Why Do Those Mean BTW's Say I'm Not Wiccan?
Perhaps the biggest source of misunderstanding between those who are British Traditional Wiccans (ie Gardnerian, Alexandrian and their off-shoots) and those who are not comes when a BTW practitioner tells someone who is not that they aren't Wiccan. It is certain to result in hurt feelings. And it often leads others to think that the BTW are elitist snobs. So let me see if I can explain it so that non-BTW can see what the issue is and why what they are saying has a certain truth to it.
As we all know, Gerald Gardner introduced Wicca to the world in 1954. As it was originally conceived, Wicca was a oath-bound, initiatory Tradition. That means that no one who is not an Initiation of Gardnerian Wicca would have been taught any of the true teachings of Gardnerian Wicca until after they were initiated and had taken a solemn vow not to reveal those teachings to anyone who was not also an Initiate. All of the other BTW Traditions also follow this custom. So unless one has undergone initiation into a BTW Tradition you really have no idea how Wicca (as it was originally conceived) is practiced.
So to many BTW having someone who has no idea what Wicca (as Gardner gave us) really is calling what they do Wicca feels to them as if it detracts from the hard work and effort that many of them have put in over the years to maintain Wicca as an oath-bound, mystery Tradition.
Now some of you will say that you have found Gardnerian or Alexandrian BOS on the internet, or you've read Lady Sheba's book, or you've read Aidan Kelly's book, or the Farrars and therefore you know how BTW practice. But do you really? These people took solemn oaths not to reveal their teachings to anyone not an Initiate. Do you believe that they really violated those oaths? And if they violated oaths given to those they were closest to in their covens, why would you think they are being truthful to you? Anything can claim to be a "real" BTW BOS, but you have no way of knowing whether that is true. Would you consider yourself a neurosurgeon and operate on patients just because you had read a book about a neurosurgeon?
At this point what generally happens is that the non-BTW becomes angry and feels that the BTW individual is saying that their path is not valid. But that isn't what is being said at all. Actually they aren't making any claims about the validity of your path. They are simply saying that it isn't Wicca because your practices are not the same as what BTW do. And according to Wiccan teachings, Wicca is orthopraxic rather than orthodoxic. In other words Wicca is a set of specific practices rather than a set of specific beliefs. They simply would rather that people would pick a different name for what they do, such as Witchcraft, rather than Wicca because using the title of Wiccan isn't accurate.
Now, not all BTW feel this way. Many of us, myself included, believe that this horse is well and truly out of the barn and we can't put it back again, even though we'd like to be able to do just that.
So not all of us will say anything if a non-BTW Initiate wants to call themselves Wiccan. But some will. And that's why I'm trying to explain where they are coming from so that perhaps hurt feelings can be avoided. Remember if someone says this to you they are not saying that you are a bad person or that your spiritual path isn't valid and important to you. All they are saying is that the word you are using to describe your path is inaccurate and another term would be better. If you're in a discussion with someone who challenges your use of the word Wicca the best thing to do is understand where they're coming from, smile, use different terminology and defuse the situation.
So when a BTW challenges someone on their use of the words Wicca or Wiccan they're not trying to be an elitist, they're not trying to belittle you, and they're not trying to say your path is invalid. They are simply saying you're applying a name to what you do that isn't accurate. Hopefully understanding that will help prevent hurt feelings and start building some better bridges of understanding between the BTW and those who are not.
-Lark-
As we all know, Gerald Gardner introduced Wicca to the world in 1954. As it was originally conceived, Wicca was a oath-bound, initiatory Tradition. That means that no one who is not an Initiation of Gardnerian Wicca would have been taught any of the true teachings of Gardnerian Wicca until after they were initiated and had taken a solemn vow not to reveal those teachings to anyone who was not also an Initiate. All of the other BTW Traditions also follow this custom. So unless one has undergone initiation into a BTW Tradition you really have no idea how Wicca (as it was originally conceived) is practiced.
