Welcome to Circle of the Silver Moon!
Introduction to Traditional Wicca
(Class material revised 8/17/01)
In an attempt to meet the increasing need for education in Wicca, Circle of the Moonlit Sea is proud to bring to the Internet some of the text portion of our “Introduction to Traditional Wicca” course, previously available only to local students. Instructors Forest and Joe Butera have taught a British Traditional form of Wicca in Port St. Lucie, Florida since 1992. They have done seminars on various Wiccan topics at PhoenixPhyre Gathering, for the St. Lucie County Library book buyers, and the St. Lucie County Police Academy.
NOTE: We do not teach Wicca on-line or through correspondence. Traditional Wicca is taught only in-person. We are of the firm belief that most seekers of the basic knowledge of Wicca want and deserve quality basic-education which may not be available, in person, in their geographical area. Please understand that only a portion of traditional Wicca can be learned via printed material. The rest must be learned from a qualified Initiate in person. If you choose to work through the material on our website you might benefit from joining our e-mail discussion group. After working through this class material and recommended books we suggest looking for a teacher or group in your area. See our page on “How to find a teacher or coven.”
Feel free to work through the classes at your leisure. The answers to homework questions can be found in the material posted in the classes or in the recommended books. While we can not provide feed back on entire homework lessons do feel free to e-mail us if you have a specific question about the lessons or related topics.
Interest in Wicca is growing in leaps and bounds, partly due to recent movies and television programs popularizing witchcraft. Everyday we hear of yet another Coven which was started by a group of friends eager to be witches, but having no-where to turn for guidance. The younger generation of Wiccans are frequently unaware that experienced teachers do exist and are willing to help sincere seekers. The operative word here is “sincere”.
While opinions on what Wicca is and how it should be taught vary greatly, we base our opinions and methods on ten years of study, research and practice, nine years of teaching, our interaction with thousands of pagans in-person at pagan gatherings, ten years of on-line discussions, and the 30 years experience of our own teacher/High Priestess.
Those who base their Wicca practices solely on the information found in books, or the advice of self-taught friends, are only scratching the surface of what the Craft is about. Those who base their practices on movies or t.v. shows are even worse off. They tend to pick up catch-phrases which scream out to those of us with experience: “I'm a Hollywood witch and I haven't got a clue.”
It is not possible to do Initiations on-line or via correspondence. We are aware that there are teachers of the Craft who go through the motions of doing so, but such Initiations are not recognized as valid in traditional Wiccan circles. Nor do we believe it is ethical to teach spells or spell-crafting except in-person, and then that information is shared only with those whom the teacher knows well enough to trust with that information.
It is the desire of, “Circle of the Moonlit Sea” and the Blue Moon tradtion to provide a course of study which goes deeper into Wiccan basics than most books, but we can not over-emphasize the benefits to be derived from one-on-one contact with an experienced and respected member of the Craft community . Never hesitate to ask a prospective teacher about his or her teachers and their teacher's teachers. Whether you want to work Solitary or in a Coven, learning about Wicca is simple: just pick up a book. However, getting a quality education in the Craft is neither easy nor quick. It can take years of dedicated study and practice, but the rewards are well worth the effort.
Circle of the Moonlit Sea's approach to Wicca emphasizes ethics, developing a personal relationship with the Elements and Gods, enlightenment (getting to know yourself and where you fit in the grand scheme of things), and how to truly live (not merely do) the Craft.
If you would like to receive announcements on up-coming events or discuss class material with other members of our discussion group click here. The Blue Moon tradition is currently being taught only on a one-on-one basis to sincere seekers of traditional Wicca. If you are seriously interested and live in the Port St. Lucie, Florida area please write to Forest for further information.
Required Reading Before Beginning The Course
“The Heart of Wicca” by Ellen Cannon Reed
We reccomend that all students read at least one of the following books before beginning this course:
“Wicca for a Solitary Practitioner” by Scott Cunningham
“A Witch Alone” by Marion Greene.
“The ABC's of Witchcraft” by Doreen Valiente
“Witch Among Us” by Lois Bourne.
“Hedge Witch” by Rae Beth.
“The Principles of Wicca” by Vivianne Crowley
“To Ride a Silver Broomstick” by Silver Ravenwolf
“Buckland's Complete Guide to Witchcraft” by Raymond Buckland
“A Witches Bible Compleat” by Janet and Stewart Farrar.
Syllabus For “Introduction to Wicca” Course
Class 1
What is Wicca? What is paganism? What is a witch? Wiccan Ethics • Misconceptions
Paganism, Wicca and other neo-pagan religions, and the history of Wicca.
Discussion on ethics, the Wiccan Rede and the Three-Fold Law.
Wiccan Spirituality.
Misconceptions: What Wicca is and what Wicca isn't.
Class 2
History; Views on deity; Mythology; Differences between traditions; Salutations
History of Wicca.
How Wiccans see the gods.
The importance of mythology.
How traditions differ
Wiccan greetings
Class 3
Wiccan Etiquette; Grounding and Centering; Meditation; Astral Projection
Wiccan Etiquette
Importance of grounding and centering
Meditation and Astral Projection
Class 4
Why do we do ritual? Honoring the Gods; Guided Meditation
Various reasons for rituals; why ritual is important.
How we honor the gods.
Guided meditation - building the astral temple.
Class 5
Tenets of Faith; Meeting the Gods; Wicca as a Way of Life
A guide to self improvement - Tenets of Faith.
Developing relationships with the gods.
Living Wicca.
Class 6
Correspondences; Symbology; Magical Objects
Elemental Correspondences.
Symbolism of actions and objects.
Amulets, Talismans, etc.
Class 7
Divination; Wheel of the Year; Sabbats; Esbats
The importance of Divination in the craft.
Wheel of the Year - The Pagan Calendar
Seasonal and lunar celebrations.
Class 8
Altar Tools; Steps of Ritual; Raising and Grounding Energy; Chants
The Altar tools of Wicca
Basic steps of Ritual
Raising and grounding energy
Class 9
Magic; Rites of Passage; Paths of Power
The ethics of magic.
Rites of passage - Celebrating Life
Paths of Power - A study guide.
Class 10
Review; Exam
Recommended Reading For More Wicca Basics:
Celebrating Life - Rites of Passage for All Ages, by Tzipora Klein
Drawing Down the Moon, by Margot Adler
West Country Wicca, by Rhiannon Ryall
The Mists of Avalon, by Marion Z. Bradley
The Tao of Pooh, by
Sun Apr 29, 2012 3:16 pm