Witchcraft Today Gardner

  witchcraft today gardner: Witchcraft Today Gerald Brosseau Gardner, 2004 Commemorating its 50th anniversary is an expanded edition of the first Wicca book, by the father of the Pagan renaissance.
  witchcraft today gardner: Witchcraft Today Gerald Brosseau Gardner, 2023-11-23 The Meaning of Witchcraft is a non-fiction book written by Gerald Gardner. Gardner, known to many in the modern sense as the Father of Wicca, based the book around his experiences with the religion of Wicca and the New Forest Coven. He claimed he was allowed to tell more than ever before and cast light on the rituals and beliefs of witches. The book's main message was that neither the practices of witches nor their intents were harmful. The book tells the history of witchcraft in Europe. The author traces back to pre-Christian times, studies the rituals and beliefs of templars, and states that the belief in fairies in ancient, medieval, and early modern Europe was connected with a secretive pygmy race that lived alongside other communities. The preface to this book was Margaret Murray, who stated that witchcraft took its root in the pre-Christian religions and had nothing to do with spell-casting and other evil practices. Instead, Murray proposes to view witchcraft as the sincere expression of that feeling towards God which is expressed, perhaps more decorously though not more sincerely, by modern Christianity in church services.
  witchcraft today gardner: The Meaning of Witchcraft Gerald Brosseau Gardner, Gerald B. Gardner, 2004-03-01 Thought to be the father of modern witchcraft, Gerald Gardner published The Meaning of Witchcraft in 1959, not long after laws punishing witches were repealed. It was the first sympathetic book written from the point of view of a practicing witch. The Meaning of Witchcraft is an invaluable source book for witches today. Chapters include: Witch's Memories and Beliefs, The Stone Age Origins of Witchcraft, Druidism and the Aryan Celts, Magic Thinking, Curious Beliefs about Witches, Signs and Symbols, The Black Mass, Some Allegations Examined. The Meaning of Witchcraft is a record of witches' roots-and a tribute to a founding pioneer with the courage to set that record straight.
  witchcraft today gardner: High Magic's Aid Scire Scire, Gerald Brosseau Gardner, 2023-07-21 Delve into the world of Witchcraft and High Magic! Jan, Olaf, and Thur attempt to perform Ceremonial Magic at a time when delving into these Arts could cost them their lives. Unfortunately, they discover they are missing an integral aspect of High Magic and are doomed to failure unless they find the Witch of Wanda to initiate them and train them in the secrets of Witchcraft. Dr. Gerald B. Gardner, the Father of Modern Witchcraft and Wicca, writing under the nom-de-plume 'Scire', brings to life this medieval tale of Ceremonial Magic and Witchcraft. Originally published in 1949, this classic and historic work of fiction will take the reader into a world, not unalike our own, where magic is real and Witches guard their secrets. High Magic's Aid is a must-read for anyone interested or involved in Witchcraft and Wicca. More importantly, it is a novel that will hold your attention until you read 'The End.' - Karen Dales, Award Winning Author.
  witchcraft today gardner: Modern Wicca Michael Howard, 2010-09-08 An insider's look at the history of Witchcraft The evolution of Wicca is as dynamic and colorful as the Witches who helped shape it. One of the most enigmatic and progressive practitioners of his time, Gerald Gardner was arguably the most instrumental Witch in spreading the Craft around the world. Drawing on his decades of personal involvement with Wicca, Michael Howard offers an intimate portrait of Gerald Gardner's life and traces the history and development of modern neo-pagan Witchcraft. Howard reveals little-known facts and stories surrounding the men and women who shaped Wicca over the past sixty years, including Aleister Crowley, Alex Sanders, and influential initiates such as Doreen Valiente. From the Museum of Magic and Witchcraft on the Isle of Man to the origins of the Book of Shadows, Modern Wicca tracks the expansion of Wicca as it spread from the United Kingdom to the United States and beyond-and takes you inside the political controversies, behind-the-scenes rivalries, and once-guarded secrets of pagan ritual, Wiccan spells, and the Craft of the Wise. Praise: This is an extremely important book, representing an account of Wiccan history from somebody who has himself been a major actor in it.—Ronald Hutton, author of The Triumph of the Moon
  witchcraft today gardner: Witchcraft Today James R. Lewis, 1999-12-06 A clear, concise overview of the origins and history of the Wiccan and Neopagan movements, with A–Z coverage of concepts, rituals, practices, and practitioners. Witchcraft Today presents a concise survey of this fascinating movement, charts its development, and offers A–Z coverage of Neopagan concepts, rituals, practices, and practitioners ranging from African Religions and Celtic Tradition to Numerology and Theosophy. An excellent and thorough introduction that explains the origin and history of contemporary Wiccan and Neopagan beliefs and a chronology detail the development of these modern religions. A documents section reprints texts important to the central belief system of Wiccans and Neopagans, including the text of Charge of the Goddess, and a bibliography and index complete this timely source. Consult this work whether you need to know the characteristics of Wicca; the difference between Celtic, Alexandrian, and Blue Star traditions; the meaning of skyclad; the work of Emanuel Swedenborg; or the origins of Tarot.
