Info
Sheets
These
Info Sheets are designed to give brief sketches of some of the
diversity of Pagan paths. They are by no means meant to be
comprehensive. They may be copied so long as the information is
unaltered. Information presented here was gathered from a variety of
sources: books (especially The Encyclopedia of Witches & Witchcraft
by Rosemary Ellen Guiley), networking tools such as Circle's Guide to
Pagan Groups, discussions with Pagans, and responses to PEN's ongoing
request for Pagans to tell us what they practice. Resources are
recommended where we had specific information. Please feel free to
contact the groups or organizations listed for more information. In all
your correspondence with groups, please include a business-sized,
self-addressed envelope.
Asatrú
("Faith
in the Æsir") Norse Pagan tradition emphasizing courage, honor,
hospitality, liberty, industriousness, loyalty, honesty, and
individuality. Ásatrúers celebrate 8 Blóts
("Blót"means "blessing"): Dísfest: 31 Jan., Ostara: 21
Mar., May Eve: 30 April, Midsummer: 21 June, Freysfest: 31 July,
Fallfest: 23 Sept., Winter Night: 31 Oct., and Yule: 21 Dec. Local
groups are called Hearths, Kindreds, or Steadings. There are at least
800 Ásatrúers in North America. Guilds promote skills and
fellowship, and little emphasis is placed on magic or meditation.
RESOURCES:
Teutonic Magic, Kvedúlf Gundarsson;
Myths and Symbols of Pagan Europe, Hilda Ellis
Davidson
GROUPS:
The Ring of Troth, PO Bx 25637, Tempe AZ
85285
NET: The Irminsul Ættir, www.eskimo.com/~valkyrie/
Church of
All Worlds
Formally
chartered in 1968 by Oberon (previously Tim/Otter) Zell. Inspired by
Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. Centered in Ukiah, CA
with "nests" (local groups) around the world. CAW has had a long,
evolving history and is focused on evolving a "network of information,
mythology and experience that provides a context and stimulus for
re-awakening Gaea, and re-uniting her children through tribal community
dedicated to responsible stewardship and evolving consciousness." Meets
weekly to promote celebration and honoring of all life. Sees Earth as
living, divine organism (see "Gaia Hypothesis"). Rituals follow the
round of seasons and the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Celebration
of Goddess and God. Nine circles of training. Publishes Green Egg, one
the most popular Pagan journals.
GROUPS:
CAW/Green Egg, Box 1542, Ukiah CA 95482
NET: www.caw.org/
www.caw.org/green-egg/index.html
Covenant of
Unitarian Universalist Pagans, Inc.
Independent
affiliate of the Unitarian Universalist Association and a nonprofit
organization. At the UUA's General Assembly in 1995 the association
adopted a new source of spiritual inspiration, affirming the
contributions of earthcentered spirituality in Unitarian
Universalism. The amendment, which was the first change to Unitarian
bylaws in a decade, was written by members of CUUPS, the UU Women's
Federation, The Seventh Principle Project and the UU Network for
Indigenous Affairs. CUUPS' statement of purpose, adopted in 1987, calls
for networking among all religious groups, development of thea/ological
materials based on nature-centered spirituality, and more creative use
of the arts in UU ritual and celebration. As CUUPS brochures point out,
the UU church is the first mainstream religious body to welcome Pagans
since the Burning Times. CUUPS offers membership benefits and publishes
a newsletter, Pagan NUUS, available to all.
GROUPS:
CUUPS, PO Box 422, Boyes Hot Springs CA
95416
NET: www.cuups.org/
Discordianism
Evolved
in the 1960s as the (tongue in cheek?) honoring of the Chaos principle,
embodied by the Greek goddess Eris (Roman Discordia). Discordians
observe the Law of Eristic Esca-lation: Imposition of Order =
Escalation of Chaos. Therefore, let us honor computer crashes, traffic
jams, and late-night television, as they are manifestations of the
Goddess. We have discovered that Discordianism appeals to a certain
sense of humor ‹ either you have it, or you don't. Discordians do not
honor Chaos in some nefarious way ‹ they merely follow their
anti-establishment proclivities and do things like declare themselves
pope and then excommunicate each other. Many Dis-cordians are
affiliated in some way with the Church of the Sub-Genius. According to
the Illuminatus! trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea,
Discordians are in an archetypal battle with the Bavarian Illuminati.
Discordians are the good guys, of course. Among the "rules" of
Discordianism (which all Discordians are encouraged to break) is a
prohibition against the eating of hot dog buns except on Friday, when
eating them is compulsory. All bowling alleys are sacred to Discordians
(as this was where one of the founders had a vision) and are to be
defended to the death from desecration. Read the book.
RESOURCES:
Principia Discordia (Or, How I Found the
Goddess and What I Did to Her When I Found Her),
Malaclypse the Younger (1991 edition from Illuminet
Press)
NET: www.concentric.net/~darkfox/main.html
home.olemiss.edu/~cfite/bob/
Druidism
(Celtic)
The
Druids were the priestly, judicial, and (sometimes/perhaps) bardic
class of the ancient Celts. "Druid" probably comes from the Greek Drus
(oak) and the Indo-European wid (knower). The history of the Druids is
very complex, since they left virtually no written records and because
Celtic civilizations stretched over such large distances and times.
What is known is that the training for the priesthood seems to have
lasted 19-20 years, was an entirely oral tradition, and appears to have
been open to women, though maybe not in all places at all times. Much
of our information on the Druids comes from the writings of Caesar,
hardly an unbiased source. The Druids did not build Stonehenge (it was
built in three phases from 3500 to 1100 BCE and the Celts did not
arrive in Britain until circa 400 BCE), though they may have used it
and other Neolithic ritual places and tools.
RESOURCES:
Pagan Celtic Britain, Ross (out of print);
Celtic Heritage, Rees & Rees; The Druids,
Piggott; The Celts, Gerhard Herm; Women of the
Celts, Jean Markale
Druidism
(NeoPagan)
Many
varieties of Druidism are practiced by NeoPagans, with varying degrees
of scholarly research into the original Druids. Keltria is a
Neo-Druidic religious tradition, founded by Pat Taylor and Tony Taylor,
with a coherent administrative and belief structure (unlike many
free-form Pagan movements). Local groves are autonomous, provided they
stay within the framework put forth by the Henge. Keltria celebrates
the eight traditional Pagan festivals as well as two lunar rites per
month. The Mistletoe Rite, on the sixth day of the moon, concentrates
on health and communion. The Vervain Rite, held on the third quarter of
the moon, is devoted to magic working. They also observe two annual
feasts, one in reenactment of the giving of immortality to the Gods and
the other in commemoration of the Druids who were slain and the groves
that were desecrated by Caesar when his army took the island of Anglesy
in 60 CE. It also commemorates all people who have died because of
religious persecution. Organization consists of three Rings (similar to
degrees). Within these Rings, Keltrians may choose a particular
discipline such as Bard, Seer, or Priest/ess. The Henge is democratic,
strives to maintain gender equity in its administration, and is open to
all regardless of race, ethnicity, class, etc.
Druidiactos
is a tradition discussed in Tadhg MacCrossan's The Sacred Cauldron.
MacCrossan is the Uer-Druis (Over-Druid) of this tradition, which
places emphasis on scholarly research into the practices of the Druids.
Members of Druidiactos celebrate four major festivals: Samhain, Oimelc,
Bealtaine, and Lughnasadh. The term "Druid" is reserved for the
priesthood (in contrast to Wicca, where each initiate is considered
priest/ess). Druidiactos, unlike most other Pagan traditions, has
requirements for entry into the priest/esshood: the candidate must be
27 or older, financially independent, been a member of Druid-iactos for
at least three years, have a degree in a field related to work in
Druidiactos, and be willing to submit to training under the high
council of Druids. Candidates also undergo both oral and written exams
and ordination rites.
Ár
nDraíocht Fein ("Our Own Druidism"), founded by Isaac Bonewits
in 1983, incorporates practices of the Druids with other practices and
beliefs of "Indo-European" origin. Integrates religion with the healing
arts, ecology awareness, psychic development and artistic expression.
