Samite



WiccaThe Old Faith for TodayContentsWhat is Wicca ?The Origins of WiccaThe Calendar of WiccaMagic and the Tools of WiccaWiccan TheologyThe Philosophy of WiccaInitiation A Year and a Day of Coven WorkingThe Path BeyondThe Future1. What is WiccaA group meets in a secluded wood. They are standing with the Maid in black hooded robes by the side of a brook. They wait silently breathing thoughtfully until the sound of a horn is heard. This is followed by three knocks of a forked stick on a stone made by the Magister who can be seen in the distance in a clearing. The cry ‘assemble believers of the old faith’ is heard. The group, led by the Maid, cross the water and walk a narrow path through the wood to where the Magister is waiting. They cross a broom laid at the edge of an open space and assemble in the circle. Quiet and calm descend on everyone. The wind rustles in the trees and the moon shines through the branches. An owl is heard in the distance and a magical air pervades the scene. The Magister takes the broom and begins to sweep the edge of the circle. The coarse brush is heard by those present as the Magister moves around them. Then the chant is raised calling the spirits to the circle. Finally all begin to dance. Such is a typical opening of a Wiccan rite heard in the woods of Britain. There is an indescribable richness in the experience of standing in a circle in woodland by the light of the full moon. When practiced with in a group of friends, sharing cake and ale, it is a magical experience which an individual taking part will never forget. Its allure is such that many will be drawn month after month, year after year to perform identical or related rituals which form the heartbeat of their spiritual practice. But what is this practice, from where does it derive and what does it mean. What is Wicca In order to understand what Wicca is we need first to understand Witchcraft. Witchcraft can be understood to be the native religious practice of any people. In every country of the world there is an original spirituality. In Hawaii this is Huna, and in Japan Shinto. The name for the native spiritual practice of Britain is Witchcraft and from it derives Wicca. The practice has a number of prominent elements or practices which make up the Wiccan tradition. The first of these is the worship of deities in nature, in particular the horned god. This practice was largely linked to Shamanism. It involved dressing in the skins of animals and dancing. In Britain this survived as the shamanistic dance of the Dorset Osser, Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, The Hooden Horse and the Padstow Oss. These became the male God of Wicca, the Horned God.4762502286000The second element is that of the divine feminine. This has many forms, however the most widely known is that of Bride, a native feminine deity revered by many Wiccans. She has survived as the goddess of the festival of Imbolc which is celebrated on 2nd February. She is sometimes known as the Ivy Girl. Although Bride is central to the tradition it is polytheistic and many other goddesses feature, including Cerridwen, Sibylla and many others.The next important element is the sharing of alcoholic drinks with cake or bread. This originates in the beaker culture of 2500 BC. Many burials remain of people being buried with a cup and a blade. This has survived as the wassail or howling where toast and mulled cider are shared. In some cases the bread is placed on a tree. The circle is also important to Witchcraft as dancing in a circle is a common practice. This is found in many woodcuts of the witchcraft era. The connection is deepened through the idea of a spiritual grail castle where bread and wine is shared by people gathered in a circle. This is seen prominently in the Grail legends. This practice of going into woods and dancing in a circle, celebrating the horned god and the goddess sharing bread and wine in a circle unites virtually all Witches. There are many other elements which are specific to different traditions, however the core is common. This practice might be seen as an innocuous, if slightly arcane practice, however for significant periods this practice was punished with the death penalty or imprisonment, and even today witches are often secretive. It is not uncommon in the current era for those accused of ‘satanic witchcraft’ to have their children removed by the state. This practice has been widespread in both the US and UK in recent years and Wicca habitually excludes children from its practice. In Britain Witchcraft was legalised in 1951 and the tradition emerged from the shadows, however initially it lacked a binding philosophy. There were a great range of different witches and they often had contradictory opinions. There were a number of different lines of Witchcraft that became prominent, however the first to use the word Wicca as we understand it today were linked to an Englishman from Surrey, Charles Cardell. A coven called ‘The Coven of Atho’ was formed by a member of his group, Raymond Howard. They initiated another witch Doreen Valiente. Valiente ceased working with Howard shortly after her initiation by him, and joined a group of witches based in the Thames Valley and lead by Robert Cochrane. Cochrane was working with others to draw together all the witches of Britain together under a single organisation the Witchcraft Research Association. A dinner was organised attended by many of the prominent witches of the time, and Valiente was the main speaker. She pronounced a statement of philosophy which she termed ‘The Wicccan Rede’ stating ‘Eight words the Wiccan Rede Fulfil, An it harm none do what ye will’. Slowly but surely this became accepted as the central philosophy of the vast majority of British witches. Those who acceped the Rede termed themselves Wiccans. The Wiccan Rede dinner of 3rd October 1964 can therefore be seen as the birth date of British Wicca. Wicca can therefore be defined as a spiritual practice based on the Wiccan Rede and as referring to a subset of witches who defined it as their central practice.2. The Origins of Wicca Although Wicca is often portrayed as a new religion this only applies to its philosophy. Some neopagan Wiccans have constructed their traditions from books, however many Wiccans are drawn from lines that pre date the repeal of the Witchcraft Act, and see themselves as a direct continuation of the older lines from the Victorian and medieval periods, and beyond. Some Wiccans term their annual practice as the nine knots. These are the nine festivals of the year. These knots are, however, part of a longer thread that goes back in time linking us to our ancestors and to the pre Christian practices of Britain. Understanding and believing in this ancient link is sometimes termed ‘The Faith’, and is central to the practice of many Wiccans. It is not, however universal, and neopagan Wicca draws directly on written texts and does not require or even encourage a belief in a direct connection with older traditions. In all cases, whether lineaged to older traditions or not the origins of Wicca lie in the practices of our earliest ancestors. In the paleolithic many of our ancestors lived in caves and hunted for food. These left some of the earliest records through paintings on the walls and carvings on bone that have been found left on the cave floor. These sometimes depict the hunting of animals which are seen within Wicca as the horned god. In this prehistoric period those who hunter for deer sometimes dressed in the skins of those animals that they had killed. This practice is called shamanism and exists in many parts of the world. In the UK the most important animals were the horse and the stag. After the stag had been hunted its antlers were mounted on a pole and the shaman dressed in the skin to dance. The horse was also an important animal and its skull and skin were used in the same way. The practices of Wicca with its gathering around a Magister with a stang or stick on which an animal skull, or a substitute for it, are mounted, are the remnants of this. It has been subject to many influences over thousands of years, however at its heart this remnant of the ancient practice lives on.In the Neolithic, around 4200BC agriculture came to Britain and people lived in settled communities, for example that at Windmill Hill. As agriculture developed the focus was on ritual based around tribal groups which built barrows to bury their dead. These groups continued to hunt, but over time emphasised new spiritual practices based on the sharing of alcohol, originally mead, sometimes in a gold cup. In their graves they were buried with this cup and a blade. center182880400000 This practice also continues in modern versions of these traditions. The idea of the sharing of a cup became part of the central mythology of Britain. In this there was a gathering in a circle in a castle and bread or other food and wine were shared. This is at the core of the Grail legends. This idea of a magic castle also became part of the mythos of Britain where a princess lives in a magic castle and is brought to life by the kiss of a prince. The remnants of this are also seen in modern Wiccan practice where Wiccans cross water to enter the representation of a magical castle and share bread and wine. In Britain the idea of the round table was reflected in the creation of many stone circles, some called ‘the round table’. This idea became integrated into the Arthurian legend, however gathering in circles is an older tradition. In addition to reflecting the idea of a circle of peers these also linked to determining the dates of the calendar. This knowledge came to Britain as the understanding of astronomy developed.628650190500200003228975150431500In 500BC Britain was invaded by the Celts who had iron weapons. They brought their own religion, Druidry. They worshipped in groves and appear to have oppressed the native beliefs, sometimes placing the natives in huge wooden frames in the shape of a man and executing them. At this point the native traditions were marginalised into the countryside, and to those areas not conquered by the Celts. The ethnic