So, I'm definitely considering Wicca, and...

[moe majesty]

--- « soul's resonance »

• I've got loooooooots of questions for any kind soul who might want to answer. blaugh I've gotten a lot from some of the reading material here, but I've got some inquiries about, y'know, the basic-er stuff. I'd go get a book or something, but I'd rather not deal with parents yet.

Any answers will be much luffed.

Spells. What kinds are there? Protection, invocations, luck, summonings? Are they difficult/intricate to perform?

Candles. Are they really necessary? My dad is somehow allergic to the way the wax burns (it's weird) and there's no way I can burn candles and have him not notice.

Altars. Can they be located anywhere, such as, er, my closet? It's really the only spot for one... and especially the only spot that could be kept clean. xD;

Other rituals. There are other rituals for honoring the God and Goddess, yes? Are there any others?

And lastly, is there anything I really, really should know?

If you'd rather, go ahead and point me in the direction of specific readings, that'd be awesome and mucho appreciated as well.

And if this is totally a repeat topic or the answers are easily found and I just missed them, sorry! >_< •

« can you hear it now? » ---

 

[doistu]

Spells. What kinds are there? Protection, invocations, luck, summonings? Are they difficult/intricate to perform?
Any kind you could think of...all of what you've said and more. Though some, like summonings, I'd stay away from. Love spells too seem to bring nothing but tears. Remember, everything you do will come back to you.

Candles. Are they really necessary? My dad is somehow allergic to the way the wax burns (it's weird) and there's no way I can burn candles and have him not notice.
If being burnt is an allergic reaction I think its one all animals share lol. They aren't necessary, especially if there's a medical reason behind burning them. I love using candles but I know plenty of people who don't as well.

Altars. Can they be located anywhere, such as, er, my closet? It's really the only spot for one... and especially the only spot that could be kept clean. xD;
Due to lack of space I assemble and disemble my altar as and when I need it and even then its just a patch of floor covered in a cloth...So far I've had no clues that this is improper hehe

Other rituals. There are other rituals for honoring the God and Goddess, yes? Are there any others?
I've always been under the (perhaps incorrect) impression that rituals are glorified spells. A self-initiation, dedication etc are all kinds of rituals.

And lastly, is there anything I really, really should know?
The Rede. And not to take anything you read as complete, unquestionable truth.  

[Esselean]

About the candles ive read in some books that if you arent allowed to burn candles you can use unlit candles instead

Ive never had that problem so i wouldn't know. I do have a parent who cant stand incense though cry  

[moe majesty]

doistu

Altars. Can they be located anywhere, such as, er, my closet? It's really the only spot for one... and especially the only spot that could be kept clean. xD;
Due to lack of space I assemble and disemble my altar as and when I need it and even then its just a patch of floor covered in a cloth...So far I've had no clues that this is improper hehe

Ah, right. So, from what I've gathered, the cloth for the altar is supposed to special in some way, right?

doistu

Other rituals. There are other rituals for honoring the God and Goddess, yes? Are there any others?
I've always been under the (perhaps incorrect) impression that rituals are glorified spells. A self-initiation, dedication etc are all kinds of rituals.

Self-initiation?

doistu

And lastly, is there anything I really, really should know?
The Rede. And not to take anything you read as complete, unquestionable truth.

Oh heavens no. I've always been the type to question everything. :3  

[moe majesty]

Esselean

About the candles ive read in some books that if you arent allowed to burn candles you can use unlit candles instead

Ive never had that problem so i wouldn't know. I do have a parent who cant stand incense though cry

Unlit candles? Hunh. That makes things a bit simpler. Thank you!  

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

If you're asking about Wicca, then you're sort of asking the wrong questions. Spells are not innately Wiccan; they are witchcraft. Candles are irrelevant. Rituals are done in a specific form or else it ceases to be Wicca, so you don't really want or need to learn different ways to do rituals.

If you're old enough (18+) you should start trying to find a coven. Amber and Jet is a good place to start in finding a coven and asking some questions. This site is also helpful in confirming that a coven is lineaged and someone has the degrees that he/she says they do.

What you should probably know is that the Wicca that's in books in bookstores is not Wicca. It is Eclectic Neo-paganism. You can read as many Cunningham and Buckland books as you want, but you still won't know what Wicca is, nor will you be considered Wiccan by any stretch of the term.

Wicca is an orthopraxic fertility cult that honors the Lord and Lady of the Isles. The names of the deities are oath-bound secrets, as are the rituals. The only way to learn the Mysteries is from experiencing them. One must be initiated into a coven that can trace its lineage back to Gerald Gardner. Cross-gender initiation is required (male-female-male-female).

