Central Valley Wicca

Central Valley Wicca, sometimes abbreviated as CVW, refers to a particular group of traditions within the Neopagan religion of Wicca which trace their roots to a group of Wiccan practitioners who brought their practice from England to the Central Valley of California at some point in the early 1960s. It is one branch of British Traditional Wicca, alongside Gardnerian, Alexandrian Wicca and Mohsian, as defined by New Wiccan Church in California.^[1]

There are several theories about the origins of Central Valley Wicca, leading to a degree of debate among researchers. Some speculate that CVW is an early offshoot or even a precursor of Gardnerian Wicca, while others suggest that the CVW share a common ancestor with what later became Gardnerian Wicca. According to their original custom, an initiate of Central Valley Wicca was not told who their initiator's initiator was; therefore, the identity of the person who first brought Wicca to the Central Valley remains a mystery. What is known is that she had ties to England and had most likely lived there; she was either British or had close connection to a British subject prior to settling in California.

At that time, individual names for "traditions" of Wicca were not in use; they simply called themselves "Wicca." Today, however, the various branches of Wicca that descend from the Central Valley Wicca have developed into traditions in their own right, including Silver Crescent, Kingstone, Daoine Coire, Assembly of Wicca, and Majestic. Some of the offshoot traditions from CVW have blended in influences from other related Pagan paths, although most retain the core essence of CVW.

Central Valley Wicca shares basic beliefs with, and has similar ritual structures and practices to, other forms of British Traditional Wicca as they are practiced in England. However, their interpretation of some of the material is unique, and their lore is similar but not identical.

References

External links

• An article on the Central Valley Wicca and the Kingstone Tradition.

Wicca
History	History of Wicca Etymology of Wicca Wicca and LGBT people Dettmer v. Landon
Traditions	1734 Tradition Cochrane's Craft Coven of Atho Feri Reclaiming Stregheria Bricket Wood coven New Forest coven Church and School of Wicca Wicca British Traditional Alexandrian Wicca Algard Wicca Blue Star Wicca Central Valley Wicca Chthonioi Alexandrian Wicca Gardnerian Wicca Other Celtic Wicca Dianic Wicca Faery Wicca Georgian Wicca Odyssean Wicca Seax-Wica Universal Eclectic Wicca
Notable figures	Gerald Gardner Doreen Valiente Alex Sanders Maxine Sanders Sybil Leek Margot Adler Victor Anderson Eleanor Bone Gavin Bone Lois Bourne Jack Bracelin Raymond Buckland Eddie Buczynski Zsuzsanna Budapest Charles Cardell Ipsita Roy Chakraverti Patricia Crowther Vivianne Crowley Robert Cochrane Scott Cunningham Phyllis Curott Cerridwen Fallingstar Janet Farrar Stewart Farrar Raven Grimassi Gavin Frost Yvonne Frost Philip Heselton Frederic Lamond Silver RavenWolf Starhawk
Deities	Triple Goddess Horned God Holly King Mother goddess
Key concepts	Wiccan morality Wiccan Rede Rule of Three Wiccan views of divinity Coven Craft name Magic Witchcraft White magic Otherworld The Summerland Reincarnation Karma Skyclad Summoner Watchtower Familiar spirit Animism
Rites and ritual	Drawing down the Moon Great Rite Handfasting Wiccaning Fivefold kiss Magic circle Cone of power Kitchen witchcraft Herbalism Scrying Spellwork Banishing Divination Incantation Invocation Initiation Rite of passage Eko Eko Azarak Solitary practitioner
Holidays	Wheel of the Year Solstice Equinox Imbolc Ostara Beltane Midsummer Lughnasadh Mabon Samhain Yule Esbat Wild Hunt
Paraphernalia	Magical tools in Wicca Altar Athame Besom Boline Book of Shadows Cauldron Censer Chalice/Goblet Horn Pentacle Runes Incense Tarot deck Wand Talisman Amulet Scourge Candles Bell Statue Parchment Witch's ladder
Literature	Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches The Meaning of Witchcraft The Spiral Dance What Witches Do Witchcraft Today Charge of the Goddess Enchanted Feminism
Related	List of Wiccan organisations Traditional witchcraft Witch-cult hypothesis Left-hand path and right-hand path Cunning folk in Britain European witchcraft Malleus Maleficarum Granny woman Cunning folk Witching hour Witch-hunt Witches' Sabbath Flying ointment Museum of Witchcraft and Magic Witchcraft Research Association "Fluffy Bunny"