Foreword
Gerald Gardner was one of the formative movers and shakers in the modernWitchcraft movement. "High Magic's Aid" is one of the early classic books that hesold at the Witchcraft Museum on the Isle of Man. This reprint, set in 10-point Timesfor easy reading, follows the original except for minor corrections in spelling andre-paragraphing. 1n addition we have added an appendix in which we have gatheredtogether the illustrations from the original. This work should be on the shelf of every Wiccan because it does reflectGardner's thinking at the time of writing.For those Wiccans who want a tradition that can solidly trace its roots back fiftyyears, changed only to make it more gender-inclusive, this is the tradition for them. The Gardnerian tradition (as it is called) does not conform to the general Wiccan pathin the United States. That path celebrates diversity and will change its rituals every time somethingapparently better is found. The touchstone of Gardnerianism is the fact that it alwaysreturns to its root Book of Shadows for initiations. Initiates, high priests, and highpriestesses have a traceable and documentable lineage, so that students can be sureof their mentors. To the eyes of today's Wiccans, the initiations in "High Magic's Aid" seem hurriedand the sorcery looks strongly Christian and chauvinistic. We think this is Gardner'sattempt to show how it might have been in the middle ages. In light of today'sknowledge,
there are
many apparent errors in the methodology described; Gardnermay have introduced these deliberately to discourage untutored beginners fromusing the book as an authentic grimoire. The author did an admirable thing in promulgating his version of the Old Religion;for by that promulgation, many minds were turned and lives saved. We do not think itimportant to concern ourselves about the early roots of any tradition, provided thattradition is life-enhancing and positive, harming none. Nor do we believe it right tocriticize or question the beliefs and practices of any other way of spirituality, so longas they harm none.We hope you enjoy this new edition and keep it as an icon of the 1940s.Gavin & Yvonne Frost- iii -
OTHER BOOKSby the SAME AUTHOR
Keris and other Malay WeaponsA Goddess ArrivesWitchcraft Today The Meaning of Witchcraft
Editor's Note
In retyping and resetting this work I have retained:1. the United Kingdom spelling of many words,2. the UK idioms,3. the many slang, dialect, and magical expressions that are not currently in use inthe English-speaking world,
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