Editing Gardnerian Wicca (section)

===Bricket Wood coven===
In 1948–1949, Gardner and [[Edith Woodford-Grimes|Dafo]] were running a coven separate from the original New Forest coven at a [[naturist club]] near [[Bricket Wood]] to the north of London.<ref name=Hutton01/>{{rp|227}} By 1952 Dafo's health had begun to decline, and she was increasingly wary of Gardner's publicity-seeking.<ref name=Valiente89>[[Doreen Valiente|Valiente, Doreen]]. ''The Rebirth of Witchcraft'' (1989) Custer, WA: Phoenix.</ref>{{rp|38,66}}

In 1953, Gardner met [[Doreen Valiente]], who was to become his High Priestess in succession to Dafo. The question of publicity led to Doreen and others formulating thirteen proposed 'Rules for the Craft',<ref>[[Aidan Kelly|Kelly, Aidan]]. ''Crafting the Art of Magic'' (1991) St Paul, MN: Llewellyn. pp 103–5, 145–161.</ref> which included restrictions on contact with the press. Gardner responded with the sudden production of the [[Wiccan Laws]] which led to some of his members, including Valiente, leaving the coven.<ref name=Hutton01/>{{rp|249}}

Gardner reported that witches were taught that the power of the human body can be released, for use in a coven's circle, by various means, and released more easily without clothing. A simple method was dancing round the circle singing or chanting;<ref name="Gardner, Gerald 1954"/> another method was the traditional "binding and scourging".<ref name=Scholars>{{cite news|last=Allen|first=Charlotte|title=The Scholars and the Goddess|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2001/01/the-scholars-and-the-goddess/305910/|access-date=12 September 2023|newspaper=Atlantic Monthly, vol. 287, issue 1|date=January 2001}}</ref> In addition to raising power, "binding and scourging" can heighten the initiates' sensitivity and spiritual experience.<ref name=Scourge>{{cite web|author1=((Anon. (Used with permission from the author)))|author2=Yvonne|title=The Scourge and the Kiss|url=http://pagantheologies.pbworks.com/w/page/13622306/The%20Scourge%20and%20the%20Kiss|work=Gardnerian Wicca|publisher=PB Works|access-date=2012-03-17}}</ref>

Following the time Gardner spent on the Isle of Man, the coven began to experiment with circle dancing as an alternative.<ref name=Lamond>[[Fred Lamond|Lamond, Frederic]]. ''Fifty Years of Wicca'' Sutton Mallet, England: Green Press. {{ISBN|0-9547230-1-5}}</ref> It was also about this time that the lesser 4 of the 8 Sabbats were given greater prominence. Bricket Wood coven members liked the Sabbat celebrations so much, they decided that there was no reason to keep them confined to the closest full moon meeting, and made them festivities in their own right. As Gardner had no objection to this change suggested by the Bricket Wood coven, this collective decision resulted in what is now the standard eight festivities in the Wiccan [[Wheel of the year]].<ref name=Lamond/>{{rp|p16}}

The split with Valiente led to the Bricket Wood coven being led by Jack Bracelin and a new High Priestess, Dayonis. This was the first of a number of disputes between individuals and groups,<ref name=Hutton01/> but the increased publicity only seems to have allowed Gardnerian Wicca to grow much more rapidly. Certain others also helped fuel this publicity, such as [[Alex Sanders (Wiccan)|Alex Sanders]] (real name Orrell Alexander Carter) and [[Raymond Buckland]].  Sanders started his own separate tradition, together with his wife Maxine, known as Alexandrian Wicca and frequently were covered by the press.  Buckland, who authored dozens of books on the subject, brought the Gardnerian tradition to the United States in 1964, later to start his own tradition known as Seax Wicca.{{fact|date=January 2025}}