Raymond Buckland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Raymond Buckland | |
| Born | August 31, 1934 London, England |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Writer; Wiccan Priest |
| Spouse(s) | Rosemary |
| Parents | Stanley Thomas Buckland ; Eileen Lizzie Wells |
Raymond Buckland (born 31st August 1934), whose craft name is Robat, is an English American writer on the subject of Wicca and the occult, and a significant figure in the history of Wicca[citation needed], of which he is a High Priest in both the Gardnerian and Seax traditions.
According to his written works[citation needed], he was the first person in the United States to openly admit to being a practitioner of Wicca, and he introduced the lineage of Gardnerian Wicca to the United States in 1964[citation needed], after having been initiated by Monique Wilson in Britain the previous year. He later formed his own tradition dubbed Seax-Wica which focuses on the symbolism of Anglo-Saxon paganism.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Life in Britain, 1934-1962
Buckland was born in London on 31 August 1934, to Eileen and Stanley Buckland. Buckland was of mixed ethnicity; his mother was English, but his father was Roma. He was raised in the Anglican Church but developed an interest in Spiritualism and the occult at about age 12, after encountering it from a Spiritualist uncle.
When World War II broke out in 1939, the family moved to Nottingham, where Buckland attended Nottingham High School. It was here that he became involved in amateur dramatic productions.
He went on to be educated at King's College School. In 1955 he married Rosemary Moss. From 1957 to 1959, he served in the Royal Air Force, and then went on to work in a London publishing company for four years, before he and his wife emigrated to the United States in 1962, where they lived on Long Island, New York.
Whilst living in the United States, Buckland worked for British Airways, which allowed him to constantly travel back and forth between the USA and UK.
[edit] Wicca
[edit] Learning about the craft, 1962
In the USA, Buckland soon read the books The Witch-cult of Western Europe by Margaret Murray and Witchcraft Today by Gerald Gardner, which gave him an insight into the Witchcraft religion, or Wicca as it is now more commonly known.
To find out more information, Buckland started corresponding with Gerald Gardner in the Isle of Man. The two became friends, and had several telephone conversations, which led to Buckland becoming Gardner's spokesman in America[citation needed].
[edit] Initiation, 1963
Both Buckland and his wife Rosemary travelled to Scotland, where, in Perth, they were initiated into the craft by the High Priestess Monique Wilson[citation needed]. Gardner attended the ceremony, but did not perform it himself. Gardner died shortly after, and he never met Buckland again.
[edit] Long Island Coven, 1963-1973
The Buckland's returned home to the United States where they founded a coven known as the Long Island Coven. The group followed the Gardnerian Wicca lineage which the couple had been initiated into. They tried to keep their identities secret at first, being concerned at unwanted and negative attention, however a journalist called Lisa Hoffman of the New York Sunday News published them without permission.
In 1973, Raymond and Rosemary separated, and they both left the Long Island Coven, handing over the role of High Priest and High Priestess to people whose craft names where Theos and Phoenix.
[edit] First Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in the United States, 1968-
In 1968 Buckland formed the First Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in the United States, as influenced by Gardner's Museum of Witchcraft and Magic. It started off as a by-appointment-only policy museum held in his own basement, but his collection of artefacts grew so he had to move it to an old 19th century house at Bay Shore. The museum received some media attention, and a documentary was produced about it.
In 1973, after Raymond and Rosemary separated, Raymond moved his museum to Weirs Beach in New Hampshire. In 1978, when he moved to Virginia, he had to disband his museum and put all his artifacts in storage.
In 2008, the artifacts of the Museum were entrusted to the care of The Covenant of the Pentacle Wiccan Church (CPWC), based in New Orleans, LA and led by High Priestess Rev. Velvet Rieth. Current plans within CPWC are to raise enough funds to be able to display the artifacts once more, either in a physical building in the New Orleans area, and/or tour select cities in America.
[edit] Books, 1969-2008
In 1969 Buckland published his first book - A Pocket Guide to the Supernatural. He followed this with in 1970 with Witchcraft Ancient and Modern and Practical Candleburning Rituals, as well as a novel called Mu Revealed, a spoof on the works of James Churchward, using the pseudonym Tony Earll (an anagram for 'not really'). By 1973 he was earning enough money with his books that he could take over running of his museum full time. Ever since he has published a book almost every year since.
