A Pagan Writer's Blog by Chas S. Clifton
posted by Chas S. Clifton at 9:49 PM Permalink
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7 Comments:
Hey there, Chas! Now, this is completely unrelated to the Blog at hand, but...I found it fascinating, and thought you might find it interesting, too. According to a recent article in the current May 2005 issue of "The Cauldron" Carl contacted Old Gerald, or got permission from him to publish the complete Gardnerian Book Of Shadows (he was given it by Gardnerian HP Charles Clark) and he also has the exact typed note from Old Gerald giving him permission to publish it, but Carl didn't feel that it was the right time to do so...
This even appears to be validated on Carl's blog!
Now, this also brings up a whole maelstrom of other issues, such as which edition of the Gardnerian BOS-- from which line? As well as all 4, or just one, because at each Degree of Initiation (even when one becomes a Witch-Queen/King, when they have a Coven hive-off from their own) they recieve another BOS, which would make 4 in all! Another question is if they would include the so-called "secret" Gardnerian names for the God and the Goddess, which have been previously published, but almost NO ONE knows this-- they merely accept it at face-value, I think, that it's still an alledged Gardnerian "secret". Anyway, according to my informants, who were both initially trained in Traditional Gardnerian Covens, Their so-called "true names" were published in a few articles from the *very* early 70s in British Pagan magazines, as well as one book, which offers a very early look at Wiccan ritual: "The Devil's Prayer Book," recently re-published as "Rites of Shadow". This is an absolutely lovely book!
Personally, I have always believed that...had Old Gerald lived long enough, he would have published *all* the info. of the Gardnerian Trad. eventually.
Ya' know...speaking of the Gardnerian Trad., why do they feel as though they should be above academic, or more specifically Anthropological, study? In fact, I've seen many Pagans with such attitudes. An example occured to me whilst reading Starhawk's "The Pagan Book of Living & Dying," in which M. Macha Nightmare merely said, rather matter-of-factly (which I am one to personally loathe, as a researcher) related that she had performed as a Death Priestess, and the results of that encounter of helping one "cross over," but didn't go into any details regarding what she actually "did" as she administered as a Death-Priestess. In fact, I brought this up to a Pagan Elder who was trained as a post-graduate Anthropologist, and said to me (surprisingly, because our conversation was just off-the-cuff), "Hmmm... Good point!" Do you have any thoughts re: this? Personally, I believe such "oathes" are a road block to such scienctific fields, as an example.
Anyway, I thought this was fascinating, and that you might like to know...
Take Care,
Wade MacMorrighan
Wade:
I'm sure that had Gerald Gardner lived, we would have seen more of his writings published.
As for Macha NightMare, she is emphatically not Gardnerian, so I do not see why you are bringing her in.
There is plenty of academic study of Gardnerian and other Witches out there; I am reading one manuscript right now.
Chas
Oh, I know that Macha ain't Gardnerian. It was just an example of Pagans (regardless of whom, or for what reasons, or from which Trad.) not disclosing any info. about a certain topic or practice. Which does seem odd when you think about what an Anthropologist would do!
And, as for mainstream academia, I was thinking, more specifically, of Anthropology, which most often (as I am familiar with it, as a field, anyway) is hands-on and very eye-witness-oriented. My personal views are that any Traditional Gardnerian Coven would never allow it (oathes of secrecy, and all). Which just, to me, seems like a disservice to the field of Anthropology.
So...what ms. are you readin, now? What's it s'pose to be avout? And, who's written the bugger? ;o) Got an E.T.P [Estimates Time of Publication]? I'll have to write it down somewhere, so I can remember to keep en eye out for it when it's released!
Now, I know of a number of history books written about Gardner and Gardnerian Wicca (for example Hesselton and Hutton), but I haven't come upon any academic books specifically regarding Gardnerianism [the Gard. way seems to be neither to confirm, nor deny, that such-and-such alledged Gardnerian info. is actually authentic, so I somehow have a hard time seeing this, myself, but I'm more than open-minded]. *G*
Oh, and I hope I didn't come upon as overly harsh re: Macha, that wasn't my intent in the least! ;o) When I said "loathe" I was trying to be very general (regardless of whom, or which academic, I just don't ike being put into the position of having to take one's word for it). So...that's what I meant when I used that word.
Take care,
Wade MacMorrighan
Chas,
First off, thanks for linking to me in your blogroll.
As for the actual topic of this post, I'm pleased to see it. First, I'm always glad to see other gun-supporting pagans. Also, that image helps pay the lie to the notion that the Supreme Court has always claimed that the Second Amendment applies only to the military or some such bizarre idea. It's never failed to amaze me that some individuals can look at the Bill of Rights and see every other use of "the people" to mean private citizens except in that one instance.
Oh, by the way, have a happy-- and safe-- Fourth of July!!!
Nice post! I too am glad to see other pagans firmly in the camp of the Free Peoples...
Be well,
Dave H.
MacRaven
http://www.haxton.org/weblog
Wade,
For an anthropological look at Gardnerian Wicca, you might start with Tanya Luhrman's Persuasions of the Witch's Craft. It's mostly about ceremonial magic groups in the UK, but there is material on a London coven as well.
Chas
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