The following is a short-term research-based assessment of
the various forms of Wicca and Wiccan traditions.
Did you know that Wicca consists of multiple branches, each
with their own unique practices and traditions?
The potential size of what is
called a "coven" (a Wiccan ritual group). All membership within a
coven is fixed with members who have been formally initiated into the group by
a Wiccan high priest or priestess that leads the group.
There are three
forms of Wicca which subscribe to similar yet unique practices within the
tradition. These are:
Alexandrian Wicca
According to Grey
Cat (2017):
"Alexandrian Wicca is the creation of Alex Sanders (with his then wife Maxine) who claimed to have been initiated by his grandmother in 1933. Although similar to Gardnerian Wicca, Alexandrian Wicca tends to be more eclectic, and liberal. Some of Gardner-isms strict rules, such as the requirement of ritual nudity, have been made optional by Alexandrian Wicca. Most of the rituals are very formal and heavily indebted to ceremonial magick. It is also a polarized tradition and the sexuality of that female/male polarity is emphasized. The ritual cycle deals mostly with the division of the year between the Holly King and the Oak King and several ritual dramas deal with the dying/resurrected God theme. As with Gardnerians, the High Priestess is supposedly the highest authority. However, it is odd that the primary spokespersons for both traditions have been men." (Cat, 2017. Para. 9 - 11).
Celtic Wicca
According to
Wikipedia (2017):
"Celtic Wicca is a modern tradition of Wicca that incorporates some elements of Celtic mythology. It employs the same basic theology, rituals and beliefs as most other forms of Wicca. Celtic Wiccans use the names of Celtic deities, mythological figures, and seasonal festivals within a Wiccan ritual structure and belief system, rather than a traditional or historically Celtic one" (Wikipedia, 2017).
Gardnerian Wicca
Gardnerian Wicca
is:
"a tradition in the neopagan religion of Wicca, whose members can trace initiatory descent from Gerald Gardner. The tradition is itself named after Gardner (1884–1964), a British civil servant and scholar of magic. The term "Gardnerian" was probably coined by the founder of Cochranian Witchcraft, Robert Cochrane in the 1950s or 60s, who himself left that tradition to found his own. Gardner claimed to have learned the beliefs and practises that would later become known as Gardnerian Wicca from the New Forest coven, who allegedly initiated him into their ranks in 1939. For this reason, Gardnerian Wicca is usually considered to be the earliest created tradition of Wicca, from which most subsequent Wiccan traditions are derived. From the supposed New Forest coven, Gardner formed his own Bricket Wood coven, and in turn initiated many Witches, including a series of High Priestesses, founding further covens and continuing the initiation of more Wiccans into the tradition. In the UK, Europe and most Commonwealth countries someone self-defined as Wiccan is usually understood to be claiming initiatory descent from Gardner, either through Gardnerian Wicca, or through a derived branch such as Alexandrian Wicca or Algard Wicca. Elsewhere, these original lineaged traditions are termed "British Traditional Wicca"." (Wikipedia, 2017).
Work Cited
Cat, G. (n.d.).
Various Forms of Wicca and Wiccan Traditions. Retrieved September 04, 2017,
from https://wicca.com/celtic/wi...
Celtic Wicca.
(2017, August 31). Retrieved September 04, 2017, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wi...
Gardnerian Wicca.
(2017, August 31). Retrieved September 05, 2017, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wi...
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