Wiccans and Pagans: Confusing Experiences?

Question

When I was trying to learn about paganism and Wicca, I went through a lot of bad experiences: either my "instructors" were vague about it or they had an elitist attitude.

If you could warn fellow pagans or Wiccans, what would you tell them not to do or say to people who have a genuine interest in the subject?

(By the way, I finally had to research on my own and through a lot of trial and error, I'm finally happy where I landed.)

Answer 1

I think I would first warn those starting on the path that there are many who take advantage of those with a newly found interest, promising them untold power and opening of secrets if they but only begin to work "sex magick".

Next, I would offer that they might not wish to come out of the "broom closet" until they are able to express what exactly it is that they believe, and are able to do so coherently. It's too easy to get caught up in arguments and fights and wind up unable to defend yourself, feeling frustrated and hurt.

I would also offer that reading a single book, jumping to the "self-initiation" part, and then believing yourself a witch is little more than saying "Jesus save me" amd thinking yourself a theologian.

As with any religion, study is imperative; probably moreso for Pagans. With no heirarchy or sacred scripture to defer too, we must all take responsibility for our own knowledge. There are many good authors and books, as well as many fluff-bunny texts to look at. Reading any single one doesn't make a Witch. Reading a bunch of books doesn't make a Witch.

A commitment to learn, coupled with the knowledge that what you seek is already within you; a willingness to always look at the world, and all within it with wonder and love; a willingness to accept responsibility for each and every one of your actions; all of these things together, and more, is what makes a Witch, or Wiccan.

I can't speak for all of Paganism as I am only an individual, on an individual path, but that's my view.

I, too, am happy with where I landed.

Answer 2

Exactly, My experience to! I was involved in it for a little while but the numerous egotistical jerks were a big turn off.
Here was my final straw...
I went to a pagan fest with some friends, my car broke down, over heads some wiccans who decide to fix it with a magic string. Yes, they were serious. In between some chanting & mud dancing they would periodically stop to see if it would turn over. Well, (surprise surprise) they eventually left to go work on a better spell. Mean while an actual mechanic stopped by who actually did fix the car. After he went away the wiccans flocked back and basically said "behold! we the powerful have fixed your car, praise us" Since I find it is a complete waste of time to argue with religious reasoning I left it alone (and drove happily away).
So, to answer your question….They shouldn’t change anything. Its good to be upfront about these things.

Answer 3

Your last statement was the results of initiative that was encouraged by the elitist and vagueness of those who were your instructors. In the magic arts, sometimes people follow an ancient rule of seeming elitist or vague, for a while, so they can truly see where you are coming from. I was taught hoodo and voodoun by my grandmother starting when I was a child. She refused to teach me anything until I had asked her 3 times. Then she was sure I was serious. Ase, Ase.

Answer 4

If there was one thing I'd remind folks of, it's the line about 90% of anything being BS. Sadly, there's a lot of folks out there who are wedded to their egos, to the point where they cannot admit when they are wrong, or when they don't know an answer.

People have abused the tolerance and trust of the community, milking power and money from folks by being dishonest. Everybody, from the starry-eyed newbie to the old grizzled hands, needs to know when to take things with a grain of salt, and when to shun people who abuse the community.

Answer 5

i comprehend a pair of former Pagans who're now Christians, yet they do no longer pass around spreading tall memories approximately all of sudden tossing away their occult books after having some style of non-public visitation from Jesus. human beings have not got a tendency to make religious conversions gently, and in some churches, there is in simple terms about a 12 months of learn previous to confirmation (in different words, it is not a technique that folk undertake gently). I additionally comprehend former Christians who grew to become Pagans, Wiccans, Heathens and greater; in addition they did no longer make those judgements rapidly. religious conversions are often observed by using very long sessions of learn and mirrored photograph. i've got heard some memories from meant "former Wiccans" who switched over to Christianity (those memories are just about continuously promoted by using Fundamentalist communities), and for sure, the folk did no longer comprehend Wicca from a hollow contained in the floor (they often equate Wicca with Satanism, case in point, which no actual Wiccan might ever do), and make claims approximately wild rituals that no Wiccan everywhere has ever participated in. although, i comprehend some people who made valid conversions from Paganism to Christianity, and their memories are no longer in assessment to those of folk who switched over to Christianity from the different non-Christian faith.

Answer 6

It's always good to NOT be insulting to seekers on forums just because they are just that, "Seekers." I tried to get a straight answer about different Wicca paths sometime back on a Yahoo Group, and it ended up being a war on my mundane profession. Like it's anybody's business what I do for a living when I'm not wearing a ritual robe :-)

Blessed be, and good luck!

Answer 7

Hi TH,

The first thing is to talk to the locals.
Elitism and bullsh!t are rife in the Pagan community, there are many pretenders preying on the young and weak, as there are those that think they know it all.
Ask around, ask a lot, who is respected?
Of course you first need to have some idea of what you want to learn....