growing up:

Teen Wicca/Witchcraft is growing up....Finally....

Jun 17, '09 4:34 PM by Luxas for everyone

Teen Witchcraft has always been seen as dabbling, even though there are those that have had strong emotions that fulfill and advance their own growing awareness of the Arts...

At the witches garden, you will finally get to see what the art was perhaps truly meant to express.... enjoy...

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My answer from paganspace:

Ritual is often needed to begin the tuning, charging and connections with the powers that be. Then occasional rites are renewals to that charging. Ritual is not needed anymore, unless another is being brought in, but workings are done when the inclination happens to do them. Eventually it is hard to separate the magic from your day to day life, so you don't.

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The old Ways, and Oral traditions.

Jan 16, '09 11:15 PM by wizard for everyone

I would like to know more about your oral traditions.  Oral traditions is central, if not the defining elements of how anthropologists, come to understand and describe ancient past. Time is the enemy of all oral traditions. Unfortunately, we spend little time exchanging stories or remembering them within our family, so Storytelling is becoming a lost art.  The last 50 years or so have seen a tremendous interest in the Craft. The modern Wiccan revival of Gardnerian and Alexandrian Witchcraft known as British Traditional Witchcraft= {'BTW'}. 

1960s- calling one's self a Witch meant that you were a valid initiate of whatever "Old Ways" sect or creed, they identify as Witches of their particular traditions..  Calling one's self a Wiccan meant that you were uninitiated believer (or only of the 1st Degree in what is called BTW).  This can made things complicated with the infighting of the "Witchier than thou" crowd.  Many BTW Witches don't consider Gardnerian Wicca traditional - even though many BTW groups consider "traditional" prior to Gardner. Some do not see or recognize a difference between Traditional Witchcraft and Traditional Wicca.

Gardnerian Witchcraft been around awhile about 50 years and although there is a cloud as to Gardners connection to a "real" coven -  "New Forest Craft" or even co-founder Doreen Valiente admitted  influence from Aleister Crowley.- there is a tradition of rituals that have been handed down since his tradition became known. In a sense, Gardnerian  Wicca is "traditional" in its own right, even though many BTW groups consider "traditional"prior to Gardner. The other side of the coin is Robert Cochran's tradition  was a family tradition and many BTW groups either hived off from him or hived off from his idea of what traditional Witchcraft was.

I  use interchangeably, "Wicca" and "Witchcraft"  I call myself pagan and sometimes witch, and almost always that gets translated as Wiccan. I do understand that some would ask  "I practice witchcraft, however I will never go under the "title"or Wiccan, Where we seem to run into a problem is over language.  Words take on different means over the years, and sometimes from decade to decade.  With that sometimes it makes it hard for everybody to be on the same page.  I use the word Wicca, and Witchcraft  interchangeably because when I first started writing about the craft in 70s the word Wicca was being used as a substitute for the word witchcraft.. 

The term  "Wicca" had picked up some popular usage prior to that.

• Gerald Gardner only mentioned Wicca (or Wica) once in his published books.
• Margot Adler found the word in use by some folks in the 1970's when she when all over the USA interview people., for her book "Drawing Down the Moon"
• Lady Sheba used the word "Wicca" in her *Book of Shadows* first publihed in 1971.
• *The Reded of the Wiccae* was published in *Green Egg* in 1975.

The word Wiccan was being used for a practitioner of witchcraft.  But over the years the word Wicca has taking on the definition of a religion. In away to makes it not hard for everybody to be on the same page. For this discussion of traditional withcraft as opposed to Wiccan. "The old Ways" or "Old Craft" that is also known as Traditional Witchcraft. The term Traditional here refers  The purpose of presenting this Oral Tradition is to bring old teachings to light. We pay homage to Our Oral Tradition  – the Elder  who taught humanity the arts and sciences including the art of sorcery.

Why there are no old grimoire's or  Book of Shadows  Grimoire was a text book of spells, rites, and rituals during midieval times, usually invoked angels or demons and some  were written by Catholic clergy. Schools and university education, was controlled by the Church. A Book of Shadows or Grimoire could get the writer burnt at the stake, with the  notorious Witchcraft Act was passed early in the reign of Elizabeth I. This act of 1563.


 If things are ever written down, they are usually included in a family cook book and/or (irony!) as part of the family Bible, OR as slips of paper tucked into scrapbook/photo album/favorite book.

Most traditions of the Craft are oral.  Some modern Paganism as a whole, some INDIVIDUAL practitioners  of the "The old Ways" or "Old Craft"   have started keeping "books of shadows" "grimoire" (or other personal title for the work) as a way of put together "Old Craft" knowledge all in one place..

 If things are ever written down, by our Elder and family they are usually included in a family cook book and/or as part of the family Bible, OR as slips of paper tucked into scrapbook/photo album/favorite book.

1. Did your family have special traditions?
2. How were holidays (birthdays, Christmas, etc.) celebrated in your family?
3. Who was the oldest relative you remember as a child?
4. What do you remember this oldest relative?
5. What stories have come down to you about your parents?
6. What stories have come down to you about your Grandparents?
7. What stories have come down to you about your More distant ancestors?
8.  
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    Integrity of a Mage

    Dec 7, '08 6:49 PM by tyler for everyone

    1 When people start swearing be sure they are
    unstable and immature in personal esteem
    (If people start swearing that's just another way in which they choose to express themselves verbally, much like any other word 'swear words' are just a cultural reference of the times used to conjure up and emotion.  Now in the sense of humor such words are never to be taken seriously, however the humor itself is to be taken seriously because HUMOR teaches.  As one walks into the fields of any magic there are points in the practice in which there are no jokes, however as one becomes wise they realize that humor is a much needed thing to help the information of the designs of the universe settle more harmoniously with the spirit and the soul.  Without humor one will drive themselves into the designs of madness. I speak with a touch of experience here. Now in a previous post I used humor through words to get a reaction out of my friend Aryia, those you that look will find that the following post is a message people need to apply to themselves when seeking in the arts, growing connections in the magical design grants gifts to the individual so that certain uses of spells become unnecessary, because the magic will just start taking care of things automatically.)
    2 In any demanding situations these will be the
    first to cause fissures in tribal resolve - not a
    small thing in a street fight or any magical
    operation.
    ( I would understand this statement if it was in the case of a ritual working, or other form of magical working. Then leave out the swear words, for everything else outside of the works please read the reply to the first comment.)
    3 Integrity is not just for Christmas
    ( Very well said, integrity is not just for Christmas... nor is the nature of being Humble.)
    Though I can respect another words I would also ask that they never make the mistake insulting a person of the arts on their lacking of or possessing of knowledge.  It's not a good start to one looking from the outside trying to get in. Even I made this mistake once. Be humble in your remarks at this group site, and know your place. If one of the moderators are having a problem with words being used, believe me they will let you know, including me.
    
    Thank you,
    
    Mage Dal Theos