So you wanna be a....? The sheer number of pagan paths can be a complete mystery to anyone just starting out. So here is a very brief description of some of the more popular - and this list is by no means complete!
Alchemy
Alchemy is an early protoscientific practice combining elements of chemistry, physics, astrology, art, semiotics, metallurgy, medicine, mysticism, and religion. The common sense and the media normally identify three main goals many alchemists sought for. The most renowned goal of alchemy is the transmutation of any metal into either gold or silver. Alchemists also tried to create the "Panacea", a remedy that would cure all diseases and prolong life indefinitely. The "Philosopher's stone" was the key in these goals. This mythical substance, which could just as well be powder or liquid as a stone, would supposedly have the ability to do both. The third goal was creating human life.
Many later writers on alchemy believed that these goals of alchemy were in fact a metaphor for a spiritual transformation of the self. For this reason, many alchemy manuals describe the "Philosopher's Stone" as a gift that every man has unto himself, the "Transmutation" as the process that transform the alchemist by studying sciences, and the "Panacea" as the true meaning of love and science. These writers felt that when reading a book on alchemy, the reader must read "over" the words to figure out the way to follow — decoding the secret text to discover its true meaning. This approach remains common to Jewish mystics even today, who often employ gematria and notariqon (gematria is arithmetic derived from the Hebrew letters in a given word; notariqon is the formation of other words and phrases with the same absolute numerical value as the word under study) to expand their understanding of essential religious texts, especially Torah texts and most especially Torah texts used in prayer.
Alchemy can be regarded as the precursor of the modern science of chemistry prior to the formulation of the scientific method.
Ceremonial Magick
Ceremonial magic, is a tradition inspired largely by Hermeticism and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. It includes, but is not limited to, Goetic magick, Enochian Magic, Tarot, Astrology, Grimoire magick, hermetic qabalah and Thelemic ritual.
Ceremonial magic is commonly considered the most complex form of magick. It utilizes elaborate magic theory, draws from a large body of literature and always uses ritual. Practitioners of CM often organize themselves in magical societies such as the Builders of the Adytum, the various forms of the Ordo Templi Orientis or the Argenteum Astrum.
To be a magician is not to be part of a religion. The work of the magician has many similarities to that of paganism in general, but it also has some fundamental differences. Traditionally, the division between pagan and magician has been termed as the difference between natural and high magick. The magician works with the latter, but is in no way excluded from using natural magick to achieve an end. High magick is a system comprising a practical, psychic and theoretical path and it is essential for the magician to walk all three paths at the same time.
The magickal system is a philosophy and practice applied by the magician to the whole of life. Its aim is the spiritual development of the magician, and to this end is highly personal. In these terms the work of the magician may appear to be very selfish.
The magician does not worship deity, nor is the magician’s primary role to serve. The magician is, instead, engaged in pursuit of the Great Work. That is, the magician seeks to accelerate his/her own spiritual development to the point at which he/she unites with the divine, entering into the spiritual ecstasy known in Sanskrit as Samadhi. The magician seeks through ritual to know him/herself and transform him/herself in accordance with the divine purpose he/she was created for. That is to say, the magician seeks to know their true will, the purpose for which they came into manifestation. Then to ensure they live in such a way as to realise this will. The will in these terms is not personal choice, but that divinely inspired purpose.
In magick, no attempt is made to acquire powers for their own sake. Any power acquired must be subordinated to the Will, and kept in its own place and proper perspective. At the beginning of his journey/training, the Magician is obliged to understand that his one aspiration is his Higher Self and that any powers which are obtained must be used for that purpose. Any lesser work must have a definite spiritual motive. Magick itself, has as one of its objectives a communion both here and hereafter, a union to be achieved by the exercise of other more spiritual faculties and powers in rites and ceremonies.
Druids
From the UK Pagan Federation website
Many
Pagan Druid orders draw their inspiration from Celtic traditions, working with
the Gods and Goddesses of the Celtic Pagan past. Some work with whatever spirits
are within and around the people they are working with. So when in America, for
example, they honour the spirits of that land; when at Wayland's Smithy they
might honour the Old Gods of the builders and the Anglo-Saxon Wayland. Also,
they might be drawn to particular deities, regardless of tradition or culture,
because of their own cultural/spiritual background or because these deities seek
them out. (Thanks to Philip Shalcrass of the BDO for this amendment) Druidry
stresses the mystery of poetic inspiration and explores healing, divination and
sacred mythology. However, not all Druid orders are Pagan. Some are charitable
organisations. Others follow particular esoteric teachings not necessarily
sympathetic to Pagan beliefs, and some Druid orders are of an artistic or
Christian nature.
