Introduction

Women and Men, who come to the Craft from either a non-spiritual or other spiritual path, find themselves in front of the Goddess for a wide range of highly personal and life changing circumstances.

It is to these persons whom I am going to speak to in this first lesson, of which I will go over some basics.

Witchcraft (Or Wicca) is the study of forces and spiritual truths applied to daily life and observances of natural rhythms that ebb and flow in our lives. As you begin your practice, you will become much more attuned, aware, participate and work with the forces that touch and interplay with all of our lives...

Forces that many who live only in the material world are only dimly aware of, or which are ignored altogether.

Some will disagree with the characterization I give for the definitions, and these are as varied in number and content, as there are stars in the heavens.

This lesson does not intend to offer a scholarly interpretation of the myriad differences of definition of terms and opinions in the Craft. Instead, the intent is to show the initiate to the first of many doors. The explanation for the initiate that all is not as it seems, but there are large areas of agreement and truths that do tend to hold across the world of the Craft...

Just know that the Craft resides primarily in your heart. You will *know* you are attracted to the path, and if it is for you or not. If there is any one truth I have learned in my time doing this, it is this simple fact.

To thy own self, be true... If you are not being honest with yourself for the reasons you want to call yourself Witch, then you probably are in the wrong spiritual system...

Power of the Path

Your having come to the Craft of the Wise is unique in that you have picked one of the hardest of spiritual paths to walk. It takes great courage and charisma to be a Witch. However, the rewards for this hardest of paths are equally great.

Why is Witchcraft hard? It is an imperfect, misunderstood, and highly individualistic religion that challenges your beliefs and actions at every moment of the day and night.

We live by principles and traditions that prevent us from doing magick to harm others, that acknowledge that for every action, there is an equal or greater reaction that visits like energy to the sender.

In other words... If you do good works, it is highly likely you will have good come to you. If it is for negative (save protecting yourself in a life or death situation), you probably risk bringing negative forces of all sorts to your step.

You will undoubtedly hear more of this as your learning advances... I am not here to rehash all of that... Plenty of material exists on the subject already.

To put this in a few sentences: My own take is that if good goes into something, good is going to come out... bad-in, well... bad will come out of it. This is a simple cause and effect rule. Just be aware that your actions and intent affect more than just your immediate surroundings in life and that the effects of your intent do come full circle.

Often, these effects come from unexpected directions and are the direct result of choices made earlier, even if the connection is not easy to see or makes sense to you.

Think of it like this: A pebble tossed in a pond makes waves (forces) that eventually cross the entire pond, bounce off the shoreline, and then return with effects that can be either helpful or disastrous. So too, are our workings and intents in life and in the Craft...

Speaking of forces... Most of Witchcraft is about living well... without all the Hollywood effects, drama of running around in robes or "looking like a witch" for some theatrical part.

Some of the most powerful witches I know do not even use the tools you are "supposed to" use. They construct their own simple ways of practicing, and use their minds to make magick and to bend forces and work *with* nature and natural energies to bring harmony and balance to the world.

These same Witches use magick to help themselves, and feel no shame in being here in the universe. They and we have every right to be here, and to choose the manner and means in which we acknowledge our creator and deity(s) of choice...

Organized religion holds no place for brave souls like this... indeed; they never fit in that system in the first place. So... in this first lesson, I hope I am dashing any sense of the continual drama and wishes for awesome effects at every moment... Witchcraft is work. It is the art of working on you. You also work on your relationship with the people, universe, and forces/powers to which we all have access.

This is not to say that there are not dramatic moments in the Craft. I have seen amazing events in my 13 years of being a Witch. I have seen winds blow through a house, extinguishing candles in a room that had closed windows and doors. I have seen trees raging and dancing. I have even been part of a circle where a ritual called for rain from a seemingly cloudless sky and within a few minutes, a downpour ensued.

The common thread to these events was that there was every reason for me to be at each of these events, and they were reminders that being a Witch does invite mysterious forces and entities to our lives, who are hopefully there to teach and guide us.

They are not there to entertain... Instead... these events provide a base for us to know that the unseen is there and that they work with and around us as we undertake our missions in life and as witches.

First Moon

This first assignment starts at the first full moon. You need to research the Craft... Read as many books and talk to as many of the more experienced practitioners as you can. Learn from these people.

Listen to them speak and trust your inner leadings and filters as you hear what they have to tell you. Some advice and information will resonate with you... some will not. This is part of the process, and just keeps you true to yourself... You are on a mission to learn who and what you really are!

Find one special person of the magickal variety with whom you can work, whose energy makes you comfortable, and who challenges your thinking as you progress in your understanding and growth. This person will be a mentor, friend, and teacher who will provide the benefit of experience and tolerance that should help you to advance. During this month, take time several hours a week or so to spend time in nature. It can be simple walks, or grand and glorious hikes into the outdoors. It can be fishing or camping, or just looking at plants in a park. Whatever you choose to do, just remain faithful in doing it.

Take a journal and record your thoughts and feelings as you connect with the universe around you... Keep those notes as part of your initial experiences... it is wise to be able to look back at what you were like, all those years later when you have been practicing, and it does bring a smile to see where you were and where you are now.

On the evening of the next full moon after you have spent all this time researching, talking, and spending time immersed in the Craft... Stop and ask yourself this simple question:

"Why do I want to be a Witch?"

