Third degree initiates are known as high priests and priestesses in almost. Gardnerian wicca seekers and initiates public group facebook. The gardnerian book of shadows, by gerald gardner, at initiation. The firstdegree initiation gardnerian book of shadows. You will then need to go through the wiccan initiation ritual. In the general community we understand that a third degree signifies that the candidate has completed a study of at least a year and a day, and has been initiated in a real great rite which symbolizes the passing of. The years given indicate the first initiation, and in some cases are only approximate but should be within a year either way. Finding the rituals fragmentary, he rewrote them with the help of doreen valiente, one of his initiates, resulting in the. It is mainly about the early days of wicca in england specifically what we now call. Gardnerian wicca is one of founding traditions of modern paganism. Both of these things are common occurrences when it comes to modern religious witchcraft. The twelve lessons of the witch schools second degree, designed to be completed in the traditional year and a day format, build on the skills and knowledge you gained in the first degree training program. Gardnerian witchcraft was the father tradition of many others that were to follow.
This group is moderated by dulyvetted members of the gardnerian tradition. While we do confirm the initiation status of those claiming to be initiates, this does not necessarily mean the group vouches for these people as proper or decent persons. Morgann don frew, hp of coven trismegiston and our elder in the california gardnerian line, has extensively researched gardnerian history, studied gerald gardners manuscripts, and helped lead a decadeslong project to collect, collate, and share with other gardnerian covens all known versions of the book of shadows. Why are there so few books on gardnerian witchcraft or even other british traditions. He strikes three knells on the bell, and again gives the series of three, seven, nine, and 21 strokes with the scourge as before. Go round circle with magic sword or athame, saying, i conjure thee, o circle of power, that thou beest as a boundary and a protection to contain the magic power which i will raise within thy. If you choose to take the first degree initiation and you are not obligated to you will become a member of the correllian tradition. Wicca lessons in beginning in the wiccan tradition by star danser. The answer is simply that we, as btws british traditional witches have taken certain oaths that prevent us from sharing the secrets of our traditions and these oaths limit what we can and cannot say to noninitiates. August eve on chants to help the sick the scourge and the kiss the priestess and the sword the warning of the ordeal of the art magical the eightfold way. He was one of the first to go public with formation about the craft. I dont know about the allegation that gardnerian wicca requires initiation by sex, so wont comment.
Magus binds witch as before, but does not blindfold her, and circumambulates with her, proclaims to the four quarters, hear, ye mighty ones. A high priestess in northwind tradition is autonomous except as provided for in the northwind bylaws andor policies. Sometimes they are less bold and say they founded wicca in the united states. The old witchcraft is still hidden, to a point but that site that etherealmoonrose mentioned is a source of some good information. The first degree is a beginner, the newlymade witch that needs to learn and learn. Gardnerian wicca seekers and initiates has 3,641 members. Gardnerian was a never a term used by gardner himself. A seax wicca hp does not pass gardnerian lineage by initiating someone into seax wicca, because even if that person was also a gardnerian, the initiations are different.
A central aspect of wicca particularly in gardnerian and alexandrian wicca, often sensationalised by the media is the traditional practice of working in the nude, also known as skyclad. It explores controversies in the history of wicca as well as providing an archive of hard to find documents, a list of where to buy rare books on gardner and wicca, a forum and mailing list, and essays on gerald gardner. Gardnerian wicca is based solely on conciliar activities and initiations. Gardnerian wicca new moon pagan wicca witchcraft occult. Wicca is a recently created, earth centered, neopagan religion. Wicca is the witch cult and witchcraft and its followers the wica. The tradition is itself named after gardner 18841964, a british civil servant and amateur scholar of magic. This is the text of the gardnerian book of shadows. Alexandrian wicca is similar in many ways to gardnerian wicca, and receives regular mention in books on wicca as one of the. Typically each coven has a handwritten copy of a book of shadows.
The northwind second degree training is designed to produce coven and ritual leaders hpses in the usual sense. The first degree is the lowest level of initiatory membership in a wiccan tradition. The various branches of wicca can be traced back to gardnerian witchcraft which was founded in the uk during the late 1940s. This is an extremely traditional path with a hierarchical grade structure. Alexandrian wicca founded by alexander sanders, alexandrian wicca is a tradition that is closely related to, and greatly resembles gardnerian wicca. It was developed in england during the first half of the 20th century and was introduced to the public in 1954 by gerald gardner, a retired british civil servant. A degree shows that the student has spent time learning, studying and practicing.
