| Between Wicca and Witchcraft | ||
|---|---|---|
| I stopped using the words Wicca and Wiccan in my descriptions
of myself and my practices some time ago. I did this of my own volition
as I began to discover the inherent differences between Traditional Wicca
(Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Minoan, etc.) and Eclectic Wicca (which from
henceforth I will term Witchcraft). Wicca is an initiatory path; it is a faith of personal revolution and revelation. Wicca is an attempt to rekindle the Mystery Traditions of old. In Wicca, one must pass through the ordeals of the particular tradition before one is considered initiated and a Wiccan. The rituals and powers brought to bare in a Wiccan initiation are directed towards the initiate and personal discovery. Wicca first came to the public eye through the efforts of Gerald Gardner, and it will forever bare the stamp of his work and that of his companions. The veracity of Gardner's claims of antiquity aside, it was a daring move on the part of those early Wiccans to take the steps that they did. Mystery in the ancient sense of the word, had died in the mundane world. The early Wiccans sought its return, sought to give back to humankind something that it had lost. Witchcraft, as generally practiced in America, bares many similarities to Wicca. The aims are the same, the tenets are primarily the same. But it is not Wicca. Witchcraft is a branch off the same tree of Neo-Paganism, but so are Asatru and Druidism. But they don't lay claim to a title that is not theirs to claim. There is scant proof for Gardner's claims that Wicca is a survival of ancient traditions (this statement in no way refutes those claims, nor verifies them). But there is no doubt that Gardner is responsible for bringing modern Wicca to the world. And if practitioners can not stick to the basic rules as set forth by that original coven, they have no right to claim the title of Wiccan. I do give credit to those who have broken from traditional covens and begun their own traditions. Those who have been Wiccan will always be Wiccan and have the right to claim the title, even if they differ in methods, practices or Divinities. They passed the ordeals, and hopefully partook of the Mystery. But those who read a book and then initiate themselves have no claim to the title. Coven's formed around the written teachings of a traditional coven do not have the right to claim the title. Initiation is indeed a personal revelation brought by the Gods and Goddesses, but how you get to that initiation does define who you are and in some ways influences the directions of that revelation. This is in no way intended to devalue the practice of Witchcraft, or the teachings of many popular authors. It is simply my opinion that we should take pride in our own accomplishments and experience and not try to lay claim to something that was hard won by someone else. "Only a witch can make a witch." That is often heard as the rallying cry of traditional Wiccans. Now it also comes out of the mouths of Witches, who have so often been staunch supporters of the solitary practitioner. My counter is that it takes a Wiccan to make a Wiccan, and a Witch to make a Witch (note the capitalization), but true initiation comes from hard work and the grace of the Gods and Goddesses. Be proud of who you are, and how you got to where you are. But at the same time, respect others' beliefs and feelings. |
