 |
Wiccan
and Pagan Traditions |
"Pagan" comes from the Latin word "paganus" which means
"country dweller." However, Roman "legionaires applied it in a somewhat
contemptuous fashion to anyone who was not a soldier (It's where we get
the word peon), and so it became the equivalent of 'civilian.'
Later, the Christians, who felt a strong similarity between the sacrament
of baptism and a Roman soldier's solemn oath of allegiance to his commander,
and who thus regarded themselves as 'soldiers of Christ,' adopted the
word pagan to refer to non-Christians." (Ayers, Donald M., English
Words from Latin and Greek Elements, p. 237) Essentially, this definition
holds true, with one exception. Most pagans are not considered so unless
they have a polytheistic system and are not one of the "Great 5" religions:
Christinity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. All religious beliefs
discussed here are Pagan, but not all of them are Wiccan. It's like saying
that a square (Wicca) is a rectangle (Paganism), but a rectangle doesn't
have to be a square. Here are a few Pagan, non-Wicca beliefs:
Eclecticism:
Okay, this CAN go under the "Wicca" title. In fact, most Wiccans are eclectic.
However, I'm putting it here because Eclectic Pagans and Wiccans pull
from all of the sources from below. I'm pretty eclectic, and it works
just as well as any set tradition.
Druidism:
A lot of people get this one mixed up and say that Druidism and Wicca
are one and the same. That's not true at all. In fact, I've seen Druids
who took offense at being called Wiccan. Wicca may borrow from Druidry,
and the two may be similar, but they are not the same. If this is the
path you'd like to take, I'd give you some links, but I don't have any
at the moment. I'll post some when I have them, but until then, Good Luck!
Shamanism:
Shamanism is based on Native American traditions. These traditions, are,
of course, further broken down, but once again it's not the path I follow
so I don't have any links at the present time. Shamanism deals more with
animals and totems in comparison to Wicca. Once again, Wicca has many
similarities, but the two are not the same.
Erisian/Discordian:
Discordians believe that Chaos is as important as Order, and have a very
dark sense of sarcasm/humor to prove it. Their main text is the "Principia
Discordia." Though they may not seem like it, Discordians take their beliefs
as seriously as any Gardnerian High Priest/ess. There are some groups
that blend Discordianism with Wicca, making those particular groups a
Wiccan tradition as well.
New Age:
Insert Shirley MacLaine joke here. The New Age section of "paganism" is
the Austrian Power Crystal-wearing, Psychic Friends-calling, kiss-my-chakra-stones-and-sell-me-another,
Child of Aquarius type of pagan. Okay, that's a little harsh, but many
pagans feel that New Agers give them a bad name. In my opinion, "to each
his own." New Age is into spirituality, but not the same type as Wicca.
While Wicca looks to the Goddess and the God for spirituality, New Agers
tend to look inside themselves without naming a deity. That's fine and
dandy and it's allowed. *smile*
Neo-Pagan:
Though many Neo-Pagans are also Wiccan, there are subtle differences.
VERY subtle. Once again, Wicca can be considered a Neo-Pagan movement,
but not all Neo-Pagans are Wiccan. Neo-Pagans are the step between New
Agers and Wiccans.
Gardnerian: Gerald Gardner is the granddaddy of them all. It is said that Wicca came back into the spotlight when Gerald Gardner began publishing books on the topic. Before then, being called a "witch" was completely taboo, and in fact, there were English laws against Witchcraft. Gardnerians work in a coven, and skyclad. The High Priestess is the head of the coven, and there is a hierarchy involved, complete with secretism within the coven and ranks. Aside from those who are "natural witches" (Family Traditionalists), Gardnerian Wicca is the oldest form known.
Alexandrian: Alexandrian Wicca is so close to Gardnerian Wicca that it is usually said that Alexandrians copy everything the Gardnerians do. That's almost true, but not quite. The Alexandrian tradition was founded by Alex Sanders and has been made famous by the books by Janet and Stewart Farrar. It is noted, however, that Sanders did not name the tradition after himself, but after the city of ancient Alexandria. The tradition differs from Gardnerian Wicca in that it uses the wand to symbolize Air and the athame or sword to symbolize Fire. It is also based heavily in the Kabbalah and Ceremonial Magick. Alexandrians also work in covens, though working skyclad is optional. Alexandrian Wicca is also more flexible to the needs of its members, and is therefore more liberal than the strict rules that come with Gardnerian Wicca.
Algard: This tradition was formed by Mary Nesnick who brought the Alexandrian and Gardnerian traditions together. She was an initiate in both traditions and pulled them together based on their similarities.
Dianic: Dianic Wicca is generally considered "feminist" Wicca. It leans heavily into the female aspect of the Divine. While one branch acknowledges only the Goddess, another branch recognizes the God as "Her Beloved Consort." Dianics also tend to be very liberal and try to avoid a hierarchy.
Solitary: Solitaries are those who work alone. These Wiccans are generally eclectic, though some may lean towards a certain tradition. For them, basically anything goes as long as they agree with it.
Family Tradition: Family traditionalists have a history of witchcraft within their ancestral lines. They base their beliefs on what ancestors have done and the inherited "power" that has been passed on to them. However, this makes them no more or less powerful than a "new" Wiccan.
Kitchen Witchcraft: Kitchen Witches are probably the last people one could identify as Wiccans. They are very thrifty and their altar is based in their kitchen. They use common household goods for their workings and often do not base themselves on grand ceremonies and rules like most other Wiccans. Many Kitchen Witches are in the broom closet, and don't even know it. *grin*
As a quick note, there are many other forms of Wicca popping up all the time, usually as blends of different traditions. These are not the ONLY traditions found in Wicca, so don't doubt if someone claims to be in a tradition you've never heard it. It could be as true as the rest of these.
| BASIC
INFORMATION
|
For further information on the history of Paganism and different available traditions, check out these books:
|
|
||