However, it is important to point out that there is no official book of shadows. In many traditions of wicca, as well as some other pagan religions, ones studies are marked by degrees. The second degree initiation witchcraft initiation rituals. The initiation into second degree wicca learn spells. Gardnerian training training to be initiated into a gardnerian coven is a long process which lasts a minimum of a year and a day. Gardnerian wicca is named for the religions founder, gerald gardner, and it is considered by many people to the be the original form of this spiritual path. Magus now unties her feet, unties the cable tow from the altar, and helps the witch to her feet. Return to index gardnerian book of shadows 1957 the seconddegree initiation. Its a similar concept to the denominations of christianity. Written by an initiate of both, the alexandrian and gardnerian tradition, this book presents a serious and complete neophyte training program for alexandrian and gardnerian wicca. The initiation is conducted by gardners book of shadows.
The sex only happens in the 3rd degree, if at all, so is not in any way necessary for. Gardnerian is the tradition founded by gerald gardner. Pages from the book of shadows, sacred myth and much lore from the oral, inner teachings of these traditions make this book a unique and extraordinary training manual for the. Like so much of california gardnerian practice, the option of males casting circles for initiation or elevation represents a return to gardnerian tradition. And myrth is right theres no such animal as pregardnerian wicca. Initiation for first degree wicca black witch coven. The more common wand, chalice, pentacle, and boline are used, but others are included not commonly found elsewhere. Gardnerian wicca is another of british traditionals and is highly structured, with firm requirements in both time and skills that have to be met for advancement through the various degrees. If it is possible to act it out, the new initiate may take. We do not initiate in haste as fit is most important for all involved. Important read this first when you request to join this group you must also take a moment to.
The coven leaders handbook lessons in gardnerian and. Aug 25, 2007 the frosts claim to have founded wicca. Before we can actually discuss if anyone is breaking the oath, we must first determine exactly what the oath is. The coven leaders handbook lessons in gardnerian and alexandrian wicca. Alexandrian wicca or alexandrian witchcraft is a tradition of the neopagan religion of wicca, founded by alex sanders also known as king of the witches who, with his wife maxine sanders, established the tradition in the united kingdom in the 1960s. The witchs journey venture further on your journey into the magical life of a witch. The priestess or magus is then loosed from the cords and says. Lessons in beginning in the wiccan tradition 3 l esson 1 wicca encompasses your whole worldview and way of li fe, and is always there in the way you look at and interact with the world. In many aspects they are like the gardnerian wicca. Its a common misconception that attaining a degree is an end goal, but in fact, most high priestesses.
Weve done it robed, sky clad, and some interesting combinations. Jan 19, 20 third degree in the church of wicca there is no third degree. Apr 22, 2015 todays blog was inspired by our dear sister thorn mooneys pictured above most recent post to her oath bound blog on, what good is gardnerian wicca. Rosemary buckland, from whom most american gardnerians descend, was initiated in a circle cast by her male mate at the time, raymond buckland. The seconddegree initiation gardnerian book of shadows. The notes from which the original talk was derived were compiled during the 1980s from a myriad of sources, and were intended only for private use within my own coven. Then the legend of the goddess is either read or acted out. The covens are very secretive and take oaths upon initiations. The coven leaders handbook lessons in gardnerian and alexandrian wicca belachta, sean on. This is a ceremony we have used a couple of times with variations to suit the candidate for the second degree initiation. Firstly, it may refer to the handbook of wiccan practices and lore, first published in 1959, that was compiled by the founder of gardnerian wicca, gerald gardner 1884 1964.
In the past initiations were rites of passage that happened in a serial, consecutive way at certain stages of life. Wicca lessons in beginning in the wiccan tradition by star. Gardners usage of wica versus wicca i have looked at the usage of wica and wicca in gardners writings and it is clear that gardner mainly use d one c wica. He was one of the first to go public with information about the craft. Often the process is longer to allow the student to get to know the coven members, and for the coven to evaluate the student. In wicca there are usually three rarely four degrees of dedication. Gardner whom many have called the father of wicca or modern witchcraft. To attain this sublime degree, it is necessary to suffer and be purified. I will point out that strictly gardnerian wicca is rare these days, by my own experience. Having learned thus far, you must know why the wicca are called the hidden children of the goddess.
