marion WeinsteinMartin Antoine Del Rio Matthew Hopkins - “The Witch-Finder General” /   Max Ehrmann and the "Desiderata" /  Michael A. Aquino - and The Temple of Set /  Monique WilsonMontague Summers /  Nicholas CulpeperNicholas RemyM. R. SellarsMrs. Maud Grieve - "A Modern Herbal" /  Oberon Zell-Ravenheart and Morning GloryOld Dorothy Clutterbuck /  Old George PickingillOlivia Durdin-Robertson - co-founder of the Fellowship of Isis /  Paddy SladePamela Colman-SmithParacelsus /  Patricia CrowtherPatricia Monaghan /  Patricia “Trish” TelescoPaul Foster Case and the “Builders of the Adytum” mystery school /  Peter Binsfeld /  Philip HeseltonRaven GrimassiRaymond Buckland /  Reginald Scot /  Richard BaxterRobert CochraneRobert ‘von Ranke’ Graves and the "The White Goddess" /  Rosaleen Norton - “The Witch of Kings Cross” /  Rossell Hope Robbins /   Ross Nichols and the " Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids" (OBOD) /  Rudolf SteinerSabrina Underwood - "The Ink Witch" /  Scott CunninghamSelena Fox - founder of "Circle Sanctuary" /  Silver RavenwolfSir Francis Dashwood /  Sir James George Frazer and the " The Golden Bough"S.L. MacGregor Mathers and the “Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn” /  Starhawk /  Stewart Farrar /  Sybil LeekTed Andrews The Mather Family - (includes:  Richard Mather, Increase Mather and Cotton Mather ) /   Thomas AdyT. Thorn CoyleVera ChapmanVictor & Cora Anderson and the " Feri Tradition" /  Vivianne CrowleyWalter Brown GibsonWalter Ernest ButlerWilliam Butler YeatsZsuzsanna Budapest /  

 

 

Many of the above biographies are briefs and far from complete.  If you know about any of these individuals and can help with additional information, please contact me privately at my email address below.  Many thanks for reading  :-)

 

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