Modern Trends in Witchcraft

[Bauhaus]

I've noticed that many of the modern books on witchcraft incorporate a great deal of ceremonial magick techniques. I'm familiar with ceremonial magick, mostly of the Golden Dawn tradition, also Franz Bardon. Many of the books (mostly out of the Llewellyn stables) have discussions of the elements, visualization techniques (incl. tattwa exercises), and material that could easily be found in a magick book. Perhaps what used to be termed 'low' and 'high' magick have dissolved their differences. It just might be 'if it works then use it' dictom.

The controversy over the origins of "Wicca" rage on. There is such a vast difference in Wicca USA and Wicca UK (and other Euro countries.) They are so different, I'm surprised they both use the term 'Wicca.'

And then there's the traditional witchcrafters.

I recently decided to give "Aradia" a read, wanting to gain a new perspective, going back before the whole Wicca question arose. I have two different editions of this text, and understand it is readily available online, unedited, for free.

I'd love to read some Gardner books, but those appear to be out of print at the moment.

Please share your own observations/overview of the various types of witchcraft that are readily available to all. I'm really more interested in an historical perspective than whether one is right or not.

[grnpuffer]

Please share your own observations/overview of the various types of witchcraft that are readily available to all. I'm really more interested in an historical perspective than whether one is right or not.

I think it's hard to get deep academic into the historical perspective of the craft exactly because it is by its nature both Non centralized and non-dogmatic. Afterall, aren't traditions like the development of local cooking cuisines? People used whatever was handy to flavor their soups and to heal/poison their neighbors. Recipes/traditions were passed through families and to who ever showed up at the local quilting bee and later established in the community when they were associated with the landmarks of life/death/harvest/planting and and the like. \And like cuisines, the local recipes (beliefs/holidays, etc) tended to include influences from the neighbors or invaders.
I know people from several different generational craft trads that originate from different parts of the world. Clearly, there are real diferences in character and flavor of the traditions (especially african vs european: e.g., emphasis on ancestors/sprits,), but they share more in common than all the differences put together. We are, after all, the same organism with the same fears and experience of suffering and joy, aren't we?

T

[TYRRHENUS]

I recently decided to give "Aradia" a read, wanting to gain a new perspective, going back before the whole Wicca question arose. I have two different editions of this text, and understand it is readily available online, unedited, for free.
You know, I read Aradia when I was 14 many (many) moons ago. It seemed to me even back then that it wasn't a story of Italian witchcraft but actually a Gypsy story.

Getting to the historical aspect. I firmly believe that Paganism in Europe died with the Black Death. That which killed 1/3 to 1/2 of Europe's population. (The heathen population.) And that ALL Neo-Pagan traditions which focus on these European beliefs are in fact Reconstructionist.

Some people feel a religion isn't valid unless it's ancient. The Romans used that rule of thumb. That's why Jews were protected but Christians were fair game.

Good luck with your search.

[aefentid]

Have you read Ronald Hutton's Triumph of the Moon,it's a well researched interesting book on the history of Wicca. Another good book is Religion and the decline of magic :studies in popular beliefs in the sixteenth and seventeenth century England by Keith Thomas.

My personal belief is that historical paganism died out in the early middle ages with the Christian conversions ,or at least mostly died out .In the Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries for instance there's an ancedote of a Scottish Laird sacraficing a bull to Mannanan for his wife's health. There are also numerous charms from the Christian period that contain the names of pagan Gods ,such as the nine herbs charm which is from an eleventh century manuscript and contains a verse to Woden.
As for witchcraft there are plenty of historical types of witchcraft such as cunning craft ,Pennsylvania-Dutch hexcraft ,and plenty of other types that are tied to specific cultures.
For my own practices I've found authors like Marian Green and Doreen Valiente helpful as well as studying folklore and I've found quite a few interesting things in fairy tales.

I hope that helps.

[grnpuffer]

Some people feel a religion isn't valid unless it's ancient. The Romans used that rule of thumb. That's why Jews were protected but Christians were fair game.

Good luck with your search.

:fofftopic

?? uhm.... I think the Romans were pretty equal opportunity when it came to bashing folks. The The romans smashed the temple of Solomon (AKA wailing wall now) and pretty much rubbed out the priest caste.
grins

[TYRRHENUS]

The The romans smashed the temple of Solomon (AKA wailing wall now) and pretty much rubbed out the priest caste.
Hey grnpuffer, I don't think I've welcomed you yet. Welcome!
Your quote is correct, the temple was smashed because the Jews were in the middle of an insurrection. I'm not defending the actions of my ancestors. I was just referring to the opinion of the Romans in their "historical perspective" as Bauhaus said of religious views.