Wicca 101
Basics for the Pagan Beginner
Pagan religions are abundant, though often secret, in today's
society. Although, many organizations, federal and state government
offices are recognize that pagan religions are here to stay and that
the members are average citizens who vote, send their children to
school, work, and raise their children to be good and upstanding
citizens.
But the decision or calling to follow a pagan path can be very complex with hundreds of different categories and sub categories. Also, many towns still have very little resources for pagans.
Finding Information
The best thing a pagan practitioner can do is visit stores that identify themselves as either a type of religion (e.g., Wiccan), New Age or Pagan. Most stores sell books, have monthly meetings, can provide information for community gatherings and have a variety of the tools a pagan needs or wants.
Libraries are also a great source since the books are free and returnable. A pagan who is unsure of a path can rent a variety of books that may help answer questions. Try looking in the New Age or Religious sections or ask a librarian for help.
Chain book stores such as Walden's, B. Daltons, or Barnes and Nobles also have books with pagan topics. Again, try looking in the New Age or Religious sections.
The internet is also a wonderful place to find a plethora of information and often people feel safer there then exploring paganism in the public. However, be wary of sites and try to stick with ones that appear to be legitimate or that are hosted by an organization. Any site that is of a generic domain name such as Tripod, Geocities, Angelfire or Fortune City offer free website hosting and the creators of the html sites may not be an adequate source of information. Base the information found on instincts and other sources.
Where Not to Look
Movies and Pop Culture, while entertaining, are not a good source for magick or paganism (unless watching a channel such as History or Discovery). TV shows like "Charmed" and movies like "The Craft" are not adequate or accurate sources. The shows are all about what will entertain and get ratings, not about providing facts. Often movies and TV shows adhere to stereotypes as well.
Basic Rules of Magick
Magick can be very basic or very complex but there are a few simple rules that will adhere to any pagan path that is chosen.
Harm None: With any religion there seems to be definite recompense for harming others. Christianity and Catholicism has Hell as punishment. Wicca has a rule that states "ever mind the rule of three / three times what thou givest, return to thee / this lesson well, thou must learn / thee only gets what thou dost earn!" Which basically states that something bad will happen to the practitioner 3 times worse then what was done. Religions that believe in a reincarnation afterlife believe that the next life will be a "living hell."
Free Will: Basically, no practitioner can cast a spell or recite an incantation or pray for something that will go against someone's free will. For example, a practitioner cannot ask for a specific man to love them but can ask that they themselves find true love or find a lifelong companion.
Let the Dead Rest: There is a form of divination called Necromancy (which is not associated with Satanism, contrary to popular belief) that uses the spirits of loved ones for guidance. However, this is not the same as trying to re-incarnate the deceased. Trying to re-animate a person who has passed on is never something that is looked upon fondly and should not be attempted.
Know Your Level: Often beginner practitioners want to try to much to fast. Accept the fact that you are beginner and take it slow. Without a teacher or mentor a beginner should not tray advanced spells or call upon deities that they know nothing about. And never try an incantation in a foreign language if you do not know the translation.
Research: research is important for any level pagan. A practitioner needs to know which herbs or essential oils are poisonous so they can treat them accordingly, they need to know what the deities represent, what symbols represent, and also certain herbs or essential oils should not be used if pregnant or other medical conditions.
Without Knowledge: Never do a spell for someone without their direct permission or knowledge; this sort of works into the "free-will" aspect. The only exception seems to be a spell that is for a person's protection.
The other basic rule that I have found very useful is "if it works for you, use it." This simply means that if you don't like the way something is written then you can change the words, if you don't have a certain tool or ingredient substitutions or symbols can be used (within reason, certain herbs and essential oils should not be mixed, altered or substituted).
Basic Tools
Altar/ Storage Box: To get started a practitioner must have a box for storing items and an altar for setting up before doing a spell. Often a practitioner will use the dresser top as the altar space and reserve the top drawer for items and tools.
Bottles: A practitioner must also have colored bottles (amber, blue and green work best) for storing essential oils, herbs and other items in. Bottles can be purchased from stores, picked up at flea markets and garage sales or even used glass food bottles can be used. Corks can be bought at any craft store and come in a variety of sizes.
Herbs: Basic herbs that a practitioner may want to have on hand are sage, cedar and lavender. Sage often comes in a smudge stick (a stick that is lit and burns slowly, used to cleanse an area). Incense sticks or cones of these smells can also be purchased.