  witchcraft today gardner: Witchcraft Today Gerald Brosseau Gardner, 2023-12-23 In Witchcraft Today, Gerald Brosseau Gardner presents a groundbreaking exploration of contemporary witchcraft practices, set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing post-war society. With clarity and a sense of urgency, Gardner interweaves his personal experiences as a practitioner of Wicca with a detailed historical account of witchcraft's evolution, emphasizing its spiritual and cultural significance. The book showcases a unique blend of anthropological insights and personal narrative, inviting readers to reconsider their preconceptions of witchcraft as merely a relic of superstition or persecution. Gardner'Äôs meticulous attention to ritualistic detail and the importance of nature resonate throughout the text, making it a seminal work in the study of modern paganism and the occult revival of the mid-20th century. Gerald Gardner, often referred to as the father of modern Wicca, was instrumental in bringing the craft out of secrecy and into the public eye. His experiences living in colonial cultures and his fervent interest in the esoteric informed his understanding of witchcraft, prompting him to record and share these ancient practices. His writings emerged during a time of societal upheaval and cultural questioning, reflecting an era eager for spiritual exploration and authenticity. Witchcraft Today is essential reading for anyone interested in the intersection of spirituality, psychology, and cultural identity. Gardner's eloquence and profound insights inspire both practitioners and scholars alike, making it a compelling resource for those wishing to delve into the complexities of witchcraft and its resurgence as a spiritual path. This book offers a transformative lens through which to view contemporary witchcraft.
  witchcraft today gardner: Wiccan Roots - Gerald Gardner and the Modern Witchcraft Revival Philip Hestleton, 1999-10-01
  witchcraft today gardner: Witchfather: From Witch Cult to Wicca Philip Heselton, 2012 A Life of Gerald Gardner Volume 2. From Witch Cult to Wicca by Philip Heselton From the author of the highly acclaimed Wiccan Roots, this is the first full-length biography of Gerald Brosseau Gardner (1884-1964) - a very personal tale of the man who single-handedly brought about the revival of witchcraft in England in the mid 20th Century. From Gerald's birth into an old family of wealthy Liverpool merchants, through an unconventional upbringing by his flamboyant governess in the resorts of the Mediterranean and Madeira, it tells how, having taught himself to read, his life was changed by finding a book on spiritualism. During a working life as a tea and rubber planter in Ceylon, Borneo and Malaya, he came to know the native people and was invited to their secret rituals. But it was only on his retirement to England, settling on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire, that destiny took him firmly by the hand. Through various twists and turns involving naturist clubs and a strange esoteric theatre, he became friends with a group of people who eventually revealed their true identity - they were members of a surviving witch coven. One evening in 1939, as the hounds of war were being unleashed, he was initiated into the 'witch cult' by these people, who called themselves 'the Wica'. Gardner was overwhelmed by the experience and was determined that the 'witch cult' should survive. This book chronicles his efforts over the remaining quarter century of his life to ensure not only that it survived but that it would become the significant player on the world religious stage that it now is - the only religion that England has ever given the world, in the words of Ronald Hutton, Professor of History at the University of Bristol, who calls it ... a very fine book: humane, intelligent, compassionate, shrewd, and based upon a colossal amount of primary research. Born in 1946, Philip Heselton is a geographer and retired local government officer who has written extensively on Earth Mysteries and our spiritual relationship with the landscape. He has also carried out extensive research into the story of the modern witchcraft revival, chronicled in his books, Wiccan Roots and Gerald Gardner and the Cauldron of Inspiration. Hutton has described him as being ... the most interesting, valuable and enjoyable author who has yet written on what is becoming one of the greatest riddles in the history of modern religion: the origins of pagan witchcraft. ... Nobody has ever done more than Philip Heselton to reveal the world of magic, paganism, naturism and faerie that lay behind the garden gates of inter-war English suburban villas; and perhaps only he could have done it at all.
  witchcraft today gardner: Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft Raymond Buckland, 1986 This complete self-study course in modern Wicca is a treasured classic - an essential and trusted guide that belongs in every witch's library.---Back cover
  witchcraft today gardner: Popular Witchcraft Jack Fritscher, 2004 Popular Witchcraft: Straight from the Witch's Mouth, inspired by the British Gerald Gardner's Witchcraft Today, was the first book to be published on popular American witchcraft and remains the classic survey of white and black magic. Newly revised and updated for twenty-first-century readers, the author--an ordained but marvelously fallen exorcist--tells all about the evil eye, the queer eye, women and witch trials, the Old Religion, magic Christianity, Satanism, and New Age self-help. Jack Fritscher sifts through legends of sorcery and the twisted history of witchcraft, including the casting of spells and incantations, with a focus on the growing role of witchcraft in popular culture and its mainstream commercialization through popular music, Broadway, Hollywood, and politics. As seriously historical as it is fun to read, there is no other book like it.
