What kinda Wiccan be ye?

[unicornangel33]

I am a natural witch for the most part but I am also very eclectic in the way I preform my craft.  

[Dragoness Arleeana]

O_o - IXI - o_O

Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully...

Celtic/Faery Wicca

...as when they do it from religious conviction.

I have a book on faerie wicca, also called Evolutionary magic by many? The book I have makes it seem like it focuses on something much like a Chii and the flow of energies.  

[Rain1084]

I am a natural witch as well but im a solitary in my craft  

[uninsured_speech]

Dragoness Arleeana

Hello everyone! Yes, tis me! I'm trying to filter back into the guilds, so you may start seeing me like you used to ^_^

Ok, there's quite a few things wrong with your post that quite irk me. I feel I should correct you because...well...if I don't, you will have many wrong thoughts on the religion.

I was not fond of the original post either, it left quite a bit out. Still. I can not let this stand in good conscious either.

Dragoness Arleeana

1. It's Gardenian, not Gardnerian.

As a former 3rd degree initiate and HPS of a lineaged Gardnerian Coven, I can say with full authority that it is, in fact, Gardnerian. I would be curious as to where you get Gardenian. That is not Gardner's religion, that doesn't even make sense.

Dragoness Arleeana

2. Gerald Gardner CREATED Wicca. One of his "rules" that he set up within the religion was that you MUST be initiated by a lineaged witch to be Wiccan. If you have not been initiated you are what is considered a Wiccan Dedicant or a Seeker (like a seeker of knowlede). In wicca this is a FACT. Although if you look at the offshoots (such as eccletic, celtic, dianic and etc.) this may not neccisarily hold true. But in TRUE (orthodox, origina, whatever you want to call it) it is something that is a FACT, not something you can just choose to believe in or not. If you choose not to believe in it, then you are not of the Gardenien path. you are eccletic with a leaning TOWARDS Gardenien.

I am not quite sure what you are saying here. Yes. Gardner created Wicca as we know it. Though to be fair, he claimed to be bringing it to the masses. He claimed to be finding it. But the debunking of Gardner is not why I am here. You are right though. Someone following the Gardnerian path believes that you MUST be initiated by a lineaged Wiccan (Gardnerians do not use the term witch and Wiccan interchangeably). That is only one of many requirements. However, if you are going to go by the Gardnerian philosophy, than Dianic, Eclectic, Celtic, [insert the many traditions of Wicca here] are not Wicca but merely pagan witchcults. Thus it is all a moot point.

Dragoness Arleeana

3. There are FAR more than just 3 groups to seperate people into. Most are actually celtic wiccans.

Yes. There are far more than three options, and that was one of the problems that I had with this post. However, Celtic Wicca is almost an oxymoron. Many Pagans follow the Celtic path, but few Wiccans and those of true Celtic heritage are often offended by the comparison.

Dragoness Arleeana

4. There is no such thing as traditional. (how can you have a traditional religion that hasn't been around for even 100 years, especially within one that is so open to begin with?) What you describe is eccletic with Gardenien leanings. The only thing that might be considered "traditional" is Hedge Witchery. (which doesn't follow any specific gods, it's an herbal tradition)

I agree that there isn't really any such thing as a traditional Wiccan. There are Wiccan traditions... but I do not know what would be considered Traditional Wiccan. However, I don't think that has anything to do with time. Something does not have to be over 100 years to be considered traditional. If anything, Gardnerian would be traditional Wicca.

Dragoness Arleeana

4. You do not FOLLOW the three-fold law. It's just something that IS. You either believe in it or not and karma either happens to you or it doesn't. You can't FOLLOW karma.

I think that it would be more correct to say that some Follow the Rede while some do not. I agree as far as following the three-fold law. You can ignore it... but that does not make it stop.

Dragoness Arleeana

I myself am eccletic only because I have been forced into solitary practice. The "rules" that I follow are Gardenien, and I beleive mainly in the Lord and Lady, but I do pay worship to Isis and Bastet as well, but not as my main deities.

While it does sound like you are eclectic (with the other influences that you describe, but you can be a Solitary Gardnerian so long as you were properly initiated. Continued Coven participation is not required so long as you hold to your oaths and continue to follow the tradition.

I am leaning towards the term Neo-Wiccan for myself. It is not something I have decided on. As I said above. I am a Gardnerian HPS, initiated through 3rd degree. However, I am currently solitary. And while I have not (and will not) broken oath, I do not consider myself Gardnerian any longer, as I do not want to be associated with that limited way of thinking, that elitist and exclusionary train of thought that looks to define who does and does not have the right to call themselves Wicca. It was all a lot of politics and held most of the negatives of organized religion.

So Solitary Neo-Wiccan.  

[Dragoness Arleeana]

Hmm...I always thought it was Gardenian, I guess because Gardnerian sounds funny to me.

Yes, I know that technically they arn't Wiccan, that's why I tend to refere to them as off-shoots of the Wiccan religion.

Celtic Wicca IS very oxymoronic (lol, fun word) because Wicca took many of its tradditions from Celtic beliefs. The names of the God and Goddess are normally of the celtic variety (Cerrounnus and Ceridwen. Sorry, if those are spelled wrong).

I didn't mean that something had to be around for 100 years to become traditional. I merely meant that it hasn't been around long enough for the word to be applied to it. It'd be like comeing out with a brand new soda and calling it traditional before any new flavors were even created. It hasn't been around long enough for people to REALLY change anything.

I'd have to say that NOW I'm far more Neo-Wiccan as I've been realy getting into the Egyptian Pantheon (mainly Isis and Bastet). I still worship the Lord and Lady, but I've been working with those two other Goddesses so much and changing my actualy ritual performances so much that it's moving far away from Gardnerian. though I have found some people that want to get together and do ritual with, so hopefully I won't be solitary for much longer.  

