Frequently Asked Questions
The Wiccan Federation
Basics of the Wiccan Federation
The Wiccan Federation is the UK's leading organisation dedicate purely to Wiccan practice.
Our common purpose is the support of the practice of Wicca in the UK and beyond.
The Wiccan Federation manages a range of resources to support the Wiccan community.
There are a range of resources including training, books and a network of covens around the UK.
The Wiccan Federation supports a five year training program.
The WF's training program is based on the 13 Knots, a 13 part training course based offering an introduction to Wiccan practice. Following this course there is a second year of the Knot's course for initiates only. There are then two years of the Witches' Ladder course and a year of one to one training.
Public Meetups
Wiccan Federation meetings are held at a variety of locations around the UK and also online.
You can join the Wiccan Federation at www.wiccanfederation.net
You can join as an Associate Member, which is free of charge, or as a Full Member, which allows you to access our training.
The Wiccan Federation offers the chance to connect with Wiccans around the country.
The WF has a wide network of covens that those that are committed to the Wiccan path to practice with others.
Crystals
In streams of practice related to the Old Horse Wiccan tradition crystals are associated with particular times of year.
There are 12 correspondences.
Flint(Aries), Onyx(Taurus), Red Jasper(Gemini), Sapphire(Cancer), Turquoise(Leo), Agate(Virgo), Lapis Lazuli(Libra), Amber(Scorpio), Amethyst(Saggitarius), Emerald(Aquarius), Topaz(Capricorn), Carnelian(Pisces).
These correspondences are based on the oldest correspondences that are available.
It is assuemd that these correspondences devloped in Egypt in the period after the shift of the capital from Giza to Thebes in around 2000BCE. The selection may have been influenced by contacts between Babylon and Egypt. These are understood to have been formalised by the reign of Akhenaten in 1350 BCE. They were then used in Judaism in Aaron's Breastplate and from there enter the written record. This history is highly speculative as is the choice of crystals from the written record. It is, however, the best available and preferable to the use of correspondences provided by gemmological organisations as these are modern in origin and ascribed to calendar months rather than to astrological signs and moons.
The Knots Training Course
The Knots is a five year training course. The first two years are training in Cohranian Wicca, the third and fourth years are training in Traditional Witchcraft and the last year is one to one training from other initiates.
First Year: The first year training is on Zoom. It runs over three terms and the first three knots are delivered in every term. Knots 4-6 and 7-9 run alternately meaning that students can join at any time.
Second Year: The second year training is a hybrid of Zoom and in person. There are four in person knots which are run on the solstices and equinoxes. These are repeated online in alternate years meaning that if students take the second 'year' of the course online they can take it over two years. The dates of these for 2024-25 are provisionally 23rd June 2024, September 22nd 2024, December 15th 2024 and Sunday 23rd March 2025.
Third Year: The third year is run in person in the South-East of England. This training is run as part of a Traditional Witchcraft practice and does not take place around sabbat celebrations.
Fourth Year: The fourth year is also run as part of a Traditional Witchcraft practice and takes place around sabbats
Fifth Year: The final year of the training is one to one training with an existing initiate and is always in person.
Second Year: The second year training is a hybrid of Zoom and in person. There are four in person knots which are run on the solstices and equinoxes. These are repeated online in alternate years meaning that if students take the second 'year' of the course online they can take it over two years. The dates of these for 2024-25 are provisionally 23rd June 2024, September 22nd 2024, December 15th 2024 and Sunday 23rd March 2025.
Third Year: The third year is run in person in the South-East of England. This training is run as part of a Traditional Witchcraft practice and does not take place around sabbat celebrations.
Fourth Year: The fourth year is also run as part of a Traditional Witchcraft practice and takes place around sabbats
Fifth Year: The final year of the training is one to one training with an existing initiate and is always in person.
The taining is only for novices/initiates of Cochranian Wiccan covens. The first three knots are available to anyone. After this you will need to be connected to a coven. Knots after Knot 9 are only available to coven members and knots course as a whole, from Knot 14 onwards, is only offered to red cord initiates.