British, who became known as the Cornovii or ‘hornsfolk’ moved to Cornwall, Caithness and to the Brecon Beacons. When the Romans came the Cornovii sided with the Romans against the Celts and were given privileges. In return for this they were partly responsible in part for manning Hadrian’s Wall. It is likely that they continued with horn dances that are similar to those danced at Abbots Bromley. These are danced by men holding horns and accompanied by a man dressed as a horse9525009779000When Christianity came to Britain the dancing in horse or stag dress became subject to penance and was discouraged, however it continued at a local level. This is recorded in the Saxon records where the tradition is recorded as devilish. The Saxons used the word wicca to describe this practice. One Saxon texts describe the teaching of Witches with the term ‘swa Wiccan tecab’ Ultimately these types of practices, known as Witchcraft were totally banned and made a capital offence. During the period where this repression was increasing Reginald Scot wrote a text, with very significant sections on Kentish Witchcraft, called the Discoverie of Witchcraft. This was written in 1584. Once this written record existed it was repeatedly used by Witches and later by Wiccans as a reference point. The oppression was most intense in the period from 1604 onwards. It became even more severe under the puritans from 1645. They were, however, removed from power in 1660, and gradually oppression subsided until in 1735 Witchcraft was no longer a capital offence. It remained, however, an imprisonable offence. As a result of this the prior repression witchcraft only gradually emerged the shadows. This re-emergence is seen mainly in the horse traditions. One of the first signs is the mention of Hooding in a dictionary of Kenticisms written by Samuel Pegge in 1735. After this the Hooding or Gooding tradition gradually became more prominent. This tradition was also recorded in ‘The Discoverie’ where Scot records that Witches rode a ‘cock horse’ or hobby horse to the witches assembly. Hooding is a winter solstice dance linked to a set of other traditions, and named after Robin Hood or Robin Goodfellow. This practice was also seen around Great Britain and ultimately fed into the practices of Robert Cochrane. The Hooding tradition was a group practice closely aligned to the practice of Yowling or Apple Howling, which is a type of Wassail and a number of other rituals. The figure of Hood / Goodfellow became linked to a Nottingham based outlaw, however he was originally a nature spirit, a hobgoblin. Traditions related to Hood existed around the country, in particular the Haxey Hood on the Isle of Axeholme. Those practicing this tradition also came out on Plough Monday and carried out other Twelfth Night related rituals. The performers these were named the plough bullocks, plough jacks or plough witches. The ideas of Witchcraft also found their way into the traditions of the Society of the Horseman’s Word. This was a secret society that mixed the ideas of Witchcraft as practiced by horsemen with a form a working class freemasonry. It emerged when the rites of freemasonry entered the public domain around 1730. All of these traditions continued in some form up to the Second World War, however this was to lead to major changes in the period after 1945 when Witchcraft became far more widespread.The Labour Party came to power in 1945 with two administrations running from 1945 – 1951. The second Labour government after the Second World War repealed the Witchcraft Act. This made publishing books about Witchcraft far more straightforward. In this changing mood an important book was published by the novelist Robert Graves called ‘The White Goddess’. This book, which was published in 1948 explained many aspects of pagan traditions in Britain and Europe. One of the people to read it was a young man, born in 1931 in West London, Roy Bowers, who was later to be known as Robert Cochrane. Bowers took a great interest in Witchcraft and studied it in great depth. In the mid 1950s he worked on barges and became well informed on the bargee religion, however he has a son and settled in a large council estate on the edge of Slough in Britwell.When he settled in Slough around 1959 he sought to find more information about the Old Faith and joined a small occult group in West London which appears to have practiced Witchcraft from written sources. Cochrane appears to have been very dedicated to this coven, however the coven broke up around 1960 when the members of the coven were drawn into a separate form of Witchcraft. Cochrane was not happy to join with this as he did not see it as drawn from genuine Witchcraft lines and was isolated by this experience. Forced to work as a solitary Cochrane became driven by a desire to discover and develop the genuine Witchcraft, the Old Faith, of Britain. He is recorded as making contact with old coven lines in Staffordshire and elsewhere in the Midlands. These groups appear to have been practicing the old horse and stag shamanic traditions. The was the mother lode of Brtish Witchcraft. Once he had understood the nature of the practice he was able to work the rites which were associated with in and create a tradition which was connected to the genuine practise of the Old Ways.Bowers was not initiated into these groups but used many of the practices it. Primary amongst these was the use of a forked stick called a stang. This was termed ‘The Horse’ and is strongly associated with Cochranian practice. In late 1962 Bowers put an advertisement in the national press seeking for people interested in the Old Faith. From this he assembled a group which became known as the Thames Valley Coven. The group grew slowly over a period of several years, until the summer of 1964 when it had grown to six members. One of Cochranes contacts John Math was interested in publicising Witchcraft and created a group called the Witchcraft Research Association with a newsletter called ‘The Pentagram’. This group set up a dinner in The Rembrandt hotel in Victoria which was attended by around 50 witches. It was at this dinner Doreen Valiente promoted the Wiccan Rede ‘An it harm none do what ye will’. This simple aphorism became the core philosophy of Wicca Initially those involved with Witchcraft continued to call themselves Witches, however over time many of them attached the name Wiccan to their traditions. The first to do so were the Dianic Wiccans who were derived from Central European Witchcraft with a Goddess leaning. They were followed by many other groups, Faery Wicca, Corellian Wicca and many others. Finally many who gave a central role to Cochrane but gave primacy to the Rede defined themselves as Cochranian Wiccans. Thus representatives of a large proportion of British Witches came to define themselves as Wiccans.In addition to the tradition of Cochrane there were also versions of Witchcraft that had been created in the period following the repeal of the Witchcraft Act. These were derived from lines practicing occult traditions derived from Babylonian Witchcraft to which British elements were grafted on, in particular the British spiritual calendar built around four key festivals on the cross quarters. Babylonian Witchcraft was important because there were initiatory lines operating in the UK. Some of these were linked to esoteric groups with an interest in Witchcraft.The Babylonian tradition had been passed to the Jews by Abraham and Sarah when they went to temple mount in 2000BC. There was a second point in 500BC when the Jewish elite was enslaved in Babylon. When they were there they exposed to the ideas of the Babylonians. This became the secret tradition, the Kaballah. These secret traditions were carried into Judaism and from this came into Christainity. From this they became part of secret Catholic traditions. When the Protestant church broke away Luther and others took them into the Protestant church. This became the Rosicrucian tradition which is the modern reflection of these Babylonian ideas. The main Roman Catholic Church still seems to practice some of these elements, however they are not known to the laity. The knowledge, which is arcane, is kept only within secretive groups both within Christianity and Judaism. Groups practicing these traditions attached the name witchcraft to their tradition, particularly after 1953. In the prior period they had been Christian based and linked to Freemasonry and Rosicrucianism. When we look at Wicca there are two distinct forms. The first of these are those that derive directly from Traditional Witchcraft, the Old Faith of Britain. The second are those that were created in the aftermath of the repeal of the Witchcraft Act some of which mix the Babylonian tradition with British Witchcraft. Both of these groups work together to form Wicca. Traditional Witches did not all follow the Wiccan Rede. Those who did are termed the Wiccan Traditionals and those who did not are the Non-Wiccan Traditionals. Those who follow the Wiccan Rede but are not directly linked to older Witchcraft traditions are termed neopagan Wiccans. There are a small number of Wiccans who take the name Wicca but don’t follow the Wiccan Rede but this tends to be an idiosyncratic approach, and there are no Wiccan lineages that reject the Rede.Gradually Wicca became seen as a very significant spiritual practice and in the census of 2011 over 10,000 people defined themselves as Wiccans making it arguably the most significant of the non-Abrahamic traditions that does not draw its strength from the Asian diaspora practicing their own dominant religions.3. The Calendar and Rites of WiccaThe core rites of Wicca are the nine festivals. The key events are the cross quarters of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh. These are called the Greater Sabbats. The second set of festivals are the solstices and equinoxes. The final festival is that of Twelfth Night. This marks the end of the festival of the Winter Solstices. These are termed the nine knots. There is a second calendar of rites that take place around the full moon, these are termed full moon rites or Esbats. The