
LITTLE ABOUT THE WITCH RELIGION 

	Over the years, many people have asked me that all important question, " I don't know anything about Witchcraft.  Can you tell me what a Witch is?"  I've also given a lot of interviews to the TV, radio and print media and have found that a brief explanation of Wicca written on paper is useful to prevent misquotes and to give 
the interviewer questions to ask.  Now I see on the BBS people asking those same questions so I've put together a few of my handouts that I've written just for that purpose.
	Feel free to copy and distribute them but please give me credit for my own writings.  I knew that someday someone would pass my original writings off as ancient Wiccan Writings and I was right, I just didn't expect this to happen in Tucson, so be polite and give credit where it is due.


BASICS OF WITCHCRAFT
	
								by Rik Johnson

INTRODUCTION
  	In recent years there has been a tremendous growth in the ancient religion of Witchcraft (Wicca).  Unfortunately, due to centuries of bad press, the word Witch has been invested with an unfortunate connotation.  this handout is an attempt to redefine, in more accurate words, the truth about the religion of Wicca and its followers.  
  	This paper has no purpose other than to tell the truth in the hopes that the reader will become better educated towards one of the oldest religions in the world.

HISTORY/HERSTORY
  	The origins of Witchcraft are lost in the mists of time.  However, from contemporary records, historical research, folklore and the studies of Anthropologists, Archaeologists and Historians, we have been able to develop a probable outline of the History of Witchcraft.
  	Our earliest confirmed artifacts of the Wiccan Religion date back to at least 20,000 to 40,000 years ago and reflect the Goddess of the Witches.  This is complimented by paintings of the God of the Witches and their Rituals which have been dated to about 12,000 to 15,000 years ago.  This makes Witchcraft one of the oldest religions on Earth. By Classical Times, the Witch religion had been influenced by the Celtic Religions and both borrowed extensively from each other.  
  	As christianity expanded its political power, it passed laws to repress other religions and many of these were aimed at Wicca which was seen as being in competition with the new religion.  However it wasn't until the 15th Century when two dominican monks forged a paper from the catholic pope ( a letter which was later accepted by the vatican) that the churches began to actively persecute the Witch religion and Her followers.  Before these Burning Times, or the Inquisition, were over, some 9,000,000 people, mostly women and children, had been horribly killed.
  	By the late 19th Century, the Witches had come to realize that a new age was dawning and they began to slowly tell the truth about their religion.  By the 1950's, Witchcraft had, at last, become legal again and modern Witches began to claim that same freedom of religion that had been espoused by so many others.

DEFINITIONS
  	The word Witch comes from the Anglo-Saxon word WICCA (masculine) or WICCE (feminine) which means a bender or twister.  the Saxons pronounced the word "wee-cha" and used it to refer to anyone who performed any sort of magick or psychic powers.  The word was applied to a religion which had no word for itself, thus, over centuries, this harsh term was accepted.
  	The modern Witch will refer to him/herself as a follower of the Old Religion or Wicca (now pronounced "wik-ka") and the word Witch now refers to both male and female Witches.
  	A male Witch is NEVER called a warlock for this word means 'traitor' and modern Witches consider it to be an insult.	Other terms used for Witchcraft are: The Craft, The Old Religion, Wicca, Witchcraft and The Hidden Children of the Goddess.

THE GODS
  	Witches believe that every god that has been worshipped does exist, however, we prefer to worship only two: The Great Mother and The Horned God.  From these Two, Witches believe' all other gods came.
  	The Great Mother is Mother Nature.  It is She who gave birth to the universe.  She is the primal source from which all comes.  She has connotations with the Moon and so is often worshipped as a Triple Moon Goddess in Her aspects of Maiden, Mother and Crone.
  	From the Goddess came the Horned God, Her Consort.  He is the Lord of the Hunt, the Lord of the Dead and the Underworld and the Lord of Life who is shown with antlers to show that he is an Earth God.

REINCARNATION
  	The Wiccan religion has few hard beliefs, but one of them is that of Reincarnation.  Since Witches see the universe as cyclical, we also see our lives as following a regular cycle of birth, death and rebirth.  The exact method for this is not completely understood so each Witch is allowed to discover for themselves exactly how reincarnation works.  	
 	One common belief is that if we are faithful, we will be reborn among our loved ones to know and love them again.  Others believe that we choose our parents in each life in order that we may learn a new lesson and be a better person.

FATE/KARMA
  	Fate, the ancient belief, and Karma, the modern belief are tied together as major influences in our lives.  Karma can be understood in its simplest form as a reaction to a prior situation.  Fate is simply an incident to which we must react.  In each case, our actions/reactions determine what type of parson we are and we are encouraged to become better people by understanding our lives and their relations to the universe.

RESPONSIBILITY and the THREE-FOLD LAW
  	The one moral code by which Witches live can be summed up in the Wiccan Rede which says:  AN IT HARM NONE, DO WHAT THOU WILT.  this allows the Witch to determine on their own what to do and forces them to 'grow up' and make think for themselves.
  	In Wicca, there is no forgiveness so whatever we do, good or ill, will return to us three times as strong.  If we do good, we will receive three times as much good in return and if we do bad, we will receive three times as much bad in return.  Thus we are taught to be responsible for our own actions by following this positive moral code.

THE COVEN
  	The Coven is the church, the school and the extended family of the Witch.  This is where the Witch learns of the religion and of magick and psychics.  Whenever the Witch has a problem or a need, the Coven will be there to help from something as simple as fixing a leak in their roof, to moving the entire household across the state to helping another Witch get a job to just offering a shoulder and sympathetic ear. A Coven usually has no more than 13 people, best if they are 6 couples and a High Priestess. But not all Witches belong to a Coven, some prefer to worship alone as a Solitary, contacting others only occasionally.  Regardless of whether the Witch is a Covener or a  Solitary, they know that they are all the children of the Goddess and others will be there in need.

THE CIRCLE
  	Witches have no great temples partially because they collect no money from their followers and partially because they have no need for them.  To a Witch, all of Nature is a Temple, so the Witch will lay out a nine-foot Circle wherever they wish and delineate that area as a sacred temple.
  	The Circle may be taken apart after that Ritual or it may be saved and used on other occasions, but anyplace the Witch draws their Circle is considered to be a Temple to the Goddess.

NUDITY
  	Many Witches prefer to worship Skyclad or naked because nudity is a symbol of freedom from the mundane world, because clothing tends to hinder the growth of psychic and magickal power and the Goddess said to be naked as a sign of freedom and equality.
  	There is nothing lewd about ritual nudity as anyone who has spent time in a nudist camp can tell.  After 15 minutes, you realize that people are simply people and the thrill vanishes, thus leaving the Witch to work without distraction.
  	Other Witches, however, prefer to wear robes as a sign of equality.  The attire, or lack thereof, depends upon the Tradition of the Witch and their training and preferences.

RANK
  	Many Witches belong to Traditions of Witchcraft that separates learning and responsibilities into Degrees.  The most common is the Three Degree System where the First Degree is the student/Witch, the Second Degree is the practitioner/Priest/ess and the third Degree is the teacher/High  Priest/ess.
  	Other Traditions will have one or thirteen Degrees depending on how they separate their coven, but almost all traditions will have some form of Initiation where the Witch is formally accepted into the Brotherhood of the Wicca.