  witchcraft today gardner: The Rebirth of Witchcraft Doreen Valiente, 2018-01-31 This classic work is now available for the first time in paperback. Since 1951, when the last of the Witchcraft Acts was repealed, many books have been written about the reappearance of witchcraft and the development of a pagan theology. Churchmen have denounced it. Sociologists have wondered at it. Journalists have penned sensational stories about it. But until the publication of this book, no one had told the real story of it from the inside as frankly as it is told here. Doreen Valiente, one of witchcraft's most widely known figures, was a close friend of the late Gerald Gardner, generally regarded as the founder of present-day witchcraft. Initiated by him and for a time High Priestess of his coven, Doreen Valiente helped him rewrite his seminal Book of Shadows. She records the break with Gardner that split his coven, the controversy surrounding Alex Sanders, 'King of the Witches' and memories of many other witches whom she has known, including the lady called 'Dafo', Robert Cochrane, Leslie Roberts and Sybil Leek. Doreen Valiente took part in many witchcraft rituals and had strange psychic experiences as a result. Described here are the clairvoyant communications she received purporting to come from 'John Brakespeare', an eighteenth-century witch. The Rebirth of Witchcraft traces the lineage of the present-day witchcraft from its forerunners through to modern feminist neo-paganism and the new wave of interest in ecology and holistic medicine.
  witchcraft today gardner: A Goddess Arrives Gerald B. Gardner, 2024-06-13
  witchcraft today gardner: Wicca Ethan Doyle White, 2015-10-01 The past century has born witness to a growing interest in the belief systems of ancient Europe, with an array of contemporary Pagan groups claiming to revive these old ways for the needs of the modern world. By far the largest and best known of these Paganisms has been Wicca, a new religious movement that can now count hundreds of thousands of adherents worldwide. Emerging from the occult milieu of mid twentieth-century Britain, Wicca was first presented as the survival of an ancient pre-Christian Witch-Cult, whose participants assembled in covens to venerate their Horned God and Mother Goddess, to celebrate seasonal festivities, and to cast spells by the light of the full moon. Spreading to North America, where it diversified under the impact of environmentalism, feminism, and the 1960s counter-culture, Wicca came to be presented as a Goddess-centred nature religion, in which form it was popularised by a number of best-selling authors and fictional television shows. Today, Wicca is a maturing religious movement replete with its own distinct world-view, unique culture, and internal divisions. This book represents the first published academic introduction to be exclusively devoted to this fascinating faith, exploring how this Witches' Craft developed, what its participants believe and practice, and what the Wiccan community actually looks like. In doing so it sweeps away widely-held misconceptions and offers a comprehensive overview of this religion in all of its varied forms. Drawing upon the work of historians, anthropologists, sociologists, and scholars of religious studies, as well as the writings of Wiccans themselves, it provides an original synthesis that will be invaluable for anyone seeking to learn about the blossoming religion of modern Pagan Witchcraft.
  witchcraft today gardner: Druidcraft: The Magic of Wicca and Druidry Philip Carr-Gomm, 2014-03-27 Druidry and Wicca, also known as the Craft, are the two great streams of the Western Pagan tradition. Both traditions originated in the British Isles, and both are now experiencing a renaissance all over the world, as more and more people seek a spirituality rooted in a love of nature.
  witchcraft today gardner: Keris and Other Malay Weapons Gerald B Gardner, 2021-05-15 A new edition of a classic on Malay weaponry and war, originally published in 1936 in an extremely limited printing now virtually impossible to find. In addition to his work in description and classification of all sorts of Malay weaponry, Gardner spent significant effort in discussions on the origin of the keris (or kris) and its close association with occult beliefs among Malays, an interest of Gardner's which was to have a huge effect on him, later in life. Following his retirement from the British Civil Service in Malaya, not long after the original publication of this book, Gardner returned to the UK, where he focussed his interests on magic and witchcraft, his writings and efforts eventually serving to revive the tradition. Garner is considered by many to be the 'Father of the Wicca Movement'. This book will be of interest to all who wish to understand the timeless link between weaponry and warfare, superstition and magic, in the greater Malay world.
  witchcraft today gardner: The Witch's Eight Paths of Power Aradia, Lady Sable, 2014-09-01 In his Book of Shadows, Gerald Gardner writes about the witch’s Eightfold Way as a means of developing one’s magickal abilities. In this contemporary take on the Eightfold Way, author, Witch, and High Priestess Lady Sable Aradia invites readers to explore the eight different components of evolution in witchcraft. Using exercises, meditations, and practical magick, any serious student of witchcraft will be able to master these eight paths and improve the effectiveness of their magickal work. From spells to sex rites to trance to flying ointments, Lady Sable has created a step-by-step guide to mastering the advanced arts of witchcraft.