Following the problems at Stonehenge in 1988, The Council of British Druid Orders was founded as a focus for communication between the various different groups. Some Pagan-sympathetic member orders are: The Glastonbury Order of Druids, which works with the Glastonbury mythos; The London Druid group, founded in 1986 which has associated Celtic and magickal groups; and the Druid Clan of Dana, a daughter organisation of the Fellowship of Isis.
The British Druid Order founded in 1979, which is both Pagan and Goddess orientated, and the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, which has both Christian and Pagan members left the CBDO to form the Druid Forum, which meets to discuss issues of relevance to modern Druidry.
A Druid explains:
'Druidry has no book of law, the only lessons being those learnt from nature. There are no gurus and hierarchy is kept to a working minimum. Central to Druidic belief is a love of nature combined with the pragmatic view that spiritual insight should be expressed in daily life. Druidry stresses the importance of working as a part of a group and working as an individual to develop the spiritual life. Druidry is especially concerned with the ecological crisis faced by the modern world, and works in many ways for the healing of the Earth.
Druidry represents another branch of the flourishing tree of Pagan spirituality. Druidry grows from strength to strength, answering in its own voice the call of the Divine.
'O knowledgeable lad, whose son are you?'
'I am the son of Poetry Poetry, son of scrutiny Scrutiny, son of meditation Meditation, son of lore Lore, son of enquiry Enquiry, son of investigation Investigation, son of great knowledge Great knowledge, son of great sense Great sense, son of understanding Understanding, son of wisdom Wisdom, son of the triple Gods of poetry.'
(The Colloquy of the Two Sages- Celtic Traditional)
Northern Traditions (Odinism, Asatru, Vanatru)
Odinism is a modern revival of the pre-Christian Pagan traditions of Northern Europe. These Traditions take many forms, but are centred around two distinctive groups of divinities - the Aesir and the Vanir. The Northern Tradition draws upon both the Norse and Anglo-Saxon mythology, from various sources including Iceland.
The Aesir, as described in Scandinavian myths, are sky Gods and include Odin, often seen as the High God or All-Father principle, his wife Frigga, and Thor, Tyr, and Balder, amongst others. The Vanir are Gods of the Earth, agriculture and fertility. The best-known Vanir deities are Frey and Freya.
Today, Pagans following the Northern tradition often worship Gods from both the Vanir and Aesir, although some specialise in working with one or the other. Some Pagans practising the Northern Traditions prefer to use the word Asatru to Odinist. Asatru, meaning belief in the Gods or loyalty to the Aesir, is a more general term and also more accurate, given that Odinists do not only worship the God Odin.
Modern practice of the Northern Tradition is rapidly evolving. It explores the mythologies of Northern Europe and the mysteries of the runes. It is a way of life embracing values of loyalty, honour, courage and good fellowship. It emphasizes communing with the Divine as well as embracing the practice of magick for healing and spiritual development. Followers of Asatru celebrate seasonal festivals and are deeply concerned with environmental issues.
In the past, the role of women has been less well-developed in Asatru than in other Pagan traditions. This should not be surprising given the strong influence of Odin, often seen as the most important of the Gods. The predominantly male orientation is now being remedied by the work of a number of women and men taking their inspiration from the Goddesses of Northern mythology and the role of women in Old Northern society. The work of Freya Aswynn is particularly valuable (see reading list) and gives a clear account of the role of the Volva or Seidkona who were the Priestess-practitioners of magick and divination in the Northern Tradition.
Followers of Asatru organize themselves into small groups and form a community of their own which interacts with other parts of the wider Pagan movement.
'Well-being I won, and wisdom too. From a word to a word I was led to a word, From a deed to another deed.'
From the Old Norse, The Poetic Edda, (ca. AD 1200)
The above is from the UK Pagan Federation website
Paganism
Paganism is included as many people simply follow there own path which may or may not be the same as one of the paths mentioned elsewhere.
