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What a beautiful representation of the God…simply amazing! Does anyone knows the author of this photo?
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Fascinating and somewhat lengthy read. I’m really enjoying my recent (and somewhat obsessive) foray into research of Traditional Craft. Here’s a little excerpt from the interview:
THREE HANDS PRESS: Twentieth-century occultism witnessed a surfacing of various public claims to an historical witch-cult in England and North America, some with greater veracity than others. One of these is the so-called Traditional Witchcraft or Old Craft, the subject of your new book Children of Cain. From your own exposure to numerous types of Old Craft, what criteria tend to define it, and separate it from other forms of magic and folk-belief?
MICHAEL HOWARD: In my opinion the Traditional Craft can be defined by the fact it combines various magical systems and beliefs and ways of working magic that range from the primitive to the sophisticated - so-called ‘low magic’ with ‘high magic’. For example one finds the use of poppets for healing and cursing and the practice of fertility magic alongside a gnostic belief system offering the promise of spiritual salvation and enlightenment.
This is summarized by some comments made by one of the modern traditional witches who feature in my book, Robert Cochrane, discussing his great-grandfather in a letter to Robert Graves. Cochrane said that the Warwickshire and Staffordshire witches led by his forbear were not interested in attaining mystical states. Instead they practised magic for more basic reasons such as good crops, healthy children and the power to strike back at their oppressors. Of course there were and are many traditional covines who worked magically for both ends. In that respect there are examples of middle-class occultists working magically with rural witches that prove the point.
THP: We are now witnessing the usage of such terms as ‘Traditional Wicca’, which many initiates view as an oxymoron. Do you think there has been an attempt by various magical groups to blur the lines of definition or appropriate the outer trappings of Traditional Witchcraft, and if so, why?
MH: I’m not sure that Wiccans are deliberately trying to “appropriate the outer trappings of traditional witchcraft” and I see no conspiracy here. Nevertheless the use of such terms as ‘Traditional Wicca’ or ‘British Traditional Witchcraft’ has certainly blurred the lines of definition. From what I can tell the term British Traditional Witchcraft was first used in the United States to define and identify those lineages of modern neo-pagan witchcraft originating with Gerald Gardner, Alex Sanders and their followers. These were established lineages with a hierarchical priestly structure and a formal initiation with several degrees or grades. By using the term ‘Traditional Wicca’ or ‘British Traditional Witchcraft’ their followers were separating it from the more recent eclectic forms of ‘New Age Wicca’ and traditions such as solitary witchcraft and ‘hedgewitches’ or ‘kitchen witches’. Obviously this has caused confusion between traditional non-Wiccan witches and Wiccans…
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In the Circle is intended to be a place where texts and talks go together. Questions and Answers, articles and things of interest about Traditional Wicca.
Nekromanteion - One of the underground tunnels of the Necromanteion, through which pilgrims would walk. The Nekromanteion was an ancient Greek temple of necromancy devoted to Hades and Persephone. According to tradition, it was located on the banks of the Acheron river in Epirus, near the ancient city of Ephyra. This site was believed by devotees to be the door to Hades, the realm of the dead. The site is at the meeting point of the Acheron, Pyriphlegethon and Cocytus rivers, believed to flow through and water the kingdom of Hades. The meaning of the names of the rivers has been interpreted to be “joyless,” “burning coals” and “lament.”
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I have seen a couple of definitions and texts about what Alexandrian Witchcraft is and who Alex Sanders was. Most of the texts are inaccurate and wrong with respect to facts and history of the Tradition. I am publishing here a text by Jimahl di Fiosa, High Priest and Elder of the Alexandrian Tradition - the biography of Alex Sanders.
Jimahld di Fiosa published some books about the Alexandrian Tradition of Witchcraft, including Alex Sanders latest biography “A Coin for the Ferryman - the Death and Life of Alex Sanders.”
There is no need for inaccuracy and mistakes at this point. Here’s the text.
Alex Sanders Biography
by Jimahl di Fiosa. 2011(c)All Rights Reseved.
Alex Sanders, “King of the Witches,” was born in Liverpool, England on June 6, 1926. He was the eldest child of Harold Carter and Hannah Bibby. Harold was married at the time and was unable to pass his proper surname to his new son. Consequently, he and Hannah picked the name “Sanders” from a phone book and went about creating a large family together. Little is known of Alex’s early years. It would seem by later accounts that Alex was somewhat of the “black sheep” of the family.
