Dianic Wicca is also known as Dianic Witchcraft, Feminist Witchcraft and Feminist Wicca.

Beliefs and practices

Dianic Wicca, Dianic Witchcraft, and Feminist Dianic Witchcraft are all common titles for the Neopagan Feminist Dianic tradition. While some Dianics self-identify as Wiccans, some prefer the term Witch or priestess of the Goddess. Dianic Wicca can be very similar to traditional Wicca in practice (see section below for a discussion of their differences), but differs significantly from it in beliefs. Most Dianic Wiccans worship the Goddess only, acknowledging that She is the source of all living and contains all within Her. There are Dianic witches who practice other forms of paganism (possibly including honoring a male deity or deities) outside of their Dianic practice. Some Dianics are monotheistic, some are polytheistic, some are non-theistic. Neopaganism or Neo-Paganism is any of a heterogeneous group of new religious movements, particularly those influenced by ancient, primarily pre-Christian and sometimes pre-Judaic religions. ... Feminism is a collection of social theories, political movements, and moral philosophies largely motivated by or concerned with the liberation of women from subordination to men. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Dianic Wicca. ... It has been suggested that Witch be merged into this article or section. ... The pentagram within a circle, a symbol of faith used by many Wiccans, sometimes called a pentacle. ... Goddess worship is a general description for the veneration of a female Goddess or goddesses. ... In theology, monotheism (Greek μόνος(monos) = single and θεός(theos) = God) is the belief in the existence of one deity or God, or in the oneness of God. ... Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple gods or deities. ... The 18th-century French author Baron dHolbach was one of the first self-described atheists. ...

Most Dianics worship in female-only circles and covens, but there are mixed-gender Dianic traditions. Eclecticism, appreciation of cultural diversity, ecological concern, and familiarity with sophisticated concepts of psyche and transformation are characteristic. Contrary to some characterizations, the majority of Dianics are heterosexual or bisexual women. A minority are lesbian, and some of these are associated with the position of lesbian separatism. Coven or covan was originally a late medieval Scots word (c1500) meaning a gathering of any kind, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. ... Lesbian separatism refers to a range of extreme positions within the feminist and gay liberation movements. ...

Many Dianic Wiccans believe that before recorded history there were widespread or universal matriarchal or matrifocal cultures which worshipped the Goddess, had matrilineal family structures, had social equality between the sexes, and did not practice war. These cultures were slowly supplanted by violent patriarchal groups; the original myths of the Great Mother and goddesses were subsumed into mythology honoring the conquerors and war gods. Dianics point to the work of influential and controversial archaeologist Marija Gimbutas. Says Utne: "UCLA archaeologist Marija Gimbutas turned historical scholarship on its head in the '70s and 80s with research that depicted peace-loving, co-operation-based Goddess-worshipping societies in ancient Europe-- which were overrun in the Neolithic era by Indo-Europeans who imposed patriarchal order. Gimbutas' vision of an earth-friendly, feminine-centered spirituality has sparked religious awakening; an estimated 400,000 Americans now declare themselves neopagans, and many more with feminist or environmentalist leanings are helping revive Goddess worship." Some Dianic Witches believe that matrifocal, Goddess-worshipping cultures existed literally, others see them as unproven but inspiring legends. Matriarchy is a form of society in which power is with the women and especially with the mothers of a community. ... Matrilineality is a system in which one belongs to ones mothers lineage. ... Patriarchy For other uses, see Patriarchy (disambiguation). ... The Great Mother manifests itself in myth as a host of archaic images. ... Marija Gimbutas by Kerbstone 52, at the back of Newgrange, Co. ...

Political action is very important to many Dianic witches; personal empowerment is important to all. The saying "the personal is political" can be taken to mean that they view their choice to be Goddess worshipers as a political statement as well as a religious choice. Some Dianics have suggested that monotheistic worship of a male god (like God in Christianity, Islam and Judaism) is particularly harmful to girls and women because if the models for perfection and goodness and authority are male, then half of the population will always be perceived as inadequate (although the same could be said if deity is "female", the essence of the dianic tradition.) This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ...

