Everything Under the Moon

I'm having trouble figuring out what to DO first to "do witchcraft." All I know is I want to continue to worship my Christian God (no other deities) and I want to be a witch. I don't know what to do first, or how to go about this. How did you all get started?

I started out with herbalism. Learning about many plants and their magical properties. I really got into making tinctures and balms and natural remedies. It completely fascinated me.



Blessed Be

I started with hymns and dancing. I just sang about my love of my deity and danced in a circle. Its such a great feeling, to just let go and allow nature to control your movements in a dance.

P.s. You may look foolish to others while dancing. I know i did. But then again who really cares?

Good for you! This is awesome. I was raised Catholic, and while I loved "the creator" (God as you say) and felt this was one way to come to know "Him" as they say.....I wanted more. It was too narrow for me. I wanted not to be limited about all of the ways knowing the spirit/spirits. I think it is so much bigger than we can perceive with our constricted human perception. I also happen to believe that the divine (by "divine" I mean whatever you understand the power to be-God/gods/goddesses/higher-self etc....to be) is everywhere and in everything. I think we are all meant to have access to knowledge and the divine however we understand it. I think we are given great gifts from the creator and we are shown what we need to see as we need it. When I began my path, I was a child and I asked "God" to show me the way and I have been given everything I need thus far. You have a right to seek and to know.

I don't use the term "God" anymore and my understating of the creatorial force is different but no less connected.

If I could make a suggestion-I would say journal. I would ask yourself or "pray" if you like....let that voice from inside begin to guide you because I think it is you, and it's more than you. Write down dreams, thoughts and interests. Traditional students study the seasons-the wheel of the year-sabats and esbats. You might look at this for understanding of Witchcraft and a good foundation if it appeals to you, but who is to say? I agree with Twilight Dancer-herbalism is awesome. Listen to your gut, and if you want to look at the Saints do that. They are archetypes and Santeria has some wonderful meanining and beauty.

Alternately, you might walk out your door and then a bird or plant will be revealed to you on a walk and you may begin to learn what you can about that bird or plant or stone. Each has an energy, and each is a gift and a messenger. That may be how you are taught....learning by what you are shown-ultimately guided.

I just want to wish you well on your journey and support you for following your heart.

I would suggest meditating as much as you can. Being able to focus and concentrate is important when it comes to spellwork. Also, research the correspondences. (Planetary, colours, gems, herbs ect) It will seem overwhelming at first but the more research you do the easier it gets.

Hope that helps.

candlelight-sky wrote:I'm having trouble figuring out what to DO first to "do witchcraft." All I know is I want to continue to worship my Christian God (no other deities) and I want to be a witch. I don't know what to do first, or how to go about this. How did you all get started?

If you want to keep worshipping as a Christian, you can't become a witch. Christianity and Paganism are mutually exclusive for a great many logical, historical and cultural reasons. I'm not trying to be difficult, dismissive or judgemental, but Christianity is simply not compatible with anything else, and that's expressly stated in every version of its bible.

It's not a question of rejection or denial; there are no crosses to burn, or holy relics to deface.

It's merely a question of development. If you want to continue Christian worship, then you're not looking for the "something more" that Paganism provides.

Now:

If what you're actually saying is that you still believe in the Christian concept of deity (this is the Internet... Written words aren't always well understood outside the context of a conversation!), then Paganism can help. Much of the source material can provide a different view on the many aspects of divinity that you're maybe just not familiar with yet. In that sense, the more you learn from a conceptual lore perspective, the more you'll realise what witches and warlocks think divinity really is, and how we can relate to it in both ritual and approach.

So, to reiterate quickly - there's no such thing as a Christian witch. If that's what you're looking for, you simply won't find one.

If you're finding the religious framework of Christianity doesn't work, but you still feel the spark of divinity, then Paganism might be what you're looking for.

Personally... I'd start with Ed Fitch's A Grimoire of Shadows. It introduces many introductory aspects of Witchcraft for beginners, along with training and basic rituals, and it does so in a manner that makes the subject engaging rather than dry.

Other bits of posted advice in this thread are also well worth bearing in mind.

Imperious wrote:

candlelight-sky wrote:I'm having trouble figuring out what to DO first to "do witchcraft." All I know is I want to continue to worship my Christian God (no other deities) and I want to be a witch. I don't know what to do first, or how to go about this. How did you all get started?

