I noticed a lot of Misinformation has been floating around here in this guild, and to help clear it up here's a very generalized list of several pagan religions/faiths/paths for our members!
A Brief Introduction:
The following introduction is offered here to help to dispel many of the myths surrounding Neo-paganism, Witchcraft and the Heathen and Reconstructionist religions. The ways of many Neo-Pagan traditions, religions and groups, as well as some of the Heathen and Reconstructionist religions, are described in even more elsewhere on the net.
This 'overview' is a very generalized rendition of some Neo-Pagan, Wiccan, Witch, Heathen and Reconstructionist religions and may not necessarily reflect the beliefs of all Pagan or Heathen individuals, religions or traditions.
Pagans:
Paganism is not a single religion, but an umbrella term for all those religions other than the Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. A Pagan is a person who follows one of those "other" faiths. Many Witches, Wiccans, Reconstructionists, and other Neo-Pagans simply identify themselves as "Pagan" or "Neo-pagans" when talking with others who may not be familiar with the complexity of the different belief systems. This can make it sound like "Paganism" is a religion instead of a collection of religions. Neo-paganism should also not be confused with the "New Age" movement, as Pagans are almost exclusively involved in distinctive religions while New Age spirituality draws from many sources and esoteric spiritual techniques which are generally added as an extra layer on top of whatever religion one normally follows.
Witchcraft:
Witchcraft in and of itself is *NOT* a religion. It is just what the name implies- a craft anyone can practice, despite religious beliefs. Almost anyone can be a witch- Christians, Atheists, Neo-pagans, Agnostics, ect.
Eclectic Neo-paganism:
A practitioner of a nature-based/revering or folk belief system, art or religion. Not all Neo-pagans follow the same belief system. Many Neo-pagans believe in a polytheistic deity structure usually based upon the local gods and goddesses of the area of where their inspiration originates. Many Neo-pagans also follow what is commonly know as the Horned God and Triple Goddess. Neo-pagans may practice alone as 'solitaries" or in covens. There are also family groups or traditions that trace their practices and beliefs within the same close group throughout several generations. Un-labeled paths would also fall under this. The faiths written about in books by authors like Cunningham, Ann Moura, Starhawk, Ect. would fall under this term.***(See note at bottom)
Wicca:
A modern religion of Witchcraft is called "Wicca." Wicca is based on the teachings of Gerald Gardner, is coven (group) based and each coven can trace its lineage (line of teaching passed on by initiated Traditional priests and priestesses) back to Gardner himself. There are offshoots of Gardnerian Wicca such as Alexandrian Wicca, Georgian Wicca and many others. Wicca is considered a 'mystery' religion, one that requires initiation by the coven and has a "degree system" or different levels of rank based upon coven training and the readiness of the initiate to accept the duties and responsibilities of that degree. Wiccan covens have a core of inner knowledge-often called the "Book of Shadows"-which is shared only with initiated Wiccans. Most Wiccans believe in the balance of male-female divinity. Wiccans are seldom solitary except for those 'Elders'-usually former priests and priestesses-who may have retired from active coven involvement, have taken a voluntary sabbatical or do not have access to a coven in their area.
Reconstructionist Religions:
Since modern Wicca is by far the most well known of the Neo-pagan religions or belief systems, many people incorrectly assume that all Pagan or Heathen religions are very much the same as or follow closely the specific tenets and ritual structures of Wicca. Nothing could be further from the truth. Each Pagan or Heathen religion has its own ritual structure, core beliefs and there is often little that can be said to hold 'true' as a universal belief held by either all Neo-pagans or Reconstructionists. In fact, most Reconstructionists take great umbrage when their cultural religious practices and/or Gods are misappropriated and/or misinterpreted by Neo-pagan groups. This has, in recent years, been cause for considerable friction to arise between Neo-pagans and Reconstructionists as they interact with one another.
