Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca
Gardnerian Wicca
Gardnerian Wicca is an initiatory mystery Tradition (or branch) of Witchcraft named after Gerald Brosseau Gardner, who claimed to have been initiated into a traditional Witch coven in the New Forest region of England in 1939. Finding the rituals fragmentary, he rewrote them with the help of Doreen Valiente, one of his initiates, resulting in the present Wiccan form.
Gardnerian Witches see the Divine as immanent in Nature and personified as the God and Goddess, who appear in many forms. They celebrate the turning of the year through eight seasonal festivals known as sabbats, and hold coven meetings, called esbats, for worship, magical working and coven business during the full moon.
This Tradition has three degrees of initiation that are normally passed on from man to woman, and woman to man.
The first degree confers initiation into the Tradition, and usually into a coven. A first-degree initiate receives the titles of Priest or Priestess and Witch.
At second degree, the initiate becomes a High Priest or High Priestess and is now able to lead rituals and teach. In some lines, second-degree initiates may hive off to form their own covens.
Third degree is attained by those who have achieved a certain level of spiritual growth and seniority in the Tradition.
The standards for these degrees can vary from coven to coven. Gardnerian covens, which are autonomous, are usually led by a High Priestess and High Priest.
Gardnerians follow the Wiccan Rede, “An it harm none, do what ye will”
Gerald Brosseau Gardner
Doreen Valiente
Alexandrian Wicca
Founded by Alex and Maxine Sanders, Alexandrian Wicca is a tradition that is closely related to, and greatly resembles Gardnerian Wicca. Both traditions are similar in ritual practice, theology, and coven structure.
Where a difference may lie is that Alexandrian Wicca tends to be more formal, and tends to contain more ceremonial elements in its rituals, although even this may vary from coven to coven. Otherwise, very little difference exists between these two traditions, and many people today consider Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca to be two branches of the same Tradition.
Alex Sanders claimed to have been initiated by his grandmother when he was seven, but it has since become fairly well established that he was initiated into Gardnerian Wicca at a later date, though by whom remains uncertain. Always a flamboyant character, Alex’s personality has remained stamped on the tradition that bears his name.
Alex and Maxine Sanders
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