Dianic Wicca?

[Karri Morgan]

I was just wondering a thing, it might be obvious for most of the more experienced Dianics, but I have during the previous year celebrated the Sabbats in the typical Wiccan way, except that I have added certain personal details. Now, I feel like perhaps getting more of a Dianic twist on it. I have read a bit about it on this site, and found that you dedicate the different sabbats to special goddesses. So, I have a few questions, then;

*If you begin celibrating the sabbats with the focus on a goddess and her qualities, rather than the days meaning in the wheel of the year, will you then no longer be celibrating them in the Wiccan way, or can that be combined? What do you feel about that?

*Are there a special set of goddesses suitable for each sabbat, or can one choose one by what they symbolise, and make that match the purpose/theme of the sabbat?

*I read a list of stuff we relate to the goddess, and how each belong to each sabbat. Like blood, milk, etc. Is that a standard list? Or do different people use different lists?

Any tips or hints, or discussion is appreciated :D

[Philosophia]

Personally, I don't think the Dianic path and Wicca can be combined successfully because Wicca prescribes to both God and Goddess while Dianic tends to focus on the Goddess only with the God as a consort or non-existent.

If you celebrate the sabbats in a Dianic way than, in my opinion, you need to separate it from the traditional Wiccan side. For myself, I see it as honoring the changing seasons and weather patterns rather than honoring deities. I have different holidays for that. :)

Many Dianics celebrate the wheel in terms of the changing woman and the triple goddess, i.e. Samhain is the crone, Beltaine is the maiden, etc.. Others use the elements to define the sabbats.

One of the important aspects of the Dianic tradition is that there isn't a rigid set of guidelines or rules to follow and that includes honoring the sabbats. Many in the Dianic community don't like combining Wicca and the Dianic tradition for various reasons (i.e. doesn't mesh, etc.) but others do.

What I'm trying unsuccessfully to say is that do what you feel comfortable in doing. There isn't a set of rules or guidelines within the Dianic tradition except that femininity, woman's mysteries, etc. are highly regarded.

I know this isn't probably going to help at all but the Dianic path is highly creative and mostly individualized (unless you're in a coven). Do what feels right and good for you because that, in my opinion, is most important.

:hugz:

[RainInanna]

You will find at least as many answers as you will find Dianics. If I were you, I'd grab Women's Rites, Women's Mysteries by Ruth Barrett and the Holy Book of Women's Mysteries by Z Budapest for sabbat/seasonal related ideas within a Dianic context.

A lot of the traditional Wiccan mythology doesn't fit as well into the Dianic framework, but several Dianics have come up with various seasonal celebration ideas.

The other thing is - some will say Dianic only applies to Z Budapest-like teachings and so forth, but regardless of how you feel about it, there is a rich wealth of mythology available for anyone who is Goddess-focused, whether they are "officially" Dianic or no. I like Budapest's writings though, either way :)

[Ivy Artemisia]

Check out- http://www.matrifocus.com/

That web site has had meditations and articles on sabbats with a Goddess flavor. :)

[Caelestis ♥ Raven]

Hello Karri :)

Personally I am Dianic but not Wiccan. When I first discovered paganism/witchcraft I found Wiccan and practiced that for a while before I felt it wasn't right for me and found the Dianic path instead. So I will say my path has been influenced by Wicca. Alot of the Dianic path itself has been I would even say.

The Wiccan wheel of the year which focuses on the Goddess giving birth to the God and then him in turn Dying. I didn't feel very drawn to it as a Dianic.

I have to agree strongly with Philosophia, the Dianic path is very open and free to be creative and do your own thing for sure. Yet at the same time my Virgo ways likes to have alittle bit of form within the choas of creative beauty :)

I have read countless different views on a Goddess Wheel of the Year. All very unique to the women who follow them :) Some are similar to the Wiccan one and others very very different. Others dont even follow any.

My path is deeply inspired by Shekhinah Mountainwater. i highly reccommend her book Ariadne's Thread. She has a whole chapter on a Goddess Wheel of the year. ** though to be fair she didn't consider her path Dianic, but within many Dianic groups I have been a part of we studied her work and many consider it all part of Goddess Spirituality.

Her site is here:
http://shekhinah.net/The%20Goddess%20Year.htm

I find it a good balance of awknowledging the changing seasons and nature and also women's mysteries and the symbolism shared between them. I mix alot of the same symbols, meanings, etc.. but with a heavy dose of Goddess Spirituality, womens mysteries and my own influence & personal meanings.

Like with the Autumn Equinox....


by Suzanna
Mabon / Autumnal Equinox
Celebrated around September 21st. This is the second harvest. As the last
fruits are gathered to feed the people, the God prepared to leave His life
behind Him. Samhain follows Mabon, and the cycle begins again.
Dianic: Same as above; except the Goddess is preparing to 'rest'… to venture
into the 'quiet time' of the year. Mabon/Equinox another perfect balance of
light and dark, before the nights grow longer. There is one last harvest
(Samhain) before She descends into the 'Quiet world' for rest and
rejuvenation, and the Wheel turns again.
There is also balance to be noticed in the fact that the whole Earth does
not go through the same changes/seasons at the same time. While half the
world is in Light, the other is in Dark. While half the world is in Summer,
half is in Winter. While the Goddess rests in one half, She is creating and
active in the other. Balance. Wheel within Wheel. Circle within Circle.

