Grove of Ancient Wisdom

Different Tradition Sects

Each of these sects can be associated with one of these three major traditional groups of Witchcraft.

Classical Witchcraft

Early Nordic which included the Germanic languages, Dutch, Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish peoples.

Gothic Witchcraft

Celtic Anglo-Saxon which includes Druid, Irish, Scottish, and English, as well as, many of the French, and Italian cultures.

Neo-Pagan Witchcraft

Modern New Age American which has primarily been influenced by the melding of all previous sects through immigration and the country's natural evolution.

The Craft Sects

These different sects are all based on the ancient craft traditions, but were influenced by regional customs and existing spiritual beliefs. These traditions are the result of a successful melding of these ancient Pagan traditions and current civilizations. The following is a small sampling of many different traditions.

Classical Craft

Ceremonial

Encompass many traditional rituals with a basis of Egyptian magick and often follow the ceremonies outlined in the ancient Cabalistic writings.

Stregheria/Strega

A very ancient tradition of Italian Witches named after Aradia, daughter of Diana begun in Italy around 1353.  The Strega focus on moon lore, nature, symbolism, spirits, spells, omens, and natural objects.  Belief in the Goddess and God andmagick circles are seldom used for rituals.  Most of the same festivals as other traditions but the dates and names sometimes differ.

Teutonic

The Teutons have been recognized as one of the earliest and formal practitioners of the craft. Their ways of practicing the Craft are also known as Nordic.

Gothic Craft

Caledoni

Of Scottish traditions, this sect is also known as Hecatine. It continues to encompass many of the festivals and celebrations of the Scots.

Celtic

A mix of Celtic/Druidic pantheon energy. This sect focuses heavily on nature, healing, the ancient ones, the earth, and the Ancient Ones. With a great knowledge of healing and the magickal qualities of nature, including plants, animals and stones, this tradition is most commonly linked to in the Neo-Pagan sects:  

Druidism, Celtic

Shamanism, 'the Grail Religion', Celtic Christianity, and Wicca. Aided by the little people, gnomes and fairies, Celtic magick is full of fun, mirth and mythology.  Very eclectic, and very popular.

Deborean

A combination of Celtic and Native American traditions, focused primarily on Celtic origins. Formed in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, the Carolinas and southwestern Virginia.

Deborean Wicca

An American eclectic tradition which attempts to reconstruct Wicca as it was before 'The Burning Times' or the European witch craze.

Farrar

A very famous husband and wife team from England, Janet and Stewart Farrar compiled and researched many of the ancient and modern sects to pull the best parts of all into one. Many of today's modern sects are in one way or another based on these studies and compiled materials.

Hereditary and Traditional

Traditional Witches are those who follow practices established before Gardner.  Hereditary Witches also follow old practices and claim an ancestor or a lineage of ancestors who were initiated Witches.  They are likely to be born with psychic gifts.  Hereditary witches may be initiated into the Craft by their family members.  Unlike the Gardnerian tradition, mothers may initiate daughters and fathers may initiate sons.  Some Witches feel the only "true" Witches are hereditary.  Others, however, hold that there are many legitimate paths to the Craft, and those who are meant to be a part of it will find their way to it, whether through family, friends, books or spiritual transformations.  The beliefs are typically Celtic in nature, but include a smattering of many of the current and ancient structures, as well as, many home spun ones.

Pictish

Also of Scottish tradition, this sect focuses heavily on all aspects of nature. But is different from Celtic sects in that Pictish is a solitary form of Craft.

Neo-Pagan Craft

Modern New Age American which has primarily been influenced by the melding of all previous sects through immigration and the country's natural evolution.

Alexandrian

Founded in the 1960s by Alex Sanders a British self-proclaimed "King of the Witches", the Alexandrian tradition was the second largest tradition to come out of England.  It is based heavily on the Gardnerian tradition, with greater emphasis on cord magick and ceremonial magick.  Worshiping is done skyclad.

Requires rigorous training and a lot of ceremonial magick

Non-initiates can attend circles sometimes. (Open circle.)

British Traditional

A mix of Celtic and Gardenarian rituals it is the most famous organization in the International Red Garters society. This sect is based on the Farrar studies of Wicca and is exceptionally structured in belief and ritual. A witch becomes part of the Coven through a training, education and degree process.

