Im interested in Wicca and want to know more about it..... I grew up a christian and always felt it wasn't for me, and Wicca has always been an intrest of mine, even though it is considered taboo in my family. I have tried reading books and looking it up on the internet, but I dont know what sites I can trust on the web, and what books arn't BS. and its all so confusing! .... Can somebody help me out with finding the right info?
2007-10-12 18:10:39 · 18 answers · asked by BB 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Im not interested in Christianity....... Thanks but no thanks........
2007-10-12 18:17:01 · update #1
Thank you guys for being so helpful! I have already started writin this stuff down, and lookin up the sites. :)
2007-10-13 15:19:30 · update #2
I started exploring this path around 1979, and was formally initiated in 1982 into the legally recognized First Wiccan Church of Our Lady (Milwaukee, WI).
I highly recommend you check out the 'Wicca for the Rest of Us' website. The site's author is an academic and a practicing Wiccan witch. She answers all the "basic" questions. Check out that website first. I have also included other sites that are of value and won't lead you astray *smile*. I'm also recommending some books and authors. Good luck with finding your path. Blessed Be.
Highly Recommended Website:
Wicca for the Rest of Us
http://wicca.timerift.net/
Other sites of value:
Wiccan Spirituality
http://www.wicca-spirituality.com/index....
Magick Wicca
http://www.magicwicca.com/wicca/main.html
Bewitching Ways (I know the name sounds lame and stereotypical, but it has good information)
http://www.bewitchingways.com/wicca/wicca.htm
The Witch's Voice AKA WitchVox offers the latest in news (updated daily) and extensive networking related to the Modern Pagan Community. This is a great site, but NOT for beginners, because you may have a difficult time discerning what is of value. I'm including it here because as you proceed on this path, you may find it useful.
http://www.witchvox.com/
Books/Authors:
You can't go wrong with anything written by Starhawk, Marion Weinstein, Scott Cunningham and Raymond Buckland. AVOID anything by Raven SilverWolf.
The Spiral Dance by Starhawk (One of the books that started me on this path. My first edition is highlighted with notes in the margins and falling apart--I've use it so much. Get the 20th Anniversary Edition, released in 1999. It includes the original book, plus Starhawk's commentary and insight).
Positive Magic: Occult Self-Help by Marion Weinstein (One of the books that started me on this path. This is an excellent book for beginners of any pagan path--including Wiccans. Not only is it informative, it is easy to read and understand. It includes a chapter called "The Ten-Foot Pole Department" which is about the things and practices to avoid with a ten-foot pole--very helpful for beginners.)
2007-10-13 03:42:49 · answer #1 · answered by lightningelemental 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Scott Cunningham is a decent-enough author, and if you can ignore the rather antiquated views of homosexuality I highly suggest that the books of Gerald Gardner should be among the first things you read -- like I said, just take his homophobia with a grain of salt; he started writing about Wicca in the early 1950s, and was first published in the UK in 1956, just after the UK ban on witchcraft was repealed. Many Gardnerian/British Traditional Wiccans are very open to homosexuality and feel that Gardner was either "a product of his time" in that regard, or simply threw that in there to make it clear to the average British working-class protestant that Wicca was not "a cult of deviants" and therefore helped to mainstream Witchcraft when it really gained some momentum in the early 1970s.
witchvox.com is pretty give-and-take in regards to good articles and bad. They'll publish very nearly everything Pagan-related, so as a result, a lot of crap gets through, but even some of the crap has some nuggets of wisdom. Same for the Silver Ravenwolf books -- don't believe her on anything concerning "history", take her ravings about "the EVILS of Christianity" and how it's OK to lie to your parents with a grain of salt. She has a *few* good ideas in the dozen-plus books on Ecclectic/Amerikan Wicca that she has published, but they're rather very few, they are jumbled into a *world* of crap, and she frequently comes off as a bit of a kook. There are some good comprehensive reader reviews of her books on Amazon detailing *what*, exactly, is wrong with her books (link below). She's a popular author, no doubt, but just like Christianity, just because something or someone is popular does not make it an authority.
There's also a pretty good book titled _The Urban Pagan_ (or perhaps _Urban Paganism_, an old roommate nicked the copy that used to be in this place). If I remember correctly, I think it's by Patricia Telesco, who has written some decent books on "kitchen witchery", and even a couple of really good cookbooks.