Reconstructionism is a general term used to describe those religions (sometimes designated as' Heathen' with many groups preferring the term 'polytheists' or 'pagan') that are the continuation of a cultural spiritual tradition into the modern era. Great emphasis is placed upon scholarship, the use of classic texts (such as 'The Eddas' in çsatrœ and the ancient Egyptian texts in Kemetism) and the revival of traditional modes of worship. Magic(k) plays much less of a role in Reconstructionist religions than it usually does in Wicca or Witchcraft. Cultural relevance is stressed, but this should not be confused with either nationalism or racism, as most Reconstructionists, while protective of their cultural heritage, are neither racists nor bigots. Some of the major Reconstructionist Religions are:
Ásatrú:
(Norse, Nordic, Regintroth Northern Heathenism) Ásatrú is a reconstructionist, polytheistic faith based on pre-Christian Northern European beliefs, Gods and Heroes. Most adherents of Ásatrú (Ásatrúar) put much emphasis on historical accuracy and the heroic tales as recorded in texts such as the Icelandic sagas and 'The Eddas'. Ásatrú has a rich and complex ethical system in which personal honor, truth and integrity are considered to be some of the highest virtues.
Baltic:
The reconstructionist religions of the Lithuanian, Estonian and Latvian peoples. Like their neighbors, the Slavs, folklore and custom are important elements in their practices and rituals and the 'Balts' have largely maintained their language, folklore, pagan beliefs and customs throughout the centuries. Nature as a sacred force is emphasized as is harmony both within the individual and in society and the relationship with the gods and ancestors.
Celtic Reconstructionism:
Celtic Reconstructionism is an umbrella term for those who follow the cultural and religious practices of the Gaelic or Brythonic (Celtic) peoples. Beliefs and ritual practices vary from one ethnic or tribal group to another, but almost all place great store in history, language, the surviving Gaelic literature and cultural relevance/context (with the emphasis being placed upon linguistic and cultural, rather than DNA or religious, ties to those regions). As in most other Reconstructionist religions, personal honesty, integrity, honor in both word and deed and scholarship are very important and highly valued.
Hellenismos:
Hellenic or Greek Reconstructionists (Hellenists, Hellenes, Hellenism) are generally polytheists who worship and revere the ancient Greek Olympian gods. It is primarily a 'votive' religion where 'offerings' or gifts to the Gods are an important element of ritual practice. Hellenismos has a highly developed ethical system based upon moderation, hospitality and reciprocity, place great value on scholarship and specifically on the use of classical texts.
Kemetism:
A modern religion based upon the ancient Egyptian family of gods/goddesses and the concepts of Ma'at (all) and Netjer (the divine force). While many gods and goddesses are revered or acknowledged, the Kemetic religion is not polytheistic in the same sense that many other Pagan or Heathen religions are. In many sects of Kemetism, the concept is better described as a 'monolatry' or one god manifesting as many distinct personalities and divinities. Rituals and offerings are often elaborate and great value is placed upon both ancient texts and modern archeological discoveries and research.
Religo Romana:
The Religio Romana is the pre-Christian religion of Rome. The modern religion attempts to reconstruct the ancient faith of Rome and its gods, goddesses and temple rituals as closely as possible. Every attempt is made to rely on actual historical and archaeological evidence and much emphasis is placed upon the original classical texts, writers and language.
Slavic:
The Slavic peoples are not a "race", but are related through culture and area. These regional groups include the Russians, Polish, Czechs, Ukrainians, Byelorussia's, Serbo-Croatians, Macedonians, Slovenians, Bulgarians, Kashubians and Slovakians. In reconstructing Slavic religions, adherents place much store on Slav folk tales and stories. Dualism is an important concept in Slavic religion, but differs from the 'good' and 'evil' dichotomy of post-Christian thought. Here dualism is understood to be a system of complimenting opposites such as darkness and light, winter and summer, female and male, cold and hot. The God-brothers Bialybog "white-god" and Czarnebog "black-god" who rule the light half and dark half of the year respectively, are further illustrations of this polarity. Nature spirits also play an important role in Slavic beliefs.
It should be noted that this list has been edited from the original due to context and out-dated material.
*** It should be noted that these authors do not write about Wicca, but rather neo-paganism. What Wicca really is, is both address simply in this thread and here more in depth. The most expansive information on Wicca can be found in this thread in the M&R in the extended discussion forum on Gaia.
Original Source
San mentioned that there should be something up here about Reclaiming, which is Starhawk's tradition. Here's what I pulled from her website about it:
Another Tradition that was brought to my attention by San and Morg would be the Feri Tradition.