RitesIn the case of both Sabbats and full moon rites the practice tend to be similar between the various Wiccan traditions, however there are some differences between the neopagan traditions and those drawn directly from traditional witchcraft. In all cases those taking part come from outside the sacred space. In the case of WiccanTraditionals they view the circle as the crossing of a river and entering a castle. They then call on spirits, which may be the nature spirits of Britain and then they call up the four towers of the castle to mentally build it. In the case of neopagan Wicca the circle is also called using four quarters of north, south, east and west. The calling of the four towers is sometimes used, however this is not universal. Once the sacred space has been created Wiccans tend to dance if space is available. This dance is in a circle. Wiccan Traditionals term this grinding the mill. Neopagans often use the same practice. The dances that are used take the form of a circle dance. There are a number of different songs that are used, but one that is used by Cochranian Wiccans and catches the essence of the dance is the Witches’ Reel. In this the words cummer, carlin, crone and queen are different types and ages of women. The words are as follows,Cummer go ye before, Cummer go ye If ye willna go before, Cummer let me Ring-a-ring-a-widdershins Linkin lithley widdershins, Cummer Carlin Crone and Queyn Roun gae we Cummer go ye before, Cummer go ye If ye willna go before, Cummer let me Ring-a-ring-a-widdershins Loupin' lightly widdershins Kilted coats and fleein' hair Three times three Cummer go ye before, cummer go ye If ye willna go before, cummer let me Ring-a-ring-a-widdershins Whirlin' skirlin' widdershins De'il tak the hindmost Wha'er she beOnce the ritual space has been prepared all Wiccan traditions use the space for various rituals acts. These include working magic and sharing bread and wine or cakes and ale. This may be accompanied by the drawing of the power of the moon into the circle. The 16th Century Kentish author Reginald Scot refers to this as the ‘drawing down of the moon’. There are different forms of words between different traditions, however the essence is the same between all traditions. The words that follow are recited as the Magister or Maid holds a clear bowl to the moon with the light of the moon visible through the base of the moon.Whenever ye have need of anything,Once in the month, and when the moon is full,Ye shall assemble in some desert place,Or in a forest all together joinTo adore the potent spirit of your queen.Those who fain and would learn all sorcery yet have not wonIts deepest secrets, them she will teach, in truth, all things as yet unknown.And ye shall all be freed from slavery,And so ye shall be free in everything;And as the sign that ye are truly free,Ye shall be naked in your rites, both menAnd women alsoAnd she can grantWhat ye request, what ye do most desire,And if the grace be grantedIn honour of her we will hold this feastand drain the goblet deep.Finally the magical space is closed by reversing its creation, generally by calling the quarters in a form that closes them.CorrespondencesWhen Wiccans call the quarters these can be called simply as the watchtowers of the north, south, east and west. In some practices there is a tradition of associating these quarters with the elements of earth, air, fire and water. In order to do this it is required that there is a correspondence between a particular element and a quarter. There is, however, not universal agreement between different Wiccan traditions as to how to allocate these to the quarters. The correspondences are derived from the original creators of the zodiac, the Babylonians. In the original Babylonian astrology the correspondences are tied to the correspondence for the seasons. In this case the west is water and the east is fire. Those who see a reflection of circle casting in church traditions will see the font in the west and candles representing fire in the east. The other two correspondences are north being earth and south being air. In the case of Cochranian Wicca north and south are switched as we are visiting the underworld where the visual position of north becomes south, just as the moon is upside down when viewed from the south pole.In the case of neopagan Wicca fire is in the south and air in the east. This is remembered by knowing which direction the winds which are hot come from and that the watery wind comes from the west. Other correspondences for north and east are provided. This does not, however, appear to be the original source, which is derived from the Golden Dawn, a major occult group of the early 20th Century. This group derived the quarters from the leading 19th Century occultist Eliphas Levi. A credible suggestion is that Levi was oathbound and reversed east and south in order to provide a structure to outsiders and that the practice has continued to this day. In practice all lineages pick a set of correspondences and keep with them. When attending a circle of a different line it is important to remember which structure of quarters is being used. One useful practice is to leave the ‘outsider’ tradition in the west as it is water in all traditions. Wiccans also tend to have other correspondences for the quarters. These are colours or objects that are associated with the quarters. In the case of Cochranian Wicca these are East/Fire: RedSouth/Earth: GreenWest/Water: BlackNorth/Air: BlueEther: WhiteThere are also correspondences for items. These are placed in the relevant quarter to remind those calling the quarter of the element that they are calling.Origins of the full moon rite The full moon rite derives its essence from the wassail or howling. The wassail is a gathering, often at Twelfth Night, where followers of the old traditions of Britain gather around an Apple Tree. The sacred space is typically created by a male and female priest working together. The ritual commences with the sacred space being purified through the throwing of salt. Those attending gather in a circle around the tree. Sometimes the tree is at the centre and sometimes a horseshoe shape forms around the tree, with the priest and priestess in front of the tree. Following the purification it is common to sing the Wassail which is a celebration of the animals that represent the horned god, specifically the horse and the cow. Some of the verses are belowWassail! wassail! all over the town,Our toast it is white and our ale it is brown;Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree;With the wassailing bowl, we'll drink to thee.Here's to our horse, and to his right ear,God send our master a happy new year:A happy new year as e'er he did see,With my wassailing bowl I drink to thee.So here is to Broad Mary and to her broad hornMay God send our master a good crop of cornAnd a good crop of corn that may we all seeWith the wassailing bowl, we'll drink to thee.Then here's to the maid in the lily white smockWho tripped to the door and slipped back the lockWho tripped to the door and pulled back the pinFor to let these jolly wassailers in.Following this toast and mulled cider is shared. Sometimes bread is place on the tree. A typical full moon rite uses this same basic structure. Skyclad WorkingSkyclad working is an approach where witches are naked or clad by the sky. Almost all witchcraft and Wiccan groups practice this way on occasions, however the actual practice vary significantly from group to group. Wiccan Traditionals tend to often practice out of doors and to use robes, however on occasions particularly in summer a subset of the coven will practice skyclad. Initiation into Witchcraft is, however, not practiced skyclad. In the case of neopagan traditions skyclad working is entirely dependent on the group. It may be practiced sometime or all the time. Initiations, however, are routinely practiced skyclad. It is important to consider this when seeking initiation, as it is likely that in many neopagan traditions skyclad working will be expected at initiation. This is not the case for Cochranians.The Tools of Wicca Wiccans use a number of tools in their practice. There are two schools of thought. The first of these is that beautiful and special tools should be used, possibly with engraved symbols. The second practice is derived from Kitchen Witchcraft. This uses tools that can be found around the home. One of the issues is that the use of household implements reduces the need to explain Wicca to others. This can be useful practically, even in the modern era. Within Cochranian Wicca the practice is predominantly to use household implements, however this is not universal. Within neopagan traditions the reverse is the case with special implements being purchased.The main tools that are used are bowls for salt and water and for wine, a plate for the bread, a broom, a stang and robes.The Ritual YearThe ritual year is celebrated differently between different traditions, however there is a broad degree of correspondence. The main difference is that the Wiccan Traditionals tend to celebrate nine festivals, whereas neopagan Wicca tends to have only eight festivals. The difference is that Twelfth Night, with its practice of Howling or Wassailing is not part of the normal ritual year for neopagan Wiccans. The names of these festivals are an issue. The original festivals were tied to the agricultural year, when corn was harvested a loaf was made. Then at the end of the harvest the figure of John Barleycorn was cut. The fixed calendar is part of the Babylonian tradition and this reflects the power of astrologers who could fix the exact dates of rituals. In the modern era we have easy access to the dates of festivals, however there are no names to use that clearly come from pre Celtic times. There are two options, one is to use the Christian names for these festivals, the other to use the Celtic names. The practice of Cochranian Wiccans is to use the Celtic names throughout. There are many different approaches to celebrating the ritual year, however for Cochranian Wicca as practiced in the counties of Kent, Surrey and Sussex the ritual year