Life Beyond Beginning Wicca

Life Beyond Beginning Wicca

You've read every beginners book available. You've taken Wicca 101 or Beginning Wicca classes. You know all of the holidays, tools, and basics about Wicca. What's left? If you're a solitary practioner like me you probably find yourself asking this question. I spent many years knowing all about Wicca, but not knowing how to get to the next level. I spent several years being a beginner without knowing how to get beyond the novice level.


I was no better at being a Witch than I was being a Christian. As a Christian I only went to church at Christmas or on Easter Sunday. I only prayed when I needed something. As a Wiccan I only practiced on Sabats and only performed magick when I desparately needed something. I could claim I was either a Witch or a Christian, but I didn't truly walk either path. I read about magick, but didn't live magick.


When you get to a point where you aren't finding anything new in all the books and classes you take, it's time to make a choice. Are you ready to start practicing magick or continue observing it? In order to be a true practioner you must make magic part of your every day life, not just something you do 8 days out of the year.

During your begining studies you were given a quick over view about all types of magick. Now is the time to focus on the aspects that really speak to you. Pick some things you want to specialize in. For me, I found that I was deeply interested in herb magick, which is hilarious for me since I've killed every plant I've ever owned. Growing, harvesting, and drying my own herbs has added unexpected happiness to my life. This is not to say that I only use herb magick. I use all types of magick, but using herbs for teas, infusions, incense, or in sachets is my everyday magic. When I have a situation that is not an everyday situation, I still pull out the big magickal guns. You've been given the foundation to use candle magick, gemstones, herbs, and all the others during your initial training and just because you pick candle magic to specialize in doesn't mean that you can't use other things as needed. Nor does it mean that are pigeon holed into only that type of magickal practice. At some point in the future I may choose to learn another magick more indepth, but as for now herb magick is my choosen course of study.

The same holds true for divination tools, alter tools and rituals. You have come to the point in your path where you need to claim your power. During my novice phase, (which lasted about 10 years) I bought every tool and divination method out there, but there are specific items that speak to me. I am witch who specializes in herb magick, scrying, and the magickal uses of my Athame, which was my first magickal tool.

Also, the holidays are sacred days. You should make the most out of each holiday with some kind of planned event. You don't have to have an elaborate ritual, but you should be planning your activities in advance. If you can't have a feast and ritual, plan a nature walk, leave an offering to the Goddess in the woods. Whatever you do, make it your own. Don't copy something from a book. You all know about the Sabats. If you don't then you are not ready yet. You need to study some more. Taylor the Sabat activities to your personality. Last Samhain, I cooked a large feast, celebrated with my kids by trick or treating, and then had a small ritual afterwards. On Ostra I had a tea party with my best friend and we took a nature walk with our kids. Not every Sabat needs to be an elaborate ordeal, but if you are up for an elaborate setting then by all means do it.

Moving to the next level is about making the magick yours. Claim it and live it. You will never stop studying or learning about magick, but it's time to start applying your knowledge. It's time to start walking the path, not just stand in the middle of it waiting for something to happen. Live the Magic!

There are many good books that discuss magick in more detail than just the basics.

One of my favorites is To Stir a Magick Cauldron by Silver Ravenwolf. It is a great companion to those who started with To Ride a Silver Broomstick. Another one of my favorites is Dancing the goddess incarnate: living the magic of maiden, mother & crone‎ by Dorothy Morrison.

Discussion:
How can you start living the magick? What things do you want to specialize in? What things have stood out during your basic training of Wicca?

Lesson 2- Making the Mundane Magickal

Making the Mundane Magickal

In my last post I talked about making the most of magick by not neglecting it. In our everyday lives it's hard not to neglect your magickal practice. You still have to pay bills, clean your house and take out the trash that's piling up. I wish there were spells that would allow me to spend more time practicing magick and less time doing my mundane responsibilities, but there's not. Magick is about balance and harmony. If you neglect your mundane chores, you will not be able to effectively practice magick.

Balance and harmony is the key. However, that's not so easy is it? When I first found my path, I lived with a family member who didn't agree with my choice. I know many of you live with family members who don't support your path. It is miserable to be in a position where you can't be free to practice your beliefs. That period of my life was very hard and my magick suffered. There were times that I gave up my path all together in order to create harmony in the house. It wasn't really harmony and it wasn't really a balanced life. I tried everything to supplement for the fact that I couldn't practice magick, including recreational drugs. Nothing quenched my desire to practice magick.

I can sympathize with the unfortunate witches of the Burning Times. The funny thing is that the more things change the more they stay the same. Many people can't accept magick any more than the people in the 17th & 18th century. Fortunately, it's illegal to burn me at the stake! However, there is still a very real danger of coming out the proverbial broom closet. I've known of people who have lost jobs and relationships after being open with their beliefs. I am very selective who I discuss my path with and still only my very close network of friends and family know my path. I am a firm believer that one should never discuss politics or religion at work. My friends tread lightly when discussing your path with others. With globalization and the internet there's become a huge network of pagans who you can connect with and learn from. It is a lot easier for me to stay on my path now because I have a huge on-line support group.

