The Tree: The Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft [Paperback]

Raymond Buckland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1974

BucklandÂ’s Book of Saxon Witchcraft was one of the first books to explore Wicca from a solitary perspective. Originally written 30 years ago to correct abuses he saw occurring in covens, Buckland offered Wiccan seekers an introductory text on Saxon witchcraft or Seax-Wicca, which can be practiced alone.

Buckland presents meticulously researched information on the time-honored tradition of Saxon witchcraft. He writes cogently and informatively about the history, mythology, spiritual practices, and witchcraft of Saxon England.

BucklandÂ’s Book of Saxon Witchcraft includes everything the solitary witch needs to practice Seax-Wicca, including:

• Descriptions of the Saxon deities and explanations of their primary beliefs

• An introduction to the magical runic Saxon alphabet

• A selection of original Pagan songs

• A selection of Seax-Wiccan recipes for intoxicants

• Instructions for initiation ceremonies, the eight Sabbats, marriage, birth, and death rites

• An explanation of the art and practice of Saxon Galdra or magic and the divination and herbal lore used for protection, love potions, and healing

• The Seax-Wicca Rite of Self-Dedication, which allows individuals to form their own covens and initiate themselves into the Craft

An indispensable handbook for solitary witches or for witches in covens who want to explore Saxon witchcraft.

Originally published as The Tree: The Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft (ISBN: 0877282587), this edition offers a new introduction by the author to guide a new generation of witches into the art and practice of Seax-Wicca.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Raymond Buckland is one of the fathers of the modern Wiccan movement. Directed by Gardner himself to bring Wicca to the United States, Buckland rose to prominence as a leader in the movement. Buckland is still active and well known in the Wiccan community. He is the author of many books about the Craft. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Weiser Books (December 1974)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877282587
• ISBN-13: 978-0877282587
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,527,881 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In 1962 I came to the U.S. from England, where I'd written comedy scripts and was personal scriptwriter for a popular British comedian. Interested in the occult for over fifty years, in the past forty years I've had over forty books published (fiction and non-fiction), with nearly two million copies in print and translated into seventeen foreign languages. I've received awards for my work and had books featured in several national book clubs. I was Technical Director for movies, working with Orson Wells and William Friedkin (director of The Exorcist). Of Romany descent, I'm an authority on Gypsies and have written several books on them. I've lectured at colleges and universities and been the subject of articles in newspapers and magazines: New York Times, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, New York Sunday News, National Observer, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Look Magazine, Cosmopolitan, True, and others.

I've appeared on national television and radio talk shows and been on BBC-TV, England, RAI-TV, Italy, and CBC-TV, Canada. I appeared extensively on stage in England and played small character parts in movies in America. I taught courses at colleges and universities and have been a featured speaker at conferences and workshops. I'm listed in reference works including Contemporary Authors, Who's Who In America, Men of Achievement, and International Authors' and Writers' Who's Who.

Latest books are The Weiser Field Guide to Ghosts, The Spirit Book, Buckland's Book of Spirit Communications, Wicca For One, and Cards of Alchemy. A DVD version of my Wicca video has also recently been released: Rebirth of the Old Religion. A prolific author, I'm currently working on my autobiography. Today I live on a farm in north-central Ohio. Photo Credit: Gregory Ford

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Saxon Wiccan's Free Will Book of Spells, November 21, 1999

By 

Richard Ballard "rjballard" (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Tree: The Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft (Paperback)

Mr. Buckland's book discusses Seax-Wica, the Wiccan religion of the British Saxons. The book discusses Seax-Wica history, Seax-Wica beliefs, and presents "The Tree", the Seax-Wica Book of Spells. Unlike other Wiccan disciplines Seax-Wica has *no oath of secrecy*, the Book of Spells is available to all, and Mr. Buckland incurs no penalty by publishing the Seax-Wica Book of Spells.

The Saxons were commoners who suffered poverty, and who suffered indenture due to crimes and debts. Prisoners of war mixed with the Saxons. By my interpretation, that Loki did remove a "silver circlet" from the Goddess Freya's neck indicates that the Goddess Freya herself at one time was enslaved (pg. 19).

Seax-Wica reflects the Saxon love of freedom and the history of persecution by permitting Free Will in Seax-Wica rituals and worship. _Seax-Wica witches do *not* require external assistance and control._ If no local Coven exists or if the local Coven members' philosophies disagree with one's own, Seax-Wica contains a "Rite of Self Dedication" that allows a sincere one to initiate one self into the Craft as Priest/ess. The sincere one then may form a new Coven, and other Seax-Wica Covens will recognize the sincere one's initiation and the new Coven. The sincere one also may choose to enter Solitary Practice.

