None of my Spells Work. Can Anyone Help?

[WhiteOne]

You hit the quote button.

Ahh...thank you. I should have figured that out myself.
I thought Aemilus was a male! Anyway--I have no idea what gender anyone has.
I appreciate your post because I was having trouble following the logic of Aemilus and you debated that well. Also, "Pagan" is such an encompassing word (to me, meaning non-christian), that it is difficult to prove anyone's belief is not Pagan.
I don't think Shadowx believes in any God; however, he/she does believe in energy and soul, which could be associated with supernatural, and subsequently God. I believe that everyone is part of "god" (although I don't always actively embrace that belief), and so there is an underlying belief that everything has a divine order--because it is "God." I also understand the value of believing in individual Gods and/or Goddesses because they are symbolic, and they help unify oneself with the unknown --and are means of communication with it--which is also present in dreams and subconsciousness, even if it is not always understandable or attainable.
Anyway--being aggressive, valuing experience, or listening to intuition, doesn't mean you are not "Pagan."
I also want to say, that from my own humbling experience, fluff should be expected in neo-pagan communities. Think of it: Christianity gives every chance of spiritual identity--it has churches and countless philosophical debates, and analytical texts about the bible--for many people, paganism gives nothing. You have to be really self motivated, or else you would consequently end up spiritually undeveloped. I, myself, get my books about paganism from the library. Guess what--there aren't that many pagan books in my county library. And there are even way-more christian based books in my college library. I think it is right to give pagan people the benefit of the fact that they have less spiritual resources at their disposal than other dominant religions have. We can't all be Booker. T. Washington.

[Kitty]

I'm exactly the same on the gender thing - I think I got most though - lol
I kinda get the misunderstanding though - because of paganism being associated with herbalists, druidism, etc it's kind easy to forget that it isn't always centred around nature.
I love hearing about the different paths everyone follows - I find them all so interesting
xx

[JuniperBerry]

I also want to say, that from my own humbling experience, fluff should be expected in neo-pagan communities.

Only because wicca/neo-paganism itself is a very 101 religion. It was created by one man, 50+ years ago who invented myths based on pre-christian traditions. His mythology is plain and simple and leaves little in the way of debate and discussion for those who want such things. Instead of scholarly reviews into Wicca, you have Silver Ravenwolf. It will never be a legitimate tradition, even in a thousand years, because it's origins have been revealed as fraud, for the most part.

Think of it: Christianity gives every chance of spiritual identity--it has churches and countless philosophical debates, and analytical texts about the bible--for many people, paganism gives nothing. You have to be really self motivated, or else you would consequently end up spiritually undeveloped.

Wicca, not paganism, gives nothing. For the reasons given above. When I was pagan, I found myself envious of the materials and depths of conversation one could have with Chrsitianity because once you get the terms and symbols of wicca/neo=paganism down, once you understand the holidays and the simple meanigns of what they stand for, there's really no where else to go. You can't have the types of academic debates and discussions in it that you can with Chrsitianity for example.

But- once you look behind Wicca and see the thousand year old traditions and cultures and people that influenced Gardner you find a wealth of religion. One does have to be motivated to find which tradition they connect with (Finno-Urgic, Asian, Italian, etc), but after that there are plenty of academic studies into these religions. Greek mythology has been studied and analyzed to death, for example. Germanic mythology, which is my interest, has hundreds of scholars, professors, et al studying the religion and myths of those people. The studies into magic, shamanism, the gods..it's so much more elevated then the wicca 101 books.

I, myself, get my books about paganism from the library. Guess what--there aren't that many pagan books in my county library. And there are even way-more christian based books in my college library. I think it is right to give pagan people the benefit of the fact that they have less spiritual resources at their disposal than other dominant religions have. We can't all be Booker. T. Washington.

You won't find much if you're looking for pagan books. Pagan today means Silver Ravenwolf, or Scott Cunningham. You need to look in the mythology section, comparative religion, religious studies.

You need to find books like this:

Roman
Germanic
Russian

And not this:

Witchcraft
Wicca

For example, on another board I'm having a great discussion about Odin's sacrifice to himself in which he gained the runes. But the point is, he didn't know he would win the runes. He just thought he was going to die. So we're discussing if the gods are truly mortal, and if he was just sacrificing himself without knowing he'd win the runes then why was he doing it? Did he sacrifice himself before or after knowing the Volva's prophecy? It's just a great indepth look at Odin's motivations and purpose and complexity of character that you really cannot do with the Wicca Lord or Lady.

[WhiteOne]

Thanks for the suggestions Juniperberry. Those look like very interesting (and a little pricey!) books. Fortunately I have access to my campus library, and these seem like books that I will be able to find there. I also have access to some of the databases that contain scholarly articles (like Project MUSE). I love folk tales and mythology, but I haven't really thought about looking at scholarly articles about them (except when writing a paper.) There are so many things to learn...and so many great resources!

[Asch]

I read at the speed of ridiculous and have been skimming pagan / wiccan books for years. Silver Ravenwolf's boos, are, in my humble opinion total shite. They propagate bad information, advocate bigotry and teach young persons interested in pagan or wiccan leanings to lie to their parents and hide their interest. No responsible adult would condone this behavior in a child let alone someone with such a following /rant.

I'm still pretty new, I found some of Buckland's stuff oddly misogynystic toward women and Starhawk's scholarship is questionable at best and she's quite misogynistic toward men, rather odd, that said there are useful aspects and information in both author's works. So far I've found Cunningham, Ann Moura, and Christopher Penczak the most interesting and useful. But that's me

[JuniperBerry]

You might be interested in these:

http://www.amazon.com/History-Witchcraf ... 765&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Witchcraft-Europe ... pd_sim_b_1#_

http://www.amazon.com/Night-Battles-Wit ... gy_b_img_c


I haven't read them myself, I'm more interested in Heathen specific literature, but they look interesting and well-reviewed.

