Wiccan Traditions: Welsh Witchcraft

Welsh Witchcraft is a broad umbrella term for those who worship the old Welsh deities and practice Faerie magick. The largest association of Welsh traditions in the US (and probably in the world) is the Association of the Cymry. Some of the member covens are Wiccan, some are not. Most notably, the Church of Y Tylwyth Teg (the founding group of Cymry) is a legally incorporated Church based in Georgia which teaches Welsh Witchcraft as an ecstatic, mostly shamanic tradition and works heavily with the Faerie realms.

Wiccan Traditions: Stregheria

Stregheria is the form of witchcraft native to Italy; there are several distinct traditions sharing common roots in various parts of Italy. Also called "La Vecchia Religione," Stregheria is a nature-based religion. It's followers worship the forces of Nature, personified by gods and goddesses.

The witches of La Vecchia Religione are called Streghe (plural), with the title Strega (for a female) and Stregone (for a male).

Stregheria is rooted in the folk religion of the Latins (the Romans being one Latin people) and the Etruscans.

In the Aradian tradition, taught by Raven Grimassi in Ways of the Strega, the pantheon is different from the urban gods of the Romans, though some of those deities were shared with the Latins and the Etruscans. The most notable is Diana, whose worship was focused at a temple at Lake Nemi in the Alban Hills.

There are also other traditions of Stregheria in Italy, who may worship the urban gods of the Romans.

Wiccan Traditions: Stregheria

Stregheria is the form of witchcraft native to Italy; there are several distinct traditions sharing common roots in various parts of Italy. Also called "La Vecchia Religione," Stregheria is a nature-based religion. It's followers worship the forces of Nature, personified by gods and goddesses.

The witches of La Vecchia Religione are called Streghe (plural), with the title Strega (for a female) and Stregone (for a male).

Stregheria is rooted in the folk religion of the Latins (the Romans being one Latin people) and the Etruscans.

In the Aradian tradition, taught by Raven Grimassi in Ways of the Strega, the pantheon is different from the urban gods of the Romans, though some of those deities were shared with the Latins and the Etruscans. The most notable is Diana, whose worship was focused at a temple at Lake Nemi in the Alban Hills.

There are also other traditions of Stregheria in Italy, who may worship the urban gods of the Romans.

Wiccan Traditions: Shamanic Witchcraft

This term refers to practices associated with those of tribal shamans in traditional Pagan cultures throughout the world. A shaman combines the roles of healer, priest(ess), diviner, magician, teacher and spirit guide, utilizing altered states of consciousness to produce and control psychic phenomena and travel to and from the spirit realm.

Followers of this path believe that historical Witchcraft was the shamanic practice of European Pagans; and Medieval Witches actually functioned more as village shamans than as priests and priestesses of the "Old Religion."

Shamanic Witchcraft emphasizes serving the wider community through rituals, herbalism, spellcraft, healings, counseling, rites of passage, handfastings, Mystery initiations, etc.

The distinguishing element of Shamanic Witchcraft is the knowledge and sacramental use of psychotropic plants to effect transitions between worlds. The theory and practice of Shamanic Witchcraft has permeated widely though out many other established Traditions.

Wiccan Traditions: Seax-Wicca

Founded by Raymond Buckland in 1973 and based on Saxon traditions and mythology. Covens are led by a Priest and Priestess and may determine for themselves whether to work robed or skyclad. Rituals are open, and decisions are made democratically.

Wiccan Traditions: Minoan Sisterhood

The Sisterhood was founded by Lady Miw in Manhattan during the mid-1970's. Unlike its counterpart, the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood is not for homosexuals only. Covens are female-only, however. This Tradition claims newly acclaimed author Phyllis Curott as one its initiates.

Wiccan Traditions: Minoan Brotherhood

A Gay Men's tradition of Wicca established in New York by the late Lord Gwydion (Eddie Buczynski) in the mid - 1970's, at the same time as the Minoan Sisterhood was being established by Lady Miw, also in New York.

The Brotherhood remains exclusively a venue for Gay men to explore a traditional ritual Wicca, one which can foster a similar, though Gay, sexual mysticism and sense of personal empowerment as in some British traditions of Wicca.

As the founder was a Gardnerian initiate, the rituals are roughly Gardnerian, with changes to accommodate a different core mythology and ritual custom. Imagery and deities are those of Ancient Crete and Mycenae. Working tools and their uses are virtually identical to those of British traditional Wicca.

