W

L e s s o n O ne: An Introduc tion toWic c a

THEDIANICTRADITION

ARESEARCHPROJECT A.Ashlea/Mellatrix December2011

APreface
WhyIchosetostudyDianicWicca: WhenIsawthatthefirstresearchactivitywastofindabranchofWiccaandpresentanessayonit,Iwasveryexcitedto begin.Ofcourse,beingacompletebeginner,IwasinterestedineverybranchofWicca!Ihadinitiallyplannedtostudy theAlgardtradition,foundedbyMaryNesnickasasyncretisationoftheGardneriantraditionandtheAlexandrian tradition.Aftersometimestudyingthistradition,however,Icametotheconclusionthatmyresearchprojectwould tendtowardbeingaprojectonBritishTraditionalWicca,asthereislittletonoinformationinpublicdomainonAlgard WiccawhichisntsimplytherefeedingofthesamefewfactsaboutNesnickandthetechnicaloriginsofAlgardWicca. Idecided,eventually,tolookforstockphotographytoincludeinmyresearchprojectratherthanstrikingoutand attemptingtofindtheperfecttraditiontoresearchrightoffthebat.OnceIfoundanappropriateimage,IdecidedthatI wouldtrytonetworkbacktofindatraditionthatIcouldeasilyassociatewiththatimage.ItwaswhenIfoundthecover imageforthisassignmentthatIdecideduponDianicWicca.Theimageofawomaninflowinggarbagainstseaand moodysky,staffinhandandarmsoutreached,spokevolumesofpowerandmagictome.ItwasthenthatIrecalledthe lessonsmentionofDianicWicca,afeministtradition. IimmediatelyplacedthisstockimageintomyassignmentscoverpageandbegantoresearchDianicWicca.WhatI foundamazedmeenoughtocausemetowanttowriteanentireessayonit:thefounderherselfhasarichand passionateplethoraofinformationontheinternet,andthetraditionitselfisasfascinatingasitiscomplex,becauseIfind feminismcomplexandIfindfeminismbeautifulandIfeelthatreligionandfeminismhavetherighttobeautifullyand passionatelycomplementeachother. IdontagreeentirelywiththepremiseofDianicWicca.IthinkthatDianicWiccaisaboutninetypercentalignedwith whatIfeeltobeanappropriatemessageforafeministreligion,butIfeelthatitpushesissuestotheirextremes.Thiswas anotherstrongreasonformetochoosetostudyDianicWiccaformyresearchproject:IknowthatImaffectedgreatlyby modernculture,bythesubtly(andsometimesnotsosubtly)effectivepatriarchywhichpervadesmostfacetsofmylife asayoung,cisgenderfemalelivinginAustralia. IfeelthatperhapstheresapossibilitythatDianicWicca,inandofitself,isntsoextremeafterallthatitssimplyan extreme(andextremelynecessary)responsetoanextremelypatriarchalsociety.Itsmademewanttoresearchitbecause itsmademewanttogainanewandbeautifulunderstandingoffeminism.Itsmademewanttochallengemyselfto throwofftheshacklesofpatriarchalraising,ofsexistmedia,advertising,payratesandprofessions,andtolearnto understandtheprincipleofareligioncomprisedofonehundredpercentbinarywomen. Idontknowwhatasocietyofwomenwouldbelike.That,ultimately,ismyreasonforchoosingtostudyDianicWicca. Whenallissaidanddone,IamawomanandIwanttoknowwhatitwouldbeliketobeinafemaledominated environment.DianicWiccaprovidesthat,andwhilstImayfeelthattheyprovideitalittletoostrongly,Iamwillingto supposethatitmaywellbemyupbringingcausingmetothinkthat,soIamstudyingDianicWiccatolearnofthe beautifulreligionofpowerfulgoddesswomen.

MagickaSchool 1

ResearchProject

WhatisDianicWicca?
TheCoreofDianicWicca GrandmotherSpiderisweavingherwebtobringtogetherallsisterswhohearthecalling,withinwhosebosom theancientselfbeckonsareturn.Wherewomencanfreelycelebratetheshiningfemaleaspectsofreligionand theology,ofsisterhoodandsharedexperience,ofdanceandritual.Forheretherebewitches! - ZsuzsannaEmeseBudapest,http://www.zbudapest.com DianicWiccaisamysterytradition,thecoreofwhichisgoddessworshipandwomensmysteries.DianicWiccaisa traditioninwhichwomenarecalledtoworshiptheDivineFeminineandviewallthingsasextendingfromthisDivine Feminine;thisisareligioncentredaroundaDivineFemininebeingraisedaboveallelse,includingtheDivine Masculine.TheCoreofDianicWiccaisloveoftheGoddess.

