Brand-new...I'd like a teacher or experienced Wiccan please :)

Submitted by liquidmorals on Sun, 08/29/2004 - 5:51pm.

I just recently adopted Wicca as my religion, and would really appreciate having a teacher of some sort. I've already read and studied a lot about it, but I'd love to have an experienced person to talk to and ask direct questions. Please help me out. My e-mail address is deftones_chik_17@yahoo.com, and my AIM screen name is AsphyxiatedBliss.

Thanks very much! ^_^

~Brydan

( categories: Beginners and Friends )

A word of caution...

Submitted by Schuylar on Mon, 08/30/2004 - 7:34am.

Please be carefull when you are asking for a teacher.

Best bet would be to start out at your local library and check out books. Start out with "Drawing Down the Moon" by Margot Adler. It's a compendium of different branches of paganism and may help you in your understanding of the religion you have choosen.

You may also want to search the web. Here is a nice start. We're kinda quiet lately, but the people who do frequent here are nice.

The Pagan Library is also a nice website to visit. It's full of articles and stories.

Witchvox.com is a wonderful site I highly recommend as well. You'll find you can search your state and city for groups, shops, etc. (be warned that if you are under the age of 18 you will have a very hard time finding an adult to teach you. If you do get someone who says that they will teach you and you are under the age of 18 please run the other way.)

Schuylar

Journal

Submitted by Mugwort on Mon, 08/30/2004 - 9:02am.

I second Schylur's suggestion and I would also like to add that reading and researching first will give you the opportunity to listen to your inner self and learn in what direction your path lays.

So spend as much time as you can outside watching the moon cycles, the weather patterns and the plants and animals around you. Keep a journal, write down your thoughts, dreams and things that are of interest to you and re-reading your journal occationally will help you see the larger patterns and help you find what it is that is important to you and your walk. You may be surprised to find out who your teachers really are. ~ Mugwort

Schuylar

Submitted by Mugwort on Mon, 08/30/2004 - 9:12am.

Sorry Schuylar, after all this time you think I could spell your name right. Ah, blame it on it being a Monday Morning and I having spent all weekend watching the moon get fuller. :p

We camped out all weekend. Saturday night a group of fire-dancers came in and did their routine. Pretty cool in the moonlight. They came in a crazy bus that looks like it drove straight out of a Mad Max movie, they were on their way to the Burning Man in California.

A rose by any other name...

Submitted by Schuylar on Mon, 08/30/2004 - 11:34am.

Sounds like you had a wonderful time!

And don't worry about the name thing. My own family can remember my real name, and they are the one's who gave it to me! :D

Mythology

Submitted by Berkana on Wed, 09/01/2004 - 5:56am.

Schuyler ~ Mugwort ~ Good to see you around! :-)

Good advice so far. Yes, look for books like Adler's & learn about the community & what other Pagans are doing. Read others' views and how they do their thing - there's lots of variety in our practices, with no One Right Way to do things. Definitely spend time outside, follow the natural cycles & learn from nature. Our ways are deeply intwined with the natural world & it behooves you to learn all you can directly from it.

I would only add the suggestion that you spend some time delving into you library's mythology collection. Check out myths from cultures from all over the world. Read different views on a culture's heroes & Gods. Read all about one culture if you like, but be sure not to limit yourself. Study all the ones you can get your hands on.

You will see that there are some books/authors that are better than others. In some, the myth will be changed at the end with Christian overtones added. Another version of the myth will enlighten you to some or all of the missing material. Some are written by people who carry a negative view of the Gods they write about. Some are written by those who view the myths as an exercise in psychology & analyze all the details afterwards. Others may re-write myths to please them. There are also those who take a perfectly good story & re-tell it in the most boring, academic language possible.

Along with these, you will find that there are many who seek to present an accurate view of the Gods & the ways of the various peoples whose myths you read. These are the best - the ones you will learn the most from.

There is a site called the Internet Sacred Text Archive ( "http://www.sacred-texts.com/index.htm">http://www.sacred-texts.com/index.htm ) which contains a large amount of books on the mythologies of various cultures. These books are published online for free because the copyrights have, in one way or another, expired. Some of these are a bit *dry* to read, but not all of them; and the wealth of info available here is invaluable! If you can't find anything good in your library, or are unsatisfied with the versions you find, check out this site & see what they have available.

~*~

Read the old stories; learn about the deities & the Pagans that adore them through their myths. It's important to know *who* you're calling on *before* you call them! :-P

Blessings

~Berkana

Get a taste of religion.

Lick a Witch!

new teachers?

Submitted by Kristie on Mon, 09/06/2004 - 5:58pm.

Hi all. I am totally new to this and am looking for one who might be willing to teach me...well, everything. I have been reading, trying to study and understand...please contact me if you feel you may have any insights!

Hi!

Submitted by Berkana on Tue, 09/07/2004 - 3:59am.

Ask a question and you will likely get an answer - there should be at least one person here on the board that can give you some insight into your questions!

Blessings

~Berkana

Get a taste of religion.

Lick a Witch!