New To The Craft

A Brief Introduction

Most of my life I have called myself an agnostic. I suppose up until recently I never considered religious or spiritual matters important or worth pursuing. Call me a rationalist, a scientist, or a close-minded stick-in-the-mud, but I was raised in a family that thought of magic, spirit, and the paranormal as pure fantasy, the pursuit of which might hint at mental instability. Taking a tai chi class as a kid I remember my father scoffing at the concept of chi, and since I idolized him as the paragon of all wisdom I learned to scoff at it as well. Once I became an adult and started living on my own I carried these preconceptions with me and stayed away from folks who seemed a bit on the "flaky" side (I look back now with sincere regret at all of the wonderful, unique people I could have met!).

It took me a long time to realize that there was something missing from my life. I worked a typical office job from 9 to 5 five days a week. My daily routine was pretty much the same, with the passage of the week marked by which reality show was on television on a given night. Once adult life settled in, the sameness of a responsible path began to wear. It was probably only natural to begin to question the way of thinking that had brought me to that point in the first place. I had no religion, no higher source I acknowledged. But more importantly I felt no connection and no higher purpose to my life. It dawned on me that maybe I had inadvertently closed the door on a world of opportunity for growth and change. Maybe, just maybe, there was more to this spirituality thing than what met the eye. Once I recognized my need I agreed to open my mind, stop making judgments, and learn.

My interest in the Craft developed approximately 6 months ago when on a whim I picked up Wicca by Scott Cunningham at the local bookstore. It was as if a lightning bolt hit me when I read it. This was it! It spoke to many things I had always found affinity with as a child such as mythology and love of the earth. But more importantly it led me to see that it was the lack of ritual and reverence in my daily life that had left me feeling so empty. I have never connected with the idea of humbling myself before a father-figure god. Deity as immanent has been a radical idea for me, and one that I am continually exploring to further my understanding. Since that first volume I have picked up numerous books on Wicca and read with a voracious appetite. Yet it is still only a beginning. My outlook on many things has not only changed but almost done a 180º over the past half year. I occasionally get an odd look from my boyfriend (worried about that mental instability I'll bet!), but thankfully he has been very supportive in my new path. This column is to chronicle my journey with all of its ups and downs. Now that you know how I got to where I am I invite you to follow me along. If you are new to the Craft like myself I hope to help as a guide. Or if you are a Wiccan with years of experience perhaps these stories will remind you of your own beginnings. For those of other traditions, religions, or agnostics out there curious about what Wicca is or is not I invite you to suspend your disbelief and join me, because, "there are more things in heaven and earth… than are dreamt of in your philosophy!" (Hamlet, Act I, scene v)

Journal for the Month of July:

I finally finished Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler. Whew! That was a long one. But it gave me a lot of perspective on the history of Wicca and its relation to other Neo-Pagan traditions. I explained Heathenism to my boyfriend who responded, "They drink mead? Sign me up!" He is the only one I have told about my study of Wicca. I really do not know how my friends or coworkers would react, but I feel safer not taking that chance. It has been strange living a sort of double-life. At work I am my typical intellectual self and then when I get home I am researching what color candles are good for what spells. I definitely have not told my father about it; I love him to death but I do not think he would understand. So my study of Wicca has pretty much been a private interest that I pursue when I have time at home. I signed up for a couple of free online schools to broaden my knowledge. I was also able to find a local pagan bookstore and gift shop that offers various workshops. At the end of this month I am planning on attending a spell-casting workshop to see the basics in action. My view on magic so far is that it is a way of putting meditation or prayer together with action. To be completely honest I have not tried to perform any spells yet. Some might find this a bit strange being six months in, but I want to make sure that I am creating rituals that have meaning for me and not simply going through the motions for the sake of doing them. I know that when I am ready I will give it a try. Besides there are so many correspondences to learn it can be overwhelming! I am trying to take everything one step at a time and not pressure myself to learn everything at once, but my eagerness can sometimes take a hold and I find myself frustrated at how much I do not know. One step at a time - so it is with spiritual growth the same as anything I suppose. Well in the meantime I am reading and learning what I can, trying to work on meditation and visualizations, and keeping an open mind. Until next month, blessed be! )O(

author: Christine (Witch1979)