There's a growing trend happening out there in the great big world and I think it's time we have a discussion about it. There are far too many of us to reach an actual consensus but hey, a guy can dream. You can tell by the title that I'm referring to the term "neo-Wicca."
The idea behind the term is that Gardner's version of Wicca has been so changed by all of us uninitiated eclectic solitaries that the Wicca we practice isn't worthy of the same name. Let's stop here for a moment while I admit that I partially understand where those in favor of the term are coming from. The Wicca that they practice is different than what some of us practice, oftentimes with good reason.
We live in a time where 95% of the Wicca 101 books preach that you can do whatever you want to do so long as you follow the sacred Rule of Three, and I can't fault anyone for drawing comparisons to the titles they earned through a coven hierarchy while the rest of us self-dedicated after reading a few books from Llewellyn. Okay, most of us don't just read Llewellyn books, and even if we did that wouldn't be the end of the world.
I think I just have a problem with seperating the name of Wicca into two categories. I know it's a fact of life but I often hate the "us vs. them" categorizations that tend to come about. It's like one side saying that the other isn't worthy simply because the side deems the others to be unfit - which is probably NOT the case in this scenario. New practitioners tend to have no set structure and have moved away from Gardner's ideals of what Wicca should be. The religion has become an amalgamation of other belief systems and religious practices, all tossed into the cauldron and at the ready for people to pick and choose them as they seem necessary.
Is that such a bad thing? I'm not sure, but I suspect that those in initiatory traditions might have something to say about it. Let me be clear: I'm not criticizing those people that join a coven and put forth hard work to gain status in a degree system. I just feel that not everyone should be expected to do the same things that Gardner did just for the simple reason that he did them. That, for me, makes no sense.
What are your thoughts on Neo-Wicca? I hope this post will begin to facilitate discussion so that we can attempt to come up with a consensus (yeah, I get I'm dreaming big here) and put this to rest.
... if the Gardernians and kindred groups wish to have their groups and sense of being somehow "orthodox" (i.e., "correct"), that is fine for them. But for the many who choose to go it alone or in loose groups, then we should feel in no way limited or hindered by them ... Interesting discussion.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting. I think a discussion is exactly what is necessary.
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