All Elders, Wise woman, Shamans, Wicca, Pagans and Witches please HELP!?

Question

Please help me out.. I need help with all the questions about magick, our different religous beliefs, what do we do? What do I know..on and on and on!
Would you please throw some wisdom out there for the young and uninitiated..no one wants to read and study and meditate and look for answers anymore they just want exploding magic wands..( HAHA) Thank-you so much for sharing! Love and Light Feona

i really dont want to block my email.....

For those who did not read or understand my question, I am not asking for help myself I am asking you to share your wisdom with the young and curious who have no clue what are lifestyle is really all about..Again Thank-you

READ THE WHOLE QUESTION PRETTY PLEASE!!!

THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME! i am asking for the young and curious seeker...

Answer 1

I understand your question, and you have a generous spirit to want to help those who may be new and searching.

To all seekers of truth about these things, I have this to offer:

First, please note that these are generalizations, and there are always exceptions!

Paganism is an umbrella term that covers a lot of groups and paths, including shamanism, Wicca, and Witchcraft. Wicca is a polytheistic religion that worships the Gods and Goddesses. There is also Witchcraft, which is more like a craft and and art, than a religion. A Witch is a person, male or female, who has a very close connection with our Mother Earth, who often does magic, who may be knowledgeable about herb lore, divination, and other practices. Not all Witches are Wiccans. I am a Witch but not a Wiccan. In general, all are pagans, but some people believe that you can be a Christian Witch. The opinions vary in this area.

The term pagan comes from the Latin word "paganus" which means country dweller. Pagans are people who are very environmentally aware, who revere our planet, and who are proactive in taking care of our world, by recycling, driving hybrids, walking, bicycling, reusing, and advocating alternative means of energy production. There are no hard and fast rules about these paths, with the exception of one that I read, which is that there is no one true path that is right for all. In other words, there are many paths to spiritual truth, and no one path is right for all. Another thing you will often hear is to do as you will but harm none.

There are many resources out there for the new and eager to learn. A book I often recommend for those with FAQs about these topics, particularly Witchcraft, is "Witchcraft: A Beginner's Guide" by Teresa Moorey. It is available online and isn't expensive. Also, if a person Googles' the term "Traditional Witchcraft" you will find a site that has a ton of information about both Wicca and Witchcraft, and explains their similarities and differences in a very clear and cohesive fashion.

I wish all newcomers bright blessings and happiness on their spiritual journeys, and they can also submit specific questions directly to me or to many of the participants on this forum, most of whom I believe would be more than glad to share their years of wisdom and experience.

What a wonderfully educational question to help those who truly are seeking and don't know where to look!!!!!

You rock!
(((hugs)))
Lady Morgana )0(

Answer 2

Blame Harry Potter and Hollywood for that Feona. In this day and age, everyone wants it now. If they are really interested, checking out a site like crystalinks.com is a start but really energies must be balanced within before anything, not to mention our intentions need to be pure to begin with. This is why there is no such course as Magick 101. One either has the gift or does not.

Answer 3

Feona, the answers you seek are not here. Sadly, you will have to do your own research, talk to others about your beliefs, read, read, and read some more. You can start with simple things to read such as books from Scott Cunningham. He has good reference books with a huge bibliography in the back of them. Buckland is another I would suggest as well. Read a book of herbs and their medicinal and magickal aspects (Cunningham and Lust wrote great ones). To find others of our beliefs you may want to go to Witchvox.com. You can even search for people, events, shops and groups in your area. It is a path that you need to follow. Nothing is given freely except knowledge and that is what you will have to find on your own. If there are any questions on certain subjects or aspects such as pantheons, tools, herbs, belief in general that is where me and others like us will help.
Blessed be

