This came up as a result of something I posted on Mystic Wicks.
Eclectic Wicca is an outgrowth of Traditional Wicca, meaning “BTW” trads such as Gardnerianism, Alexandrianism, etc. A lot of Traditionalists believe that they have sole and exclusive rights to the word, that if you practice in an eclectic, non-initiatory manner, you’re not a Wiccan. Well, THAT linguistic horse is WAY out of the barn and frankly, the thing to do is to hold the barn door open in a cheerful manner as if we wanted the horse to get out all along.
There is nothing wrong with being an Eclectic Wiccan, it’s a totally legitimate path from which a lot of people get a great deal of value. But if you really want to learn about the meat and potatoes of Wicca, the stuff that underlies the pretty rituals and herbs, then you need to read books published by Traditionalists, or that are 15 or more years old and come from a point of view that Traditionalism is the standard. These books simply have more information.
Of course, keep in mind that these books ALSO have misinformation about things like the etymology of the word Wicca and the true history of the “Burning Times.” That’s just something that comes hand in hand with the fact that the books are older.
Again, I’m not saying anyone should be oriented towards Traditional practice. I’m saying that learning about Traditionalism will enhance anyone’s practice. Try checking out my Recommended Reading page to get you started.
