Category Archives: A Beginners Guide to Wicca

How to get started in Wicca. Read about setting up an altar, choosing a craft name, using magical tools and more!

Understanding the Three-Fold Law of Return in Magic

While some may view the Three-Fold Law of Return as a threat or a warning, I prefer to see it as encouragement.  Every time we choose to invest our time, focus, and energy into something positive, the universe multiplies that effort and brings more of it our way. It’s like planting a single seed and later finding an entire garden blooming at your feet.

If we choose to cast a spell, the energy we send out never really disappears. It doesn’t fade into the distance or vanish once our spell is complete—it circles back to us, often in ways far better (and far more surprising) than we expected. This is the essence of the “three-fold return,” or “Law of Three” and it’s an amazing benefit when we are practicing magic with a clear heart and good intentions.

However, it’s important to understand that when we cast a spell, we’re working with the natural energies within and around us — not trying to control them, but inviting them to flow in the direction we choose. And when we invest our energy wisely, that flow becomes a powerful, uplifting force in our life.

Let’s talk about how that actually looks.

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Embracing Diversity & Building a Magical Community

Imagine what our magical community could look like if everyone felt welcomed, understood, and free to follow the path that speaks to their soul. Over my years of writing about the craft, I’ve seen again and again how often the topics of unity, acceptance, and understanding come up—especially as more people with different backgrounds and beliefs find their way into our circles.

If you’ve ever felt misunderstood or a bit like an outsider, you’re definitely not alone. Today, our community is wonderfully varied. We have solitary practitioners, coven leaders, eclectic witches, traditionalists, those who blend old and new practices, and even Christian Witches who walk between two spiritual worlds. This diversity is beautiful—but it can also bring challenges. Sometimes we forget that, at the heart of it all, every path shares the same roots: a desire for connection, magic, and meaning.

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Is Wicca Right For You?

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!

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What is Magic ?

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.  

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A Note to Pagan Teens With Christian Parents

For those who are under 18 and/or living with someone that forbids the practice of Wicca or other Pagan paths in their home, please respect their wishes. You can privately study other religions or paths until you turn 18, or until you move into your own place. At this point you will be free to openly follow the path you feel is best for you without causing so much stress to those around you.

You may also want to read the following post:

Sharing Pagan Beliefs with Christian Friends and Family

A 20 Year Journey Into Wicca

Like so many others, I grew up surrounded by Christian friends and family. Thus, when I was introduced to Wicca and Witchcraft in 1997. I had a lot of misinformation to deal with before I could truly embrace these paths.

As I connected with Wiccans and Witches around the world, I discovered a warm, open-minded and very tolerant group of people. Some shared their love of aromatherapy, herbs or gardening with me, while others enjoyed talking about their connection with animals.  Virtually everyone enjoyed the outdoors and had a deep respect for our Mother Earth. Contrary to what I had been taught in church, I found no “evil” in their beliefs or practices.

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Are You a Spiritual Tourist?

What is a “Spiritual Tourist”?  I recently stumbled upon this interesting topic in our forums. The concern was whether or not a person should be taking parts of different paths and religions that they liked to weave together into their own religious path. I wanted to share my thoughts on this topic.
A tourist is described as someone who travels. Most of us do this for pleasure. We want to explore new places, learn new things and expand our horizons. If a person wants to explore different religious beliefs, they can be described as a religious or spiritual tourist.  I use the term SPIRITUAL tourist  because RELIGIOUS tourist usually refers to those who travel to PLACES.  In this article, we are focused on visiting the BELIEFS or traditions and practices of other religions, not their locations.

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Will the Real God and Goddess Please Stand Up

One of the first things you discover when you begin to explore a Wiccan or Pagan path is that there are many different deities honored in these traditions. How do you know who to connect with?  Are some gods or goddesses better than others? Many of us grew up being told there was only one true divine power. How can we be sure all these old deities are even real?

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Choosing a Craft Name

Choosing a Craft Name
In Wicca, choosing a Craft name for use in ritual or magic is a common practice. Some Witches take names associated with their branch of the Craft (Welsh names in Welsh traditions, Saxon names in Saxon traditions, etc.).  Others try to choose a name that reflects their personality or describes their interests or feelings. Selecting a name associated with a goal you are striving for is also a good option.

In some traditions, if you are in a Coven, your Craft name may be given to you by a Coven member. However, if you follow an eclectic path, you can choose whether or not you want a Craft name and what you want it to be.  The choice is yours.  You get to choose what you want to be known as before your God and Goddess. This is your chance to redefine who you are or who you want to become.

I chose the name Kardia Zoe because I was studying the Greek language at the time, and it reminded me to write from my heart (Kardia) when I write about life (Zoe).  Today it’s easy to go online and find the meaning of words in other languages, so the possibilities are endless!

Just remember that energy follows thought, and a name that makes you think and feel about something positive, will be more likely to draw positive energy to you, than a name like Dark Cloud or Stormy.    You might want to identify yourself with the name of something that you have a strong association with.  A type of animal, tree, plant, or crystal are a few more examples.

The choice is yours. You can decide the name you want to adopt as your own. You may want to change it again when circumstances in your life change,  or you may want to stick with it forever.  Just remember, you are describing who you really are (or want to become) so choose your Craft name wisely!

 

 

Wiccan Rede and Law of Three

Most every Wiccan is familiar with the Wiccan Rede and Law of Three.   Through them we learn the basic principles of Wicca.

The Full Wiccan Rede begins with “Bide within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust.  Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give.” And it is summed up with the well known “An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will”

Growing up around Christians, I often heard this interpreted as “They have no morals … they just do whatever they want!” Nothing could be farther from the truth.  Harming none means treating ALL things with respect, from the smallest of creatures to the Earth herself.  It’s a responsibility we do our best to honor. Harm None includes yourself too.  If you deny your body proper nutrition or rest, your health wanes and the energies that would normally flow through your life can get blocked.  You are actually cutting yourself off from the Divine!  Do your best to uphold this law at all times. IAs long as your thoughts and actions harm none, the Divine is fine with what you choose to do.

Wiccans and Witches also know that whatever energy or actions they send out, whether it be negative or positive, will come back to them threefold.  This is known as the Law of Threefold Return or Law of Three. This Universal Law is also sometimes referred to as the Law of Return, the Law of Attraction, or Karma.  No matter what path you choose to follow, you should understand that the thoughts and actions you send out into the Universe will come back to you in kind and often three times more intensely.

We’ll touch on the Wiccan Rede and Law of Three throughout this blog. Always keep them in your heart as you explore your path in depth.