starts and ends with Samhain. The ritual year has two distinct periods. That from Samhain to Beltane is termed the dark half of the year and the period from Beltane to Samhain is the light side. In Traditional practice the dark side of the year is far more structured that the light side. Although there are ritual practices for the light side of the year there are also festivals, so the structure is far looser.SamhainThe festival of Samhain, also known as Halloween is the best known of the festivals of the Wiccan ritual cycle. It marks the beginning of the dark side of the year. The word Halloween means the eve of All Hallows. This was the Christian name for their festival on the 1st November. The church was aware of the pagan nature of this festival and sought to limit its strength by placing another festival on the same period. The core practice at this time is the lighting of a bonfire. This later became associated with Guy Fawkes and moved to the 5th November. Since the original festivals, like that of John Barleycorn, are not necessarily tied to exact dates, this is an acceptable approach.There is also a practice of hollowing out a turnip to make a face and placing a lighted candle in it. These would be carried in a procession from house to house before ending with a celebration in woodland or a garden. This is the origin of the pumpkin carving tradition and also ‘trick or treat’. The turnip lantern is called the Jack O’Lantern. The idea is that Samhain is the time when the veil between the mundane and the spirit worlds is thinnest and the spirits of the ancestors are drawn to the magic circle by the lanternWinter SolsticeThe next festival is the Winter Solstice. This is the time of the longest night, the time when the year switches between the nights getting longer, and them getting shorter. At this time mumming plays take place. Wiccan Traditionals celebrate this as a battle between George and the Turkish knight with Beelzebub appearing. Neopagan Wiccans tend to celebrate the battle between the Oak King and the Holly KingThe Winter Solstice is also the time when the Horse Dance takes place. This is a shamanic dance often utilising a sack over the stang. Alternatively a wooden horse head or a horses skull can be used.Twelfth NightThen there is Twelfth Night which is the time for Wassail, or blessing of the apple tree. This is sometimes termed the Howling or Yowling. It takes the form of the blessing of the apple tree and a sacrament of toast and mulled cider. Alternatively bread is placed on the tree. ImbolcNext on 2nd February is the festival of Imbolc. There are a number of practices that take place, however one that is prominent is the creation of a corn doll figure, the Ivy Girl or Brideog. In some traditions Bride is placed in a bed. In others an effigy termed the Ivy Girl is created.Spring EquinoxThe next festival is the spring equinox which is marked by the eating of hot cross buns. The cross on the bun celebrates the solstice and equinox. BeltaneThen there is the festival of Beltane which is marked by the parading of the Green Jack. The festival of Beltane marks the end of the dark side of the year and the beginning of the light side of the year. The light side of the year tends to be marked by festivals.68580012382500Summer SolsticeFor Cochranian Wiccans the Summer Solstice is marked by memorials to Cochrane and by festivals. The summer time is also marked by festivals in the practice of Traditional Wiccans. Neopagans celebrate the death of the Oak King and the coming of the Holly KingLughnasadhLughnasadh is the time where the first wheat is harvested This is marked by the baking of the first loaf. A loaf is brought to the magic circle for the celebration of sharing bread and wine. Lughnasadh is also the time of the best weather and the large public festivals to which our tradition is connected to take place around the time of this festival.Autumn EquinoxAt the Autumn Equinox the figure of John Barleycorn is created. This figure is held over the winter to be placed in the ground the next spring. Finally at the Samhain fires are created and the spirits of the ancestors are welcomed back.In addition to the Gaelic names for the major festivals there are also Christian names. These are Halloween, Candlemas, Roodmas and Lammas. The names of Mayday and Yule are also sometimes used. All of the Wiccan traditions have a tendency to mix these names up.The idea of these festivals is that they follow the agricultural year. Within each one of these the figure of Jack/John is evident. In the first case we have the Jack O’Lantern. In the cycle following Imbolc we have Jack O’Lent. At Beltane we have the green jack, and at Luhnasadh we have John Barleycorn. The figure of Jack/John in the figure of Little John is Robin Hood’s right hand man.In addition to the rites of the solar cycle there are also rites related to the lunar cycle. In the past each moon had its own name. These names are not fixed and each coven can select their own names, however those used by the Order of the Horse and the Moon areAutumn Equinox: 21st SeptemberHarvest MoonHunter’s MoonOak MoonWinter Solstice: 21st DecemberOld MoonWolf MoonLenten MoonSpring Equinox: 21st MarchEgg MoonMilk MoonFlower MoonSummer Solstice: 21st JuneHay MoonGrain MoonFruit MoonThese moons tend to represent the seasonal cycle. There are particular events that are tied to some of the moons, for example at the milk moon milk is laid out for Robin Goodfellow. This is similar to the tradition of laying out milk and cake for Santa’s deer around the Winter Solstice.Roles in Wiccan CovensWiccan coven have dedicated roles which are used to help organise covens. There is no official list, and it is dependent on each individual coven. Within covens run by Wiccan Traditionals the terms Magister/Maid are common. This is derived from Cochrane and from the Discoverie of Witchcraft. In neopagan covens the term High Priest and High Priestess is used. This is likely to be related either to their Christian origins or is a reflection directly of Babylonian traditions In the covens of the Order of the Horse and the Moon the following roles applySummoner: The Summoner is the key role in Cochranian Wiccan covens. The summoner is responsible for organising and coordinating the coven. They approach the members of the coven to determine who will run the rites. The Summoner determines this according to who has had the longest wait since they have run a rite and wishes to do so. If no one wishes to run a rite the Summoner takes the role.Magister: The Magister is one of two people who run the rite. The rites can be led by either a Magister or a Maid. Whoever runs the rite is helped by the other.Maid: The Maid is the female lead in the rite. They either run the rite with the support of the Magister or they support the Magister.Second Magister/Maid: When the rite is being led by two people of the same sex the assistant is referred to as the second Magister.Postern: The Postern is a lookout used when the coven meets outside. It is their role to speak to strangers. The postern is not the Magister or the Maid. The Postern may stay in the circle or stand at the edge. The role is only used occasionally.All of these roles are rotating positions, with the exception of the Summoner which is fixed from Samhain to SamhainIn neopagan covens the positions are fixed. High Priestess: The High Priestess leads the coven and is responsible for running the ritesHigh Priest: The High Priest is the male lead for the coven, but the High Priestess holds ultimate authority. It is normal for the HPS and HP to be a coupleMaid: The Maid is the support for the High PriestessSummoner: The Summoner is the support for the High Priest and is responsible for calling events. They do not, however, make decisions as their role is administrative4. Magic and the tools of WiccaMagic is the central feature of Wicca. Magic refers to two distinct things. The first of these is the magic of getting things done. This can be in the form of spells. The second is a magical feeling that people experience often through a connection with nature. Although there is a general assumption that magic is about finding a new partner or being wealthy the reality is that many Wiccans are happy with their lives, and don’t necessarily need to do magic. These Wiccans do, however, tend to love magical experience and arguably have a tendency to enjoy it even more that spell workers.Within those groups and individuals that tend towards magic and spell work there are two types of magic. These are termed left hand path and right hand path. Left hand path magic is magic that you work on yourself and right hand path magic is that which is worked on others. Left hand path magic is often seen as negative or selfish, whereas right hand path magic is sometimes seen more positively. An example of this would be that a wish for an individual to get money to buy a car, a left hand path wish, would be compared with a wish for world peace, which is a right hand path practice. In reality, however, it depends on the will of the individual. Left hand path magic could be used by an individual to encourage them to take part in a charitable event, and right hand path magic could be used in a negative way, for example with the use of poppets. In the end it is the will of the magical practicioner that is the issue. In the case of left hand path and right hand path magic the nature of the spell must be considered. A spell and a wish are related. In magic circle wish making is common. A time within the ritual will be set aside for individuals to make their wished either publicly or privately. A spell is a deeper practice than a wish. It requires preparation. It is a form of ritualised wish, sometimes with tools. The spell involves a certain preparation and may involve a particular form of words. An example of a spell is the use of knots. In one rite that took place all members of the coven tied three wool threads were tied together. In another everyone present tied knots in three ribbons that were tied to the fork of the stang.When a spell is being worked it is a common practice for crystals to be used. This