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Our Founding Principles
Our Founding Principles
The Ácholt Inhíred coven practice a recension of the neopagan witchcraft tradition founded by Raymond Buckland in the mid-20th century, which we call Seax Wica. In the spirit of Raymond Buckland, we are experimental, eclectic, and open about our practices. We differ from other Seax witchcraft traditions, as summarized by our founding principles:
It is a fundamental founding principle of our line that magickal polarity is unrelated to gender. Our rituals are not gender specific, nor are separate roles ascribed to a High Priest or High Priestess. People of any and all genders, and none, are welcome.
We regard sexual preference as entirely irrelevant to one’s ability to practice magick.
We have no secrets. All of our rituals, where practical, are published for the benefit of all, regardless of their initiatory degree or lack thereof. We have no oathbound material.
We principally honor English Anglo-Saxon gods, however, gods of all pantheons are welcome. We are not an exclusive form of spirituality, and members are welcome to participate in additional religious systems, organizations, and traditions.
We honor Woden and Fréo as teachers for their mythic role as magicians. These deities are patrons of the inhíred, but need not be worshiped as part of a personal cultus to participate.
We make no claims to reconstruction. Rituals are informed by Anglo Saxon literature, heathenry, northern tradition paganism and 20th century Wicca. We make no claims to reproduction of iron-age Saxon religion.
We have no founding myths. The material stands on its own merits, and requires no invented justification or falsified lineage.
We practice open-source syncretism. Though we have utmost respect for others’ privacy and for the integrity of all systems of magick and religion, we operate on the principle that, if a technique is openly described, it works, and it serves our purpose, we reserve the right to use it and, if we so choose, to teach it.
While ‘the Tree’ may provide a starting point for seasonal rituals, we do not use a prescribed Book of Shadows. All rituals are unique to participants and their needs and will vary year after year.
It is our responsibility to act in good faith to our environment, and include elements of land acknowledgement, leave no trace, and wight veneration at each gathering.
We do not, and shall never, charge for teaching or initiation.
And it harm none, do what you will.
Inclusive Heathenry
Inclusive Heathenry
Because this group is tangential to (and many members freely participate in) other heathen organizations, we must be clear that the Ácholt Inhíred is in full support of Declaration 127, and further recognize that it is insufficient alone to decry racists and bigots within our community. To that end, we support the more fully realized Declaration of Deeds proposed by Wind in the World Tree. We specifically acknowledge that the Asatru Folk Assembly (AFA) is active just outside of Sacramento, and that it is our responsibility to maintain a transparent, radically inclusive vision of northern neo-paganism that is in direct opposition to the ideals of Stephen McNallen.
Cat and Crow
Cat and Crow
Implicit to the practice of Seax Wica is an animistic worldview. Rather than claim a rare or exotic symbol, we honor the cat and crow for their very real and common presence in Sacramento, reflecting our own belief that divinity, enchantment, and magic may be found in the everyday. The cat and crow of our crest are an animistic representation of the two primary deities of magical domain:
Crāwe : the crow represents the carrion birds that follow in the wake of Woden's wild hunt. In the Eddas, Woden is informed by a pair of ravens, Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory), who fly throughout the worlds.
Catt: the cat represents the attendants that frequent iconography of Fréo. In the Eddas she possesses a shining chariot that is pulled by two tomcats. While unnamed in literature, Diana Paxon proposes the names Bygul (bee-gold) and Trjegul (tree-gold) for modern use.
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
We credit the following persons, past and present, for inspiration, material, and invention.
Raymond Buckland, without whom, we would not have this practice.
Alaric Albetsson, Jamie Lang, and Wind in the World Tree, who’s written works and philosophy have been a great source for our own.
The Circle of Cerridwen, for leading by example, for what perfect love and perfect trust can be.
The Open Source Alexandrian Tradition (OSA) for developing a foundation of radically inclusive and progressive spirituality, on which much of the material herein is based.
Rev Gina Pond, for her expertise and support in writing, witchcraft, and all things inclusive.
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