Some Dianic Wiccans as "positive path" practitioners do neither manipulative spellwork nor hexing; other Dianic witches (notably Zsuzsanna Budapest) do not consider hexing or binding of those who attack women to be wrong. The spell is a magical act intended to cause an effect on reality using supernatural means of liturgical or ritual nature. ... Look up Curse in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Zsuzsanna Budapest (b. ...

History

This religion draws on pre-Christian Roman cults of Diana, on all Goddess-centered, matrifocal traditions worldwide, on wise women and women's mysteries traditions, and on Gardnerian Wicca, but the re-birth of this religion can also be traced back to the feminist movement of the late 1960s. In 1968 a group of radical political women formed a protest organization called W.I.T.C.H. which stood for "Women's International Terrorist Conspiracy From Hell" and called themselves a coven. Although W.I.T.C.H. was almost purely a political organization, it inspired covens around the country, some of which became spiritual as well as political in nature. Soon after, Z. Budapest a hereditary witch from Hungary formed the Susan B. Anthony Coven No. 1 in California and opened the first Women's Spirituality book and magic shop called the "Feminist Wicca". Women's cultural festivals began in 1973 and became a networking organization for women interested in Dianic Wicca. Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... Diana was the equivalent in Roman mythology of the Greek Artemis (see Roman/Greek equivalency in mythology for more details). ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... W.I.T.C.H. was a feminist organisation formed America in 1968. ... Zsuzsanna Budapest (b. ... A hereditary witch is one who is born into or initiated later in life into a tradition of esoteric origin. ... Susan Brownell Anthony (February 15, 1820 – March 13, 1906) was a prominent, independent and well-educated American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century womens rights movement to secure womens suffrage in the United States. ...

Important figures (including non-Dianics)

• Zsuzsanna Budapest
• Mary Daly
• Starhawk
• Ruth Barrett is a Dianic Wiccan High Priestess in the direct lineage of Z Budapest. She was a member of the Moon Birch Grove coven before becoming the spiritual director of the Circle of Aradia in Los Angeles, from its founding in 1985 until 2000. She then moved to Wisconsin and co-founded The Temple of Diana with Falcon River.Template:Http://www.templeofdiana.org/ruth2.htm

• Doreen Valiente
• Diane Stein
• Jade River
• Marija Gimbutas
• Deanne Quarrie - Bendis, who founded the tradition of Apple Branch [1]
• Leilani Birely
• Shekhinah Mountainwater

Zsuzsanna Budapest (b. ... Mary Daly (born October 16, 1928 in Schenectady, New York) is a radical feminist theologian. ... For other uses, see Starhawk (disambiguation). ... Zsuzsanna Budapest (b. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42°30N to 47°3N  - Longitude 86°49W to 92°54W Population  Ranked... The Temple of Diana is a religious and educational organization in the Dianic Wiccan tradition of Z Budapest. ... Falcon River is a Dianic Wiccan Priestess. ... Doreen Valiente (1922 - 1999) was a co-creator of Wicca, together with Gerald Gardner. ... Diane Stein (b. ... Jade River is creator of the Womens Thealogical Institute, which offers classes related to spiritual issues, and co-founder of the Re-formed Congregation of the Goddess in Madison, Wisconsin, which calls itself the first legally incorporated tax-exempt religion serving the womens spiritual community. External links Re... Marija Gimbutas by Kerbstone 52, at the back of Newgrange, Co. ... It is proposed that this article be deleted, because of the following concern: The article appears to have been established as spam or, at best, a vanity piece. ...

Differences between the Dianic Traditions and mainstream Wicca

(Dianic Traditions is used to encompass all the many type of Dianic practice, which, as already noted, may or may not be a Wiccan tradition.)

