The wiccan rede is often attributed to doreen as well. Fireheart interviews doreen valiente part one wiccan rede. It was at the speech that valiente proclaimed the wiccan rede. Let my worship be within the heart that rejoices, for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. The official doreen valiente website doreen valiente doreen.
The doreen valiente foundation is a recognised uk charity. She was an early initiate of gerald gardners in the 1950s and. An early version of the rede was made famous by doreen valiente in the early 1960s. As interpreted by most wiccans, the wiccan rede goes further by having a wiccan also considering whether an action might also hurt themselves the pentateuch the first five books in the hebrew scriptures lists 6 behaviors that. In the 1970s, lady gwen thompson published her version. The wiccan rede or witches rede bide the wiccan laws we must in perfect love and perfect trust. The threefold law was an interpretation of wiccan ideas and ritual, made by monique wilson and further popularised by raymond buckland, in his books on wicca. Is following the rede in its current form a requirement to be called wiccan. The wiccan rede full version bide within the law ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust. To bind the spell every time let the spell be spake in rhyme. The wiccan rede was most likely introduced into wicca by gerald gardner and formalised publicly by doreen valiente, one of his high priestesses. The rede is known to many of wiccan practitioners as the ethical underpinnings to be followed.
The doreen valiente foundation official webstore offers books and other merchandise. How did doreen valientes writings in the 1950s impact witches and pagans today. Doreen valiente created poetry that gave the rituals of wicca a life and colour that contributed to the growth and popularity of the movement and which. To bind the spell every time, let the spell be spake in rhyme. Those words were first publicly uttered by doreen valiente back in october of 1964 at a dinner. Doreen valiente is considered by many to be the mother of the contemporary pagan movement. The wiccan rede full version bide within the law you must, in perfect love and perfect trust. Here we see her not only as a witch but as patriot and freedom fighter.
First officially recorded as a couplet by the english practitioner doreen valiente but based on centuries of tradition, the most commonly accepted wording of the wiccan rede reads as follows. Thompson credited her grandmother, adriana porter, with the original work. Doreen valiente has written 34 classics on the old religion that are considered the bedrock for practicing wiccans and witches. Witchcraft for tomorrow is based on british traditions not my strong interest.
Heselton draws a picture of an eccentric, selfmotivated woman who followed her own path from an early age. The rhyming wiccan rede as a couplet is quoted in many discussions on wiccan ethics. Eight words the wiccan rede fulfill, an it harm none, do what ye will. The first recorded mention of the wiccan rede in the eightword form popular today, at least that i have been able to discover thus far, was in a speech by doreen valiente on october 3, 1964 at what may have been the first witches dinner organized in modern history. Aleister crowley developed the rede from the law of thelema in its modern form. Chances are doreen valiente, who had edited much of gardners work, came up with the rede using gardners material. It was not as i had believed and imagine many others would have believed written by doreen valiente.
Also, the long version of the wiccan rede poem is recited. Doreen edith dominy valiente 4 january 1922 1 september 1999 was an english wiccan. The wiccan rede ontario consultants on religious tolerance. Therefore, let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you. Cast the circle thrice about to keep the evil spirits out. While i wont go into the historical detail here, you should know that it is most likely that the rede is less than 50 years old. Coughlin the first recorded mention of the wiccan rede in the eightword form popular today, at least that i have been able to discover thus far, was in a speech by doreen valiente on october 3, 1964 at what may have been the first witches dinner organized in modern history. A recent communication i received from a visitor to this site moondancer, 02042000 has brought to my attention and enlightened me as to the original source of the above wiccan rede. This is the rede in its most popular form and was first recorded in public in a speech made by doreen valiente.
