Pythonic Wicca: as in Monty, not the snake.

Ah, the Crafters. Now here is a piece of Wiccan History that could easily get lost and forgotten, and I don't think it should. Working with them as a teenager was my introduction to being a part of Pagan Circles, and I had many wonderful adventures with the folks who became Family to me then. The Crafters as a group had something interesting to say to the rest of the world of Paganism. Serious, beautiful, elaborate rituals and ceremonies can be wonderful-- but the Divine may also be approached on a down-to-earth level; and has a sense of humor. Laughter in fact, may be an appropriate offering, and a way to build magical energy if one knows how to do that and focus it towards a positive goal.

Much, much more on all of that later.

The Crafters, which has been disbanded for some time, was highly influential in the forming of multiple groups in Michigan. Most of it's members at one point or another taught classes or formed groups of their own. In terms of order of progression, those wonderful family circle moments we shared in a small town effected each of those member's and their perspectives and philosophies, which they have then shared with others. I think it is noteworthy that this group formed a very unique tradition that blended elements of traditional ritual with more eclectic ones- and sometimes, quite eccentric. Our traditions however made sense for us.

Sometimes understanding comes in context. A person who had never been to a crafters ritual and read the notes for a particular circle might wonder why the circle was opened with the phrase "Everybody Duck!" . Being there would make it clear and funny-because you would have seen the HP, a short guy swinging a sword around in a crowded small living room.

Rituals were always lively, and filled with a sense of Love and Family. We were known for the humor we would sometimes incorporate, but we also as a group studied many spiritual and magical traditions and learned a lot together. Although the group no longer exists, there is some material on the web that talks about the experiences those people shared together, which may give insight to others studying the craft or having their own experiences and explorations.

The image at the top of this post was the Crafter's Logo, drawn by Figment, who was the high priest of the group and known for his creativity. :-)


Here are some relevant pages:


PYTHONIC WICCA



CRAFTER's WEBPAGE


FIGMENT's RECCOMENDED READING LIST

PS Fig- May the circle be unbroken, and may we prove that the miles don't matter. That said, I'm never going to get the ninja surprise Eldering- so, do I at least get mingions now? ;-)~