TRADITIONS
  	Wicca is devided into Traditions, each of which is a different way of practicing the Craft.  Generally speaking, Wicca can be devided into Traditionals, Eclectics and Dianics of whom the Traditionals are the Conservatives, the Eclectics are the Liberals and the Dianics are the Feminists of the religion.
 	Within each of these broad categories, there may be a number of Traditions, each of which was developed by one person who interpreted the Craft in a way different than their own teachers.  Some of these Traditions are Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Welsh, Celtic, Feminist, Dianic, Eclectic, Hereditary, Family-tradition and so on.

MAGICK and PSYCHICS
 	 Witches believe that everyone possesses some form of psychic ability.  They also believe that there is a force which we loosely call 'magick' which may be related to psychic activity enhanced by ritual.  With training, anyone can become competent in magick and psychics.
 	Some Witches believe that the Goddess gave magick to Her children to make their lives easier and to free them from slavery.  However you believe, the idea is that magick is there to aid us and not to replace material efforts, it simply assists it and gives that effort strength.

RITUAL
  	Ritual is the method by which the Wiccan will worship the Goddess and Horned God and request Their aid through magick.  even though each Tradition will work differently, there are some general similarities to their workings.
  	First, the Sacred Space or Circle is consecrated to the Gods.  Second, all within are purified and blessed before the specific nature of that Ritual is done.  Later a ritual meal is shared in Peace and Love and finally the Circle is dismantled as the Ritual ends.
  	Rituals generally tie us to our Gods and celebrate our connections with nature.  There are four main types of ritual.  First are the Esbats which are Lunar Rites dedicated to the Goddess.  Second are the Sabbats which are Solar Rites and are usually dedicated to the Horned God and the Cycle of the Year.  Third are Passage Rites and celebrate Wiccanings (birth), Puberty Rites, Handfasting (weddings) Rites and Passing Rites (funerals).
  The Sabbats are generally thus:

November eve.  Called by many names, this Sabbat celebrates the New Year, the change from the Goddess to the God and is a time of remembrance of those loved ones who have died in the last year and are awaiting rebirth.  This is the most important holiday of the year.
Winter Solstice is the time when the Horned God is reborn as the Sun-God.  Later, christians took this holiday and created christmas.

February Eve.  This Sabbat celebrates the recovery of the Goddess and the beginnings of life.

Spring Equinox.  The first day of Spring is celebrated now and the return of life in all its glory is praised.  Easter is a copy of this Ritual.

May Eve.  This is a fertility Ritual as the influence of the year shifts from the Horned God to the Great Mother Goddess.  Many Witches consider this to be as important as November Eve.

Summer Solstice.  his day celebrates the Strength of the God and reminds us of the Three-Fold Law.

August Eve is the first celebration of the Harvest.

Autumn Equinox.  This is the final harvest Ritual and the time when the Horned God returns to the Summerland to watch over the souls of the dead until they can be reborn.

  	Each Sabbat may be called by different names depending upon the Tradition and many of there were converted into christian holidays under the orders of  pope gregory in 601 c.e. (a.d. by the christian calendar).

FERTILITY/NATURE/BALANCE
  	Witchcraft is a nature religion that emphasizes fertility and balance in our lives.  If we have uncontrolled fertility in the world,  the planet will become overpopulated and all will suffer so there must be a balance.  This balance is not only for people and their bodies but for all things and our minds and souls as well.
  	Many Witches emphasis the fertility of the soul and mind over the fertility of the body.
  	As the Gods exist in a male-female balance, so should the Wicca attempt a balance in their lives.  Thus Witches strive to practice sexual equality.  Most Covens MUST have a  woman to perform the Rituals as a High Priestess, and though most have a High Priest as well, some find that they can worship well with only a female leader.			
  	This concept of  equality and balance so permeates our lives that most Witches believe that animals have souls and oppose animal experimentation and the wanton destruction of nature.

EPILOG
  	Witchcraft is an extremely personal and complicated religion which this paper only touches briefly.  We have attempted to respond to some of the most commonly asked questions and to debunk some common misconceptions about the religion.  	If the reader wishes more information or has other questions, they are invited to write us at the address below.
				Blessed Be;
					Rik

*****

HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY

									by Rik Johnson

  	If you are a member of a mixed household, i.e. one of you being christian and the other Wiccan, you may have a number of  problems with what are considered to be modern myths associated with the holidays.  Some holidays like the Fourth of July and Rodeo Day are secular and therefore simple to celebrate.  Both you and your children will simply follow established customs.  But what about religious holidays?  For some reason, the average christian sees nothing wrong with expecting the non-christian to celebrate their holidays, yet this same individual will balk at sharing your holiday with you. 
  	For example, if you are both Irish, st. patrick's day will be a big holiday, but for different reasons.  To the christian, patrick was the saint who brought christianity to Ireland by chasing the snakes from the Emerald Isle.  But to the Wiccan, patrick was a grave robber who dug up Irish graves to steal the gold buried therein so he could hire Saxon mercenaries to burn Irish Temples.  Obviously there is a problem with the Wiccan being expected to celebrate a day dedicated to a criminal.
  	However, there are other holidays that are easier to follow simply because the christian holidays were taken directly from the older Wiccan holidays under the orders of pope gregory.  So here, it is necessary to make a few adjustments for household peace and for the children.  Here then, are a few ideas.
  	Christmas is taken directly from the Wiccan Yule.  Whereas the christians celebrate the day as the birth of the son of god, the Wiccan will celebrate this as the rebirth of the Sun God, the former on December 26 and the latter on the Winter Solstice, about the 21st of December.  The basic theme is similar, though the methods of celebration differ.  For example, Wiccans used to give presents on the Autumn Equinox in September to celebrate an especially bountiful harvest.  We had to move this custom to December to fit in with modern society.  Thus Wiccans will hold the Yule Tree topped with a Pentagram (star) and we give and open presents on the 21st.
  	Do the children care?  Surprisingly enough, not at all since they now have two days on which they are given presents instead of one.  But what about Santa Claus?
  	Did Kris Kringle actually exist as a real person?  St. christopher was a fraud invented by the catholic church, st. Bridget was a Wiccan Goddess who was changed into a saint because the Irish refused to stop worshipping her and st. nick?  I don't know and to be honest, I don't care!  Santa Claus is too important to children to be taken away.  I feel sorry for those children whose parents deny the existence of Santa under the guise of honesty.  Children need fables and imagination.  So how do Wiccans handle this?
  	Simple.  Many children will ask the all-important question at some time in their lives ... "How does Santa visit all those kids in one night?"  If you say, magick, they know that there is something wrong.  Kids aren't stupid no matter what they watch on TV.  And to do what my catholic ex-wife did is unthinkable, "Santa only visits christian children.  He only gives gifts to christians, not to Jews, not to atheist, and certainly not to Witches."   This attitude teaches the children racism and bigotry, but the idea of Santa visiting children on a day that isn't even holy is equally bad.  So, I inform my children that they are right (compliment their intelligence), it's impossible for Santa to visit EVERY house in one 
night.  So Santa visits christian children on christmas, Jewish children on Hanukkah and Pagan children on Yule (share the wealth of the myth and teach them generosity).  This not only satisfies my children, but it allows the Wiccan to share in the Santa myth.

