Traditon Renewed

Witchcraft: A Tradition Renewed by Doreen Valiente
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Doreen Valiente is a pioneer when it comes to Witchcraft. She got started with Gerald Gardener and Wicca and then moved on to join up with Robert Cochrane and the Clan of Tubal Caine. This book, however is not authored by Doreen Valiente but rather it is authored Evan John Jones. Valiente wrote the forward. Evan John Jones wrote a book about the Clan of Tubal Caine Witchcraft and made the teaching of Robert Cochrane available to the masses. Some Witches may decree this openness but he sees it as being the right time to reveal information so others can approach the Goddess and the Old Gods. It must be noted that not everything is revealed. Several things are held back as the reserve for the intitiate.

Old Witch Craft or Tubal Caine is not the light airy Wicca that everyone is used to. This is primal stuff with none of the modern unpleasantness edited out. No there is no human or animal sacrifice involved although that was a motif in the old days. And speaking of old day. The author straight up informs the reader that what he is practicing is not the old witchcraft unaltered for centuries. Witchcraft has indeed evolved it has had to. Much has been lost due to persecutions and being forced to stay hidden. Religions also have to evolve. What is practiced is based on the old ways.

What is presented in the book will give anyone without access to a coven the ability to start practicing and enough knowledge to start their own working group or coven. After giving a philosophical over view of the craft the coven positions. They are as follows the lady, North, South, East, West, the man in black, the summoner and the hierarchy of membership . Within the Clan of Tubal Caine there are several oaths. There is the initiation oath upon entering the coven and then after a year and a day the initiate takes the full oath. Officers take oaths as does the lady. The Lady is the leader of the coven and of the clan. The clan consists of many covens. He time in office lasts for seven years.

Regalia for both the individual and coven are discussed in the book as well as how to cleanse and consecrate them. The working tool for the individual are the knife, cord, and stang. For the coven they are the coven knife,cup, stangs,besom, cauldron and skull. There are even directions on how to prepare the stangs for ritual use. At the final chapter the method of circle construction is explained as well. The four great Sabbats Candlemas (February) , May Eve (April 30th), Lammas (August 1) and Halloween ( October 31)

If there is a great short book in getting started in the Ancient Craft then this is the one.Excellent read go and get it.

View all my reviews