Most Wiccan traditions are initiatory, the Gardnerian and Alexandrian traditions.following the form of female initiation by a male, and male by a female. Both use three degrees of advancement, Second and Third Degree witches being regarded as High Priestess or High Priest. The degrees are not regarded as hierarchical but as a mark of proficiency and experience in the Craft, with all witches being regarded as equal.
Nature is honoured and all things, including oneself, are regarded as part of nature.
Traditional witches are those who follow practices established before Gardner. Hereditary witches also follow old practices and claim an ancestor or lineage of ancestors who were initiated witches. They are normally initiated into the Craft by a family member, with mothers initiating daughters and fathers initiating sons. Traditional and Hereditary covens are generally run by the High Priest rather than the High Priestess, and they tend to work robed rather than skyclad, preferring a black hooded cloak or robe. The emphasis is on rediscovering and reclaiming female power and divinity, and consciousness raising.