LJ communities to check out include: nonfluffypagans, nonfluffywiccan, urbanpagans
I am not Wiccan myself (I am an Hellenic Polytheist), but I have a fair amount of respect for those who practise it. A lot of other people gave some sites that look pretty good, so start there, get some books as you can afford them (but check your library first -- if you live in a large city or a rather Liberal smaller town, there just may be a section for books on "alternative" spirituality).
2007-10-12 21:00:16 · answer #2 · answered by Ruadhán J McElroy 3 · 5⤊ 2⤋
Welcome to the start of your journey. I have experiences the wonders of Wicca personally and i want you to know the first thing that made sense to me. The magic comes from within. I started by learning tarot, then astrology, then numerology etc These are all tools of the "white witch" the greatest learning experience was thought form. It is all very hard to explain in one moment but look in book shops or even those catalogues you get in magazines ( you know the ones that offer 4 books From $1 each) The body and soul sections offer world renowned books to start you off at least with a wondrous insight to the journey ahead. Dabble in the bits that take your interest. Keep an open mind and keep in mind that every witch's journey is different that is what makes us so unique. a Great book is the Celestine Prophecy but you may want to find a good book on white witchcraft first. 'A beginners guide to white witchcraft' by the 'Frosts' was my
first and i have continued to reference back to it over the years. I hope this helps....all I can say is open your mind, Keep positive and search for your journey although it usually finds you anyway. So bless it be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2007-10-12 18:32:51 · answer #3 · answered by jodi k 1 · 5⤊ 1⤋
hi there. welcome to wicca!
as most people have said, scott cunningham is great. the best way i find to learn about pagan paths is by hanging out with some long time reputable pagans. you can find pagan groups in your area by searching yahoo meetup groups.
STAY AWAY FROM SILVER RAVENWOLF books she's a bit of a quack, and almost any knowledgable pagan will say the same.
keep in mind that there are many different pagan paths, besides wicca, so keep an open mind. explore and learn as much as you can - in religion and life in general.
check out this link for some good info. good luck!
http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm
2007-10-13 01:30:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
You could try www.witchvox.com
I just spent an hour at Witches Voice reading the articles. There is a lot of information there, including descriptions of different Pagan traditions. It seems like a good place to start.
2007-10-12 19:31:15 · answer #5 · answered by jennette h 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Witchvox is for sillyheaded girls who want to make noise and play with board games.
Try finding as many books as you can, read them. Tr dream journaling. Try learning several of the histories, and decide what meets your soul. Try Divining the sense out of the "confusing" stuff because a bunch of people telling you sites to go to to do some "spells" will not afford you training,(safety in the methods you will be working upon) nor will it afford you spiritual fullfillment, nor will you get a shortcut to becoming proficient. You might have years of work and study ahead of you and any wildcat wannabe can holler ideas at you but no great wiccan will teach you if you're a bubble head who wants gameboards or some crystals. You need to quest and that requires alot more then scott cunngingham and witchvox. also more then pretty pagan silver jewelry and funny hair and charmed t.v.
2007-10-12 18:41:43 · answer #6 · answered by lithuim 3 · 2⤊ 5⤋
What part of Wiccans only don't you Christians understand ?
Welcome Sister to fascinating journey...
I would suggest books and not web-sites, as you have the books in your library for reference forever...
I would suggest books by Scott Cunningham, Raymond Buckland, Raven Grimassi and Stewart & Janet Farrar..
That is just to get you started, then you can fine tune your studies as you progress...
As was mentioned above Witchvox.com is an excellent site to find Pagan groups, shops etc. in your local area...
Blessed Be... )O(
2007-10-12 18:43:59 · answer #7 · answered by Bunge 7 · 8⤊ 1⤋
Several authors I would recommend for a wide spectrum of reading, in no particular order, are:
Scott Cunningham
D. J. Conway
Patricia Telesco
Margot Adler
Silver Ravenwolf
Raymond Buckland
Since religion is all about opinion, take everything you read with a grain of salt and make your own decisions about what is or is not right to you. Best of luck find what you are looking for.
2007-10-13 01:46:08 · answer #8 · answered by BlueManticore 6 · 3⤊ 3⤋
Here's a Yahoo Group I belong to. Lots of helpful people there, and many searching just like you.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/christianwitch/
There are links there for a Christian witch course and lots of other sites.
2007-10-12 18:28:29 · answer #9 · answered by bahbdorje 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
hi, the best book to get information on the Wicca is...WICCA by SCOTT CUNNINGHAM...it is a guide for the solitary practitioner....and you can also go to (GOOGLE)....just type in the site bar...Wicca....you will be surprised all that you will find....but first....please get the book and read it first.....blessed be ...)o(
2007-10-12 18:55:32 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