Welcome to Gaia! ::

I've been reading about magic for the past few months and a little on paganism. I'm pretty sure that I know all the basics but I need some guidance as to what to practice from day to day so that I can advance (in both magic and general knowledge/understanding of things in paganism...and things). Right now I can meditate well and ground but I'm not perfect at it. I can create a circle and have done a few spells that work but I really have a long way to go. I just feel like there's "gaps" or something in my understanding and ability...

If somebody who was more experienced is willing to be a teacher that would be great. I would feel a lot better and on track if I did "assignment" type things that I could do.

Hopefully that made sense...^_^....so reply if you're interested...

I know that there's more then one concept, but I'm not really driven to just study one practice. I like learning about a lot of different things. But I guess so far I've mostly learned about Wicca. And I know that the things I talked about come and are found in different places. So I'm just eclectic?

Moral guidelines?...well I believe in karma and being good to the earth and the people around us. I believe in polarities and balance...

I knew were what I talked about came from. sorry I didn't mention that in the post? But yeah, I have been vague...

I never said I was Wiccan so I'm not in a coven. it's a personal belief of mine that you can be a solitary wiccan but it's different then being in a coven and what Wicca was originally (fertility and other things...) I probably shouldn't have said that I've mostly studied Wicca. But I can't think of another way to explain it. I haven't studied paganism in depth that much. I just know some of the practices, holidays, beliefs, and gods of different things, but I really don't know a lot in depth at all and sometimes I don't know where to begin because there's so much to it.

I think I've come across the 161 laws once but I don't remember what they were. I remember not liking them because I don't believe in following a bunch of laws like that and it's something I don't want and couldn't do.

I've never read about British witchcraft. My opinion on the history of Wicca? not much...seems like it started 50/60 years ago and slowly changed into something else so the term is thrown around more...and it doesn't belong to anybody so I just think that it's a variety of religions and practices.

I've never tried Ceremonial Magic so I wouldn't know if I like it, but I could definently see myself practicing it if I was in a coven (a group of other pagans or something) and we did ceremonies together. Or if I had a higher power that I was really connected to and it was incorporated in the ceremony.

What books have I read related to paganism...not much. I don't have access to books so I try reading as much as I can online. I've read pdfs but I can't remember the names of any of them. I own The Earth Path by Starhawk and thought it was a nice read.
I've read two books by Ann Moura, Green Magic and Green Witchcraft. (they weren't amazing or anything but they were alright, 'course I take everything with a grain of salt)

I guess I haven't studied any culture in depth either. That's kind of what I'm beginning to do right now. I'm interested in Greek mythology and Egyptian mythology and have been reading a bit up on it lately. I would like to study more in depth of German/Irish/British paganism because that's my heritage. Celtic paganism is also of interest to me but I'm not sure exactly what countries those would be.

When I do a spell I cast a circle to contain energy. I don't use an anthame or any other ritual tool for this. I just work with energy within and outside myself. What I do for the spell depends on what the spell is for. I find myself doing a lot of symbolic type things that might also involve chanting or burning things on paper. I learned these things from various places when I first began to read about witchcraft and magic...I can't remember off the top of my head where. Just many places and I took what I liked and brought them into my practice.

Blah. I don't know much about Hinduism or Buddhism in depth at the moment. I was just saying karma to refer to...if you're good to the world the world will generally be good to you. if you're bad to the world then bad things will probably come to you. I don't like using the terms "good/bad" but it's sort of a general way to describe things. I feel that if somebody has wronged you then you have the right to harm them back, but in the end this may bring you more harm or at least pointlessness. It's just our responsibility to do what's best for ourselfs and the world around us depending on the situation.

I love nature and have a high respect for the earth and it's beauty. Not just the earth but everything in it because we're all a part of it. (no I don't respect war and violence...but you know what I mean...) to be good to the earth, to me, is to live in harmony with it. To appreciate the beauty of the land around us, the trees, the grass, the flowers, laughter. Everything. I'm not a perfect person and I as an American use a lot of the earths resources but I try to cut back by not littering and recycling, not using too much water, using natural products etc. I do what I can. I try to listen to what nature tells me as much as possible. It's taught me many things. How is this being good to the earth...I don't know...maybe by listening to nature we exchange energy with the earth...a type of healing pure energy. At least that's what it feels like to me.