Essential Oils: depending on the path followed, oils may not be required. But, oils need to be stored in dark colored glass bottles, kept sealed and away from children. A carrier oil must also be used (jojoba or olive oil) because oils are pure forms and should never be consumed or placed directly on the skin. Scented oils in the candle sections or stores are NOT the same thing and should not be used as essential oils.
Elements: The four elements, water, earth, air, fire, are a large part of pagan religions (there is sometimes reference to a 5th element of Spirit but there isn't a way to keep a bit of Spirit-this does not mean alcoholic spirits). Table salt will work fine to represent earth (sea salt is better) and dirt or beach sand will also represent earth. Sea or Table salt is a good thing to have on hand anyway in addition to whatever is representing earth. Water can be stored in a container but often water is just taken from the faucet. Howeve,r when setting up an altar water should be stored in a vessel made from natural materials such as a shell or cup or bowl made from wood or stone. Fire is represented by a candles, and air can be represented by burning incense (the smoke wafts through the air).
Stones/Gems: It has long been believed that stones hold magical properties. Try looking in a new age store for gems. Often there are guides to show what each stone represents. Birthstones fitting to the practitioner are also very powerful. Stones are best if they are in raw or polished form or placed in a pagan piece of jewelry but not in semi- or precious form in jewelry. Crystals are an essential item for any pagan since they represent white light (goodness, protection) and can be used as an all around gem when lacking a specific gemstone.
Types of Magick
This is just a very basic list of types of magick and there is no end to the variation of spells, rituals and incantations. But this will get a beginner practitioner started.
Witch Bottles: These are bottles that are filled with certain items and then sea salt or water is added to it. The cap is put on and the bottle sealed with wax. It is then buried or placed in an out of the way cupboard and forgotten about so the magick can work.
Knot Magick / Cord Magick / Witches' Ladders: Beads, feathers and twine or yarn of all-natural materials is best used for this type of magick. The magick is done by the number of knots tied and the color of beads or feather tied into it.
Candle Magick: Often practitioners will consider this to represent 3 elements: fire, earth (wax) and air (the smoke of the flame) and if a floating candle is placed in a bowl of water all the elements will be represented. Practitioners in the past felt that the candle represented humans. The wick was the head, the wax the body and the flame is the spirit. Scented candles should not be used. Colors represent different things and color should be chosen based on needs. Candles can also be used for divination.
Bouquets / Sachets / Tussie-Mussies: All basically the same thing, these types indulge in flower or herb magick. The combination of herbs can represent a certain need and can be placed in the home or worn on a place. The Bridal Bouque is a flashback to pagan times as is a flower in the buttonhole.
Stone Magick: The use of gemstones or stones is a trait of many different practitioners. Stones have special meanings and should be chosen based on the needs of the practitioner. Stones can be added to altars, charm bags, or used as jewelry and can also be used for divination purposes.
Teas / Potions: Herbal teas are a luxury many people indulge in. They can also be used for magick purposes and tea leaves can be read for divination. Know what is being put into a tea as some herbs are non-edible. Never use a recipe unless from a trusted source. Potions are edible and serve the same purpose as teas. But a tea or potion laced with magick should never be given to someone without their consent and knowledge.
Perfumes / Essential oils: Essential oils have a variety of uses and one of them is to make a perfume. Essential oils must be diluted in a carrier oil and certain oils should be used with certain medical conditions. The purpose is that the perfume will stay with a person all day and work its magick.
Bathing: This simple act can cleanse a person literally and spiritually. Often a spell is done when someone needs a re-birth or cleansing because a practitioner can envision all their negativity draining away as the water drains. Essential oils and herbs can be added to baths in a variety of ways. A bath can be used for the spell itself or to prepare for a spell.
Charm Bags: similar to a sachet but a charm bag holds items other then herbs. Often personal baubles that mean something to the practitioner are placed inside as well as stones. Charm bags can be made for a specific purpose or as all around empowerment of magick or protection. Also called "Mo Jo" bags, Gris-Gris, Sakra and Medicine Bag these bags are often made from flannel, leather or muslin. There are some beliefs that a bag needs to be "fed" with herbs periodically to keep the magick fresh and working.
Conclusion
It is a complex world out there and people as a whole need to be knowledgeable about all areas of life or their lifestyles. Following a pagan path is no exception and a practitioner needs to gain knowledge before venturing down a path filled with thorns and potholes. Be wary of "cults" that demand money, blood, or a total change of your lifestyle. A practitioner's lifestyle should not change because of a religion but simply be added to. For whatever personality is out there, there is a religion to fit.