Feri Tradition:
The Feri tradition is an initiatory, witchcraft and mystery based. It is not, however, Wicca related. They are a polytheistic faith with emphasis on practical magic, self-development, and theurgy, with a very strong emphasis on things such as sensual experience and awareness, including sexual mysticism, which is not limited to heterosexual expression. The Feri tradition worships gods/esses. Their most notable deities would be The Star Goddess, The Lemniscate Gods, The guardians, as well as several other deities.
More information on this tradition can be found here: Source
A Brief Introduction:
The following introduction is offered here to help to dispel many of the myths surrounding Neo-paganism, Witchcraft and the Heathen and Reconstructionist religions. The ways of many Neo-Pagan traditions, religions and groups, as well as some of the Heathen and Reconstructionist religions, are described in even more elsewhere on the net.
This 'overview' is a very generalized rendition of some Neo-Pagan, Wiccan, Witch, Heathen and Reconstructionist religions and may not necessarily reflect the beliefs of all Pagan or Heathen individuals, religions or traditions.
Pagans:
Paganism is not a single religion, but an umbrella term for all those religions other than the Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. A Pagan is a person who follows one of those "other" faiths. Many Witches, Wiccans, Reconstructionists, and other Neo-Pagans simply identify themselves as "Pagan" or "Neo-pagans" when talking with others who may not be familiar with the complexity of the different belief systems. This can make it sound like "Paganism" is a religion instead of a collection of religions. Neo-paganism should also not be confused with the "New Age" movement, as Pagans are almost exclusively involved in distinctive religions while New Age spirituality draws from many sources and esoteric spiritual techniques which are generally added as an extra layer on top of whatever religion one normally follows.
Witchcraft:
Witchcraft in and of itself is *NOT* a religion. It is just what the name implies- a craft anyone can practice, despite religious beliefs. Almost anyone can be a witch- Christians, Atheists, Neo-pagans, Agnostics, ect.
Eclectic Neo-paganism:
A practitioner of a nature-based/revering or folk belief system, art or religion. Not all Neo-pagans follow the same belief system. Many Neo-pagans believe in a polytheistic deity structure usually based upon the local gods and goddesses of the area of where their inspiration originates. Many Neo-pagans also follow what is commonly know as the Horned God and Triple Goddess. Neo-pagans may practice alone as 'solitaries" or in covens. There are also family groups or traditions that trace their practices and beliefs within the same close group throughout several generations. Un-labeled paths would also fall under this. The faiths written about in books by authors like Cunningham, Ann Moura, Starhawk, Ect. would fall under this term.***(See note at bottom)
Wicca:
A modern religion of Witchcraft is called "Wicca." Wicca is based on the teachings of Gerald Gardner, is coven (group) based and each coven can trace its lineage (line of teaching passed on by initiated Traditional priests and priestesses) back to Gardner himself. There are offshoots of Gardnerian Wicca such as Alexandrian Wicca, Georgian Wicca and many others. Wicca is considered a 'mystery' religion, one that requires initiation by the coven and has a "degree system" or different levels of rank based upon coven training and the readiness of the initiate to accept the duties and responsibilities of that degree. Wiccan covens have a core of inner knowledge-often called the "Book of Shadows"-which is shared only with initiated Wiccans. Most Wiccans believe in the balance of male-female divinity. Wiccans are seldom solitary except for those 'Elders'-usually former priests and priestesses-who may have retired from active coven involvement, have taken a voluntary sabbatical or do not have access to a coven in their area.
Reconstructionist Religions:
Since modern Wicca is by far the most well known of the Neo-pagan religions or belief systems, many people incorrectly assume that all Pagan or Heathen religions are very much the same as or follow closely the specific tenets and ritual structures of Wicca. Nothing could be further from the truth. Each Pagan or Heathen religion has its own ritual structure, core beliefs and there is often little that can be said to hold 'true' as a universal belief held by either all Neo-pagans or Reconstructionists. In fact, most Reconstructionists take great umbrage when their cultural religious practices and/or Gods are misappropriated and/or misinterpreted by Neo-pagan groups. This has, in recent years, been cause for considerable friction to arise between Neo-pagans and Reconstructionists as they interact with one another.
