Donald Lewis-Highcorrell - Witch Schools First Degree

The twelve lessons of the Witch School's First Degree, designed to be completed in the traditional "year and a day" format, introduce Wicca as a spiritual path and teach you the essentials of becoming a Witch. Completion of the twelve lessons in this book makes you eligible for initiation into the First Degree of Correllian Nativist Wicca.

Rev. Don (Donald) Lewis-Highcorrell

Lessons in the Correllian Tradition

ePub r1.0

Sharadore21.01.14

This book is dedicated to Rev. Traci Logan Wood,

chief priestess of Holy City Temple, Chicago,

without whose persistent encouragement and support it would not have been possible.

Many thanks to her for continual aid and patience.

Original Title: Witch School's First Degree: Lessons in the Correllian Tradition

Rev. Donald Lewis-Highcorrell, 2005 at Witchschool.com

Cover Design: Kevin R. Brown

Digital Editor: Sharadore

ePub base r1.0

Greetings,

I am very pleased to be able to present this new, revised edition of my Correllian Tradition lessons. The creation of these materials took many years, and the new edition has taken many months, but at last I feel that we can call them completed. I think it is particularly appropriate that this new edition, long in the working, has been completed at the dawn of the year 7 Aquarius (AD 2007), with its numerical emphasis on spirituality and learning.

Of course, because peoples needs and circumstances are in a constant state of change, it is only reasonable to assume that there will, in the future, be additions to these materials, but I think we can regard the basic form of Correllian Degree education to be established.

When I began writing these materials, the Correllian Tradition was a tiny familial tradition of Witchcraft. What I mean by Witchcraft in this usage is a relatively unorganized Pagan religious practice involving magic and spiritualism.

In my writings, I have always treated the term Wicca as synonymous with the word Witchcraft as it is defined above. This is what I was taught, and treating these terms as equal has been common practice for many in the United States, especially during the period when I was learning. Many people now use a much more limited definition of Wicca, confining the term to the Gardnerian-Alexandrian traditions; however, it is important for students to realize that this is not how the word Wicca will be used in these writings.

The Correllian Tradition considers itself to be Nativista word roughly synonymous with Pagan. In 1579 Pisces (AD 1979), the elders of the tradition decided it was a form of Wiccaagain, thinking of the term as synonymous with Witchcraft as described above. The wisdom of this is now questionable, and the decision certainly has been subject to a great deal of criticism by people who note the many differences between Correllianism and Gardnerian-Alexandrian Wicca. Nonetheless, the tradition has styled itself Wiccan ever since, and it will continue to do so until and unless the elders decide differently.

Ultimately, however, we consider Correllianism to be something unto itself: a lens through which all things may be seen. Though influenced by the movements it has grown up among and at times identified itself with, the Correllian understanding of the Universe is, ultimately, simply Correllian.

In setting forth the Correllian understanding in writing, it has always been my intention that the materials should be available to all seekers, whether Correllian themselves or not. I do not believe that we are given spiritual insight so that we can hoard it for ourselves or hold it back from others who could benefit. If a better understanding of Spirit makes one a better person, then sharing spiritual understanding should make a better world.

I hope that you find this new edition of the Correllian Tradition lessons interesting and useful in your personal spiritual journey.

May the blessing be upon you,

Rev. Donald Lewis-Highcorrell

FIRST PRIEST AND CHANCELLOR,

CORRELLIAN NATIVIST TRADITION

The Correllium, above, is the symbol of the Highcorrell family and the Correllian Tradition as a whole. The Correllium represents the oneness of being and is usually explained in this way: at the top, the Vault of Heaven is represented by (usually) a double line representing the elements of air and fire (light). At the center, a cross represents the element of earth and the four directions. At the bottom, a wave represents the element of water. The circle encompassing all is Spirit. The Correllium has its origin as a personal vision symbol and was later used in the manner of a familial crest.

S o you want to be a witch?

What is all this witchcraft stuff, anyway? Does being a witch mean you can point your finger and make things happen? Does it mean you can learn to fly on a broom and turn people into toads?

Well, not quite.

Witchcraft, or WICCA, is a religion. Wicca is not primarily about magic, although it does use magic. Wicca is about your place in the Universe and your evolution as a spiritual being. Wicca is about moving forward on your personal spiritual journeyabout learning, growing, and becoming the most you can be. As a religion, Wicca is a way of understanding and interacting with Deity and the Universe. It is a life-affirming path of growth and expansion.

Wicca is based on reverence for Nature and her cycles and respect for the earth and all her creatures. Wicca teaches us to revere the natural forces of the Universe and allow us to see them reflected in the world around us, in every person and thing.

Wicca has great reverence for Deity, who for us has both a Mother and Father aspect. Wiccans approach Deity through many names and formsboth masculine and feminine, and drawn from all over the world and from every age. We often compare Deity to a diamond with many facets: each name or image for Deity is like one facet of the diamond. Each facet may be considered separately, and all are beautiful in themselves, but yet they all are aspects of a single stone.

Wicca believes that Deity comes to each person in the way that is best understood by that person, and that this occurs differently for different people. Wicca believes that the relationship between a person and Deity is highly individual, personal, and subjective. Not everyone will have the same understanding of Deity, because not everyone is in the same situation or able to understand from the same level or perspective. Because each person is different, no one has the right to judge another persons relationship with Deity.

This is why we respect all the names and forms that have been used to honor Deity through the centuries: Deity needs them all in order to come to all people in the way they can best understand.

The most common way for Wiccans to approach Deity is in the form of the TRIPLE GODDESS, whose three forms are Maiden, Mother, and Crone, and whose symbol is the moon. Her consort is THE GOD, who rules the cycles of the solar year and is called, among other things, Lord of the Dance. His symbol is the sun. These two forms of Deity are viewed as POLARITIES, or opposing but complementary powers, like the Eastern concept of yin and yang.