Worships the Earth Mother at each ritual and is polytheistic. 5 circles
of training. ADF celebrates the eight seasonal rituals found in many
other Pagan traditions. ADF isn't a Celtic organization; rather, it is
a NeoPagan religious organization dedicated to the worship of the gods
of the Indo-Europeans. Its goals are twofold: to make Pagan worship
accessible to all, and to create standards for Pagan clergy. While
making no claim to practicing a religion handed down from the ancients,
ADF does encourage research to learn about the practices and beliefs of
those who have gone before.
RESOURCES:
The Druids, Peter Berresford Ellis, The
Elements of the Celtic Tradition, Caitlín
Matthews; The Elements of the Druid Tradition,
Philip Carr-Gomm; The Sacred Cauldron: Secrets of
the Druids, Tadgh MacCrossan
GROUPS:
The Henge of Keltria PO Bx 33284, Coon Rapids MN 55433
Druidiactos PO
Bx 472143, Garland TX 75047
ADF PO Bx 15259, Ann Arbor MI 48106-5259
Celtic
Traditionalist Order of Druids PO Box 23431,
Phoenix AZ 85063-3431
NET: www.adf.org/
www.goodnet.com/~merlyn/ctodmain.htm
weygold.tierranet.com/Book_of_Shadows/Reference_Works/Henge_Of_Keltria.html
Ecofeminism
Combination
of feminism, ecology, and spirituality. Ecofeminists see the oppression
of women and the destruction of nature as related phenomena. They
believe new power relations must be rediscovered or invented to create
an egalitarian rather than dominator culture. They are for the freedom
of all, not for the replacement of the domination of women for the
domination of men. Ecofeminists understanding of interconnection
fosters an awareness of lines of cultural division, whether based on
class, race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, etc.
RESOURCES:
works by Starhawk; Reweaving the World. Irene
Diamond and Gloria Feman Orenstein, eds. 1990;
"Making Feminist Sense of Environmental Issues" in
Sojourner. Joni Seager. Feb. 1991; "Why
African-Americans Should be Environmentalists" in
Earth Island Journal. G. Anthony. Winter 1990;
Women and Environment in the Third World. Irene
Dankelman and Joan Davidson. 1988
NET: www.macalester.edu/~phil29/
www-rcf.usc.edu/~orenstei/ecofem/
Gaia
Hypothesis
Though
postulated earlier by others in the scientific community, James
Lovelock has become known as the main proponent of this theory. He
wondered why the Earth's temperature has remained steady enough to
create an environment fit for life, when its temperature "should" have
varied more. He theorized (in 1979) that Earth/Gaia is a conscious
entity with the mission of evolving life. If any species gets in the
way of that, it is eliminated.
Otter
G'Zell developed his own Gaea Hypothesis about the same time, with a
greater emphasis on spiritual aspects. He believes that Gaea's ultimate
mission is to send humans out to populate other planets. His ideas
evolve through the pages of Green Egg (see "Church of All Worlds").
Consequences of these theories are that all living things are sacred
and that we are in no position to "save the Earth" if we don't change
our destructive ways of living, Gaia will rid herself of us without
batting a metaphorical eyelash.
RESOURCES:
Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth, James
Lovelock
NET: www.rio.maricopa.edu/ci/riointernet/future/ecologythemes.html
Hermetic
Order of the Golden Dawn
One
of the most influential Western occult societies of the late 19th to
early 20th century. Founded in the late nineteenth century, though the
founders claimed it was an old, secret German occult order. Members
included Aleister Crowley, WB Yeats, and Israel Regardie. Initiate
training circle, then 10 de-grees to advance through, corresponding to
the 10 sephiroth of the Kaballah. During its heyday, the Golden Dawn
taught the Key of Solomon, Abra-Melin magic, and Enochian magic. Also
incorporated material from the "Egyptian Book of the Dead", William
Blake's Prophetic Books and the Chaldean Oracles, Rosicrucianism,
theosophy, and Masonry. Instruction was given in astral travel,
scrying, alchemy, geomancy, astrology, and tarot. Permutations of the
original tradition exist today, but personality conflicts broke up the
original group. Offshoots/related groups included Golden Dawn and
Stella Matutina.
NET: http://www.golden-dawn.org/
Kaballah
(also spelled "Qabalah," "Cabala," and various
other ways) Hebrew for "collected
teachings."
