Something I notice with a lot of beginners is a sense of insecurity they have when they first start to practice. Maybe you have read a few books, know the basics and decide this path is for you. So the next practical step is to start living a Pagan life. Thats all great, but you still have questions that nobody seems can answer. For one thing, the books you have read all told you to do something differently. One says the altar goes in the east, the other says in the north. One book says to cast a circle you have to do it this way and another says that way. So which is right? Your getting all these different ways to do things and each tell you "its ok to change things, do what you feel is right." Uh huh, sure. When your first starting, you want to do EVERYTHING right. You dont want to put the athame in the wrong spot on the altar or use the wrong herbs in a money spell, and you want to say just the right words in that ritual your going to do. So now your in a predicament. What do you do? Who do you listen to? Books tell you to use your own judgement, but you feel you dont know enough to do that! This gets frustrating, so heres a bit of advice I can give, because I've been there myself! When I first started I wanted everything to be perfect. I thought that everything I used had to be cleansed and consecrated just right or else nothing would work. I thought I needed all the tools for my altar, I thought I had to say the right words during a ritual or it would mean nothing and I was always so confused because one book told me something, and another told me something totally different! Then I learned that you do not have to be perfect. Sure, the authors will tell you that. They'll say that you can use this if you want, or discard it. They say to change wording to fit your needs or change around things if you want. Even though they say this your still afraid of doing something wrong. Here's my advice: Lighten up! This isn't as serious as you think it is! If one book says put the altar in the east, but you only have a space for it facing west, then put it in the west! If one book says when casting the circle you should call the elements, then the dieties.... then do what you want. If you don't even want to call the elements, then don't. Don't worry about saying the right words or messing up on anything. Don't worry about learning everything there is to know. Books will tell you to learn divination, energy work, the chakras, astrology, and all kinds of other new age things out there. But if they don't directly relate to wicca or witchcraft and your not interested in them, forget about them! You may feel there is just so much information and you will never learn it. Yes you will! It takes practice and lots of reading but you will get to a point where you feel comfortable. I'm not saying that you can do anything you want...because Wicca does have certain guidelines that you must follow in order to be Wiccan, but there is room for personal expression. However, if you practice a certain tradition then there will be rules to follow and certain ways to do things, but if you are a solitary and ecclectic in your practice (which most beginners are) then you can adjust certain things. Take me for example. At first I closely followed the books. Then as I got more comfortable, I started to do things my own way. Today I don't cast circles. I don't use tarot cards or any other popular divination tools. I tend to use more subtle methods of divination, like signs or symbols that pop up in every day life. I don't know squat about the chakras, astrology, ESP, or other popular new age things. If it isn't Wiccan in origin, or relate to folk magic or witchcraft, I don't have a need or an interest in it. On the other hand, things that I do have an interest in I have enhanced, such as the history or Wicca, herbs and natural magic. I like those things so I learned about them. Pick something you do have an interest in and study it. Every Wiccan should know the basics of the religion, but its fun to enhance some kind of skill or specialize in an area of study. The point of this essay is to not worry about doing every single thing right. There is time further down the road to get detailed and specific. At first you should be concerned with learning and practicing the basics. Just take everything in. Learn about the altar, casting circle, magic, the sabbats, etc and take in all the information you read. When you have a good grasp of the basics, then start to make it more personal and fit it to your needs. Again, don't worry about doing it 'right.' No one is going to tell at you. The gods arn't going to strick you with thunder bolts. Its all about how it makes you feel. So relax, take it easy and do what feels right. |
| For the Beginner - Don't worry about doing everything 'right' |
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