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In 1973 Raymond Buckland, an author and practitioner of Gardnerian Wicca, created a new variation of Wiccan tradition, which did not break his Gardnerian Wiccan oaths. He wrote a book called The Tree as its definitive work. It was published in 1974 by Samuel Weiser and subsequently republished in 2005 as Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft. There are also online Books of Shadows for the tradition on assorted websites.
The tradition honors the Germanic deities Woden and Freyja, and uses a minimal set of the usual ceremonial tools and a spear. Runes are significant and regularly discussed.
Known as "The Father of American Wicca," Ray Buckland was responsible for introducing Wicca to the United States. He was the author of the first American book on the Old Religion written by a witch - WITCHCRAFT FROM THE INSIDE - and has since written nearly sixty others, including the classic BUCKLAND'S COMPLETE BOOK OF WITCHCRAFT and the three encyclopedias: THE WITCH BOOK, THE FORTUNETELLING BOOK and THE SPIRIT BOOK.
In 1962 Raymond Buckland came to the United States from England, where he had written comedy scripts and was personal scriptwriter for a popular British comedian Ted Lune. Interested in the occult for over sixty years, in the past forty years Raymond has had well over fifty books published (both fiction and non-fiction), with nearly two million copies in print and translated into seventeen foreign languages. He has received awards for his work and his books are featured in several national book clubs. He has served as Technical Director for movies, working with Orson Wells, John Carradine, and William Friedkin (director of The Exorcist). Of Romany (Gypsy) descent, he is an authority on Gypsies and has written several books on that subject. Raymond has lectured at colleges and universities across the country and has been the subject of articles in such newspapers and magazines as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, New York Sunday News, National Observer, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Look Magazine, Cosmopolitan, True, and many others.
Raymond Buckland has appeared on numerous national television and radio talk shows and has been seen on BBC-TV, England, RAI-TV, Italy, and CBC-TV, Canada. He has appeared extensively on stage in England and played small character parts in movies in America. He has taught courses at colleges and universities and been a featured speaker at conferences and workshops. He is listed in a number of reference works including Contemporary Authors, Who’s Who In America, Men of Achievement, and International Authors’ and Writers’ Who’s Who.
His most recent works include The Spirit Book, Buckland’s Book of Spirit Communications, Wicca For One, Buckland Spirit Board, and Buckland Doorway to Candle Magic. A DVD version of his Wicca video was also recently released: Rebirth of the Old Religion. A prolific author, Raymond Buckland is currently working on his autobiography. Today he lives on a small farm in north-central Ohio.
You can find Raymond Bucklands Books In Our Bookstore
Openness
The Seax tradition does not employ any secrecy oath. The official books of Seax-Wica don't intend to omit or misrepresent the tradition although they may be a bit sparse in terms of detail, leaving such things to individual practitioners or groups.
Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft doesn't mention how a solitary practitioner with no consecrated tools available gets started, as consecrated tools are used to cast the circle, and tools are consecrated within the already cast circle. For now, one must find someone with consecrated tools, or visit one of several websites to find out about a workaround ritual. However, Buckland has pointed out that his 'Big Blue Book' gives instructions on how to proceed when no tools are available. These are sufficient to allow one to begin, self initiate, and consecrate one's first tools.
Also, there are several Yahoo Email lists and web-based discussion boards for the tradition where one may inquire for more detail and clarifying commentary. (See below.)
Organization
Seax-Wica allows for self initiation into the Seax path.
There are also many covens. A coven is autonomous, and ruled by the vote of its members, who elect or unelect the officers. There are 4 officers as currently called for in Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft. High Priest and High Priestess are elected by the members of a coven to serve for 13 moons; also there is the Thegn, a sort of sergeant at arms/guard/watchman, who may also be responsible for the covenstead or guarding the ceremony, and a Scribe/secretary, keeper of the coven's records - and if one incorporates a congregation, a treasurer to satisfy the legal demands of most US states. This last office is not mentioned in the current edition of the book, but may be a legal requirement in your state if you legally incorporate the congregation - you should check with a lawyer licensed in your state or territory on the matter.
Dr. Buckland is not the leader of the order, but is respected as its founder, and continues to practice it and contribute to it.
Raymond Buckland has also written extensively on a number of topics relating to Wicca, neopaganism, and witchcraft.
Seax Wicca can boast at least two distinct offshoots from its original tradition.
The first is Théodish Belief, founded by Garman Lord in 1976. There are currently more than a half-dozen Théodish groups in the United States, both large and small, all of which derive from the self-described "Seax Wiccan heresy" which Garman Lord founded.
Another offshoot of Seax Wica is Lyblác Anglo Saxon Witchcraft. This tradition based on Anglo-Saxon practices was founded in 2003 by Wulfeage/Sean Percival and has members from all over the world. In July 2007 Wulfeage was voted into the position of Stiweard of Seax Wica by coven and solitary based Gesith (Seax Priesthood) from the UK,Sweden, Germany, Holland, Peru and Australia.
Controversy
In the early 2000s, Buckland appointed a priest by the name of Mark Ventimiglia as head, or Stieward, of the Seax-Tradition. Mr. Ventimiglia was known to be fervently opposed to homosexuality, ritual sacrifice and omnivorism. As evidenced in correspondence between Ventimiglia and Daven, another priest of the tradition, Ventimiglia believed that homosexuals and those who eat meat should be executed by law. There are no laws in the Seax-Wica tradition that say homosexuality or the eating of meat are wrong, yet Ventimiglia insisted that the Gods of Wicca "hate faggots" and that gays could not rightfully call themselves Seax-Wicans. He was eventually removed from his post as Stieward in 2004.
Seax Wica Psalm
Ever as I pass through the ways
Do I feel the presence of the Gods
I know that tin aught I do
They are with me
They abide in me
And I in them
Forever
No evil shall be entertained
For Purity is the dweller
Within me and about
For Good do I strive
And for Good do I live
Love unto all things
So be it forever
Author Unknown
Seax-Wica is a tradition of the Neopagan religion of Wicca and inspired by Saxon tradition. It is specifically not intended to be a reconstruction of ancient Anglo-Saxon religion.
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