An Introduction to Dianic Wicca
Because Wicca is a relatively new religion that draws on ancient pagan traditions, it is constantly changing and adjusting to the new modern age that we live in. The term “Wicca” was coined during the middle of the nineteen-hundreds in England and so it to is relatively new.
Dianic Wicca is something that has sprung form the broader community of Wiccans and it can be most aptly described as a “womans only” form of Wicca. If you were to walk into a Dianic coven, you would see only women who were entirely reliant on the goddess and female deities during their ritual.
It really makes such perfect sense, because up until the birth of modern day Wicca, women were expected to take a back seat in convectional religious practice if they were given a seat at all. Many women who practice Dianic Wicca feel that their feminine energy manifests itself in its most powerful form when the ritual is devoid of male energy.
The Beginnings of Dianic Wicca
Also, many women tend to feel more comfortable and relaxed and thus can meditate more deeply when they are in the presence of their sister Wiccans exclusively. Dianic Wiccans trace their beginning back to the Roman Empire when a female prestress conducted rituals that called on the goddess Diana during their rituals and this further evolved to include other female deities.
Dianic Wiccans also rely on ancient Greek and Egyptian female deities during their rituals and worship. The Dianic Wiccan community is growing and is expected to continue to grow on into the future as women everywhere are finding Dianic covens a safe place for refuge in what many conceive as a male dominated society.
Given that Dianic pagan practices predate all contemporary modern religions it seems only natural that things should come full circle and Dianic covens might take their rightful place in the broader Wiccan Community.
1 response so far ↓
Noinden // Jan 8, 2008 at 10:53 am
I have to disagree with a lot of the assertions made here. While it is true many Dianic covens are woman only, a number actually are inclusive. Similarly while one might try to date back to pre-Christian times this is a nice deception, up there with Gerald Gardner and the New Forrest Coven (it did not exist), Druids using Stone Henge, and Christ dying on the cross. Similarly there is no absolute proof of a Matriarchal prehistory, I would point to Cynthia Ellers “Myth of the Matriarchal Prehistory” for further research (and it’s a woman saying this!!)
I respect Dianic’s, so don’t take this as an attack on them, rather a wake up call to do what you do and not try to justify it as “it’s older than anything else”. Paganism has crown beyond that!
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