Seax Wica

[brandra]

The father of Seax Wica is undoubtedly the well-known occultist and author Raymond Buckland. The tradition itself being brought about in the early 70`s, was in response to the growing number of spurious covens at the time practicing their one-oneupmanship and elitist degree systems. Secrecy meant power and power was everything. The craft needed to develop beyond ego trips and self-gratification into a bone-fide religion, which did away with an oath of secrecy and became democratic and enjoyable. Seax Wica is just that, allowing all to have a relationship with the God and Goddess. With access to the mysteries and kinship with all, "Love is the law, Love is the bond".

In a Seax Coven until you have been initiated you would be termed a Ceorl (pron-cawl) you would spend time with the other members of the Coven learning all you could before you were ready for your intuition.

As you neared the date it is advisable to make or obtain a robe of some description, (British weather being what it is skyclad is, for the most part not exactly practical) or even an item of clothing that can be discarded into the fire marking your transition from Ceorl to Gesith (Priest or Priestess of Seax)

During your initiation an oath is made;
"As this libation drains from the horn, so shall all blood drain from my body if I should do aught to harm my God and Goddess or those in kinship with their love"


The founder of Seax Wica sent this message to the tradition as a whole last year.
A word from Raymond Buckland
18/01/2005



Gerald Gardner found that there was much wanting, when he went through the Book of Shadows of the Clutterbuck coven. Things had crept-in over the years which did not belong there (or so Gerald felt) and things had got left out which he thought should have been there. So, with the help of Doreen Valiente, he put together his own Book of Shadows, based on that original. The Gardnerian BOS, therefore, is no older than fifty years in its generally accepted form.
I carried the torch for Gerald (at his request) to the United States. In my turn, after following the Gardnerian path for over a decade, I became somewhat unhappy with the Gardnerian Book. I consequently put together THE TREE, the Seax-Wica "BOS." I felt very strongly that Gerald would have approved of it (He and I had a tremendous amount in common.).
The Seax-Wica is now over thirty years old; far older than many - if not most - other "traditions". It is found around the world: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, Russia, Europe and the United States. I am extremely proud of it and of its followers. They are all what I would term "thinking people" - they don't just accept what is handed to them but think things through and either accept or reject. That is, or should be, the true Wica way. I like to think it was also the Saxon way, but I'd be the first to admit I'm no Saxon scholar! It gives me great joy to see new Covens, Solitaries, Moots, and simply discussion groups of Seax-Wica come into being. I give my full blessings to any such.
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OK my view now
I started in Seax Wica 21 years ago I don't think that I can claim to still be Seax but I still have roots there and I am always welcome with them.

Seax has a number of advantages over other traditions,
firstly it is not a ridged follow me tradition.

It is democratic when in coven form the priesthood serve only for a year and a day the there has to be elections some covens make the rule that the existing priest and priestess cannot stand for two consecrative terms.
Seax is based as much on sun cycles as it is moon orientated there is no triple goddess aspect the time of the goddess is summer the growing season protector of the young and giver of life. The time of the god is winter the hunter and worrier protector.
The two are equal as are the high Priest and Priestess ether one can take a coven meeting or Esbat without the other. this is not so in many Wicca traditions the the high Priestess can take a meeting but the high Priest cannot.
One possible drawback with the democratic system is you can have a weak priesthood and a lack of continuity where with an autocratic system there is the danger of the priesthood power tripping I have seen this happen to.

[fenrir]

Good post Pete, Me my wife to be and sister are all Seax Wica.
My greatest love of the Seax Wica tradition is that it isn't written in stone, in a sense you adapt and change things to suit your needs or the needs of the coven.
I can see what you mean by a lack of continuity but I believe this can be dealt with.
The fact that Seax Wica does recognize solitaries is also a strength as most traditions don't.
Its important to remember some people just can't get to a coven or don't want to and should be able to practice solitary if they wish.