Gardner is the grandfather, at the very least, of almost all neowicca. Second degree magus binds witch as before, but does not blindfold her, and circumambulates with her, proclaims to the four quarters, hear, ye mighty ones, name, a duly consecrated priestess and witch, is now properly prepared to be made a high priestess and witch queen. Gardnerian wicca is considered one of the oldest forms of wicca and most wiccans acknowledge it to be the beginning of the wicca movement. Selfinitiation is not practiced and the solitary practice is extremely rare, except for high rank gardnerians that are retired from public life. Gardner is the grandfather, at the very least, of almost all neo wicca. Form circle in usual manner, invoking the mighty ones at the four quarters. Learn traditional wiccan witchcraft the gardnerian book of shadows, by gerald gardner. The key understanding we need to take away here is that an initiation is something thats done to you, by someone who belongs to a specific group, bringing you into that specific groupin wicca, that would be a coven. Scholars of religion categorise it as both a new religious movement and as part of the occultist stream of western esotericism. There are three degrees of initiation into this tradition. The wicca book of days for saturday, september 12th. Last updated on thu, 06 feb 2020 witchcraft initiation.
Wicca, a pagan religion founded in the early 20th century, is practiced in diverse ways known as traditions by solitary practitioners and groups called covens. Wicca is an experiential spiritual system of magick and ceremony that works with. Pregardnerian witchcraft eutm witchcraft and wicca forum. Consequently, i prefer to use the term the wica when talking about gardnerian crafters. Magus kneels, placing left hand under her knees and right hand on her head, thus forming magic link. That indicates strong parental love and a wish for all things to be settled. This ritual is a compilation of gardnerian, fairy, and traditional wiccan sources, and is intended to be used as an initiation for graduates of my training course in basic technologies of witchcraft. Gardnerian wicca gardnerian wicca is an initiatory mystery tradition or branch of witchcraft named after gerald brosseau gardner, a man initiated into a traditional witch coven in the new forest region of england in 1939. Third degree initiation confers upon the candidate full priestesshood, making hser a high priestess in northwind. Self initiation is not possible in gardnerian wicca. Now, i am not going to quote it here in its entirety for reasons that may seem conflicting but one can find similar oaths in sheba, farrar, holzer and any author who has ever written anything about. About coven members coven oldenwilde wiccan website. This practice seemingly derives from a line in aradia, charles lelands supposed record of italian witchcraft.
Leo martello writes in his forward to gardners the meaning of witchcraft,1 pioneer, publicist, advance pressman, gardner was the right man for the right time, a channel, who tapped the. Ceremony for becoming a wiccan high priestess synonym. Sometimes its the identification of a pattern or meaningful coincidence that we come across. Selfinitiation is not possible in gardnerian wicca. Although there are a number of gardnerian covens active. It is mainly about the early days of wicca in england specifically what we now call gardnerian and alexandrian traditions. Wicca is based on the symbols, seasonal days of celebration, beliefs. The twelve lessons of the witch schools second degree, designed to be completed in the traditional year and a day format, build on the skills and knowledge. The seconddegree initiation 1957 form circle in usual manner, invoking the mighty ones at the four quarters. Wicca, or the craft, is a neopagan religion popularized in the 1940s. Gardnerian wicca uses a number of tools not normally found outside of british traditional wicca. Sometimes its a bolt of inspiration that allows us to narrow in on something that we find to be important.
Go round circle with magic sword or athame, saying, i conjure thee, o circle of power, that thou beest as a boundary and a protection to contain the magic power which i will raise within thy bounds. Both traditions are similar in ritual practice, theology, and coven. The term gardnerian was probably coined by the founder of cochranian witchcraft, robert cochrane in the 1950s or. Initiation for second degree wicca black witch coven. When elders judged they were ready, candidate youngsters were brought.
Others branched off, including alexandrian wicca and cochranian wicca, drawing on the teachings of gardner, and moving forward to create their own paths. The initiate should be properly prepared and bound with the cords. Wicca is composed of many traditions most but not all of which recognize each others initiations. Group for people interested in gardnerian wicca, sometimes known in the us as british traditional wicca. These individuals are very secretive and take oaths upon initiations. Third degree in the church of wicca there is no third degree. Gardnerian wicca, or gardnerian witchcraft, is a tradition in the neopagan religion of wicca, whose members can trace initiatory descent from gerald gardner. Why its called oath bound, we have no idea, but she knows whats up and whats secret, so she has as much right to the term as any one of us, if not more for.
1177 1313 549 632 865 1178 516 1155 1043 25 1016 1518 1149 1259 220 41 246 1032 451 960 493 889 941 1296 290 1204 835 734 872 1215 248 815 1239 1302 1048