Wiccan Traditions: Georgian Wicca

If one word could best describe the Georgian Tradition, it would be 'eclectic. Even though the material provided to students was nominally Alexandrian, there was never any imperative to follow that path blindly. George Patterson (the tradition's founder) always said 'If it works use it, if it doesn't, don't'. The newsletter was always full of contributions from people of many traditions.

Wiccan Traditions: Ceremonial Wicca

Ceremonial Wicca uses a great deal of Ceremonial Magick in practices; mostly derived from the works of Aleister Crowley. Detailed rituals with a flavor of Egyptian magick are popular, as are Qabalistic ritual forms.

Wiccan Traditions: Church of Wicca

The Church of Wicca was founded by Gavin and Yvonne Frost. They offer correspondence courses in their brand of Wicca, which is sometimes called Celtic Wicca (not to be confused with the varied groups who practice their own forms of Celtic-flavored Wicca).

Until recently, this tradition was notorious for its more monotheistic view of deity and its exclusion of the Goddess. The Church of Wicca has just recently begun including a Goddess in their deity structure, but is very patriarchal as Wiccan traditions go.

The Church of Wicca terms itself "Baptist Wicca."

Wiccan Traditions: Celtic Wicca

This "tradition" really covers a number of individual traditions which follow the Celtic pantheons and holiday system. Each path is unique and stand alone, or could meld with another and still be part of the Celtic tradition. It is primarily derived from the ancient pre-Christian Celtic religions of Gaul and the British Isles.

As it is practiced today, most of the Celtic paths are part of the Neo-Pagan revival, focusing on Nature and healing with group and individual rituals that honor the Ancient Shining Ones and the Earth. Most are very eclectic, and hold to the Celtic myths, divinities, magic and rituals. Celtic paths are some of the more popular traditions.

Wiccan Traditions: Blue Star Wicca

Founded in 1976 Norristown, PA by Frank Dufner ("the Wizard") and Tzipora Katz, who later moved to Manhattan where they trained and initiated a number of people. Blue Star's early rituals were based on Alexandrian and Greco-Roman Traditions.

After Frank and Tzipora's divorce, in the early 1980's, Kenny Klein became high priest, steering the Tradition towards a more traditional British form, discarding Alexandrian and ceremonial rituals and replacing them with British Isles folkloric Craft practices.

Wiccan Traditions: Aquarian Tabernacle Church

An American Tradition of Wicca based on English Traditional Wicca. It is focused on service to the larger Wiccan and Pagan community through open worship gatherings. ATC was founded in 1979 by Pierre "Pete Pathfinder" Davis. The church is based in Index, WA, where it owns a Retreat House as well as an outdoor sanctuary with a ring of standing menhirs set in an old growth cedar forest.

The ATC is a fully tax exempt legal Wiccan church in the USA, Canada and Australia, with approximately 30 congregations in these countries as of 1997. ATC provides regular, open worship circles and also sponsors several annual festivals.

Wiccan Traditions: Amethystian Wicca

Founded in 1968 by Lady Amethyst. The tradition is rooted in the Order of the Garter, Order of the Royal Oak. Amethystian Wiccan is traditional with lots of Hermetic beliefs; dedicated to preserving old traditions while growing into a new generation of enlightened ones. This tradition teaches by example in daily life, at home and at work, as well as when among our own. Known through work and deeds. This traditions believes in a strict code of ethics exemplified by one's actions and abides by the Wiccan Rede.

Wiccan Traditions: Algard Wicca

Mary Nesnick, an American initiate in Gardnerian and Alexandrian traditions, founded this 'new' tradition. It brings together both Gardnerian and Alexandrian teachings under a single banner.

Wiccan Traditions: Alexandrian

Alexandrian Wicca Founded in England during the 1960's by Alexander Sanders, self-proclaimed "King of the Witches." An offshoot of Gardnerian, Alexandrian covens focus strongly upon training, emphasizing on areas more generally associated with ceremonial magic, such as Qabalah, Angelic Magic and Enochian.

The typical Alexandrian coven has a hierarchical structure, and generally meets weekly, or at least on Full Moons, New Moons and Sabbats. Rituals are usually done skyclad.

Though Alex Sanders claimed to have been initiated by his grandmother into the Craft as a toddler, it is said that he in fact began training with a Gardnerian coven and then left, but not before copying as much of the Gardnerian Book of Shadows as possible. This is a common explanation for the many similarities between the two traditions.

Janet and Stewart Farrar were originally initiated as Alexandrians but spent a good part of their publishing career trying to recombine the two.