In a nutshell, Paganism is a polytheistic or pantheistic nature-worshipping religion which incorporates beliefs and ritual practices from ancient traditions. It is a nature-based religion, with many paths (Wicca, or the Craft; Druidry; the Northern Tradition; shamanism, etc.). Pagans honour the ancient deities of the earth and celebrate the seasonal cycle of festivals. Most Pagans believe in reincarnation, magic, and the celebration of life. This includes a positive attitude to pleasure in all its forms. As the Goddess says, "All acts of love and pleasure are My rituals". This means that sexuality (in all its many and varied forms) is celebrated as a gift from the Gods. We also celebrate the beauty of the physical plane. Spirit is immanent in matter, and the universe is a conscious entity. The purpose of our existence is to enter into a relationship with the Universe. By being aware of it, we enable the Universe to be conscious of Itself. Before the Universe existed, there was the Unmanifest. Manifestation arose from the Unmanifest because opposite polarities within it differentiated themselves, and became manifest. (This mystical account of the origin of the Universe is similar to the quantum theory of the Big Bang, which was actually more of a series of little pops as particles winked in and out of existence, until eventually enough of them existed to start the Universe.) Our relationship with the divine is not one of self-abasement; rather we honour the divine as it is manifest in Nature and in other human beings. Each of us has a spark of the divine within us. In Nature, everything has a soul: animals, trees, rocks, mountains, rivers. It is just that the consciousness of other entities operates on a different "frequency" from our own, and we have to become attuned to them in order to perceive them. This process of attunement is part of the practice of magic.
Magic is "the art of changing consciousness in conformity with Will" (that is, the higher or divine Will). It can include healing, consciousness-raising, visualisation, and spirit travel. The aim of magic is to make whole what is broken: that is, to reconnect matter and spirit.
Shamanism
The word shaman originated from a word in Siberia and eventually came to be applied to all medicine men and women of indigenous cultures who's practice includes the flight of the soul. Anthropologist studying indigenous cultures throughout the world, began to find that for different cultures, there were similarities in the way the medicine men and women worked with healing and connecting to the spiritual aspect of people and the world. While there were differences specific to culture, removing the the cultural reference revealed a core system of practice. The core practices are called core-Shamanism - a phrase coined by Michael Harner.
Shamanism is the practice of these core techniques, either for healing or to gain spiritual knowledge. Shamanism is sometime studied with the cultural reference, sometimes without, but the essential nature of the shamanic practice does not change, nor has it changed since ancient times. It has adapted to fit the times or the culture, but its essential core has been the same.
Shamanism is not a religion, not unless you want to make it into one. It has been and is being practiced by peoples of many religions, from Christianity, to Judaism, to Hinduism. You will find shamanic practitioners of every faith.
Shamanism is a direct experience of spiritual knowledge. Because of the direct nature of the work, it tends to facilitate growth in every religious faith. People will share shamanic experiences in groups, but the insight you gain from shamanic practice are unique to you.
As a healing practice shamanism has been very powerful for both the people of today and those reaching back into the beginnings of recorded history.
The reason that it is so powerful is because each healing is tailored to the needs of the individual being healed. Western medicine seeks to find one cure that works for many, if the number it helps is too small it isn't offered at all. The shaman provides unique treatment, which holistically addresses what a person needs at this time.
Thelema
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Thelema ("THEL-ay-mah") is a Greek word meaning "will" or "intention". It is also the name of a spiritual philosophy which has arisen over the past several hundred years and is now gradually becoming established worldwide.
One of the earliest mentions of this philosophy occurs in the classic Gargantua and Pantagruel written by Francois Rabelais in 1532. One episode of this epic adventure tells of the founding of an "Abbey of Thelema" as an institution for the cultivation of human virtues, which Rabelais identified as being squarely opposite the prevailing Christian proprieties of the time. The sole rule of the Abbey of Thelema was: "Do what thou wilt". This has become one of the basic tenets of Thelemic philosophy today.
Although touched upon by various prominent visionary thinkers in the following few hundred years, the seeds of Thelema sown by Rabelais eventually came to fruition in the early part of this century when developed by an Englishman named Aleister Crowley. Crowley was a poet, author, mountaineer, magician, and member of the occult society known as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. In 1904, while travelling in Egypt with his wife Rose, Crowley became inextricably involved in a series of events which he claimed to inaugurate a new aeon of human evolution. These culminated in April when Crowley entered a state of trance and wrote down the three chapters of 220 verses which came to be called The Book of the Law (also known as Liber AL and Liber Legis). Among other things, this book declared: "The word of the law is Thelema" and "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law".
Some of the essential elements of belief in Thelema are:
"Every man and every woman is a star." This is usually taken to mean that each individual is unique and has their own path in a spacious universe wherein they can move freely without collision.