[edit] Seax-Wica, 1974-1982
In 1974 Raymond married Joan Helen Taylor. He became fed up with the quarreling within Gardnerian Wicca so decided to form his own Wiccan tradition[citation needed], which was Seax-Wica. Seax-Wica was based upon symbolism taken from Anglo-Saxon paganism. He published everything about the movement in The Tree: Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft. He then began a correspomdamce course to teach people about Seax-Wica, which grew to having around a thousand members.
[edit] Solitary life, 1992-contemporary
In 1992 Buckland moved to a farm in Wooster, Ohio, where he continued to write, and work as a solitary Wiccan with his wife.
[edit] Personal life
Buckland married his first wife, Rosemary Moss, in 1955, and they had two children together. The two practiced the craft together, acting as the High Priest and the High Priestess of the Long Island coven. In 1973 they divorced.
In 1974 he married Joan Helen Taylor, but divorced her in 1982. In 1983 he married Tara Cochran, an American from Cleveland, to whom he is currently married.
[edit] Bibliography
Ray Buckland is an author of many books dealing with the occult and witchcraft. His most popular book is Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft first published in 1986[citation needed]. His books include:
- Witchcraft: Yesterday and Today Video
- Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
- La Verdad Sobre la Comunicación con los Espíritus
- Gypsy Dream Dictionary
- Witchcraft DVD: Rebirth of the Old Religion
- Practical Candleburning Rituals: Spells & Rituals for Every Purpose
- Advanced Candle Magick: More Spells and Rituals for Every Purpose
- Rituales prácticos con velas
- Scottish Witchcraft: The History and Magick of the Picts
- Cardinal's Sin: Psychic Defenders Uncover Evil in the Vatican
- Wicca: Practicas y principios de la brujeria
- Witchcraft From the Inside: Origins of the Fastest Growing Religious Movement in America
- El lenguaje de las monedas: Adivinación, fortuna y amor
- Signs, Symbols & Omens: An Illustrated Guide to Magical & Spiritual Symbolism
- The Committee
- Cards of Alchemy
- Buckland's Book of Spirit Communications
- Color Magick (Closed): Unleash Your Inner Powers
- Witchcraft from the Inside (1971)
- Practical Candleburning Rituals (1974)
- Tree the Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft (1974)
- Amazing Secrets of the Psychic World (1975)
- The Anatomy of the Occult (1977)
- The Magick of Chant-O-Matics (1978)
- Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft (1986)
- Rituales Practico Con Velos (1988)
- Secrets of Gypsy Love Magick (1990)
- Secrets of Gypsy Dream Reading (1990)
- Scottish Witchcraft (1991)
- Ghosts, Hauntings and Possessions (1991)
- Esp, Witches, and Ufos (1991)
- The Book of African Divination (1992)
- Practical Color Magick (1993)
- Doors to Other Worlds (1993)
- The Committee (1993)
- The Buckland Gypsies' Domino Divination Deck/Domino Cards (1995)
- Witchcraft from the Inside (1995)
- Advanced Candle Magick (1996)
- Secrets of Gypsy Fortune Telling (1996)
- Gypsy Witchcraft & Magic (1998)
- Gypsy Dream Dictionary (1999)
- Gypsy Fortune Telling & Tarot Reading (1999)
- Coin Divination (2000)
- Wicca (2001)
- The Buckland Romani Tarot (2001)
- Color Magick (2002)
- The Witch Book (2002)
- Wicca for Life (2003)
- Cards of Alchemy (2003)
- Signs, Symbols & Omens (2003)
- The Fortune-Telling Book (2004)
- Wicca For One (2004)
- The Spirit Book: The Encyclopedia of Clairvoyance, Channeling, and Spirit Communication (2006)
[edit] References
- Scudder, Beth. An Interview with Raymond Buckland in New Worlds, issue 36. Llewellyn Publications.
[edit] External links
- Raymond Buckland's Official Website
- Llewellyn Publications author page
- Biography at Controverscial.com
