Hi, all. I go by Gratia. I want to learn more Wicca, and to be able to cast spells. But, you see, I need a teacher. Or at least someone who can help me with it. I'll be honest: I don't really know the first thing about magick. Some of my friends are Wiccan, and I've become interested in it. I'm not doing all this from peer pressure... I really do want to learn. So, if there's anyone out there who might be willing to teach me, please reply.

-Gratia

Hello Gratia. I don't teach Wicca, I follow a much different path, but I do know of a couple of sites that can help you with learning the basics. You can also look back through the threads here for interesting information that can be of help as well.

I have a great site that teaches everything there is to know about magic, I'll post the link when I get home, if I don't forget...

but from what I remember now, you should start off slow, first months of practice with urself and ur spirit and learning about spells then actually casting them.

You know what, rather than just posting links to other sites, why don't we try pooling together and tell what we know about wicca, and advice for beginners? While nobody are experts, I'm sure together we could make this a very educational thread.

I'll start it out then, while I know very little of wicca, I know the absolute basis for all is protection.

So, let's start at the basics. Magic works. This is something you need to believe, with all of your heart, because the key to all is belief. If you don't believe a spell will work, if you doubt your ability to perform it, to alter the world around you, then you will fail. It won't matter how carefully you followed the instructions, the power lies within you, not in the spell.

Next, comes the warnings. Magic isn't a game. No matter how powerful, controlled and knowledgeable you become, there will always be something bigger and badder than you out there. Remember this, and you'll be well on your way already. This is why protection and caution is so important. Don't try things that are too advanced for you, start on the basics and work your way up. Learning to become a witch can easily be compared to learning to read. You won't get through War and Peace the first week, you need to study, and learn the letters first. Then you can work on putting them into words. Remember, studies never hurt anyone. Read everything you can get your hands on, but don't believe everything you read.

Now, let's start with shielding. This is a technique for creating a magical 'force field' around your person or a place, to keep out unwanted energy. This could be psychic 'background noise', nasty astral critters, or magical energy directed at you. We all have a natural shield, but in order to protect yourself adequatly, you'll need to create one on your own. It's like putting clothes on to protect yourself from the cold, even though you have skin naturally.

Now, there are numerous methods to use for shielding, one, probably the simplest, is to visualize a 'net' of energy around the area to be shielded. Remember to 'see' it in 3D, a sphere rather than a circle. Visualize negative energy being absorbed by your shields and flowing into the earth. You can also have the shield "bounce" back negative energy, if you feel that is easier. Another technique is the Eggshell Technique, where you visualise your energy, in numerous colors, swirling around you. When you can see them with your minds eye, pull the energy closer, and create a sphere around you, like an eggshell. Go over the entire shell, looking for cracks and holes, and mend them. When you are secure that the shield is complete, pull it even closer so it fits your body.

Whichever method you choose, visualisation is the key. Check your shield every now and then, for instance once a week, look for cracks, holes or dents where you might have been attacked, and mend them. In the beginning I suggest you try visualising your shield at least once a day, to get used to it being there. As your skills increases,you can customize it to fit your needs.

I'm a sourcerer....what I know in actual spells can be written on the back of a quantum butterfly.

Thanks everyone. If you could send me those sites, that would be great.
Hey, Clearwitch: Your right. I agree with the idea of starting a chat for beginners who are interested in Wicca. Would the Forum support it, though?
If anyone else you know can help, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

-Gratia

IMHO

It's doesn't sound like you wish to learn about wicca but more that you want to learn about sourcery / magic.

Am I correct in this assumption?

I fully agree with what clearwitch has stated BTW. She gives solid advice.

At first you might want to learn how to call the quarters and put up a proper circle. Get to know magic first before you try it, become intimate with the power around you via mediation for example.

There are several exercises I may be able to help you with depending on your level of knowledge already.

and never forget: What you put out comes back three fold.

Learn the Wiccan Reed: (There are several versions out there but here are three one condensed, one longer)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bide the Wiccan Law ye must
In perfect love and perfect trust
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill;
An' it harm none, do as ye will.
Lest in thy self-defense it be,
Ever mind the Rule of Three.
Follow this Rede with mind and heart.
Merry we meet and Merry we part.
So Mote it Be

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bide within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust. Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give.

For tread the Circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out. To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be said in rhyme.

Light of eye and soft of touch, speak you little, listen much. Honor the Old Ones in deed and name, let love and light be our guides again.

Deosil go by the waxing moon, chanting out the joyful tune. Widdershins go when the moon doth wane, and the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane.

When the Lady's moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two. When the moon rides at Her peak then your heart's desire seek.

Heed the North winds mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail. When the Wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.

When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth. When the wind whispers from the West, all hearts will find peace and rest.

Nine woods in the Cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow. Birch in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows.

Oak in the forest towers with might, in the fire it brings the God's insight. Rowan is a tree of power causing life and magick to flower.

Willows at the waterside stand ready to help us to the Summerland. Hawthorn is burned to purify and to draw faerie to your eye.

Hazel-the tree of wisdom and learning adds its strength to the bright fire burning. White are the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility.

