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History of Wicca


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This is going to be little history of Wicca, the Sabbats and other things. The origins of the Wiccan tradition are shrouded in mystery. It cannot be reliably traced back any further than 1954, to Gerald Gardner's book, WHAT WITCHES DO. Even in the early days (before the mid-1960s) most who called themselves Witches were extremely secretive. Until 1951 in England there were anit-witcraft laws on the books, and because of the Inquisition and other religious persecutions, being a Witch was not just unpopular, it was detrimental to livelihood and life itself. Gardner himself was not quiet about a Witch. He seemed to court publicity and became the "Official Witch if England," as described by the press. His openness was unpopular, and his group split up over publicity, among other things. Except for Gardner and a few notable others, early Witches were very private. In the mid 1960s came the explosion of occult material, some of it on witchcraft. The books by Sybil Leek, an admitted Witch, though not of Gerald Gardner's line, brought the message that Witches were alive and well in the modern world. With the occult explosion more people came to witchcraft and the religion grew. Though people were more open about thier religion, most were still secretive. In 1979 that all changed. Two books published on October 31, THE SPIAL DANCE by Starhwak and DRAWING DOWN THE MOON by Margot Adler, detailed the art and practice of witchcraft and Goddess worship. After they were published the people practicing witchraft after 1979 exploded. Suddenly where witchcraft had been a curisoity and an oddity practiced by an eccentric few, witchcraft had become a bona-fide religious movement. Those of us who have joined after 1979 were more open and vocal. The cultural consciousness had been raised and witchcraft and Wicca were an art of life in the 1980s and beyond. After a few years the genenarl population became mre used to the idea that Witches were alive and well and living in thier neighborhood. The cult panic subsided and became the domain of extreme fundamentalists. The witchcraft, Wicca, and other neo-Pagan religions became a part of the lunatic fringe, part of what went on in the everyday culture, but not necessarily mainstream. This "part of the lunatic fringe" (strange but mainly benign) is where seems to be today. Most Witches today are just plain folks and are as vocal or flamboyant as the witches of the '80s. Witchcraft is just another part of thier lives, not an aspect that overrides all other ties and affiliations. These people are no less faithful or devoted in thier practices, they just have no need to make an issue of it in non-witchraft contexts. After all, how many people, on first meeting, loudly prclaim thier religious affiliation for all to know and possibly challange?

The Sabbats

Tree Months

Moon names