Whether you are part of a magickal group or you are solitary and prefer to keep your path to hidden there are things you can do to balance your life and make the mundane magickal. In the old days, being discrete about magickal practices was a matter of life or death, now it's just a matter of convenience. Witches of old found ways to practice magick while doing mundane tasks. I have continued this practice in my own life. I try to find a way to incorporate magick in everything I do. Believe it or not it makes some of the most mundane tasks have meaning and more enjoyable.

House Cleaning:

When I was a kid my mother used to make a game out of cleaning the house. She would make up little rhymes that went along with cleaning or she'd pick a color and we'd pick up everything in the room that was that color and then move on to another color until everything in that room was put away. I do the same thing while cleaning now, but I try to find magickal associations with things. When cleaning up a mess my kids make I literally bless my mess. I say things like: "Goddess protect the little one who left these prints on my wall, before I know it she won't be so small." I still pick up my house by colors, but I use magickal color correspondence. I asked for my house to be infused with positive energy with everything white I pick up, I ask for health for everything green I pick up, and to keep my love strong for my family with everything red...etc. I will light various candles while cleaning and invite the Goddess to join me while I clean. I talk to the Goddess in my head while I am working. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to use your voice when casting spells or communing with the God/Goddess. I do a large portion of my magickal work in my mind. All you have to do is raise the energy and send it out. What better way to raise energy than cleaning house! It's fun and it makes house keeping quicker and magickal.

Cooking;

For years witches have used the kitchen to perform magick. Many witches even call themselves Kitchen Witches. The kitchen is probably the most magickal place in your house. You have symbols of each of the elements in this room. Earth-vegetables, Air-the fridge, Water-your sink, Fire-your stove. Every spice in your spice rack has magickal properties. Even all of your kitchen utensils and pans have magickal associations. Every time you make something in your kitchen you are working magick. Now, when you plan your meals plan them with magickal intent. Say you need to banish negative energy, cook a meal that has color and herb correspondence to banishing negativity. If I was cooking a meal to banish negativity from my life, I might make a nice spaghetti dinner: The white color of spaghetti promotes positive energy. I may add anise, onion or oregano to promote purification or protection in the spaghetti sauce. Garlic bread to banish all negativity and promote protection against negativity. I would use equipment associated with banishing negativity such as a wooden spoon to stir the sauce.

In the Office:

There are all kinds of ways to work magick in your office. I rearrange my desk according to magickal correspondence. I use a lot of color in decorating my desk. If you have a cubicle you can arrange your push pins in magickal formations or by color. I have one of those File Cabinet Poetry sets on my file cabinet. I make up silly little rhymes that magickal and mundane connotations. I associate my tasks according to the elements. I do each task according to the elements and the days of the week. Using any electrical equipment =fire, Filing=air, cleaning my office bathroom=water. Recycling=earth. During stressful times I may roll my office chair around my office making invisible pentacles on the floor.

In conclusion, if you do a little research you can make just about any task magickal. You don't need to set up elaborate rituals and spells to perform magick. You just need a little knowledge and some imagination. It is always fun to participate in organized magickal celebrations with others in your Pagan community, but when you can't participate in a group or when you can't openly practice your path try to find a little magick in your mundane tasks.

Suggested Reading:

Everyday Magick by Dorothy Morrison

Discussion:

Think of ways to incorporate magick while performing a mundane task. Share your ideas.

Beginnings and Ethics

A magickal path is like a garden. If you take care of your garden it will thrive and you will reap great rewards, but if you neglect your garden it becomes over grown and unrecognizable. This is also true about magick. You will not succeed with magick if you neglect it. Now, I don’t mean that you should go to your local new age store and buy a thousand dollars worth of books, magickal tools, herbs, candles, etc. Nor should you run out and pay for magickal classes. Don’t get me wrong, I have cupboards, bookshelves, and closets full of magickal tools. I’ve taken many classes on-line and in classrooms. This is very helpful in guiding you on your path, but it is not necessary. There are three basic principles to the performance of magick. They are to dare to perform magick, to believe in the magick and to know it will work. These principles are sometimes called the witch’s hat because the three form a triangle. Do you have your “Witch’s Hat” on now? Then let’s begin!

I am not going to give you cookbook spells or tell you what color candle to use for a money spell or what herb to use. I will not spoon feed you magick. If you want to be given spells and step by step directions then go to your local occult store and buy a pre-made spell kit. If you want to learn how to successfully practice magick you have to study and learn. Nothing in this world comes easy. You can’t make that cute guy in the next cubicle to notice you, simply by lighting a red candle. It doesn’t work that way, and I know, I’ve learned the hard way in many cases.
Magick is very individual. A spell that worked for me may not work for another. This is why I don’t believe in pre-made spell kits or spells from a book. I’m not saying that Scott Cunningham’s spells aren’t good, but if you use another’s spell you have to personalize it for your intent or it will not work. You have to infuse it with your own energy and desires. I own many books and I get ideas for my own spells and rituals from them. I have used bits and pieces of other’s work while performing my own magick. They are helpful guides especially when you are just beginning.

