Post by Joanna on Nov 12, 2013 0:05:15 GMT -5
Where did Aleister Crowley’s Influence on Wicca Go?
Gerald Gardner was the founder of what today is referred to as Wicca. Specifically I speak of “Gardnerian Wicca,” an oath-bound and initiation required tradition that traces its lineage to Gerald Gardner and the New Forrest Coven. What is known commonly today as Wicca in the public is hardly what Gardner established in 1947. Gardner's tradition focused primarily on ritual and performing it, whereas today, what is known as Wicca generally is associated with a belief system. As for the arrival of Gardner's Wicca, shortly after the Witchcraft Act was abolished, one could speak freely about one’s associations to the craft without fear of legal persecution. Gerald Gardner was one of the first to write extensively and openly right after the political reformation. There is one particular work of Gardner’s that I want to address, namely the publication of The Gardnerian Book of Shadows and the evolution of it.
“The Book of Shadows” was a term coined mysteriously in the craft; the only tie to the title was a publication in an occult magazine called The Occult Observer, which had an advertisement for Gardner’s High Magic’s Aid within the same edition . The Gardnerian Book of Shadows is a publication with rituals dated as early as 1949 . If you have read the early work, you would find it contained a great deal of Aleister Crowley’s writings, along with content of MacGregor Mathers’ The Greater Key of Solomon. Eight years later, we see a second rendition of the same rituals, but guess what’s missing? Almost all of Crowley’s work and references to the Key of Solomon. So the question is, where did the references go, and why?
Let’s first address that Gardner never tried to hide his history with Aleister Crowley nor his involvement with the Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO). In fact, Rodney Orpheus has an excellent article on the subject. As of July 17th, 2013, Rodney Orpheus lists on his website the following:
Gardner had made the acquaintance of a friend of Crowley’s, the well-known stage magician Arnold Crowther (later to be husband of leading witch Patricia Crowther) and Crowther brought him to visit Crowley on Mayday in 1947. Crowley’s diary records: “Thurs 1 Miss Eva Collins. Dr G.B. Gardner PhD Singapore. Arnold Crowther prof. G. a Magician to tea. Dr. G. R.Arch.”
Extrapolating from Crowley’s shorthand: “Thursday 1 [May] Miss Eva Collins. Dr. G.B. Gardner Ph.D Singapore. Arnold Crowther professional G[entleman?] a Magician to tea. Doctor Gardner Royal Arch.”
The “Royal Arch” mentioned may have been a reference to Gardner introducing himself as a Royal Arch Freemason, or it may allude to Crowley having initiated Gardner on that day to the IV° (Fourth Degree) of Ordo Templi Orientis, which is also known as the Degree of the Holy Royal Arch of Enoch .”
To give backing to Orpheus’ research, Doreen Valiente recalls that Gardner was introduced to Crowley by Arnold Crowther in 1946, being shown the OTO charter signed by Crowley, and also having the first edition of Gardner’s High Magic’s Aid signed SCRIRE O.T.O. 4=7.
One of Gardner’s High Priestesses, Doreen Valiente, recalls in a confrontation with him regarding her frustration with all of the Crowley references in his work:
He explained this to me by saying, firstly, that as the holder of a Charter from Crowley himself to operate a Lodge of the OTO, he was entitled to use it; secondly, that the rituals he had received from the old coven were very fragmentary and that in order to make them workable he had been compelled to supplement them with other material. He had felt that Crowley’s writings, modern though they were, breathed the very spirit of paganism and were expressed in splendid poetry.
As Gardner’s most well-known book Witchcraft Today came to rise, his popularity grew and lectures and classes were demanded of him. He saw a great chance for the rise of Witchcraft and the "Old Religion" (despite how new it was) in the modern world. It was Valiente who spoke with Gardner about her concerns that the cult would never go beyond what Crowley accomplished if the work relied so heavily on Crowley’s rituals, to which Gardner responded, “Well, if you think you can do any better, go ahead.” That was enough for Valiente. She took up the task and rewrote the original Book of Shadows removing everything she spotted of Crowley that she deemed unnecessary and obvious . This was the first major change of Gardner’s cult, resulting in the transformation of heavy ceremonial-based rituals to that which is considered today to simulate more of an "old" format in reconstructionist fashion.
It's important to know that the Book of Shadows in the Gardnerian Tradition has a core that does not change. It is up to the High Priestess to determine what she passes down to her initiates in their Book of Shadows. The idea is that core remains and what is suitable to be added is passed down. So, as Gardner’s Lineage continued over the years, the references to folklore became more frequent in the Book of Shadows. Similarly hermetic references such as Qabalah, Alchemy, Solomonic Ritual and Crowley’s writings became more obscure. This is because as Gardner's lineage passes through more generations, the initiates of his traditions interests become more obscure and modern, resulting in less hermetic, traditional and ceremonial content being passed down. It is obvious that the Gardnerian tradition stemmed heavily from OTO and Crowley’s influence on Gerald Gardner, but today the ties are strictly historical, due to influences of his own High Priestesses such as Doreen Valiente and Patricia Crowther and the continual passing down of the Book of Shadows.
Source: Adley Tenenbaum, Witch's Voice, November 10, 2013.
