Contemporary witchcraft is a style of witchcraft that while it has documented roots stemming from the 1930s, there is an underpinning “essence” connecting it back to the Mystery Traditions of antiquity, as well as a religious manifestation that pre-dates even that. 

Throughout this site, the words “contemporary witchcraft” refers to a form of initiatory witchcraft that can be traced back to the Gerald Gardner and the New Forest coven however via the lineage of Alex Sanders. In England, Gardnerian Witchcraft (the teachings stemming from Gerald Gardner) and Alexandrian Witchcraft (the teachings stemming from Alex Sanders) are referred to as “traditional witchcraft” (which has caused some issues with witches who are not aligned with either Gardner or Sanders but instead follow are mor folkloric style of the Craft), while in the United States of America it is “British Traditional Witchcraft”. Some practitioners still call themselves Traditional Wiccans, others not.  As neither Gardner nor Sanders used the term “Wicca” to describe their style of witchcraft, as such, the Temple of the Dark Moon prefers to follow their lead. 

Regardless of the above, the teachings found within contemporary witchcraft are passed down via the process of initiation and where the deeper meaning of what is found within the Book of Shadows is taught orally,

In this video four layers that make up contemporary witchcraft are discussed: