Q&A- You got Questions, We got anwsers ^^

[Jameta]

QueenCrystal

Ok I understand o.O I think..

Okay, let's say a person is a gumbo; Wicca is represented as an apple, and witchcraft is represented as a tomato. Now, you can put both in, or just have one, but they're not the same. They may look the same (with the red coloring and size), and may even be put in the same category (tomatos are technically fruit, and Wicca and witchcraft are generally put into the spiritualism/occult/new-age section of stores), but they're not the same, and you don't have to have both.  

[Witken]

QueenCrystal

Whats the difference between a WITCH and a Wiccan.

Basically, Wicca is a tradition, a path of study and belief on the wonderful branch of Paganism. To be a Witch is simply someone who uses magick, period.  

[Shadow Rink Sama]

Okay I have a good question. I am still a learner and I admit i'm not VERY knowledgable about the pagan ways, but I really want to learn. There's a poster that claims you cannot be a wiccan unless you are intiated into a coven by some sort of legal standards and they do not allow anyone under the age of 18 and anyone that is not intiated is called a dedicant..

my question is. Is this have any truth or is it jus some gibberish someone is spouting off to look like they know it all?  

[Jameta]

The answer is it is true... and then again its not. It depends on the path the group or individual is following; more traditional paths do feel that you need to be initiated to be a true follower, going off of Gerald Gardner's original rules.

Of course, if they really want to go by Gardner's rules, they would only be Gardnerians, and not whatever branch they are. blaugh

Obviously, if you're ecclectic, you decide what is right for you (so long as its within the bonds of your area's laws). You may or may not feel that a coven is right for you. The positives are that you have a group of experienced people you can turn to, as well as selected guidance. The negatives include that they group may act like a fraternity, where you must participate in certain activities, or if you want to pursue something, they may not allow you to.  

[Shadow Rink Sama]

But I do not understand..why do you HAVE to be in a coven just to be called a wiccan? I have read from a book by Dianna Sylvan (The Circle Within) that it's based what you is in your heart and you dedicate your faith to what traditions you may choose, but (well still reading it) i haven't seen anything about it being mandatory to be in a coven. She even mentions the solitary study and self intiation rituals being valid, but a bit of harder work. Of course i'm a skeptic on things, can't help it. But this girl is going off of Gardner as if he was the creator of the religion, I've read he only revived it from an ancient european religion, rewrote it to what he wanted to focus on and them claimed he created the religion itsself. I guess i'm just confused. I'm sure I have more to learn.  

[Jameta]

shadowrink

But I do not understand..why do you HAVE to be in a coven just to be called a wiccan? I have read from a book by Dianna Sylvan (The Circle Within) that it's based what you is in your heart and you dedicate your faith to what traditions you may choose, but (well still reading it) i haven't seen anything about it being mandatory to be in a coven. She even mentions the solitary study and self intiation rituals being valid, but a bit of harder work. Of course i'm a skeptic on things, can't help it. But this girl is going off of Gardner as if he was the creator of the religion, I've read he only revived it from an ancient european religion, rewrote it to what he wanted to focus on and them claimed he created the religion itsself. I guess i'm just confused. I'm sure I have more to learn.

Gerald Garnder is the creator, albeit, he made it from a bunch of older and standing traditions, such as the Golden Dawn.

I'm not exactlu sure why he required a group. I may have originally been to set in a place a "family", as there would be safety in numbres. Also, the secrecy of the group would be more likely inforced. Today, though, its only necessary in certain traditions. Remember, 'Wicca' isn't just one faith, just like Christianity: there are multiple sub-paths in it.  

[WebenBanu]

Coven membership is required because Wicca is a mystery religion, and not all of the religion is published in books.^_^ Therefore, you have to join a coven with a proper lineage in order to fully learn what it is that Wicca teaches. People who self-initiate and go their own way frequently end up wandering around outside the path of Wicca, because they don't have anyone to guide them and they simply become lost or confused. They may come up with a religion which is perfectly suitable for them- however, it may or may not end up being recognizable to a schooled Wiccan.