But the decision or calling to follow a pagan path can be very complex with hundreds of different categories and sub categories. Also, many towns still have very little resources for pagans.
Finding Information
The best thing a pagan practitioner can do is visit stores that identify themselves as either a type of religion (e.g., Wiccan), New Age or Pagan. Most stores sell books, have monthly meetings, can provide information for community gatherings and have a variety of the tools a pagan needs or wants.
Libraries are also a great source since the books are free and returnable. A pagan who is unsure of a path can rent a variety of books that may help answer questions. Try looking in the New Age or Religious sections or ask a librarian for help.
Chain book stores such as Walden's, B. Daltons, or Barnes and Nobles also have books with pagan topics. Again, try looking in the New Age or Religious sections.
The internet is also a wonderful place to find a plethora of information and often people feel safer there then exploring paganism in the public. However, be wary of sites and try to stick with ones that appear to be legitimate or that are hosted by an organization. Any site that is of a generic domain name such as Tripod, Geocities, Angelfire or Fortune City offer free website hosting and the creators of the html sites may not be an adequate source of information. Base the information found on instincts and other sources.
Where Not to Look
Movies and Pop Culture, while entertaining, are not a good source for magick or paganism (unless watching a channel such as History or Discovery). TV shows like "Charmed" and movies like "The Craft" are not adequate or accurate sources. The shows are all about what will entertain and get ratings, not about providing facts. Often movies and TV shows adhere to stereotypes as well.
Basic Rules of Magick
Magick can be very basic or very complex but there are a few simple rules that will adhere to any pagan path that is chosen.
Harm None: With any religion there seems to be definite recompense for harming others. Christianity and Catholicism has Hell as punishment. Wicca has a rule that states "ever mind the rule of three / three times what thou givest, return to thee / this lesson well, thou must learn / thee only gets what thou dost earn!" Which basically states that something bad will happen to the practitioner 3 times worse then what was done. Religions that believe in a reincarnation afterlife believe that the next life will be a "living hell."
Free Will: Basically, no practitioner can cast a spell or recite an incantation or pray for something that will go against someone's free will. For example, a practitioner cannot ask for a specific man to love them but can ask that they themselves find true love or find a lifelong companion.
Let the Dead Rest: There is a form of divination called Necromancy (which is not associated with Satanism, contrary to popular belief) that uses the spirits of loved ones for guidance. However, this is not the same as trying to re-incarnate the deceased. Trying to re-animate a person who has passed on is never something that is looked upon fondly and should not be attempted.
Know Your Level: Often beginner practitioners want to try to much to fast. Accept the fact that you are beginner and take it slow. Without a teacher or mentor a beginner should not tray advanced spells or call upon deities that they know nothing about. And never try an incantation in a foreign language if you do not know the translation.
Research: research is important for any level pagan. A practitioner needs to know which herbs or essential oils are poisonous so they can treat them accordingly, they need to know what the deities represent, what symbols represent, and also certain herbs or essential oils should not be used if pregnant or other medical conditions.
Without Knowledge: Never do a spell for someone without their direct permission or knowledge; this sort of works into the "free-will" aspect. The only exception seems to be a spell that is for a person's protection.
The other basic rule that I have found very useful is "if it works for you, use it." This simply means that if you don't like the way something is written then you can change the words, if you don't have a certain tool or ingredient substitutions or symbols can be used (within reason, certain herbs and essential oils should not be mixed, altered or substituted).
Basic Tools
Altar/ Storage Box: To get started a practitioner must have a box for storing items and an altar for setting up before doing a spell. Often a practitioner will use the dresser top as the altar space and reserve the top drawer for items and tools.
Bottles: A practitioner must also have colored bottles (amber, blue and green work best) for storing essential oils, herbs and other items in. Bottles can be purchased from stores, picked up at flea markets and garage sales or even used glass food bottles can be used. Corks can be bought at any craft store and come in a variety of sizes.
Herbs: Basic herbs that a practitioner may want to have on hand are sage, cedar and lavender. Sage often comes in a smudge stick (a stick that is lit and burns slowly, used to cleanse an area). Incense sticks or cones of these smells can also be purchased.
