Traditions

Witch

    A Witch is she, yet how can this be so? She is neither old, nor ugly.
    She is young. Beautiful. Innocent. Yet she can cast magic.
    Many would shun her for her ways. Would you? I certainly wouldn't.
    She has never sinned, yet to some, she has.
    Her only sin is being who she is.   Nothing more.
    How can you cast away this pagan lass? She has done no harm!
    It is not her way. Yet she will do as she will.
    The moon is her comforting mother.
    The sun is her protective father. Nature is her best friend.
    Witch means wise woman. She is wise. Is she wiser than we?
    Yes. I hope she'll cast a spell for me.

by Kris Mancuso

In witchcraft there are different traditions not unlike Christianity which has multiple denominations, in christianity you can be a baptist, pentecostal , methodist, or catholic and still be a christian, in witchcraft no matter tradition you practice you still practice witchcraft. However, there is a difference between traditional training and self taught eclectic which is continued in my essay "Traditional or Non Traditional...That is the Question." which is linked to this page. I have listed some of the more well known traditions with a brief explanation of how it was founded.

Alexandrian Witchcraft: A tradition founded in 1960 in Europe by Alex Saunders, the rituals are very similar to Gerald Gardners work with the exception for a ceremonial magick element, it is a degree system and most covens work sky clad, (though my coven worked both robed and sky clad depending on where we were) all 8 witches sabbats are celebrated and the God and Goddess are equal, with the women of the group being the first among equals. And follow a strict foundation and the rites and practices are very structured. Self initiates are often not recognized. Janet and Stewart Farrar's book "The Witches Bible" was my 1st degree training manual as well as Gardener's "High Magic's Aid".

American Celtic Witchcraft: Found by Lady Sheba, it is said to be both Gardner's and celtic doctrine with ceremonial magick and covens work robed, I have never been to one of the rituals so I am unable to give specific details of training formats or degree's

British Traditional: Celtic and Gardner's doctrine and use the Farrar's studies as the structure fairly strict and work on a degree system.

Celtic Witchcraft: the use of celtic and druid deities with heavily stress elements, nature, and elemental spirits such as fairies and gnomes.

Dianic Feminist Witchcraft: Founded by Ann Forfreedom , groups work both sky clad and robed and encourage female leadership and is more aligned with the Goddess, solitary, and all female covens are the main branch and has male female mixed covens.

Gardnerian Witchcraft: Founded in 1950 by the late Gerald Gardner and was the first public tradition of the craft. Most of the rituals are written by Doreen Valiente and is used in the Alexandrian tradition. The Goddess is the main aspect with little mention of the God in Geralds book. A very strict structure of training and works with a degree system and does not allow for self - initiations, covens work sky clad. Gardners work is the pretense of many traditions, with Alexandrian being the closest in doctrine.

Georgian Witchcraft: Founded by George Patterson in 1970, it is mainly a scattering of traditions with Alexandrain/Gardinerian doctrine and a few original text, sky clad working but groups are free to be robed if the wish, and has fairly non traditional structure.

Pictish Witchcraft: A scottish form of witchcraft that relates to all aspects of nature and is seen as solitary to many, however I have been lucky enough to be a guest a a scottish coven lunar circle and found it fairly non traditional and is mainly a magical system with a strong divination concept.

Seax Witchcraft: Found by Raymond Buckland in 1973, it is said it ws created as a joke which Buckled denies, it is very untraditional in training and allows for self initiation and with a smattering of Saxon deity and ritual...Buckland who trained under Gardner's teachings has written many texts on the craft and is seen as a founding father of solitary practice. Many witches use his teaching extensively.

Strega Witchcraft: A tradition handed down from the early Tuscan traditions in Italy around the 1300's with the emphasis on the Goddess Aradia, and many traditions including Gardner's are derived from the Tuscan/Celtic system of worship.

Teutonic Witchcraft: An ancient form of Germanic and Dutch and is closely related to the Nordic system or early pagan worship before traditions really took a hold of the craft. One of the early forms of worship along side of Tuscan, Greek, Old Dianic, and The Ancient Druids.

Source of research are Bucklands Complete book of Witchcraft and Una Woodruff's "Witches"

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