(Reprinted from an earlier issue of the Inner Circle newsletter)
The following email excerpt expresses a common concern of those who are just starting out:
“I am very low on cash and cannot afford the proper tools … I feel that my financial status holds me back from fulfilling my destiny of becoming a true Wiccan.”
If you don’t have money to buy the tools you want, make the best of what you have. Be creative and find new ways to make old things work. If you can’t buy books, check them out from a library or log on to the Internet for endless hours of reading. I believe the richest, most powerful witches in this world are not the ones with the most money or the best tools … the richest ones are those who can allow the Divine magic to flow through their lives without any tools at all!
Beginners frequently worry about getting something wrong when they cast a spell. Should they still try if they missed the full moon or if they don’t have the appropriate color candles? My answer is a definite yes! A good spell will draw its power from your heart and mind, not from the tools you use.
if you are still trying to decide if this path is right for you, reading the information in this post may help. My favorite description of Wicca was written by the original founder of Wicca.com. All who are interested in this path should read the article. If it resonates with you, you are most likely heading in the right direction on your spiritual journey. An excerpt is posted below and a link to the full article is provided at the end. Enjoy!
Growing up, I was taught to give thanks to God for the food food I ate. We were told to thank the creator, not the creation, for the gifts we received. That sounded logical, except that Mother Earth was considered a creation of the Divine and not really Divine herself.
I believe with all my heart that the Divine or Universal energy is in ALL things. When we express thanks, it should not matter what aspect of the One we are communicating with. The gratitude is sent forth into the Universe and acknowledged.
Most everyone understands and agrees that when you are trying to draw the things you want into your life, it’s vital that you keep your thoughts and actions positive. Butmany have written expressing concern about how this can be accomplished when you are surrounded by negative energy throughout the day. Some readers even feel cursed, as they try hard to be good, always saying and doing the right thing, but bad things continued to happen to them.
Between financial challenges, relationship problems, health issues and family or friends constantly sharing their problems with us, no one is really immune to negative energy. Whether a situation turns out to be a blessing or a curse may ultimately depend on how you choose to respond.
Virtually every religion or path teaches that God, the Divine or Universal energy exists within us all. The real question is not whether there is such a thing as magic, but how do we work with it and direct it?
When something happens that we have no explanation for, we tend to refer to the event as magical or miraculous. Many feel that if we can explain how something works, there is no real magic to it.
Some even insist there is no such thing as “magic”, because ALL things have an explanation, even if we currently do not understand what it is or how it works. If we simply define it as something with no known explanation, our lives might eventually become void of magic, as technology continued to reveal its secrets. But magic is much more than that.
Seasons arrive at different times around the world and readers often ask what the proper time is to celebrate the event in their part of the world. Think of it this way … the old traditions and rituals were simply intended to help our ancestors stay in tune with nature’s cycles.
The Book of Shadows (or BOS) is a spell book and magical diary or journal of a Witch or Wiccan. Some are passed down through Covens or from one individual to another, but today, solitary practitioners compose most.
Do you feel confined to the broom closet when it comes to your beliefs? As I began to write this article I started to wonder if this was actually such a bad thing. Yes, if we view the “broom closet” as a hiding place, it can make what we keep there feel wrong or bad, and this is NOT good. But if we think of it as a special place to store away the personal things that are sacred to us, it can be a beneficial thing. This is especially true when others do not understand the true meaning or value of what is kept there.
For those wanting to step out of the broom closet, we have the following suggestions:
