to explain the evidence that Diana, the feminine Roman deity, was worshiped throughout Europe in “Dianic cults.”
Murray later published “The God of the Witches” in 1933 and “The Divine King of England” in 1954, which claimed that most of British royalty had been members of the Dianic Cult. Murray died at age 100 in 1963, the same year her autobiography was released, My First Hundred Years. Murray was a close friend of Gerald Gardner.
The Dianic Tradition, as it stands today, is covered by two schools of thought. The one is called Dianic Wicca, Feminist Dianic Witchcraft, or Women’s Spirituality and the other is Danaanic Wicca or “Old Dianic” Paganism. Both were seeds sown by the works of Margaret Murray.
The Dianic Witchcraft branch is believed to have been founded by a hereditary Witch called Z. Budapest. Z and three of her woman friends established the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number 1. This coven worshiped the Goddess in all her forms. Z. Budapest’s Dianic Witchcraft consists of women-only covens. There is a strong lesbian presence, although the majority of the covens are open to all women.
The Danaanic branch was founded by Morgan McFarland. This branch “gives primacy to the Goddess in its theology but honors the Horned God as Her Beloved Consort.” Covens can comprise of both male and female members or only of a single gender.
Rose Ariadne has been practicing ancient forms of Witchcraft for over 25 years. Get more info about the history and tradition of dianic witchcraft here:
http://www.askroseariadne.com/editorials/dianic-witchcraft-the-history.html
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