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| The Wisteria Tradition |
| The Wisteria Tradition |
The History of the Wisteria Tradition
1977
Terra Gazelle is intiated into the Blue Star Tradition. The tenets and principles She learned here
became the corner stone of what Wisteria is today. Wisteria has more in common with Blue Star
then it has differences. The commonalities include:
1· We celebrate the 8 Wiccan Sabbats, as well as 13 Esbats (Full Moons) of the year , as needed we
include the New Moons.
2· We acknowledge a number of Paths of Power corresponding to the Wheel of the Year
3· We tend to emphasize worship of the Gods over the working of magick, and often refer to
ourselves as a teaching tradition.
4· We acknowledge and respect the entirety of the Wiccan Rede
5· We acknowledge and respect Tenets of Faith as cornerstones of our living philosophy
6· We acknowledge some gender specificity, in that our Priests are male and our Priestesses are
female. We consider neither the Goddess nor the God to be pre-eminent, and likewise, we see
neither men nor women as being superior. Rather, we seek to balance ourselves with regards to
gender and deity.
7· Most groups operate in a hierarchical structure
8· Each group is autonomous, though most of us seek to maintain a connection among various
members of the tradition
1980
Lady Gazelle received her 2nd degree initiation.
1993
Lady Gazelle receives the Third Degree from Lady Dolcimer Eirwen from the Georgian Tradition.
These blended ways Lady Gazelle practiced through 1999, making adjustments to the practices as
she deemed them necessary.
During that time Lady Gazelle and Lady Dolcimer formed the Flowering Vine Coven as well as
starting a new tradition, The Wisteria Tradition. During the early time in the creation of the new
tradition Lady Dolcimer left to start her own group, following her own vision.
1999
Enter Lord Synn Crow. Since 1997, Synn had been studying Celtic Shamanism with Tira Brandon
Evans of Canada as well as become somewhat versed in the magickal arts of Hoodoo. When Synn
met Terra and decided to go full force into Wicca, he brought with him the knowledge of Animal
Totems, nature spirits and meditation techniques that he had learned from Shamanism. This
knowledge as well as the Hoodoo Root magick, Blended with Gazelle's already modified Blue Star
creates a wholly new tradition that together they cultivated and continue to nurture and watch grow.
2005
Lady Keir Gazelle and Lord SynnCrow become Elder Clergy to Our Lady of the Wells Church, by
Rev. Patrick McCollum
2007
Wisteria Temple becomes a Non Profit Religious Organization.
The linage of all who follow the Wisteria Tradition starts with Lady Keir and Lord Synn Crow.
So what is the Wisteria Tradition? Aside from the things listed above, Wisteria has its own Specific
Altar Setup, Specialized ritual gestures, Parent Deities, Hierarchy and honor system that initiates
are taught throughout their learning.; Each individual may have their own patron deities aside from
honoring the Parent Deities of the Tradition, but each individual must know the liturgy and
understand the gods and methods of the tradition , and revere those gods and tradition well enough
to be able to follow the Wisteria Path..
Wisteria practices mostly as a hierarchical, mystery-based tradition with its roots in honoring the
core ways of the past as we know them as modern Witches. . Most covens operate on a Grove
system, in which uninitiated members and students comprise an Outer Court, and Initiates make
up an Inner Court. Traditionally, a Coven (or circle) would include both Inner and Outer court
members and would be presided over by a Third Degree High Priest and High Priestess.
There are three degrees of Initiation in Wisteria, as is common to many Wicca traditions. Prior to
Initiation, Wisteria requires two steps,, Dedication and Neophyte. Dedicants may remain Dedicants
forever if they choose, while Neophyte is given specifically to prepare a student for Initiation and is
not meant to be an end-point on anyone's path.
Wisteria asks its members to live their lives according to the precepts laid down in the Wiccan Rede
and in the Tenets of Faith. We use the Rede as a guide to balanced living., respect the law of
Three-Fold Return and attempt to live our lives in a manner respectful of the Gods, the Earth and
other people. Wisteria demands a fairly high level of dedication and commitment from its students.
Role of Clergy
Wisteria often defines itself as a teaching tradition, and part of this teaching involves instructing
students on their path to initiation and Clergy status. According to Wisteria tradition, Priests and
Priestesses of Second Degree are considered clergy and may minister and teach to students, while
Third Degree Initiates may receive ordination and may actually perform Initiations themselves.
Naturally, there are exceptions to this rule, and First and Second Degree Initiates have occasionally
performed Initiations.
The Wisteria is a young tradition....we do not take our direct linage from Gardner or Sanders...but
from what renewal both men have brought back to us. And for this we honor all people that have
given us knowledge and tecniques to connect with the Gods and with Magick.
1977
Terra Gazelle is intiated into the Blue Star Tradition. The tenets and principles She learned here
became the corner stone of what Wisteria is today. Wisteria has more in common with Blue Star
then it has differences. The commonalities include:
1· We celebrate the 8 Wiccan Sabbats, as well as 13 Esbats (Full Moons) of the year , as needed we
include the New Moons.
2· We acknowledge a number of Paths of Power corresponding to the Wheel of the Year
3· We tend to emphasize worship of the Gods over the working of magick, and often refer to
ourselves as a teaching tradition.