is because each crystal is aligned with a certain set of properties. It is normal for the person for whom the spell is being worked to take the crystal away with them. This serves as a reminder of the spell.A further possibility is the use of sigils. These can be used by taking a word related to the spell and turning it into a form that means that it can be understood by the user. This may involve taking words from the wish into a design which has meaning for the person working the spell.How does magic work Those who practice magic do not necessarily give deep thought to how it works, however Cochrane defined Witchcraft as an occult science and not as a pagan tradtion. Neopagans also have their own explanations as to how magic works.Magical Theory from a Left hand perspective:There are two different approaches to magic, left and right hand path. Those following left hand path traditions are able to define a clear and logical basis for their practice, since it is the process of working magic on oneself. The magical practice of the left hand path begins where non magical practice has failed. Left hand path magic can be quite involved so it is best to use natural approaches first. In this case the first approach is to define the task that is to be completed. In one case this was a spell to achieve the ability to touch type. This had been an elusive goal and had not been achieved despite repeated attempts over many years. As a result it was a suitable task for a spell.The next stage is to define the target of the wish. This was to be a particular number of words per minute typing speed. Following this it was determined what the amount of practice required would be and for what period. In this case the breakdown has been in the fact that the touch typing had broken down when doing regular typing and thus a speed needed to be set that was faster that the current speed when looking at the keyboard. The spell that was made was not for the typing speed but for the will to do the many hours of training that would be required and the discipline to carry on with the touch typing when doing regular typing. The next stage was to go to a circle and make this wish. In many cases this wish is made in public in front of others. This is important for two reasons. The first of these is that if you make the wish in front of others they will spot problems with the wish. Two common problems are wishing for the fulfilment of a desire rather than the will to carry out tasks required for it to be completed. The second is that the object of the wish is not clear. The second benefit is that those in the coven will be aware of the wish. This third party interest tends to focus the find prior to and after making the wish.Once the wish has been made it is sealed with a spell. This is the form of word of a wish. At this point a physical object, often a crystal becomes the manifestation of the spell and serves as the reminder of this. This is helpful as a reminder to carry out the action. A deity is called on to carry out this wish. This process is entirely logical. It is a process that is used by alcoholics anonymous in their twelve point path, however in the case of magic it is used for a range of desires.Right hand path magic from a left hand perspective Left hand path magicians do not work much right hand path action on others. Right hand path magic is seen as the process of using deities to control others. In religious or magical groups deities are imbued with certain desires, for example that only they should be worshipped, or that devotees should seek to take the wealth of elites from them. This becomes a form of right hand path magic. The Wiccan Rede could be seen a form of right hand path magic as its pronouncement by Valiente allowed her to place her will over others. If deities are invoked to spread this approach then this is a form of right hand path magic.Magic from a Right Hand PerspectiveRight hand path magicians operate differently and have a greater tendency to work on others. When making a wish they may simply wish for a particular goal. In the case of money they would make an abundance spell rather than wishing for the will to complete tasks that are remunerated. They tend to see the earth as a connected set of electrical circuits. They can plug themselves in at one point an manifest change elsewhere. They may practice this skill by wishing for parking spaces, for example. Whether you take a left or right hand approach that is the one that is correct for you. Wiccans seek Truth and what is true for one person may not be true for another. 5. Wiccan TheologyThe theology of Wicca is defined by its own lineage. Wiccan Traditionals have their own theology defined from their own prior traditions. This theology has two elements. The first of these is defined by British mythology and the second of these is linked to the Babylonian traditions which are mixed with British traditions.There are two elements. The first is that which relates to the creation of the universe. The truth is that Shamanistic practitioners developed a mythos to understand the creation of the universe. This mythos is not a description of actual events but an understanding of broadly what occurred which is imbued with meaning.In Cochranianism the original mythos or creation myth is defined by Cochrane and is gnostic in nature with a define feminine creatrix. This ties in with another tale used as a creation myth by some Cochranians, the story of Sleeping Beauty, also known as the Sun, Moon and Talia. In this a female figure, Aurora, meaning Dawn is caught in a castle when she pricks her finger on a spindle. The thread on the spindle is representative of our life in the otherworld. The magical space is representative of this and the thread sometime placed across the forks of the stang is the representation of the spindle.The second part of the mythos is the story which explains how knowledge came to man. This mythos comes partly through Cochrane but also the Discoverie of Wichcraft which is a key source text for Cochranian Wicca. It is also seen in Paul Huson’s text ‘Discovering Witchcraft’ published in 1970, and some elements also appear in the Arthurian legends.In this mythos there is a war in heaven and some angels are thrown out and come to earth. They have children with women from earth and these people, the Nephilim bring the first knowledge to man. The knowledge is shared with others and includes the knowledge of making weapons, and creating spiritual practice. The leader of these is Shemyaza, and he has a key supporter Azazel. Azazel is the one who brings the knowledge of metalwork. This knowledge passes through to Tubal Cain. God decides to flood the earth to rid the world of the descendants of the fallen angels, however Tubal Cain hides in the base of an ark built and used by the family of Noah to escape the flood. As a result the occult knowledge survived and Cochranian Wiccans revere the values reflected in Tubal Cain’s survival.The key issue of this is that the approach to knowledge amongst Wiccans is very different to monotheism. The view is that knowledge is a force for good and not a corrupting force. Sometimes the seeking of occult knowledge is seen as taboo for monotheism, however in Wicca it brings us closer to Truth. The idea of Satan the snake as a corrupting force is not part of the mythos.In the specific teachings of the Traditions that sit behind the Order of the Horse and the Moon the figure of Robin Goodfellow also known as Puck is important. He is seen as the cousin of the falling angels and the link between them and the native spirits of Britain. In both the Robin Hood tradition and the Discoverie of Witchcraft there are 69 spirits drawn to the sacred space. One of these is the Duke Pucel who is the representation of Puck. The horse who is a man, Orobas, central to the practice of Cochranian Wicca also appears in this list.When we look at these origination myths they are closely aligned with Gnosticism. This is the idea that the universe was created by a woman, Sohia, meaning Wisdom. She had a son, the Demiurge, who sought to control. She imprisoned him in a bubble, our universe. In this bubble the Demiurge appointed Archons or monarchs to divinely rule and they made him their god. It is possible, however, for those seeking gnosis to ignore the religion of the monarchs, commune directly with Sophia and achieve knowledge. Witches put in place of the arcons their own pseudo monarchs which act in place of the monarchs. This pseudo-monarchum is controlled by Robin Goodfellow. This is not part of the shamanistic tradition but arose as a reaction to the development of Chistianity as an oppressive force. It is an explanation about why Witches feel oppression from the state. It is important to recognise that these stories do not represent a literal interpretation of events. They are a mythos, or story, which is used to provide the basis for ritual actions. There are no fundamentalist Wiccans insisting that these are real events and trying to interpret scientific realities in their light. These descriptions do, however, provide a basis for rituals and provide a broad explanation for the development of religion. They also provide a context of how native spiritual practice relates to the mythos of the dominant forms of religion in the West which are rooted in Jewish texts and ultimately in the Babylonian tradition.6. The Philosophy of WiccaAs in many religions the philosophy varies greatly between different sects of Wicca, and individuals in it. This is the same for many religions which have conservative and liberal traditions held within them. Within Wicca the philosophy has marked difference between the WiccanTraditionals and neopagan Wiccans, however there is much that unites the traditions despite the differences in interpretation. The Philosophy of Cochranian WiccaCochranian Wicca, as with all Cochranian related traditions has only a single level of initiation. This means that once initiated an individual is free after a year and a day to set up their own group and initiate others. Cochranianism challenges the belief that within spiritual practice is dependent