  witchcraft today gardner: Witchcraft from the Inside Raymond Buckland, 1995 The word Witchcraft has been misunderstood for centuries. In the past 500 years, millions of people have faced persecution, torture, and even death after being accused of practicing Witchcraft. For many people the word Witch still conjures up images of secret spells and diabolical midnight rituals. So what exactly is Witchcraft (also called Wica or Wicca), and how did it evolve into one of today's fastest-growing religions? Witchcraft From the Inside presents the history of Witchcraft-from its roots in ancient fertility religions, to the madness of the Malleus Maleficarum and the European Witch trials, to the growth of modern Wicca in Britain and the United States. Essays contributed by leading Wiccan authorities explore the present state of Wicca and provide a glimpse into the future of this peaceful nature religion. Author Ray Buckland studied Witchcraft under Gerald Gardner, the man largely credited for the revival of Witchcraft and the establishment of Wicca as a modern religion. Mr. Buckland was instrumental in bringing Gardnerian Witchcraft from England to the United States and is considered to be one of the leading American authorities on Witchcraft. In the following excerpt, Mr. Buckland explains the mundane truths behind the seemingly horrific ingredients of the legendary witches' brews. We know, from Shakespeare and other sources, that the Witches threw into their pots the most gruesome ingredients, right? There were things like the tongue of a snake, bloody fingers, catgut, donkey's eyes, frog's foot, goat's beard, a Jew's ear, mouse tail, snake head, swine snout, wolf's foot, and so on. Pretty disgusting by the sound of it-if you take them at face value! In fact these were all the most innocuous of ingredients: normal plants and herbs. Today all plants have a Latin name, so that they may be distinct and positively identified. Yet years ago they were known only by common, local names. A plant or herb might be known by one name in one part of the country and a quite different name in another part of the country. And these names were colorful ones, frequently given to the plant because of its looks, color, or other attributes. In the above list, adder's tongue was a name given to the dogtooth violet (Erythronium americanum); bloody fingers was the foxglove (Digitalis purpurea); catgut was the hoary pea (Tephrosia virginiana); donkey's eyes were the seeds of the cowage plant (Mucuna pruriens); frog's foot was the bulbous buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus); goat's beard was the vegetable oyster (Tragopogon porrofolius); Jew's ear was a fungus that grew on elder trees and elm trees (Peziza auricula); mouse tail was common stonecrop (Sedum acre); snake head was balmony (Chelone glabra); swine snout was the dandelion (Taraxacum dens leonis); and wolf's foot was bugle weed (Lycopus virginicus). So the seemingly fearsome concoctions that the Witches mixed up in their cauldrons were nothing more than simple herbs going into a cookpot!
  witchcraft today gardner: Gerald Gardner Jack L. Bracelin, 1999-09-01
  witchcraft today gardner: The Witch Book Raymond Buckland, 2001-11-01 A look at Witches, Witchcraft and the Wicca tradition from the author of Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft From Abracadabra to Aleister Crowley to Gardnerian Witchcraft to Rosemary's Baby to sorcery and Zoroaster, The Witch Book by the late, great Raymond Buckland is unmatched in its coverage of witchcraft’s historical, practical, and cultural aspects. A student of the late Wicca pioneer Dr. Gerald Gardner, Raymond Buckland has been widely credited with introducing Wicca to the United States. He was one of the world’s foremost experts on Witchcraft, Wicca, and Earth religions. With 560 entries, a resource section, and 114 photos and illustrations, this is an exhaustive exploration of Witchcraft, Wicca, paganism, magic, people, places, events, literature, and more. It shows how, in pre-Christian and early Christian times, Witchcraft (with a capital “W”) was a magical and healing practice associated with early spirtual beliefs, including how the word Witch comes from the Old Anglo-Saxon wicce or wicca, meaning a “wise one”: the wiseman or -woman of the common people who had knowledge of herbs, healing, augury, and magic. It also tackles how Witchcraft and paganism were erroneously linked with Satanism, black magic, and pop-culture distortions. It defines both the darker Christian concept and the true concept of Wicca, concentrating on the Western European and later New World versions of Witchcraft and magic. The Witch Book is a broad and deep look at witches, witchcraft and the Wicca tradition.
  witchcraft today gardner: The Witches' Way Janet Farrar, Stewart Farrar, 1984-06 The most comprehensive and revealing work on the practices, rituals and beliefs of modern witchcraft since Gerald Gardner's influential but unpublished 'Book of Shadows' triggered the revival movement in the 1950s. The authors explain what Gardner's text actually was, how he used it, and, as far as possible, what his sources were. The book goes on to give in full the first, second and third degree initiation rites, the consecration rites, and the many non-ritual passages of the 'Book of Shadows'. The rest of the book explains what the Craft is all about, covering everything from the rationale of witchcraft to reincarnation; from ethics to sex; from symbolism to spells; from astral projection to psychic healing; from clairvoyance to witchcraft's place in today's world.