[jittertat]

I'm sorry to ask this at the wrong time, but I just got my computer up and running again after it crashed and had a few questions about some of the responses posted. I apologise that they aren't to do with Druidism or Germanic Paganism, which the thread has now gone on to cover.

First, I noticed someone say that when they cast spells they just sit or lay down. How does this work exactly? Do you just lay down and... Think about the outcome? I think if I knew how this works it would assist in my own workings.

Second, with all the ranting about Wicca as a concrete religion: Is there any evidence that witches pre-20th century worshiped any god or goddess and any more to prove that it was the same god or goddess Gardner worshiped? In fact, is there evidence to say that witchcraft existed or exists?

Sorry for bringing it up too late. Thanks.

[JuniperBerry]

There are several pre-Christian cultures that had what we would now identify as witches. (Where the word witch came from is etymologically unclear). Most of these worked within the context of their religion until the gods and practices were demonized by the church. There were preists, shamans, holy women, and regular citizens that believed in and utilized sorcery for love, revenge etc. After the conversion common people still retained their folk customs, holidays, and remedies, but after several generations I'm not sure they still remembered the gods as deities and not just as nameless agents of Satan. Some sources claim that medieval magicians adopted the protective circle from Hebrem mysticism texts around 1100 CE, and there was also an interest in Alchemy and the occult which can be seen in pre-20th century brotherhoods or fraternities. But I don't think your average medieval to Victorian housewife was drawing the circle, calling the quarters and worshipping Ishtar, Diana, or Kali. There wasn't "witchcraft" as we know it today.

Gardner's deities all existed in their own culture long before he brought them back into the light with Wicca. Someonce once said that Gardner 'stole from any religion that didn't run away fast enough,' which is somewhat true. He was influenced by anthropological studies into pre-Christian religions and goddess worship and by the occult fraternities that were gaining ground during his time, combining folk tradition with occult mysticism to create "witchcraft". He belived (or actually was taught by Old Dorothy *shrug*) that the underlying wisdom behind these cultures was the creative powers in the male and female principle, and the ability to use that power to influence our lives, and that this principle was also alive in nature. So he united these beliefs into a Universal worship which we now call wicca- using the names of gods and goddesses and the holidays etc. from all the various traditions.

Evidence does exist that witchcraft was practiced- Germanic, Celtic, Aboriginal, etc. I know more about GP, but hopefully some people knowledgable about another culture will share their viewpoint with you as well.

[branwenwillow]

I have studied theology and mythology for a long time and I have found in my research that all religions practice witchcraft. Whether Christians want to admit it or not, everything they do revolves around witchcraft. Every religion has rituals and incantations/prayers. They all have spells and rules and fears. Religion is based on needing to know or thinking you know what's out there after death. Everyone wants to find the meaning of life so enters faith. Religion brings hope and faith. Although it can be misplaced and abused, the premise is the same. While I am in no way Christian or in any other organized religion, I respect them all. They ALL have power. I am a nurse and have been for a very long time. I work hospice and let me tell you that I have seen it all. I have seen the power of prayers and rituals of all kinds. I have seen scary and unexplainable things in the last minutes of someone's life. Those "miracles" have lead me to where I am now.
The power that religion has is belief and faith. My family are devout Catholics and I have been to church every Sunday for a long time out of moral support for them as well as other reasons that are my own. Have you ever sat and paid attention to those around you? Not the ones that are there from obligation or guilt, but those who truly believe? The energy around them is amazing. It's quite fascinating. How about to a Hindu wedding ceremony? It's the same devout belief and blinding faith that cause suicide bombers to walk onto a crowed bus and kill. Religion is SO very powerful because of the intent people put into it.
That being said, witchcraft is the same way. If you truly believe in this art (and yes, it is an art) you have the power to do wonderful things. But that's where faith comes in. You have to have faith in yourself, your ability to believe and your will to want. You don't need candles, herbs, oils, poppets or anything else other than your mind, will and desire. All of the "tools" that witches use are focusing agents. It's a way to let your subconscious know it's time to get with it and get some work done. So whatever tools you need to help your abilities is great. I have a friend that uses the box her engagement ring came in as a mental grounding. She swears by this box and it's because she believes in it. The tools you choose will help to develop your skills so select them because they feel right not because someone told you to. There are many, many great correspondence books out there. Please be careful of the herbs and oils you use because they can be toxic.
And don't let anyone tell you words are just words. Lives can change because of words and that's because intent and belief are in those words. I have seen someone give their dying father peace after years of hate by just saying a few words. Words teach, inspire, give hope, and take it all away. So, when you work a spell whether it's in your mind or chanting out loud, you have to believe in the power of those words. They need to be everything you need them to be from start to middle to end.
Before you start looking for what "religion" to belong to sit down and think about what you are looking for in life. If you believe in what the Wicca religion teaches and you can live with those rules, then by all means go for it. But if you have any doubts that you don't fit it, keep looking. While witchcraft is not a religion per say, it is a huge part of every one and the lines can get very blurred. It's okay to practice witchcraft without religion and it's okay to use witchcraft in your religion. That is a choice you have to make. The one thing that I have learned in all my years is that there is no right or wrong religion, only the way people choose to practice them. If witchcraft is your calling then you will find a way to fit it into your life. But it doesn't come without frustration and things will not happen overnight.
And I have been surfing these forums for a while, before joining, and the only thing I have to say is that watch what you say about people's religions and practices. Opinions breed hate and hate breeds death. Millions and millions of people have died because of their beliefs weren't the "right" ones at the time.