EDIT: Also check out the Wiccan FAQ  

[doistu]

-KIRA momo-

doistu

Altars. Can they be located anywhere, such as, er, my closet? It's really the only spot for one... and especially the only spot that could be kept clean. xD;
Due to lack of space I assemble and disemble my altar as and when I need it and even then its just a patch of floor covered in a cloth...So far I've had no clues that this is improper hehe

Ah, right. So, from what I've gathered, the cloth for the altar is supposed to special in some way, right?

doistu

Other rituals. There are other rituals for honoring the God and Goddess, yes? Are there any others?
I've always been under the (perhaps incorrect) impression that rituals are glorified spells. A self-initiation, dedication etc are all kinds of rituals.

Self-initiation?

doistu

And lastly, is there anything I really, really should know?
The Rede. And not to take anything you read as complete, unquestionable truth.

Oh heavens no. I've always been the type to question everything. :3

To me a cloth is important because the only way I can make sure the surface is clean is to wash it...I had laminate floor and it harbours all sorts of nasties.

Some solitar wiccans (though I'm not one) choose to self-initate because they can't be part of a coven for whatever reason. Its a way of dedicating themselves to Wicca and the Lord and Lady.

Good. Do question everything...its more fun that way hehe  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

-KIRA momo-

--- « soul's resonance »

• I've got loooooooots of questions for any kind soul who might want to answer. blaugh I've gotten a lot from some of the reading material here, but I've got some inquiries about, y'know, the basic-er stuff. I'd go get a book or something, but I'd rather not deal with parents yet.

Any answers will be much luffed.

Spells. What kinds are there? Protection, invocations, luck, summonings? Are they difficult/intricate to perform?

Candles. Are they really necessary? My dad is somehow allergic to the way the wax burns (it's weird) and there's no way I can burn candles and have him not notice.

Altars. Can they be located anywhere, such as, er, my closet? It's really the only spot for one... and especially the only spot that could be kept clean. xD;

Other rituals. There are other rituals for honoring the God and Goddess, yes? Are there any others?

And lastly, is there anything I really, really should know?

If you'd rather, go ahead and point me in the direction of specific readings, that'd be awesome and mucho appreciated as well.

And if this is totally a repeat topic or the answers are easily found and I just missed them, sorry! >_< •

« can you hear it now? » ---

Are you interested in Wicca or Neo-Wicca?

Vi is right. You're definitely asking the wrong questions. Spells are totally irrelevant at this point. Wicca is a religion. If you're serious about this, why are you bothering with spells? Spells come with understanding magic and how it works, which comes with study, meditation and so on. Really if you're asking questions about magic, it should be concerning ritual, tool consecration and so on. I mean, starting off questions by asking about spells.... really sends the wrong impression.

But seriously. Once you understand magic you understand spells and everything slots neatly into place and you can perform them any way that pleases you.

Candles are nice in ritual or devotional, but not objectively all that important. Some people would be horrified by the idea of holding ritual without them. They'd probably be Wiccans and it's their religion so they would be theoretically correct, but from the standpoint of an individual simply honouring the gods they're not important. They're totally irrelevant to spellwork. Except candle magic, obviously.

Altars should be kept clear of clutter and away from anything that might topple things over. And if you want to perform ritual you'll need enough space to cast a circle around your altar. A closet's okay for like a shrine, but a working altar needs either a fair amount of space, or needs to be capable of being moved somewhere where you have enough space for ritual.

Initiation rituals. Dedication rituals. All rituals honour the God and Goddess in some way, but the active purpose - celebrating the seasons/the full moon/an initiation - changes.

There's a great deal you should really, really know, but too much for me to put here and most of it is oathbound anyway, so I don't know it and couldn't tell you if I did.
But generally: read, read, read.
But do not read DJ Conway, Silver Ravenwolf or Fiona Horne.
Also, don't ******** around with Runes. And if you decide to learn them, learn from Paxton. Do NOT learn from Ralph Blum or anyone who cites his work as valid.
Never summon anything. It's downright rude and damn stupid.

If you want to get into Wicca proper, find a lineaged coven. Vi provided you with a good link. There's also Witchvox.

And to clear up a couple of things: self-initiation is a contradiction in terms. It makes no sense, regardless of what Cunningham had to say. I respect the man and like his work but seeeeriously. Rituals are not spells and spells are not rituals. Bloody Ceremonial Magicians fudged the line with THAT one, ne?  

[moe majesty]

--- « soul's resonance »

• Oh wow. I really shouldn't have put the spell question first. >_>; To be honest I'm not that interested in the spells at all. It was just the first thing that came to mind because that's something I haven't seen clarified much, and your answers really explained that. The other stuff I had gotten from my reading.

Ahhh. -feels stupid now- Okay, thank you for clearing the terms up. I've seen so many thrown around and they sort of mashed together.... Traditional Wicca is not what I'm interested in. I'm under 18, and fertility based? No thanks.