Jewish
system of theosophy, philosophy, science, magic, and mysticism
developed since the Middle Ages. Collection of anonymously-written
works on mystical topics. Holds God is both immanent and transcendent,
is all things, and letters and numbers are the keys to unlocking the
mysteries of the universe. Main imagery is the Tree of Life, which
shows the ten sephiroth as the emanations from the Godhead to humanity.
Each sephiroth corresponds to levels of knowledge, parts of the body,
aspects of the universe, etc. By traveling up the Tree of Life, one may
attain divinity (similar concepts are found in Gnosticism). Kaballah
had a great influence on the founders of many modern Pagan traditions,
and many Pagans use Kaballistic principles in their workings today.
Native
American
"Native American" is an adjective that gets
attached to many of Pagan practices these days, so
we wish to point out a few things to remember about
its use. First of all, we tend to think of nations
like the Navajo and Hopi when we say "Native
American." However, peoples such as the Mayan,
Incan, Miami, Mohawk, and Eskimo are all Native
American as well. There is no one "Native American"
tradition -- there were thousands of nations
in existence in the Americas when Columbus tripped
over it, all with their particular traditions.
Sweat lodges and peace pipes were/are not elements
of every tradition. Some Native peoples have
complained that Anglos' overgeneralizations are
another form of colonization, a denial of the
diversity of the Native experience. Secondly,
several Native teachers have written to Pagan
magazines complaining that Pagans and New Agers
come to them asking for knowledge but then
high-tail it out of the reservation, being
unwilling to deal with the host of problems facing
Native people such as alcoholism, unemployment, and
extreme poverty. These teachers feel that this is
"the last colonization" -- the colonization
of the spirit. They do not wish to see their
teachings and traditions separated from their
culture or from their roots in responsibility to
the community. Some Pagans have responded by
pledging not to use Native elements in their work
or have committed themselves to working for Native
causes such as freedom of religion. Other Pagans
feel the traditions of modern indigenous peoples
are the property of the race as a whole, just as
are the teachings of ancient Egyptians, modern
Buddhists, or any flavor of Islam. This is a matter
of dialogue and individual conscience, in the
understanding that we have a special obligation to
make sure we hear the concerns of those to whom we
owe so much. Lastly, as with Vodoun and other
religions, there is significant debate as to
whether indigenous traditions are part of the Pagan
movement. Some Native Americans do not wish to
associate themselves politically with Pagans and
others do -- again, there are no hard and
fast rules.
Ordo Templi
Orientis
Known more commonly by its initials OTO.
Organized in Germany at the end of the nineteenth
century and now established in over twenty
countries. It was originally created to concentrate
in a single order the knowledge developed by over
two dozen esoteric orders. The original OTO
utilized sexual magical workings at the higher
degree levels and promoted universal brotherhood
and liberal social reform. Alister Crowley became
head of the OTO in 1923 and rewrote its rituals and
teachings in accord with the system known as
Thelema. The foundation of this system is Liber
Legis, The Book of the Law. Thelema states that the
highest will of the individual is one with divine
will, hence the familiar phrase "Do what thou wilt
shall be the whole of the Law." Crowley considered
the OTO and Thelema to be an ideal combination and
the Order continues to espouse Thelemic principles
today. The OTO is an initiatory society, as well as
a fraternity of Thelemic magicians, but is not a
school. Recommendations for study are given, but
initiates are expected to learn on their own. The
OTO publishes The Equinox and The Oriflame,
newsletters available to the public. Extensive
information about the OTO is also available on the
Internet.
RESOURCES:
The Equinox, vol III no. 10 (Weiser, 1986, 287 pp.,
$14.95)
NET: http://www.otohq.org/
Santería
Practiced in Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, Central South
America, Caribbean Islands. Santería's
proper name is Yoruva Lucumi and is practiced by
people of all races and classes. It was born in
Nigeria before Christianity and was exported to
the New World by people who were brought as slaves.