The principal influence in Alex’s young life was his maternal grandmother, known in popular media as Mary Bibby. She lived in North Wales and Alex went to stay with her for a period of time when he was a child. Mrs. Bibby apparently had hereditary ties to Welsh Witchcraft and was known to many as the village “wise woman.”
Alex insisted that she was a witch and would later tell the story of how he went round to her house for tea in his seventh year and found her standing naked in the middle of a magic circle. According to Alex, the result of this impertinent discovery was that she initiated him into Witchcraft on the spot and proceeded over several years to teach him the ways of Welsh magic. While many have been inclined to dispute the “grandmother story,” this writer considers such debates to be purely academic. Additionally, some recent scholarly evidence has surfaced which lends credence to the connection between Alex’s grandmother and hereditary Welsh magic , taking some wind out of the sails of the detractors who for whatever reason have been heretofore determined to punch holes in Alex’s firsthand account of his early introduction to the Arts Magical.
The lessons learned from his grandmother were well learned and Alex devoted his life to building upon the magical foundation laid early in life by the elderly Mrs. Bibby. In the 1950s, Alex was well known throughout the Manchester England area as a healer, psychic, and trance medium.
In the early 1960s, Alex was initiated into Gardnerian Witchcraft, a contemporary form of Witchcraft made popular through the work of British witch, Gerald Gardner. Differences in opinion between Alex and other prominent Gardnerians of the time, created a schism and Alex branched off to form what would later become known as the “Alexandrian tradition” of Witchcraft. The Alexandrian tradition, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Gardnerian tradition, is one of the major branches of Wicca today. Although it is generally thought that the name of the tradition is derived from “Alex”, it is believed that it was named instead after Alexandria, the ancient city of learning.
Alex Sanders met Maxine Morris in the mid 1960’s and it was a match well made. As High Priest and High Priestess, the couple went on to initiate and train hundreds of witches throughout the British Isles and around the world. In late 1960 Alex and Maxine moved to London where they would later marry and celebrate the births of their two children, Maya and Victor.
The 1960s were a decade of social change and revolution on many levels. Witchcraft provided an alternative to established religious practices and interested people of all ages and backgrounds found their way to the London Coven seeking counsel, teaching, and initiation. The media loved Alex and Maxine and once the publicity machine roared into gear, the couple found it impossible to escape attention wherever they went. Several high profile publicity opportunities presented themselves to the couple in a short period of time which further catapulted them into a worldwide spotlight. The first was a very early biography of Alex entitled “King of the Witches” by June Johns (1969 Pan Books), followed closely by a documentary film, “Legend of the Witches” (1969), a vinyl recording of actual witchcraft ceremonies on the A&M record label called “A Witch is Born”(1970), and a non-fiction account of the work of the London coven entitled “What Witches Do, a Modern Coven Revealed” by a well- known journalist named Stewart Farrar (1971.)
The basic tenets of Alexandrian Witchcraft are very similar to other branches of Wicca. However, the emphasis in the Alexandrian tradition has always been on the quality of training. Alexandrian covens are considered to be autonomous and each is encouraged to contribute to the basic body of lore passed down from Alex. While core principles and beliefs are shared by Alexandrian covens, specific rituals and training techniques may vary from coven to coven. For example one coven may exhibit a proclivity toward ceremonial magic while another might have expertise in the working of spells. The basic core practices of the Alexandrian tradition include but are not limited to the worship of both the God and Goddess, the use of a “Book of Shadows” which is passed by hand of write from initiator to initiate, a sincere and unapologetic belief in magic of all types, the awareness of the unseen spirit world, a working relationship with the elemental forces of nature, the effectiveness of spells, the transformative power of ritual, cross gender initiations, and perhaps most importantly the acceptance of personal responsibility for all actions taken within the Art Magical. The rituals of the Alexandrian tradition are enacted within a consecrated magic circle. These Rites are usually officiated by a High Priest or High Priestess or both. Alexandrian covens may consist of an unlimited number of witches. They may have as few as three (two coven leaders and one other member) or as many members as the group feels is appropriate. A full coven is generally believed to contain between seven and thirteen witches.
Although Alex and Maxine separated in 1974, both individuals remained active as Elders of the Craft. Maxine remained in London, while Alex found a new home in Sussex where he lived until his death on May Eve 1988.
Jimahl di Fiosa 2011(c)All Rights Reseved.
This text cannot be reproduced or copied to another place or site without permission of the author.