Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by HoopStatic ~ Chloe on April 17, 2011 at 1:19pm

Check out Earth Power by Scott Cunningham or any of the other books from Llwellyn publisher, like Living Wicca or their almanac series. You can find them at any major bookstore. They break things down very well for beginners and aren't very dogmatic. Not really sure about good websites (didn't have websites back in the dark ages when I first got interested) but I'm sure there are plenty. I use this one for reference on holidays and rituals http://www.wicca.com/

Permalink Reply by Monsterrette on April 17, 2011 at 4:23pm

Thank you very much. The link was very helpful.

Permalink Reply by Dizzy Sparkles on April 19, 2011 at 3:45pm

i agree with what Memphis said. i'll add: check out The Solitary Practioner by Scott Cunningham if you don't have other pracitioners around you.

Permalink Reply by Monsterrette on April 20, 2011 at 5:44am

Thank you. I don't plan to get too envolved with others until I feel more comfortable with wicca and my place in it, so I'm sure the book will be very helpful and help that process along. If/When I do decide to start looking for other practicioners in my area do you have any safety suggestions as to going about that process?

Permalink Reply by spin gypsy of Centric Hoops* on April 21, 2011 at 9:56am

A lot of covens have groups on MeetUp.  I recommend contacting the coven leader and asking to come and sit in on a ritual.  Any coven that you are potentially joining will welcome a sit-in (unless it is a private ritual).  If you feel at all uncomfortable or someone tries to get you to do something you do not want, don't join.  You want to find the right coven for you!!  Being there should make you feel relaxed (or energized), welcomed, joyous, and over-all happy.  If you feel discriminated, belittled, weighted, or drained, that particular group just isn't for you.  I would also look for a local group that just meets and discusses Paganism (or Wicca) that way you can ask around about specific covens.  Another great way to get started is to find a guide or a mentor.  Usually you can get contacts either by going to meets or going to your local Occult shop and talking to the owner.  So many people are proud to take someone new to the craft under their wing.  I'll tell you, though; I have been interested in Paganism for over 10 years and I never joined a coven or had a mentor.  Sometimes it is hard, but other times it is what I prefered.

Permalink Reply by HoopStatic ~ Chloe on April 21, 2011 at 11:26am

I'm kind of a generalist pagan with some buddhist/hindu/presbyterian/science thrown in. I'm not a big fan of covens personally but mostly because I'm not a big fan of organized religion in general. I think of my spirituality as a more personal experience and not something I want someone else to dictate how I experience or practice it. I take the same approach with the books as more of a guide for ideas and to provoke thought to develop my own beliefs and practices that work best for me, and not necessarily as a rule book or "bible". I do have a few like-minded friends who I celebrate various rituals and holidays with. We include our kids too and have very informal ritual ceremonies that usually end up an eclectic mix, most of which we make up on the spot based on what the situation calls for and whatever tools we can scrounge up, but loosely based on ideas we get from various books. In my opinion, what's most important is what it means to you and not what it means to someone else.

 

I've gone to some local coven meetings before though and they are all nice people, it just wasn't for me, although it was good to talk to other more experienced practitioners when I was first starting out. Some people really like the organized aspect though, especially if you come from a very ritualized kind of background like Catholicism or something, it might make it a more comfortable transition. To each her own!

Permalink Reply by spin gypsy of Centric Hoops* on April 21, 2011 at 9:48am

Well, first you don't have to be a wiccan to be a witch.  If you are interested in magick and rituals in general, I recommend reading up on Paganism in general.  There is such a vast spirituality and belief-based groups that fall under Paganism.  I was never really interested in Wicca, but instead felt a close relation to Druidry, Celtic Paganism, Native American spirituality, and Gaiaism.  The best books in my opinion to start off reading about Paganism is River and Joyce Higginbothom's book Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-based Religions and Pagan Spirituality (but only after you have read and practiced the first book as it is an advanced reading).  I really enjoyed these books and felt like I learned a lot by doing the exercising and such.  They both are set up kind of like school textbooks as there is a specific section and chapters, then exercises at the end which usually include a guided meditation.

After you figure out which branch of Paganism you like (or if you just like the beliefs of Paganism in general) you can then search for specifics.  I used to consider myself an Eclectic Pagan, pulling beliefs from a number of branches.  I recommend reading John Michael Greer's books on Druidry if you have any interest in Celtic or Olde-world religion.

Otherwise, there are a TON of paganism resources out there.  Just make sure to do your research before purchasing books and the like.  A lof of people talk bad about Llewelyn, but I like a lot of their books and resources (been buying the Witches Datebook for about 5 years now). 

StudentPermalink Reply by Summer Brook on September 29, 2011 at 7:48pm

Christopher Penczak. He changed my world by showing me that magick is science, I understand so many things now. And he has different levels of learning with meditation cds to help you along with the exercises. I love him<3