Althaea Sebastiani
  • Home
    • Resources
  • Learn Witchcraft
    • Courses >
      • Reviews
    • Books
    • Articles
  • Blog
  • Throwing the Bones
    • Testimonials
  • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ's

7 Things NOT to do as a New Witch and/or Pagan

4/3/2015

 
As a new witch and/or Pagan, there is a lot of information to sort through. So many people, books, and websites offering helpful advice, telling you how to do this, how to do that, everybody saying what you should do, but what about all of the things that you should not do? In no particular order, here is a list of 7 things to utterly avoid doing when you’re new to witchcraft and/or Paganism.
  1. Keep your money. Don’t buy all the tools  or all the books; don’t throw your money at anyone offering to teach you, do not pay for any course or training programs. There is so much information available for free, spend time wading through that. Check out your library, don’t just look in the religion section, but peruse the folk lore and mythology sections, too –that’s where the good stuff is hiding. Look for reputable websites; join a message board or three. Pay attention to bulletin boards at your local library, natural food store, and metaphysical shop: any workshops or presentations on topics related to Paganism and/or witchcraft are likely to be posted there and they’re often free or relatively inexpensive. When just starting out, no one really knows what they, specifically, will really need, what it is exactly that they’re interested in, so spending a lot of money on a wide variety of tools just ensures that you’re going to have a lot of shiny stuff collecting dust. Start small, start with the basics, start with the things you’ll actually need: a sturdy notebook to jot down thoughts, ideas, topics you’d like to explore, authors to check out, bits of folk lore to examine further; a pack of pens with which to write in your sturdy notebook; a library card. Aside from that, you may find it useful to set up a small space that you can devote solely to your budding practice. This space needn’t be anything more than a clean coffee table or dresser top. It’s a place for you to sit and write at, to meditate at, to commune with your Gods at, to do divination, or to work any magick at. It doesn’t need anything atop it, although a candle to focus upon may be useful. Later, when you have a clearer idea of where your interests lay, which direction you are being pulled in, then slowly begin collecting items as they appear useful. It makes no sense to buy a cauldron if you have no interest in scrying, kitchen magick, or herbcraft –it would just spend most of its time collecting dust in a corner or under a table. Think of your tools as investments in your practice and spend your money wisely.
  2. Resist the urge to name yourself, your path, or your “religion.” Remember, you’re just starting out. You may have a strong interest in one topic now, but that could very well change as you discover other topics. And, there is also the chance that, with further research and study, you may determine that this isn’t the right path for you. It makes no sense to give yourself a fancy sounding magickal name or proclaim yourself a ceremonial magician or declare to the world that you’re now Wiccan when just starting out because things change. And so will you. Very few people find themselves, even just a year later, where they were when they were in the first few months of their new path. Expect similar results.
  3. DO NOT DEDICATE TO ANYTHING OR ANYONE. I cannot stress just how important this point is. You do not need to dedicate yourself to a religion to practice it. You do not need to dedicate yourself to a Deity to worship Them. You do not need to dedicate yourself to anything or Anyone to be a witch or Pagan. Let me say that again: dedication is absolutely not necessary to be Pagan or a witch. Dedication is one of those subjects that is tossed about too casually when it is a very serious matter. It is a promise you make, an oath you swear, and if you break that promise there are consequences. If you dedicate yourself to a Deity and then a few months later decide that They’re not cool enough anymore or that you don’t feel drawn to Them anymore, guess what: too bad. You can’t just toss that dedication aside and act like it never happened. You told that Deity that you belonged to Them –do you really think a God is going to give up what was so freely given to Them? Think twice before dedicating. Then wait six months and think twice again. Be sure, be really sure: dedication is not a promise to be made lightly and it is not a promise that can be taken back easily. 
