Paganistan: Notes from the Secret Commonwealth
In Which One Midwest Man-in-Black Confers, Converses & Otherwise Hob-Nobs with his Fellow Hob-Men (& -Women) Concerning the Sundry Ways of the Famed but Ill-Starred Tribe of Witches.
On the Dangers of 'Denominationalism' in the Craft
“She hath a grip of all the Craft.”
(Andrew Mann, of the Queen of Elfhame [1591])
“Tradition” is Witch for “denomination.”
For its own good reasons, the collective intuition of the modern Craft has seen fit—you'll pardon the expression—to organize itself into various Traditions.
Some among us strongly identify with a particular Tradition; some of us define ourselves by our Tradition.
There's nothing wrong with that. In some ways, this constitutes a strength.
But there's a difference between letting ourselves be defined by a given Tradition, and letting ourselves be limited by that Tradition.
The Craft is, always has been, and always will be, bigger than any given Tradition.
Were there no witches before Tradition X? Nonsense. There have always been witches. There were witches before there were Traditions. Traditions are made for witches, not witches for Traditions.
The Craft is more than the sum of its Traditions.
No Tradition embodies the fullness of the Craft.
If you're more Tradition X than Craft, you're in trouble, Tradition X is in trouble, and the Craft is in trouble.
For gods' sakes, don't let your Trad delimit you.
By the Horns of yonder Moon, I implore you.
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Huzzah! From Macha, Witch at Large