Answer 4

Paganism is a category of religions, usually described as being non-Abrahamic (that is, not based on the worship of YHWH such as Judaism, Christianity or Islam). There is no "Satan" in paganism since Satan is a figure attached to Christianity. There is no "devil" in pagan religions... only Christians believe this because they are taught that anything that isn't from their "one true God" must be from this "devil" creature. That belief is a Christian one, not a pagan one. Pagans don't acknowledge or worship Satan since they don't recognize or worship the God whose adversary he is said to be. A belief in Satan hinges on a belief in YHWH and that is one God that pagans don't believe in. Wicca is a specific pagan religion which would take too long to describe. Witchcraft is a craft that is open to anyone of any religion. Catholics actually have an excellent arsinal of witchcraft techniques (they don't call it 'witchcraft' or 'spells' however). As far as practicing witchcraft, casting spells and remaining a good Catholic, this is not something I am expert at since the Catholic religion is not something I am really involved in or knowledgable about. I do know, however, that witchcraft techniques such as the type practices by people involved with Hoodoo and Santeria involve some Catholic saints and I don know that there are Catholic witches out there. Runes aren't pagan and they aren't a form of witchcraft. You do not have to be a witch to work with runes or make runes. The runic script is a form of language... not just any written language though, the mythology behind them and the use of them contains a powerful mystery (mystery not necessarily being a "secret" but mystery meaning it cannot be explained, only experienced and understood). If you intend to use them for magick or for divination, you'll have to figure out for yourself whether this goes against the teachings or meaning of your Catholic faith, but I know of Catholics who have no trouble reconciling the practice of runes with their religion. Best of luck and blessings, -Scarlet

Answer 5

Wisdom does not come in bite sized chunks. To those who are unwilling to read and study and meditate, my only suggestion is...grow up. The universe is not going to be handed to you on a plate. You only get what you earn. If you want to learn about magic or religion, you're going to have to read, study and meditate. There's a thing called effort involved too.

Answer 6

Feona

You don't need a book to tell you what is already in your own heart and what you believe to reinforce it.

Life itself is learning and as you said to me the shiver you get when you look at the stars and moon. Well that is a learning experience or a moment of enlightenment.

there is no teacher like experience, so sure ask away but always follow what you believe to be true to you.

Hope that helps

Answer 7

Well I'm sorry but that's too bad. Pagan religions are more than wands, and spells and incantations. Its a REAL belief with real results. You have to take this seriously. I mean you can stay blind and believe that its all about spells, and wands and candles and getting revenge on that mean teacher, but none of it will work if that's all you do. Saying things is one thing. You have to believe and do the work too. It's a lot of work, but it's worth every minute. Don't take it lightly. And don't let others tell you its a bunch of BS because they are just misinformed and are not ready to be open minded. They would rather stay closed minded and ignorant.

Answer 8

I tend to stay away from the young and uninitiated for the reason I don't want my words misconstrued and then get blamed for someone else's stupidity. If you want the most benign way to explain it to them instantaneously, tell the young and uninitiated to go be in nature, away from the concrete jungle. 'Stay silent. Observe everything you see and hear.' Tell them nothing more. If they are able to attune themselves to something else other than their own ego, they are halfway there.

Answer 9

What I am always saying about magic is that its purpose is to help you focus your will. It can give you a change in perspective, such as gentling your feelings or strengthening your resolve. For spells to have an affect on your life, they need to be followed by action. The creative process is: Thought ---> Word ---> Deed . The clearer your thoughts, the more effective you can make your words and deeds, and see a difference in your life. Spells help you with thoughts and words, but you still need to put them into action.

I'm a Taoist as well as a pagan, I'm including a link below to the Tao Te Ching as well as a great site for reading on the history of pagan holidays.

Answer 10

I work with Norse Runes. The biggest problem with neophytes in this area is they see the runes as simple hermetic sigils. In fact, they must be used and understood in the framework of northern European culture and spitiruality.

In runecasting they tend to view them as a kind of Tarot. This is another mistake. They try to have a "reversed" aspect to the readings which is erroneous. You can't really have a reversed rune. They are carved right-side up, sideways, upside-down, all with the same meaning.