Reconstructionism is a general term used to describe those religions (sometimes designated as' Heathen' with many groups preferring the term 'polytheists' or 'pagan') that are the continuation of a cultural spiritual tradition into the modern era. Great emphasis is placed upon scholarship, the use of classic texts (such as 'The Eddas' in çsatrœ and the ancient Egyptian texts in Kemetism) and the revival of traditional modes of worship. Magic(k) plays much less of a role in Reconstructionist religions than it usually does in Wicca or Witchcraft. Cultural relevance is stressed, but this should not be confused with either nationalism or racism, as most Reconstructionists, while protective of their cultural heritage, are neither racists nor bigots. Some of the major Reconstructionist Religions are:
Ásatrú:
(Norse, Nordic, Regintroth Northern Heathenism) Ásatrú is a reconstructionist, polytheistic faith based on pre-Christian Northern European beliefs, Gods and Heroes. Most adherents of Ásatrú (Ásatrúar) put much emphasis on historical accuracy and the heroic tales as recorded in texts such as the Icelandic sagas and 'The Eddas'. Ásatrú has a rich and complex ethical system in which personal honor, truth and integrity are considered to be some of the highest virtues.
Baltic:
The reconstructionist religions of the Lithuanian, Estonian and Latvian peoples. Like their neighbors, the Slavs, folklore and custom are important elements in their practices and rituals and the 'Balts' have largely maintained their language, folklore, pagan beliefs and customs throughout the centuries. Nature as a sacred force is emphasized as is harmony both within the individual and in society and the relationship with the gods and ancestors.
Celtic Reconstructionism:
Celtic Reconstructionism is an umbrella term for those who follow the cultural and religious practices of the Gaelic or Brythonic (Celtic) peoples. Beliefs and ritual practices vary from one ethnic or tribal group to another, but almost all place great store in history, language, the surviving Gaelic literature and cultural relevance/context (with the emphasis being placed upon linguistic and cultural, rather than DNA or religious, ties to those regions). As in most other Reconstructionist religions, personal honesty, integrity, honor in both word and deed and scholarship are very important and highly valued.
Hellenismos:
Hellenic or Greek Reconstructionists (Hellenists, Hellenes, Hellenism) are generally polytheists who worship and revere the ancient Greek Olympian gods. It is primarily a 'votive' religion where 'offerings' or gifts to the Gods are an important element of ritual practice. Hellenismos has a highly developed ethical system based upon moderation, hospitality and reciprocity, place great value on scholarship and specifically on the use of classical texts.
Kemetism:
A modern religion based upon the ancient Egyptian family of gods/goddesses and the concepts of Ma'at (all) and Netjer (the divine force). While many gods and goddesses are revered or acknowledged, the Kemetic religion is not polytheistic in the same sense that many other Pagan or Heathen religions are. In many sects of Kemetism, the concept is better described as a 'monolatry' or one god manifesting as many distinct personalities and divinities. Rituals and offerings are often elaborate and great value is placed upon both ancient texts and modern archeological discoveries and research.
Religo Romana:
The Religio Romana is the pre-Christian religion of Rome. The modern religion attempts to reconstruct the ancient faith of Rome and its gods, goddesses and temple rituals as closely as possible. Every attempt is made to rely on actual historical and archaeological evidence and much emphasis is placed upon the original classical texts, writers and language.
Slavic:
The Slavic peoples are not a "race", but are related through culture and area. These regional groups include the Russians, Polish, Czechs, Ukrainians, Byelorussia's, Serbo-Croatians, Macedonians, Slovenians, Bulgarians, Kashubians and Slovakians. In reconstructing Slavic religions, adherents place much store on Slav folk tales and stories. Dualism is an important concept in Slavic religion, but differs from the 'good' and 'evil' dichotomy of post-Christian thought. Here dualism is understood to be a system of complimenting opposites such as darkness and light, winter and summer, female and male, cold and hot. The God-brothers Bialybog "white-god" and Czarnebog "black-god" who rule the light half and dark half of the year respectively, are further illustrations of this polarity. Nature spirits also play an important role in Slavic beliefs.
It should be noted that this list has been edited from the original due to context and out-dated material.
*** It should be noted that these authors do not write about Wicca, but rather neo-paganism. What Wicca really is, is both address simply in this thread and here more in depth. The most expansive information on Wicca can be found in this thread in the M&R in the extended discussion forum on Gaia.
Original Source
Recently, I asked an acquaintance of mine to write something up about the religion of Voodoo/Vodou to add to this list. Here's what she sent me.