Gerald Gardener is the father of Wicca- he created the religion. Many religious concepts which are included in Wicca can be traced back to other religions (the concept of a god or a goddess, for instance, also reincarnation and several of the holidays come from a few different cultures- mostly Celtic and Norse with a bit of ceremonial magic added to the mix). However the construct known as "Wicca" is only about 50 years old, and Gardener can appropriately be dubbed as the authority on all things Wiccan. All others are splinter groups- some with more or less training in the original form of the religion to back them up- so I'd recommend looking into the Gardnerian tradition if you want to see what Wicca is all about.^_^  

[STLeeJay]

Merry meet. I'm new to the guild and new to Paganism. So as you can guess, I have lots of questions. But right now, only one.

I'm particularly interested in Dragon Magick, and have been wondering how I could possibly tie in Pendulum Divination into Dragon Magick. I'd like to hear your suggestions and ideas. Thanks in advance. 3nodding  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

AxeFalador

Merry meet. I'm new to the guild and new to Paganism. So as you can guess, I have lots of questions. But right now, only one.

I'm particularly interested in Dragon Magick, and have been wondering how I could possibly tie in Pendulum Divination into Dragon Magick. I'd like to hear your suggestions and ideas. Thanks in advance. 3nodding

Well, I can help you a little with Pendulum magic. It mostly depends on programming your brain to work with the pendulum. Say you hold the pendulum up, and visualize it going bck and forth. Chances are, it will start to do that. This is caused by minute movements your hands make to start it off. Now, seeing as the subconscious receiving information that the conscious can't, divination is the process of connecting the two through various methods, be it scrying, candle gazing, or pendulum work.

What you need to do is make a set of instructions if you will. Train your brain the know that up-down movements mean yes, while side to side mean no. Clock-wise and counter-clockwise can be factored in as well. With me so far?  

[Kraeven]

What if you utter a chant to assist in commiting an act against the law thats also personal gain...? sweatdrop I kind of got drunk a couple night ago and I did something I'm not too proud of. It was only once.

I chanted:
"Myo Dynamo Necros."
Which means Muscle, Power(In a greater sence) and The Dead.
While rubbing my hands with the soil of a fresh grave.
I've been feeling stiff, creeky, irratible as well as 10 times weaker than I should be ever since then.
I'm assuming its Karma.  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

Well, sounds like you took on the attributes of what you chanted. I don't think the dead have to much muscle power. Now, if you said spiritual power, it might have been something different.

Then again, I really have no experience in the field of Necromancy, so I might be utterly wrong. My advice, try grounding and meditating on yourself at the peak of health.  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

As for the alcohol, I can hardly say anything to that as I've gotten drunk and tried blessing my beer, and invoking Bachus to make it stronger.  

[Miss_Spell]

Why is it that my gold is depleted when I post in here?

Also, I didn't realize that there was an entry fee to this guild. If I leave, will I get a refund?  

[Jameta]

Miss_Spell

Why is it that my gold is depleted when I post in here?

Also, I didn't realize that there was an entry fee to this guild. If I leave, will I get a refund?

Ummm, I have no idea why you're gold would be going down in here from regular particpation. You would have to ask in the Gaia Questions and Assitance Forum. And no, I do not believe you will be refunded.  

[Renaela]

Nnn, so I didnt read through all of the pages, which I know is usually a big no-no, having a guild of my own, but Im about to leave for school, and wanted to do this while it was still fresh in my mind...

So, as stated in the weddings thread, Im sort of a catch-all wiccan/celtic pagan-y type of thing. I feel REALLY strong ties with my Irish background, and with nature itself.

I got a book by someone who I was told not to name XDD, which, after reading about half of it, I thought that the historical information and basic information concerning planets, esbats, etc was pretty accurate, but the spells had to be complete rot. Seriously.

So Im really looking for any suggestions you guys can give as far as going about the whole process of getting more into Wicca, any books you think would be helpful. I really want to ground myself in the history of it, and understanding certain aspects of it (casting a circle, calling the quarters, the proper way to go about spell casting, does it REALLY matter if you do certain spells when the planets, etc, arent in proper allignment.) Ive definately got a lot of questions, and, as aforementioned, any information that can be provided to me in regards to books to read, or sites to check out, would be really greatly appreciated.

Thanks <3