on creating a hierarchy. It is a spiritual practice with a flat structure. Within Cochranian practice there is no set high priest. The Summoner, who is responsible for the administration of the coven and for calling its members is not responsible for running rites. The practice is for a different initate to lead the practice at each full moon rite. In the past people believed that it was necessary to go to a priest in order to communicate with the deity. Cochranianism fundamentally challenges this. Additionally it has been normalised, particularly in the church, to think that the sharing of bread and wine requires a third party. In Cochranianism this is not the case. Every coven member, all initiates, are able to share bread and wine.This is very liberating, and in the history of Cochranian Wicca there is very marked tendency for the individual never to return to a hierarchical religion once they have renounced their baptism. It is as if the secret to a magic trick has been revealed. Once this has been seen one may admire the magician’s skill but you will never think for even a moment that the laws of science have been broken.Once an individual sees this in a spiritual sense the values of Wiccans within society tend to change. Within people tend not to be impressed by fast cars, big houses or top jobs. It is the quality of peoples as individuals that comes to the fore, for example whether they are kind or thoughtful. Their skill as a craftsman, musician or ritualist will also be important. The nature of Cochranian groups is to allow for wide ranging discussions based on the principle of equality and this means that the view of Cochranians about wider society is fairly tolerant.It is this that leads Cochranians to think of their tradition as beautiful and uniquely appealing, however all traditions, Wiccan or otherwise tend to hold this view for some reason.The Philosophy of Neopagan WiccaNeopagan Wicca does not have the same spiritual egalitarianism as Cochranianism. The reason for this is that higher level neopagan Wiccans tend to have another religion, be it Christianity, Hinduism, Thelema or any other religion. These religions have hierarchies and these tend to be drawn into neopagan Wicca. There is always a danger that membership of this other religion may lead to faster progression within neopagan Wicca. Some may feel that their progression is blocked because they are purely Wiccan. For this reason the philosophy of neopagan Wicca is not as defined as Cochranianism. There may also be a difference in the approach and beliefs of those at the higher and lower levels which is not so evident in Cochranian Wicca. Despite this there are common threads. Neopagan Wiccan tend to be fairly liberal and support gay marriage and want to protect the environment and green issues.The Wiccan RedeThe Wiccan Rede is the heart of Wiccan philosophy. It is the defining philosophy of Wicca. There are three possible interpretations of the Rede. The first is the two line version “Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfilAn it harm none do what ye will”These were the words announce by Valiente at the Witches Research Association Dinner on 3rd October 1964. These were part of a longer poem. Some Wiccans pay attention to the other lines of the poem. Although this is a worthwhile exercise it is not the teaching of this course that following, or even understanding, this poem is important. In fact most Wiccans are barely aware of its existence or date of authorship. The third version that people sometimes refer to is one that is published in Green Egg, however this has been clearly shown to be derived from Valiente.For those in the majority who follow the eight word version we need to understand what the meaning of the Rede is. The Rede was pronounced by Valiente as a spiritual plea. She was a member of the minority group within the witchcraft community, that of Cochrane, and wanted to be left alone. This was the context of the claim. Thus the Wiccan Rede, at its heart, means that spiritual freedom should be given to all.Beyond this the Rede is used for morality of action. When we look at this it seems straightforward, that an individual should be able to do what they want. This would allow sexual freedom, as long as consent exists and freedom of speech.There are a number of areas where the Rede is criticised, however these are often due to a failure to understand it or a desire to avoid following it. It is important to note that Rede has clear and straightforward answers to the dilemmas facing it.The first of these is related to the Golden Rule. Sometimes people state that the Wiccan Rede is like the Golden Rule ‘do to others as you would have done to you’. This is absolutely incorrect as the two aphorisms are opposite. This is most clearly indicated in the case of homosexuality. The Golden Rule states that you should do to others as you would have done to you which could mean that you should help to cure people of being gay, since that is what you would like done to you. It does not say ‘do to others as you would have done to you if you were them’. In fact it can be taken further, and direct oppression of gays is sanctioned. It is possible to reinterpret the Golden Rule, however in practice most of the time that the Golden Rule has been practiced it leads to gays being jailed. This has been the case for centuries. In ISIS held territories in Syria gays were thrown off buildings and stoned by the population when they hit the ground. This approach is very much a minority view within Islam, however Wiccans might not want to be associated with a maxim that could lead to this. Those involved were almost certainly very normally kind people who were followers of the Golden Rule and likely charitable people. One interpretation is that they oppose homosexuality and would rather die under any circumstances than breach a sacred law. Although this could fit as an interpretation of the golden rule it would not be following the Wiccan Rede as this does not allow you to decide that what is good for you is good for others as the golden rule does. The Golden Rule has been polluted by the fact that it has in the past been more common than uncommon that it is abused to oppress minorities. Christians who follow the golden rule could justify the oppression of witches, or the forced baptism of non believers to ensure them a place in heaven. It would be perverse for Witches to follow a rule that could be interpreted as forcing them to recant their beliefs, and has routinely done so. All of these problems mean that the a total rejection of the Golden Rule is likely by those following the Rede.The next issue that is commonly raised in criticism of the Rede relates to the consumption of resources. It is stated that by taking a job that this harms the person who does not get the job. This fails to grasp the concept of positive and negative freedom. Positive freedom is ‘freedom to’ negative freedom is ‘freedom from’. The context of the Rede is freedom from the oppression of others. In this context the fact that someone gets a job and I do not is not harm to me. Harm would be the restraint of my trade. In this context any consumption of resources should not be viewed as harm.Another issue is that of harm to animals. It is possible to read the Rede in this way and possible not to. It cannot be mandated either way. The Rede cannot logically be used to enforce vegetarianism. A further issue raised about the Wiccan Rede relates to fighting oppression. In an extreme case this can lead to blasting or doing spells to prevent others from a course of action. The teaching of this course is that this type of magic is not effective for those who don’t believe in it and that this works both when receiving or doing a spell of this type. For those who do believe in this there are ethical considerations. These are similar to those which are faced by those dealing with punishment when implementing what is known philosophically as the ‘harm principle’.In these cases once an individual does harm to another they lose their right to be protected from harm. The harm that they do however must be one that impacts the negative freedom of another. It is normal for those in a position of power to feel that they are harmed by a loss of power, but this is not harm. If a strong competitor with new technology causes my business to be bankrupted this is not harm. If, on the other hand, another firm cuts the phone lines of my firm causing a loss of trade this is harm. It is not the degree of pain felt but the type of action which is relevant.We need to be careful when harming others in retaliation this as it is essentially ‘taking the law into your own hands’. It should be considered why the action is not illegal. Often blasting or binding spells are used because someone has done something another person does not like. If you are performing a blasting spell rather than avoiding that person you could question whether a spell to strengthen your desire to escape from the third party or simply the use of the law might be more effective. A Wiccan who consumes all their energy creating and practicing ineffective blasting spells damages the beauty of the tradition and does not help themselves. The Albanian tradition of ‘The Kanun of Leke’ is an ancient form of law that defines actions that are legal and can lead to an endless retaliation and a cycle of retaliation. Those engaging in blasting against their fellow Wiccans generally fall into this trap. Malcolm X is often quoted by the Order when looking at how to deal with problems that might encourage some to resort to blasting.