Everything Under the Moon

The Influence of the Golden Dawn on Modern Witchcraft: Introduction

Today I am going to talk about one major influence on modern Wicca, that of the Golden Dawn. The Golden Dawn was only one of many influences, some of which will be mentioned as we go along, but not explored. Also, it should be said there are certainly areas of Wicca that show little or no influence of the Golden Dawn. Equally though, there are some areas that display clear and lasting influence. Some of these are not readily apparent, so I hope this talk will provide some new information and ideas.

I want to make it clear, that I see the Golden Dawn as an indirect influence on Wicca - this is because I believe there are no direct influences apart from the Goddess. That is to say, that all the various components within Wicca that were borrowed from other traditions and resources are used within Wicca in a different manner, sometimes quite different, from their origins. Also, I want to be quite clear that I will be speaking about historical events, people and places, rather than mythic histories. Both are equally valuable but today we are looking at actual, verifiable history and reasonable assumptions based on this history.

Because of time and conceptual limitations I will be focusing on the creation of the standard version of Gardnerian Wicca, up to roughly 1957. I will not be examining the influence on later variants of the Gardnerian mould, such as Alexandrian Wicca or the continued use of Golden Dawn techniques in covens today. The discussion below makes conscious use of Hutton’s outline of the elements of Wicca in the first part of his Triumph of the Moon.


Gerald Gardner

Gerald Gardner was without doubt the founder or at least foremost promoter of Wicca. The title of his excellent recent biography by Philip Heselton states the matter plainly: Witchfather. So it is to Gardner one first looks regarding the origins of Wicca. In Witchcraft Today, Gardner writes: "The people who certainly would have had the knowledge and ability to invent [the Wiccan rituals] were the people who formed the Order of the Golden Dawn about seventy years ago ...” The Influence of the Golden Dawn on Wicca / P. Wildoak http://www.magicoftheordinary.com 1

Now Gardner was in the habit of being coy when writing, often hiding the bone or twisting facts just a little to put people off the scent. Looking precisely at what he wrote, he is NOT saying the GD founders may have written the Wiccan rituals. He is saying they had the 'knowledge and ability' to do so.

http://docslide.us/documents/the-influe ... wicca.html

That is to say, that all the various components within Wicca that were borrowed from other traditions and resources are used within Wicca in a different manner, sometimes quite different, from their origins.

I'd like to see the specifics of this statement expanded, if anyone knows what those specifics are. What are their (the "components") origins, other than Goddess worship, and how do their uses differ within the GD application?

From what I've been reading, the GD was a relatively modern occult system influenced by older traditions of witchcraft (among other older grimoires which focused on ceremonial magic such as the Key of Solomon, and The Magus by Francis Barrett).

There is also the rumor that the GD was heavily influenced by the teachings of "Old George" Pickingill, a much feared witch who lived in Essex, who may or may not have been a member (expounded upon by Michael Howard in his book Modern Wicca, pg 46).

In other words, my belief is that the Golden Dawn has had little to no influence over the specific teachings of modern witchcraft. But, I do see it having an influence over the unsuspecting aspirant's pocket book...

"What we do is real!" (HOftGD website) ... With only the easy payment of $144.00 a year. We accept VISA, MasterCard, and PayPal!

I have never heard about it. But it is very interesting.
Will research more about it.
Thank You..