  4. Keep your wits about you. More than half of what you read (online and in the widely marketed books) is crap and/or bullshit. There’s a lot of make believe and there are many self aggrandizing individuals in the Pagan and witchcraft communities –some people truly believe we’re making it all up and that this is a game, a game they enjoy playing. Others see the vulnerability of those who are new, are seeking information, or are less experienced and they prey upon them –usually just by making themselves seem more skilled, knowledgeable, experienced, and powerful in order to gain admiration, but uglier predators and frauds do exist. It’s okay to be vulnerable; it’s not okay to be a fool. Keep your eyes and ears open and think for yourself.
  5. Do not ask other Pagans or witches that you come across to be your teacher. The ones who readily agree are not qualified; see point #4 for reasons why. The vast majority of people who are Pagan or witches have never had a teacher outside of books, the internet, trial and error, and the Gods and Spirits they work with –and that’s absolutely fine. Paganism is not a guru religion; we don’t have divine spokespeople or a set way of doing things (outside of specific religious traditions, such as British Traditional Wicca. Most of us figured this out on our own, you can do the same. If not, shop elsewhere: self sufficiency and personal capability are need traits in both Paganism and witchcraft. Also, it’s incredibly rude to ask someone whom you don’t know and who doesn’t know you to make that kind of commitment to you, when they very likely have other things going on in their life and don’t have the extra time. It also denotes a lack of understanding of the depth and nature of the teacher/student relationship. It goes deeper than the teacher/student relationship that most of us have experienced in attending public schools, because these are religious and/or spiritual matters –there is a bond that is created, an energetic exchange that takes place. You don’t make those kinds of bonds arbitrarily –the effects of such bonds continue on far longer than you will be that person’s student.
  6. Do not expect to find, let alone be accepted into, a coven. It takes a lot of work to maintain a coven, and most, honestly, don’t last that long. It is a delicate blend of personalities that makes a successful coven. Each member must mesh well with the other members and each must be committed to the goal(s) of the coven. Adding new members changes the dynamics of the coven, not always in beneficial ways. This is why new members are carefully selected after a long while of both parties (i.e. the coven and the prospective new member) getting to know each other. And this is why many covens are closed off to new members. Just because you’re a new witch looking for a coven and there happens to be one in your city doesn’t mean they’re obligated to let you in, let alone even talk to you. Persevere, keep searching. If coven work is really what you feel called for, check out some of the online directories for local groups, post a thorough introduction of yourself on seekers message boards and email lists (yeah, those things still exist,) and make sure to get involved with your local Pagan and/or magickal community. Don’t be afraid of publicly open groups, even if they don’t fit your interests perfectly: they may still be a great way to meet others, make contacts, and find leads to more reclusive groups that may be a good match for you –and you for them.
  7. Don’t give up when the excitement wears off. It happens to nearly everyone, once you’ve read all the books and got the basics down you reach the point of “now what?” A lot of people don’t make it past this point, as it can be difficult to determine in which direction to go next, as even the how-to books only discuss the most superficial and general of information. This is your make or break point. This is where you decide you’re actually doing this or you decide to quit. Yes, I said actually doing this. Even if, up to this point, you’ve been honoring every Sabbat, working every Full and Dark Moon you haven’t actually been doing this, you haven’t truly been walking this path. This is where the real work starts. This is where the dabblers get separated from the serious folks. After you make it through this point, this point where so many give up and walk away, you will have proven your dedication and commitment (to yourself, because you don’t have to prove shit to anyone else) and you will move forward with the same wisdom that all longtime practitioners have gained from making it through this same experience. Expect no spoilers from me, but, a bit of advice: yes, it’s difficult, keep going, keep doing all the things you’re doing; pay attention, listen; seek out and talk with others who are doing similar to you; read the experiences of those who are at a similar place as you, as well as those who are more experienced; and, above all, leave yourself open to surprises.

