Raymond Buckland
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Raymond Buckland (b. 1934) was the first person in the United States to openly admit to being a practitioner of Wicca. He introduced Gardnerian Wicca to the United States in 1964. Though he began as a supporter of Gardnerian Wicca, he later formed his own tradition dubbed Seax-Wica.
Buckland was born in London on 31 August 1934. He was raised in the Anglican Church and developed an interest in spiritualism and the occult at about age 12.
He was educated at King's College in London and later Brantridge Forest College in Sussex. He earned a doctorate in anthropology at Brantridge. From 1957 to 1959, he served in the Royal Air Force. He and wife Rosemary immigrated to the United States in 1962. His close proximity to Fire Island NY was an influence on his work[citation needed].
Ray Buckland has been an author of many books dealing with the occult and witchcraft. 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)
- The Spirit Book: The Encyclopedia of Clairvoyance, Channeling, and Spirit Communication (2006)
His most popular book is Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft first published in 1986. It's often referred to as "The Big Blue Book" and is still in print today.