“Don't condemn if you see a person has a dirty glass of water, just show them the clean glass of water that you have. When they inspect it, you won't have to say that yours is better."This may be a better approach in practice in many cases.Another issue is whether non action is harm. This is a further common misunderstanding of the Rede. It is not harm to fail to intervene. If as a Christian I fail to explain to someone why Witchcraft is wrong and Christianity right I am breaking the Golden Rule. In the context of the Rede this is not harm. The Wiccan Rede does not force us to launch a bombing campaign to ‘save lives’ in the middle east. We will choose to pull someone off the track of an oncoming train even if they wish to commit suicide but this is not because of the Rede. The Rede does not control our positive action but it does restrict interference of us and by us in the lives of others. Where we take action to help others we need to be aware that is important to find out if they actually want our help first. The final area relates to the issue around suicide, abortion and similar areas where there are disputes about life itself. This is particularly important when related to Christianity which always sees the preservation of life as important. Christians will argue that abortion is harm to the child supporters of the right to abortion will argue that the mother is harmed. In the case of abortion we need to consider at what point the foetus is protected from harm. In the UK it is at the age where viability or the ability to live outside the womb is expected. This is potentially a clear solution for Wiccans, however as with animal rights it is possible to hold other positions in a way that is agreeable for the Rede. With the case of suicide the Rede would imply that it is not unethical, however consent is a major issue and in the case of assisted suicide this is a potential problem. In this case consent is very important. Thus there is again flexibility for interpreting the Rede.The Rede can be criticised for being insufficiently inflexible. Guidelines such as ‘thou shalt not kill’ have no nuance and imply that suicide is never permitted. The Rede does not say this. It requires thought rather than dogma. It may in the end come to the same answer, however in the view of Wiccans it is generally thought that this is better than laying down a dogma that may have consequences that cause harm. This flexibility is a strength of the Rede not a weakness. 7. InitiationInitiation, typically into a coven, is the process of becoming a Wiccan. The actual terms initiation and coven are based on the works of Margaret Murray. The original ritual of joining Witchcraft was a profession. This is recorded in The Discoverie of Witchcraft, and is the practice of both Cochrane and of many modern Wiccan Traditionals. Initiation is typically related to Freemasonry. Wiccan Traditionals have, however adopted the term initiation as a synonym for a profession in order to provide a common name for the practice which is understood by all. The word coven is more complex. This is the name given for witches in Scotland, however it is a dialect and the name in other places is different. In Kent groups of Witches were termed an assembly and were led by a troupe. None the less in the practice of Wicca the term coven is applied as a synonym to provide a common language across the UK.In Witchcraft there is only one initiatory level. In Cochranian Wicca this takes the form of an oath of loyalty to the practice. Neopagan Wicca has three degrees. This appears to be derived from Freemasonry and Rosicrucian or otherChristian Traditions. It does not represent the practices of Traditional Witchcraft which practices a single level of initiation.In Wicca and all forms of Witchcraft that are part of the British tradition we talk of streams and lineages. A lineage is a direct connection with older lines. A tradition that has a lineage to witchcraft is termed ‘properly connected to witchcraft’. A tradition that is not properly connected to Witchcraft is termed ‘neopagan’. A stream is a situation where an individual or group trained with another group but was not initiated or directly connected into it. One of the most important of the lines in the Cochranian tradition, 1734, was only ever a stream as its founder was in the USA and did not physically meet Cochrane before his death. Another tradition, the Regency, which is arguably the most important of all the Cochranian lines to emerge after his death also did not have an initiatory practice. Although it was led by Cochranian initiates it is actually a stream of Cochranianism. In the case of the Order of the Horse and the Moon the lineage is derived from lines coming from before the repeal of the Witchcraft Act because Cochranianism itself is only a stream and not a lineage of Witchcraft. In traditional witchcraft the line was passed through the icon of the group. This would typically be a horse-headed pole, mask, or set of antlers. In some tradition, for example the traditions to which Cochranian Wicca is connected, when the new icon was created it used part of the old icon. In other cases a copy of the icon was used. This acted as a ‘trademark’ which recognisably continued the line. One typical action in the case of taking an item from the old icon is to place a nail into base of the horse pole which has been taken from the old horse. Nails are central to witch lore and are seen as magical.In neopagan Wicca there were no handed down icons from before their creators as the traditions were created and then the icons aquired. In this case the lineage is an initiatory lineage from the founder. Where a line of Wicca does not derive from Witchcraft, as is the case with neopagan forms, they typically derive their line back from their initiator into the Christian church, through what is termed the apostolic succession. The three degrees mimic the levels within Christianity although the way that this occurs is different between different traditions. In the case of traditionals, particularly those inspired by Cochrane, great emphasis is placed on lines back to Witchcraft.Neopagan Wicca lineages created their own rites. Some are seen as being derived from Alisteir Crowley. This is on the basis that half of the words from the most important initiation rite, the third degree, takes half its words directly from Crowley’s raising of a high priestess. Others have pointed to the Confraternity of Christ the King, one of whose buildings was used for Witchcraft in the period after the repeal of the Witchcraft Act. In either case neopagan Wicca generally carries an arguably valid initiatory line back into Christianity and back therefore to Jesus Christ. This is very surprising to some however can be seen as logical. The Christian tradition is itself derived back to a line going to Melchizadek and to Abraham and therefore ultimately back to Babylon. Thus although the practices of neopagan Wicca are close aligned to Cochranianism the lineage is quite derived in a different way.Neopagan Wiccans tend to recognise a link back into these traditions which ultimately run back to Babylonian traditions as a source of Witchcraft practice, however Cochranians see the line back into British shamanic practice as more important. Additionally Cochranian Wiccans give primacy to British shamanic traditions. They understand the Babylonian cosmology but see Babylonian influence as potentially negative, whereas neopagans tend to warmly embrace Babylonian Witchcraft including some of its deities. For neopagans who seek a connection to Babylonian Witchcraft it is logical to derive it from Christianity which has a strong lineage in this respect, however it is undeniably an issue for some Wiccan Traditionals.There are a large number of neopagan Wiccan traditions. These include Algard Wicca, Alexandrian Wicca, Blue Star Wicca, Chthonioi Alexandrian Wicca, Central Valley Wicca and Gardnerian Wicca, however there are many more. The lines that are not neopagan include Corellian Wicca (Native American), Mohsian Wicca (Y Plant Bran/Welsh), and Cochranian Wicca (Plough Witches/English). There are some Cochranian traditions that do not fuse with older initiatory lines which could therefore be considered neopagan. These are typically run by initiates of neopagan traditions.Neopagan traditions have sometimes claimed that they were part of older Witchcraft streams. Some of these claims did not stand up well to scrutiny. These traditions then became neopagan and derived there lineage only from a neopagan founder or through Christianity.The streams of others, in particular Cochrane, who derived his teachings from witchcraft groups in the midlands in the period 1960-1961, did stand up to scrutiny. As a result Cochranians have taken lineages from these older lines and fused them with those elements of Cochranes teaching that are derived from genuine Witchcraft lines. This allows them to bypass the apostolic succession, and create a lineage back to the Old Faith. An alternative is to self initiate. In this case an individual takes a rite and performs it alone, dedicating themselves to the deities chosen. In other cases an individual may self initiate if they cannot find a coven and when they find one they may take another initiation. Most Wiccan traditions are, by definition group based and do not specifically offer self initiation. This is the case for Cochranian Wicca and also for most forms of neo-pagan Wicca. None the less they may provide a remote connection to a coven and offer some support and training through this.Although there are many oral sources for the creation of lineages in Witchcraft there are also written sources. One of these is ‘The Discoverie of Witchcraft’ written by Reginald Scot in 1584. This described two rites. The first of these was the solemn and public rite and marked the birthing of a witch. This rite was a type of pact witchcraft where the witch made a pact with their deity. The witch is told that they must “grant him her body and her soul”. This is sometimes stated to mean a sexual act, however this is incorrect as this does not logically fit with the rite, which is also ‘public’. This is not to deny a sexual element to Witchcraft, however it is not part of an initiatory process. Initiation represents a deep spiritual commitment to the path.The second of these rites was ‘the secret and private rite’. This was a skyclad, or naked, rite which took place amongst a group of witches and is understood to refer to what became known as a ‘black mass’, although it was in reality a sharing of the sacrament and did not require a Catholic priest as the black mass did. This rite was not an