I see it quite similiar, a day of balance between the light & dark. I see it as a time of descent into the inner "dark" realms of ourselves to see inner wisdom and guidance. I do a re-dedication each equinox to strengthen my path. I dedicate it to Persephone.



*Are there a special set of goddesses suitable for each sabbat, or can one choose one by what they symbolise, and make that match the purpose/theme of the sabbat?

While the above information does list specific Goddesses, I think everyone should choose one, or many or just an aspect (mother, crone, etc..) that you feel is best or that has personal meaning to you or what you are focusing on at that celebration.

You may feel drawn to a specific Goddess and always honor Her that sabbat or every year change it up.


*I read a list of stuff we relate to the goddess, and how each belong to each sabbat. Like blood, milk, etc. Is that a standard list? Or do different people use different lists?

The same with the Goddesses, people can choose as they wish. It goes along with women's mysteries of life.



Briefly, these mysteries can be called Birth, Blood, Passion, Milk, Menopause, Death, Renewal, and Quickening (or Inspiration). Herein we find our myth of creation, the story of our lives and spirits as Maidens, Mothers, and Crones:




The Goddess/She/Woman is born into the physical realm (Kore) as a bright and beautiful Daughter, enfolded in Her Mother's arms. She grows from Child to Woman, becoming whole-unto-Herself and has Her first bloods (Diana). As Her womanhood waxes, She becomes Lover and knows the mysteries of passion (Aphrodite). Now swelling with life and babies of Her own (and these can be understood as metaphors of any number or types of creations), She pours forth Her Milk or bounty as the heat of summer culminates in harvest time (Habondia). She begins to wane towards the year's decline, growing old and wise at Autumn Equinox (Persephone). She ceases to bleed, "holding the wise blood within," and descends for Her magical journey into the spirit world. (Thus we have the dual aspect of creation within the embrace of triplicity, shown in the images of Bright Maiden Ascending at spring, and Dark Maiden Descending, across the Wheel.) Having achieved Cronehood, She now knows death (Hecate) and divination. She embraces Her immortality as eternal spirit (Lucina), rebirthing the solar cycle of light at Winter Solstice. Now She enfolds Herself as seed beneath the earth, to dream and remember (Aradia or Musea) and become inspired for spring's rebirth.


Here are some links:
http://kbs.mahost.org/hgc/8ws.html
(this one below gives some books to check out on the subject)[/URL]
[URL]http://www.beliefnet.com/boards/message_list.asp?boardID=4648&discussionID=582760 (http://cerridwen.home.mindspring.com/id4.html)

[Louisvillian]

Already a thread on it. Just two threads down, actually.

Use. The. Search. Function...Please. For the sake of our sanity, use the search function before starting a thread that's probably already been done. XD

[RainInanna]

Already a thread on it. Just two threads down, actually.

Use. The. Search. Function...Please. For the sake of our sanity, use the search function before starting a thread that's probably already been done. XD

Huh? Wait, what's the title, I must've missed it, because I don't remember another thread on Dianic sabbats in general (I see one on Litha/Yule and one on Yule way down, but that's not the same?)? *scanning*scanning*

[Philosophia]

Use. The. Search. Function...Please. For the sake of our sanity, use the search function before starting a thread that's probably already been done. XD

Go beyond the title and read the actual post. It was a specific post asking about the Sabbats.

[Karri Morgan]

Thank you guys for the tips and info. I will check out the pages and links that were given :D Am looking forward to Yule. It will be a great and relaxing time for me, this year.

And, oh, yeah, there was a thread on Dianic Wicca, but I did not find the spesific information I was looking for there, so I started another thread. Should have used a different name, but was a bit stressed, if I remember correctly, so I forgot.

[RainInanna]

And, oh, yeah, there was a thread on Dianic Wicca, but I did not find the spesific information I was looking for there, so I started another thread. Should have used a different name, but was a bit stressed, if I remember correctly, so I forgot.

Not to worry. No big deal. Besides, I think a new thread was warranted, and we figured out what you meant :)

[RavenStars]

I'm one of those reviled solitaries that find inspiration from multiple paths. I, too, came from Wicca but my roots have always been in Goddess worship because this spoke to me the deepest. I find many practices and studies found in Wiccan books to be very helpful, especially since these books are widely available (even at my local library). In fact I tend to roughly use the outline of Wiccan ritual. But I drift far and wide, and have been greatly influenced by Ruth Barrett Women's Rites, Women's Mysteries: Intuitive Ritual Creation among others. I no longer consider myself a Wiccan, don't fit the definition for Dianic, and have emotional ties to Pantheism, but I do worship the Goddess in all her forms including the glorious All. Don't be afraid to search other traditions and read everything you can find. Knowledge is a powerful thing. In the end, though, it is your heart that leads you to the Goddess that lies both within and without.