What Voodoo/Vodou is
Vodou emerged,
early on in Haiti, as a traditional religion, preserved, modified, and systematically disguised in order to survive under the daily cruelty and deprivation. It served ,to preserve memories and traditions from
their ancestors , and to develop the capacity to endure the hardships of daily existence, everything in the world—be it plant, animal, or mineral—shares basically similar chemical, physical, and or genetic properties. This unity of all things translates into an overarching belief in the sanctity of life, not so much for the thing as for the spirit of the
thing.
Vodou has no Bible or Qur’an that is, no written compilation of sacred writings. Christian saints are often found on Vodou altars. As numerous people, both scholars and those who serve the lwa, have pointed out, this does not mean that the servants of the spirits equate the saints with the lwa. Vodou is a religion, a set of beliefs about the nature of being and the universe.
Important functions of Vodou remain to be stressed. First of all, Vodou is a system whose purpose is to minimize pain, avoid disaster, cushion loss, and strengthen survivors and survival instincts . It is a religion of healing. There is a forthright and unambiguous belief in the power of the spirits and the need to deal with them generously, respectfully. Just as it involves respect for everything that exists in the universe, Vodou is an important system for communicating the beliefs of the family and the community to the young.The Haitian Revolution began with a Vodou ceremony at the Bwa Kayman, in the mountains close to the Dominican border and quickly spread throughout the colony. Following Haitian Independence, relations between the Haitian state and Rome were not formalized until the Concordat was signed in 1860, under President Geffrard.
Vodou is beautiful and once you are a part of this wonderful world you will not want to be away from it, and in truth,you wont have to, keep it with you,within your heart. Within the very beat of your heart,let it beat, you are home.
Blessings,
Maria~
V.T
early on in Haiti, as a traditional religion, preserved, modified, and systematically disguised in order to survive under the daily cruelty and deprivation. It served ,to preserve memories and traditions from
their ancestors , and to develop the capacity to endure the hardships of daily existence, everything in the world—be it plant, animal, or mineral—shares basically similar chemical, physical, and or genetic properties. This unity of all things translates into an overarching belief in the sanctity of life, not so much for the thing as for the spirit of the
thing.
Vodou has no Bible or Qur’an that is, no written compilation of sacred writings. Christian saints are often found on Vodou altars. As numerous people, both scholars and those who serve the lwa, have pointed out, this does not mean that the servants of the spirits equate the saints with the lwa. Vodou is a religion, a set of beliefs about the nature of being and the universe.
Important functions of Vodou remain to be stressed. First of all, Vodou is a system whose purpose is to minimize pain, avoid disaster, cushion loss, and strengthen survivors and survival instincts . It is a religion of healing. There is a forthright and unambiguous belief in the power of the spirits and the need to deal with them generously, respectfully. Just as it involves respect for everything that exists in the universe, Vodou is an important system for communicating the beliefs of the family and the community to the young.The Haitian Revolution began with a Vodou ceremony at the Bwa Kayman, in the mountains close to the Dominican border and quickly spread throughout the colony. Following Haitian Independence, relations between the Haitian state and Rome were not formalized until the Concordat was signed in 1860, under President Geffrard.
Vodou is beautiful and once you are a part of this wonderful world you will not want to be away from it, and in truth,you wont have to, keep it with you,within your heart. Within the very beat of your heart,let it beat, you are home.
Blessings,
Maria~
V.T
San mentioned that there should be something up here about Reclaiming, which is Starhawk's tradition. Here's what I pulled from her website about it:
Starhawk: A working definition of Reclaiming
Reclaiming is a tradition of the Craft. (1) To us the Goddess is the wheel of birth, growth, death and regeneration. Therefore we embrace as sacred the living world, the body as well as the spirit, the cycles of nature, sexuality in its diverse expressions, and the elements of air, fire, water and earth that sustain all life. We know that to name these things as sacred is an inherently political act, for what is sacred must not be exploited or despoiled. We also know that action in the world in the service of the sacred is one of the core expressions of our spirituality. Each individual is a living embodiment of the sacred. The divine experience is equally available to all, and each person’s experience of the divine is valid and important. (2) Spiritual authority is located within us. We are each keepers of our own conscience.