Similarly, a sincere one may choose to be initiated into the local Coven by her/his parents instead of the local Coven's Priestess and Priest. And a Seax-Wica Coven member may leave or rejoin the Coven at any time with *no penalty*.

Seax-Wica appears to stress fertility less than do other Wiccan disciplines. A 50-50 mix of female-male Coven members is not required, and Coven members are not paired. Based upon my interpretation, fertility symbolism is minimal except within the Spring (pre-planting) Sabbat (pp. 66-67). Open elections for Priestesses and Priests are held periodically, preventing incumbents from acquiring tenure and excessive influence.

Mr. Buckland's book also discusses Divination and Herbal Lore. The Appendices discuss Magickal Alphabets, Seax-Wican songs, and Recipes for Beer, Wine, and Ale.

Seax-Wica allows a sincere one to utilize Free Will. A sincere one can worship with local Coven members, can form a new Coven, or can engage in Solitary Practice. The lack of an Oath of Secrecy, the ability to leave and rejoin a Coven at any time, and the lack of penalties provides an openness and freedom that other Wiccan disciplines lack. Frees *will* find their own path with Seax-Wica.

I enjoyed reading this Book. It is a pleasant and well-written book that discusses a nice Wiccan discipline.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Introduction To Seax-Wica !!!, March 29, 2005

By 

Michael Chesbro (Rainier, Washington USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft (Paperback)

Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft is a reprint of the 1974 book, "The Tree: The Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft", also by Raymond Buckland.

Saxon Witchcraft, commonly called Seax-Wica was developed by Raymond Buckland in the early 1970's and given to the public with the publication of "The Tree" in 1974. Mr. Buckland certainly deserves full credit for developing this tradition of Saxon Witchcraft and making it available to seekers of the northern way, but we should also remember that a like tradition exists in the Vanna-Troth and the practice of Seidr.

Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft discusses the Deities `Woden' and `Freya' and the beliefs of Reincarnation and Retribution.

The hierarchy of Seax-Wica is explained with its three levels: `Theows' - those who do not actually belong to Seax-Wica, but may attend as guests and friends of the tradition; `Ceorls' - neophyte members of the tradition, in training which eventually leads to initiation into the Seax-Wica; and the `Gesith' - an initiated member of the tradition and a Saxon Witch! Every Saxon Witch is a Gesith, and there are no degrees of advancement beyond this (i.e. no 2nd or 3rd degree, no "Witch Queen" or "Witch King", etc.).

Buckland's Book of Seax-Wica also includes a number of Rites, including a `Self-Dedication Rite' allowing anyone who is unable to find a Seax-Wica Coven to initiate himself/herself into the Seax-Wica tradition.

Finally, the book touches on `Galdra' (Magick), `Hwata' (Divination) and `Lacunuga' (Herbal Lore) and closes with appendices of Magickal Alphabets, Seax-Wican Songs, and Seax-Wica Recipes for Wine, Beer, and Ale.

Overall Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft is an excellent introduction to Seax-Wica. It peaked my interest to such an extent that I sought out the formal training in Seax-Wica offered by CrowHaven House in New York. If you have an interest in the Old Ways and the Northern Tradition then Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft is a "must have" for your library!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An informative introduction to Saxon witchcraft, April 9, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft (Paperback)

Buckland's Book Of Saxon Witchcraft was one of the first books to serious explore Wicca and was written to correct abuses that Raymond Buckland (one of the fathers of the modern Wiccan movement) saw occurring in covens. It was Buckland's purpose to offer Wiccan seekers an informed and informative introduction to Saxon witchcraft (Seax-Wicca) which could be practices alone and did not need a group or coven support. This 30th anniversary edition (originally published as "The Tree: The Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft") once again makes available to interested readers authoritative descriptions of Saxon deities and explanations of their primary beliefs; an introduction to the magical runic Saxon alphabet; a selection of original Pagan songs; a selection of Seax-Wiccan recipes for intoxicants; instructions for initiation ceremonies, the eight Sabbats, marriage, birth, and death rites; an explanation of the art and practice of Saxon Galdra or magic, and the divination and herbal lore used for protection, love potions, and healing; and the Seax-Wicca Rite of Self-dedication, allowing individuals to form their own covens and initiate themselves into the Craft. Very highly recommended for Metaphysical and Wiccan Studies collections.