By polarities I just mean that you can't have one without the other. With life comes death. With pain comes joy. Sometimes there's tough times in life in which we learn lessons and become stronger people. I try not to focus on all the things that might seem immediately good at the moment. I have trust in the divine (which I have a rather vague view of right now) that through the light and dark we can like I said before...become stronger and more spiritual aware people...to balance life out I think that one would have to accept this and try to be more aware of things instead of getting caught up in the moment with emotion or something. I hope this makes sense because it's hard for me to describe it. This seems to be sort of one of the bases for my morals and ethics but it's mostly an important part on how I just view things in general.

(also by polarities I mean the ones we see in nature, hot/cold/yin/yang/female/male etc)


Uhm...hope this answered what you wanted to know. Thanks for nudging me to be more specific. I just hope that I can be taken seriously since I'm still a teenager. I'm new on my path but I want to learn more...soo...yeah.

Ok, some flack due to the length of time you have been looking into this. But most pagan paths are demanding, so lesson number one... Grow a thick skin wink


Im pretty sure you dont, but Im also pretty sure that you are trying your best and that you are genuinley interested in learning.


May I suggest a very good book, Its called Witchcrafting and its by Phillis Curott.


Practice makes perfect. Your only doing this a short while so of course you have gaps in your understanding and ability. I would suggest however, that you limit your spell work untill you are assured that your energetic awarness is more complete.


There are some very good basic 'assignments' in the book I mentioned above. Other than that. "Say Little, Listen a Lot", for now anyhow. And by that I dont just mean people here on Gaia. Listen to what is around you and look for answers in the real world. Figure out what path you want to look at first, knowing it may not be totally right for you and find your way to whatever works for you.


Again, a little flack here because your only taking the first steps. Fair enough if you hold that personal belief. But for the purpose of conversation and debate here on Gaia, its probably best if you stick to the accepted usage of the term Wicca.


The other way to explain it is ecclectic Witchcraft. Wicca is a form of Witchcraft, and in fact means Witchcraft, but populuarly means initiatory lineaged witchcraft traceable to the New Forest and Gerald Gardner.



Ok, Paganism is a broad term for a lot of things. Paganism in itself has no holidays, practices, beliefs, gods etc. It just denotes all non Abrihamic faiths. With this in mind, it would be helpfull to anyone who wishes to help you further, if you could expand on this.



The Ordains or Ardains are part of the Wiccan Book's of shadows
Public Alexandrian BOS
Public Gardnerian BOS
If you are to follow any form of Wicca, or many defined pagan paths, there is a certain amount of conformity that you will have to learn to understand.
Not liking Laws because they are Laws is not a positive attitude. If you dont see the point in particuluar rules or guidelines then fine, but understand them before making judgement on them.
That said, to be honest, different covens of the various traditions, treat these in different ways.



Yes you have. If you have cast a circle, you are doing something derrived from a form of ceremonial magic. If you call upon the watchtowers/quaters etc, that is a form of ceremonial magic.



Maybe this is your 'gap'. If you are practicing or seeking any form of religous practice, surely the first thing to look at is Deity? This is something that you might want to investigate before defining yourself to any particuluar path.


Well of course you dont use an athame, because without consecration a blade is just a ritual knife.
Besides, a ritual tool is primarily a focous of the intent already within you.



I would suggest getting more of an understanding of this before poking around with spell work. After all, most spell work will require connection to divine, so the stronger and more focoused that connection is the better for your workings.
Take your time to understand what you believe rather than diving into spell work. If you want to be taken as a serious seeker, I would suggest giving this a back seat and give more time to meditation, dreamwork, pathworking, contacting or understanding the divine, giving offerings, understanding states of conciousness/awarness/energy vibrations and rythms etc. Get to know yourself and your surroundings in new ways and get to master the 'Basics'.

eek

oh no...please forgive me if i sound mean in this post. it's not my intention.

it's actually a good piece to read if you're looking for classic examples of poor scholarship, outright lies and encouragement of a less than respectable integrity. i would not recommend her books for anything, even eclectic paganism.

bad, watered down mythology. really watered down.

i don't think mythology has that much to do with practicing magic, but i guess whatever floats your boat in those waters.

such as the one you suggested.

please, for the love of all that is holy, stay away from Ravenwolf. at least until you've read a few more credible authors.