  	The next holiday is Ostara, the Spring Equinox which was taken over as easter.  Ostara or Eostra occurs on or about the 21st of March and is named after the Goddess of the same name who returns to Earth as a Maiden to bring new buds and life to the world.  Easter is the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the Spring Equinox which can make it as early as March 22 or as late as April 26.  Since Wiccans don't worship jesus and can cite evidence to show that the gentleman may have moved to France with Mary Magdalane to raise a family, we see no reason to celebrate a possible return to life on March 22 or March 23 or March 24 or...you get the idea.
  	Since Ostara celebrates the return of Spring, we celebrate it with flowers and joy, but, there is one custom that we may have borrowed from christianity (or did they borrow it from us?) simply because it is fun ... the Ostara Hare.  this creature is essentially the easter bunny with one difference, the Ostara Hare doesn't bring eggs, he takes them from the people and, for reasons we don't understand, hides them.  thus, before Ostara we get together with the children, boil and decorate eggs with bright colors and designs and show off our artistic abilities.  At the same time we have fun, make a mess and share quality time with our children.
 	We then put the eggs into the refrigerator and sometime during the night the Ostara Hare sneaks into the house (possibly through the cat door) to take the eggs and hide them in the yard and house.  As to why he does this, I don't know, perhaps he does it to show the children that anything worth having is worth working to get.  Or maybe it is some incomprehensible bunny secret.  Rabbits are strange but cuddly.  And it answers another important question for the kids.  "How does a little rabbit carry all those eggs all over the place?"  He doesn't.  We make them and he only has to carry them outside.  and if the Ostara Hare comes again on easter, all the better.
  	One year my daughter was beginning to question but she dutifully helped me decorate the eggs.  Some with Pentagrams, some with stars and moons, some with her name.  Then she woke up that night to find me frantically searching the house.  I had lost the eggs!  I knew that I had put them in the frig and I was planning to get up at midnight to hide them but they were gone.  Dawn helped me search to no avail so I sent her to bed while trying to locate a store still open which hadn't sold out their eggs.  No luck, eggs were scarce at that time of the year.  But, the next morning they turned up hidden.  Dawn was convinced that the Ostara Hare had taken them while I wasn't looking to prove his existence and I wondered where they had gone.  then after the kids are tired of eating  hard boiled eggs, what do you do?  You make Ostara Deviled Eggs of course!
  	The procedure is simple.  Shell the eggs, separate the eggs in half and mix the yolks with mayonnaise, mustard and whatever your favorite recipe requires.  Just like normal deviled Eggs.  But, here is the difference, put the whites in a cup with food dye.  After a few minutes, they come out beautiful pastel colors so you dry them off and fill with the yolk mixture to halve colored deviled eggs.  The kids love them and they are pretty to look at.
	
  Another holiday is Halloween or Samhain (pronounced SOW-wen).  Samhain is an old Celtic word that means literally "the end of Summer" for the ancient Irish, Scots and Welsh had only two seasons, Winter and Summer.  As Summer ended on October 31 at sunrise and Winter didn't start until November 1 at sunrise, that evening was between the worlds. I'm sorry, but there was never any 'great god sam'  who ruled the dead that you hear about sometimes.  that is a fairy tale developed in recent years to discredit Halloween.
  	To Wiccans, Samhain is THE most important day of the year.  It is New Year's Eve as well as the time when, because it exists outside of the year, a time when the dead can return to the earth.  But to us, the dead aren't scary, because they are our loved ones, our family who have returned to us to say good-by one last time before they are reborn again as our own children.  
  	So we have a party to invite my Grandmother's ghost to come back once more so that we can tell her how much we love her and how much we miss her so can she please manage to choose a family nearby so we can know and love her again when she is reborn?  We lay out a meal for her and others we love and talk of her and to her so we will always remember the one we love.
  	But if those we love can come back, cannot others as well?  For in life there is good as well as bad.  It isn't fair but it is true.  The love we feel for Grandmother is balanced by the sorrow we feel at her Passing.  So we dress the kids in a scary outfit so they can scare off the bad ghosts that we don't want around.  Grandmother will recognize her great-grandchildren and won't be scared but the monsters won't think that and will be frightened off.
 	The kids choose what they want to be and help us to make the costumes, thus granting more quality time and allowing the kids to learn to design, sew and actually accomplish something that they can be proud of.  We then take them out to trick or treat and show off their costumes, to beg treats, to scare off the monsters, and to entertain the good ghosts.
  	Is it bad to tell the children that monsters exist?  No, because they do.  Only now we call them rapists, kidnappers, child molesters.  By teaching the kids that they can scare off the bad ghosts, we teach them confidence and make them a bit more secure in the world.  they can go to bed secure in their own abilities to handle things and they learn that they are strong and no longer fear the dark.  Teaching them an important lesson like this combined with a fun time just adds to the joys of learning.
	So, just because you live in a mixed household, doesn't mean that you can't share important holidays.  It simply takes a bit of understanding for the same myth to fit into BOTH religions.  This will reduce confusion and encourage tolerance and acceptance of those who are different.  And that is the best lesson to learn not only for kids but for adults as well.

*****

HELPFUL TERMS USED IN TRADITIONAL WICCA

				by Rik Johnson

  	As in any religion, Witchcraft has a number of words that are specific to it and may seen confusing to the non-Witch.  These, then are a few of the most common words used in a basic level of Witchcraft.  Most of these are common to all Traditions but some are specific to traditional Covens.

WICCA.  This is the actual religion of the Witch.  All who follow the religion of  Wicca are Wiccans.

WITCH	This is a term to refer to the actual Initiated Priesthood of the Religion.  Most people tend to refer to Wicca as Witchcraft and to all Wiccans as  Witches, Initiated or not.

COVEN	This is the basic organization of the Witch.  It consists of at least three	unrelated people and rarely more than thirteen people who meet regularly  for rituals, training or magickal workings.  In Traditional Wicca, the Coven  is devided into Inner Court and Outer Court.  A Coven is generally run by a Third Degree High Priest and High Priestess.

OUTER COURT    This is a training group composed of those who wish to join the 		Coven.  It teaches the Prospects and Novices how to act in a Coven  without giving a lot of rules and secrets.  The Outer Court is run by the	Elders of the Coven.

INNER COURT	This is the actual Coven where the Witch attends school, church and other areas of importance.  The Inner Court is run by a Third Degree  High Priestess and High Priest.

ESBAT	These are the Rituals where the Witch does magick and complex training. Esbats are dedicated to the goddess.

SABBAT   These are the Great Rituals where the Witch celebrates their relationships  with nature and the Gods.  Sabbats are generally dedicated to the Horned  God.

DEGREES    This is the level of advancement of the Witch.  In Traditional Wicca there are three Degrees.

BINDING   This is a pre-initiation in Traditional Covens where the Novice promises to be loyal to the Coven and to be faithful to the Religion for the next year.

INITIATION     This is the actual, ritualistic recognition of the Wiccan becoming a Witch. It is the most important ritual in the life of a Witch and marks them as a serious student who has dedicated their life to the God and Goddess. 
					
COWAN      Any person who does not follow the Wiccan religion.

PROSPECT	Any person who seeks to join the Coven and follow the religion but has not been Initiated.

NOVICE	This is a person who has been accepted as a student into a Traditional  Coven and has undergone a Binding Ceremony to show that they have  dedicated the next year and a day top the religion and coven.  The Novice  wears a green cord as a sign of rank.

INITIATE	This is the person who has dedicated their life to the Wiccan religion  forever and sees no reason to leave.

FIRST DEGREE 	This is the first level of accomplishment of the Witch.  It shows that  the individual is serious about the religion.  The First Degree wears  a red Cord as a sign of rank.

SECOND DEGREE	This is the transition of the Witch from a student to the practitioner and Priest/ess and Elder.  The Second Degree wears a blue Cord as a sign of rank.

THIRD DEGREE	   This is the graduation of the Witch where they now become  qualified to start and operate their own coven.  The Third Degree wears a 	white Cord as a sign of rank.

ELDER	  This is any Second or Third Degree Witch in the Coven.  All Elders together form the ruling body of the Coven.

HIGH PRIESTESS	This is the female leader of the coven.  She wears a silver Moon  Crown as a sign of position and is called "My Lady" during the Rituals.  She represents the Goddess.  A Second Degree High Priestess of a Coven 	may wear an amber Necklace while a Third Degree High Priestess may  wear an amber and jet Necklace.

HIGH PRIEST	This is the male leader of the Coven and assistant to the High Priestess.  He  wears a horned Crown as a sign of position and is called "My Lord" during the 	rituals.  He represents the Horned God.

*****

People Important to Modern Wicca

				by Rik Johnson

George Pickingill.  An English Witch who saw Wicca as dying.  He determined to revitalize the religion by forming nine Covens, each one slightly different to see  how he could adapt the Craft to modern times.

Charles Leland.  A folklorist who met a Witch named Magdalena who gave Leland the  first set of actual Wiccan rites to be published.

Margaret Murray.  The first anthropologist who wrote on Wicca as a religion.  She gave  academic validity to Wicca.

Gerald Gardner.  The first admitted Witch to write the truth about the religion.  He, more than any other, revitalized Wicca and made it respectable.

Doreen Valiente.  A follower of Gardner who rewrote the fragments of the rituals Gardner possessed into a much more poetic form.

Raymond Buckland.  He brought Wicca to America and popularized it so that it could grow in America.  Almost every Witch or Tradition in America can be derive  Gardner by way of Buckland.

L. Sheba.  An Ozark Witch who combined her Ozark Witchcraft with Gardnerian to publish a set of Rituals that many other Witches used a s a basis for their own Traditions.

Jim Alan and Selena Fox.  Though there is much ill to be said about this couple, their work in public relations for Wicca is invaluable.

Z. Budapest.  A woman who adapted Wicca into a religion for womyn.  She developed a 	Feminist/Dianic form that encouraged womyn and discouraged men.

Starhawk.  A woman who emphasized the eclectic view of Wicca.

Herman Slater and Ed Buczynski.  These former Gardnerians formed the Welsh Tradition as a revolt against the Gardnerian anti-homosexual views.

Alexander Sanders.  An Englishman who combined Gardnerian Wicca, Ceremonial Magick and his own form of Wicca into a fast growing and public responsive form of the Religion.

Stewart and Janet Farrar.  These followers of Alex Sanders brought the Alexandrian form of Wicca back to a more ancient version, eliminating much of the christianity  that Sanders had added.  They are excellent writers and are very popular.

	There are many more people involved in modern Wicca, but these few are the most important to the Reformation that started in the early 1900's and continues to today.

*****

INITIATION, DEGREES, INSECURITY

							Rik Johnson

	It has been said that THE most important time in the life of a Witch is when that Wiccan is Initiated as a Witch into the Family of the Wicca.
	In Traditional Covens, the Novice must prove to the Coven that they are dedicated to Wicca and that this is not a casual decision, though in some Covens, Initiation is given to anyone who asks under the belief that even if the Novice leaves Wicca soon after, they will have undergone a profound spiritual experience that will effect them for their entire lives.  	
	Traditionally, Initiation is that point where the new Witch is now allowed to learn the secrets that are never written down, thus to be Initiated by a Traditional is like getting a library card to the 'restricted sections' and a membership card into a select fraternity which will allow you entry into almost any Traditional Coven anywhere.

DEGREES

	Most Traditional Covens have three Degrees of advancement though some have four Degrees and a few possess 13 Degrees.
	The First Degree makes one a Witch and a Priest/ess in training, or a student.
	The Second Degree makes one a Priest/ess and a practitioner, or one who actually knows what they are doing.
	The Third Degree makes one a High Priest/ess and a teacher.
	In those Traditions which have more than three Degrees, consider that the top of the religion is the top and you cannot go higher.  Therefore, a 4th Degree Welsh = a 13th Degree Frostie= a 3Degree Gardnerian.

INSECURITY

	In the 1970's a Wiccan who would not or could not join a Coven and yielded to insecure feelings would claim that they had been Initiated by some relative (generally a Grandmother) who was now, conveniently dead. 
	In the 1980's a Wiccan who would not or could not join a Coven a yielded to insecure feelings would claim that because they owned a Tarot deck and read about Greek mythology in High School, they were a Witch then and have been ever since.
	In the 1990's a Wiccan who would not or could not join a Coven would claim that they belonged to an ancient, pre-Gardnerian Tradition (which is conveniently secret and untraceable) or seek Initiation to a high Degree from someone else in the same position or attempt to con a Traditional into Initiating them, thus claiming to be more important than they actually were.
	Why?
	Insecurity?!  What story will  the  next  decade  bring?

*****
WHY KEEP SECRETS

					by Rik Johnson

	Traditional Witches believe that there are certain things which must be kept secret from the Mundanes as well as from other Wiccans who have not been properly Initiated.  Why? 
	Consider the M-1 Carbine.  This is a combat weapon that has been used effectively  in three wars and is still being used by hunters and foreign armies.  It is a rapid fire semi-automatic weapon which fires a 240 gram piece of lead or steel-jacketed lead at a speed exceeding 2400 feet per second with a firing rate of up to 90 rounds per second.  Loaded with hollow points, it will put a small hole one-third of an inch in diameter in you chest and an exit hole an inch across in your back.  Armed with steel jacketed rounds, it can penetrate a  block wall and kill the person behind that wall.
	Question?  Should I give that weapon, fully loaded, to anyone who asks for it?  As a Traditional Witch I must say no!  Why?  Because I don't know if that person has completed a firearms safety course.  He may play John Wayne and accidently shoot himself in the foot or accidently shoot a neighbor.  He may leave the weapon loaded and some child may pick up the weapon and play cowboys and Indians and kill the kid next door.  He may be angry with this ex-wife and go hunting for her and her boyfriend.  He may be on medications which will drive him berserk and so he could go into a MacDonald's and kill everyone in the place.  He may simply be crazy or a serial killer and use the weapon to assist in his crimes.
	And until I KNOW that that person is safe, I cannot, morally, take that chance.
	Does this mean that all firearms should be outlawed?  No.  A weapon is a tool.  It can be used for good or evil depending on its owner.  In England, they outlawed forearms so people began to kill others with knives.  So England outlawed knives.  It is now illegal for a Boy Scout in England to possess a Boy Scout knife.  So people are using clubs to commit murder.  In Japan, it is also illegal to possess firearms so the Japanese find other methods to kill each other. Switzerland, however, has a law requiring EVERY ADULT MALE to possess a rifle and ammunition and that country has the lowest murder rate in the world.
	What about magick?  Magick is a tool, no different than a knife or a firearm to be used for good or evil.  Outlawing magick not only will not work (and I listened to a cop advocate the outlawing of all Athames because they possess the potential to be a weapon) it will punish the majority of the community which uses magick for positive uses only.
	What is the answer?  In Traditional Wicca, the answer is to know the student well before teaching them this tool.  Pound into their head over and over and over the morals and ethics of Wicca until they are incapable of doing evil.  Then, when you are certain that they are dedicated to the Goddess and the God, and you are certain that they are safe, you can teach them magick and those support functions that make magick work.
	It has been said that the student will learn all that they need from the books so we may as well teach them the truth.  Not so.  As the early books written by Traditionals state, not everything is written down. And even if someone were to read a few books and try to put that information into practice, it wouldn't really work, simply because too much important information has been left out and can best be taught in a one-to-one situation.
	Consider, can you learn to dance from reading a book?   No.  You need to have a teacher who knows show you and correct you and help you with constant feedback and helpful hints. Then, when you are accomplished, you can read the books and use your intuition to become a great dancer.  Blindly following the teacher is as bad as not having one.  You need a balance of both and in magick this balance is important because so much has been kept secret and is still secret.
	Why do so many Traditional keep so many secrets even from other Wiccans?  Because we are responsible for all of our actions and those actions of our students and we see too many bad people or unstable people seek to learn magick and we are unwilling to cause harm by "handing a firearm to someone we cannot know."
	In Traditional Wicca, there are rules and each rule has a good reason behind it, from the how and why of Grounding and Centering which is vital to group workings to the exact methods for generating and raising energy and the types of energy raised as well as how to direct and perceive that energy to the procedures of poppet magick or...and we simply are not willing to teach those to someone simply because they say that they are a Witch.
	Remember, in Tucson alone there have been two police officers who have made it a habit to infiltrate Covens to list all the Witches in the city so that they can know who to arrest in the event of a crime.  There have been a large number of satanists who have infiltrated Covens in the hopes of learning magick so that they can do evil and there are Wiccans who have joined Covens to learn magick so that they can help someone's karma return to them.
	And this is why there are still secrets and should still be secrets.

*****

"Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live."  

								by Rik Johnson

	Throughout history, there has been one organization that has caused more evil and suffering than any or, in fact, most other groups combined.  That organization is christianity.
	From the Holy Inquisitions which were originally designed to kill-off competing christian churches, and ended up killing an estimated 9,000,000 men, women, and children (mostly women), to the Nazi Party which was supported by the catholic church, to the modern Ku Klux Klan which is supported by local baptist churches, the history of jesus christ has been written in the blood of the innocent.
	Yet, throughout this history, one group has been singled out for special attention. Despite laws made to respect freedom and equality, people infused with the spirit of their religion have consistently hunted down and sought to destroy another faith, despite the laws supposedly designed to protect the innocent.
	The justification for this onslaught is from the christian bible, exodus, where one line, "Thou shalt not suffer a Kaskagh to live" has been the example for this slaughter.  Kaskagh, in the old testament, means "poisoner", though it was translated in the king James version as Witch.   And as a result of this, the beauties and love of the Old Religion have been attacked and slandered by those who preach love and truth and practice evil and lies.
	Here are only a few incidents in recent history.  The information given is minimal to save space; but full descriptions, newspaper articles and police reports are available on request.

In 1970 in Tucson, Arizona, at Flowing Wells High School, an assembly on history was being discussed by a class and their teacher, Ann Stewart.  Later Ms. Stewart was fired from her eleven-year job because she ... "claimed to be a Witch, and was teaching witchcraft."  Bother charges were untrue, but she was fired anyway.

On January 18, 1974, in Hutchinson, Kansas, Robert Williams gave an interview to the Wichita Eagle, with the stipulation that his name be held in confidence.  Despite this agreement the newspaper published his name and occupation resulting in Mr. Williams being fired from his job as a Psychologist at the Kansas State Industrial Reformatory and being evicted from his home.  Mr. Williams committed suicide as a result of the legal and social pressures placed on him during this situation.

In October of 1977, Loy and Louise Stone of Dimmitt, Texas gave an interview on television about Wicca.  Shortly later they were subjected to continual harassment by local teens.
After a local teenage girl was killed, the Stones were arrested and repeatedly tried for murder, manslaughter and any other charge the local police could find.  There were even threatened with death by the locals, despite every trial resulting in a Not Guilty verdict.
The harassment ended when the Stones wrote out a check to the mother of the victim.

June 1978, in Zionsville, Indiana, under the influence of John Todd and H. Eugene Riker of the First Baptist Church of Zionsville, locals began to stockpile food and weapons for a "war with the Witches."

In October of 1980, the Church of Wicca was holding a convention in Amarillo, Texas at the local Holiday Inn.  Gary Hagler and Judy Mamou, fundamentalist evangelists, organized protests against the convention.  These protests included a prayer-in, a demonstration and a possibly unrelated bomb threat.

On December 16, 1982, Charles Scudder, 56, and Joseph Odom, 36, were shot to death with a .22  by Samuel West and Kenneth Lawrence who described the victims as "devil worshippers."

In July of 1985, the ritual site (Covenstead) of the Grove of the Unicorn in Atlanta, Georgia, was repeatedly desecrated by a number of christians who were looking for evidence of satanism.  Some of these desecrations were done on television.  When the police were called to report this, the Witches were told to "stay away from there or someone may get hurt."  No mention was made of chasing away the trespassers or of charging them with destruction of private property and theft.

Senator Jesse Helms sponsored Amendment #705 to HR 3036, the 1986 Treasury and Postal Service Appropriations Bill, that would prevent Witches from using the mail to send out non-profit materials, despite the fact that the christian churches continue to do so.

In July of 1987, the Kootenal County Task Force on Human Relations organized a festival to promote good will and to oppose prejudice.  They originally invited Jo Staples to sing then later rescinded the invitation because she was a Witch.

In November, 1987, the Southwest Radio Church advocated that all Witches in the U.S. armed forces be labelled, so that they could be prevented from "sensitive positions."  Their excuse, Israel had a Watchman on the walls, not a Witchman.

In January of 1988, the Springfield Un-School in Missouri offered a class on the history of Witchcraft.  Under pressure from the Assembly of God, this course, as well as all other metaphysical courses such as reincarnation, were dropped from the class schedule.

In April of 1988, Geoffrey Dickins, an English Lawmaker, urged Parliament to outlaw Witchcraft.  He stated..."we must wipe Witches off the face of the earth."  He also advocated prison sentences for Witches.

	In August of 1988, during the presidential campaigning, Jerry Falwell published a comic book that attacked Mike Dukakis for repealing laws against blasphemy and for making Lauri Cabot the Official Witch of Salem.

In the Spring of 1990, KGUN-TV and local church people destroyed the Covenstead of Desert Henge Coven claiming that Satanic Rituals were being performed at that location.  Their logic?  Someone had found the remains of a chicken dinner nearby in the park. 

When the Dragon's Lair, an occult shop, opened in a Florida shopping mall in April of 1991, local businesses, including Joe Parler of Rich's Barber Shop, protested the store because they didn't like Witches in their mall.

In the Summer of 1991, Phoenix, Arizona police invaded at gun point the home of a local Coven in search for body parts.  The police assaulted the wife and illegally prevented the family from calling their lawyer despite the total lack of any evidence.  Their home was chosen because the police knew that Witches lived there.

Chick Publications regularly publishes a small comic book that attacks Witches.  Among the titles are Bewitched and The Poor Little Witch Girl, which consistently accuse Witches of sacrifice and other crimes and even includes, as a satanic symbol, the peace symbol (     ).

Larry Jones, watch commander and police chaplain of the Boise, Idaho, Police Department, publishes a secret newsletter for police only called the Cult Crime Information Network, File 18.  This newsletter encourages the police to consult their ministers, instead of police procedures, to solve crimes; calls for the arrest of witches; and lists as satanist anyone who has a tattoo, drinks soft drinks, is overweight, or has a high IQ.

The San Francisco Police Department holds seminars on satanic crime where they include Witches and satanists and claim that the following symbols are satanic:  the peace symbol (      ), the Star of David (  Y  ), the circle (  m   ), the triangle (      ),  and a star (      ).

	The list goes on: from the Church of Naturism in Central New Mexico which was assaulted by gunfire and while the attack was going on the Witches were told by the police that they had better things to do than protect Witches, to the Holy Order of St. Brigit in Colorado that was also attacked by gunfire, to Military Witches in Turkey who were fired from their jobs as Master Sergeants in the United States Air Force when their Commanding Officers discovered that they were Witches, to CARIS Publications in Tucson, Arizona, that consistently invents lies by "former witches/satanists" who spin lies of human sacrifice, to the Geraldo Rivera show on satanism that stated that Witches in New England sacrifice over a million babies a month, to Patti Johnson who placed in her Divorce Decree that the children of her marriage would not be allowed to be exposed in any form to the Wiccan religion, to Lori Johnson who had her children taken away from her in Bisbee because she owned a copy of Erica Jong's book Witches.
	It is unfortunate that in this country that was founded on freedom, there is so little for the Witches.  To be a Witch is not easy or safe, but the rewards must be worth it for so many Witches to suffer as they do and still remain in the religion.

*****

TIME CHART OF THE GROWTH OF THE WICCAN RELIGION
(short form)

								by Rik Johnson

	The following time chart shows the major influences upon the Wiccan  religion from its Generation to modern times.  It has been compiled from history, folklore, raft traditions, archaeological and anthropological studies.  Many people will argue with this chart and offer evidence to oppose their own views.  Thus, like anything involving religion, the reader will make their own conclusions based upon their own readings and biases.
	Note that I use the scientific dating system here where C.E. means 'Common era and is equal to the xian A.D.


		INCIDENT							DATE_____
										B.C.E.
Dr. Leaky finds what appears to be a Ritual Circle in Africa		                          500,000

1st evidence of Fertility Goddess Cults.  Probably a woman's  religion.	                           40,000
Some evidence of Horned God Religion.  Probably a man's religion.  
										30,000

										20,000
1st evidence (concrete) of organized Horned God Cult.
										15,000

1st evidence of the merging of the two Cults into one 10,000 religion	                             10,000

Megalithic builders build Stone Temples and other Circles based on 	                              5,000
Wiccan lines and beliefs.									
										3,000
Wiccan religion interacts with the Druid religion of the Celts.  Both share 
beliefs.  Wicca gives Druids reincarnation and a Horned God, Druids 
give Wicca Greater Sabbats tied to a pastoral peoples.                           	                               2,000
Witches are the folk magickians and healers using their own religion.  
Druids are the major priests for the Celtic peoples.  Both interact with 
no difficulty and respect each others areas of influence.			                  1,000
Solomon becomes King of Israel and is reported to have been a great 	
Ceremonial Magickian.
King Joshiah forces the Israelites to stop worshipping the Goddess of 	
the Witches.
Many Israelites return to the Goddess after the conquest of Israel		                    500
Israelites become monotheistic.  Judaism actually invented.														                                  100
Caesar starts persecution of the Druids for political reasons.  Witches 	
are ignored.
										    C.E.
										    0
Romans pull out of Western Europe.  Saxons  begin  invasions and 
conquests.  Saxons begin to persecute Witches due to Saxon fear of 
magick.                                         						                    100

										     200

										      300
Christianity actually formed by compiling their bible from diverse sources.  
First official xian writings against Witches.  Numerous anti-Witch laws are
passed from now to modern times.						                  400
Patrick enters Ireland, robs Celtic graves for the gold to hire Saxon 
mercenaries to burn Druid Groves and kill Druid Priests.  This allows
patrick to force xianity upon the Irish.
										500

Early Saxon kings convert to xianity and encouraged to pass anti-Witch 	               600
laws. Witches get their name from Saxon word Wiccae which means 'bender'
or 'twister' and was originally an insult.
										700

										 800

										 900

William the Conqueror, a xian king carries the standard of the Horned 	                            1000
God into England.  English Witches help the Normans to take England 
from the Saxons.
										1100

Aradia starts a Wiccan revival in Italy.  The catholic church crushes it.	                            1200
Robin Hood and his Coven harass the xian Shire Reeve from Sherwood
Forest.
Phillip IV and the catholic church destroy the Knights Templar using 	                          1300
charges of heresy.  France and Rome devide the Templar's wealth.
Edward III protects the High Priestess, Countess of Salisbury from death	
and forms the Order of the Garter to honor Wicca.
The Inquisition, lacking wealthy and xian victims, begins to turn their eyes
to Wicca									1400
Innocent VIII signs the papers that officially start the Burning Times.  
9,000,000 are to die in the next 200 years.	
Witches and Jews help each other escape the xian inquisitors.  Jews give
to Wicca the idea of Ceremonial Magick which is added to Wiccan Folk
Magick.							
										1500
Drake and his Coven raise storm to stop the Spanish Armada.

Frances, Earl of Bothwell, Grand Master of the Scottish Witches attempts	              1600
 to curse James to death in his bid to become King of Great Britain. .The 
assassination fails and Frances is forced to escape to the Continent.  James 
kills Frances' Coveners and passes repressive laws, against Witchcraft.
Henry VIII burns the last Druid in London at the demand of the Archbishop                      1700
of Canturbury.

Witches band together to stop Napoleon from invading England.		                1800

Pickingill begins his reformation by creating the Nine Covens. Crowley is 
reported to be one of his students.
Leland publishes Gospel of the Witches.					               1900

										1910

										1920
Dr. Margaret Murray publishes her historical works on the Medieval
Witch Cult.
Mussolini makes the catholic church the official church of Italy.  Wicca is
revived only to be crushed by the Inquisition supported by Mussolini's army.
The last woman burned for Witchcraft is killed in New Mexico.
										1930

Gardner Initiated into one of Pickingill Nine Covens.
										1940
Witches band together to stop Hitler from invading England, code named
Operation cone of Power, they stop the invasion.
										1950
Witchcraft legalized in England in a n effort by the British Government to
get rid of useless laws since there was no such thing as Witchcraft.
Gardner published first books by an admitted Witch.
Buckland brings Gardnerian Wicca to America.				           1960


Budapest invents the Feminist Tradition of Wicca.            			          1970
Eclectic reform starts.
Numerous illegal attempts by xians to kill Witches occur.  The police 
generally ignore the criminals or actively assist them in America.

Traditional Return begins.							            1980

*****

TOOLS OF WICCA

								by Rik Johnson

	As in every technology, Wicca requires certain Tools to properly perform the Rites and the Magicks.  Just as the mechanic needs a wrench and a screwdriver and the catholic priest needs a chalice and a bible, the Witch needs her/his basic Tools. If the mechanic is to do a good job on your car, he will buy the best tools on the market and avoid those which are found in the discount import stores.  He will also take care of them, clean them, and store them carefully and even refuse to loan them out for fear of damage or loss.
	The Witch has rules of her/his own regarding her/his Tools.  They are consecrated, made, adapted, made Holy, stored, cleaned, cleansed, exorcised and a number of other things, to make them the proper objects of the religion.  Though rules vary with the Tradition, these are some of the Traditional rules and some of the Traditional tools that are used in Wicca.
	First of all, although it is best to make your Tool by hand, Tools which are bought are acceptable so long as they are not bargained for.  The reason is that by trying to get a bargain, you are saying that a few dollars are more important than the Goddess.
	The Tool must then be cleansed as strongly as possible so as to remove all previous influences which may have been attached by another person of ... less moral character.
	The Tool is then consecrated to the Craft and the Religion and so should be used only for that purpose.  To spend a month preparing an Athame, and then use it to cut a steak may be considered by some to be sacrilege.
	Finally, with most Tools, only the owner is allowed to touch it.  Generally, if you charge a Tool and someone else touches it, that person may "short out" the energy that has been invested into that Tool, thus making it worthless.

	Since each person has their own rules regarding which Tools to possess and how to make them, I will show only a few major Tools common to most Traditions:

The ATHAME is the prime Tool.  It is used to direct energy and generally has a black handle and a straight blade.  In most Traditions of Wicca, the Athame is never used to cut anything.

The CUP is the second Tool and holds wine, herbs, and symbolizes the Goddess.

The CENSER burns incense and usually has three legs and three chains.

The PENTACLE completes the major four tools and is a protection. It is thus the only one of these four that possesses power on its own.  It has a star engraved onto it and may be made of ceramic, metal, clay, glass, wax or sometimes wood.

	Other Tools are: the WAND, a gentler version of the Athame; the CAULDRON, a symbol of the Goddess as well as a vessel for fire, water, and flowers; the KIRFANE, which is a white-handled knife that is used to cut;  CANDLES and their holders; the BROOM, SCOURGE, CORD, STAFF, 	SWORD, SICKLE, BELL, and BOWLS as well as salt, water, wine and oil.

	Each of these and more have specific functions within Wicca and so their construction and use is restricted to that use.  Thus, just as you would not make a screwdriver out of wood or use it as a chisel; it is equally important to understand the use and function of each Tool before collecting or trying to use the object.  Not knowing how to use the Tool may be likened to trying to make a firearm without knowing what materials will stand up to the stress of the gunpowder, using the wrong cartridge, or not knowing basic firearm safety.  You are simply looking for trouble.
	Many Wiccans and magickians, however, tend to lay rules on their Tools that are arbitrary and too strict. This is as bad as laying too few rules on the Tool.  A happy medium must be reached and the best way to find that medium is to learn why that rule is made and what is the best use for that Tool.  With knowledge comes wisdom including the proper use of the Tools of Wicca as well as the forces which they are designed to manipulate.

*****

TRADITIONAL WITCHCRAFT

								by Rik Johnson

	Traditional Wicca has certain differences from much of the eclectic Wicca that is common today.  First of all, it has a tie to the past that many other Wiccans and Pagans have not had a chance to develop.  There is a comfort in knowing that what you are performing is and has a long tradition to and with other Witches.  In addition, a Traditional Witch can easily find others with which to share though few eclectics will even consider guesting with a Traditional Coven.  Traditionals also have a set Thealogy that is mainstream Wicca and so KNOW that their belief's are a part of the whole.
	Yet, Traditional Witchcraft is not an easy path.  To do the magick, you need to know the reality behind the universe, the rules of magick, the tidal forces of the cycles of nature and how to use them.  A Traditional Witch MUST know the difference between the Waxing and Waning Moon and how each is used to perform a spell.  Traditionals MUST recognize that magick is a science that has rules and laws just as does any other science.  Thus, there is nothing 'supernatural' about magick to a Traditionalist Witch, magick and psychics are simply another aspect of the natural world.
	To be a Traditional Witch does restrict one somewhat.  A Traditionalist cannot buy a conch shell in Hawaii and think, "Wow, I can use this to call the Quarters," because to do so would be to add non-Wiccan elements to the religion.  Conch shells are a polynesian tool, not a Wiccan Tool.  Yet, to be a Traditionalist is to realize that this conch shell can be used in a seashore ritual to contact Undines or to do a Water rite.  It simply has no place in the general Wiccan religion.  To add it because YOU like it is changing the way of the God and Goddess to your ideals.  And we are Witches because the Goddess gave us a set of morals and beliefs that we liked.  It is our task to change into the image of the Goddess, not change Her into our image.  To make changes like this is to show disrespect to the Goddess.
	To understand this idea, consider the person who likes sex with young children (and there is a christian church in Tennessee that has sucessfully preached this concept in court).  Does that person have the right to change Wicca and to tell others that Wicca involves sex with small children? No, of course not, yet to make changes to the faith simply because you like the changes is the first step down the left-hand path.
	To be a Traditionalist Witch gives one knowledge and training that is restricted from the cowan and mundane, gives ties to others and the past, and restricts our workings.  For with all freedom comes the responsibility to use that freedom wisely.  And one responsibility is not to violate the Laws that the Goddess made when She gave life to the universe.
	As a Traditionalist, we find that if we are invited to guest with an eclectic Coven, we will have little difficulty in participating in their rites.  And in all probability, we will learn something useful, as eclectics often have good and new ideas.  But temper the new idea with the knowledge and wisdom of the ancients.  Conversely, you will find that few eclectics will be willing to guest with a Traditional because they will probably refuse to obey our working rules as too strict and meaningless to them.
	Thus, to be a Traditional Witch gives one knowledge, wisdom and ties and history and also does restrict one somewhat.  As in everything, there is a price and only you can decide if the price is acceptable.

*****

TRADITIONAL WICCA II

								by Rik Johnson

	To be a Traditional Witch requires a considerable amount of dedication, study, work and loyalty.  So much so that many fall aside and choose an easier path.
	To be a Traditionalist (Gardnerian, Alexandrian, American Celtic, Algard, Georgian, English Traditionalist, etc) is to be a part of a greater whole.  If you are a Gardnerian, you, and others of the same Tradition, KNOW who and what you are.  Traditional Wicca has a theology that is mainstream Wicca.  It rarely introduces discordant ideas or practices that may operate against the flow of the Ritual or Religion.  It realizes that there ARE rules to the universe and better results will be achieved if these rules are followed.  It gives a set of values, myths and legends that are a comfort in times of need.  It has a history that goes back for centuries and gives the Traditional Witch a tie to the past as well as with other Traditionals.  And it possesses a considerable body of knowledge and wisdom that is never shared with the Cowan and rarely with other nontraditional Wiccans.  
	For experience, a Traditionalist will not only rely on his/her own experiences, but will learn from the experiences of his/her own Priests back generations and generations as well as from the experiences of others who have undergone similar experiences.
	Thus, a Traditionalist will not have to 'reinvent the wheel' if he has a question.  He can simply contact his Queen or King and the answer will return, thus avoiding a mistake caused by ignorance.  There is NO rule that the advice of the Queen must be followed, but if you have candle wax in your carpet or you question a certain part of the Ritual or have a question about the Sexual aspect of the Goddess, in all likelihood, your Queen or another Traditional has the answer.  Experience and wisdom are respected in Traditional Wicca.
	As a ritualistic religion, if a Gardnerian visits another Gardnerian Coven in another state or country, s/he knows essentially what the ritual is and has to undergo no training before guesting.  This prevents the guest from tripping over the point candle and setting their robe on fire because they moved deosil and s/he moved straight.  The rites are not rigid, but they are similar and there is a great deal of comfort in knowing and experiencing an already learned rite, knowing that you are a part of the whole.
	In training, a Traditionalist knows that there are Laws and currents to the Universe and it is easier to cross a river if you know the currents and underwater rocks.  Thus a Traditional Witch has the knowledge of what magick is and how to best use it to their and others benefit.  A Traditionalist will not make the mistake of banishing an unwanted problem during a Waxing Moon because s/he knows that this problem requires invoking a solution and then waiting until the waning moon to banish.  A simple matter of applying the proper knowledge to the situation.
	A Traditional Witch will also undergo years of practical training in psychic and magickal development to strengthen their abilities.  Just as a Martial Artist will NOT try to break a board before learning how and training himself, a Traditionalist will not attempt a piece of magick thinking that s/he'll just 'do what comes naturally'.  This attitude is left for years later when the Traditionalist knows enough to allow himself that luxury.
	Yes, there are restrictions upon the Traditionalist Witch.  A Traditionalist MUST be initiated properly to be completely accepted.  And here, acceptance includes all of the rituals, magicks and knowledge that is available.  Just as there are some things that any Wiccan will restrict from the Cowan, (after all, you wouldn't give a loaded gun to a complete stranger) a Traditionalist will restrict the knowledge from even other Witches, giving it out in parcels as the Witch learns to be strong enough and moral enough to handle that power.
	Thus, even a First Degree Traditionalist has access to only a small part of the Art.  But, there are simple magicks that have been published and deeper secrets that are hinted at, but learned only in the higher degrees.  A restriction, yes, but a needed one.
A Traditionalist Witch MUST study the basics and learn the rules, or s/he will simply not be taught further.  A Traditionalist knows that some people will never be able to safely use a gun, but most will with the proper safety rules and guiding.  Then, later, the student will be taught how to clear a jam without killing himself and how to wound without killing when necessary. (note: I realize that this is a gruesome example, but life is not a wonderfully beautiful bed of roses, for within the rose bush lie thorns.)
	And a Traditionalist must be dedicated, not only to the Craft and the Great Mother Goddess and Her Horned Consort, but also to the Coven.  The Traditionalist may be placing his life into the hands of the Coven some day and it is vital that there be true Love and Trust between them.  To be a 'drop in' Wiccan is against the grain of a Traditionalist Coven.  You make every effort to attend every ritual, for the High Priest and High Priestess do so, even if they are tired or have a date, and they expect the same respect from their Coveners.  If a Traditionalist needs someone to help them move, they need to know that the Coven will be there with their cars and boxes to help.  If the Traditionalist is sick, they need to know that there will be someone there to feed their kids and to be certain that there is help if needed.  To a Traditionalist Witch, Perfect Love and Perfect Trust are more than just words to be bandied about the Craft community.  If a Wiccan attends only one ritual in three months, how can their Covenmates trust him to be there when they need help? How can you completely trust someone if they only show up when they have nothing better to do?  How can you feel comfortable or confidant doing a difficult spell that deals with base earth energies and non-material entities if the person next to you hasn't practiced their energy-directions, visualizations or banishings?
	Thus, to be a Traditional Witch is a difficult path, but for those who have the determination to follow, the rewards can be extensive, not only in spirituality, but in companionship, magickal power, spiritual and psychological growth and in emotional comfort.
	
*****



INTRODUCTORY READING LIST
FOR WICCA, AN INTRODUCTION

  	There are a number of books on the subject of Witchcraft on the market today.  These may be loosely classified into three general areas:
  	History books are those written about some aspect of Witchcraft as it may have happened in the past such as A History of the Salem Witch Trials.
  	Witchcrap books are those which are written by bigots for thrills or to push their own warped view upon the public, such as The Devil is Alive and Living in Your TV Set, or Satanists, Witches and Jews Are Out to Get You.  In other words, lies.
  	Witchcraft books are those written by and/or about Wiccans and tell the truth about the Old Religion.
  	As this list is only concerned about the truth, it will cover ONLY a few basic books about Wicca itself.  The reader is encouraged to expand their knowledge through the library as well as the bibliographies listed in these works.  However, this list is a good basic starting place for the Open U class.  Those books marked with an "*" are especially recommended.  

GENERAL WORKS
*Adler, Margot........................Drawing Down the Moon.  An excellent work on the Witch and non-Witch pagan movements in Contemporary 	America.  Be careful to separate Witches from other pagans.

*Buckland, Raymond.................Ancient and Modern Witchcraft.
Witchcraft from the Inside.  Good basic books from the man who publicized Witchcraft in America.
Complete Book Of Witchcraft. A verry good book for the curious

*Campanelli, Pauline & Dan.....Wheel of the Year.  An excellent work on how to live the 	religion in everyday life.

Clifton, Chas............................Witchcraft Today, Vol. I; Vol. II.
Crowther, Patricia & Arnold.....Lid off the Cauldron.
Secrets of Ancient Witchcraft.
Witch Blood.  An autobiography.

**Cunningham, Scott...............The Truth About Witchcraft Today.  Possibly the best  book for beginners or the curious.

Donovon, Frank.......................Never on a Broomstick.

*Gardner, Gerald.......................The Meaning of Witchcraft.
The Truth about Witchcraft.  Difficult to read but the first books published by an actual Witch.

Farrar, Stewart & Janet............The Life and Times of a Modern Witch
The Witches Goddess.  Read this with the next book.
The Witches God.  Read this with the prior book.

Holzer, Hans............................The Witchcraft Report.
 The Truth About Witchcraft.
The New Pagans.  Holzer combines Witches with non-Wiccan pagans so be careful to separate them.

Leek, Sybil...............................Diary of a Witch.  An autobiography.
*The Complete Art of Witchcraft.  Not a simple book to read.

Jong, Erica...............................Witches.  Interesting reading from the author of Fear of  Flying.

Martello, Leo L........................Witchcraft, the Old Religion.

Murray, Margaret, Dr...............The God of the Witches.
The Witch Cult in Western Europe.

O'Connell, Margaret.................The Magick Cauldron.

O'Gaea, Ashleen......................The Family Wicca Book.

Richardson, Alan......................Earth God Rising.  Uses Egypt to explain Wicca.

*Roberts, Susan.......................Witches USA.

*Valiente, Doreen....................Where Witchcraft Lives.
Witchcraft For Tomorrow.  Anything by Valiente is good.

ENCYCLOPEDIAS
Cavandish, Richard, editor.......The Encyclopedia of Man, Myth and Magic.  Originally  published in England as a weekly magazine, it has since been republished as a real encyclopedia.  An excellent work  but it takes some talent for research to locate the desired  information.
Gordon, J. Melton, editor........Encyclopedia of American Religions.  A listing of the more than 3,000 religions currently being practiced in America  today.  Many of the Wiccan organizations are defunct but the info is still good.  Published by the institute for the Study of American Religions (ISAR).

FICTION
Bradley, Marion Z....................Mists of Avalon.  A retelling of the Arthurian saga from  the Wiccan viewpoint.

Fallingstar, Cerridwen..............Heart of Fire. Romance set in old Scotland.

Farrar, Stewart........................The Twelve Maidens.  Wicca and science in a mystery set during contemporary England.

Kurtz, Katherine......................Lammas Night.  One version of the famous Operation 		
Cone of Power during WWII.

Lackey, Mercedes...................Children of the Night.
Burning Water.
High Jinx.  

Streiber, Whitley......................Cat Magic.

Farmer, Phillip J.......................Flesh.  Science Fiction about a spaceship returning to an Earth that has returned to nature worship..

Fitch, Ed.................................Castle of Deception.  Fantasy with a sexual slant.

Garcia Y Robertson, R............The Spiral Dance.  The last revolt against Queen Elizabeth 	to support Queen Mary told from a Wiccan viewpoint.

MUSIC
Circle......................................Circle Magick Music.

*Gwydion Penderwyn.............Songs From the Old Religion.

**Gypsy.................................Enchantress.

L. Isadora & L. Pan................The Witching Hour.

Lisa Thiel................................Songs of Transformation.  Side I only is Wiccan.

Jethro Tull...............................Songs From the Wood.

VIDEOS
National Film Board of Canada..........................................................................................
The Goddess Remembered.  Released only in Canada, thisis part I of the series.
***The Burning Times.  Released in America and occasionally  run on Lifetime cable channel, this is part II of the series
Full Circle.  Not yet released, this is part III of the series.

Buckland, Raymond.................Witchcraft, Today and Tomorrow.  Simple but interesting.

  In reality, there are hundreds of good books, videos and trapes on the subject, but we feel that these are the best to start with.


	