Dianic

Also called "the Feminist" movement of the craft, this sect focuses on the Goddess aspect of Wicca and most worship the Goddess exclusively with very eclectic rituals. The name is taken from Diana, Greek Goddess of the Moon and the hunt, and one of the principle names for the Goddess in Witchcraft.  

Dianic tradition sets itself somewhat apart from the mainstream Craft.  It espouses a feminist spirituality and sisterhood that must struggle against an oppressive, patriarchal society in an effort to bring about positive social and political changes for all.  

"Old Dianic"- honors mostly the Goddess but the God as well because he is the Goddess's consort.  These covens include women and men.

Eclectic

Not following one tradition, takes elements from various earth-based religions and incorporates them into their rituals.  Rather practitioners focus on what "feels" best and most comfortable to them. Study and practice is than based on information gathered from books, or other practicing witches.

Many deities can be invoked, even in one ritual.  (e. g., for a healing ritual, many healing gods could be called upon from various regions of the world, instead of just one.)

Faery

An ecstatic and magickal Craft religion founded and developed by Americans Victor Anderson and Gwydion Pendderwen.  Faery is spelled in various ways, including Faerie and Fairy, the latter of which is preferred by Anderson.  Like all Craft traditions, the Faery Tradition honors nature and reveres the deities (which are secret) that personify the forces of nature, life, fertility, death and rebirth.  It is polytheistic rather than dualistic and has much emphasis around polytheism, practical magick and self development.  There is no standard secret "Book of Shadows" but instead an approach to working the Craft and living life.  Most initiates incorporate their own art, poetry and music into rituals.  It is a 'mystery tradition' which focuses around mystery, danger, ecstasy, and divinity.

Gardnerian Wicca

The revived Witchcraft named after Gerald B. Gardner remains the dominant tradition worldwide.  It is centered on worship of the Goddess and her consort, the Horned God.  It emphasizes polarity in all things manifest in the universe; fertility; and the cycle of birth-death-rebirth.  Nature is honored, and one accepts oneself and all other living things as part of her.  Eight seasonal Pagan sabbats are observed.  The Wiccan Rede of harming no living thing is the guiding principle.  Gardnerian Wicca utilizes Folk Magick, Tantric Hinduism, Crowley an Ceremonial Magic.  Headed by a High Priestess and/or High Priest, though there are rituals for self-initiation.

Three Degrees of Initiation separated by a minimum of a year and a day.  Only a third-degree witch may become a high priestess or high priest.

Power raising includes - scourging, meditation, chanting, astral projection, 'The Great Rite', dancing, skyclad, wine, cords.

Seax-Wica

Founded by Raymond Buckland in 1973.  Based on the Saxon beliefs and very closely related to the Gardnerian traditions. Seax-Wica is more egalitarian and democratic than the Gardnerian tradition, with only one degree of rank, not three.  The coven is led by a high priestess and/or high priest, who are chosen in annual elections.  The high priest and male deity are equal to the high priestess and female deity in importance.  There is no ritual scourging or binding, and covens decide for themselves whether to worship clothed or skyclad.

Witchcraft as a Science

This tradition, founded in 1955 by Laurie Cabot of Salem, Massachusetts, holds that Witchcraft is a science as well as a religion and an art.  As a science, it may be applied to harness and expand psychic potential.  Witchcraft As A Science teaches that each individual is responsible for all of his or her thoughts and actions.  The Wiccan Rede, which Cabot gives as "An' it harm no living thing, do what you will," is extended to defending oneself against evil energy or psychic attack.  It includes practitioners of all other traditions; therefore, rituals are eclectic.  practitioners wear black, which the tradition considers to be the traditional witch's color.  Cabot notes that black absorbs light while white reflects it; this absorption of light facilitates psychic power.  Includes, parapsychology; physiology; astrology; geometric structure; sociology; anthropology; meditation; aura reading, balancing and healing; the use of crystals; and the psychic arts.  Traces the origins of the Craft to the Celts.   

Witchcraft and Wiccan Shamanism

Shamanic Witchcraft

Healer/Priestess, Magician, Teacher, Spirit Guide and Diviner.

Invoke alternate states of being for practices.

Wiccan Shamanism

A multicultural focus.  Mostly Wicca, humanistic psychology, Shamanism, and healing.

Invoke alternate states of being for practices.