initiation as this was achieved through the solemn and public rite.Initiation into witchcraft is an important step for any seeker. Generally covens which initiate have an outer court or discussion group which allow people to connect with them. Once the seeker has decided to take the path to initiation they would typically be initiated in a period of between three months and two years. Cochrane proscribed a period of not less than three months and not more than twelve months.Once an individual has determined that they will seek an initiation this marks a major change in their life, and can mark a rebirth. Neopagan traditions allow dual faith so the ceremony has a different emphasis. It is clearly important but the emphasis will depend on how it relates to other traditions that are practiced. In the case of Cochranian Wicca, however, apostacy is generally required and this represents a complete break from the initiates original pathway. It marks the joining of a community of Cochranian Wiccans who share a set of values with them. The initiation Initiation into Wicca takes different forms according to the different types of Wicca. In Cochranianism the initiation has at its heart the making of an oath. This oath can be made in many ways. Evan John Jones, a member of Cochrane’s group allegedly made the oath with one couple on the way back from the pub. This is not necessarily ideal, and in the case of Cochranian Wicca as practiced by the Order of the Horse and the Moon the ritual is done with great care, normally at a time linked to the lunar cycle. The form of initiation is a regular full moon gathering, however it has at its heart an oath. This is taken whilst holding the base of the stang which represents the foot of the horse. In any case once initiated you are generally connected to a coven and begin a practice with them. This often takes the form of a year and a days of training. 8. A year and a day of Coven WorkingThose who train with a coven in the first year are taught the practices of the tradition. Simply being in a coven for a year is an important experience for many Wiccans. It generally gives them a far deeper understanding of what it means to be a Wiccan than could be achieved individually. One of the key concepts is that of egregore or robin. The robin is the group mind of a circle it is what the initiate draws on to create magic which they are not able to do alone. The membership of a coven allows Wiccans to perform spells and work magic of types that cannot be done individually.A year after initiation an individual will be recognised as an experienced, practicing Wiccan. In most traditions this can lead to the individual setting up their own coven if they wish. This is dependent on the type of tradition and the coven. In Cochranian Wicca the practice is that the individual can set up their own coven automatically. There would normally be a secondary rite to celebrate the passage of the year and a day, however the rights pass to the initiate automatically when their commitment to the coven that they joined ends. In other traditions the coven leader may require the initiation and deny it in some cases which can be an issue for initiates seeking to form their own covens, particularly if they have an issue with the coven leaders.The structure established by Wiccan Traditional is that all those who are looking to establish their own coven should be free to do so, once they have been initiated for a year. The covens themselves form at Samhain and require three members. Under special circumstances a group may wish to form before passing through the year and a day. In this case they will be looked after by the parent coven until they have completed their year and a day. If someone wishes to transfer covens they are free to do so and their training will be picked up by a new coven.Within neopagan Wiccan traditions there are generally very significant restrictions on starting a coven. In order to form a coven it is generally expected that the leader of the coven is a second degree initiate, although as with every Wiccan rule there is always an exception. There is a generally fixed requirement in the UK to have two second degree initiates to form a coven. This means that it is not possible to initiate without agreement of another coven. In practice this makes it difficult to form new covens in neopaganism and as a result it is hard to find one. Most current nepagan ‘covens’ appear to take the form of occasional meetings of existing initiates, rather than having the structure of a formal coven meeting on every full moon as outsiders expect. Also their members are sometimes practicing the cycles of other religions in a formal way, so monthly coven Wicca is not necessarily a priority for them. Sometimes there are no neopagan covens in a town or city that have the expected structure of a coven name, fixed HP and HPS and monthly esbats. This creates the impression that there are dozens of secretive lineaged neopagan groups operating monthly esbats operating just out of site in the towns and cities of Britain, however this is not evident to those deeply involved in Wicca. Covens do, however, form and become active from time to time. Those that have the expected structure and monthly esbats tend to be run by Wiccan Traditionals, but neopagan forms are sometimes evident. For this reason neopagan Wicca can be hard to access. Groups such as the Wiccan Federation exist to ensure the widest possible access to all forms of Wicca.9. The path beyondOnce the individual has passed through the year and a day of training they will be able to choose their forward path. This may be to form a coven of their own. Alternatively they may become a solitary and work magic alone. The third possibility is to be an elder in the coven that they were trained in and help train other new Wiccans. Whichever they choose they become part of a rich network of Wiccans with whom they can share ideas. Some individuals may seek to aquire deeper knowledge. This may be through reading and through writing books. Alternatively some seek a deeper and connection with the deeper traditions that underly Witchcraft. Whichever path is taken a number of options become available.There is no doubt that going through the training of a Wiccan generally has a major impact on those that take this path. People are generally fairly familiar with the ideas and practices of Christianity, including communion and the major festivals. They are also exposed to some degree to other religions, however these religions tend to be fairly alien as they come from a different cultural perspective. To become a Wiccan initiate is to experience a spiritual path which is both familiar culturally, but has a completely different feel to other types of religious practice. Once Wicca, particularly in the form practiced by Wiccan Traditonals, has been experienced, mainstream religious practice from Christianity tends to appear foreign. It is rare for Wiccans from traditional lines to revert to Christian practice. As a result exposure to Wicca tends to lead to a permanent and complete disconnect from the established religion of the UK. For that reason it is important to consider whether this is the right path for an individual. None the less if it is the path chosen it is important that the individual is able to facilitate that path, and this is key role for experienced initiates on their onward path. In any case to become a Wiccan provides a spiritual axis which will remain with them throughout their life.10. The FutureWe live in changing times in which a new spiritual era is drawing upon us, sometimes termed the new age. This term is reflective of changes in the astrological sign. In 2500BC the Babylonians noticed that the sun was moving slightly year by year and that in 2000BC it would move from the sign of Taurus to the sign of Aries. Since the bull, Molech was their god, it would be seen as marking a great change. In 2000BC the Abrahamic religions were born when Abraham went to temple mount and sacrificed a ram. 2000 years later we see another change in the star sign. This time the change is from Aries to Pisces. The Jews ceased sacrificing the ram at temple mount and a new religion, that of the fisherman with it sign of the fish often used. This was the religion of the age of Pisces.We now live on the cusp of a new age, the age of Aquarius. At the time of the age of Pisces witches took little notice of the change of the star sign. As a result Christianity came and did enormous damage to the native witchcraft tradition. As we enter the new age witchcraft is once again legal. Witches are learning from the past and seeking to establish a presence to ensure that the New Age is seen in part as the age in which Wicca can be practiced. What was done by Cochrane on the cusp of the new age will resonate through the next 2000 years. If we want to see an end to spiritual oppression and the creation of a free and beautiful practice it is likely to derive from Wicca, as there is no other practice which has captured the zeitgeist in the way that Wicca has. The message of the age of aquarius is that all can go to the spring and drink to satisfy the spiritual thirst. That is our challenge as we run through the knots that bring us to the new age.Definitions and pronunciationAthame (Arthur-may): A traditional knife used in Wicca, which has a black handleBeltane (Bel-tain): The cross quarter festival of May 1stHorse-head pole: a pole with a horses head, either a skull, sack, or carved wooden headImbolc (Imm-olk): The cross quarter festival of February 2ndLughnasadh (Loo-nass-ah): The cross quarter festival of August 1stNeopagan Wicca: Forms of Wicca that do not have a lineaged Witchcraft antecedentSamhain (Sow-in): The cross quarter festival of October 31stWiccan Traditionals: Those Wiccans who derive their practices from lineaged traditional witchesAll photographs in this booklet are from Wikipedia and are copyright freePrinted and published by the Order of the Horse and the Moon, 21 Princes Road, Ealing, London, W13 9ASContact cochranefaithful@yahoo.co.uk ................
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