  witchcraft today gardner: The Fifth Sacred Thing Starhawk, 1994-06-01 An epic tale of freedom and slavery, love and war, and the potential futures of humankind tells of a twenty-first century California clan caught between two clashing worlds, one based on tolerance, the other on repression. Declaration of the Four Sacred Things The earth is a living, conscious being. In company with cultures of many different times and places, we name these things as sacred: air, fire, water, and earth. Whether we see them as the breath, energy, blood, and body of the Mother, or as the blessed gifts of a Creator, or as symbols of the interconnected systems that sustain life, we know that nothing can live without them. To call these things sacred is to say that they have a value beyond their usefulness for human ends, that they themselves became the standards by which our acts, our economics, our laws, and our purposes must be judged. no one has the right to appropriate them or profit from them at the expense of others. Any government that fails to protect them forfeits its legitimacy. All people, all living things, are part of the earth life, and so are sacred. No one of us stands higher or lower than any other. Only justice can assure balance: only ecological balance can sustain freedom. Only in freedom can that fifth sacred thing we call spirit flourish in its full diversity. To honor the sacred is to create conditions in which nourishment, sustenance, habitat, knowledge, freedom, and beauty can thrive. To honor the sacred is to make love possible. To this we dedicate our curiosity, our will, our courage, our silences, and our voices. To this we dedicate our lives. Praise for The Fifth Sacred Thing “This is wisdom wrapped in drama.”—Tom Hayden, California state senator “Starhawk makes the jump to fiction quite smoothly with this memorable first novel.”—Locus “Totally captivating . . . a vision of the paradigm shift that is essential for our very survival as a species on this planet.”—Elinor Gadon, author of The Once and Future Goddess “This strong debut fits well against feminist futuristic, utopic, and dystopic works by the likes of Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Ursula LeGuin, and Margaret Atwood.”—Library Journal
  witchcraft today gardner: Traditional Wicca Thorn Mooney, 2018 A description of the structure, hierarchy, and training of a Traditional Wiccan coven, focusing on guidance for those seeking to join one --
  witchcraft today gardner: Witchcraft Today Gerald B. Gardner, 1996-01 Commemorating its 50th anniversary, an expanded edition of the first Wicca book, by the father of the Pagan renaissance. Written shortly after the repeal of the English Witch laws in 1954, WITCHCRAFT TODAY offered the world a new religion, Wicca, and captured the imaginations of spiritual seekers everywhere. The author, Gerald Gardner, was writing about a small, secret coven of hereditary Witches, brave people who had hidden their faith for centuries to avoid persecution. His descriptions of their practices and history, their working tools and festivals, impelled a rediscovery of indigenous British religion and, globally, fueled a movement now boasting between 3 and 5 million members, making Wicca one of the fastest growing religions in the United States. To celebrate the anniversary, Citadel Press is proud to be republishing Gardner's book in an expanded edition with contributions from today's Wiccan elders on the religion's past, present, and future. From Picts and pixies to Knights Templars and persecution; from Celtic cauldrons to Kabbalitic magic, Witchcraft Today also includes important biographical information on Gardner and his historical context. This is an urgently needed reissue of a classic work to be used for study, reflection, inspiration, and transformative ideas, invaluable to understanding the Craft and its path.
  witchcraft today gardner: Dancing with Witches Lois Bourne, 2006 Witchcraft is as old as time but few really know what it consists of beyond magic, spells, and enchantment. As this insightful volume reveals, witchcraft above all is the renewal of an ancient tradition. It describes the practices of the religion and features many witches who offer unique knowledge of the occult and mystical worlds. The experiences of the author, a leader of a coven of witches who follow the Old Religion and close associate of the revolutionary wicca Gerald Gardner, as well as her unique experiences in voodoo and obeah round off this essential guide to contemporary witchcraft.
  witchcraft today gardner: Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft Raymond Buckland, 2005-01-01 Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft was one of the first books to explore Wicca from a solitary perspective. Originally written 30 years ago to correct abuses he saw occurring in covens, Buckland offered Wiccan seekers an introductory text on Saxon witchcraft or Seax-Wicca, which can be practiced alone. Buckland presents meticulously researched information on the time-honored tradition of Saxon witchcraft. He writes cogently and informatively about the history, mythology, spiritual practices, and witchcraft of Saxon England. Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft includes everything the solitary witch needs to practice Seax-Wicca, including: Descriptions of the Saxon deities and explanations of their primary beliefs An introduction to the magical runic Saxon alphabet A selection of original Pagan songs A selection of Seax-Wiccan recipes for intoxicants Instructions for initiation ceremonies, the eight Sabbats, marriage, birth, and death rites An explanation of the art and practice of Saxon Galdra or magic and the divination and herbal lore used for protection, love potions, and healing The Seax-Wicca Rite of Self-Dedication, which allows individuals to form their own covens and initiate themselves into the Craft An indispensable handbook for solitary witches or for witches in covens who want to explore Saxon witchcraft. Originally published as The Tree: The Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft, this edition offers a new introduction by the author to guide a new generation of witches into the art and practice of Seax-Wicca.
  witchcraft today gardner: Witchcraft Today Trevor Greenfield, Rachel Patterson, 2014 An anthology published in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Gerald Gardner's seminal work, Witchcraft Today.
  witchcraft today gardner: Initiation Into Witchcraft Brian Cain, 2019-08-05 This book is about the religion of Witchcraft. It honors the old Gods, the ancient mysteries, and the secrets of magic. Witchcraft is personal empowerment magnified through a relationship with the old gods. Through it, you can find a path to your most powerful self. This book shall be your first signpost to guide your way!