If you want to keep worshipping as a Christian, you can't become a witch. Christianity and Paganism are mutually exclusive for a great many logical, historical and cultural reasons. I'm not trying to be difficult, dismissive or judgemental, but Christianity is simply not compatible with anything else, and that's expressly stated in every version of its bible.

It's not a question of rejection or denial; there are no crosses to burn, or holy relics to deface.

It's merely a question of development. If you want to continue Christian worship, then you're not looking for the "something more" that Paganism provides.

This is true if you look at it in a very "conservative" and "medieval" Christian way; that if you keep on worshiping in Christian way, you cant be a witch since the Old Testament especially the Torah takes a very negative attitude towards "witchcraft" and "paganism" in its various formats, such as:

"A sorcerer shall not be allowed to live."[Exodus 22:17]

"For you are coming into a land that God is granting to you; do not learn the ways of the abominations of the native people. There shall not be found amongst you ... a sorcerer, soothsayer or engager of witchcraft ... or one who calls up the dead. For it is an abomination before God, and it is on account of these abominations that God is giving you their land."[Deut. 18:9-12]

But why? What is the problem with it? The thing is the Christian God (which they say it's YHVH) doesn't usually play well with other gods and goddesses, because He is a jealous Deity (and every Christian knows that since He specifically mentioned that in His Ten Utterances).

For YHWH, this an abomination. Christians believe that if a person mistakenly understands powers to be independent of their God, then they engage in idol-worship! These magickal/ energetic and divine then become a source for evil when they're viewed as an alternative power to their God.

However, there's a hope. Be like those Gnostics. Make your own synthesis of beliefs.

Before Gnosticism became a pagan path (though others don't consider it as a pagan path), it was one of the most influentical Christian sect. They don't agree with the establishment of priesthood who declared themselves to be the only source of revelation and that outside the Christian Church there's no salvation.

They are religious Christian mystics who proclaimed gnosis (knowledge) as the way of salvation. To know oneself truly allowed Gnostics to directly perceive and experience who truly is God and the Messiah is, without any need for the consultation and reconciliation of the religious officials.

Of course, RCC and other denominations authorities aren't pleased with such freedom and independence but who cares?! No one has the right to define or worst, dictate your spirituality to you but yourself.

I've known a lot of magickal practitioner who belong to pagan/magickal paths such Kabbalah, Gnosticism, Voodoo, Santeria, etc. who still believe in the Christian concept of Deity. Some of them are members here, RosieMoonflower and seawitch. However, these people never identified themselves as Christians anyore.

You could be a monotheistic witch and continue using the term 'God' if you like, but try to separate it from the 'God' that you grew up with; the Biblical God. Because believe me, He wont be pleased to see you practicing witchcraft and He'll just ended up cursing you. I'm a polytheist and to me, He's a deity like any other deity who will do and fulfill what They say that They will do to their followers.

This is exceptionally well said Seraphin Murmur.

Seraphin Murmur wrote:I've known a lot of magickal practitioner who belong to pagan/magickal paths such Kabbalah, Gnosticism, Voodoo, Santeria, etc. who still believe in the Christian concept of Deity. Some of them are members here, RosieMoonflower and seawitch. However, these people never identified themselves as Christians anymore.

You could be a monotheistic witch and continue using the term 'God' if you like, but try to separate it from the 'God' that you grew up with; the Biblical God. Because believe me, He wont be pleased to see you practicing witchcraft and He'll just ended up cursing you. I'm a polytheist and to me, He's a deity like any other deity who will do and fulfill what They say that They will do to their followers.

As erstwhile hinted, the Internet can be crap at conveying meaning!

When I speak about the Christian concept of a "god", I'm talking about the general monotheistic stance that there's only one god; this is different from saying that there's only one god, and only one way to worship him (typical amongst monotheistic religions). A great many polytheists, when you get to where the rubber meets the road, really only consider one true god, a single source, for everything. The reason they approach this source as several gods is because it's easier to relate to it in a more readily personified manner.

Konstantinos describes this concept nicely in Nocturnal Witchcraft; “god” is like a lake, with countless routes leading to it. Which route you take is up to you, but everyone ends up in the same place eventually. If I remember correctly, which I usually don’t, I think Ray Buckland uses a pretty similar example. Certain aspects of this tie in with other beliefs such as reincarnation or even a conceptualized afterlife (I don’t subscribe to such views), but that’s probably off-topic.

Hey everyone, there are witches who consider themselves "Christian witches." There is a very long reference post here explaining things. (http://phoenyxangel.tumblr.com/post/111 ... -and-magic)

I don't know, just I can't quit being a Christian because it's the most important thing in my life. Thanks to everyone for their replies.

