The Dryghtyn verse is used by some California Gardnerians *and* by the Central Valley Wicca -- two separate, but closely related, traditions. It was not a part of Gardner's original Book of Shadows, but was written later by Doreen Valiente. Through her it seems to have entered into some Gardnerian strains, although it is more frequently found in the United States than in Britain, where its use is rare.
Some California Gardnerians have seized upon it to link Gardnerian practice to Neoplatonism, in which one godhead is presumed to be the great unifying force behind the many gods, and the divine force towards which humans aspire. In Gardnerian Craft, the term is gender-neutral.
It's interesting to hear that the Feri have now borrowed this concept and changed its gender associations, because it belongs among the California Gardnerians' oathbound material. although, of course, they could also easily have borrowed it from Crowther's published version.
BB,
Sabina
Sabina Magliocco
Professor
Department of Anthropology
California State University - Northridge
18111 Nordhoff St.
Northridge, CA 91330-8244
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From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Chas S. Clifton [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 8:18 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] ece Drihten/eci dryctin
Felicia,
It sounds as though the Feri trad people have borrowed
that term from some California Gardnerians -- the
Central Valley Wicca people.
It's my understanding that the latter use "drychten" to mean
something like "Godhead."
The usage seems to be peculiar to them among American Wiccans.
Chas
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