  witchcraft today gardner: Witchcraft for Tomorrow Doreen Valiente, 1993 Now reissued again due to popular demand, Witchcraft for Tomorrow answers many frequently asked questions about witchcraft including: 'How can I find a witches' coven?' and 'How can I become a witch?' Doreen Valiente tells you what the old religion of witchcraft has to offer the new age of Aquarius; how the age-old Craft of the Wise can be practised in the modern world; how to initiate yourself as a witch and found your own coven. The author, who was the leading figure in the establishment of the modern Wiccan movement, includes a new Book of Shadows (the witches' handbook of rituals and instructions) based upon ancient magical tradition but geared to the age of the future. There are witch songs, spells, incantations and practical advice on how to run a coven and how to acquire your own collection of magical implements; as well as methods of divination and other witch lore. The author shows how the oral traditions of witchcraft throw light not only upon the origins of the present-day witch cult and the activities of the witch leader George Pickingill and his covens, but also upon the mystery of the founding of the famous magical order, the Golden Dawn. Also discussed is the relationship between the witchcraft of Britain and Europe and the magical belief of the Far East. Do both traditions hark back to the legendary city of Shamballah and to the shamanistic practices of Asia? And why do the secret circles of the witches resemble those of the Tantric sex-magic of India?
  witchcraft today gardner: Witchcraft Today Gerald Brosseau Gardner, 1970 Written shortly after the repeal of the English Witch laws in 1954, WITCHCRAFT TODAY offered the world a new religion, Wicca, and captured the imaginations of spiritual seekers everywhere. The author, Gerald Gardner, was writing about a small, secret coven of hereditary Witches, brave people who had hidden their faith for centuries to avoid persecution. His descriptions of their practices and history, their working tools and festivals, impelled a rediscovery of indigenous British religion and, globally, fueled a movement now boasting between 3 and 5 million members, making Wicca one of the fastest growing religions in the United States.
  witchcraft today gardner: Wicca Harmony Nice, 2019-04-02 Witchcraft and Wicca for a modern world, from YouTube vlogger and Instagram sensation Harmony Nice Welcome to Generation Hex—an era where young Americans know that witchcraft isn't about devil worship and spooky curses, and instead are openly embracing meaningful Wiccan rituals that can enrich our lives in real-world ways. In Wicca, 24-year-old Harmony Nice—a YouTube and Instagram star with 700,000 followers—offers modern readers a guide to overcoming obstacles and maximizing happiness. She offers practical guidance on: using crystals, wands, tarot cards, and magical tools setting up an altar introductory spells for health and protection finding your own witchy path—solitary or with a coven With beautiful illustrations throughout, Wicca offers readers spiritual authenticity, a hint of glamour, and a perfect guide to infusing their lives with spiritual purpose, confidence, and resilience.
  witchcraft today gardner: Coming to the Edge of the Circle Nikki Bado, 2005-08-04 Imagine yourself sitting on the cool damp earth, surrounded by deep night sky and fields full of fireflies, anticipating the ritual of initiation that you are about to undergo. Suddenly you hear the sounds of far-off singing and chanting, drums booming, rattles snaking, voices raised in harmony. The casting of the Circle is complete. You are led to the edge of the Circle, where Death, your challenge, is waiting for you. With the passwords of perfect love and perfect trust you enter Death's realm. The Guardians of the four quarters purify you, and you are finally reborn into the Circle as a newly made Witch. Coming to the Edge of the Circle offers an ethnographic study of the initiation ritual practiced by one coven of Witches located in Ohio. As a High Priestess within the coven as well as a scholar of religion, Nikki Bado is in a unique position to contribute to our understanding of this ceremony and the tradition to which it belongs. Bado's analysis of this coven's initiation ceremony offers an important challenge to the commonly accepted model of rites of passage. Rather than a single linear event, initiation is deeply embedded within a total process of becoming a Witch in practice and in community with others. Coming to the Edge of the Circle expands our concept of initiation while giving us insight into one coven's practice of Wicca. An important addition to Ritual Studies, it also introduces readers to the contemporary nature religion variously called Wicca, Witchcraft, the Old Religion, or the Craft.
  witchcraft today gardner: Mastering Witchcraft Paul Huson, 1970
  witchcraft today gardner: Where Witchcraft Lives Doreen Valiente, 2014-03-01 Doreen Valiente was one of the most respected English witches to have influenced the modern day Pagan movement. In this book, a re-visit of her first literary outing of 1962, she examines Witchcraft in Sussex, the role of the Horned God, hares and the Moon, folk-rites and the powers of Witchcraft. She is hereby laying the foundations of the modern day Witchcraft movement. As Gerald Gardner is now commonly thought of as the 'Father' of contemporary Witchcraft, so Doreen is known affectionately as the 'Mother of Modern Witchcraft'.