Terry Lay
4/8/2015 12:42:24 am

As I have searched many paths in my search for me, I find this to be sound advice for any of them. Thank You Lady Althaea!

Althaea
4/8/2015 01:03:13 am

Thank you, Terry! Best of luck to you in your spiritual journey.

Namaste!

wingwang
7/7/2015 08:09:02 am

It has taken me 70 years to realise that the path for me is the solitary witch. I found the solitude is within me at my heart level, and when I need company I find it in abundance in the outdoors. Every animal that crosses my path is my friend and there is always a crow watching me.

Althaea
7/8/2015 03:10:13 pm

My own recent adventures living rather isolatedly in the mountains of New Mexico has shown me that solitude is truly precious and has so much to offer.

Walk with wisdom.

Micki
7/21/2018 01:27:07 pm

Hi Althaea! Ive been reading your posts for awhile now and I find them to be very helpful. Ive been studying witchcraft for over a year now but i feel my studying has only gotten serious in the last few months, which is when i started reading your stuff. too much new age watered down fluff all over the place, so your blog is a welcome fresh perspective. As Im reading this post and another about dedications, Ive come up with a very concerning and stressful question. I was raised in a christian home, and thus prayed the “prayer of salvation” (multiple times actually, as i wasnt “changing” and felt the previous ones must not have been legitimate. obviously it was just the religion not working for me or providing me with what i needed spiritually). now i think the prayer of salvation could very well be considered a dedication. you tell jesus that you know youre a sinner and you want his gift of everlasting life and for him to live inside of you, and you declare yourself his servant for life. i would really hate to find out that im stuck with the holy ghost of the christian trinity living inside of me and im expected to obey the bible or go to hell. is there anyway out of this? does it matter at all that the dedications were made out of fear of hell and under the assumption that the only options were god or hell? or that my first dedication was when i was 7 and the final one when i was 16, all of them made as a child who wasnt given other options? thanks.

Althaea
7/24/2018 12:41:58 am

Hello Micki,

Thank you so much for your kind words! The amount of utter nonsense that is pushed regarding witchcraft is why I began writing in the first place. If I can a make a dent, however small, and encourage others to seek greater integrity and depth within their own practices, I’ll be more than pleased.

As far as I’m aware, there are a few variants of that prayer, but the wording seems to be similar in that, as much as you are saying you will do x, y, and z, you are also asking Jesus to do a, b, and c. In that way, yes, it is similar to a dedication because it contains those contractual obligations for both parties. But, from your words, it sounds as if this contract wasn’t upheld, that you have no evidence in your life of a, b, and c being fulfilled (for example.) That’s looking at it from a purely analytical stance.

Now, looking at it from my own personal experience. I have been both baptized (at around 2-3 years old) and confirmed (13 years old) within the Lutheran denomination of Christianity. I was also quite religious and seriously considered converting to Catholicism because I saw becoming a nun as the only conceivable way to have a close relationship with that God. And yet none of this has impacted my ability to practice witchcraft -not then and certainly not now. I was a practicing witch before and after my confirmation. None of it has impacted my ability to hear my Gods and spirits, none of it has affected my ability to have deep, life-transforming relationships with my Gods and spirits. And all of this has shown me just how much larger the world, how much more there is to see and experience, how much more that exists and affects us. That experience has shown *me* that I’m good, that there is nothing to be concerned about -especially not with the Friends in higher places that I have now.

It used to be a common enough thing that, when coming to (religious) witchcraft, that one would renounce their old religion (nearly always Christianity.) This was frequently done by reciting the Lord’s Prayer backwards (which only sounds like something out of a tacky B movie.)

However, making a formal proclamation via ritual, where you state that you renounce all vows made as they were not fulfilled by either party, that you free yourself from all bounds and declare yourself as unowned, free to choose as you will choose and to do as you choose to do, is advised, especially as you do have concerns. Any ritual actions such as consecrating water and pouring it over your hands and into a bowl (a purificatory act) is also recommended. If you feel drawn to the five elements model, using each of the elements to purify yourself and then affirm your free and unclaimed, unowned state by the element of spirit (which correlates to the Gods) would work especially well for a ritual format.

I hope that this ridiculously long response helps you.

Kaitlyn
2/25/2019 12:21:22 am

Hi,
This is perhaps a bit off-topic, but seeing as I cannot find an article or forum that actually answers my questions, and having read some of your articles, I thought you might have an honest, educational answer.

My questions are: What makes an object CONTAIN a magickal property? There are thousands upon thousands of things you can look up in an instant that will tell you that "this does this" and "that has that magickal property" to it. (Herbs, crystals, etc.etc.etc....) I want to understand WHY and HOW an object contains "magick" rather than just be told that it does. It's shocking to me that there is no account for it I can find in a Google search, let alone in videos and blogs! Does everyone really just take everyone's word for it that "this stone does that"?
Where does the knowledge of the magickal property's presence come from?

I hope you can shed light on this for me! Thank you for your time.

~Kaitlyn


Comments are closed.

    Throwing the Bones

    Picture
    Get a Reading

    Stay Connected

    Thank you!

    You have successfully subscribed.

    Feral Witch

    Picture

    Archives

    January 2023
    February 2021
    January 2021
    March 2020
    September 2019
    May 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    September 2013
    August 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    June 2012
    May 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010

Picture
all photos and text copyright protected
and may not be used or reproduced, in part or in whole, without express written permission
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service
Cookie Policy
Disclaimer
  • Home
    • Resources
  • Learn Witchcraft
    • Courses >
      • Reviews
    • Books
    • Articles
  • Blog
  • Throwing the Bones
    • Testimonials
  • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ's