Gardnerianism is an oathbound tradition, so I don't know the specifics, nor could I (ethically, with a clear conscience) reveal them if I did, but I know what the training is for. The rituals, discussions, readings, and papers done as pre-initiates are all meant to organize our thoughts and to see if our beliefs "fit" with Gardnerianism. It's kind of like practice questions before a test; what we do in training is meant to prepare us for what we will learn and experience once initiated.
Gardnerianism has three degree levels, and at Third Degree, if you have a working partner and a trainee who has done the necessary work, you can choose to "hive off" and begin your own Coven. Before initiation, and prior to each degree elevation, the trainee is required to complete at least a year and a day of serious, positive, dedicated training, which includes attending all Sabbat rituals and as many Full Moon rituals as possible. Training will often also include participating in discussions, reading certain books and/or other materials, and writing papers on various topics.
Most Gardnerian Covens (and indeed, many other Wiccan and Pagan paths as well) will not take on trainees that are under the age of 18. This is so for many reasons. One, at 18 a person is of the legal age of consent, and so (wrongful, unfounded, bigoted, ignorant... sorry, my opinion slipping in here) legal suits cannot be brought against the Coven leaders or members by parents or guardians for such things as child endangerment or contributing to the delinquincy of a minor. Another reason is that at 18, most people are fully mature, both physically and mentally, and so are better prepared to handle the training requirements, both in terms of time commitment and the experiences. I know first hand that a certain amount of maturity is definately required for aspects of the training, and so I strongly agree with this age limit policy.
I, however, was an exception to this. My parents trained my High Priest and High Priestess (initiated, elevated, the whole she-bang), and so knew exactly what was going on in the rituals and discussions. Also, being raised in the Craft taught me responsibility and consequences (see The Wiccan Rede and the Three-Fold Law below) at a very young age, plus the basic concepts of the religion were already a part of my thinking. I was fortunate to be raised in the Craft, and that enabled me to be better equipped to handle the rituals and experiences.
There is great, often heated debate over the origins of Gardnerianism. Some say Gardner researched Celtic mythology and the works of Alestair Crowley and other such Occultists, and created Gardnerianism based what he found. Others believe that he didn’t base it on anything historical or factual and made everything up himself. Some say he worked alone, some say with other people. Some say he did it over a weekend in a basement, some say it was in an attic.
However, the story that was reported in his biography, Gerald Gardner - Witch by Jack Bracelin, contends that Gardner was initiated into a Coven in England because he proved that an ancestor of his was a French Witch (at the time, Witchcraft was practiced only by Hereditaries and was not open to those without “Witch blood”). As his practice went on, he saw that the children of his Coven mates had little to no interest in continuing the Craft, and Hereditaries in general were (and are) few and far between. Gardner did not want the religion he loved so much to die out, so, with the permission of his High Priestess (reportedly named Dorothy Clutterbuck), he published works of fiction that conveyed his basic beliefs. It was done in this manner because of the anti-Witchcraft laws still in place in Britain at the time. After those laws were repealed, however, Gardner began to publish non-fiction books about Witchcraft, and these efforts attracted new students and followers to this “new religion.”
This is about all I know concerning Gardnerianism, and my parents and Craft family have been very careful about keeping their oaths. So, I would caution that anything more in-depth that you may read about Gardnerianism, whether in books or on the web, was probably either written by someone who's making it all up, or someone who has broken their oath to the Gods. And really, would you trust information from either type of person?
Also, I do celebrate the eight Sabbats, but more on those in the link below.
Now that I've gotten through some logistics, I can share more ideas that express my beliefs very succinctly.
Corn and Grain, Corn and Grain, all that falls hall rise again."
"We all come from the Goddess, and to Her we shall return,
like a drop of rain, flowing to the ocean."
These two chants symbolize my belief in creation and reincarnation. While I do believe in Evolution and the Big Bang and such, I also believe that it is entirely possible that the Divine began those processes. I believe that we have many many lives, and that each one affects all future lives. I believe that between lives we visit the Divine and departed loved ones in SummerLand, where we can communicate with them all and reflect on our life and the lessons we have learned.
"Pan, Herne, Osiris, Priopas, Baal, Dionysus, Apollo, Lugh!"
These chants, known respectively as the Goddess and God chant, express my pantheistic beliefs. I believe that all Gods are one God, all Goddesses are one Goddess, and that the God and the Goddess are both parts of an all-encompassing *DIVINE*. I have often been asked how I can claim not to follow a monotheistic religion, if I believe there is one Divine force in the universe. I address that question on my "What The...ism?" page (link below).
I follow The Wiccan Rede to the best of my abilities; "An' it harm none, do what you will." I take this to express responsibility. “Will” is your sense of what is right and just and appropriate in any given situation, sometimes regardless of what you want and your desires. “Harm” means wanton, intentional damage, but it doesn't include, for example, the pain one experiences after surgery; the surgery was necessary for your well-being, so the pain afterwards is an acceptable burden. And of course, “none” would include yourself as well as those around you.
Also, I believe in the Three-Fold Law. Not literally, but that whatever I do has consequences, whether they be rewards or burdens, and that I have an obligation to be aware of that fact.
Well, I think that's about it. Follow the links below to see more information about the Sabbats, and also to see the poem, "The Wiccan Rede" in full. Also, check out Comments on Hereditaries, the Diety Questionnaire, and my Recommended Reading list.
