~Introductions to Traditions~

[CloakofStars9]

http://www.pagannews.com/cgi-bin/traditions1.pl?10

[Kalika]

That is a great link... and one I hadn't come across before. Lots of info!!

Thanks for posting.

[vespertine]

i agree, lots of great info! thanks for the link CoS :)

[TYRRHENUS]

Good link.
The Stregheria one is a bunch of nonsense though. Almost as if it is a 'promotional' article, as I have seen it on different sites.
I wonder why it doesn't have an author listed.

[Mau]

I wonder why it doesn't have an author listed.

Because they likely would have faced copyright infringement charges from a certain author :lol:

[Kadynas]

Wow, Mau...second Pittsburgher I've seen today! :lol: Merry Meet from a former Pittsburgh native.

Cloakof Stars: Awesome site!! I just love how in the header it says Sun in Scorpio, Moon in Gemini. :)

Some of the traditionals though seem to be a little questionable though...under Blue Star, it says something like most covens with "Star" in the name are probably theirs... I know a lot of Pagans enamored enough with the stars to use the word in naming their coven... :lol: I also once saw a web site of a Blue Star coven and I don't think it mentioned anyone named Klein...

[TYRRHENUS]

...copyright infringement charges from a certain author...
Guess what, they fixed it... Well, not completely.
I sent them an email last night outlining the inconsistencies, and now they point out that Stregheria is one of many traditions. Though they have failed to state that it's only 22 years old.
At least they responded. :hehehehe:

[FaerieLuma]

Lots of good information!!! Tanks a lot!!! :)

[tensen]

Wow, Mau...second Pittsburgher I've seen today! :lol: Merry Meet from a former Pittsburgh native.

Cloakof Stars: Awesome site!! I just love how in the header it says Sun in Scorpio, Moon in Gemini. :)

Some of the traditionals though seem to be a little questionable though...under Blue Star, it says something like most covens with "Star" in the name are probably theirs... I know a lot of Pagans enamored enough with the stars to use the word in naming their coven... :lol: I also once saw a web site of a Blue Star coven and I don't think it mentioned anyone named Klein...

I've practiced under the Blue Star Tradition for a time. It would be Kenny Klein and Tzipora Katzs... although she was Tzipora Klein when she was married to him, that was long past.
The were a musical group traveling the Reniassance faire circuits, and many of the covens sprung up along the way.

Both Kenny and Tzipora wrote at least one book each. Tzipora's was on rites of passage. While Kenny Klein's was on Men's Mysteries.

I think that was based on a writeup of the tradition that Devyn Gillete wrote back in the 80s, before the massive explosion of pagan groups.. so the point on the Star name in the covens was quite possible at that time, but not a really good indication at this moment.


And when they say, such as a tattoo like the one indicated. They don't necessarily mean that was the tattoo, only one such instance of a coven. Since I don't think there was a standard of that amongst the covens.

[DebLipp]

And when they say, such as a tattoo like the one indicated. They don't necessarily mean that was the tattoo, only one such instance of a coven. Since I don't think there was a standard of that amongst the covens.
There were, I recall, two tattoos. One was the individual coven tattoo, such as illustrated, and one was the "secret" tattoo (which couldn't have been too secret, since they showed me and I'm not a Blue Star initiate). Kenny, at least, was adamant about initiates getting tattoos.

[tensen]

There were, I recall, two tattoos. One was the individual coven tattoo, such as illustrated, and one was the "secret" tattoo (which couldn't have been too secret, since they showed me and I'm not a Blue Star initiate). Kenny, at least, was adamant about initiates getting tattoos.

At the time I was involved Kenny had little impact on the current practices...
But yes, it was still apparently a common practice for initiates to get tattoos, such that one of the first questions to a prospective seeker was whether they'd go for the rite.

[Septegram]

I've practiced under the Blue Star Tradition for a time.

No kidding. Small world...

I think that was based on a writeup of the tradition that Devyn Gillete wrote back in the 80s, before the massive explosion of pagan groups.. so the point on the Star name in the covens was quite possible at that time, but not a really good indication at this moment.

True--there are any number of Blue Star covens now that have neither "Blue" nor "Star" in the name (offhand, let's see... SummerOak, Braided Stream, Oaktavia and my own Polaris come to mind).

And when they say, such as a tattoo like the one indicated. They don't necessarily mean that was the tattoo, only one such instance of a coven. Since I don't think there was a standard of that amongst the covens.

The blue septegram inside the left wrist is pretty standard. There are a few B* initiates who have it elsewhere, and a few who don't have it at all, but that's the most common example of a First Degree tattoo. Seconds get a circle around the star, and there's a fair bit of variety as to what Thirds do (they being independent, and all...). Originally, there would be two crescent moons, one on each side, as in the Triple Goddess symbol.