So to many BTW having someone who has no idea what Wicca (as Gardner gave us) really is calling what they do Wicca feels to them as if it detracts from the hard work and effort that many of them have put in over the years to maintain Wicca as an oath-bound, mystery Tradition.
Now some of you will say that you have found Gardnerian or Alexandrian BOS on the internet, or you've read Lady Sheba's book, or you've read Aidan Kelly's book, or the Farrars and therefore you know how BTW practice. But do you really? These people took solemn oaths not to reveal their teachings to anyone not an Initiate. Do you believe that they really violated those oaths? And if they violated oaths given to those they were closest to in their covens, why would you think they are being truthful to you? Anything can claim to be a "real" BTW BOS, but you have no way of knowing whether that is true. Would you consider yourself a neurosurgeon and operate on patients just because you had read a book about a neurosurgeon?
At this point what generally happens is that the non-BTW becomes angry and feels that the BTW individual is saying that their path is not valid. But that isn't what is being said at all. Actually they aren't making any claims about the validity of your path. They are simply saying that it isn't Wicca because your practices are not the same as what BTW do. And according to Wiccan teachings, Wicca is orthopraxic rather than orthodoxic. In other words Wicca is a set of specific practices rather than a set of specific beliefs. They simply would rather that people would pick a different name for what they do, such as Witchcraft, rather than Wicca because using the title of Wiccan isn't accurate.
Now, not all BTW feel this way. Many of us, myself included, believe that this horse is well and truly out of the barn and we can't put it back again, even though we'd like to be able to do just that.
So not all of us will say anything if a non-BTW Initiate wants to call themselves Wiccan. But some will. And that's why I'm trying to explain where they are coming from so that perhaps hurt feelings can be avoided. Remember if someone says this to you they are not saying that you are a bad person or that your spiritual path isn't valid and important to you. All they are saying is that the word you are using to describe your path is inaccurate and another term would be better. If you're in a discussion with someone who challenges your use of the word Wicca the best thing to do is understand where they're coming from, smile, use different terminology and defuse the situation.
So when a BTW challenges someone on their use of the words Wicca or Wiccan they're not trying to be an elitist, they're not trying to belittle you, and they're not trying to say your path is invalid. They are simply saying you're applying a name to what you do that isn't accurate. Hopefully understanding that will help prevent hurt feelings and start building some better bridges of understanding between the BTW and those who are not.
-Lark-
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ken Ra on -
It gets even more interesting when a BTW runs into an American long island Gardenerian. OH joy OH rupture unforeseen..
Then there are initiatory traditions from people who broke from Gardener and then broke from the new tradition. Ie Gardener to Mosian Wicca To Triskellion Wicca.
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Permalink Reply by Tracy on -
Ahhhh Lark,.I remember being so bummed when i was told I wasnt Wiccan. After 17 or so yrs of study, with and without coven.How could I not be Wiccan. Ummm ya,...that was then. This is now! Studyin until my eyeballs are gonna drop out. Learning things I thought,..well i didnt think, because I didnt KNOW. I am waiting to hear if i will recieve my dedicant status in the next few days,..my nerves are on edge. But its all worth it. I can understand where BTW comes from now,..I had no idea before. We can thank media for releaseing the beast of "if it fits its wicca". The problem arrives with so many people teaching and learning the Pagan ways and calling it Wicca. At this point I would say Neo,..should become a key word in relation to what most of us have learned outside traditional structures. I think Alorer had a great post on it awhile back. With alot of great responces. I agree with you when you say,"this horse is truly out of the barn". All we can try to do now is educate on the differences, as you have done so well here,..Blessings Tracy
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Permalink Reply by Nightshade on -
BTW stands for British Traditional Wicca. Which is basically Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca. May anyone correct me if I'm wrong.
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Permalink Reply by Guinevere on -
Thank you Nightshade.
