
Structure of the Tradition
The Laws of the Craft, which help with Tradition and Coven guidance in order to meet Coven needs and outline Initiate responsibilities, are hereby laid out for the purposes of transparency and integrity. It is in keeping with this philosophy that we, the Elders of Gala Witchcraft (Gala), are choosing to follow the example of our ancestors and Elders within the Sacred Pentagraph Tradition by making our understanding of these Laws and guiding principles public. It is, thereby, incumbent upon every Initiate of our Order to fully understand this structure and its obligations and then to operate within them.
Equality & Democracy
Just as the God and Goddess are seen as co-equal and co-eternal, so it must be with us here on earth. Each person is a unique expression of the Great Demiurge that exists even above the God and Goddess. Some cultures call this God. Others The Great Spirit. We like to think of it in Theosophical terms as The All in All. As the God and Goddess are to us, it is to them, and, like elder family members, we turn to the God and Goddess for guidance and wisdom, which helps us to find our way back to The All in All.
Each individual’s journey back ought therefore to be respected, cherished, and honored. No sincere Seeker of true knowledge will be denied access to the Craft on the basis of Race, National Origin, Sexual Orientation, or Previous Religious Background. Though Gala is an oathbound, initiatory tradition of Wicca exclusively for cisgender Gay men, we are part of a larger Craft family with Horsa and Sacred Pentagraph. Between the three Traditions, we can make room for every genuine Seeker.
Additionally, our Chief Elder, Casey Giovinco is currently working with Nonbinary and Transgender folks to create an approach to our practice of the Craft that is inclusive of their experiences as well.
Individuality Within & Without
Gala takes the stance that Gay men exist in every culture on earth and so does the concept of a spiritual practitioner or magical worker. While we in Gala think of this magical worker as a witch, we accept that these people were called by many different names. Historically, Gay men (along with other members of the Rainbow communities) filled the role of magical worker or spiritual authority for their communities, and we believe that the best way to heal the Gay community today is to empower individual Gay men to reclaim this magical-spiritual legacy.
In order to do that, we encourage each Initiate to develop his own hedge witch path by exploring the history, folklore, mythology, magical and spiritual practices, etc. of his heritage, geographical location, and personal interests in addition to our Tradition’s core teachings and doctrine. This personal exploration of one’s hedge witch path should be nurtured by the witch regardless of Grade of Initiation. Initiates may, therefore, choose whether they wish to be part of a Coven or maintain their solitary exploration of the Craft within our Tradition.
Both paths are respected. An Initiate who chooses the solitary path should reach out to his Initiator to receive further information regarding Gala, the Covendom, or the Coven where he was initiated.
The following is a visual example of how our tradition is structured,
For more information, see How Gala Works and Organization of the Covens.
