Reddit reviews The Pickingill Papers: The Origin of the Gardnerian Craft

It is said that if you ask any 10 Wiccans, you will get 13 different answers.

The name "Wicca" is an Old English word meaning "Witch." When Gerald Gardner went public with Witchcraft in the 1950s it was called "witchcraft." Gardner's books are all about witches and witchcraft. Sometime about the 1970s the Old English word began being used because American culture was reactionary to the word "witch."

Sometime later, around the 1990s, other English witches who had not been part of Gardner's public reintroduction, began also having followers who went back to calling themselves "witches" and distinguishing themselves from Gardner's traditions who now called ourselves Wiccans. There is a book which describes the origins of English witchcraft and how Gardnerian witchcraft relates to other old witchcraft traditions. The Pickingill Papers: The Origin of the Gardnerian Craft by W. E. Liddell, (Holmes Pub Group Llc, 1994). If you are seriously interested you may want to read this book.

Gardner's Witchcraft, now called Wicca, includes connections with the spirit world including Gods and Goddesses, elementals, and other spirit beings. What is now called "just witchcraft" does not.

The important, active, imperitive part of the Wiccan Rede is "Do as ye will." A lot of inexperienced younger forget that. The modifier clause, "An it harm none" is a caution on the active clause. It reminds us that hurting other people is inherently evil and inherently hurts the witch as much or more than the target.

Of course the ancient worship systems and the Gods invoked by Wiccans originated long ago. Much was suppressed and lost during the dark centuries. Much was hidden and secret. Gerald Gardner went public in the 1950s and led the renewal of Wicca in common knowledge. There is a published book called, "The Pickingill Papers: The Origin of the Gardnerian Craft" by by W. E. Liddell. It would be a good read for your daughter. Amazon link here