[Septegram]

There were, I recall, two tattoos. One was the individual coven tattoo, such as illustrated, and one was the "secret" tattoo (which couldn't have been too secret, since they showed me and I'm not a Blue Star initiate).[/QUOTE[

I think I know the "secret" one you're talking about--a single dot, wasn't it? That's not standard in B*, and to my knowledge K & Tz were the only ones who ever had them. I could be wrong, of course, but if they weren't they were among a very few.

[QUOTE]Kenny, at least, was adamant about initiates getting tattoos.

I encourage Initiates to do so, but no one insists on it. Certainly, it's not a requrement, although I do recall Kenny being very strong on that point.

[Septegram]

Oh, Cusswords! I meant to mention that the tattoo in the picture is very unusual as a B* tattoo. It's much more intricate than is common. Mine, for example, is a single line blue septegram about 3 cm. in diameter.

Just in case anyone cared...

[tensen]

The blue septegram inside the left wrist is pretty standard. There are a few B* initiates who have it elsewhere, and a few who don't have it at all, but that's the most common example of a First Degree tattoo. Seconds get a circle around the star, and there's a fair bit of variety as to what Thirds do (they being independent, and all...). Originally, there would be two crescent moons, one on each side, as in the Triple Goddess symbol.

See, I never knew if that was the tradition or the coven one.. guess that would be the tradition. Made me wonder when Deborah made that comment about a secret tradition one. I couldn't figure out how something on your wrist was a secret :)

[Athena-Nadine]

Heh.

I'm sure the Celtic Reconstructionists and the Asatru would love to see that they fall closer to "Eclectic" than "Structured" on that little chart.

*...shrugs...* Most Recons don't consider themselves Pagan anyway.

[DebLipp]

I think I know the "secret" one you're talking about--a single dot, wasn't it? That's not standard in B*, and to my knowledge K & Tz were the only ones who ever had them. I could be wrong, of course, but if they weren't they were among a very few.

Thanks. If you as an initiate are willing to post it here then I guess it's okay. K & Tz showed me their dots ("Witches' Marks") but I didn't wish to give away the store. There are things in some traditions that can be discussed with outsiders but not written down, and there are some traditions who will give secret or semi-secret information to initiates or high degree initiates of "equivalent" traditions. So I didn't think it wise to say, but yes, that's what I meant.

They're cool, those dots.

[Septegram]

Thanks. If you as an initiate are willing to post it here then I guess it's okay. K & Tz showed me their dots ("Witches' Marks") but I didn't wish to give away the store.

Well, you'll note that I didn't specify how many, or where, or what color or much else... I was just wondering if I'd recalled correctly, and if we were talking about the same things. :)

There are things in some traditions that can be discussed with outsiders but not written down, and there are some traditions who will give secret or semi-secret information to initiates or high degree initiates of "equivalent" traditions. So I didn't think it wise to say, but yes, that's what I meant.
They're cool, those dots.

Yes, sometimes there's reciprocal sharing of secret material. I've heard some interesting and amusing stories of people carefully not exactly saying such-and-so, but each edging around it until both parties have a pretty good idea of what the other's saying.

But yeah, the dots are cool. Haven't thought about those in years.

[Septegram]

See, I never knew if that was the tradition or the coven one.. guess that would be the tradition. Made me wonder when Deborah made that comment about a secret tradition one. I couldn't figure out how something on your wrist was a secret :)

See my remarks to Deborah above. The blue * is Trad-wide, but the more secret tattoos aren't used by anyone else that I know of.

[DebLipp]

Yes, sometimes there's reciprocal sharing of secret material. I've heard some interesting and amusing stories of people carefully not exactly saying such-and-so, but each edging around it until both parties have a pretty good idea of what the other's saying.Oh, sure, I've done the dance. People will often say things to me that they'd withhold from most. In part, it's because most modern trads (as opposed to famtrads) are Gardnerian-based or G-influenced. So people can figure, often rightly, that I already know. Also, it helps to have a rep. People know I'm not just saying I'm a Gardnerian 3rd. ;) And it also helps that I don't treat other trads like they're inferior. :D

But yeah, the dots are cool. Haven't thought about those in years.
You know that 3 year road trip K & Tz did? My then-hubby and I did the first 3 months with them. What an experience!

[Septegram]

And it also helps that I don't treat other trads like they're inferior. :D

Yeah, that makes world-o-difference.

You know that 3 year road trip K & Tz did? My then-hubby and I did the first 3 months with them. What an experience!

I traveled with them a couple of times for a couple of weeks at a stretch, which was very interesting. They were a tempestuous couple, to say the least, but I loved playing "roadie," listening to their music, and talking Craft with them.

[RubyRose]

It's a very informative site ... I love it