Eclectic Neo-Paganism, wow that's a mouthful. I'm pretty sure that's what I'm interested in. As long as it involves the God and Goddess. And I feel really stupid. Jeez. -headdesk-

Thank you both for all that. Musta taken ages to type that up... •

« can you hear it now? » ---

 

[too2sweet]

It didn't really say in your original post if you were looking for info on Wicca specifically, info on Witchcraft, or just general Neo-Paganism . As has been said, Wicca is specific pagan religion, with specific core practices/beliefs, that is based on the use of Witchcraft (among other things). Neo-Paganism is something all together different.

Quote:

Spells?

If you are just starting out, this really isn't something that you should be worried about, until you have a better understanding of it. You can do a spell for almost anything, the main question usually is "should you?". Note that spells and magic aren't anything like what is seen on TV/Movies. It's more about your intentions and focusing your will, in order to manifest change. Spells can be as simple or as complicated as you want them to be. Some people think that you can't do it right if you don't have all the "bells and whistles", others will say all you need is your intent. In the end it will be whatever works best for you.

Quote:

Candles?

In general it is up to you if you use them or not. If you end up following a specific tradition, they may have different requirements for rituals and such. It is difficult because fire is one of the elements and short of having an actual bonfire, candles are the best representation of that element. There are others, but obviously something burning makes the most sense.

Quote:

Altars?

Some people set up permanent altars, others have a portable one that can be taken out and then put back out of the way when it is not in use. At this point I would say that either way is fine. Eventually, if you are truly interested in following a specific tradition, you may want to consider a permanent one. Wal-mart (at least the one by me) has these little wicker baskets on sale right now that have a flat top and are lined on the inside that I think would make a perfect small portable altar, they also have another little chest that would work. Both are big enough to store some basic items in and can be kept in a closet when not in use. Altars usually are set up with items that symbolize the elements, the God/ess, other ritual tools, and anything else you may want to include. Almost anything can be used as an altar cloth, but you really want something that is clean and neat, especially since your altar is a place of honoring the God/ess.

Quote:

rituals?

Again it depends on your tradition or if you follow your own path, but rituals can be done for almost anything. As you learn more, you will find that rituals that you design yourself can be a lot more meaningful than ones that you find in a book. (goes the same for spells)

Quote:

And lastly, is there anything I really, really should know?

Read, read, read (like it hasn't already been said) Don't jump right into anything until you feel ready. Ask lots of questions.



Threads in the Guild...
Wicca and Witchcraft
Intro: Pagans, Heathens and Recons
Recomended Reading
Sabbats
Rede, principles and more
British Traditional Wicca

Other links...
Wicca for the Rest of Us
Proteus Library
Amber & Jet and the Wiccan FAQ which were both linked in previous posts.  

[moe majesty]

--- « soul's resonance »

• For clarification; (after things were clarified for me, lawl) Neo-Paganism, definitely.

Thank y'all so much for all the links - I've read all of them and a good bit of the stuff linked to by those pages. They've helped me get a much better understanding of, well, everything. I've got a bunch of them bookmarked and I plan to keep reading. ^_^

I can guarantee you I'll have more questions though. Thanks again~ •

« can you hear it now? » ---

 

[Esselean]

Sanguina-chan

But generally: read, read, read.
But do not read DJ Conway, Silver Ravenwolf or Fiona Horne.
Also, don't ******** around with Runes. And if you decide to learn them, learn from Paxton. Do NOT learn from Ralph Blum or anyone who cites his work as valid.

Hey whats wrong with Fiona Horne???  

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

KIRA: Hey no problem! It's really incredibly easy to collect misinformation as fact. There's a lot of crap out there. I'm glad we could help steer you in the right direction wink

And yea, Eclectic Neo-pagan is a mouthful, but most just call themselves Eclectic.  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

I call myself an eclectic Pagan wink two whole syllables less!

Sorry we jumped down your throat a little. We have a tendency to make assumptions, you know? No real reflection on you.... just too many people who ask similar questions who end up being "omg Hekate is a crone!" twits. (I think I've been spending far too much time on M&R lately... I've started to become a bit blunt.)

Esselean

Sanguina-chan

But generally: read, read, read.
But do not read DJ Conway, Silver Ravenwolf or Fiona Horne.
Also, don't ******** around with Runes. And if you decide to learn them, learn from Paxton. Do NOT learn from Ralph Blum or anyone who cites his work as valid.

Hey whats wrong with Fiona Horne???

She's.... well... unfaithful. She portrays Paganism in a VERY bad light, goes out of her way to seek the spotlight and misrepresent us as fluffy morons. She makes me grind my teeth!

Here's a start...  

[doistu]

I think all books are worth reading...I mean how would we compare theories and beliefs if there was nothing to compare with.

The first book I got was a Fiona Horne book and it inspired me no end.

I have moved away from some of her stuff now but I feel some of it was valid.

I've found all books contribute something, if only ideas.