Hiya candlelight!

I believe the 'God' that the Gnostics, Kabbalists, Voodoos, and so called Christian Witches and may other who believe in Bible yet practice magickal systems are distinct and different from the YHWH one who freed the Ancient Israelites from Egyptian bondage. I believe there are Deities who are those who are created through the deeds of man. What I mean is a group of humans can transform the image of an original God and create an entirely new God through sheer force of belief over an extended period of time. These are formed from the (mental, emotional and spiritual) energy which one invests in the performance of a specific devotion, worship, or in prayer -- or, conversely, energy applied in the execution of a sacrifice. Therefore, I don't believe that the Christian God is the same Deity as Yahweh (YHWH), the Jewish one and also not the same as the God of the Christian witches even though They share the same name. I do on the other hand, believe that they evolved from the earlier YHWH and now exists as Gods in Their own right, exactly as Their followers view Them.

If you cant quit being a Christian then continue being a good Christian.

Please remember this is only my view, I'm not trying to make anybody think like me or anything.

The way I see it, there are many parallels between Christianity and Wicca. And even though Christianity is very negative towards witches, there are many people who consider themselves Christian witches.
In the old days, when Christianity had to assimilate people, it basically "adopted" many of the Pagan holidays and depending on the region, many practices of the previous religions too. Some of the celebrations Christian people are having, are rituals that originated long before Christianity.
The belief of God and Mary and all the saints in my view is not any different from the belief of many Gods, Goddesses and deities. It's simply a matter of naming and therefore a person can be a witch, even in Christianity.
It is believed that in the original Bible, the wording of the phrase "You shall not suffer a witch to live" was "Thou shall not suffer a poisoner to live", but was changed by the English king George V, who had a great fear of witches.
In my country there are people, mostly women, who do "wax pouring" and "bullet pouring" and even word spells for healing and blessing (I have posted about this before) and still consider themselves Christians and not witches. There was this very famous clairvoyant - Vanga (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Vanga) who considered herself Christian and believed in God (while the Orthodox church considers her a witch and forbid it's priests to do services in the church she built). I've been to her house, which is now a museum, and it is filled with Christian paraphernalia. She prayed every day and built a church with her life savings.
Also, there are many witches who do Angel workings, asking the Archangels and saints for help.
What I think is, one shouldn't take the Bible word for word. If you can combine Christianity and Witchcraft, you do so. I am by no means a specialist, but I don't really see why you can't form your personal system based on Christianity.

Old topic re: what to do to get started is a FAQ.

Human beings make rituals. As a solitary we aren’t required to renounce or to pledge beliefs. Anyone can be tuned-in to the seasonal earth rhythms. We are part of the Earth & Cosmos & prosper in sync with it.

How-to’s posts
. When spell crafting you’d identify the need 1st & then determine what elemental energy will work with it & then add related embellishments. A Christian might ask intercession from an Archangel, personal guardian Angel or patron Saints with a candle spell & prayer honoring them, or read a recommended Psalm that’s repeated over 3, 7, 9 or 40 days.
. See Christian Candle Magic topic viewtopic.php?f=71&t=39015
. See Simple Spells viewtopic.php?f=4&t=36682

what you can use
. Set up workspace somewhere that you can work in peace; use any table or portable tray
. Supplies: cup , bowl,salt, olive oil, 🕯candles, incense, kitchen herbs
. Go for walks & collect uniquely marked stones & ; leave an offering when taking something from Nature for magical use

How to Charge a Spell
. Ground your energy by thinking of it flowing down your spine & into Mother Earth
. Center and power up by pulling your power on the breath to your solar plexus
. To "set intent" feel your intention as though it is already satisfied ; push that power from the belly, out your hands & into your spell as you exhale
. Repeat your intent or incantation three times; say only the results you want, don’t say what you don’t want
. Ground again so you don’t get space-head
. You can practice any time by making psi balls between your hands; think it-&-push; move hands back & forth and you’ll feel a subtle pushback

When/Why to Cast a Circle
. Anytime to keep-out conflicting energies or to contain your energy
. When meditating, doing divinations or just to have a neutral zone

Simple Circle
. Spritz holywater walking widdershins to remove stagnant energy; light incense; walk deosil to point-&-push to project the circle. (Ref. Scott Cunningham)
. Words - ’Round and around and round about, all good in & all bad out. As I walk the circle is cast guarding all & holding fast. (Ref. Doreen Valiente)
. It dissipates when walked through

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