Grapes grow upon the vine giving us both joy and wine. Fir does mark the evergreen to represent immortality seen.

Elder is the Lady's tree burn it not or cursed you'll be. Four times the Major Sabbats mark in the light and in the dark.

As the old year starts to wane the new begins, it's now Samhain. When the time for Imbolc shows watch for flowers through the snows.

When the wheel begins to turn soon the Beltane fires will burn. As the wheel turns to Lamas night power is brought to magick rite.

Four times the Minor Sabbats fall use the Sun to mark them all. When the wheel has turned to Yule light the log the Horned One rules.

In the spring, when night equals day time for Ostara to come our way. When the Sun has reached it's height time for Oak and Holly to fight.

Harvesting comes to one and all when the Autumn Equinox does fall. Heed the flower, bush, and tree by the Lady blessed you'll be.

Where the rippling waters go cast a stone, the truth you'll know. When you have and hold a need, harken not to others greed.

With a fool no season spend or be counted as his friend. Merry Meet and Merry Part bright the cheeks and warm the heart.

Mind the Three-fold Laws you should three times bad and three times good. When misfortune is enow wear the star upon your brow.

Be true in love this you must do unless your love is false to you.

These Eight words the Rede fulfill:

"An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Take notice of certain things that tend to be repeated in all of them.

The rule of Vore Sourcery 'Do what you want...In dreams we live, in dreams of others we live on, worship no creator for the creator is you'.

I removed the pretentious language of 'whilt' and 'thou'...mine is a modern method not dusty olde craft.

Modern ways. :)

In that respect do you find you tend to make your own spells /incantations more often or old school ritual?

Infomation thats all it is...CandleAndColor

Kissart: Instead of just posting a link, why don't you tell us what the site is about, maybe quote selected pieces, or retell it with your own words? Internet sites comes and goes, if that one gets taken down for any reason, your post will be practically worthless. It's better if we gather it up here...it doesn't hurt to spend a little effort on the posts. ;)

I'm not sure what you mean by chat...I meant right here, on the forum? Here the information posted will stay, for future reference for other members wondering the same questions.

Sorry Clearwitch... Just find it easy to point sometimes.

In my understanding...Spells are used to funnel power from the world around us (or above and below)...they act as conduits for possibility and through using these as extensions of our will and as pleas to higher powers we hope to pull the puppet strings of chance to do our will.

My method is about discarding the middle man...It takes a sight more control and puts you right in the midst of the arcane world that is only usualy contacted through the focus of ritual...The act of will itself becomes the power totem...the sense of self becomes the bindings and the shield and the focus is one of gathering all the potentiality of the then, the now and the hereafter into yourself so that the mind so used to disorder and chaos must have the sharpness of an arrow honed with the forces that reduce rock to dust and water to air....it is an act of metamorphosis of the self that has little to do with the body...It is the difference between storing energy from wind turbines (wicca in this analogy) and channeling raw lightening through your own body...the risks are somewhat substantialy higher but if you're good at it it's far more impressive.

The benefits of sourcery...the 'hands on approach' are outweighed by the strain it puts on those trying it...The wiccan way is to go with the flow of nature which is gentle yet powerful but sourcery tries to subvert the flow...turn the river upstream...make the chic return to the egg....It is more akin to the way of gods and so has always been attractive to the power hungry (yes usualy men)...

I tend to follow a path between sourcery and wicca...I like a tree must be flexible and bend with the wind so as not to break where stronger trees that fight the wind would snap in two (the wiccan way) but I am also trying at the same time to become the wind itself so that I no longer need to bow down to it.

ok my moment of wisdom

grounding is an absolute must. if you are not grounded things return and hurt a lot more. if you beleive in the return. or grounding like electricity helps things work better. ;-)

there are many types of grounding.

from eating to crystals

here is one I have found to work quite well.

~this is a meditation~
\find a nice secluted place and sit. clearing your mind of thoughts. start within finding your center point. then see this center point as a seed. watch this seed grow and become a tree. feel it grow. feel its roots shoot down into the center of the earth melding with its molten core, as you grow up into the universe (sky).
feel the searing heat of the earth shoot through your roots cleansing your very eccence. followed by the stream cooling and calming touch washing away the soot. look and reach feeling father sky brush your limb and breath into your leaves. as brother air curresses your being. feel the sky hold you and the earthembrace you. feel its energy flow through you.

when you are complete with the meditation and have finished enjoying this new found life. you will see yourself as a type of tree. what kind it is will be yours to know. do not be suprised if it changes over time.

also every time you are in need of being grounded. close your eyes and feel / see. the root will always be there hold you. this grounding is not one that is ever severed unless you personaly choose to remove it.

beleive in yourself. walk in the knowing. the knowing being your truth. have faith and thanks in every step you take. speek truth and know. then as the tree you will not falter.

a path between sorcery and wicca???? ok

sorcery is a way of perception
while wicca is more of a religeon.
how do you walk between.

wait please answer this in a new string. not on this one since this is for helping this gratia out.

thanks

If you do not understand my post then it is likely you never will.

your answer was good.... until the above..... do not be so condisending. people may get offended.

It is not condescending to state your beliefs...surely you of all people cannot argue this.