I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God
who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect
has intended us to forgo their use.
Galileo Galilei
Traditions
Which Witch is..well..Which??
So many Witches...but are they all the same? Can a Pagan be a Witch, is a Wiccan a Witch (Wiccan Witch of the West...sorry!...couldn't resist!), or just what are all these different traditions???
Many people follow the major traditions, but just as many pull from several cultures to create their own unique combination. Hence, Christian Witches, Jewish Witches or those who do not call themselves anything but Pagan but might use the Kaballah or Buddhism teachings. Anything is possible so long as it meets your spiritual needs and fuels your spiritual growth.
Wiccan
Wicca is not a Celtic driven religion per say...Celtic religions are considered as being a different denomination (although an Ecclectic Witch may draw from this spiritual aspect)
Alexandrian:
This branch was created in the 1960's in England. This is an off-shoot of Gardnerian, created by Maxine and Alex Sanders. It is essentially modified Gardnerian.
Gardnerian:
This is the tradition that started it all. In the 1940's or so, Gerald Gardner came forward and announced that Witchcraft was alive and well, and that he was going to help bring it back to public awareness. He called his new religion "Wicca" and established many of the rituals and concepts still in use by Wiccans today. It is a nature based religion, promoting the worship of a Goddess as well as a God, and was unique in establishing that women were equal to men in worship and leadership.
Dianic:
The Dianic tradition is primarily a women's (wimmon's) only spiritual path. Drawing from the woman's movement, this promotes a female sprituality connecting with the inner as well as cosmic Goddess. Since many members are rejecting the patriarchal religions, the Goddess becomes the primary diety. Oftentimes the God is not called, or is relegated as only a necessary part of the Goddess's creational process. This is not a male hating society, but the necessary result of so many generations of women being denied a voice in their own worship. This is a very active tradition, with many excellent bodies of works available.
Faery Tradition:
A Wiccan based religion believing that all the world is alive and thinking. Awareness comes from experiencing life and reality is not just visual based. Trips between worlds is not uncommon, and it is believed that not all can handle who and what is met there. Not really for group workings, this is more for the individual with a strong charactor. Very much a nature based faith with emphasis on the Gods and ones responsibilites.
Kitchen Witch:
You will find this Witch in the home, healing and performing practical magick to the betterment of her family. Dealing with herbs, stones and elemental magicks, this Witch tends to form a more homey aspest of the Craft. This is not to be confused with being inferior, far from it, this branch is on equal footing with all the others.
Pow-Wow:
Found mostly in Pennsylvania, this is a system that traces its roots to ancient German magick. Today it has mostly become a form of healing, but some (like Silver RavenWolf) are still practicing the more ancient craft.
Solitary:
A solitary is one who does not belong to a coven, and practices all rites, rituals and magick alone. She/He can draw upon an established tradition, or use a unique blend of many to create his/her own special form of worship. If one is solitary, this does not mean one cannot be initiated into the craft. The person would just create their own ritual, and perfom it when they fell ready. It is advisable to network, so new ideas can be exchanged, and keep abreast of issues that could affect your worship.
Northern
Odinism:
Odinism is a modern revival of the pre-Christian Pagan traditions of Northern Europe. This tradition follows the concept of "faith, folk and family". It draws heavily upon Norse and Celtic traditons, and focuses upon ones past to create ones future. It promotes honor and community service, and seeks to pass on learning to the new generations.
Asatru:
This religion follows the Norse Pantheon, such as Wodin, Thor and Frejya. It is a very proactive religion and members are encouraged to use magick to improve their daily lives. The Gods favor those who take a firm hand in deciding how to live ones life, look down upon those who cannot stand up for themselves. Many follow the Warrior Code, promoting honor, family and well-being as well as encouraging community service and protecting the weak. The Runes are a popular form of divination which encourages introspection and making ones own decisions. This is a very intensive religion for the strong of heart.
Vanatru:
I have seen this interchanged with the Asatru religion. They most probably are the same religion, but with different names.
Shaminism
Druidry
Druid:
Born of the Celtic tribes, these were the religious and knowledge holding leaders of the Celts. They fell into three orders: Bard, Ovid and Druid who each had different levels of responsibility to the community. Study involved twenty years and was memory based with little or no written magickal language (although this is no longer true today). The Druids were the most learned, and filled judicial, advisoral and knowledgable positions. It was said that a Druid striding upon a battlefield could stop a war. Todays Druids follow a nature based faith, with an added focus on continual learning. Their holy days are different than the Wiccan faiths.
Dryad:
Essentially, a female Druid. In the olden days, women and men were trained differently due to the belief that men and women absorb and project energy differently. The Dryads were inclined to do more magick and divination, but were still considered the equals of their male counterparts. Many women today use the Dryad term instead of calling themselves Druid.
Paganism/Witchcraft
Witch:
This person can be male as well as female. The Witch follows the Europian fertility religion of Witchcraft. They are usually great users of herbs, stones and folklore, and were often found as the village wisewoman or cunningman. They followed the Goddess and Horned God, and healed the sick as well as helped to protect the village itself. They do not follow the Wiccan Rede ('An it harm none, do as thou will), since they are perfectly willing to protect their own at the extent of their abilities; but have a great respect of the concept of "Karma".
Stregheria:
Italian Witchcraft based upon the Goddess/mortal incarnation Aradia. They worship the Goddess Diana and Her consort Dianus. They have eight Treguendas that make the "Wheel of the Year", and these holidays tend to be subtly different from the Wiccan Sabbats. They have a very strong family based faith, and do not follow the Rule of Three. In fact, the Strega claim that it was Aradia who taught Her followers how to poison their enemies. They do however follow the notion that "What goes around, comes around".
Witta:
The Old Religion of Ireland, this faith promotes the worship of Mother Earth without all the fancy tools and trappings. It draws heavily upon Celtic and Norse lore, and recognizes the fairy traditions (like the leprechauns). Using the Gaelic language and Irish customs makes this a very rich in detail religion. The Scottish religion: Wita is very similar.
To flip through the pages of my BOS faster...
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Brightest of Blessings