Dianism is a pantraditional and pancultural mystical practice. But what on earth does that mean?

"Dianic" continues to evoke the image of a group restricted to women and indifferent to the masculine principle. As Morgan McFarland proved in the 1970's, Dianism doesn't need to be closed. Baubo is Dianic in the sense that there is a concentration upon the Great Mother from whose womb the entire universe was born, but this is not to be done at the expense of her Consort.

Being pantraditional, Dianism welcomes practioners from all paths of the Craft; being pancultural, all paths from around the world. The goal is to have a variety of participants, each with something unique to share. For the most part Dianism adheres to the Principles of Belief as laid out by the Council of American Witches in 1974 (paraphrased here).

We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the moon and by the seasonal quarters.

Our intelligence as human beings gives us a responsability toward our environment.

We seek to live in harmony with nature, in an ecological balance within the concept of evolution.

We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than what is readily obvious and apparent, and see this power as lying naturally within that which is possible for everyone.

We recognize a greater power, and often perceive this power in the human terms of male and female. Both are equal, and their interaction is no less than life itself.

We recognize the existence of different planes and dimensions and see the interaction between these entities. We acknowledge that both a spiritual and material existance are necessary for fulfillment.

There is no authoritarian hierarchy in our way. We honor those who teach and respect those who share their greater wisdom.

Spirit, magic, and wisdom are united in our way of living.

The true Dianic is one who seeks to control inner forces in order to live well, wisely, and harmoniously. It is this that makes the witch, not any dedications, initiations, or empty stated claims.

We affirm life in a continuation of evolution and development to give meaning to our lives in the universe we know and to our personal roles within it.

Our only animosity towards other faiths is the claim that any path can be the one and only true path.

Debates on the history of witchcraft are interesting, however we elect to attend to the present and the future.

We do not have a concept of ultimate evil, nor do we seek power through the suffering of others.

We should seek within nature that which contributes to our health and well-being.

Let us point out that we as Baubo staff do not necessarily subscribe to all or some of the above. We support a diverse staff with different ideologies.

On that note, let's meet the staff!

Cat Wolfe-Sweeney is a writer, poet and artist. Some of her work can also be seen on her web site www.wolfearts.com She near the end of her 40's in the process of evolving into a full fledged crone. She has finished her first degree training and looks forward to uniting people in love and other commitment rituals. While continuing her studies. Her path has taken her thru many places. Along the way she has developed some understanding of herbs, healing and metaphysical laws. Her personal path she describes as a bowl of Goddess soup with ingredients that come from all over the world, gently simmering together to nourish and lead her. This year she has been blessed to have herself taken under the tutelage of Brid to better understand and honor the fire element. She describes herself first and foremost as a Kitchen Witch, because thru the bulk of her life and her fore mothers that is where all magick began, was taught and was done. She believes strongly that the mundane is the best magickal teacher. She resides in Phoenix, Az with her family, their cats, as well as her familiars and Spirit Guides. Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each. ~Henry David Thoreau .

Wendy Branthoover (profile not available)

William M. Shields: "I am twenty-one and reside in Philadelphia PA where I am a free-lance writer and now a staff writer for our beloved Baubo. In my youth and to pay the bills I have restored homes and refurnished every type of wood imaginable. And I even worked in a supermarket! I feel that my job on this staff is to bring a definite male perspective to this e-zine. And you may think I am like every other guy but I am quite deep on the inside. I hope you give me a chance to be one of your favorite staff writers here at Baubo. Go Eagles! Make me a sandwich! Then, we can cuddle. Just joshing! Enjoy!"

Nualilith: "I am a eclectic Wiccan who has studied in depth for the last seven years. I have extensive experience with astral projection, ritual magick, contacting spirit guides, meditation, and wax divination. My grandmother was Wiccan, and though I was not able to spend much time with her, she taught me a great deal during the little time I did spend with her. The tradition was past down through my paternal family for atleast the last eight generations, which is the last known record we have found.

"I have a BA in History with a minor in Political Science and Creative Writing. I also have taught High School and led various pagan study groups. My mind acts as a sponge, as my husband says, so I enjoy being able to share my knowledge with others, especially if it helps them. I reside in North Carolina and was married in 2004 of July."

Diana Fey: "I'm Diana Fey, a Pagan woman in Eastern Washington, the desert part. (Yes, Virginia, there are deserts in Washington. We have sagebrush and everything.) I write, run, weave, knit, spin, lift weights, and love to learn. I also have an opinion on nearly everything, just ask me! *grin*"

Olwinn Solvhauk: "My heritage is Nordic, Celtic and Native American by blood; Shaman, Healer and Witch by ancient inheritance. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest with a high-mountain river, the old-growth forest and the wild animals as my friends. It is in my earliest memory that I fell in love with the winter storms, the summer winds and when I learned to talk to the spirits of the land and to the Fey; my environment became my religion. Now I.m 35 with a forest in the wilds of Oregon to call my own. My profession is in the healing arts and I have a private practice located in Tualatin, Oregon. I.ve been an L.M.T. since 1999, and am also a Reiki Master and Shaman . my calling is Soul Retrieval. I have discovered that in healing others, I also heal myself. I am also the mother of two Crystal children, and since I once heard a wise man say .life is short, get all you can out of the ride., I am a novelist with my first book in the publishing process; an artist; a photographer and a political and environmental activist. I sleep beneath the stars as often as possible, and I'm still known to play in mud puddles. I have been blessed with many gifts from the world of Spirit and I live everyday in honor of those gifts and to my guides. Freya and Thor are my deities to call, and through them I serve Mother Earth and Father Sky. I walk a Shamanic path and I am a frequent visitor to the Dream Lodge, where Spirits, past and present, teach me their many wisdoms. In this incarnation, it is my path to seek knowledge into the Universal Consciousness through the pureness of Spirit and to find the one golden truth in all religions. With a vast background as an eclectic Witch, I have also gotten to know Jesus through the study of Gnostic Mysticism and have found him to be not only a great man, teacher and healer, but a Shaman as well. I have also been delving deep into Zen Buddhism, The Magickal Qabala, The Koran and Hermetic Philosophy and I.ve been wandering in nature, both urban and wild to find the Sacred Geometry and documenting it on film. If asked for one bit of personal philosophy, it is this: we are all one. Not only are we humans brothers and sisters, but we are also kin to the plants and the trees, the animals and the waters, the stars and the planets. In today.s social, global and environmental crisis, always know that though you are just one person; do not ever think that you can do nothing. Join your energy to the collective healing energy; one person really can make a difference and change the world.

Agate is an eclectic/Dianic/crafty witch and writer with eleven years of training and thirty years of knowledge rattling around her head that she can't wait to share with anyone who will listen.

Sappho Evangelis:"I am the editor-in-chief of Baubo and the editor-in-chief of Stonebench Press, a small publishing house in Philadelphia. I am a historian and religious scholar. A lifelong alternative spiritualist, I am involved in the Pagan community as an advocate of education, religious freedoms, and interfaith understanding."

Interested in becoming a contributor to Baubo? While Baubo is mostly staff-written, there are still opportunities for freelance writers who would like to submit an article. Send in your work to sappho@stonebench.us and preferably have it as an attached document.