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Traditional Wicca: A Seeker's Guide

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A Down-to-Earth Guide to Traditional Wicca

While there are many powerful variations of contemporary Witchcraft, traditional Wicca offers unique experiences for those who seek it out. This book explores structured, coven-based styles of Wicca, in which the practitioners typically trace initiatory lineages back to Wicca's early founders. Discussing covens, initiations, lineages, practices, ethics, and more, Traditional Wicca shares tips and ideas on how to get the most from this profound approach to Witchcraft.

Discover how to recognize healthy, reputable covens. Learn how to navigate the process of asking for training and succeeding in an outer court. Explore the spiritual strength of lineages, hierarchies, and initiation. This book also includes contributions from several practitioners, providing valuable first-person perspectives on what it's like to be on the traditional Wiccan path.

Praise :

"Like the bristles of a besom, Thorn Mooney's Traditional Wicca sweeps through the subject of Witchcraft removing the dust and dirt of ignorance and prejudice to reveal the true heart of Wicca. Thorn writes with obvious sincerity, with feeling, and from experience. Her book covers everything from defining Witchcraft, through the workings of a coven, to actual initiation and beyond. She warns that Wicca is not for everyone and—I am personally delighted to see—includes a chapter on recognizing 'Red Flags' when first contacting others...especially those who might claim to be more than they actually are. This book is the quintessential guide for the true, sincere seeker."—Raymond Buckland, author of Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft

"Traditional Wicca is a unique and important book. It's amazing to me that in over 70 years of publishing on the subject of Wicca, nothing like this book has ever been written! I'm kind of jealous I didn't think to write it myself. The chapter on initiation is, by itself, worth the cover price. If you want to understand what people mean by 'traditional Wicca,' whether or not you're seeking it, this is the one book you must read."—Deborah Lipp, Wiccan high priestess and author of Merry Meet Again

"Traditional Wicca is a topic that few actually understand despite its long and distinguished history. With passion and skill, Thorn delivers a book that many familiar with Wicca will wish they had had when they were studying it, and those who find themselves on the path for the first time will rejoice at having found. Whether you intend to seek initiation or not, this book is full of valuable gems that will enhance any practice at any level. Traditional Wicca is an all-inclusive tour through the history, practices, and lore of traditional Wicca that weaves voices from all over the tradition and challenges everything you think you know about it."—Devin Hunter, author of The Witch's Book of Power

"A masterful gem of insight and wisdom,Traditional Wicca reveals the time-honored practices of initiatory Wicca, thought all but lost by many, but hidden like so many occult secrets in plain sight. Drawing a clear and respectful distinction between eclectic Wicca and its older more traditional sibling, Thorn Mooney takes us on a personal journey exploring the powers and the pitfalls of the initiatory inner court, revealing the persistence of a thriving and dynamic Craft that is at once orthopraxic and changing, traditional and experimental. With practical advice for the seeker, peppered with personal anecdotes from several practitioners and initiates alike, this book is a much-needed map...Highly recommended."—Storm Faerywolf, author of Betwixt and Between

ISBN-13: 9780738753591

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide LTD.

Publication Date: 07-08-2018

Pages: 216

Product Dimensions: 5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

Thorn Mooney is a Witch of more than twenty years and the high priestess of Foxfire, a traditional Gardnerian coven thriving in the American South. She holds graduate degrees in religious studies and English literature and has worked as a university lecturer, public school teacher, academic journal manager, tarot reader, writer, and musician. Thorn maintains a longstanding YouTube channel, has been blogging about Witchcraft and the occult for more than a decade, and is a regular at Pagan festivals throughout the United States. She lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. Visit Thorn Mooney on Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Table of Contents

Contents

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction 1

PART I: MEETING THE WICA
Chapter 1: A Different Sort of Wicca … 9

  • What Is Traditional Wicca? 14

PART II: DEFINING TRADITIONAL WICCA
Chapter 2: The Coven … 25

  • The Witch’s Family 26
  • Inside a Wiccan Coven 27
  • Roles in the Coven 33
  • Outer Courts 39

Chapter 3: Initiation … 43

  • What Is Initiation? 43
  • Self-Initiation 47
  • Dedication 54

Chapter 4: Lineage … 59

  • Lineage and Legitimacy 61
  • Lineage as a Magical Connection 66
  • Uplines and Downlines 67
  • Vouching 68

Chapter 5: Hierarchy … 73

  • Hierarchy in Action 74
  • The Purpose of Hierarchy 79
  • When Hierarchy Goes Wrong 82

Chapter 6: Experience … 85

  • Orthodoxy versus Orthopraxy 87
  • An Experiential Religion 89
  • What about Ethics? 93

PART III: SEEKING TRADITIONAL WICCA
Chapter 7: Finding a Coven … 103

  • You Are Not Alone 105
  • Know Thyself 106
  • Working Skyclad 109
  • The First Step 111
  • Making the Most of the Internet 112
  • Casting the Net 115
  • Attending Festivals and Open Events 118

Chapter 8: Becoming a Student … 123

  • The Fyne Arte of Introductions 125
  • Vetting 131
  • Recognizing Red Flags 135
  • When You're Told No 142

Chapter 9: Succeeding in an Outer Court … 147

  • A Year and a Day … At Least 148
  • Becoming Clergy 151
  • Meeting Your Shadow 156
  • An Outer Court Checklist 157

Chapter 10: Some Guidance for the New Initiate … 163

  • To Know 164
  • To Dare 167
  • To Will 171
  • To Be Silent 173

Epilogue: May the Gods Preserve the Craft 177

Further Reading 179

About the Contributors 187