I once read of a meeting, probably apocryphal, between Alistair Crowley, Gerald Gardener and Ross Nichols.
At that meeting, the drink flowed freely and Crowley proposed a wager.
He challenged Gardner and Nichols to adapt their interests and studies in Hermeticism and create (or recreate) a magickal system of their own. Thus Wicca and Druidry were recreated and the re-creators were pitted against each other in some kind of occult gamble.
Whilst the story is just that, a story it is true that Crowley and Gardner were known to each other and Gardner and Nichols were friends.
Gardner was introduced to Crowley on May Day in 1947 by Arnold Crowther. Shortly before his death Crowley initiated and elevated Gardner in the Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO). He also issued a charter decreeing that Gardner could admit people into its Minerval degree. The charter itself was written in Gardner's handwriting and signed by Crowley.
Gardner regularly travelled to London, keeping his flat at Buckingham Palace Mansions until mid-1939 and regularly visiting the Spielpatz nudist club, At Spielplatz he befriended Ross Nichols whom he would later introduce to Druidry. Nichols would become enamoured with this faith, eventually founding the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids.
Nichols was asked to edit Gardner's seminal work, Witchcraft Today, which set out the basics of modern Wiccan practice.
To better understand the link between Crowley, Gardner, and Ross Nichols, we must first understand the ideologies and influences that these three men had on the occult.
Crowley was an English occultist, a ceremonial magician, and a prolific writer on the Hermetic Qabalah. Aleister He considered himself to be the prophet of a new Aeon of Horus. He wrote extensively on the subject of magick, and his works have been highly influential in the development of modern occultism.
Gardner was an English anthropologist and author who is credited with the founding of the modern Wicca religion. Gardner’s Wicca was heavily influenced by the ideas of Aleister Crowley and Hermeticism, and he borrowed heavily from Crowley’s works when creating his own Wiccan practice.
Nichols was a British occult scholar and author who wrote extensively on the subject of Hermeticism and its contemporary occult ideologies.
The link between Crowley, Gardner, and Nichols is their shared interests in Hermeticism, occultism, and the magical arts. Gardner and Nichols drew from each other’s work to create their own unique and influential approaches to the subject matter, and their ideas and practices still have a significant impact on occultism today.
What impact did Ross Nichols have on modern Druidry
Ross Nichols had a major impact on modern Druidry. By combining the teachings of Aleister Crowley and Gerald Gardner, Nicholls created a comprehensive guide to modern magical practice, giving Druids access to a wide range of ideas, techniques, and rituals. This allowed modern Druids to create a more holistic and effective practice, drawing from both traditional and modern sources.
Nichols wrote extensively on the subject of Druidry, and his writings remain an important source of information and knowledge on the subject, helping to further develop and shape Druidry into the powerful and influential movement it is today.
Crowley, Gardner, and Ross Nichols all have had a major impact on the modern occult, and their influence can still be seen in many aspects of occultism today. Their works have spawned a diverse range of magical beliefs, from neo-paganism to Witchcraft to Druidry, and their teachings form the foundation for many of the rituals and practices that are still in use today.
Whether we are aware of it or not, the works of these three influential figures have had a lasting impact on the occult and its practitioners, and we can still feel their presence in every aspect of modern occultism.
So, what are the key differences between modern Druidry and Wicca?
The key differences between modern Druidry and Wicca include the sources of their respective beliefs, the practices involved, and the spiritual energies that are tapped into.
“Traditional” Witchcraft can be seen to focus on the work of a local “wise woman” or “cunning man”. Generally, community-based it is often depicted as a mixture of folk healing, magick and seasonal ritual.
Modern Wicca is heavily influenced by the works of Crowley and Gardner and places a greater emphasis on the practice of ceremonial magic and the invocation of powerful spirit entities. Contemporaries of Gardner brought their own perspectives of what “the craft’ could be and shaped the practice into what we would recognise today. The input of Doreen Valiente cannot be underestimated in the early development of Wicca,
Druidry draws heavily from traditional Celtic mythology and folklore and tends to focus more on nature-based rituals and the honouring of multiple deities.
Wicca and Druidry practices seek to connect with the natural world and to honour and respect the sacred forces and cycles of nature. Wicca is a religion that honours the cycles and rhythms of nature, and Druidry is a spiritual path that honours the connection with the forces of nature.
Wiccans and Druids aim to gain knowledge about the mysteries of the universe through rituals, meditation, and other spiritual practices. Both paths focus heavily on respect for the earth and strive to have an ethical and eco-friendly lifestyle.
Both approaches are connected to Hermeticism and Magick which is broadly about connecting with unseen spiritual forces and energies in order to gain knowledge and insight.
In overly simplistic terms, Hermeticism is a tradition that focuses on mastering the laws of nature, while Magick utilizes rituals, incantations, and spells to access the power of the supernatural or hidden worlds. These practices are used to explore personal transformation and spiritual growth. Both Hermeticism and Magick are designed to help practitioners gain insights and understanding into the hidden workings of the universe.
These paths are thus ultimately about personal and spiritual transformation through a deep understanding of the connections between “us”, “each other” and the “Cosmos”
Alan /|\