SEAX WICCA: is a very modern reconstruction of the Saxon Tradition, founded by Raymond Buckland who originally helped bring the Gardnerian tradition to the U.S. It is derived from the Pictish tradition of Scotland and the Saxon tradition of England.

(See also: SEAX WICCA, Witchcraft, Wicca, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

ALGARD WICCA: A Wiccan tradition that combines both Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca traditions, founded in 1972 by Mary Nesnick, an American who was initiated into both Gardnerian and Alexandrian traditions.

(See also: ALGARD WICCA, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

ECLECTIC WICCA: Wicca traditions that combine elements from several different traditions to form their own unique system of reverence and/or magick. Many solitary practitioners are considered to be Eclectic.

(See also: ECLECTIC WICCA, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

FAERY WICCA: A Wiccan Tradition incorporating the deities of the Welsh or Irish Faery Folk and drawing some theology from the Faery Faith.

(See also: FAERY WICCA, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

ARCADIAN WICCA: A Wiccan tradition centered around worship of the Horned God. Covens are open to both males and females.

(See also: ARCADIAN WICCA, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

ALEXANDRIAN WICCA: A Wiccan tradition founded by Alex Sanders in England and disputed as being the original form of Wicca instead of Gardnerian Wicca. Sanders claimed to have been initiated as a Hereditary Witch by his grandmother but critics claim many Alexandrian rituals are almost identical to Gardnerian ones, with a little ceremonial magick and Judeo-Christian mysteries thrown in.

Covens work skyclad. The eight Sabbats are observed and the Goddess and God are revered. Alexandrian Wiccans are considered to be Traditional Witches who trace their line of initiatory descent from Alex and Maxine Sanders, through a line of Alexandrian High Priests and High Priestesses, who follow the Alexandrian Book of Shadows, and who practice the Alexandrian Tradition of Wicca.

(See also: ALEXANDRIAN WICCA, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

GEORGIAN WICCA: Founded by George E. Patterson in 1970, the Georgians were chartered by the Universal Life Church in 1972, as The Church of Wicca of Bakersfield. In 1980 they were chartered as The Georgian Church.

The Georgians are eclectic, much based on Gardnerian-Alexander plus some British Traditional Witchcraft. They are  God-Goddess oriented but lean more towards the Goddess. They generally work skyclad but individual groups or individuals may do as they wish. They are both religious and magickal and celebrate the eight Sabbats. Members are encouraged to learn from all available sources.

(See also: GEORGIAN WICCA, Pagan Organisations, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary, Wicca, )

GARDNERIAN WICCA: Founded by Gerald Gardner, this was the first denomination of the Craft to make itself known publicly. Because of that, many people think that it is the only "true" Wicca. Gardner claimed to have been initiated into a surviving Coven of Traditional Witches in the New Forest by "Old Dorothy" Clutterbuck in 1939; which makes Gardnerian Wicca a branch of Traditional Witchcraft. 

For many years Gardner was accused of inventing the whole concept of Wicca and of getting Aleister Crowley to write its rituals. Today he has been pretty well cleared of both these charges. The Gardnerian Book of Shadows can now be seen as a compilation from various sources, much of it actually contributed by Doreen Valiente.

The Gardnerian tradition places emphasis on the Goddess over the God, with the female generally lauded over the male. It has a degree system of advancement and does not allow for self-initiation. Covens work skyclad and aim to have "perfect couples" - equal numbers of male and female, paired. Covens are, theoretically at least, autonomous. Gardnerian Wicca is found in most countries around the world. Gardnerian Wiccans are considered to be Traditional Witches who trace their line of initiatory descent from Gerald Gardner, through a line of Gardnerian High Priests and High Priestesses, according to the Gardnerian Book of Shadows, and who practice the Gardnerian Tradition of Wicca.

(See also: GARDNERIAN WICCA, Pagan Organisations, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary, Wicca, )

ECLECTIC WICCA: Although this isn't exactly an "official" tradition there are many Wiccans that call themselves Eclectic, in fact most solitary Wiccans consider themselves eclectic. What this means is that they have combined elements from several different traditions into one they feel comfortable with. Many of the newer traditions started out as Eclectic.

(See also: ECLECTIC WICCA, Pagan Organisations, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary, Wicca, )

DIANIC WICCA: A group of Wiccan traditions that focus primarily (but not always exclusively) on the Goddess. Known as the "feminist" movement in Wicca, it was first identified by Margaret Murray in 1921 in "The Witch-Cult in Western Europe". Most Dianic Wiccan traditions follow a Roman or Eclectic Pantheon that reveres Diana, but the term has been applied to traditions embracing other pantheons that are Goddess focused.

(See also: DIANIC WICCA, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

CIRCLE WICCA: A Wiccan tradition founded in 1974 by Selena Fox and Jim Alan. Its headquarters are at Circle Sanctuary, a 200 acre Nature preserve and organic herb farm in the rolling hills of southwestern Wisconsin. Circle is incorporated as a non-profit spiritual center and is recognized as a legal Wiccan Church by state and federal governments. Circle differs from many traditions of Wicca in that it is more aligned with Shamanism and Amerindian ways than with the Western European influences found in the majority of Craft traditions.

(See also: CIRCLE WICCA, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

GEORGIAN WICCA: A Wiccan tradition founded by George E. Patterson in 1970, and chartered by the Universal Life Church in 1972, as The Church of Wicca of Bakersfield. In 1980 they were chartered as The Georgian Church.

The Georgians are eclectic, based on Gardnerian-Alexander plus some British Traditional Witchcraft. They are God-Goddess oriented but lean more towards the Goddess. They generally work skyclad but individual groups or individuals may do as they wish. They are both religious and magickal and celebrate the eight Sabbats. Members are encouraged to learn from all available sources.