The person's initiation date becomes their new
birthday, which they celebrate with guiros,
tambores, food and sweets, and then proceed with
edible animal sacrifices. Each Santero or Babalowo
is the leader of their own following, or
Godchildren (Ahijados). No group or leader has
authority over any other group or leader. Mutual
respect and understanding exists between all
groups. They share in common the same religious
ceremonies and Saints which are the same for all
groups in Santeria. The Santeros do not work in
cemeteries, with the bones of dead people or gun
powder, or with evil spirits. The Saints that are
received are called Orichas such as Yemaya Olucun,
Algalluy, Orichaolo, the Melles, and others. The
Saints are born with the water of medicinal and
fruit leaves and of animals that can be used as
nourishment.The Saints are made of stones and
shells and placed within a soup bowl, the color of
which corresponds to the Saint. The Saints do not
inflict harm on anyone. The God of Santería
is called Olofi and the Goddess of Nature is called
Oludu Mare.
RESOURCES:
International Union of Yoruva Religion Rights,
Inc., PO Bx 1158, Miami FL 33142
Shamanism
The word "shaman" comes from a Siberian term
that includes both genders, but the term "shamanka"
is sometimes used by Pagans to denote a female
shaman. Shamans are found in indigenous cultures
the world over and shamanistic techniques are in
widespread use among Pagans. In traditional
societies, one becomes a shaman through some form
of vision quest or near-death experience, during
which the individual is "astrally" torn to pieces
and then reassembled. From then on they act as
healer and spiritual advisor to the community.
Commonly they travel up the World Tree to the
spirit realms to gain information or to retrieve
lost souls. They also utilize ecstatic dancing,
drumming, and natural drugs to alter their state of
consciousness.They almost always have totem animals
and spirit guides to help. The Russian artist
Vassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) was fascinated by
shamans in his country and explored the theme
extensively in his work with "The Blue Rider." A
shaman, in the anthropological sense of the word,
is not something a person becomes by reading a
book. Pagans utilize many of these techniques; very
few Pagans are shamans in the anthropological
sense.
Streghería
Streghería
(pronounced stray-gay-ree-ah) is an indigenous Italian Witch tradition
that can be traced to the 14th century. The growth of Italian
Witchcraft began when a peasant girl, Aradia di'Toscana, had a vision
along the shores of Lake Nemi in the Alban Hills region of Italy. In
this vision, the Goddess Diana commissioned Aradia to return the
ancient Pagan arts ("La Vecchia Religione" or "The Old Religion") back
to the people from whom the church had stolen their pride and dignity.
Aradia then set forth on a mission to teach the lost arts which she
herself had learned from her grandmother. She was widely accepted among
the peasantry wherever she visited and became known as "La Bella
Pelegrina" ("The Beautiful Pilgrim"). Hunted down by the established
church, Aradia was forced to leave Italy at sometime during her quest.
Her followers continued the work she, "The Holy Strega," had begun; but
the movement went underground when the Italian Inquisition began its
organized persecution of so-called "witches" in the 16th century. At
that point, the faithful divided the teachings into three clans: The
Fanarra, The Janarra, and The Tanarra. To each of these Clans was kept
the practice of the three components of the art: Earth Magik, Moon
Magik, and Star Magik, respectively. It was the hope of the elders that
by dividing the teachings, at least one aspect of Streghería
would survive the Inquisition. As fate would have it, all three
survived, passed down through generations of Italian hereditary
witches. Today, Raven Grimassi has been the leader in the resurgence of
Streghería. A hereditary Witch himself, Grimassi has sought to
re-unite the teachings of the three clans back into one full system.
His system, the Aridian Tradition, is a re-assembling of the three
divided Clans and a break-away from hereditary blood lineage,
attempting to share the knowledge with all who are sincerely
interested. While Streghe (Italian plural for "witches") consider
themselves cousins to those who practice Wicca, they see themselves as
separate and different. Streghe utilize the Roman or Etruscan names for
deities in their rituals (Etruscan is preferred in the Aridian
Tradition), and celebrate an eight-sabbat Wheel of the Year (called
"Treguendas"): La Festa della Ombra (October 31), La Festa dell'
Inverno (December 21), La Festa di Lupercus (February 2), L'Equinozio
della Primavera (March 21), La Giornata di Tana (May 1), La Festa dell'
Estate (June 21), La Festa della Cornucopia (August 1), and L'Equinozio
dell' Autunno (September 21).
