ISSUES ARISING 

There are two issues covered in this section

(1) DISCRIMINATION: For some people Witchcraft is a simple fertility religion that works exclusively from the creative possibilities of male-female polarity.

While we accept that male-female polarity is powerful, Galdraheim Coven does not consider this to be exclusively so: I am not going to belabor this point, nor am I going to explore why some people take this simplistic stance, but will simply state this:-

WHERE WE STAND: Galdraheim Coven does not discriminate against people on the grounds of their social, sexual or other preferences, neither do we do so based on body shape, colour, racial origins or other similar criteria.

For us Wicca is truly the Craft of the Wise, and the Wise are not exclusively heterosexuals of White, Anglo-Saxon descent. Wicca is a lot more sophisticated than a simple, fertility religion, and so needs to be inclusive of the whole range of human potentials and possibilities in order to fully access and work with the full possibilities and potentials of this awesome universe within which we live.

Blessed Be,

(2) WICCA-WICCAN-WITCH-WITCHCRAFT-TRADITIONAL........

Throughout this web-site you will see that I use these terms interchangeably. Some people; especially those in the USA; will take issue on this as for some these terms are used very specifically.

Let's just briefly look at two points. The first is why some people want to categorise in these ways. From all that I've heard and read by those who do insist on these categorisations what I see most strongly coming through in their thinking is an attempt to say "My way is better than your way"- "I'll define me as a 'Traditionalist' or a 'Traditional Witch' and you as a 'Wiccan', and that will make what I do appear to be older/more earth-connected/more 'true-valid'/ etc".  In among these naive attempts to discriminate and categorise in these ways I discern a considerable amount of what appears to be insecurity and inability to perceive a larger viewpoint, mixed in with a kind of rebellious reaction to the initiatory structure and demands of Witchcraft: 

Simply, much of this is generated by those who have been judged unfit or unready for initiation, and whom then seek to create their own 'traditions' from which of course they cannot be excluded. This is commonly known as "sour grapes". Or those who for ego reasons consider themselves to be above or beyond the demands of initiation, and do not have the personal inner strength, comittment or humility to comply with the demands and discipline of structured training. This is commonly known as  'teenage rebellion', or "my ego is so big I think I know it all already and will not learn, so I'm going to claim an imaginary ancient heritage to justify that". 

The second point is that despite all that many people would like to believe, The Craft of the Wise- in all its forms and manifestations is very much a modern re-flowering on an ancient wisdom-tree...... read on:- 

WHERE GALDRAHEIM STANDS ON THIS: Imagine if in ancient times people discovered a seam of gold underlaying all of the world. Buried deep enough that you have to work to gain access to it, but not so deep that this isn't possible.

Ancient peoples all over the world dug into this gold seam, brought the gold to the surface and made all manner of things with it. Each in their own land took this gold and made items from it in their own distinctive style, and used it to suit their own needs in that time, and in their own place.

Here in the western world most people forgot for a while that this gold seam existed, or were banned by the local power structures from mining it. For many years we attempted to fulfill our needs using 'Fools-Gold', but eventually in Britain the local power structures lost their strangling hold on power and those with the ability to do so began mining this gold-seam and bringing its treasures into our lives again. As with ancient people, they used this gold to make items in the styles of the times, and in accordance with the needs of people of this time as they saw them.

The name of this gold-seam is Wisdom, and though each people in its own time will make of it what they will, it is the same seam all over the world. 

Some people claim that they and their ancestors  have used the same 'mines' to access this gold in unbroken continuance since the earliest times. Some admit that theirs is a new mine. Some combine the two- modern and ancient 'mines' combine to form rich traditions, but all are mining the same gold seam, and all that is made from it is potentially as equally valid- what is most important is not how old the mine is, nor how many generations have continually used it:-

What is of utter importance is what is made from this gold- if your mine has been in operation for 10,000 years but you make a cup from this wisdom-gold that does not hold water, it is of absolutely no value compared to a modern cup made from a newly opened mine that does hold water- the form may be modern, but the wisdom source is ancient beyond imagining, and it is what we do with it which is of greatest value.

I have looked at many web sites claiming ancient lineages, spoken with people who claim "unbroken family traditions", read a lot of words by people claiming that their 'tradition' is better/older/more valid/more connected than other traditions. I have not seen a one of them yet that truly holds water.... Not one of the claims of ancient heritages and 'family traditions' can be tested or proven, all the writings and utterances of those who make these claims are as full of holes as a colander on close inspection. I leave it your intelligence and discernment to look for yourself.

It has to be said that among the work and writings of some of those whom claim to be "Traditional Witches" that there is much of value. One doesn't have to be a member of any tradition to be a Witch- "all" you have to do is find your own way to the source, mine that and create what you need. Or else you can take what you need from the work and writings of others- treat that as you would a Fish dinner- 'Swallow the flesh and spit out the bones', and use such writings as maps that you can use to explore the territory of the Craft, and then apply what you learn for yourself from that.

Many of those who create imitation "ancient traditions" are actually very clever people who have created very good modern traditions- with a lick of old paint on them to make them appear old, but good none the less. What is important is simply 'Does it work'. If the answer to that is yes, then that's fine.

In many ways this is exactly what people like Gerald Gardner and Alex Sanders did, and in each generation we of the Craft build on the foundations that they gave us. Which very simply saves us from having to re-invent the wheel in each generation, and ensures that there is 'more flesh and less bone', as with our fish dinner.

What label you choose to give to this- Witchcraft, Wicca, or anything else, is only important in a political sense of identifying yourself to or with others. I am aware that the situation is very different in the USA; where British Traditional Wiccans are considered distinctly different to 'traditional Witches'; but I write here from a British perspective, within which these issues aren't regarded as so important- a Witch is a Wiccan is a Witch.

What is of utmost importance above all else is how powerfully will any tradition or form of Witchcraft connect you to the ancient wisdom sources, and how well is it structured to provide a framework of support and guidance to enable you to mine this source and make what you need from it to enrich, empower and inform you and your life, and the society and world in which you live.

I personally feel that these qualities are most powerfully present in what is known as British Traditional Witchcraft as detailed through this web site, and through those with which Galdraheim Coven is linked. Other people feel differently- as long as your way does have the qualities as expressed above- 

"If it harm none, do what you will"

Blessed Be.

Blessed Be

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