TheGoddess DianicWiccanshonourtheDivineFeminine,butingeneraltheydonothaveaPatronGoddess.DianicWiccansare askedtoavoidpledgingtheirservicestooneindividualGoddess,astheybelievethatallGoddessesareoneGoddess, theeternalDivinelyFeminineforcemanifestingHerselfinoneofmanyguisestoaide.DianicWiccaproposesthat everything,eveneverywoman,isanaspectoftheGoddess.DianicWiccanshaveabeautiful,lovingrelationshipwith theGoddess,theofficialwebsite(zbudapest.com)statingthat[t]heGoddessisallwomenwithoutexception.Sheis onemightyforce,allinclusive,allmother. DianicWiccansrecogniseMotherNatureastheGoddess,andunderstandandexpectthatpeoplewillbreakherdownor syncretiseherinordertounderstandher,andsoDianicWiccanstendtobreaktheGoddessdownintothefacetswhich representtheirownstagesinlife:maiden,motherandcrone.ThemostcommonGoddesses(orGoddessaspects)which DianicWiccanstendtoworkwitharetheMaidensDiana,Artemis,LunaandAthena;theMothersHera,Juno,Minerva, NuQuaandKwanYinandtheCronesHecate,Magera,KaliandInnanna. TheDianicMembershipSystem ZBudapeststatesthataDianicWiccanisawomanwhoworshipstheGoddessinhermanyguises.(zbudapest.com) BecomingaDianicWitchbeginswithTheJourney,whichseemstobearetreatconductedbyZBudapestherselfin whichsheteacheswomenaboutDianicWicca,beginningwiththebasicsandextendingfromthere.DianicWiccaonly acceptswomenasmembers,andthesewomenmustbecisgender,binarywomen.Womenbornasmenarenot permittedtojointheDianicsystem,noraremenbornasmenormenbornaswomen.Itisatraditionwhichappearsto requireeitherattendanceinpersonataworkshoporpaidattendanceinanonlineschooltobecomeaninitiatedmember, thoughasfarasthisstudentseyescansee,adetailingofthemembershiplevelsandrequirementsisnotpresented

MagickaSchool 2

ResearchProject

anywhereonZBudapestswebsite;whetherthisisbecausethisstudenthasbadeyesorbecauseDianicWiccaisa mysterytradition,shecantsay.

DianicLiterature ZBudapesthaswrittenmuchliteratureaboutherowntradition,allofwhichareavailableonherwebsiteandpresented astextbooksinthefaith.Thisstudentcantaffordtobuyanynewbooksrightnowbecauseshehasafewbillstoget throughandhasmissedalotofworklately(andshemayormayhavealreadysplurgedonsomeotherWiccanbooks!), soshecouldntgetaholdononeofthesebookstoreadthrough. TheHolyBookofWomensMysteriesbyZBudapest(availablethroughAmazonfromUSD$0.23) TheHolyBookofWomensMysteriesisessentialforpagans,feministsandwomenseekingtolearnmoreaboutthe spiritualpathasitrelatestothefeminineandtheGoddessaspectsofwitchcraftandWicca.Thisbookisnotabout reinstatingamatriarchyortearingdownpatriarchy;itisaboutwomensspiritualityanditsrelationshipwithpolitics andlifestyle. zbudapest.com TheGrandmotherofTimebyZBudapest(availablethroughAmazonfromUSD$3.88) InTheGrandmotherofTime,ZsuzsannaBudapestteachesbothbeginnersandexperiencedpractitionershowto integrateWiccanspiritualityintotheireverydaylives.Herearenewapproachestotodaysrituals,frombirthdaysand dedicationsofnewbornbabiestopurifyingourhomesandprotectingusintravel. zbudapest.com GrandmotherMoonbyZBudapest(availablethroughAmazonfromUSD$0.92) GrandmotherMooninvitesustolookatthemoonastheoldallysheis.RenownedfeministwitchZsuzsanna Budapestshowsushowtotapintothemoonspowerforpeace,health,andenergy.Withdelightfulwitandwisdom, shesharespracticalandentertaininglunarlore,fromancientmoonbasedritualstolunarcyclediettips.Budapest revealshow,byactinginharmonywiththemoon,womencanbalanceeverythingfromtheirmoodandweightto fertility.Hereisaspiritedilluminationofthenaturalmooncyclesthatinfluenceourlives. zbudapest.com SummoningTheFatesbyZBudapest(availablethroughAmazonfromUSD$4.50) Duringthe1956HungarianRevolution,ZBudapestnarrowlyescapedamassacre.Wasitchancethatsparedherlife,or destiny?InSummoningTheFates,Budapest,apioneerofthewomensspiritualitymovement,introducesustothethree Fatesthatruleourlives.Noteventhegodsandgoddessescanescapetheserawforcesofnaturepresidingoverthepast, present,andfuture.Budapestusesfairytales,historicallore,andpersonalanecdotestodescribethethreesacredsisters whoareespeciallyactiveduringoutthirtyyearlifecycles:Urdh(youth),Verdandi(adulthood)andSkuld(thecrone years).WantatasteofthecosmicsoupbubblinginFatescauldron?Budapestalsooffersheartfeltadvice,exercises,and ritualstohelpyouconnectwiththeFatesandembraceyourownuniquedestiny. zbudapest.com
MagickaSchool 3 ResearchProject