Fenrir

[brandra]

Hi Lee I think that the possibility of lack of continuity has fours and against sometimes new ideas can be like a breath of fresh air and can strengthen a covens bonds so long as the people are there to lead. Personally I am happy to support rather than lead but I will lead if required to do.
I think one of the most important aspects of Seax is that all who are able and want it can have their chance.
I can for see times when there would be no one able to take over the priesthood, this is where problems could arise, I think more likely in a young coven.
If you measure that against Alexandrian/Gardinarian traditions having High priest and priestess in the position where they are there for years and stifle new ideas.

[Wulfcwen]

I am a Solitary by choice, I prefer to work alone and as such I found most traditions frowned on the solitary.
Self dedication was not accepted and I was often told that I was not doing things right as I was not taught by a Coven.
My reasoning was and is there has always been solitaries and they self dedicated at some point.

Seax Wica accepts those of us who are Solitary and that is so refreshing, not that it stopped me when others said I was not doing thing correctly. I ask questions and think for myself and act accordingly. I work from the heart and do what I feel is right. I work along guide lines and learn as I go along.

Personaly I have always seen the God and Goddess as equal, so this is not a new concept for me. I have Self Dedicated to the Seax Wica path and find a joy in having done so.
I work in the home and feel this is the path I was meant to be on.

I am taking a course in Seax Wica and find it enjoyable and have realised this is for me. It may not be for everyone but I feel at home with Seax Wica.

[brandra]

Hi Wulfcwen I think that Seax has the promise of a really progressive tradition, able to move forward without being trapped in already out modded dogma, you have made a good choice and I am sure it will help you along your path.

[Wulfcwen]

I am sure it is the way forward and personaly I have never liked being told what I have to do.
I am happy to be guided and taught and willing to learn but I also like to have some input with things as well.
Dogma is not for me.

As my parents ran Hostels for Displaced Persons (DP's) I grew up with people who had survived death and concentration camps. They came from many religions and as a child I learnt about them along with my Mother's religion, she was a Catholic, my Father's family religion, Methodist and Church of England. I soon learnt that this was not for me.
I found that I had a link to nature and followed my own path even then.
I was to find out a while back that my Father was a Witch and that my mother had burnt his books and his BOS after he had died.
Now I understand the things he was talking about and why he was drawn to his path.
He was Gardnerian from what I have been told about his books he had. He also had his own BOS and from what my brother said, it contained things that he had decided he wanted to do that were different. ( Mum caught him reading what she called Satanic books and burnt them)
So my Father was a bit of a rebel as well. It seems to run in the family. I think he would be pleased somehow.

[vermindaspirit]

Oh Wulfcwen, isn't that a shame that his BOS was burnt after his death, imagine what you may have learnt about your father and yourself, if it had been handed down to you...

I agree, your father would be very proud of you... ;D

[Wulfcwen]

It certainly is a pity that my Father's BOS was burnt I would have loved to seen it.
He taught me a lot about nature though and we would often go for walks over the fields especially at the weekend early in the morning gathering mushrooms.

It was my Father who told me I had a gift for feeling things and not to be afraid when I saw things as well. You see I was learn in my 30's that his mother and grandmother were witches to. They kept it quiet in the family and many never knew. My half sister said that our Grandmother was known for her herbal remedies and people would go to her for help.

I just wish he had said something when I was reading books in the library in secret and keeping an exercise book full of notes about what I had learnt. Again my Mum burnt my stuff when I left home, she had a thing about burning what she thought was rubbish. Oh well never mind I can keep all the things I want to now without worrying about them being destroyed.

[brandra]

I watched a program today Meet the ancestors, they discovered the grave of a Saxon worrier complete with his horse and weapons. when they xrayed the sword they found that it had been made in a very spacial way. They attempted to recreate it, the sword was made with a soft metal core and steel twisted and fire welded around it, this is a very skillful method and the sword would be as good if not better than a samurai sword such was the skill of the Saxon blacksmith.
When you hear how great the Japanese samurai is remember it was the Saxons who did it first and are the masters