Our training, rituals, and spiritual practices are designed to develop personal and communal empowerment, that combination of self-confidence, independent thought, intuition and engagement with the world that enables us to live by our principles and stand up for what we believe in. (3) We see all systems of domination and exploitation, whether based on gender, race, economics, ancestry, beliefs, sexual orientation, physical appearance or capabilities as harmful to individual development and communal harmony. Liberty, equality and social justice are key values in our tradition.
Because we value freedom of thought, we accept no dogmas nor implement any required beliefs. We do, however, have a working model of the universe that includes interconnected realms of matter and spirit. Most of us prefer the term "Goddess" for the weaver of this web, but we also recognize an eclectic pantheon of Goddesses and Gods, each of them particular constellations of power, with whom we are co-creators of change and fate. At the heart of the cosmos is mystery, that which can never be defined nor controlled. Any images we place around that mystery are tools to help us more deeply encounter the sacred. Individuals need the love, support and challenges offered by a strong community in order to survive and thrive. Our definition of community extends to include the dead and the as not yet born, and we honor the ancestors, the beloved dead, the Mighty Ones of the Craft, the Fae, and all the Mysterious Ones. (4)
Our rituals may aim to further personal healing and development, communal bonding, and/or collective transformation. We practice and teach magic, by Dion Fortune’s definition, "the art of changing consciousness at will." A changed consciousness can effect change in the world. Magic must be practiced ethically. We see the Rule of Three as a good guideline: that whatever we send out returns on us three times over. We cannot do by magic what would be wrong to do in some other way. We cannot ethically use magic to manipulate others. We discourage the use of drugs and alcohol in ritual, especially in public ritual.
Our approach to magic and ritual is experimental: we are constantly learning, growing, trying new techniques, and critiquing the results. Some of the techniques we use include meditation, breathwork, movement, trance, drumming, chanting, visualization, drum-trance, divination, aspecting, anchoring, and others. Our training teaches us how to read and shape the energy of groups of people.
Our style of ritual could be described with the acronym EIEIO:
Ecstatic: in that we aim to create a high intensity of energy that is passionate and pleasurable.
Improvisational: We value spontaneity within the overall structure of our rituals, encourage people to create liturgy in the moment rather than script it beforehand, to respond to the energy around us rather than predetermine how it should move.
Ensemble: In our larger group rituals, we work with many priest/esses together taking different roles and performing different functions that, ideally, support each other like the members of a good jazz ensemble. We encourage a fluid sharing of those roles over time, to prevent the development of hierarchy and to allow each person to experience many facets of ritual.
Inspired: Because we each have access to the sacred, we are each capable of creating elements of ritual. Although we honor the myths, the poems, the songs and the stories that have come down to us from the past, we are not bound by the past, for divine inspiration is constantly present in each of us.
Organic: We strive for a smooth, coherent flow of energy in a ritual that has a life of its own to be honored. Our rituals are linked to the rhythms of cyclical time and organic life.
We could add a few more E’s: experimental, eclectic, evolving. We have developed a body of teaching of techniques and mythology, including a system of correspondences for the elements, a wheel of major rituals for the year, a system of psychic energy knowledge, a way of looking at mythology from political and psychological/personal growth perspectives, and trance techniques used in rituals and practice. This body of knowledge has roots in the Faery tradition of Wicca as taught by Victor Anderson but now encompasses many, many sources including direct inspiration. Our practice is alive and growing, something to be constantly extended, refined, renewed and changed as the spirit moves us and need arises, rather than a ‘tradition’ to be learned and repeated in a formulaic manner.
We honor the community-building work of organizing, bookkeeping, phone-calling, e-mailing, xeroxing, gardening, cooking, cleaning, building, fixing, childrearing, and all the behind-the-scenes tasks of ritual making. Our organizational structures must reflect our core values just as our rituals do. We respect authentic leadership and expertise, but we encourage the sharing and rotation of roles and responsibilities. We do not institute hierarchies of power. We make decisions by consensus, as the process most in keeping with our recognition of the sacred within each individual. We strive to treat each other with honesty, caring and respect.
Source
Our training, rituals, and spiritual practices are designed to develop personal and communal empowerment, that combination of self-confidence, independent thought, intuition and engagement with the world that enables us to live by our principles and stand up for what we believe in. (3) We see all systems of domination and exploitation, whether based on gender, race, economics, ancestry, beliefs, sexual orientation, physical appearance or capabilities as harmful to individual development and communal harmony. Liberty, equality and social justice are key values in our tradition.