[uninsured_speech]

Dragoness Arleeana

Hmm...I always thought it was Gardenian, I guess because Gardnerian sounds funny to me.

They both sound funny to me *grins*.

Dragoness Arleeana

Yes, I know that technically they arn't Wiccan, that's why I tend to refere to them as off-shoots of the Wiccan religion.

Personally, I have no issue with them using the term Wiccan, but if you are going to use Gardnerian definitions, they would only be witchcults, and most Gardnerians take great offense to the use of the term Wiccan by anyone not entitled (ie initiated through a lineaged Coven).

Dragoness Arleeana

Celtic Wicca IS very oxymoronic (lol, fun word) because Wicca took many of its tradditions from Celtic beliefs. The names of the God and Goddess are normally of the celtic variety (Cerrounnus and Ceridwen. Sorry, if those are spelled wrong).

I think I am splitting hairs, but the name of the Wiccan Lord & Lady are oathbound. Though, a lot of the pagan traditions do seem to use the Celtic pantheon... which is a shame, as most don't know much about the Gods and Goddesses they are working with.

Dragoness Arleeana

I didn't mean that something had to be around for 100 years to become traditional. I merely meant that it hasn't been around long enough for the word to be applied to it. It'd be like comeing out with a brand new soda and calling it traditional before any new flavors were even created. It hasn't been around long enough for people to REALLY change anything.

Quote:

I can see your point there. I just think that I disagree. There are a million new flavors of Wicca (whether they are entitled to the term or not) and Paganism. In my own evolution, I tend to not care what other people call themselves and worry more about what I consider myself. But still... I consider traditional Wicca to be Gardnerian Wicca and therefore redundant.

Neo-Wiccan is something that is just now starting to appeal to me. I do not wish to identify with my Gardnerian roots, yet it is a strong part of who I am. I can not use the term Wiccan lightly. It is the beginning of yet another stride in my spiritual path... and I'm not sure where my foot is going to land yet.

 

[Dragoness Arleeana]

I have no problem with anyone calling themselves Wiccan either, as the core beliefs are the same. Though if some studying neo-druidism started calling himself a wiccan I would probably have a few select words for him. I honestly think that when people get upset when someone calls themselves Wiccan and they havn't been initiated is childish. I do not think that self-initiations are acceptable, but not being able to call yourself a true wiccan because someone else didn't tell you some oathbound secrets is stupid in my opinion.

Yes, I know that their true names are oathbound, I meant that those are the two gods that most people se to represent them, or the names that many people use when speaking of them. I've always refered to them as the Lord and Lady because I did not know enough of the other pantheons to feel comfortable using them. Though now I feel more comfortable with two FEMALE goddesses of a pantheon I know little of. Egypt has always interested me and Bastet and Isis have always seemed to call to me. I never worked with them because I could never decide which one I prefered, and I felt akward trying to choose between the two. But now I've realized that I'm not meant to choose between them, I'm meant to work with them both. I've ALWAYS aknowledged the God and the male aspect, completely understanding his role in everything. But when it comes to working with the egyptian pantheon, it's two female aspects. I don't quite understand it, but it works. I do continue to worship the Lord and Lady though, even if there isn't a male aspect of the egyptian pantheon that I don't.

Yes, there are many different flavors of wicca. Many that I wish were not around but I acknowledge their existance. (some are just far to pushy for my own tastes). I mean, sure, wicca has changed. But not to the extent that other religions have. I mean, there are some christian religions that don't even worship God anymore. (most worship Jesus and Catholics worship Mary) Most (if not all) wiccan religions still worship the Lord and Lady in one form or another. I don't care what other people believe though, like you, or WHAT they call themselves. The only thing that matters is wha they're doing in the world and how they're affecting others around them. Now, if someone who was a devil worshipper started say they were Wiccan, I'd raise high hell, but that's a cmpletely different matter.

I guess neo-wiccan is the best term for me, though I've always felt deep roots with the earth and nature. I don't like to associate myself with anything neo because it makes me sound like I'm just in it because it's the new "in" thing. I'm also wary of anything neo because I prefer to put my feet on solid ground, if you catch my drift. I just take the beliefs I've always had, the Wiccan rituals, and anything that I find to my liking as I tread this path and mix it together. I'm a witch at heart, I always have been. I've never really given my religion a title. I've merely used Wicca as one because it's the closest related one and it's far easier than having to explain to people that I'm just a free-practing witch. 3nodding  

[Diana_Moon]

I say right now I'm eccletic right now, but as I learn more about Wicca I'll probably become more Traditional. I'm solitary, and don't see joining a coven at this time, mostly for the fact that I haven't found a coven around where I live.  

[Rain_Goddess]

thy be thou Traditional fae wiccan  

[too2sweet]

eclectic, for the most part - even when I was part of a group we were all fairly eclectic in our practice  

[Kitanya_Rose]

Eclectic, Hippie with techno-pagan infulences.

Did I confuse anyone? Good.  

[darkdagers]

im a solitary  

[Dragoness Arleeana]

darkdagers

im a solitary

This thread isn't about being solitary or being part of a coven or group. It's about what religion you actually practice.  

[Demonickamon]

i honestly dont feel there would be a specific way to figure out chich i am all i can truly say is i am a stone wich i use mostly stones and incense also i prefer stones over candles also  

[WitchyBoy]

Demonickamon

i honestly dont feel there would be a specific way to figure out chich i am all i can truly say is i am a stone wich i use mostly stones and incense also i prefer stones over candles also

an interesting take on things.