Today's Alexandrian Witchcraft Tradition

The power of the circle is still as fresh and exhilarating as it was sixty-two years ago. The Alexandrian practice has changed, refined and been honed to present-day energy, which has evolved dramatically since the sixties.

After empty rituals and pretty reenactments were tested and found wanting, meaningful rituals were introduced after much practice and experimentation, creating room for today’s power circles — pure, rhythmic lines of ceremony designed to enhance our understanding and experiences of energy, movement, and magic. Of course, the wildness of the dance will always be one of the ways of magic; reenactments remind us of legends of our mystery religion when appropriate. Pretty ritual has its place in certain ceremonies; Handfastings, Wiccanings and even the ‘Sending forth rite.’ Emotion and romance help us grieve, celebrate, and learn through the various aspects of our rituals. Once understood, the honing intensifies on all levels of magical practice.

Nothing involving humanity stays pure for long, and Witchcraft ritual is no exception. Where there is power, there is always ego, which is fine when used to enhance the magic; indeed, there are many rituals we would steer clear of without the magical ego.

The corrupt ego I am referring to is that of the individual who wants to have a following, adoration and respect. This brings me to the introduction of lines; whoever was responsible for their creation had an enormous ego. Why couldn’t they be happy with a tradition? Because they wanted a following whilst holding on to a magical practice that works! Lines have caused many problems; yes, they make so-called vouching possible, but the old way of asking the right question is far more reliable and avoids the problem of vouchers not being available, which does happen. The question is so simple, yet many knowledgeable initiates have to think carefully before answering. Lines and vouching lack the finesse of the witch and make a nonsense of autonomy.

Autonomy gives us the freedom to practice and develop our own way whilst keeping to the basics of our traditional circle practice; no two covens are the same, and yet when they meet at a grand sabbat, we recognise those foundations that have enabled us to develop without the bonds of measures and far too much scourging.

The success of the Craft has been the downfall of many circles due to the lack of good teachers, who are few and far between. When a good teacher emerges, it’s wise to take advantage, as many don’t last long due to the unfortunate emergence of that potent false ego. This is challenging but not impossible to avoid. If it is not avoided, the student will eventually sense the change within the teacher and rebel. This is so common and one of the reasons for this article.

Today, many covens call themselves family, which is ok for some. Interestingly, bad cult leaders of the past have referred to their following as family and, more often than not, have come to an unhealthy end that has hurt many.

The circle is a created sacred place where we meet to worship the God and Goddess. Out of the worship comes the magic. Worship changes our consciousness, and as a group, we use that shift in energy to work the magic. The bond between us inside that circle is intense, as we have shared an essence that is rarely experienced elsewhere. That bond does not make us a family, even though we are called the ‘hidden children of the Goddess’ and refer to each other as brothers and sisters of the Craft. We are not a traditional family in the sense of siblings. ‘Familiarity breeds contempt.’ When a teacher who is not from your coven tells you that you are not allowed to do something, or you are told to do something that makes you uncomfortable, it’s wise to ask why. Their reasoning has to be sensible. Perfect love and trust are questionable when rules are imposed without good reason.

We are initiated priests and priestesses practising our art in an autonomous coven where it is wise to maintain good rather than common sense.

Good teachers of the Craft are rare, and when they do emerge, we respect them for their teaching ability. Teaching the ways of the Craft is like a love affair; you fall in love with your pupils’ learning. The good teacher has the ability to transmit the sense of magic while making their pupils aware of their spiritual responsibilities. Teaching can be addictive, and it’s at this point that self-analysis becomes crucial.

The good teacher earns respect.