4· We acknowledge and respect the entirety of the Wiccan Rede
5· We acknowledge and respect Tenets of Faith as cornerstones of our living philosophy
6· We acknowledge some gender specificity, in that our Priests are male and our Priestesses are
female. We consider neither the Goddess nor the God to be pre-eminent, and likewise, we see
neither men nor women as being superior. Rather, we seek to balance ourselves with regards to
gender and deity.
7· Most groups operate in a hierarchical structure
8· Each group is autonomous, though most of us seek to maintain a connection among various
members of the tradition
1980
Lady Gazelle received her 2nd degree initiation.
1993
Lady Gazelle receives the Third Degree from Lady Dolcimer Eirwen from the Georgian Tradition.
These blended ways Lady Gazelle practiced through 1999, making adjustments to the practices as
she deemed them necessary.
During that time Lady Gazelle and Lady Dolcimer formed the Flowering Vine Coven as well as
starting a new tradition, The Wisteria Tradition. During the early time in the creation of the new
tradition Lady Dolcimer left to start her own group, following her own vision.
1999
Enter Lord Synn Crow. Since 1997, Synn had been studying Celtic Shamanism with Tira Brandon
Evans of Canada as well as become somewhat versed in the magickal arts of Hoodoo. When Synn
met Terra and decided to go full force into Wicca, he brought with him the knowledge of Animal
Totems, nature spirits and meditation techniques that he had learned from Shamanism. This
knowledge as well as the Hoodoo Root magick, Blended with Gazelle's already modified Blue Star
creates a wholly new tradition that together they cultivated and continue to nurture and watch grow.
2005
Lady Keir Gazelle and Lord SynnCrow become Elder Clergy to Our Lady of the Wells Church, by
Rev. Patrick McCollum
2007
Wisteria Temple becomes a Non Profit Religious Organization.
The linage of all who follow the Wisteria Tradition starts with Lady Keir and Lord Synn Crow.
So what is the Wisteria Tradition? Aside from the things listed above, Wisteria has its own Specific
Altar Setup, Specialized ritual gestures, Parent Deities, Hierarchy and honor system that initiates
are taught throughout their learning.; Each individual may have their own patron deities aside from
honoring the Parent Deities of the Tradition, but each individual must know the liturgy and
understand the gods and methods of the tradition , and revere those gods and tradition well enough
to be able to follow the Wisteria Path..
Wisteria practices mostly as a hierarchical, mystery-based tradition with its roots in honoring the
core ways of the past as we know them as modern Witches. . Most covens operate on a Grove
system, in which uninitiated members and students comprise an Outer Court, and Initiates make
up an Inner Court. Traditionally, a Coven (or circle) would include both Inner and Outer court
members and would be presided over by a Third Degree High Priest and High Priestess.
There are three degrees of Initiation in Wisteria, as is common to many Wicca traditions. Prior to
Initiation, Wisteria requires two steps,, Dedication and Neophyte. Dedicants may remain Dedicants
forever if they choose, while Neophyte is given specifically to prepare a student for Initiation and is
not meant to be an end-point on anyone's path.
Wisteria asks its members to live their lives according to the precepts laid down in the Wiccan Rede
and in the Tenets of Faith. We use the Rede as a guide to balanced living., respect the law of
Three-Fold Return and attempt to live our lives in a manner respectful of the Gods, the Earth and
other people. Wisteria demands a fairly high level of dedication and commitment from its students.
Role of Clergy
Wisteria often defines itself as a teaching tradition, and part of this teaching involves instructing
students on their path to initiation and Clergy status. According to Wisteria tradition, Priests and
Priestesses of Second Degree are considered clergy and may minister and teach to students, while
Third Degree Initiates may receive ordination and may actually perform Initiations themselves.
Naturally, there are exceptions to this rule, and First and Second Degree Initiates have occasionally
performed Initiations.
The Wisteria is a young tradition....we do not take our direct linage from Gardner or Sanders...but
from what renewal both men have brought back to us. And for this we honor all people that have
given us knowledge and tecniques to connect with the Gods and with Magick.
| Revised June 19, 2007 |
I'm excited! The energy is incredible. The transition, no matter how bright, demands that we
look! Unwavering vision. Unwavering intent. Im excited! Because I sense more acutely than
ever our connection to one another, and to those spirits and life forms we call other. Its not
really a thread that connects us after all, you know but strands of a miraculous web. We can
feel each other from great distances, through its delicate vibrations. We have only to reach
out now, along these fibers, over roaring rivers, underneath a canopy of trees, in order to
touch the source.... through the warp and weft of interconnected consciousness. Though we
may live and work in different places, we are but one tribe, with a single unified cause.
Champions of sentience and sacrament, bodily extensions and voluntary agents of holy Will.
look! Unwavering vision. Unwavering intent. Im excited! Because I sense more acutely than
ever our connection to one another, and to those spirits and life forms we call other. Its not
really a thread that connects us after all, you know but strands of a miraculous web. We can
feel each other from great distances, through its delicate vibrations. We have only to reach
out now, along these fibers, over roaring rivers, underneath a canopy of trees, in order to
touch the source.... through the warp and weft of interconnected consciousness. Though we
may live and work in different places, we are but one tribe, with a single unified cause.
Champions of sentience and sacrament, bodily extensions and voluntary agents of holy Will.
The quote from The Enchanted Loom
by Jesse Wolf Hardin
by Jesse Wolf Hardin