good wiccan schooling?

Question

Does anyone know of any good & free(or cheap at least) formal type schooling in the wiccan/pagan arts(that's actually credible!) that can be done online, in person in socali, or thru the mail. Plz don't refer me to witchvox...it was so confusing last time I went. If u can help thanx so much.

Answer 1

Two important points in relation to your question;

1.Wicca does not cost money.
2.Wicca cannot be taught via web sites or mail.

If you are looking at becoming Wicca then this question does suggest you have a lot to learn before deciding this path is for you, there are plenty of reliable sources if you know what you are looking for and what to avoid – remember anyone claiming to make you Wicca by any means other than formal training within a coven with direct lineage back to Gardner or New Forest Coven is lying to you.

If you are just wishing to learn about Wicca then again there are a lot of reliable sources for you to look through, instead of writing 'Wicca' in a search engine for example try writing 'BTW Wicca' or looking for specific Wiccan traditions such as Gardnerian or Starkindler, alternatively start looking at the history such as at Gardner and Wicca's Thelemic origins.

In order to learn about Wicca to become Wicca a lot of initial research is required as there is a lot of misinformation about Wicca, it's thought by some that Wicca are in praise of this misinformation to some degree because it separates the serious Seekers from those who simply look to Wicca as a fad.

In order to become Wicca you need to be initiated into a BTW coven as Wicca is oath-bound meaning that the teachings of Wicca, including beliefs, practices, doctrines, gods and mysteries are protected by oaths taken when a person becomes Wicca not to discuss these things to those who are not Wicca. There is a simple old saying that when you are ready a teacher will find you and it is true, not just in the hippy-BS sort of way but because when you are ready you will know how to make yourself known and if there are Wicca locally then they will recognise that you are ready in the understanding you have and willingness to learn.

Wicca is complex to begin with so requires formal training in order to guide you and prepare you for taking the mysteries, furthermore Wicca is a priesthood (Yes, Wicca are clergy, it is a religion without laity). Coven training is required for a person to understand the religion enough to be able to understand and respect it, the training also gives opportunity for coven members to grow together and recognise when a person is ready to become Wicca. A web site or correspondence course, no matter how complex will never be able to teach you Wicca, not only because it needs to be taught face to face but simply because it is a mystery tradition and it is very hard to express what needs to be taught via a letter of a page of a web site.

One important point I feel I need to make, a few people have suggested Witchschool.com this site teaches the Correllian tradition which is not a Wiccan tradition at all but simply claim to be in order to make money from people who do not know any better. As well as taking money from those gullible enough to pay they spread misinformation about Wicca and show disrespect to those who follow the path. They do offer free services however you would be far better off studying from reliable sources of information, you may want to try joining Amber & Jet to watch their discussions to find out more about Wicca as these are a Wicca-specific group - http://amberandjet.spiralpaths.org

Witchvox is actually not that good of a resource for learning about Wicca or other paths as many articles are written by people who are not credible themselves, it is good for networking – finding local Pagans, groups, covens, etc. however again if you don't know what you are looking for it is not very wise, with that said however you may want to try to find local moots (Pagan get-togethers) in your area if you are interested in Wicca or Paganism.

When it comes down to it you really need to learn first, after a while you will find out why Wicca cannot be taught via web sites or mail; information taught on Wicca via these means can be useful but it will always be 'outer-court' so not actually Wicca but information not protected by oaths Wicca take. With that said however all this information can be found in books and web sites and it is far better for you to research for yourself at this point rather than have someone guide you, more so if that person has the potential to misguide you. It's like math in school, you can sit and work out a sum on a calculator and get the answer, but unless you do the work and the figuring out you will not really understand how you reached that answer, it's simply a cheat.

I can offer a few starting points for reliable information – don't take my word for it though, go research for yourself with constant study.

Web sites;
http://www.cyprian.org/Articles/gardchron.htm - Gardnerian Chronology and Bibliography
http://www.wargoddess.net/index.php - Enyo`s Workshop
http://wicca.timerift.net/ - Wicca: For the Rest of Us
http://www.homecircle.info - Homecircle
http://www.starkindler.org/ - StarFire Rising
http://www.asiya.org/ - Asiya`s Shadows
http://www.newwiccanchurch.net - New Wiccan Church International
http://members.tripod.com/~Moonpfyr/gardnerian.html - Gardnerian Tradition
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Agora/2416/wildrose.html - Wild Rose Outer Grove
http://members.shaw.ca/stoneandcauldron/ - Coven Of The Stone And Cauldron
http://www.oldeenchantments.com/coven/ - The Hollywood Coven
http://www.geocities.com/DesertHenge - Desert Henge

Books;
The Witches' Bible: The Complete Witches' Handbook - Janet & Stewart Farrar.
The Witches' God - Janet and Stewart Farrar
The Witches' Goddess - Janet and Stewart Farrar
The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft - Ronald Hutton.
Witchcraft Today - Gerald B. Gardner.
Witchdom of the True - Edred Thorsson
Wicca: the Old Religion in the New Milennium - Vivianne Crowley
Advanced Wiccan Spirituality - Kevin Saunders

Answer 2

Good Wiccan training that can be done on-line? No such thing. Wiccan training through the mail? just as bad as on-line. In person training in Socal? Yes there are many covens and solitaries in Socal, it depends on where you are as to what is available to you.

I find it interesting that people would even consider trusting the training of someone they have never met in person. That's like calling a sex hot-line and thinking that they really are getting turned on by you because they say so.

I would try through your local area COG council

Answer 3

Well... there are inexpensive books that walk you through your year and a day... like Buckland's "Complete Book of Witchcraft", and I saw something entitled "A Year and A Day" (can't remember the author though) that is a lesson-oriented book. You just have to pick out what you like OR find a coven or a teacher.. surely you can find that through Witchvox... I mean they do have stuff in there that goes by state, county, etc. so you can find your nearest metaphysical store at least and then ask around there...

Not much help I know... sorry.

_()_

Answer 4

You said "wiccan" and "credible" in the same sentence.

There's no formal wicca teachings because its not a formal religion. What is considered credible depends on who you ask. Anyhow you don't need much training to honor nature and hug trees. Good luck anyhow.

Answer 5

I believe Wicca to be as pretentious as christianity--organized religion is organized religion. The best way to do magic is to let your own spirit do whatever chant or ceremony you want to do--c'mon, do you really believe bad poetry make good spells? As long as you believe what you are doing will protect you, it will.

Answer 6

Witchschool.com has free first degree courses in the Correllian Tradition. They have free basic memberships or you can pay and get more classes and more benefits. I am a free member and have taken many courses and am about half way through my first degree. They even have mentors. It is an established tradition and only credible School of Witchcraft on the Internet. No books to buy all materiel is on line at their website.

Answer 7

the best thing you can do is go to a "witch store" and talk to the owners about wich books you should by as a beginer once purchased study then

Answer 8

witchschool.com and the Academy of Sorcery are good places to start.


The Witchschool will train you for your first degree at no cost, and after that I think they only charge for textbooks. The Academy of Sorcery has a ***LOT*** of courses and information, my mom's a member. Both are pretty cheap and/or free, depending on how far you want to take your studies.

Google 'em both.

Answer 9

No. It doesn't work that way. There are no "schools" in Wicca.

Answer 10

I know that on http://www.Mysticwicks.com they teach online classes about various Pagan things.