What is Blue Star Wicca?
Blue Star Wicca is an American pagan tradition founded in the mid-1970s, based on British Traditional practices. Originally established as a single coven in Pennsylvania, Blue Star evolved over the next decade or two into a collection of more than a dozen covens all across the US, all operating in what is essentially the same framework and therefore recognizable as a Tradition.
Our covens and practitioners can be found in California, The District of Columbia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Washington, as well as in Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Blue Star works with British Isles, Greco-Roman, and Norse pantheons. The Tradition's theology allows enough flexibility for polytheists, pantheists and monotheists to participate, and rituals can involve prayer or invocation to Wiccan deities, the gods and goddesses of Pagan peoples, or deified abstractions. The best way to find out more about Blue Star is to seek out and talk to a Blue Star person in your area.
Blue Star asks its members to live their lives according to the precepts laid down in the Wiccan Rede and in the Tenets of Faith. We tend to respect the law of Three-Fold Return and attempt to live our lives in a manner respectful of the Gods, the Earth and other people. Many people believe a Blue Star education is significantly more strenuous than an education in some other traditions, and Blue Star has historically admitted to demanding a fairly high level of dedication and commitment from its students.
Blue Star uses an initiatory, coven-based model akin to the Gardnerian or Alexandrian Craft traditions, but a number of "solitary" practitioners exist, typically with a form of long-distance relationship with an established group. There is no self-initiation in Blue Star. There are three degrees of Initiation, as is common to many Wiccan traditions. Prior to Initiation, Blue Star offers two additional degrees, Dedication and Neophyte. Dedicants may remain Dedicants forever if they choose, while Neophyte is given specifically to prepare a student for Initiation and is not meant to be an end-point on anyone's path.
Blue Star practices mostly as a hierarchical, mystery-based tradition. Most covens operate on a Grove system, in which uninitiated members and students comprise an Outer Court, and Initiates make up an Inner Court. Traditionally, a Coven (or Circle) would include both Inner and Outer court members and would be presided over by a pair of Third Degrees. Obviously while this may be the traditional ideal, the actual operation of Blue Star covens varies greatly from group to group. Smaller covens may have only one (or occasionally no) Initiates, while large, extended covens may have three or more Third Degree Initiates.
Blue Star often defines itself as a "teaching tradition", and part of this teaching involves instructing students on their path to Initiation and Clergy status. According to Blue Star tradition, Priests, Priestesses and Priestxs of Second Degree are considered clergy and may minister to and teach students, while Third Degree Initiates may receive ordination, hive, and perform Initiations. Naturally, there are exceptions to this rule, and students at Neophyte level have occasionally run groves, while First and Second Degree Initiates have performed Initiations. Blue Star is nothing if not pragmatic, and the elastic role of our clergy tends to demonstrate this characteristic rather well.
Blue Star has no formal written record of its tradition. Instead, most of the tradition is passed on orally from teacher to student. We do, however, have a deep appreciation for research and knowledge, and we encourage our students and Initiates to read a variety of materials encompassing areas as diverse as mythology and folklore, history and anthropology, divination and psychology.
Most Blue Star groups observe the Esbats with a Circle ritual, for which there is a common liturgical format. The exact execution of the circle may vary depending on the group, but most follow along a similar line. Blue Star emphasizes worship heavily over the working of magick, though groups may perform magick in circle if they feel a need or desire to do so. Many Blue Star groups also teach the idea of living a magickal life, and in so doing, encourage their members to worship the Gods throughout the course of their everyday lives.
No two Blue Star groups are exactly the same. We do, however, tend to share certain characteristics. There may be other interesting similarities or differences between Blue Star groups, but this list encompasses most of the fundamentals:
A round altar stands in the center of the circle with tools placed in specific locations.
Liturgical songs are used for many actions of the circle.
Children are welcome at most Blue Star Circles, within appropriate parameters.
We celebrate the 8 Wiccan Sabbats (Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lammas, and Mabon), as well as 26 Esbats of the year.
We acknowledge a number of Paths of Power corresponding to the Wheel of the Year.
We tend to emphasize worship of the Gods over the working of magick, and often refer to ourselves as a "teaching tradition".
We acknowledge and respect the entirety of the Wiccan Rede.
We acknowledge and respect Tenets of Faith as cornerstones of our living philosophy.
We consider neither the Goddess nor the God to be pre-eminent, and likewise, we do not regard any gender identity as being superior to another. Rather, we seek to balance ourselves with regards to gender and Deity.
Most groups operate in a hierarchical structure.
Each group is autonomous, though most of us seek to maintain a connection among various members of the tradition.
For historical purposes only, know that an adherence to cisgendered polarity in the clergy was common among British Traditional systems strictly following The Old Ways. That having been said, Blue Star is a living tradition and all covens are autonomous. Therefore:
To better serve those who seek this Path, Rose & Antler is evolving away from a traditional binary practice, as is Blue Star as a whole. We may still employ binary language in reference to Gods and Goddesses, but the titles of our officiants are expanding and everyone is expected to learn how to do everything. Though we do aim to instill the teaching that we are all a result of the divine union of biologically creative forces, we each must understand, embrace, and make magick with our own masculine energy, feminine energy, the space in between and around. Therefore, regardless of whether a Seeker identifies as male, female, both or neither, all are welcome in our Circle.
We are a tolerant and inclusive coven and welcome Seekers looking for what we have to offer without discrimination based on ethnicity, race, culture, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, lifestyle, age, educational background, national origin, religion, or physical ability.
Who is Rose & Antler?
I am an Ordained 3rd Degree High Priestess (she/they) of the Blue Star Tradition. Rose & Antler Coven is also a chartered member of the Covenant of the Goddess. For many years I practiced primarily as a solitary, holding the occasional open circle on full moons and holidays for friends on the Path. After much consideration, and with the support and encouragement of the Blue Star Family, I decided to make information about Rose & Antler available to Seekers on Yule 2016. To teach, as the higher degrees in our Trad demands.
When asked what we do, my standard response to the laity is, "We stand in circles, and light candles, and sing songs... It's like the Girl Scouts with the Gods!" Rose & Antler is dedicated to pursuing personal development and self-actualization through the worship of the Gods and the practical application of the Craft, emphasizing personal responsibility for oneself and commitment to community.
Rose & Antler is not seeking students, however we are open to considering appropriate applicants with a reference from any active coven member. Seekers are still welcome to introduce themselves through our Seeker Survey, we will start a conversation. And all interested are encouraged to check the Events Page for opportunities to join Circle. EDIT: We are currently accepting inquiries from potential students in the window between Mabon 2024 (9/22) and Ostara 2025 (3/20). To consider becoming a student, please attend at least one New, Full and Sabbat in this window. Head to the Events Page for dates and please send us a Seeker Survey, thanks!
At this time, I am primarily interested in working with students called to The Craft looking for an educational pathway to Initiation. Rose & Antler can provide a structured curriculum with opportunities to formally elevate and initiate into the Tradition. However, it is not necessary (or appropriate) for all students to do so. If you're seeking a more formal course of study, that is available. If you're seeking just enough to understand the widely embraced basics of modern Paganism and a place to attend beautiful ritual, that is available. Having a Grove of Dedicants enjoying regular circles for Esbats and Sabbats, would please me greatly, as well.
The Craft does not proselytize. The Gods simply lead the Pagans home. If they have led you to us in Perfect Love and Perfect Trust, let me be the first to welcome you Home.
Blessed Be.