Finding A Teacher

Helpful Tips on Finding a Teacher

When someone develops an interest in Wicca or the Old Ways, they almost always look for someone to guide them. Our parents began teaching us at birth, and as we grew, there were many teachers to guide us in our education.  This process has become so ingrained in us that most believe the only way to learn is to seek out another person to teach us.

If you want to simply focus on learning traditions and rituals, a teacher can be helpful. However if you truly want to connect with the Divine and work with the energies of your Mother Earth, you will find your perfect teacher is WITHIN you.  As you journey down this path, listen to that quiet voice when it whispers to your heart. Trust it.  It is the Goddess herself sharing her ancient wisdom, trying to point you in the right direction.  If you allow her to guide your steps, you’ll never be lead astray.

We will always encourage you to open yourself up to that inner voice, because we firmly believe that the Divine did not record the Universal Laws in books, but in our hearts, in our spirits and in the living things around us. Never forget that the Divine is already within you and allow the power of the Goddess and God to flow through you and transform your life as you walk your Wiccan or Pagan path.

The late webmaster of wicca.com published a wonderful article on finding a teacher or coven. He wrote “When your comfort level with the concepts of the Pagan path has grown to the point where you are certain that this is the lifestyle you wish to follow, you will undoubtedly wish to share that fellowship with others of like mind and spirit. To avoid being drawn into a group where the intent is less than honorable, there are a couple of things that may assist you in avoiding contact with the nuts out there.”   Read the complete article on Finding a Teacher.

Sabbats with Children

This is an article I wrote for Pagan Holidays and Earth Magic about celebrating the Sabbats with children.

I was talking to my daughter (now in her thirties) about teaching Wicca to children. Her dad Herne, believed that being a Wiccan or Witch meant you were a healer, a teacher, a seeker, a giver, and a protector of all things. He felt that walking the old paths meant “…being in the presence of Mother Earth’s nature and being humbled in reverence.” For us, teaching Wicca to children was not about teaching spells and rituals. It was about helping them connect with our mother Earth.

When celebrating the Sabbats with children, our focus should always be on teaching them about nature’s cycles and rhythms.  As we help others, both young and old, learn to respect, honor and work with all living things, we create a more unified, peaceful world.

No one knows more about having fun and celebrating the moment than a child. My favorite book on connecting with nature was written by a child. After reading a few paragraphs from this book it was clear that children could teach adults a lot about following a nature-based magical path.

Excerpts from this child’s writing are listed below. She grew up in the woods of western Oregon and in her diary (written when she was 6 – 7 years old) she recorded a world alive with creatures, fairies, talking trees, and singing creeks. Here are a few of her words:

“The wind … calls to me to come go exploring. It sings of the things that are to be found under leaves. It whispers the dreams of the tall fir trees. It does pipe the gentle song the forest sings on gray days. I hear all the voices calling me. I listen…”

“The wind does have many things to tell. He does toss back one’s curls so he can whisper things in one’s ears. Today he did push back my curls three times, that I might better hear what he did have to say.”

“I wave greetings to the plant-bush folks that do dance all about. Today a grand pine tree did wave its arms to me. And the bush branches patted my cheek in a friendly way.”

“Raindrops were beginning to come down from the sky. Their coming was in a gentle way. I had longs to be out with them. I so do like to feel the raindrops patter on my head and I like to run runs and hold out my hands to meet them.”

For this little girl, something magical was always happening right outside her front door. Most children experience this enthusiasm for the natural world. We should think of ourselves as Leaders of Learning when we explore our Mother Earth’s gifts with them. If we are lucky, when we are celebrating the Sabbats with children and sharing our knowledge of the old traditions, moon lore and nature’s changing seasons with them, they might teach US something about the true spirit and magic at the heart of these wonderful celebrations!

For more information on how and when to celebrate all the Pagan holidays, visit our Wheel of the Year Sabbat Calendar page.

Imbolc Recipes

Muffins, cakes and breads are some of the traditional foods of the Imbolc sabbat.   I am making a muffin recipe from my Pagan Holiday book this year.   Please feel free to share YOUR favorite sabbat recips with us too. 🙂

Maiden Wakes Muffins
2 cups flour
2 Carrots, grated
1/2 cup raisins
1 green apple, peeled, cored, grated
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup almonds, sliced
2 tsp. baking soda
3 eggs
2 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. salt
2tsp.vanilla
Soak raisins in hot water, in a covered bowl, for 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large non-metal bowl, mix flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in carrots, raisins, apple, and almonds. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, oil, and vanilla until well blended. Stir the egg mixture in to the flour mixture until just wet. Grease muffin pan with a little butter or use cupcake cups. Divide the batter into the cups and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. This recipe makes 8 servings. Enjoy!

Pagan Holidays and Earth Magic by Kardia Zoe