"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law." and "thou hast no right but to do thy will." Most Thelemites hold that every person possesses a True Will, a single overall motivation for their existence. The Law of Thelema mandates that each person follow their True Will to attain fulfillment in life and freedom from restriction of their nature. Because no two True Wills can be in real conflict (according to "Every man and every woman is a star"), this Law also prohibits one from interfering with the True Will of any other person. The notion of absolute freedom for an individual to follow his or her True Will is a cherished one among Thelemites. This philosophy also recognizes that the main task of an individual setting out on the path of Thelema is to first discover his or her True Will, giving methods of self-exploration such as magick great importance. Furthermore, every True Will is different, and because each person has a unique point-of-view of the universe, no one can determine the True Will for another person. Each person must arrive at the discovery for themselves.
"Love is the law, love under will." This is an important corollary to the above, indicating that the essential nature of the Law of Thelema is that of Love. Each individual unites with his or her True Self in Love, and so empowered, the entire universe of conscious beings unites with every other being in Love. Of course, with the emphasis on freedom and individuality inherent in Thelema, the beliefs of any given Thelemite are likely to differ from those of any other. In the Comment appended to The Book of the Law it is stated that: "All questions of the Law are to be decided only by appeal to my writings, each for himself." Although Thelema is sometimes referred to as a "religion", it accommodates the full range of individual beliefs, from atheism to polytheism. The important thing is that each person has the right to fulfill themselves through whatever beliefs and actions are best suited to them (so long as they do not interfere with the will of others), and only they themselves are qualified to determine what these are.
Voodoo
Modern Voodoo is a syncretic religion, formed from elements moulded together by time and necessity. Its beginnings lie in West Africa, where the supernatural is viewed an integral part of daily life. For members of these indigenous societies, their ancestors are linked with the living in an unbroken line connecting everyone to the homeland. The spirits of the dead, residing in tress, waterfalls, and ponds, exercise influence over the living. Health, fortune and success are all affected by relationships with ancestors, but they are at least accessible; it is possible to communicate with the spirits and thus have some power over one's destiny.
Above the individual ancestors are 'super-spirits' or loas, which are grouped into pantheons or vodu. There is a creator and overall deity, Gran Met, but such a god is too remote and inaccessible for humans to reach and it is to the loas that mortals must turn. Communication with the loas helps with difficulties and protects against the evil intent of others. Each follower identifies with a vodu and, with the help of its priests and priestesses, selects a suitable loa through which to influence the events of his or her own life. During ceremonies of drumming and dancing they help individuals achieve an ecstatic trance state in which they are taken over by the loas. The priests and priestesses remain detached from the trance and possession states sought by their charges, and interpret the action and wishes of the spirits.
Spirit possession is the ultimate communication between the living and the dead, and through this union the power of the spirits is directed toward the solving of human problems. But care is needed, because the loas themselves have a malevolent side, some more than others. The Guides, the gods of darkness and death and debauchery, also govern the preservation and renewal of life and growth of children. Their power is needed by humans, but they must be carefully approached if their dangerous side is to be controlled.
This was the belief system which West Africans took with them when they were transported to America and the Caribbean as slaves in the 17th and 18th centuries. They needed a supportive religion in their new life. Those who survived the nightmare voyage on overcrowded slave ships found themselves subjected to every kind of deprivation and hardship. Powerless in almost every areas of their lives, they were denied the mot basic human rights. their powerful, almost ecstatic religion was harshly suppressed by slave owners, who saw it as a threat to their control. Where West Africans were mixed with slaves from other societies their religion generally failed to survive, although pockets of voodoo practice survived around New Orleans and as far north as Detroit and Chicago.
Followers everywhere accept that in all spirits there is good and bad, and that their power can be used in either way. Safeguards exist against misuses of voodoo power; such abuse is universally condemned, and it is considered extremely dangerous to manipulate the spirits in order to cause harm. Those to tempted to use the power of the invisible against others need to cast their magick carefully; the magick can be countered, and then rebounds upon its sender with more concentrated effect than ever.
Wicca/Witchcraft
Wicca is one of the most influential traditions of modern Paganism which began to emerge publicly in its modern form in the late 1940's. It is an initiatory path, a mystery tradition that guides its initiates to a deep communion with the powers of Nature and of the human psyche, leading to a spiritual transformation of the self. Women who follow this path are initiated as Priestesses and men are initiated as Priests. The following is by Janet and Stewart Farrar from Eight Sabbats For Witches.