  witchcraft today gardner: Modern Witchcraft and Magic for Beginners Lisa Chamberlain, 2015-10-31 Everything You Need to Know to Start Practicing Magic and Witchcraft Witchcraft is a word that, for some, may inspire fantastical images of women flying through the night sky on broomsticks and shooting sparks out of a glimmering wand. Others mistakenly associate people who practice Witchcraft with the dark arts-believing that Witches go around hexing people, or use other black magic to cause trouble for people they dislike. The truth is, Witchcraft is not fantasy, and is not inherently malicious. It's a vibrant, nature-based spiritual practice that is alive and well in our modern times, just as it has been for longer than we've been recording history. Nonetheless, due to the persistence of these misconceptions in mainstream society, some Wiccans do not consider themselves to be practitioners of Witchcraft, and don't identify as Witches. This is despite the fact that Gerald Gardner, the founder of what became known as Wicca, described the religious activities of his coven in exactly these terms-they were Witches practicing Witchcraft! Whether you choose to call yourself a Witch, a Wiccan, both, or neither, Witchcraft is an enormous topic that can be overwhelming for those who are just starting to explore it. There's so much to learn, and there are many differing perspectives on what is correct or incorrect in terms of knowledge and practice. Truly, it may be the one of the most confounding of all possible areas of spirituality! Modern Witchcraft and Magic for Beginners was created to provide a fact-based, neutrally-oriented context for launching you on your exploration. Whether you feel called to study Wicca with a practicing coven, learn as much as you can on your own about a branch of Traditional Witchcraft, or forge an eclectic practice that combines several approaches, this book will help you navigate the various opinions, definitions, and perspectives you'll find in the wide, wide world of the Craft. Foundations of Western Witchcraft Wicca has become the most well-known form of the Craft, but it emerged in tandem with other forms. Many of these other traditions were influenced by, and had influence on, what we now know as Wicca. A basic understanding of the wider realm of Witchcraft allows you to broaden your knowledge and enhance your practice. In these pages, you'll find: An overview of the historical and cultural contexts in which contemporary Witchcraft has evolved A debunking of common misconceptions about Witchcraft as it is practiced today Core beliefs and practices found among a variety of forms of the Craft Clear distinctions between Wiccan, Traditional, and Eclectic paths Core concepts underlying the why and how of magic A brief look at a few common magical techniques-visualization, invocation, and candle magic Some example workings for you to try, if you feel so inclined Suggested references for further reading for those who want to explore these topics further Whether your curiosity about the Craft is intellectual, spiritual, or both, you'll find plenty of useful information in Modern Witchcraft and Magic for Beginners. After reading this book, you should have a better grounding in this fascinating field, and hopefully a clearer sense of where you'd like to go next! If you're ready to learn about Witchcraft and start practicing magic, scroll to the top of the page and select the buy button. Readers will also be treated to an exclusive free gift!
  witchcraft today gardner: The Grimoire of Lady Sheba Lady Sheba, 2017-09 Discover the Spells, Rituals, and Recipes of the Craft The personal magickal practices of one of the modern world's most influential Witches The ground-breaking writings of Lady Sheba helped bring Witchcraft to the modern world. This book contains transcriptions of Lady Sheba's personal grimoire and book of shadows--original, hand-written documents that she used in her practice as a leading figure in Witchcraft. In these pages, you will find basic concepts, explanations of tools, and descriptions of special words and symbols in addition to hands-on instructions for the Craft's most important spells, chants, and rituals. The Power: Description of the rules and requirements for correct, effective use of Witchcraft The Tools: How to make, consecrate, and use magickal instruments The Language: Includes diagrams of the lost Theban script and Runic alphabet The Rituals: Complete instructions for performing rituals for every purpose The Recipes: The famous secret herbal lore of the Craft, including ointments, teas, incense, perfumes, and oils The Dances: Traditional square dances as well as magickal Witches' rounds The Book of Shadows: The Holy Book of Witchcraft The Eightfold Path: Describes the steps to magickal attainment
  witchcraft today gardner: Witchcraft Today, By Gerald B. Gardner. Introd. by Margaret Murray Gerald Brosseau Gardner, 1954
  witchcraft today gardner: The Call of the Horned Piper Nigel Jackson, 1994
  witchcraft today gardner: Chinese on the American Frontier Arif Dirlik, Malcolm Yeung, 2001-04-04 Chinese immigrants played a dynamic role in frontier America, yet scholars of Asian America have focused for the most part only on the Pacific Coast, especially California. This reader fills that gap by collecting memoirs, documents, and historical analyses from the other Western states-from the Cascades to the Great Plains-to provide a comprehensive overview of the Chinese in nineteenth-century America. Selecting among a wealth of primary and secondary material, Dirlik has chosen works that enlarge our understanding of the Chinese presence in the West and the development of Chinese cultural formations on the frontier. Providing insights not only into frontier society in the United States, but also into U.S.-Chinese relations of the time, this volume will be invaluable for all readers interested in China, Western history, and the history of Asian America.
  witchcraft today gardner: What Thou Wilt Jon Hanna, 2010 Includes bibliographical references (p. 2010-216) and index.
Witchcraft - Wikipedia
Witchcraft is the use of magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most …