This is a powerful question... Be honest with yourself, and then decide for yourself if you want to go on to the next stage of the process.

If you have been honest with yourself... your path, feelings, and direction will be clear. Trust your inner bell and guides... These serve as guideposts to help point the way.

I still do this in moments of trying times... I ask myself why I still am a Witch. To this day, it still rings true to my soul with a clarity that I am still amazed at... What is the reason? I am A Witch because I love the mystery and process of life, and because this spiritual system connects me, grounds me, and heals me like no other can. As a Witch, I feel complete and powerful in my own spirit and knowledge of who I am as a person.

You will come to your own definition of this in your first month of exploration. Each month, another question will surface for exploration and discussion.

Be sure to record those questions in your journal or book of shadows. At your initiation, you will want to read from each month, and discuss with your mentor or guiding teacher or witch what it is you have learned, and how best to apply it as you create your unique identity as a Witch.

Conclusion

So... you didn't get hit with a bunch of spells, or magick water, or told when and what astrological this and that to work with to make someone fall in love with you... What you have learned is that the Craft is a spiritual system that has certain core principles that demand honesty of the self and a focus of intention and a sense of ceremony at certain times of the month and year... Your first assignment is to teach you this set of basics.

Should you decide to go on, you will learn the next principle in lesson 2.

Witchcraft Workshop

Lesson Four (4)

Perhaps you’ve tried to perform some spells from my site, attended a crystal healing class or seen a few episodes of Charmed on television, and now you’ve decided witchcraft is for you. That’s great! So now you think your next step is to find a coven to join, Right? Wrong!  There is no need for a budding witch, or indeed an experienced one come to that, to join a coven. In fact, many people never do – and it certainly shouldn’t be your first step on the long road towards becoming a witch.

  How you come to witchcraft differs from person to person. Many people feel close to nature from a very early age but don’t realise there is a religion out there to match their beliefs until they read about Wicca by chance. Some are determined to find a religion that suits their individuality and isn’t as authoritative as other Western religions. Others simply join a meditation class or enrol on a course that covers an alternative lifestyle subject, and then go on to become more involved.

  There are many different paths to follow in witchcraft, so the first thing to do is educate yourself. Practise casting spells on your own, remembering that if you perform magic for the right reasons, you will not cause harm to yourself or anyone else. And read, read, read! And if you are a sociable person, why not attend a pagan conference or go to a pub moot? These are social gatherings of witches and pagans, which are usually held in a pub, hence the name.

  There are several reasons why you shouldn’t join a coven, right away.

Firstly, there are different traditions within paganism, Wicca and Druidism, so if you join a coven too early, you’re setting yourself on one particular path when another may suit you better.

 Secondly, if you practise and study alone before joining a coven, it will take you more seriously once you’re a member because it knows you are dedicated and willing to put in the time and effort.

 Thirdly, even an open-minded, very well-meaning coven will set ideas of ‘how things are done’ into your mind, such as whether to call air in the north or east. You’ll find out what suits you best by practising on your own.

 Lastly, as much as it pains me, there are bad teachers in the Wiccan community, who do not have the best in mind for their students. But educating yourself first, you’ll be able to tell who is talking nonsense.

 Buy some useful books, check out websites (feel free to email me for ideas), and attend talks. Chat with others, think, pray to the deity you feel drawn to for guidance, and perform spells and guided meditations to see what works for you.

Welcome to my Witchcraft Workshop.

We are going to talk about what to wear when casting spells.

New witches sometimes worry about wearing the right thing for magic. It certainly helps to feel comfortable because the less distracted you are, the better you work. So what do witches wear when they meet their covens to perform rituals or cast spells at home? Well, as with everything, it depends on the witch. Traditionally, witches go ‘skyclad’, which means they’re dressed only by the moon and the stars – they’re naked. It’s liberating to celebrate Sabbats (Wiccan festivals) like that, and it also removes any false status or ‘I can afford better robes than you’ attitude. In the old days, it also meant you wouldn’t get caught wearing illegal witches’ robes, as it was against the law to practise witchcraft. But today, being skyclad, especially in a coven, can hamper concentration as people aren’t used to it and feel embarrassed. And for those practising outdoors, the British weather doesn’t lend itself to walking about naked!

 So, most witches these days wear clothes when working magic. Robes are popular because changing into something special and keeping certain clothing only for rituals and spells puts you in the right frame of mind. You can easily make a robe yourself by getting a piece of cloth as wide as both your arms and twice as long as your body, and just cut a hole for the head. Be careful if you like the long, floppy sleeves of wizard-style robes as they can easily catch fire on the candle flames. That’s happened in my coven more than once!

 Many covens have rules as to what colours are worn, especially by new members. Their robes are often white to signify learning. The more senior members may wear purple to represent occult knowledge or red for energy, which in some traditions also signifies the highest level a Wiccan can attain. An easy way to make a robe yours, whether homemade or shop-bought is to embroider your magical name, totem animal (animal spirit guide) or personal magical symbol on it.

 While robes are great to get you in the mood, they’re not vital. Don’t worry if you can’t afford them, or don’t want to wear them. These days, I rarely wear robes except for formal occasions. Much of my magic is done ‘on the fly’, standing at the bus stop or before going to bed, and I don’t bother with decorations and robes.

  Mind you, dressing up is certainly good fun.