Chapter 2 : What is a Witch?

Tuesday, September 6th 2016

                                                      Chapter 2 : What Is A Witch?

Aleister Crowley

I learned that anyone can be a witch, Witchcraft is a practice. The Knowledge of herbs, crystals, and healing was a norm for witches or a wise village person.

Gerald Gardner

(1884-1964)

An English civil servant, amateur anthropologist, writer, and occultist. He was the instrumental founding in wicca and neopaganism. Dubbed by press as " Britain's Chief Witch " and described by others as the " Father of Modern Wicca". He was initiated into the New Forest Coven which was a continuation of European Paganism. Coven leader was Dorothy Clutterbuck " Old Dorothy" under his craft name "Scrine" he published many books. He later was initiated into Aleister Crowley's coven " Ordo Templi Orientis" Crowley was originally in the first covens of New Forest. After the repeal of witchcraft laws in England (1951) he started his own coven and met Doreen Valiente and initiated her into his coven. She became his greatest asset. She helped him expand his book of shadows as well as helped him weed out all of Crowley's blackened material and put more emphasis on Goddess worship. Ultimately establishing a new working practice and coherent system known as today's leading wicca traditions ( Garderian Wicca) .

Doreen Valiente

(1922-1999)

A member and later high priestess of an early wiccan coven, led by Gerald Gardner. She is referred to as " Mother of Modern Witchcraft". Unlike Gardner she believed in Secrecy of the Covens. She also believed that the future of paganism and neo-paganism lies in feminism and environmentalism. Born as Doreen Edith Dominy in South London 1/4/1922. She was the daughter of christian parents. Convinced at an early age she possessed magick. She experienced her first spiritual contact staring at the moon ( Age 7) Then began practicing simple magick at 13. Her parents were not happy and sent her to a convent at 15, She became more aware of her psychic abilities and began to study occult material including Charles Godfrey Leland, Aleister Crowley, and Margret Murray. Her craft name Ameth. She helped formulate the wiccan rede.