Witchcraft | Definition, History, Trials, Witch Hunts, & Facts
Witchcraft is a term usually applied to harm brought upon others through the use of supernatural or occult powers. The person engaging in witchcraft is called a witch, while the act of causing …

Witchcraft 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Spells, Rituals, and Magic
2 days ago · Witchcraft vs Wicca. Wicca is a modern pagan religion that incorporates witchcraft. It emphasizes harmony with nature and follows the Wheel of the Year and the Wiccan Rede: “An …

Witchcraft Beginner Basics - Start Your Magical Journey
Discover the essentials of witchcraft with WiccaNow's Beginner Basics. Learn the fundamental concepts and practices to begin your journey into witchcraft.

What is witchcraft? The definition, the varieties and the history.
Oct 15, 2022 · From the Wicked Witch of the West to the Sanderson Sisters from "Hocus Pocus", women using magic for evil (and in some cases, good) has shaped cultural understandings of …

How Witchcraft Works - HowStuffWorks
Witchcraft and belief in magic have been around since the beginning of time. Learn the history of witchcraft, modern witchcraft, Wicca and Wiccan rituals.

Witches: Real Origins, Hunts & Trials - HISTORY
Sep 12, 2017 · Early witches were people who practiced witchcraft, using magic spells and calling upon spirits for help or to bring about change. Most witches were thought to be pagans doing …

Witchcraft: History, Modern Days & Diversity - Magickal Spot
Jan 18, 2024 · Witchcraft has a rich history dating back to ancient times, with European witch trials being a notorious chapter, where thousands of people were falsely accused and persecuted. …

The History of Witchcraft (& Witches!) - Infoplease
Oct 17, 2023 · Explore the intriguing history of witchcraft. Uncover the myths, mystery, & magic that defined the era of witches throughout the centuries, & into the modern day!

Witchcraft - Encyclopedia.com
May 14, 2018 · On such an understanding, witchcraft is the belief in and use of unusual, secret, or even supernatural forces in order to force or promote specific desired ends. The ancient …

Witchcraft - Wikipedia
Witchcraft is the use of magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or …

Witchcraft | Definition, History, Trials, Witch Hunts, …
Witchcraft is a term usually applied to harm brought upon others through the use of supernatural or occult powers. The person engaging in witchcraft is …

Witchcraft 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Spells, Rituals, and …
2 days ago · Witchcraft vs Wicca. Wicca is a modern pagan religion that incorporates witchcraft. It emphasizes harmony with nature and follows the …

Witchcraft Beginner Basics - Start Your Magical Journey
Discover the essentials of witchcraft with WiccaNow's Beginner Basics. Learn the fundamental concepts and practices to begin your journey into …

What is witchcraft? The definition, the varieties and t…
Oct 15, 2022 · From the Wicked Witch of the West to the Sanderson Sisters from "Hocus Pocus", women using magic for evil (and in some cases, good) has …