Doing magick sometimes is by trial and error. I remember the first time I had to write and perform my own spell. I thought, “I can’t do this, I am not a strong enough witch!” Guess what everyone makes up his or her own spells. How will you ever know what works if you don’t experiment?

This brings me to our first actual lesson. Walking the magickal path is great, but it is also to be respected. It is just like the elements earth, air, fire, and water. These elements are all wonderful in our life. How could the human race survive without any of them? Yet, we’ve all seen destruction caused by them, mud slides, floods, hurricanes, and wildfires. Magick is in the same category as the elements. It’s wonderful if used properly and devastating if used incorrectly.

All pagan religions have set forth guidelines to practicing magick safely. The Wiccan’s believe in the Wiccan Rede the 13 principles of Witchcraft. They also believe in the Rule of Three this means that anything you do will come back to you three times (good or bad). Other pagan religions believe in Karmic Law. Most go along with “…an it harm none, do as thou wilt,” which basically means that as long as your magick doesn’t harm anyone then it’s all right.

Seriously, that statement is too broad. What if you cast a spell to make it sunny and dry for a week while you paint your house? It seems harmless enough, right? Have you considered the local farmer whose crops desperately need rain? Have you caused harm? Yes! Are you in store for some Karmic retribution? No. Whenever you perform magick a cause and effect is put into motion. You will drive yourself mad trying to figure out all of the possible scenarios. A good rule of thumb is not to intentionally harm anyone. If you KNOW it’s going to cause harm to someone to get your desired outcome, then it’s wrong to use magickal assistance.

For example, you want the job as head cashier at work, but the head cashier position is already filled and the only way you can move to that position is for the current head cashier to be fired. Then it’s wrong to use magick. However, if you do a spell for a better position not specifically the Head Cashier and two days later that cashier is fired for being late all the time. If you are promoted to that position, you did not cause the harm. The key to avoiding unforeseeable harm is to bind your spells with a trigger phrase along the lines of “an’ it harm none, so mote it be.” More or less, “If it doesn’t harm anyone grant my desire”

You can not exert control over someone else’s free will. This is a gift given to us by the divine that can’t be re-gifted. No matter how many red candles and incense you burn, no matter how many red ribbons you tie, not matter how many roses you bury, you’ll never make cubicle guy fall in love with you unless it’s of his own free will to do so.

While on the subject of love spells….no other type of magick will bring you karmic retribution faster than a love spell. Love is a powerful emotion that thrives on free will and we silly humans seem to think we can control love. Love is messy and complicated. It is my suggestion to avoid love spells totally. That is not to say giving yourself a little magickal makeover to attract the opposite sex is wrong. It’s perfectly harmless. Trying to make a specific person love you will only bring heart ache and unnecessary trouble.

Screwing with someone’s free will isn’t confined to just love spells. It’s encompasses doing any magickal work for someone else that isn’t requested. Yes, something as simple as lighting a white candle to send positive energy to someone is forcing his or her will. It is YOUR opinion that they need positive energy, not theirs. “How can this be wrong?” you may ask. I thought that too when I studied Magickal Ethics. Then I was presented this scenario:
You are at the mall minding your own business wearing your favorite pentacle, when a very friendly woman starts up a conversation with you. She seems nice enough. When you start to go on your way, the lady stops and says, “I will pray for you because you’re obviously lost?” “Excuse me?” You ask. “You have obviously lost your way to Jesus. I can tell because you are wearing the sign of Satan.” The woman points to your pentacle. You think to yourself (or out loud) What gives you the right to assume I need prayers?

Makes you angry doesn’t it? Guess what? Your Christian or Jewish co-worker may be equally offended that you sent magick their way in order to fix something that you perceived as broken. It’s meddling into other people’s business when you do magick for someone without their permission. I don’t want other people intruding into my path, even if they think they are acting in my best interest. I show them the same courtesy by not interferring into their path. If you really think you can help a person with magick than talk to them about it and ask for their permission.

The last bit of ethics I want to touch on, the notions that since we have this wonderful relationship with magick that we must cower down to attacks lest receive worse karmically. This is simply not true. If you are in a situation where you are being harmed by another it is perfectly acceptable to defend yourself even if the other person is not magickally inclined. There will be more on this information in a future blog, but for now know that you don’t have to take a mental or physical beating just because you don’t want to cross some ethical line. Always look for the best option for all involved, but when you are left with no other choice than to use a magickal defense, don’t be afraid to do so. That’s all I going to say on this for now, but I promise I will say more in future posts.

In closing these are just my opinions. I encourage you to research the words and phrases I’ve put in bold letters. I want you to do some independent study and form your own opinion of magickal ethics. (hyperlinks to more information is attached to these words/phrases)

Discussion Questions

1. Does the Rule of Three literally mean that you will receive three times what you send out? Do you think if you do something good you will get three times better in return or do you think you will just get better back?