Like other Wiccans, Dianics may form covens, attend festivals, celebrate the eight major Wiccan holidays, Samhain, Beltane, Imbolc (or Imbolg), Lammas, the solstices and equinoxes (see Wheel of the Year) and the Esbats, which are rituals held at the full moon. They use many of the same altar tools, rituals and vocabulary as other Wiccans. Dianics may also gather in more informal Circles, which implies less of a commitment. This article is about the Celtic holiday. ... This article is about the Gaelic holiday. ... Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Irish calendar, celebrated either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. ... In English-speaking countries, August 1 is Lammas Day (loaf-mass day), the festival of the first wheat harvest of the year. ... A solstice is either of the two events of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the equatorial plane. ... Illumination of the Earth by the Sun on the day of equinox, (ignoring twilight). ... In Neopaganism, the Wheel of the Year is the natural cycle of the seasons, commemorated by the eight Sabbats. ... Wiccans and many other Pagans celebrate the esbats, which are the full moons. ... Composite image of the Moon as taken by the Galileo spacecraft on 7 December 1992. ...

The most noticeable differences between the two are that Dianic covens are generally female-only while other Wiccan covens are mixed, some aiming for equal numbers of men and women, and that most Wiccans worship the God and Goddess, while Dianics generally worship the Goddess as Whole Unto Herself.

Other differences are less remarkable and may not be noticeable to an outsider. These include how power is handled within the circle or coven. Traditional Wiccan covens (particularly Gardnerian and Alexandrian) are led by a High Priest and a High Priestess who may have founded the Coven themselves after attaining second or third degree initiation in another Coven, hived off from an existing Coven that has grown too large, or have been in the coven the longest (though this is not typical in strict traditionalist Covens). They usually lead every ritual and make all decisions regarding coven management. In most Dianic covens equality and personal empowerment of all is the rule; often the position of High Priestess or ritual leader(s) rotates among the women for each Sabbat, so that every woman in the coven gets a chance to lead. Often the word 'High' is dropped within the Coven, and the word Priestess may be used more as a verb than a noun - so each woman takes turns to Priestess, rather than to 'be' Priestess. Group decision making will often be consensual rather than hierarchical. This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Alexandrian Wicca is a tradition of the Neopagan religion of Wicca, founded by Alex Sanders (also known as King of the Witches) who, with his wife Maxine Sanders, established the tradition in the 1960s. ...

While several Dianic groups do offer initiations into their tradition, many Dianic covens do not offer initiation rituals in general or "degrees", preferring a less hierarchical group practice. In traditional Wicca there is often a period of initiation (sometimes for a year or more), before advancement to more full practice, and there can be systems of 3, 5 or more degrees of rank within a coven or tradition. A person is often only considered to be Wiccan once they have undergone this initiation, and may not start their own Coven until they have reached second or third degree. Whereas, in the Dianic traditions, initiation is not required in order to be considered part of the Tradition and women are able to found their own Covens. In the drawing down the moon ritual in traditional Wiccan covens a man usually draws down the moon on a woman who assumes the role of the goddess; in Dianic covens a woman either draws down the moon on herself and shares it with all of the members of the group or each woman draws down into herself. For other uses, see Initiation (disambiguation). ... While most widely known as the title of an influential book by Margot Adler, Drawing Down The Moon is a powerful ritual now most commonly seen in Wiccan practices, although Judica Illes asserts that the ritual itself predates Wicca by centuries. ...

