Everything Under the Moon

Hello, lightworker22~

First let me say welcome to the board. Why don't you head over to the Member Profiles and Introductions part of this board and introduce yourself! We love to get to know our new members. (:

What you're asking is best explored yourself, however. Everyone's practice varies greatly so no one can tell you what you should be doing for your practice. However, I have some links that you might find interesting that may very well help define your traditions and beliefs for YOU! We have a few Christian witches here, and a lot of amazing resources that can help you discover what you'd like to practice in your own craft

To answer one question, about being "sworn in"; you don't have to! It's up to you if you'd like to or not. If you're looking to join a coven then there may be specific things that they have you do and will swear you in then, or if you're sticking with solitary practice you can do a simple dedication ritual if that's what you'd like OR you could simply just practice which shows your true dedication and inclusion to your own beliefs.

And there isn't anything wrong with being a closet witch at all! Well, I shouldn't say that. I'm of the belief that all religion and beliefs should be equally respected so we don't have to hide in the broom closet but aside from that it's perfectly normal to practice in secret because of this fact. The most important thing is ensuring you feel safe and comfortable in your own life. (:

Anyways! Here are all the links for you to take a look at!

Witchcraft & Wicca 101 Thread -- On here you'll find a lot of information on how to get started and what practices can entail.

Christian Witchcraft Subforum -- On here you'll find many threads about being a Christian witch and see beliefs shared by other members who follow this kind of path.

I hope that you're able to find what you're looking for and if you have any other questions; let us know!

My advice to you: Seek out a teacher to train you and initiate you.

Be open to paying for lessons too. I've experienced ones that didn't charge and ones that do, and frankly the ones that charged progressed me quicker than anything else.

Trust your gut.

Chalice wrote:My advice to you: Seek out a teacher to train you and initiate you.

Be open to paying for lessons too. I've experienced ones that didn't charge and ones that do, and frankly the ones that charged progressed me quicker than anything else.

Trust your gut.

This is a good advise.
However, not too many pagans are willing and/or capable of teaching other people.
I don't know if the payment thing should be a decision making reason to "enroll" with someone. Some people do charge and they have a right to do so, as nobody's time and knowledge is to be taken advantage of, but there are others who do not charge and can teach you just the same.
I second what Sakura said and recommend you start with the "Witchcraft & Wicca 101 Thread" too.

Chalice wrote:My advice to you: Seek out a teacher to train you and initiate you.

Be open to paying for lessons too. I've experienced ones that didn't charge and ones that do, and frankly the ones that charged progressed me quicker than anything else.

Trust your gut.

Trusting your instinct is good advice.

I don't believe finding a teacher (especially one who charges money for it) is quite so good, though. Ultimately, this is for two main reasons:

1) It's too easy to take advantage of people who know nothing about Witchcraft.
2) Material is freely available either in published books, or on the Internet.

Funnily enough, this is why a great many covens are struggling for members. Because grimoires are no longer the secret texts they used to be, covens need to be offering a lot more to their perspective members than they previously had. This is where the Inner and Outer Courts become helpful, but no realistic coven would ask you to pay for the privilege of joining them.

In short:

The information is out there for you. Get involved with it, and the community, and you'll start to feel pulled toward the things that interest you most. Notwithstanding my belief that the capability to perform magic is entirely hereditary, it seems as if you've already got a foot in the door, so to speak.

Imperious wrote:
I don't believe finding a teacher (especially one who charges money for it) is not quite so good, though. Ultimately, this is for two main reasons:

1) It's too easy to take advantage of people who know nothing about Witchcraft.
2) Material is freely available either in published books, or on the Internet.

These are my reasons too. I've never had a teacher to date, and I don't agree with the concept of paying to follow a belief system (particularly if you're able to do so without the transfer of money). Purchasing books? Absolutely. Paying someone to tell you things you can find out for yourself with a little bit of knowledge on how to do research, nope. But that's just me.

I'm not going to make a contentious argument in favour of either way, it's just that I used to think like that, then found some very good teachers who did charge. They provided access to online facilities and themselves.

If you can find a very good teacher, who is local, who knows their stuff, and who is will to spend their personal time with you, for free then go for it.

Those things are just available in remote areas.

Look outside the 'Wicca' paradigm too. There are many expressions of witchcraft that aren't based on Gardner's paradigm or the need to have a coven and degrees.

For those here that don't believe in charging for lessons.

How many of you:

Buy Llewellyn books
Buy Tarot Cards
Buy Psychic readings
Buy things off Etsy
Pay for internet subscription
Buy Magazines

It seems weird that people will pay a psychic $50 for a half hour tarot reading, buy $25 with of crystals, the Latest Tarot deck from Llewellyn ....

But if you suggest a $25 a month subscription to a teacher with access to internet forums and asking them questions...

that it's somehow wrong or misguided?

I'm not saying it's a bad thing to find a teacher. For some people it's extremely helpful. It just wasn't for me.

