Lothloriën is an Earth-based religion, with our roots in mystery religions of the world. As an Earth-based religion, we celebrate the seasons and the cycles of life. We recognize that Truth is found in many cultures around the world and draw our archetypes from many paths. What makes Lothloriën unique is our acceptance of all people regardless of their culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religion or sexual orientation. Through the archetypes of Unicorns and other universal symbols we extend our beliefs into an inclusive view of reality. We seek to transcend gender-limiting expressions of the Divine and embrace all peoples and cultures upon our planet. Lothloriën strives to be inclusive in all ways.

We are a literary Tradition. We grew out of The Unicorn newsletter which began publication in 1976. The original little book, The Holy  Books of the Devas was published in 1979. Today the Book of Shadows is very long and training within the Mystery School is comparable to both under- and post-graduate work. We have deeply beautiful rituals, believing that poetic prose is a powerful tool in shaping shared, collective imagery.  

From the first time Rev. Paul read the hobbit books (beginning in the early 1960s), the name Lothloriën spoke to him strongly. It resonated in a way he could not explain. When the time came to select a name to identify our Wiccan Tradition, there was but one name he felt appropriate. By adding the umlaut we wish to indicate that, although derived from Tolkien, Lothloriën is not part of Tolkien’s realm. In our context Lothloriën remains a land which is a tree of life, one about which we sing the joys of our Mother and Father of Nature. Those who seek the deeper mysteries of our Tradition must, like the elves, be raised into the tree blindfolded as they enter Initiation. While we respectfully acknowledge Tolkien for his creation of the word, the philosophies, mythologies, and customs practiced within The Rowan Tree Church are not based upon Tolkien’s writings. Our Land of Lothloriën is The Rowan Tree, not Tolkien’s mallorn.

Our Tradition is not limited to one geographical region nor one culture. We are ‘without borders’ to borrow a phrase. We take joy in learning of shared customs and beliefs with other cultures.

In ritual we work with the archetypes of Goddess and of God but for us, deity and divinity are personal. One might worship the Goddesses of a particular pantheon but another might be a profound Agnostic.

We have a comprehensive program which leads one into the Mysteries not only of Wicca but those of our Tradition and those of life and of death. Our training is an Initiatory Path and as encompassing as even challenging mainstream religions.

We place a strong emphasis on ethics, on ecological mindfulness and upon living our lives being positive in outlook and behavior.