Gardnerian?

[Convallaria]

So far this article: http://www.witchvox.com/trads/trad_gardnerian.html is all I've been able to find about Gardnerian Tradition. Could anyone else elaborate?

[Seren_]

Elaborate on what, exactly? As a former Gardnerian, I might be able to help, but it would help if you could be more specific...

[Ben Trismegistus]

There's a few of us Gardnerians hiding out on here. What would you like to know?

[Convallaria]

Well, more or less what separates them from everyone else? How can they be identified as a distict group? Are there specific dieties for Gardnarians or just generally the lord and lady? A specific alter set-up? A specific way to cast a circle? I hear things about levels of initiation in Gardnerian. What separates the levels? lol, I need to find a book!

[Seren_]

Well, more or less what separates them from everyone else? How can they be identified as a distict group? Are there specific dieties for Gardnarians or just generally the lord and lady? A specific alter set-up? A specific way to cast a circle? I hear things about levels of initiation in Gardnerian. What separates the levels? lol, I need to find a book!

Well...Gardnerians are generally idenitfied as being those who can trace their initiation back to Gerald Gardner; either from the man himself, or from people who he initiated, or more likely to today, third or even fourth generation initiates. This creates a lineaged tradition. There are some Wiccans who base their practice on Gerald Gardner, but if they aren't initiated into a lineaged group, some more traditional Gardnerians won't consider them to be "Gardnerian" - maybe "Gardnerian based", say.

Gardnerians tend to be more conservative than most other traditions, and they do have specific ways to set up the altar, cast circles and so on (invocations and so on might change, but the general structure should stay the same); a Book of Shadows is also passed on down the generations from teacher to student once they reach initiation. Compared to Alexandrians, for example, Gardnerians tend to use only one elemental pentagram for invoking (pentagram of Earth), whereas Alexandrians might use the appropriate pentagram for each elemental quarter - this is based more on ceremonial practice.

There are also varying degrees of practice with the Gardnerian tradition, depending on whether your coven comes from before or after influential figures like Doreen Valiente came along. Things like the Ordains came later, I believe, and I certainly never heard them referred to in our group (but maybe that's because they were just dropped) - if you have no idea what I'm talking about, this should help (http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/gbos/index.htm). And every coven adds to its own Book of Shadows, so each Gardnerian coven/Book is slightly different to the next.

Another distinguishing factor for the Gardnerian tradition that you'll probably hear a lot about is that people tend to work skyclad, or naked; this isn't limited to Gardnerians alone, but Gardner was quite keen on it. He was also keen on ritual scourging, which most groups don't bother with these days, but it might be referred to in some ritual material.

Generally there are three levels of initiation (as with most Wiccan groups). Some information/rituals are oathbound, which means they are only revealed to other initiated Wiccans; sometimes you have be a certain level of initiation as well. Oathbound material tends to include the names of the gods that the coven uses - I think this is where the practice of just using "Lord and Lady" actually comes from, when talking about the gods in non-initiate circles. One reason for taking these oaths is (pseudo-)historical - to protect you and your members from persecution. For rituals and so on, these are revealed as when the person is ready, as implied by them reaching a level of initiation; it's not a means of "having a secret club that noone else can be part of", but a way of ensuring that spiritual/mystery experiences are revealed when you are capable and experienced enough to deal with it.

A lot of the oaths taken in Gardnerian circles are now a moot point, since most of the rituals and Gardner's BOS are widely published and freely available on the internet, but oaths might be changed, adapted or preserved for the "tradition" of it. But the oathbound issue is also why you probably don't find much information; there are some Gardnerian magazines available, for example, but only on application if you can prove/provide your lineage so that oathbound material isn't revealed to non-initiates.

During your first initiation, you usually take an oath not to reveal these secrets to non-initiates, and you might take other oaths as well. The first initiation makes you a Priest/ess, and Witch; the second initiation makes you more independent in the coven, and in my group when you took on students after receiving your second degree you were entitled to be called a High Priest/ess (some groups give you the title automatically at second degree, I believe). At second degree you are still under the guidance of your High Priestess; the third initiation is the highest degree of initiation, and makes you a High Priest/ess proper. At this point, most initiates form their own covens; some covens don't give the third degree until the initiate is ready to do this.

[Seren_]

Sorry for the long essay!

You can find more about the stuff I've written in a couple of books I'd recommend, if you're feeling rich:

A Witches' Bible, by Janet and Stuart Farrar contains Gerald Gardner's BOS and a commentary on it, with contributions from Doreen Valiente.

Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcaft, by Raymond Buckland - very dense, but he was an initiate of Gardner and is largely responsible for taking Wicca to America, I believe.

And of course, The Meaning of Witchcraft and Witchcraft Today by Gardner himself - this will give you an idea of what went on in his mind, although his history is...inspirational (ie downright fantasy)...in places. They're very dated now, but a piece of history in themselves.

Ronald Hutton's Triumph of the Moon gives a good historical perspective, and Wiccan Roots by Philip Heselton is supposed to give another one (although I haven't read it yet, a lot of people rave about it); he's also got a follow up out to it.

[Convallaria]

Seren, thank you for all the information! I do own A Witches' Bible but I hadn't read it fully because I was 14 and still struggling with certain terms and concepts. I think now would be a good time to go back and read it. I definately think I'll be picking the other books you reccomended up.

[Ben Trismegistus]

Yeah, the main thing that sets the Gardnerians apart is that we have a rather set way of doing things - a moderately well-organized ritual practice. The theological beliefs are generally less well-defined.

[farm girl]

I have Raymond Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft and Wicca For Life. Both are great books, whether choosing Gardnerian path or not. I am actually very drawn to that coven tradition, but the skyclad thing doesn't work for me. Too shy when it comes to my body!

[Convallaria]

I have Raymond Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft and Wicca For Life. Both are great books, whether choosing Gardnerian path or not. I am actually very drawn to that coven tradition, but the skyclad thing doesn't work for me. Too shy when it comes to my body!
I also feel drawn to covens, and I have a desire to be in a tightly knit, family like coven, that I could trust, be very happy to be a part of, learn from.... I could get used to nudity, lol.

[DebLipp]

Just want to clarify a couple of things.

Gardnerianism is the oldest tradition of Wicca. It is, as a rule of thumb, more structured than most, more heirarchical, and shows strong ceremonial heritage.

The Witches' Bible Compleat is based on the Alexandrian, not Gardnerian, tradition. They are very similar.

Raymond Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft has nothing to do with Gardnerianism. Buckland was originally a Gardnerian but rejected it quite bitterly and this is a response to that. It has some good content, but should not be mistaken for Gardnerian training.

I personally know of 15th generation Gardnerians with valid, traceable lineage. Gardnerianism in the US arrived here in the early 1960s at 2nd generation, and was spread by a prolific and powerful 3rd generation HPS (that is, she was initiated by the "daughter" of a partner of Gerald Gardner's) named Lady Theos. That makes me 5th generation and I am considered "old line." ;)

Gardnerian lineage and training is done one-on-one, in groups. There are books written by Gardnerians, including my own, but none are meant to substitute for Gardnerian training. We believe in a hands-on approach. We also have oaths of secrecy. We don't talk about god names, altar layout, and specific wording of rituals except within the context of secrecy.

[Convallaria]

Is it bad that the secrecy and structure make me all the more interested and intruiged?
Btw, Deb, I was looking through your book Elements of Ritual: Air, Fire, Water and Earth in the Wiccan Circle at Chapters and it looks really interesting! One of these days I'll have enough to go to Chapters and buy it and all the other books that look interesting that i can't afford! lol.

[DebLipp]

Is it bad that the secrecy and structure make me all the more interested and intruiged?
Btw, Deb, I was looking through your book Elements of Ritual: Air, Fire, Water and Earth in the Wiccan Circle at Chapters and it looks really interesting! One of these days I'll have enough to go to Chapters and buy it and all the other books that look interesting that i can't afford! lol.

I hope you enjoy my book when you get it!