'Wicca is both a religion and a Craft. ... As a religion - like any other religion - its purpose is to put the individual and the group in harmony with the divine creative principal of the Cosmos, and its manifestation at all levels. As a Craft, its purpose is to achieve practical ends by psychic means, for good, useful and healing purposes. In both aspects, the distinguishing characteristics of Wicca are its Nature- based attitude, its small group autonomy with no gulf between priesthood and 'congregation', and its philosophy of creative polarity at all levels, from Goddess and God to Priestess and Priest.'
Those wishing to be initiated into a coven must be at least 18 years of age. Wicca does not seek converts and initiation is never offered. Initiation must be asked for and is only given to those who have proved themselves suitable. It is traditional to wait a year and a day before being accepted into the Craft, although in practice this varies.
In Britain, there are a number of Craft traditions: Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Traditional, Hereditary (Family), Dianic and Hedgewitch. In other countries, other traditions have evolved to reflect their own culture. Traditionalists claim their methods pre-date the modern revival and have been passed down from generation to generation. Hereditaries claim their traditions have been passed on by particular families through relations of blood and marriage. Dianic craft is based on feminist principles and Hedgewitches follow a more solitary path
For some practitioners of the Craft, Witchcraft and Wicca are seen as two distinct paths, for others, the boundaries between the two are more blurred. Certainly, the word "Wicca" is less evocative and emotive than "Witchcraft" but whatever their perceived differences, they both share the same commonality in their beliefs and practises.
Witches celebrate eight seasonal festivals called Sabbats. Craft rituals, like all Pagan rites, are often conducted out of doors and involve simple rites to celebrate the seasons and the gift of life. Craft ritual is a means of contacting the Divine beyond our individual lives, but also a way of understanding our inner psyche and contacting the Divine within.
Today there are a plethora of paths associated with Wicca (as the term Christian is to Catholicism, Protestantism, etc) some core, some peripheral, but the beliefs and practices all follow average criteria. As with everything there are traditions which closely follow that of the original.
Some Wiccan/Witchcraft Traditions
Gardnerian Wicca
A retired British civil servant named Gerald B. Gardner is the 'Grandfather', at the very least, of almost all Neo-Wicca. He was initiated into a coven of Witches in the New Forest region of England in 1939 by a High Priestess named 'Old Dorothy' Clutterbuck. In 1949 he wrote a novel (High Magic's Aid) about medieval Witchcraft in which quite a bit of the Craft as practiced by that coven was used. In 1951 the last of the English laws against Witchcraft were repealed (primarily due to the pressure of Spiritualists) and Gardner published *Witchcraft Today*, which set forth a version of the rituals and traditions of that coven. There is an enormous amount of disagreement about virtually every statement I have made in this paragraph.
Gardnerism is both a tradition and a family, and lineage is a family tree. The High Priestess rules the coven, and the principles of love and trust preside. We follow our handed down book more carefully than many others, but we are free to add and improvise, as long as we preserve the original.
Like many Wiccan traditions, Gardnerians have three degrees. A Gardnerian must be of the 3rd degree before she can become a HPS. The HPS/HP are responsible for conducting services (circles), training their conveners, and preserving and passing on Gardnerian Craft.
A lot of the controversy surrounding Gardnerianism questions the sources of the rituals and other materials, particularly those appearing in print. It is true that Gardner presented these materials as if they were directly from his New Forest tradition. It is clear, however, that whatever materials the coven may have had when he was initiated, Gerald made a lot of changes and added a great deal. Literary sources of the published Book of Shadows include Blake, Kipling, Yeats and Crowley. Much of the published material was written by Doreen Valiente, a member of the coven for a time and later founder of her own groups and author of many excellent books on the Craft.
Alexandrian Wicca
The Alexandrian Tradition is very close to Gardnerian with a few minor changes. Most of the rituals are very formal and heavily indebted to ceremonial magick. It is also a polarized tradition and the sexuality of that female/male polarity is emphasized. The ritual cycle deals mostly with the division of the year between the Holly King and the Oak King and several ritual dramas deal with the dying/resurrected God theme. As with Gardnerians, the High Priestess is the highest authority.
Alexandrian Wicca is the creation of Alex Sanders (with his then wife Maxine) who claimed to have been initiated by his grandmother in 1933. It's principal proponents are Janet and Stewart Fararr whose books set forth most, if not all, of the Alexandrian tradition. Contrary to popular belief, the name Alexandrian refers not to Alex Sanders, but to Ancient Alexandria.
Although similar to Gardnerian Wicca, Alexandrian Wicca tends to be more eclectic, and liberal. Some of Gardnerisms strict rules, such as the requirement of ritual nudity, have been made optional by Alexandrian Wicca.