Essential Oils: depending on the path followed, oils may not be required. But, oils need to be stored in dark colored glass bottles, kept sealed and away from children. A carrier oil must also be used (jojoba or olive oil) because oils are pure forms and should never be consumed or placed directly on the skin. Scented oils in the candle sections or stores are NOT the same thing and should not be used as essential oils.
Elements: The four elements, water, earth, air, fire, are a large part of pagan religions (there is sometimes reference to a 5th element of Spirit but there isn't a way to keep a bit of Spirit-this does not mean alcoholic spirits). Table salt will work fine to represent earth (sea salt is better) and dirt or beach sand will also represent earth. Sea or Table salt is a good thing to have on hand anyway in addition to whatever is representing earth. Water can be stored in a container but often water is just taken from the faucet. Howeve,r when setting up an altar water should be stored in a vessel made from natural materials such as a shell or cup or bowl made from wood or stone. Fire is represented by a candles, and air can be represented by burning incense (the smoke wafts through the air).
Stones/Gems: It has long been believed that stones hold magical properties. Try looking in a new age store for gems. Often there are guides to show what each stone represents. Birthstones fitting to the practitioner are also very powerful. Stones are best if they are in raw or polished form or placed in a pagan piece of jewelry but not in semi- or precious form in jewelry. Crystals are an essential item for any pagan since they represent white light (goodness, protection) and can be used as an all around gem when lacking a specific gemstone.
Types of Magick
This is just a very basic list of types of magick and there is no end to the variation of spells, rituals and incantations. But this will get a beginner practitioner started.
Witch Bottles: These are bottles that are filled with certain items and then sea salt or water is added to it. The cap is put on and the bottle sealed with wax. It is then buried or placed in an out of the way cupboard and forgotten about so the magick can work.
Knot Magick / Cord Magick / Witches' Ladders: Beads, feathers and twine or yarn of all-natural materials is best used for this type of magick. The magick is done by the number of knots tied and the color of beads or feather tied into it.
Candle Magick: Often practitioners will consider this to represent 3 elements: fire, earth (wax) and air (the smoke of the flame) and if a floating candle is placed in a bowl of water all the elements will be represented. Practitioners in the past felt that the candle represented humans. The wick was the head, the wax the body and the flame is the spirit. Scented candles should not be used. Colors represent different things and color should be chosen based on needs. Candles can also be used for divination.
Bouquets / Sachets / Tussie-Mussies: All basically the same thing, these types indulge in flower or herb magick. The combination of herbs can represent a certain need and can be placed in the home or worn on a place. The Bridal Bouque is a flashback to pagan times as is a flower in the buttonhole.
Stone Magick: The use of gemstones or stones is a trait of many different practitioners. Stones have special meanings and should be chosen based on the needs of the practitioner. Stones can be added to altars, charm bags, or used as jewelry and can also be used for divination purposes.
Teas / Potions: Herbal teas are a luxury many people indulge in. They can also be used for magick purposes and tea leaves can be read for divination. Know what is being put into a tea as some herbs are non-edible. Never use a recipe unless from a trusted source. Potions are edible and serve the same purpose as teas. But a tea or potion laced with magick should never be given to someone without their consent and knowledge.
Perfumes / Essential oils: Essential oils have a variety of uses and one of them is to make a perfume. Essential oils must be diluted in a carrier oil and certain oils should be used with certain medical conditions. The purpose is that the perfume will stay with a person all day and work its magick.
Bathing: This simple act can cleanse a person literally and spiritually. Often a spell is done when someone needs a re-birth or cleansing because a practitioner can envision all their negativity draining away as the water drains. Essential oils and herbs can be added to baths in a variety of ways. A bath can be used for the spell itself or to prepare for a spell.
Charm Bags: similar to a sachet but a charm bag holds items other then herbs. Often personal baubles that mean something to the practitioner are placed inside as well as stones. Charm bags can be made for a specific purpose or as all around empowerment of magick or protection. Also called "Mo Jo" bags, Gris-Gris, Sakra and Medicine Bag these bags are often made from flannel, leather or muslin. There are some beliefs that a bag needs to be "fed" with herbs periodically to keep the magick fresh and working.
Conclusion
It is a complex world out there and people as a whole need to be knowledgeable about all areas of life or their lifestyles. Following a pagan path is no exception and a practitioner needs to gain knowledge before venturing down a path filled with thorns and potholes. Be wary of "cults" that demand money, blood, or a total change of your lifestyle. A practitioner's lifestyle should not change because of a religion but simply be added to. For whatever personality is out there, there is a religion to fit.