CelestialWisdomforEveryYearofYourLifebyZBudapest(availablethroughAmazonfromUSD$6.98) Lightheartedandplayful,yetchockfullofwisdom,CelestialWisdomforEveryYearofYourLiferevealssurprising insightsintothepossibilitieswithineachyear.Herewefindtheissues,challenges,andjoysspecifictoeachbirthday. Learnthedynamicsatplaytomakethebestchoicesanddecisionstoleadthefullestlifepossibleatanyandeveryage! zbudapest.com

WhoisZsuzsannaBudapest?

ZsuzsannaBudapest(b.Jan301940)wasborninBudapest,HungarytoawitchandmediumwhotaughthertheCraft fromayoungage.Duetopovertyandpoliticaloppression,Budapestfledthecountryasapoliticalrefugeein1956, narrowlyavoidingamassacre,andhassincebeenextremelyactiveinpoliticsespeciallyfeministpolitics,whichshape manyofherdrivingmotiveswithinDianicWicca,whichsheregardsasapoliticalmovementasmuchasaspiritualone. BudapestemigratedtotheUnitedStatesofAmericain1959inordertopursuestudyattheUniversityofChicago,and interestinglyenoughwentfrompoliticaloppressioninHungarytospiritualoppressioninAmerica,whereshewas arrestedin1975whenshegaveaTarotreadingtoanundercoverpolicewoman.Budapestlostherappeal,buthertrial setastandardandallowedmajorprogresstowardsAmericanlawsagainstpsychicpresentationsbeingabolished, showingthatBudapestisaspiritualwarrioraswellasapoliticalone. TodayBudapestismarriedwithtwosonsandlivesinSanFrancisco,wheresheisasinvolvedinpolicitalandspiritual feministactivismasmuchasever.Sherunsandstarsinherowntelevisionshow(13thHeaven)andsheisthedirectorof anonprofitorganisationknownastheWomensSpiritualityForum. ProfessorLucieMarieMaiDuFresne,PhD.,theorganiserofaconferenceheldregularlyattheUniversityofOttowa whichisdedicatedtoBudapestswork,saysofher: Z'sinfluencestranscendthecommunitiesoffeminism,spiritualityandgenderstudies.Herlife'sworkswillbe rememberedinAmericanHistoryasoneofthegreatforemothersofthesecondwaveoffeminism,thefounding motheroftheWomen'sSpiritualityMovementandanoutspokenlesbianwomanwhofoughtforwomen's reproductiverightsinLosAngelesatoneofthefirstabortionclinics,whocofoundedtheLosAngelesAnti rapeSquad(thefirstrapecrisisintervention),whoestablishedtheLosAngelesTakeBacktheNightmarchesfor whichshereceivedthemayor'sproclamationofappreciation.Andofcourse,shewillberememberedasthelast witchputontrialforherwitchcraftandfoundguiltyintheUnitedStates;meaningshealsoblazedatrailfor thepopularizingofPaganism. TheimportanceofZ'sworkonthedevelopmentofcontemporarywomen'sspiritualitycannotbeoverlooked. Atatimewhenwomenwerefindingtheirvoice,whenthearchaeologicalfindingsofMarijaGimbutasand
MagickaSchool 4 ResearchProject

MerlinStonehadnotyetbeenpublished,ZsuszannaBudapesthadalreadydrawnthelinkbetweenfeminism andspiritualitywithherFeministBookofLightandShadows,whichlaterbecameTheHolyBookofWomen's Mysteries.TheSusanB.AnthonyCovenNo.1,whichshestartedwithagroupofotherwomenin1971,became thespringboardandtraininggroundsformanywellknownleaders,likeStarhawk,RuthBarrett,CarolChrist, CharleneSpretnak,BarbaraChesser,SusunWeed,AvaCarpenter,FionaMorgan,PatriciaMonaghan,Anne Carson,VickiNoble,LunaeaWeatherstone,RianeEisler,DianeStein,JadeRiver,KathyJones,KrisztaVeres andhundredsofotherauthors,scholars,artists,musiciansandspiritualleaders.

ThoughmanydislikeBudapestandfindheractivismtobetooextreme,andthoughmanyfeelthatDianicWiccaistoo excessivelyfocusedontheDivineFeminineandbiasedagainsttheDivineMasculine,thisstudentcannotdenythat Budapestisanamazingwomanwhohasbeenthroughincrediblefeatsandcreatedincrediblereforms,fightingfor humanandplanetalike.

MagickaSchool 5

ResearchProject