The wiccan rede is a beautiful piece of poetry whose author is believed to have been the late doreen valiente. In very simple words, the rede means do what you will as long as it does not harm any others. The most universal belief in wicca is the maxim known as the wiccan rede, which states, if it harm none, do what ye will. An author and poet, she also published five books dealing with wicca and related esoteric subjects. This book inspired me when i first became involved in wicca, and it has become a classic since. I learned in 2015 that it was first publicly recorded in a 1964 speech by doreen valiente. According to leaf mcgowan, azarak and zomilarak are brother and sister angels representing fire and water. Buy a cheap copy of the rebirth of witchcraft book by doreen valiente. Doreen valiente first used the short rede in 1964 but the text of the long rede wasnt published until the 1970s. Doreen valiente was arguably, after gardner, the single most important person in launching wicca into the world. In it she gives a basic over view and enough material for the promising witch to get started. Gardner used it with his own slant and doreen valiente made it prettier in her poem.
In this light, the rede can be seen as encouraging a wiccan to take personal responsibility for his or her actions. Within wiccan belief there are a number of guidelines such as the wiccan rede and the threefold law of return which are designed to help the newcomer understand the essence of that belief. Eight words ye wiccan rede fulfill an it harm none, do what ye will. Doreen valientes witchcraft for tomorrow eight words the wiccan rede fulfil. Bide within the law you must, in perfect love and perfect trust. Most of the attribution for the rede goes to doreen valiente, alexander crowley, gardner and according to some, king pausol.
His veins run cold when he realizes whos been haunting the homestead all along duration. All proceeds are used for the foundationss charitable objects. For tread the circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out. This statement probably dates to 1964, when it was recorded in print as having been spoken by doreen valiente, who served as a high priestess in gerald gardners coven. Wiccan rede is a dutchenglish quarterly magazine on wicca and witchcraft. The official doreen valiente website doreen valiente. The witches rune by doreen valiente and gerald gardner. The official doreen valiente website doreen valiente home. The rede is seen by both wiccans and outside observers as very similar to the golden rule, a belief that is found in nearly every religion.
One version of the wiccan rede was made famous by doreen valiente in the early 1960s, and in 1974 a lengthier version, by lady gwen thompson, was published in the green egg, a pagan magazine. How you choose to interpret the wicca rede is up to you. Doreen valiente was a pioneer of wicca doreen valiente foundation. Although quite a lot is already known about doreen s life, philip presents us in his inimitable style an indepth account.
Philip heselton is perhaps the most qualified person to write the biography of doreen valiente. For anyone who wants to learn more about wicca from the source then this book is a must have. Meanwhile, here are a few of doreens better known poems. What i liked very, very much was the style and sophistication with which valiente writes.
Hear now the words of the witches, the secrets we hid in the night, when dark was our destinys pathway, that now we bring forth into light. The rede of the wiccae came out of a specific tradition within wicca, and theres no expectation that wiccans ever be held accountable to the practices of a tradition of which they are not a part. The wiccan rede an aussie wytchs book of correspondences. The rhyming wiccan rede as a couplet is also known as the wiccan rede eight words couplet. The wiccan rede home for learning public group facebook. Eight words the wiccan rede fulfill, an it harm none do what ye will. Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give. The rede in its best known form as the eight words couplet was first publicly recorded in a speech by doreen valiente in 1964.
The doreen valiente foundation is a registered charity no. But regardless of my north american bias, i am happy to have read this. Doreen valiente 19221999 one of the most influential individuals in the shaping of modern wicca was born doreen edith dominy in mitcham, south london, on january 4, 1922, and spent her childhood in the west of england, an area noted for its rustic beauty and its connection to the folklore of the past. Within this poem many aspects of wiccan beliefs and practices are outlined, such as the seasonal wheel of the year, honoring the goddess and the god, and sacred trees to name a few. Shortly after, the journalist justine glass published an article on the wras inaugural dinner in the december issue of esoteric magazine prediction. So yes, doreen called it the rede about a decade before gwen thompson made up some bologna about her grandmother. I personally am not a pacifist and would find the rede too limiting in my life in its current form. Each line of the rede contains a rhymed couplet, the last line, eight words the wiccan rede fulfill, an ye harm none, do what ye will, was popularized by doreen valiente in a 1964 speech. Ultimately, however, i believe that it came from the gods, the universe, the source or whatever words a person chooses to use to express the concept of ultimate divinity. To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be said in rhyme. Those ethics of reciprocity which are found in nonwiccan religions concentrate on ones duties to other people. Live ye must and let ye live, fairly take and fairly give.
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