There Is So Much To Learn About Witchcraft! Where Do I Start?!?

Question

ok there is so much stuff about paganism,wiccan, witchcraft, etc. and i want to study witchcraft and how it works i geuss you could say im pretty much an atheist b/c i do not know where to go in spirituality and witchcraft seems very very interesting to me where in the heck do i start learnin cause there are so many "subjects" (i geuss you would call them) to witchcraft.
someone help me im a beginner!

Answer 1

Go to the bookstore or library and start checking out books. While you can do research on the web, I advise you to take it all with a grain of salt, there is a LOT of nonsense out there.

I recommend starting off with a book by Scott Cunningham called Beginning Wicca. Even though I am pagan (not wiccan)
This book provides an excellent jumping off point for someone who is trying to forge their own path.

Answer 2

I highly recommend Scott Cunningham. He has some good books that set the ground work for Wicca.

For me, witchcraft just means that you're a practicing pagan or wiccan (i.e. actively casting spells and celebrating sabbats)

I would just like to say to those people who claim that Wicca and Paganism is a work of the devil:

It is not satanism. We do not believe in satan. We do not harm people. In fact, in Wicca we have a rede and part of it says "In it harm none, do as ye will." We do not sacrifice animals or people, nor do we have sex with children. That's a totally different issue. A Spell is essentially a prayer with a candle; it follows the same principle. In fact, most pagans and wiccans highly recommend not casting spells on people without their permission. We believe in Karma. Negative energy comes back to you. Treat others as you would have them treat you. AKA The golden rule. Christians believe this too.

Stop saying that what we believe is wrong because most pagans and wiccans don't believe that other religions are wrong, just different. If we can be tolerant, than you should be too.

Answer 3

A book by Ray Buckland "Complete Book of Witchcraft" may give you a heads up on which denomination may be right for you but keep in mind it is not geared for the Solitary. For that I agree that Scott Cunningham is the way to go. "Wicca, A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner is pretty good, will give you background on the Sabats, Spell-work and beginning your "Book of Shadows" (which every witch has somewhere). Basically your book of shadows would be a journal of your path, what you learn, when you learn it and how well it is working. This is even something you could start now, even as you are beginning.
BB
)O(

Answer 4

Its so annoying how people won't answer your question or help you out and instead comment stupid ****. Im 15 and currently learning to. There's lots of books you can read about it mabey at Barnes n noble. I have a local store where there's lots of stuff there thats tells about it. Witchcraft is not evil if you choose to not make it evil! People need to open there minds! There heads are stuck way to up into the bible!

Answer 5

OK, first, read about the lives of famous occultists:

http://usminc.org/famous.html

Then decide if it's worth persuing. If you want to wind up broke and forgotten, go for it!

If there is any truth to the old saying "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.", that truth is found in the occult, and Wicca in particular. Silver Ravenwolf has written close to a dozen books on the subject of "The Craft", and claims she has been studying it since about 1969, which is almost as long as I’ve been alive. She has written a book on how to cast money spells, and includes a chapter on how to do so in her Teen Witch book. But the thing is, she doesn't particularly sound all that prosperous herself. Ravenwolf writes,

"For years I couldn't afford to go to a hair stylist (still can't, it's shop and chop for me). I got pretty good at stying my own hair from looking at magazine pictures" [SOURCE: Teen Witch, Llewellyn Publications, 2003 edition, page 145]

OK, she so rich she can't go to the hairdresser. Hey, get me a copy of that Prosperity Spell book!

Silver Ravenwolf seems to have inadvertently discovered that witchcraft makes things worse, but won't ever admit it as such.

In Teen Witch she says,

"A lot of people tell me how bad their lives have gotten after casting a spell and tell me they won't do Witchcraft anymore. I tell them their lives would have been much worse for not having cast the spell".

Gee Silver, you would think a lot of people would be saying things like "Hey, Silver Ravenwolf, my life has improved tremendously with the power of witchcraft!" if it is as great as they claim. Instead it makes lives much worse, and even Silver Ravenwolf admits she hears this a lot!!!

Why? Because sometimes, things are just as you think they are. Most people would tell you the occult will bring misery into your life, and most people would be right. When you stop trying to rationalize it with inaccurate data and just use common sense you will realize this. There are two forces at work in this universe: the counterfeit and the genuine. Wicca’s source of power is not the genuine. There’s just simply no way Wicca (and thus the copycat Neopagan religions) can be created from the black magic writings of Aleister Crowley, “The Great Beast 666" (where much of Wicca is plagarized from), the bizarre sexual practices of Gardner, the spiritual “guidance” of the Watchers (fallen angels) mentioned by writers like Grimassi and Huson, and still be a source of good!

None of the people who have answered your question can make it work either, Don't delude yourself. It's an incredible waste of time and money, and it's spiritual poison.

Answer 6

first off servant, you don't know what you are talking about. about the only magick workers that sacrifice animals are the voodoun. from what i understand they stick to chickens and the like, not any neighbors pet. if you find the sacrifice of animals so reprehensible, then i hope you are a vegetarian. the animals that go into hamburgers and hot dogs are treated with far less reverence in life and death. i'm sorry, i try to not attack another user, but your answer was just so uninformed and offensive i couldn't help it.

as for your question... i'm not sure what your area of interests are so i can just give you a few links so you can see if anything piques your interest.

the always helpful witches voice aka witchvox:
http://www.witchvox.com/

this here is thelemapedia. you might find something you like here. some articles offer outside links.
http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Main_Page

this is the hermetic library. it's got some interesting stuff . check it out.
http://www.hermetic.com/

since you lean towards atheism, you might find these sites of more interest than the more religious leaning ones.
before you start working with magick, take some time to figure why you are drawn to it. study, study, study everything you can get your hands on. lastly, please don't dabble. magick is not be toyed with.
best wishes on your path.

Answer 7

If you decide to start by learning about Wicca (the most popular form of modern witchcraft) I suggest starting with the works of Gerald Gardner. His work is the basis of Wicca, and will give you a basis of perspective for all other "Wicca"-influenced paths.

Answer 8

Hi, you have been given alot of fabulous resources to access in your quest for knowledge and understanding. I wish you the best in your learning. One thing that pagan/wicca teaches is to allow others their own path, without judgement...thank goodness as there obviously many who don't allow for this.
Learn the rede, and the thirteen goals, if it fits who you are then dive in and learn all you can.
BB to you and to the others who provided you guidance with respect. )0(

Answer 9

Ok first off.
I dont like to put down other people.
but the stuff that is being said it is so ignorant and wrong.
wicca teaching a way of life not a way of becoming the boogie man.
second.
my personal favorite author is Silver Raven Wolf.
she does excellent beginners works.
and she teaches you how to work safely.
I started with her book "Teen Witch" and now I have an entire library, but I still like her books the best.
you should also take the guy who said to learn how to protect yourself's advice. energy sheilding is an important skill, with out it things can go very bad.

blessed be
and good luck

Answer 10

If you want to study witchcraft the first step would be self protection. By that I mean learn to protect yourself from psychic attack. That is the most important thing you will ever learn.

This link below gives an example of what I mean, it is not what I learned but similar.


*edit
The comments above show the total misunderstanding of the art. Maybe if you want to study the Black arts. But really Witchcraft is no different from any religion, rituals, praying and belief. In saying that, you do put yourself in danger of attack from supernatural forces and possible covens or witches who wish to steal your energy.
Don't fool yourself, these things are very real and can be very dangerous. You have to be prepared.