There's nothing "bad" about being intrigued by secrecy or structure. Many people are much more comfortable in a structured ritual setting. Many of us sought the Craft for that very reason.

[Convallaria]

Maybe some day I'll find a Garnerian coven that will allow me to learn from them, and maybe even innitiate me eventually..

[Ben Trismegistus]

Raymond Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft has nothing to do with Gardnerianism. Buckland was originally a Gardnerian but rejected it quite bitterly and this is a response to that. It has some good content, but should not be mistaken for Gardnerian training.
Huh... I had no idea - very interesting!

I personally know of 15th generation Gardnerians with valid, traceable lineage. Gardnerianism in the US arrived here in the early 1960s at 2nd generation, and was spread by a prolific and powerful 3rd generation HPS (that is, she was initiated by the "daughter" of a partner of Gerald Gardner's) named Lady Theos. That makes me 5th generation and I am considered "old line." ;)
I'm 7th generation, so does that make you my spiritual great-aunt? ;)

[The Oracle Of Delphi]

Skyclad woohoo!!! don't forget the mosquito repelent...

[pathless]

The short version of events is that Gardner, being the all-round occultist that he was, had read some of Crowley's material (it was available well before Gardner started into Wicca) as well as many other English occult documents such as Margaret Murray's witchcraft books, Folklore Society stuff, Ross Nichols' druidry, etc.

Gardner was taken to meet Crowley in 1947 by a mutual acquaintance, Arnold Crowther (who became a Wiccan and was married to Patricia Crowther, one of Gardner's later high priestesses.) Crowther had contacted Crowley previously and asked if he could bring Gardner along to meet him.

Gardner was all gung-ho to get involved in Crowley's OTO at that point, and obtained (was given or purchased) a charter from Crowley to start up a lodge and administer at least the very first couple of OTO degrees.

Gardner met with Crowley once or twice after that first meeting. Crowley died in 1947 so Gardner didn't have a lot of opportunity to spend with him.

There were rumors that Crowley had written the Wiccan Book of Shadows (the manual of basic rituals and philosophy) but this is pretty much considered to be false. Crowley would have done much better if he'd done the writing -- the Crowley bits that are in there are obviously copied from existing Crowley material, some of it not copied too accurately from what I've heard.

Gardner didn't pursue involvement in the OTO too seriously and instead put his energy into Wicca after Crowley's death.

There is a lot of interesting information about Gardner (including the Crowley connection, and pictures of Gardner's OTO charter) at http://www.geraldgardner.com/ Check in the Archive section for the OTO charter.

Gardner was also influenced by other sources (Dion Fortune, grimoires like the Key of Solomon, Margaret Murray, and druidry) so Wicca isn't just an OTO wanna-be system but an eclectic compilation.

[Garden of Eden]

http://www.witchypoocorner.com/New_Folder/bookofshadows.pdf

The alledged Gardenarian book of shadows in PDF format... Not a Wiccan myself, but some of the rituals are beautiful and I wouldn't hesitate to use them.

[DebLipp]

http://www.witchypoocorner.com/New_Folder/bookofshadows.pdf

The Gardenarian book of shadows in PDF format... Not a Wiccan myself, but some of the rituals are beautiful and I wouldn't hesitate to use them.

Just a note about this document.

Someone says it's a Gardnerian Book of Shadows (BOS). It may or may not be. The BOS is considered oath-bound material by Gardnerians. If it's real, it was obtained from an oathbreaker or by theft. If it's not real, then it's not real.

[Garden of Eden]

Thanks, I wasn't aware of that. Like I said, I'm not gardenarian. I added a word to stop anyone thinking that I'm sure it is the offical BOS.

[Nacken]

Maybe some day I'll find a Garnerian coven that will allow me to learn from them, and maybe even innitiate me eventually..
hi sunset
I see youre from ontario. Personally, I only know parts of the scene in Hamilton. area. There seem to be several Alexandrian groups here. I imagine that there are Gardenerian groups, but I haven't tried to look really. But I imagine that you can find some group in your area through witche's voice. Most cities probably have groups, although Garderienas are fairly secretive and harder to locate.
BB
nacken