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1974 Witches' Council and the
13 Principles of Wiccan Belief
by Boudica

After many years of trying to track down what actually happened at WitchFest 1974, and who was there and who was actually responsible for the 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief, I was given a lead by a dear friend who said, well, didn't you read the Playboy Article on the '74 Witchfest? 

Playboy??? Who knew???  Well, I hurried up to eBay, that source of all things old, ancient or just not wanted, and found a copy from July 1974. With shipping, it came to about $6.00. Yes, I bought Playboy for the article. Deal with it. 

So, I got the issue and sat down that evening with my cuppa tea in front of the fire, and proceeded to dig into the article. It is written by Mordecai Rickler, who comes equipped with lots of skepticism and tongue in cheek. The event takes place at Hyatt Lodge, Minneapolis, and is listed as the Third Annual Gnostic Aquarian Festival of Astrology, Mind Power, Occult Sciences & Witchcraft in the New Age. 

Needless to say, after reading that article, it is obvious why these folks choose not to be known as the witches who were at that gathering. After all, 73 witches on the council and no where on the web does it mention the entire cast of players. Nor does Llewellyn, who put on the party bash, speak of it on their website. You would think they would be proud to have their name associated with the Witches Council of 1974 and the 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief? 

I warn you, if you do pick up this magazine for its "historical" value, there is a spew alert attached. Do not drink and read, or you will mess up your copy of Playboy. 

Mr. Rickler makes a point in his article. We are looking at players.

We are looking at folks who are after the $$$, the book contract and the Crown of Queen of Witches. We are looking at Gavin and Yvonne Frost giving classes to harness sex energy by not having an orgasm. We see a very young Isaac Bonewits, only 22 at the time, discussing his ability to cure blood diseases and control the weather. Tim Zell, not to be outdone, also tries to make it rain. 

We have all sorts of people discussing themselves in the past and present, former lifetimes, current lifetimes, and astral lifetimes. We have way too many kings and queens reincarnated, you know that. 

The best was a glimpse of (the now late) Lady Sheba. At a private meet, we have her declaring that she IS the queen of the witches, she always HAS BEEN the queen of the witches (since Camelot), that she WILL publish the Temple books, and "If you won't follow me there are thousands who will." Mr. Rickler makes note of her Kentucky accent and the following temper tantrum where George Lincoln (he is noted as a lecturer and consultant on witchcraft and there is a complete fashion statement that follows) challenges Lady Sheba "In the name of the Great White Brotherhood, do you stand in the light?" She replies with a challenge for him in the "astral".  Go for it. 

Gavin Frost is referenced as Gavin of Boskednan. Hmmmm.   We have Crescent Dragonwagon, Officer J. P. Little, Carl Weschcke and his wife Sandra. We have Lady Circe, Lady Cybele, Charles Leach, Morning Glory, Russ Michael, even Jehovah. . . wow. 

The story is well worth the price of the magazine for the entertainment value, the historical rendering of a point in time, and a look at where some of today's authors came from, and what some of our authors were like back then. It is too precious not to acquire if you are into the craft history in the US. 

The American Council of Witches in 1974 presented the world with the "new witchcraft" and made Wicca do a left turn from the traditional British Witchcraft that we had up to that time. It was a marker for the US to take off on its own and explore spirituality in a new light. 

That the messengers were just a little bit "off" is probably inconsequential, but the message that came out of that was we were different, we were liberated and we are going to plow forward and create something new. 

There were a few bucks to be made here, and you know that was the focus of most of the parties present. We are looking at publishing deals, books to sell to the occult starved American public, TV contracts, talk shows. Well, if you look at it that way. . . not much has changed, has it? We still have authors fighting for publicity any way they can get it, book contracts being a key element to a free ride, witch schools looking to jump in bed with the media. 

For all things have changed, some things have not. 

Least we become jaded with the history, remember; the practice has become individualistic. We each come to our path in our own way. While the books help, they are not the only source, nor should they be the main source of our practices. We are in this for only one reason. . .

to connect with Deity to enable ourselves. We practice magic also to enable ourselves. 

But it is interesting to see where this all started. And it is an amusing read. 

Further research brings into play some folks claim to have written Carl Weschcke about this whole affair.  The supposed replies vary.  I can not really place any stock in the material as it does not seem to be consistent.  Some supposed correspondences with Carl say that Carl can not remember who was at the Council.  He claims it was long ago and he does not remember.  Other correspondences suggest that Carl drafted the 13 Principles himself and then presented it to the group for approval.  The name of the council was drafted up, discussed, the principles were adopted and that was the end of that. 

The Principles are interesting.  While some folks find them words to live by, others do not feel the material is pagan enough.  The lack of substantiation does not seem to affect anyone's trust in the material, as most take it that this was approved by a body of learned pagans.

Even The Army's material regarding "Religious Requirements" seems to mention the Council as "many witches have affiliated with the American Council of Witches, formed in 1974, to provide a structure for cooperation and mutual sharing."  Interesting when it was supposedly disbanded later in 1974.  (From Army Pamphlet 165-13 - I only found this referenced on line; can not find the actual pamphlet) 

So where does this all leave us?  I believe if you really want to follow something that offers guidance to the Craft, this is probably a baseline from which to work.  I personally find it a bit too, shall we say, leaning towards appeasing and appealing to other faiths so as not to offend their "delicate" natures. 

However, I also feel that this probably is not something we should place a lot of reliance in as it appears not to have any substance other than to those at a particular time, in a particular place working on a particular means of publicity.  While "nice", it does not satisfy any other needs of the community today.  The material is now dated, does not reflect the practices of today's pagan community nor does it offer any real insight into who we are.  As individuals, it seems to classify us as all the same.  It also has offered itself as a universal statement on witchcraft, hinting at a central body of authority, which we also know does not reflect the pagan community today. 

So, read through the material available.  Also, actually read those principles.  See if they make a statement on your particular path, and then decide for yourself if this is how you want the rest of the world to look at you.  And get a hold of the Playboy article.  I think it says volumes on who did what when and why. 

Boudica

The 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief

1. We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters. 

2. We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility towards our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept. 

3. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that is apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called "supernatural", but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all. 

4. We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity-as masculine and feminine-and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.

5. We recognize both outer and inner, or psychological, worlds -- sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, Inner Planes, etc. -- and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment. 

6. We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership. 

7. We see religion, magick and wisdom-in-living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it -- a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft, the Wiccan Way. 

8. Calling oneself "Witch" does not make a Witch -- but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well without harm to others and in harmony with Nature.

9. We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness, that gives meaning to the Universe we know, and our personal role within it. 

10. Our only animosity towards Christianity, or toward any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be "the only way," and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief. 

11. As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the origins of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future. 

12. We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as "Satan" or "the Devil", as defined by Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor do we accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another. 

13. We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.