I reread the blog and now I can actually understand it ;)
BB
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Permalink Reply by Ken Ra on
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Alexandrian is separate from Long Island Gardenerian and BTW Gardenerian and they all call themselves Wiccan, but not each other. It is much easier ( and safer ) to say that a witch is a witch is a witch.
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Permalink Reply by Joe on
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Cred: I am a 3rd-degree initiate in the New Albion trad, an offshoot of Mohsian Wicca, itself derived from Gardnerian, so I suppose I could call myself a BTW. I call myself "Witch" at times, and "Wiccan" at others (usually when I'm speaking with non-Ws). When speaking to "our crowd", I absoultely do not think it matters which word I use. Certainly, in my beliefs and practice, I hearken back to the Mother Country for direction and guidance.
I have a few problems with this article, not the least of which it does come off as elitist, whether the author thinks so or not. I suppose it's because I was taught, and continue to teach, that no one may call or name another's path. I also see this as adding fuel to the old "Witchcraft vs. Wicca" debate that should've died years ago. How can it be anything but talking down to some one to say "oh, whatever you are, you're not (insert label)"? Even if I were one of Gardner's own initiates, I wouldn't tolerate that sort of thing.
We may have no assurance that the writings of the Farrars, Doreen Valiente, and others, are valid; but by the same token we have no way to verify that Lark's assertions are valid as well. I do believe, however, that those authors are valid and, if one has read the Farrars' books, one knows their reasoning behind their belief that they have broken no oaths. I don't deny that various trads have "true teachings", but using those as a reason to denigrate others is just not what I believe we should be doing.
Are we forgetting that, ultimately, it is the Goddess who makes a Witch or Wiccan or whatever, and not necessarily any human or set of beliefs or practices? Are we forgetting that these sorts of your-practice-isn't-this-or-that ideas are similar to what caused the multiplicity of Christian denominations? I've seen lives ruined by those denominational fights.
I don't remember who said, "You could give it all away, and still reveal nothing", but the idea is that ours is indeed a Mystery tradition, no matter how much we spread it about, because the mystery is between the practicioner and the Gods.
Lark says, "Would you consider yourself a neurosurgeon and operate on patients just because you had read a book about a neurosurgeon?" Please tell me this isn't the old 'you can't self-initiate' stuff again. I thought Doreen Valiente, whose credibility cannot be disputed, laid that one to rest.
And finally, if some folks feel their "hard work" is being detracted, I'd say they should re-think their beliefs and attitudes. None of us have the "one true right way".
Folks, there's room in the light of the Goddess for all. This is a silly dispute about labels, one that means nothing to the Gods. Let's not be a party to creating second-class Wiccans/Witches/whatevers.
B*B, Joe
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Permalink Reply by Lark on -
**Sigh** I think you have misunderstood my post. I have not in any way told people that I feel this way. In fact I rather clearly said that I believe that the term Wicca no long applies merely to those who are initiated into British Traditional Wicca. But some people do and I see so many new to Wicca getting their feelings hurt because they don't understand why that is. I was merely trying to explain the reasoning behind the controversy - not saying that the reasoning was correct.
And nowhere did I bring up the topic of initiation vs self-initiation. My statement was meant to show that one cannot become a neurosurgeon by reading a book. Likewise one cannot become a member of British Traditional Wicca by reading some book you find in the store. Please let's not read something into what I wrote that isn't there.
-Lark-
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Permalink Reply by Tamara A Mirabella on -
Hey Lark, in general, isn't it odd how people can reinterpret what someone wrote in a way that misrepresents the writer? Often it's through their own filter or agenda, and this colors everything. Sometimes people will state something as fact without anything to substantiate the claim. And even when asked for proof they fall silent. Have you ever wondered why that is?
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Permalink Reply by Tracy on
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Seen it with my own eyes,.Ken Ra,..love the "oh joy and rapture" thing! I would say,..OH Politics,....uuemm,..im out...blessings tracy
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Permalink Reply by Nightshade on
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Agreed:)
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