RESOURCES:
Ways of the Strega, Raven Grimassi, Llewellyn Publications, 1995; The
Wiccan Mysteries, Raven Grimassi, Llewellyn Publications, 1997; Aradia:
The Gospel of Witches, Charles Godfrey Leland, Phoenix Publishing. 1990
(reprint); Etruscan Magic and Occult Remedies, Charles Godfrey Leland,
University Books, 1963; Folklore By The Fireside: Text and Context of
the Tuscan Veglia, Alessandro Falassi, University of Texas Press, 1980.
NET: http://www.serve.com/Feast/
Vodoun
Also called "Voodoo" or "Hoodoo." A combination
of African religions and Roman Catholicism. Created
by blacks brought as slaves to the Americas,
especially to the islands of the Caribbean. The
Vodoun pantheon contains thousands of gods, called
loas. The most important loa in ceremony is Legba,
the sun god, syncretized with St. Peter or
sometimes Christ. Loas can be kind, wise, violent,
sexual, vindictive, generous, or mean. The two main
Vodoun rites are Rada and Petro. The former
emphasizes the gentler aspect of the loas.
Participants wear white and animals sacrificed
include chickens, goats, and bulls. Petro rites are
more violent and participants wear red. Pigs are
sacrificed for Petro loas. Offerings of other food,
drink, and money are also made. The priestess
("mambo") and priest ("houngan") serve as healers,
diviners, psychologists, and spiritual leaders.
They summon loas and help them to depart. Divine
possession by loas and the practice of magic are
integral to the Vodoun. Loas manifest to protect,
punish, prophesy, give council , or cure illness.
Magic is used for both "good" and "evil" purposes,
though "evil" magic is not encouraged. There is no
"and it harm none" provision in Vodoun. Because of
misinformation, Vodoun (and Santería, a
similar religion) is still a persecuted religion.
Defenders point out that believers are frequently
poor and animal sacrifice means they at least get
something to eat. They also point out that ritual
sacrifice is used in Judaism and other religions
and is preferable to modern Western
slaughterhouses, which have no respect for the
animals "processed." There is much debate as to
whether Vodoun and similar religions are a part of
the Pagan movement -- the subject is included
here to provide information. PEN makes no official
pronouncement on the issue, though members are free
to hold their own opinions.
Wicca
See the Modern
Witchcraft
page for relatively concise background information.
Traditions are many and varied. While almost all
traditions celebrate the eight seasonal festivals,
Marian Green in A Witch Alone suggests adding
Twelfth Night (06 Jan.) to the Wheel, for a total
of 9 sabbats. Just when you thought you could
generalize. . . .
*Gardnerian:
Founded by Gerald Gardner, developed by Doreen
Valiente and others. Three degrees of training and
initiation. Designed for group/coven work, though
solitary workings have been evolved. Generally
emphasizes polarity. Originally practiced ritual
light scourging and the Great Rite in actuality
between high priestess and priest, though these
traditions have declined in use. Worships
skyclad.
RESOURCES:
Witchcraft Today and High Magic's Aid, Gerald
Gardner
*Alexandrian:
Named after Alexander Sanders. An offshoot of
Gardnerian. Greater emphasis on cord magic and
ceremonial magic.
*Dianic:
Also called "feminist" Wicca. Most Dianic
covens worship the Goddess exclusively (Diana and
Artemis are the most common manifestations) and
most are women-only. Emphasis is on rediscovering
and reclaiming female power and combining politics
with spirituality. Dianic Witches are generally
against female subordination, not men.
RESOURCES:
Casting the Circle: A Woman's Book of Rituals,
Diane Stein, anything by Z. Budapest
*Celtic:
Traditions utilizing Celtic mythology and
traditions. One of the most popular flavors of the
Craft.
*Hellenic:
Practitioners
of Hellenic Wicca practice a form of Wicca but utilize the Greco-Roman
pantheon(s) of deities. The eight Sabbats of Wicca are celebrated in a
Mediterranean flavor but with little variation otherwise. Additional
holidays may be celebrated, as Hellenic Wiccans sometimes draw from
classical Greco-Roman religion for inspiration. It is important to note
that Hellenic Wicca is not symmetrical with Hellenic Paganism. The
latter is a reconstructed religion having historical basis (like
Ásatrú) while the former is a modern adaptation of
ancient practice and belief. Nor is Hellenic Wicca equated with
Streghería. While some aspects may cross-over, the latter is an
indigenous Italian tradition that can be traced to 14th century Italy.
