Traditions of Witchcraft

[Neamhain Riona]

Each of these paths within the craft contains a different focus. None are completely right or wrong, but are only correct for an individual at a certain time in life. All have their merits and drawbacks. For the most comprehensive study of modern pagan groups, particularly in the U.S, I highly recommend Drawing down the Moon.

 

[Neamhain Riona]

Alexandrian

The tradition founded by Alex Sanders is quite similar to the Gardnerian style. Sanders claimed to have his own brand of witchcraft given to him by his grandmother, bu in truth it was very similar to Gardner's. His previous background in ceremonial magic added to the evolution of the craft, and, as a natural showman, he attracted quite a number of people to witchcraft. Sanders was called the "king of witches" within his tradition, but was not recognized as a king in other traditions of witchcraft. It was simply an honorary title given to him by those of his lineage. People must be initatied to be part of this tradition and be in a coven.


Cabot

Long-time public witch Laurie Cabot establish two traditions intertwined together. Her first, Witchcraft as a science, looks at witchcraft from a practical, analytical point of view, while her cabot tradition focuses on the religion. She views it as a pre-gardianerian tradition, based on her oringal training, genetic memor, celtic heritage, and her own personal inspiration.

Celtic

Celtic Witchcraft is not a specifi tradition in the sense of a formal lineage, but denotes one practicing witchcraft with a distinctive, if not exclusive, celitc flavor. Rituals, mythos, and godforms are chosen from Celtic lore, and often based on scant information above the druidic tradition.

 

[Neamhain Riona]

Christian Wicca

Although I was initally hesitant to add this. The emergence of " christain witches" is becoming more prevalent. They have "no" reason to leave behind their christian faith.


Dianic

The dianic tradition is considered a branch of feminist wiccca, honoring the goddess of the moon and hunt, Diana, known as artemis to the Greeks . Dianic convens often made up of womand and some are lesbian as well.


Faery ( or feri)

This is a tradition founded by Victor anderson and Gwydion Pendderwen. Anderson was initated into a loosely organized coven of witches in Oregon at age nine. They called themselves Faeries. and he learned their magic and ritual, prio to the traditions created by gardner. Inpsirted by Gardners work. and later Alesandrian book of shadows. Anderson and Pendderwen, a friend of the fmaily, formed a coven and worte the rituals of the faery tadition. Author starhawk was initated into the faery tradition. Some use this term for any traditions honring the faery folk.

Eclectic

Eclectic witches are those who follow no traditon or path, but feel free to borromw from many different traditions and cultures. An eclecti with understand the fundamental rules of magic, but creates rituals to suit personal needs and tastes. This is the most popular.

Gardnerian

Gardnerian witchcraft is considered the most tradtional form of witchcrfat, from which most medern paths developed. You must be an initated member to a Gardnerian coven

Greco-Roman

Most people are introduced to paganims through the classical greco-roman mythology taught in many school systems. This encounter starts a love affican in teh building neopagan with these godforms, and, later in life, such indivduals choose to work activitly with these dieties.

 

[Neamhain Riona]

Green Witchcraft

Green Witchcraft is fairly broad category, sometimes used synonymously with celtic witchcraft, kitchen, faery, or natural, herbal magic. Herbalists who aren't actually practicing wicca sometimes refer to themsevles as green witches.

Hereditary ( or family tradition)

Hereditary withces claim a lineage prior to the inception of Gardnerian witchcraft. They state that their own individual traditions were passed on through family members, and that they are herediatry witches though blood lineage. AFter the witchcraft acts were repealed, some family traditions came out of hiding. Perhaps otehrs remain out of the public eye and have no wish to join the movement


Radical Faery

This is not a formal tradition, but a loose movement of gay men seeking pagan and witchcraft spirituality, reclaming the word faery as a word of maigc and mystery the gatherings were very primal and playful, not based on rigid structure, but one of joy.

Seax Wica

Raymond Buckland created the Seax wica tradition. Oringally a Gardnerian and in sturmental in bringing that tradition to American, Buckland founded his own tradition in the early 1970's using Saxon heritage. Seax Wica is more open and democratic in practice that either Gardnerian or Alexandrain Wicca.

Solitary

They are those who practice without a coven, and usually do not benefit from the training of a coven. Instead they learn on their own, from books, speaking with other witches, and from anture and the gods.

Stregheria ( Italian)

The practice of witchcraft in itlaly is called ( see above) and a witch is a Stegra. The words refer to the tradition of Italian witchcraft documented by Charles Leland claiming a pre-gardnerian traditon mixing ancient Roman and Etruscan practices.

 

[Neamhain Riona]

Other Magical Traditions

The following practices are not specifically forms of modern witchcraft, but are usually associated with magic, ritual, and neopaganism.


Asatru

Asatru is a form of paganism strongly associated with Wicca. Where many modern Wiccans focus on the celtic heritage, the Asatru are the modern followers of the Aesir, the rulling race of gods of the Norse mythos. The Asatru often focus on runic magic. Sometimes classified as conservative by other neopagans, the asatru focus on their own culturla heritage, and do no incorporate material from other cultures, such as tarot or I Ching, though an individual practitioner might use these tools. While most of the Norse path identity with teh Aseir in general, some use the term Vanatru as followers of the Vanir tribe gods. Followers of Odin might take the name Odinist. Pagans of the Norse tradition often prefer to be called heathens.

