Wiccan Traditions

Traditions

There is a diverse array of traditions in Wicca. While these are Wiccan traditions, they have their own magickal practices that go along with them that non-Wiccans may take and adapt. Each tradition varies belifes slightly like the different denominations of Christianity. Some traditions are new or were founded in the mid 20th century while others are older and have recently been labeled as "Wiccan" and have been passed down through families for generations. Many traditions centre around covens and ceremony, but some do not and any tradition can be practiced by a solitary. There are some traditions that do not fall in my understanding of what is Wicca however I will list them here because they are widedly accepted as Wiccan.
You do not have to follow a tradition if you are Wiccan. There are many Wiccans who are ecletic, meaning they do not follow a tradition. Instead, they make their own tradition taking parts from many and aspects of differeint religions to fuse them together to form a unique and individual tradition all their own. I have never heard of an ecletic coven, but many solitary Wiccans are ecletic.

Alexandrian Tradition
This tradition was founded in the 1960s in England by Alexander Sanders (1926-1988). Sanders was the self-proclaimed "God of the Witches" and a flamboyan psychic. Most rituals are preformed skyclad and can best be described as "modified Gardnerian" except it is more liberal and ecletic. There is a great emphasis on Ceremonial Magick and the use of cords. This practice's popularity declined in the 1970s and never had a really stong following in the United States; it was more popular in Canada and the United Kingdom. Wiccans who practice the Alexandrian tradition are called "Alexandrians."

Amythystian
This tradition was founded in 1968 by Lady Amethyst and has roots in the Order of the Garter, Order of the Royal Oak and is fairly traditional with many Hermetic beliefs. They are dedicedted to preserving old traditions while growing into a new generation. They are known through work and deeds and believe in a strict code of ethics that can be seen in one's actions. They adhere to the Wiccan Rede.

British Traditional Witchcraft
This Wiccan tradition blends Gardenarian and Celtic beliefs and practies. Also, this tradition has a degree system which is used for the training of coven initiates. For the most part these Wiccans follow the Farrar studies and are pretty structured in their beliefs. Often druids are a part of this tradition and the International Red Garters is a church of this tradition.

Celtic Wicca
This tradition is based on the practices of pre-Christian Celtic world and Druidic magick rites. This tradition also uses the ancient Celtic pantheon. This is not just an Irish tradition, it inculdes Wales, Scotland, and Gaul also. This tradition embraces Irish myths, wortcunning, natural healing techniques, and is exteremely earth based with strong religious aspects. Plus, this tradition shares much with Druidiry and the Teutonic tradition and some people think it resembles the Gardnerian rituals.

Church and School of Wicca
This tradition, like many others, are Welsh-based and was founded in teh early 1970s by Gavin and Yvonne Frost. Originally there was no mention of the Goddess and there were many sexual aspects to the religion. Both of these aspects have been modified and now the Goddess is mentioned. This is a very widely spread tradition.

Dianic Wicca **
This tradition was named after the Roman goddess Diana and they worship only the femal aspect of the Divine. If they do honour the Horned God he is given secondary status. This tradition has been called the "feminist" movement of the Craft and was can be traced back to Margaret Murray in 1921. This tradition also encourages female leadership and encourages its practitiones in feminist issues. While some Dianic covens include male and female memembers, most exclude men and some are only open to lesbians.

Egyptian Tradition
This is a very popular tradition. The rituals are similiar to those in Ceremonial magick and it focuses on the ancient Egypitan pantheon to invoke and honour.

Faerie Wicca
This tradition is based on faery beliefs and lore. It is a mixture of "Green Wicca", druicic, and celtic pracices with modern witchcraft. There is much emphasis on sensual experince and awarness along with sexual mystiicism. This is a mystery tradition and most initiates are in the arts. This tradtion is also called Faery, Fairy, Fey, or Fae.

Gardnerian Tradition
This is the original Wiccan tradition founded by Gerald Gardner. This practice centers around the worship of the Goddess and Horned God, uses formal covens, and also uses degree systems. This tradition is a blend of Masonry, Rosicrucianism, Pagan folklore (specifically "Aradia, Gospel of the Witches"), ancient mythology, and Golden Dawn ritual magick. This is a very traditional pathand a hierarchical grade structure. Ritual nudity (skyclad) is required for many rituals and ritual scourging and blood control with binding cords as means of raising magickal powers. This is a secretive tradition and initiaites take oaths upon initiation. The are many active Gardnerian Covens however they can be hard to find and aren't easy to join. This too is a tradition that isn't ideal for the solitary parctioner.

Georgian
This tradition was founded in 1970 by George E. Patterson. It is very based on Garnerian-Alexander plus English traditionalist and original ideas. Though it leans more toward the Goddess it is both God and Goddess oriented. Nudity is not required, but seems to be common and is both magickal and religions.

Love Craft Tradition
This tradition is very new and was created by the authour Gerina Dunwich. This tradition is based upon the tenet "Love is the law." The goddess Aphrodite/Venus is focused on. There is a great emphasis on divinations, healings, and magickal workings rather than religion.

Pow-wow Tradition
This is a system based on 400 year old German Magick. For the most part Silver Ravenwolf markets this tradition of Wicca and many speculate it is made up by her.

Sacred Wheel
This an a path organised in Delaware who focus on balance and learning. Celtic beliefs play a large role in their teachings and they seem to be concentrated in the eastern United States.

Seax-Wicca or Saxon-Wicca
This tradidtion was founded by Raymond Buckland in 1973. This tradition has a Saxon basis and is very similar to the Gardnerian tradition, except it is less strict. Their covens have only one degree of rank.

Teutonic Wicca
This is the Nordic, Neo-Viking tradtion based on the magickal customs and ancient myths of pre-Christian Iceland and Scandinavia and other Germanic lands. The magickal and divinatory casting of runes, Norse-Germanic symbology, and the worship and invocation of ancient Norse dieties (such as Frig, Frigga, Thor, Freya, Odin, Loki, and others) are associated with this tradition. This is a tradition similair to Astruar Paganism.

Wiccan Shamanism
This is a Shamanic tradition whos beliefs are connected to contact with the spirit world. Through communication with spirits the Shaman can heal, divine, and preform other acts of maigck. The spirits reveal by visions, poetry and myth that reaches the deeper parts of the human spirit. This tradition was founded in the 1980's by Selena Fox.

The illustration at the top of the page is "Moonrise" by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite from Elves and Fairies.

** I don't consider this tradition really Wiccan because Wiccans believe in equality and balance of the elements (dark and light, male and female, etc.) and in both versions of the Dianic tradition the God and Goddess are not equals and in many covens male and female practitioners are not equal.