Openness to outsiders is another large difference between the two groups. For many years Wiccans have been very secretive about their religion, (sometimes as a safety issue as there is still much controversy about Wicca). With the formation of Dianic traditions in the 1960s, Wicca in general was thrust into the public's view. Dianics held public rallies, protests, and even were involved in court cases. Zsuzsanna Budapest took on the State of California and got the law against fortune telling overturned. These actions helped to bring Wicca in general out into the open and helped to make it more of a mainstream religion. Despite this, there has been friction between some traditional Wiccans and Dianics; some Wiccans have expressed their concern about "imbalance" in Dianic practice by invading women's groups, shutting down rituals, and denouncing Dianic practitioners. [Adler 1979 pp.206, 211; Budapest p178ff] Most pagans are now much more respectful of each other, and consider such behavior extremely inappropriate. Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

Because of the political stance of many Dianic Witches, their celebrations often include Goddesses and traditions from Third World countries or underprivileged groups in industrialised nations, whereas mainstream Wicca has a tendency toward Euro-centrism, e.g. Celtic, Classical and Asatru deities. Mawu, Yemaya and Ix-Chel (from Mayan mythology) are examples of non-European Goddesses popular with Dianics. In Dahomey mythology, Mahu (alternately: Mawu) is a creator goddess, associated with the sun and moon. ... In Yorùbá mythology, Yemaja is a mother goddess; patron deity of women, especially pregnant women; and the Ogun river (the waters of which are said to cure infertility). ...

References

• Interview with Starhawk in Modern Pagans: An Investigation of Contemporary Pagan Practices, ed. V. Vale and John Sulak, Re/Search, San Francisco, 2001, ISBN 1-889307-10-6.

• Adler, Margot. Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today. Boston: Beacon press, 1979; 1986. ISBN 0-8070-3237-9. Especially "Ch 8: Women, Feminism , and the Craft".

• Budapest, Zsuzsanna. Holy Book of Women's Mysteries, The. 1980 (2003 electronic). ISBN 0-914728-67-9.

• www.witchvox.com articles on Dianic Traition, Dianic Wicca, MacFarland Dianic Tradition, and (for a non-friendly pagan reaction to women-centric paganism) http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usnv&c=words&id=10792.

• On Starhawk, the Reclaiming Tradition and feminism, M. Macha NightMare http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usca&c=trads&id=3212. (A better citation from one of her or Starhawk's books will be provided in time.)

• Ochshorn, Judith and Cole, Ellen. Women's Spirituality, Women's Lives. Haworth Press 1995. ISBN-10: 1560247223. pp 122 & 133 referring to Z Budapest, Diane Stein, and Shekinah Mountainwater among others in a discussion of Dianic Witchcraft.

See also

• Goddess movement
• Dianic tradition
• Sacred feminine
• Feminist spirituality
• Spiritual feminism
• Apple Branch

The contemporary Goddess movement emerged as part of the re-emergence of spirituality in the late 1960s and as a recognition of the need for the worship of the Great Goddess to emerge into the mainstream rather than be confined to the status of a mystery religion, or limited to... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Dianic Wicca. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with goddess. ... Feminist spirituality is a class of religious beliefs in which certain feminist ideas play an important role. ... Spiritual feminism is a branch of feminism that focuses on: Goddess, or the Divine Feminine womens religions women in religious leadership religious thought from a feminist perspective the religious and spiritual needs of women See also God and gender Goddess movement Goddess worship Feminist spirituality Categories: | | | | ... It is proposed that this article be deleted, because of the following concern: The article appears to have been established as spam or, at best, a vanity piece. ...

External links

• Sanctuary of the Crescent Moon
• Circle of Aradia
• Dianic Cosmology
• Dianic Wiccan Tradition
• Re-Formed Congregation of the Goddess, International
• Temple of Diana
• Z Budapest
• Flash Silvermoon
• House of the Goddess (Center for Pagan Wombyn)
• The Blue Roebuck
• Daughters of the Goddess
• House of the Goddess (Center for Pagan Wombyn) mirror
• Of Witches, Moons and Sacred Places
• A site dedicated to Marija Gimbutus
• A movie about the work of Marija Gimbutas (Macromedia Flash format)
• The Lotus Garden
• Daughters of the Moon, a feminist tarot deck
• The Wise Woman's Tarot, a matriarchal, multicultural deck