Brujeria

Brujeria is a witchcraft tradition from centeral and south america. Woman are Brujas and men are brujos. Like their European counterparts, they work natural magic through herbs and charms, and healing through magica and folk remdies. Though the role and function are the bruja is nearly identical to the witch, this tradition bears no direct conneciton to the evolution of Wicca, other than a growing interested for those exploring the witchcraft traditions around the world.

Celtic Reconstructionist

A few Celtic pagans groups are termed this. through reconstructionist can be applied to any cultural tradition. The term is used to differentiate them from a Wiccan tradition. Celtic Reconstructionists seek to follow the ancient celtic tradittions as closely as possible, based on modern, scholarly knowledge. If a practice such as the formal magic circle , is not documented in teh surviving literature and myths, then it is ignored in favor of something more verifiable.

Ceremonial

Ceremonial magic refers to many different traditions, but most are usually based on the Kabalah, Masonry, Alchemy, or the work of various factions of the Golden Dawn, which used all of these. Thelema, the tradition of Aleister Crowly, is grouped with Ceremonial magic. Ceremonial magic is also called high magic while witchcraft is called Low magic. High and low refer to the levels of techinical knowledge, not power. Practitioners refer to themselves as magicians or mages, not witches, but some witches have incorporated elements of high magic into their own practices. Ceremonial magicians are often pagan, but do not have to be.

Chaos Magic

Is a term applied to a philosophy, not a tradition. It is credited to Peter J. Caroll as the forefather, though his book Liber Null did not use the words chaos magic. The philosophy grew out of english occultism in the 1970's and early 1980's. In many ways, it was inspired by Aleister Crowley. Crowley's work was not as important as his life. Through unpleasant in so many, his life was an exercise in experimentation. From that varied experimentaion, he created a contilually evolving worldview, his own tradition that changed as he changed. Though he set his works as a guide for others, if we follow his example, we would not take his work verbatim but make our own tradtion based on our own experinces. Chaos Magic embodies an "anything goes" attitude similar to the popular sneaker commerical "just do it". Theorizing about magic is fine, but do it , experiment, and use whater works. Do not be attached to the system. Sources for material can be not only celtic on day, and greek the next, but star wars and cinderalla. If a pop-cultre image works for you, then use it untill it doesn't work anymore. and then try something new. Chaos magick grew out of ceremonial magic and favors the modified use of symbols and sigils, but branches off wildly from that point.

 

[Neamhain Riona]

New Age

New Age spirituality is not necessarily a tradition of magic, but has many things in common with witches,pagans, and magicians, since they often get lumped together, particularly in bookstores. New age practices include meditation, healing, spiritual guides, crystals, herbalism, psyhic abilities, chanting, ceremony, and visualization. Blavatsky,Cayce, and even ancient pagan teachings influence the collective view of those involved in teh new age. Most are quite supportive of the Craft, but there are some misunderstantdings. The biggest Misunderstanding is teh assumption on the behalf of pagans that those in the new age are "flaky" and only preach "love and light" ON the other hand, new agers see pagans as being "dark" and "depressing" The point of the New Age is the abilitiy for everyone to get along to live and let live

Santeria

Santeria is a religious tradition that was brought to the Americas from Africa through the slave trade, focusing particularly on the Yoruban tribes. The word comes from the spanish Santo, meaning "saint". The faith contains a pantheion of gods called Orishas. When in the New World, the orishas were disquised as the saints, because the slaves were forced to convert to Catholicism. The religion is the practice of honoring and caring for the orishas, which bring blessings. Priests and priestess conduct ceremonies, healings, and blessings, making magical charms and speaking with spirits. The role is congruous with the witch or shaman

Shamanism

Shamanism is the magical and healing practice of the Native American cultures. The word Shaman is Siberian, but it refers to the medicine men and women of the indigesnoius people of Siberia and North, Central, south America. Shamans enter a trance state, often thgouh the use of meditation, drumming, dance, or psychotropics, to pierce the spiritual view and commune with spirits ancestors ,and power beings, to bring wisdom, healing, and energy to the community. Shamans are part religious leader and part lore keeper, doctor, herbalist and counselor. Anthropologists have noted that these roles were filled by similar people across the world, coining the term " core shamanism" to distinguish between the traditional American shamans and their global counterparts. Since the general belief is that ancient withces were the shamans of Europe, modern witches can look to the practices of the americas to find missing links in Wiccan heritage.

Voudoun

Voudon, or Voodoo, is a polythesitic religion with roots deep in Africa, but was brought to the new world via slave tradeing in French colonies like Haiti, and New Orleans. The practice is simular to Santeria, though santeria has a deciddedly spanish flavor. The gods of Voudon are called Loas, meaning laws and are alos linked to the Catholic saints. Thoug the practices of Voudoun and Santeria are not witchcraft per se. They serve the same function as withces in these transplanted African societies. Thanks largely to hollywood, Voudoun is the only religion with a worse stigma than witchcraft, but the african traditions are quite loving and healing , like the craft.