How to study...
So I’ve still been deciding how to manage my traditional year and a day as a “Wiccan initiate.” After talking to some of my friends at work, I think I’ve come up with a few things.
1) Choose a basic program to run with.
-It doesn’t really matter terribly much which one you choose, or even whether or not you follow it to the letter. What matters is having something to build off of, a guideline that helps you along or gives you ideas. With that in mind I’ve borrowed Wicca: A Year And A Day by Timothy Roderick from the local library. It’s a fairly in-depth book, gives a day by day reading of what to do, and is simply enough that I can make alterations as I see fit. I’ll start with that come Beltain.
2) Read 100 books on Wicca, witchcraft, paganism, philosophy, etc…
-That I already have a small start on. I have a few books in mind for what I want to read but if anyone would care to suggest some excellent pages I am very open to suggestion. Please keep in mind I am most interested in wicca, witchcraft, goddess worship, homosexuality and such and I tend to veer away from anything dogmatic in nature. Below are some titles I have in mind. The idea is to read the book then write two or three pages on what I liked, disliked, and my overall opinion of the book. If it’s in red it means I’ve already read it.
*Drawing Down the Moon*
-Margot Adler-
* When God Was A Woman*
-Merlin Stone-
*Wicca: A Year and A Day*
-Timothy Roderick-
*Light in Extension*
-David Godwin-
*The Mysterious, Magickal Cat*
-D.J. Conway-
3) Meditate once a week.
- I’ll admit I’ve always been a lax meditator. I fidget, I have trouble focusing, I’m inconsistent and sometimes I just fall asleep! But I do want to start trying if for no other purpose than half an hour of quiet in my day. I think I will have better luck if I choose an early time. I used to meditate in the late afternoon and after a full day I may as well be honest and say I’m taking a nap. So I figured I would take the three hours while the toddlers are napping, sit where I can see them easily, and focus on being still, silent and calm. I do not believe you have to keep your eyes shut to meditate and in this instance I can’t. But it will be good to get into the practice and feeling of it.
4) Enjoy some physical activity one-three times a week
- I’ve gone mostly vegetarian and this has helped my weight loss and overall body functions. I feel better and more in control of myself than I used to and now what I need to add to that is some kind of exercise. I’ve always liked belly dancing and yoga, both of which in the beginner stage are light on the body and good for you mentally as well as physically. I believe in the power of dance as well as yoga so I feel I may be able to integrate these into my magickal practice.
5) Celebrate each Sabbat and Esbat as well as the Dark Moons.
-Before hand I focused largely on the Sabbats because it was always easier to do this with a group. Your part was small and you didn’t really have to do a whole lot of prep work on your own. As a solitary now I have more decision making capability as to how and what I want to celebrate. The Sabbats I feel are important to become more aware of the world around me. The full moon I want to celebrate because I have felt more drawn to goddess worship and the dark moons are to better understand the multiple aspects of the divine feminine.
Some other things I want to study up on:
-dream and vision
-fairy magick
-herbs
-tarot
-spirit guides
-women's mysteries
And there are some things I want to try and experience. I always wanted to go to a menstrual tent. I know it sounds weird but I feel like it's something every woman should experience at least once. I want to go to Pagan Spirit Gathering or another pagan gathering some time over the summer. I had wanted to go for YEARS but I was always too broke when the time came. i may still be too broke but there are sometimes smaller gatherings closer to home.
1) Choose a basic program to run with.
-It doesn’t really matter terribly much which one you choose, or even whether or not you follow it to the letter. What matters is having something to build off of, a guideline that helps you along or gives you ideas. With that in mind I’ve borrowed Wicca: A Year And A Day by Timothy Roderick from the local library. It’s a fairly in-depth book, gives a day by day reading of what to do, and is simply enough that I can make alterations as I see fit. I’ll start with that come Beltain.
2) Read 100 books on Wicca, witchcraft, paganism, philosophy, etc…
-That I already have a small start on. I have a few books in mind for what I want to read but if anyone would care to suggest some excellent pages I am very open to suggestion. Please keep in mind I am most interested in wicca, witchcraft, goddess worship, homosexuality and such and I tend to veer away from anything dogmatic in nature. Below are some titles I have in mind. The idea is to read the book then write two or three pages on what I liked, disliked, and my overall opinion of the book. If it’s in red it means I’ve already read it.
*Drawing Down the Moon*
-Margot Adler-
* When God Was A Woman*
-Merlin Stone-
*Wicca: A Year and A Day*
-Timothy Roderick-
*Light in Extension*
-David Godwin-
*The Mysterious, Magickal Cat*
-D.J. Conway-
3) Meditate once a week.
- I’ll admit I’ve always been a lax meditator. I fidget, I have trouble focusing, I’m inconsistent and sometimes I just fall asleep! But I do want to start trying if for no other purpose than half an hour of quiet in my day. I think I will have better luck if I choose an early time. I used to meditate in the late afternoon and after a full day I may as well be honest and say I’m taking a nap. So I figured I would take the three hours while the toddlers are napping, sit where I can see them easily, and focus on being still, silent and calm. I do not believe you have to keep your eyes shut to meditate and in this instance I can’t. But it will be good to get into the practice and feeling of it.
4) Enjoy some physical activity one-three times a week
- I’ve gone mostly vegetarian and this has helped my weight loss and overall body functions. I feel better and more in control of myself than I used to and now what I need to add to that is some kind of exercise. I’ve always liked belly dancing and yoga, both of which in the beginner stage are light on the body and good for you mentally as well as physically. I believe in the power of dance as well as yoga so I feel I may be able to integrate these into my magickal practice.
5) Celebrate each Sabbat and Esbat as well as the Dark Moons.
-Before hand I focused largely on the Sabbats because it was always easier to do this with a group. Your part was small and you didn’t really have to do a whole lot of prep work on your own. As a solitary now I have more decision making capability as to how and what I want to celebrate. The Sabbats I feel are important to become more aware of the world around me. The full moon I want to celebrate because I have felt more drawn to goddess worship and the dark moons are to better understand the multiple aspects of the divine feminine.
Some other things I want to study up on:
-dream and vision
-fairy magick
-herbs
-tarot
-spirit guides
-women's mysteries
And there are some things I want to try and experience. I always wanted to go to a menstrual tent. I know it sounds weird but I feel like it's something every woman should experience at least once. I want to go to Pagan Spirit Gathering or another pagan gathering some time over the summer. I had wanted to go for YEARS but I was always too broke when the time came. i may still be too broke but there are sometimes smaller gatherings closer to home.