Hellenic Wicca is a modern adaptation of the Wiccan model with some
classical Greco-Roman elements woven into its practice and form.
RESOURCES:
The Wiccan Mysteries, Raven Grimassi, Llewellyn Publications, 1997;
Practical Solitary Magic, Nancy B. Watson, Samuel Weiser, Inc. 1996.
*Hereditary:
While many claims were made by people in the
60s and 70s that their magical Pagan roots
stretched back to the dawn of time, this seems to
have been more fancy than fact. Hereditary Witches
do exist in the Pagan movement, their way of
practicing determined by what has been handed down
through the years. Frequently hereditary Witches
are those whose families practice herbology or folk
magic traditions. Many hereditaries have augmented
their family practices with NeoPagan ones, while
others prefer to remain apart from the Pagan
movement in general.
*Faery:
Founded by Victor Anderson and Gwyddion
Pendderwen. Ecstatic tradition emphasizing
polytheism, practical magic, self-development, and
theurgy. Utilizes meditations on the Iron and the
Pearl Pentagrams, discussed in Starhawk's The
Spiral Dance.
*Seax-Wica:
Founded 1973 by Raymond Buckland. Saxon
orientation but is not a reconstruction of Saxon
religion. Developed to be more egalitarian than the
Gardnerian covens Buckland had worked with. High
priest/ess chosen by annual election, God and
Goddess equal in importance. Developed for both
group and solitary worship.
RESOURCES:
The Tree: The Complete Book of Saxon
Witchcraft, Raymond Buckland
*Witchcraft
as a Science: Founded 1955 by Laurie Cabot. In
addition to basic Craft history, teaches
parapsychology, physiology, astrology, sociology,
anthropology, aura reading, healing, crystal use,
psychic arts, and past-life regression. Cabot
theorizes there are root races of humankind who
came from other planetary systems. Also teaches
that alpha waves store all the knowledge of the
universe. As of 1988, more than 10,000 people had
taken Witchcraft as a Science courses.
*PectiWita:
Religion of the Picts, indigenous people of
Scotland. Transmitted by Raymond Buckland from
Aidan Breac. A tradition for solitary Witches,
PectiWita emphasizes natural magic and the Craft as
a way of life rather than worship of the Gods
(though that does exist). The Craft is passed
through families, practicing herbology and
divination. PectiWita is in the tradition of the
solitary wisewoman or cunning man.
RESOURCES:
Scottish Witchcraft: The History and Magick of
the Picts, Raymond Buckland
*Wiccan
Shamanism: Founded by Selena Fox. Ecumenical
and multicultural focus. Combination of Wicca,
humanistic psychology and a variety of shamanistic
practices from around the world. Rituals held
outside, designed to help person connect to the
Divine through nature. Celebrates 8 traditional
festivals. Emphasis on healing. Uses traditional
shamanistic techniques to change consciousness,
such as drumming and ecstatic dancing. No illegal
drug usage.
RESOURCES:
Selena Fox, Circle, PO Bx 219, Mt Horeb WI
53572
*Georgian
Church: An English Traditionalist Wiccan path
founded by George Patterson, organized before the
Second World War. Honors the Goddess and God in the
eight Sabbats and the full moons. Has three
degrees, after which the practitioner can attain
Elder status. The Church of Wicca of Bakers-field
is the home base for the Georgian Church and was
chartered in 1977. The Georgian Church was
incorporated in 1980 in California and is an
international organization.
GROUPS:
Georgian Church, PO Bx 41718, Bakersfield CA
93304.
Other
traditions include regional/ethnic blendings
(Baltic, Greco-Roman, Sumerian, Egyptian, etc.) and
political, such as the Radical Fairy gay men's
tradition. We are a diverse people.
This information is available from PEN as a professionally-produced
handout, suitable for a broad range of educational purposes. Information
was compiled from a variety of sources, including "The Encyclopedia of
Witches and Witchcraft" by Rosemary Ellen Guiley, various books from our
recommended reading list, and PEN's ongoing surveys of Pagan practices.
Click here to order. This
information © 1998 PEN
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