WICCAN TRADITIONS

There are hundreds of traditions in Wicca, so I thought I would post a cross section of some of the most well known trads. Like a Star @ heaven

The Alexandrian tradition

Alexandrian Wicca is the creation of Alex Sanders (with his then wife Maxine) who claimed to have been initiated by his grandmother in 1933. Its principal proponents are Janet and Stewart Farrar whose books set forth most, if not all, of the Alexandrian tradition. Contrary to popular belief, the name Alexandrian refers not to Alex Sanders, but to Ancient Alexandria.
Mary Nesnick, an American initiate in Gardnerian and Alexandrian traditions founded a 'new' tradition called Algard. This tradition brings together both Gardnerian and Alexandrian teachings under a single banner. This was possible due to the great similarities between the two traditions.

British Traditional Wicca

Is defined as the family of Wiccan Traditions who can trace their lineage to Gerald Gardner, and/or to Alex and Maxine Sanders; or who’s Wiccan practice is based upon, or derives from, the above but without having initiatory lineage back to Gardner or Sanders."

Celtic Wicca

The use of a Celtic/Druidic pantheon mixed with a little ritual Gardnerian, and heavily stressing the elements, nature and the Ancient Ones. They had a vast knowledge of and respect for the healing and magickal qualities of plants and stones, flowers, trees, elemental spirits, the little people, gnomes and fairies.

Welsh Wicca

This is one of the many Welsh-based traditions. It was originally founded by Gavin and Yvonne Frost in the early 1970's. As "The Church and School of Wicca" the material is presented to students by correspondence, though the course is virtually the same as the material presented in their book The Witches Bible.
Originally (in the book) there was no mention of the Goddess at all but the situation has recently been modified and there is now mention of the Goddess. It is a widely spread tradition

Circle Wicca

This circle was begun in 1974 by Selena Fox and Jim Alan. Its headquarters are at Circle Sanctuary, a 200 acre Nature preserve and organic herb farm in the rolling hills of southwestern Wisconsin.
Circle coordinates Circle Network, "an international exchange and contact service for Wiccans, Neo-Pagans, Pantheists, Goddess Folk, Shamans, Druids, Eco-Feminists, Native American Medicine People, Seers, Ceremonial Magicians, Mystics and others on related paths
A cross-traditional federation of over one hundred covens, plus solitary elders and associates, who have joined together to win recognition for the Craft as a legitimate and legally recognized religion.

The Covenant of the Goddess

This trad was organized in 1975 at Coeden Brith. It is incorporated as a non-profit religious organization in California, though it has grown to be a nationwide organization with members throughout the United States, as well as a few in Canada and Overseas.
Decisions are made at an annual Grand Council or in local councils which may cover a city, state or an even larger area. The Covenant publishes The Covenant of the Goddess Newsletter and sponsors the COG Merrymeet Festival and Grand Council each year.
The festival is open to non-members too. The Covenant makes ministerial credentials available to qualified members. It also publishes materials on the Craft and does a great deal of public education work with the media, law enforcement agencies, government officials, and interfaith groups.
A coven can apply for membership if it’s a self-perpetuating group which has been meeting for six months or more; the group follows the code of ethics defined by COG; the coven has three or more members studying for the priesthood, one of whom is an Elder; and the focus of the group's ritual and theology is the worship of the Goddess and the Old Gods (or the Goddess alone).


Dianic Feminist Wicca:

A tradition started by Ann Forfreedom that is both religious and practices magick. It includes both female and male practitioners ("It is not lesbian oriented and not separatist" states Ann), solo practitioners, mixed covens and all female covens. "Dianic Feminist Wicca encourages female leadership, insists that a Priestess must be present for a Circle ritual to be held and involves its practitioners in feminist and humanist issues." Groups work either skyclad or robed.


Eclectic Wicca:

Although this isn't exactly an "official" tradition there are many Wiccans that call themselves Eclectic, in fact most solitary Wiccans consider themselves eclectic. What this means is that they have combined elements from several different traditions into one they feel comfortable with. Many of the newer traditions started out as Eclectic.

Gardnerian Wicca:

A retired British civil servant named Gerald B. Gardner is the 'Grandfather', at the very least, of almost all Neo-Wicca. He was initiated into a coven of Witches in the New Forest region of England in 1939 by a High Priestess named 'Old Dorothy' Clutterbuck. In 1949 he wrote a novel [*High Magic's Aid*] about medieval Witchcraft in which quite a bit of the Craft as practiced by that coven was used. In 1951 the last of the English laws against Witchcraft were repealed (primarily due to the pressure of Spiritualists) and Gardner published *Witchcraft Today*, which set forth a version of the rituals and traditions of that coven. There is an enormous amount of disagreement about virtually every statement I have made in this paragraph.
Gardnerism is both a tradition and a family, and lineage is a family tree. The High Priestess rules the coven, and the principles of love and trust preside. They follow a handed down book more carefully than many others, but are free to add and improvise, as long as we preserve the original.

Sacred Wheel Wicca:

An eclectic neo-Pagan path which was organized in Delaware within the past decade. Calling themselves Wiccan, they focus on balance and learning. Celtic beliefs are a Part of their teachings. Still concentrated in the eastern states, covens are formed from study groups which include both old-timers and novices. Notices about the formation of Sacred Wheel study groups can be found in Pagan periodicals, especially those based in the northeastern United States.
They are a Wiccan religion dedicated to the health of Mother Earth, and to all her children in whatever forms they may take. They recognise that every human carries the divine spark of God and Goddess within and work in the world to help to realize the potential implicit in that divine gift.
This belief is religion reborn from ancient stock into a new world, a new era, and a new life, evolving and adapting through time. They say “May Wisdom, Understanding, and Beauty guide our actions in this and all the other worlds”

Seax-Wicca:

This tradition was founded by Raymond Buckland in 1973. It has a Saxon basis but is, in fact, a new denomination of the Craft. It does not pretend to be either a continuation or a re-creation of the original Saxon religion.
Main features of the tradition are the fact that it has open rituals (all of them are published and available), it has a democratic organization that precludes ego trips and power plays by coven leaders, there can be Coven or Solitary practice and there is the reality of Self-initiation in lieu of Coven Initiation, if desired. Seax-Wicca is found throughout the United States and in many countries around the world. For more information see "The Tree: Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft" by Raymond Buckland.