(See also: GEORGIAN WICCA, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

ALEXANDRIAN WICCA: Founded by Alex Sanders in England. Alex claimed to have been initiated as a Hereditary Witch by his grandmother, when he was seven years old in 1933, but critics claim many Alexandrian rituals are almost identical to Gardnerian ones, with a little more emphasis on ceremonial magic.

The tradition's rituals, while basically Gardnerian, are modified with many Judeo-Christian and Ceremonial Magick elements. Covens work skyclad. The eight Sabbats are observed and the Goddess and God are revered.

Alexandrian Wiccans are considered to be Traditional Witches who trace their line of initiatory descent from Alex and Maxine Sanders, through a line of Alexandrian High Priests and High Priestesses, according to the Alexandrian Book of Shadows, and who practice the Alexandrian Tradition of Wicca.

(See also: ALEXANDRIAN WICCA, Pagan Organisations, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary, Wicca, )

GARDNERIAN WICCA: A Wiccan tradition founded by Gerald Gardner, and the first denomination of Wicca to make itself known publicly. It is disputed to be the original form of Wicca versus Alexandrian Wiccan. Gardner claimed to have been initiated into a surviving Coven of Traditional Witches in the New Forest by "Old Dorothy" Clutterbuck in 1939. Gardner was accused of inventing the whole concept of Wicca and of getting Aleister Crowley to write its rituals although the Gardnerian Book of Shadows is a compilation from various sources, much of it actually contributed by Doreen Valiente.

The Gardnerian tradition places emphasis on the Goddess over the God, has a degree system of advancement and does not allow for self-initiation. Covens work skyclad and aim to equal numbers of male and female, paired. Covens are autonomous and are found in most countries around the world.

Gardnerian Wiccans are considered to be Traditional Witches who trace their line of initiatory descent from Dorothy Clutterbuck through Gerald Gardner and through a line of Gardnerian High Priests and High Priestesses. The adhere to the rituals laid out in the Gardnerian Book of Shadows.

(See also: GARDNERIAN WICCA, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

DIANIC WICCA: First pinpointed by Margaret Murray in 1921 in "The Witch-Cult in Western Europe," this term appears to include a mixture of various traditions. However, their prime focus in recent years is on the Goddess, and has been pegged as the "feminist" movement of the Craft.

Dianic Feminist Wicce is a tradition started by Ann Forfreedom that is both religious and practices magick. It includes both female and male practitioners ("It is not lesbian oriented and not separatist" states Ann), solo practitioners, mixed covens and all female covens. "Dianic Feminist Wicce encourages female leadership, insists that a Priestess must be present for a Circle ritual to be held and involves its practitioners in feminist and humanist issues." Groups work either skyclad or robed.

(See also: DIANIC WICCA, Pagan Organisations, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary, Wicca, )

Wicca and Wicce:

The male and female terms, respectively, in Old English that eventually became “witch” in Modern English.

(See also: Wicca, Wicce, Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

AMERICAN ECLECTIC WICCA: A broad range of individuals or groups that have based their philosophy, rituals and practices on the published works of Scott Cunningham and StarHawk.

Critics claim that American Eclectics take the contradictory position that Wicca is a completely modern religion created by Gerald Gardner but that the beliefs and practices of Wicca are completely individualistic, and therefore nobody can define "Wicca" for others.

This form of Wicca emphasizes spontaneity and tends to downplay the importance of such concepts as Oaths, Initiations, Lineage, and Tradition, or even to discard those concepts altogether. Many Wiccans object to these groups using the name Wicca, and believe they should be called American Eclectic Witchcraft.

(See also: AMERICAN ECLECTIC WICCA, Pagan Organisations, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary, Wicca, )

SACRED WHEEL WICCA: An eclectic neo-Pagan path which was organized in Delaware within the past decade. Calling themselves Wiccan, they focus on balance and learning. Celtic beliefs are a Part of their teachings. They state that they are a Wiccan religion dedicated to the health of Mother Earth, and to all her children in whatever forms they may take.

(See also: SACRED WHEEL WICCA, Pagan Organisations, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary, Wicca, )

ASSOCIATION OF CYMRY WICCAE: One of the oldest Witchcraft associations in the U.S. Founded in 1967, it provides member Churches, Covens or Groves with Federal I.R.S. Tax Exempt status. It has included every major Wicca tradition in its membership at one time or another. It consists of member Witch and Wiccan churches whose traditions derive most of their religious philosophy from Celtic sources. See also WELSH TRADITION and Y Dynion Mwyn.

(See also: ASSOCIATION OF CYMRY WICCAE, Witchcraft, Wicca, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

AMERICAN TRADITIONAL WICCA: The groups that have no initiatory connection to Gardner or Sanders, but who have based their rituals and practices on what has been published about the Gardnerian and Alexandrian Traditions; they therefore follow a Wiccan practice based upon Gardnerian or Alexandrian without having initiatory lineage.

(See also: AMERICAN TRADITIONAL WICCA, Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

Wicca: Wicca is a religion of veneration of Nature and the worship of Divinity as containing both feminine and masculine aspects. It is founded upon the spiritual roots of pre-Christian European beliefs and practices. When Wicca first came to public attention in the early 1950s through the efforts of Gerald Gardner, it was portrayed as the remnant of an ancient European fertility cult. Practitioners referred to Wicca as the Old Religion. It was also known as the Craft of the Wise. On the surface modern Wicca appears to be a folklore and folk magick system. On the inner initiate level Wicca contains pre-Christian European Mystery Teachings.

(See also: Wicca, Magic, Shamanism, Paganism, Wicca)