Because we value freedom of thought, we accept no dogmas nor implement any required beliefs. We do, however, have a working model of the universe that includes interconnected realms of matter and spirit. Most of us prefer the term "Goddess" for the weaver of this web, but we also recognize an eclectic pantheon of Goddesses and Gods, each of them particular constellations of power, with whom we are co-creators of change and fate. At the heart of the cosmos is mystery, that which can never be defined nor controlled. Any images we place around that mystery are tools to help us more deeply encounter the sacred. Individuals need the love, support and challenges offered by a strong community in order to survive and thrive. Our definition of community extends to include the dead and the as not yet born, and we honor the ancestors, the beloved dead, the Mighty Ones of the Craft, the Fae, and all the Mysterious Ones. (4)
Our rituals may aim to further personal healing and development, communal bonding, and/or collective transformation. We practice and teach magic, by Dion Fortune’s definition, "the art of changing consciousness at will." A changed consciousness can effect change in the world. Magic must be practiced ethically. We see the Rule of Three as a good guideline: that whatever we send out returns on us three times over. We cannot do by magic what would be wrong to do in some other way. We cannot ethically use magic to manipulate others. We discourage the use of drugs and alcohol in ritual, especially in public ritual.
Our approach to magic and ritual is experimental: we are constantly learning, growing, trying new techniques, and critiquing the results. Some of the techniques we use include meditation, breathwork, movement, trance, drumming, chanting, visualization, drum-trance, divination, aspecting, anchoring, and others. Our training teaches us how to read and shape the energy of groups of people.
Our style of ritual could be described with the acronym EIEIO:
Ecstatic: in that we aim to create a high intensity of energy that is passionate and pleasurable.
Improvisational: We value spontaneity within the overall structure of our rituals, encourage people to create liturgy in the moment rather than script it beforehand, to respond to the energy around us rather than predetermine how it should move.
Ensemble: In our larger group rituals, we work with many priest/esses together taking different roles and performing different functions that, ideally, support each other like the members of a good jazz ensemble. We encourage a fluid sharing of those roles over time, to prevent the development of hierarchy and to allow each person to experience many facets of ritual.
Inspired: Because we each have access to the sacred, we are each capable of creating elements of ritual. Although we honor the myths, the poems, the songs and the stories that have come down to us from the past, we are not bound by the past, for divine inspiration is constantly present in each of us.
Organic: We strive for a smooth, coherent flow of energy in a ritual that has a life of its own to be honored. Our rituals are linked to the rhythms of cyclical time and organic life.
We could add a few more E’s: experimental, eclectic, evolving. We have developed a body of teaching of techniques and mythology, including a system of correspondences for the elements, a wheel of major rituals for the year, a system of psychic energy knowledge, a way of looking at mythology from political and psychological/personal growth perspectives, and trance techniques used in rituals and practice. This body of knowledge has roots in the Faery tradition of Wicca as taught by Victor Anderson but now encompasses many, many sources including direct inspiration. Our practice is alive and growing, something to be constantly extended, refined, renewed and changed as the spirit moves us and need arises, rather than a ‘tradition’ to be learned and repeated in a formulaic manner.
We honor the community-building work of organizing, bookkeeping, phone-calling, e-mailing, xeroxing, gardening, cooking, cleaning, building, fixing, childrearing, and all the behind-the-scenes tasks of ritual making. Our organizational structures must reflect our core values just as our rituals do. We respect authentic leadership and expertise, but we encourage the sharing and rotation of roles and responsibilities. We do not institute hierarchies of power. We make decisions by consensus, as the process most in keeping with our recognition of the sacred within each individual. We strive to treat each other with honesty, caring and respect.
Source
Another Tradition that was brought to my attention by San and Morg would be the Feri Tradition.
Feri Tradition:
The Feri tradition is an initiatory, witchcraft and mystery based. It is not, however, Wicca related. They are a polytheistic faith with emphasis on practical magic, self-development, and theurgy, with a very strong emphasis on things such as sensual experience and awareness, including sexual mysticism, which is not limited to heterosexual expression. The Feri tradition worships gods/esses. Their most notable deities would be The Star Goddess, The Lemniscate Gods, The guardians, as well as several other deities.
More information on this tradition can be found here: Source