It seems you're into the idea of finding a teacher and, honestly, that's cool - it works for some people, and I would never suggest that what works for me should be some kind of categorical imperative (would be nice, though!).

Ultimately, I see finding a teacher as a conundrum.

In order to make a good decision, you need to already have a decent grasp of what you're talking about. The more clued in you are, the better decision you'll make. The thing is, the better you know the subject... The less you need a teacher at all! If you've already got a good grasp on Witchcraft, you'll likely already know what route you wish to take.

As for some of the financial comparisons, well, it's just not the same thing. If I buy a book, then it's mine; I can use it whenever I want, relate it to whatever I want, and appreciate it when it's most conducive to what I'm going to be looking into or performing next. It's on my book shelf until I need to refer to it, or get it out for a working.

No teacher could ever be so congenial with their time.

It's interesting to me to see how so many people begin their journey by picking up a divination method somewhere and then branching out from that. I wonder what the ratio is for people who begin their interest via divination vs. those who start from some other focus. But that's probably a discussion for another thread.

Vesca wrote:It's interesting to me to see how so many people begin their journey by picking up a divination method somewhere and then branching out from that.

Despite it's clouded history, I suspect the tarot is probably the most widely recognised "occult" practice in the world. What it leads to... Hell, the gods only know.

I agree, Vesca! I LOVE Tarot so much and it was seeing my mom's tarot cards that really got me interested. That and what I used to think were "black outs" but really were mom casting spells with a circle and having me participate because I found it fun. Haha~

I never had a teacher but to be honest there were a lot of times I wish I had one. I think it's good to keep an open mind in every aspect of the craft and life in general as well. What might not be a good option for one could be an amazing option for another. I usually choose based on personal preference to avoid paying for something that I view as equal knowledge for everyone to share but at the same time I totally understand if someone wants to be compensated for offering their time in such a way. We pay our elementary/high school/college/etc. teachers so I can easily see why someone teaching any other kind of class would wish to be paid for something like this.

I think that it's important to remain wary, of course, with costs of classes. If it's a ridiculous amount of money then I'd probably avoid it based on personal preference and my own suspicions. I usually try to stick with those who don't expect a lot if they do charge.

Everyone's situation is different, after all~ Some people really benefit from a teacher either early in the beginning or later on, while some don't benefit from having one at all and fair better doing their own research and studies.

Whatever the choice; the main goal is to find your path and I think every way is right in their own respect. (:

I would be inclined to pay for specific seminars or classes in my areas of interest. In those cases, the person or group offering the seminars or classes have production costs that need to be met. As far as any kind of initiation, most covens that I've heard of have an initiation process. I know of one, in the Denver area that claims a person can't be a witch without being initiated into a coven. That leaves solitaires like me out in the cold, to their way of thinking. I don't happen to agree with them. I have never done even a self initiation in any formal sense. The deities that I work with know me, and none of us has had a need to insist on ceremonies. Everyone is different. Do what's right for you.

SnowCat

SnowCat wrote:I would be inclined to pay for specific seminars or classes in my areas of interest. In those cases, the person or group offering the seminars or classes have production costs that need to be met.

I wouldn't pay for a teacher, but something of this type is reasonable. As you say, production costs need to be met and that often includes the likes of travelling expenses which people don't often consider. Even then, I'd heavily weigh up the cost against what I'd likely get out of the seminar itself.

I've coughed up for a "presentation on dark magic" from someone well considered, and left sore because I got nothing out of it. Conversely, I've paid to attend a workshop about L'Arte Eccelsa because I had nothing else to do that weekend; I ended up leaving that workshop inspired by what was discussed.

SnowCat wrote:As far as any kind of initiation, most covens that I've heard of have an initiation process. I know of one, in the Denver area that claims a person can't be a witch without being initiated into a coven.

I won't lie; I'm a fan of initiation. I only really recognise three grades (Initiate, Witch/Warlock, Priestess/Priest), largely because they make sense in a coven context, but I generally find that people who undergo initiation are more committed because their training can typically be accounted for.

An initiation ritual is just a great way of formally accepting who you are and, if done well, a way of moving on from who you were. Some are emotionally inspiring, just as you'd like all of them to be, while others really are a show of faith in your coven or the craft. They're a good thing, in my eyes, but then I'm a fan of the coven construct.

None of this should suggest, however, that I believe initiation is mandatory. It's not. Many solitary or eclectic witches and warlocks I've met are gifted, learned people who would have found the constraints of an initiation or coven completely at odds with their personal nature. Rather than a coven being a generator of existing energy and talent, it becomes a form of magical straitjacket that the spark of imagination can be strangled by.

I'd encourage everyone to go for initiation, even a personal one. But those arguing that initiations are a requirement, well... They're on the make.

I'm definitely one of those "at odds with my personal nature" folks when it comes to the constraints of covens and initiations. That being said, there are many people who do thrive in those circumstances. We all have our idiosincracies. I also refuse to affiliate with a political party, even though it means not being able to vote in the primaries.

SnowCat