Mary Nesnick, an American initiate in Gardnerian and Alexandrian traditions founded a 'new' tradition called Algard. This tradition brings together both Gardnerian and Alexandrian teachings under a single banner. This was possible due to the great similarities between the two traditions.
Dianic Wicca
This is the most feminist Craft Tradition. Most Dianic covens worship the Goddess exclusively (Diana and Artemis are the most common manifestations) and most today are women only. Rituals are eclectic; some are derived from Gardnerian and Faery traditions, while others have been created anew. Emphasis is on rediscovering and reclaiming female power and divinity, consciousnes-raising, and combining politics with spirituality. The Dianic Craft included two distinct branches: The first Dianic coven in the U.S. was formed in the late '60s by Margan McFarland and Mark Roberts, in Dallas, Texas. This branch gives primacy to the Goddess in its theology, but honours the Horned God as Her beloved Consort. Covens include both women and men. This branch is sometimes called 'Old Dianic,' and there are still covens of this tradition specially in Texas. Other coven, similar in theology but not directly descended from the McFarland/Roberts line are sprinkled around the country.
The other branch, Feminist Dianic Witchcraft, focuses exclusively on the Goddess and consists of women-only covens, often with a strong lesbian presence. These tend to be loosely structured and non-hierarchial, using consensus decision making and simple, creative, experimental ritual. They are politically femisnist groups, usually very supportive, personal and emotionally intimate. The major network is Re-Formed Congregation of the Goddess. Z Budapest founded the Susan B. Anthony Coven in 1971, declaring Dianic Witchcraft to be "Wimmin's Religion". The Wommin's Spirituality Forum was Founded by Z Budapest in 1986, and is dedicated to bringing Goddess consciousness to the mainstream of feminist consciousness through lectures and, retreats, classes, cable TV shows, and rituals in the effort to achieve spiritual and social liberation.
Celtic Wicca (Church of Wicca)
The Church of Wicca was founded by Gavin and Yvonne Frost. They offer correspondence courses in their brand of Wicca, which is sometimes called Celtic Wicca. The Church of Wicca has just recently begun including a Goddess in their deity structure, and has been very patrofocal as Wiccan traditions go. The Church of Wicca terms itself "Baptist Wicca"
The Frosts call their tradition of Wicca Celtic. But it may seem more of a mixture of high magic and eclectic Wicca, with a smattering of Celtic thrown in. For instance, they use three circles, one within the others, made of salt, sulphur and herbs with runes and symbols between them instead of just one circle. They also insist on a white- handled athame and will not have a black handled one, whereas all the other traditions I have heard or read about use a black handled one.
Georgian Wicca
If one word could best describe the Georgean Tradition, it would be 'eclectic. Even though the material provided to students was nominally Alexandrian, there was never any imperative to follow that path blindly. George Patterson (the tradition's founder) always said 'If it works use it, if it doesn't, don't'. The newsletter was always full of contributions from people of many traditions. I've always felt Pat's intent was to provide jumping off points for students and members. So even though I can claim initiation into more than one tradition, I'll always consider myself 'Georgian first: George is greatly missed, may the God-dess watch over him. Bright Blessings, Lord Fafner
Stregheria
Stregheria is the form of witchcraft native to Italy; there are several distinct traditions sharing common roots, in various parts of Italy. Also called, La Vecchia Religione, Stregheria is a nature-based religion, it's followers worship the forces of Nature, personified as gods and goddesses. The witches of La Vecchia Religione are called Streghe (plural), with the title Strega (for a female), Stregone (for a male). Stregheria is rooted in the folk religion of the Latins (the Romans being one Latin people) and the Etruscans. In the particular tradition, taught by Raven Grimassi in Ways of the Strega, the pantheon is different from the urban gods of the Romans, though some of those deities were shared with the Latins, and the Etruscans, most notably Diana, whose worship was focused at a temple at Lake Nemi in the Alban Hills. There are however other traditions of Stregheria in Italy, who may worship the urban gods of the Romans. The particular tradition taught by Raven Grimassi in Ways of the Strega, is derived from a renewal that occurred in the 14th century brought about by a wise woman from Tuscany called Aradia. This does not imply that witchcraft in Italy began in the 14th century. La Vecchia Religione is an evolution of pre-christian religions in Italy. The tradition taught by Aradia was a revival of the Old Ways during a time of extreme persecution of the peasants of Italy.