New Pagan

[Eclipse]

My name is Amber and I have fully adopted the Wiccan religion. Unfortunately, I'm a little lost as to how to worship. I've also been told that Wicca a a neon religion that was made in someones basement and that if I told the Pagan community I was Wiccan I wouldn't get any respect. I'm really trying to find the right path of Wicca but I'm so very confused. Can anyone help me?

[Poshi]

Re: New Pagan

Hi Amber. First of all, what anyone else thinks is of little consequence. It's about what feels right to you. I've been studying Wicca for a few years, so if you have any specific questions feel free to ask! It's a bit broad of a topic to just start spewing off information. I can PM you of you want more private conversation, as well. Everyone here will be very helpful I'm sure!

[Gardenia]

Re: New Pagan

My name is Amber and I have fully adopted the Wiccan religion. Unfortunately, I'm a little lost as to how to worship.

Don't take this the wrong way... but how is it you've fully adopted a religion, when you're not sure how to worship, not sure about Wicca's history, or it's traditions...? It might make sense to know a little more about the basics, before claiming the label, right?

I've also been told that Wicca a a neon religion that was made in someones basement and that if I told the Pagan community I was Wiccan I wouldn't get any respect.

The pagan community is very diverse. Yes, some individual pagans may not respect Wiccans... but that's true of any pagan tradition really, not just Wicca. Someone is always going to have a problem with what someone else is doing, for whatever reason, unfortunately. If it's what you want to study and practice, go for it... most pagans aren't really going to care one way or the other, you know? As for Wicca's history - well, Wiki's article on Wicca has some good information on that...

I'm really trying to find the right path of Wicca but I'm so very confused. Can anyone help me?

Well, it might help to know what you've already learned so far? What books/sites/etc have you read through?

[Thothur]

Re: New Pagan

Knowing zilch about Wicca, I asked the wife, and she said that a good place to start was the book:
Witch Crafting: A Spiritual Guide to Making Magic by Phyllis Curott

[toxicyarnglare]

Re: New Pagan

Made in someone's basement? Hardly. It's really a culmination of the works of many many people over hundreds of years, and eventually by the late 1800s through the mid 1900s it grew. Wicca itself was founded by Gerald Gardner and his coven. And no, it is not some ancient religion that's been around for thousands of years or something; that's an idea that was very very widely used among Mason-esque initiatory societies, and in some respects, Gardnerian Wiccan can be related to that. It doesn't make the religion any less legit, obviously, because whatever works, works.

If you need more information about history, I'd highly suggest reading The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft by Ronald Hutton.

[Eclipse]

Re: New Pagan

Thanks everyone for being so helpful. Gardenia, I suppose I may have phrased that wrong. What I meant was I have started following the Wiccan way of life. The principles, as it were. Toxi, I'm not even sure what I know about being Wiccan. Every book or website or person I talk to almost completely contradicts what I thought I had previously learned. I've heard phrases like "Gray Witch", "White Witch", "Moon Child"(which I have been called, although I don't know the meaning). From everything I've gathered I know I prefer the Celtic background of Wicca, though I don't know which which branch of the religion it is. I worship the Mother Goddess, of course.

[Doc_Holliday]

Re: New Pagan

I'm a little lost as to how to worship.

I worship the Mother Goddess, of course.

Soooo, you know how to worship? Or no? I'm a little lost here.

Also to comment on no respect for Wiccans and Basement foundings. Both very wrong, very. I respect wiccans.

[Gardenia]

Re: New Pagan

Gardenia, I suppose I may have phrased that wrong. What I meant was I have started following the Wiccan way of life. The principles, as it were.

What do you consider the Wiccan way of life/principles to be?

I'm not even sure what I know about being Wiccan. Every book or website or person I talk to almost completely contradicts what I thought I had previously learned. I've heard phrases like "Gray Witch", "White Witch", "Moon Child"(which I have been called, although I don't know the meaning).

It's helpful to keep two things in mind... First, Wicca, as a whole, is a fairly flexible religion. Different practitioners will take the core practices and add their own details to them. So if you see one person saying to do X a specific way, but someone else says to so it a different way, it's not always a big problem. As an example, casting a circle could be considered a core part of Wiccan ritual structure, but two people could cast the circle in two different ways. If you're practicing on your own, sometimes you just have to experiment with the different ways and see which works best for you.

The second thing to keep in mind is that, unfortunately, there is a LOT of bad information on Wicca out there. To be frank, often when I see a source using terms like white witch, or whatever? They very frequently are not great sources...
This is why I'm curious about what books you've been reading, because sometimes the confusion comes from just having bad sources.

From everything I've gathered I know I prefer the Celtic background of Wicca, though I don't know which which branch of the religion it is. I worship the Mother Goddess, of course.

Many forms of Wicca will have some Celtic background and influence. Wicca is a bit of a mash-up between a lot of different sources... Some ancient, like some of the Celtic influence, some modern like the ceremonial magic influence, as well as some of the concepts like the Maiden-Mother-Crone Goddess and such. Are you looking for something more Celtic, like a tradition that works primarily with the Celtic deities?

[Aeran]

Re: New Pagan

The best way to get an idea of where Wicca came from and what it was when it first emerged, imo, would be to go back to the books written by those who founded it in the 50's and 60's. Gardner and Buckland are the ones that come immediately to mind, but I'm not too up to date on my Wicca so I'm sure there are others people can suggest. I'd also recommend Scott Cunningham's work, they're a bit more modern (relatively speaking, late 80's early 90's), but still in touch with that original current of Wiccan tradition instead of going completely out beyond the pale like a lot of stuff published about Wicca in the last 20 or 30 years. And most importantly, they're written for solo worship, whereas the earlier stuff was mostly written for groups, so they should help you figure out how to incorporate worship and practice into your life.

[Eclipse]

Re: New Pagan

Doc, I pray to the Goddess as if I were talking to her. But, any kind of specific prayers and rituals that go into it are unknown to me. So, yes I worship Her and revere Her but is there more to it?
Gardenia, I have the Wiccan Rede in my journal. I have found that the principles mentioned in the Rede are something that every Wiccan must adhere to and this is where their way of life and principles come from. If I'm wrong then please correct me. And yes, I have found myself leaning much more toward Celtic traditions and Gods/Goddesses.
Aeran, I was given one of Buckland's books as a gift when I first considered becoming Wiccan. I also have an autobiography by a woman named Rochelle Moore. She came highly recommended.

- - - Updated - - -

Doc, I pray to the Goddess as if I were talking to her. But, any kind of specific prayers and rituals that go into it are unknown to me. So, yes I worship Her and revere Her but is there more to it?
Gardenia, I have the Wiccan Rede in my journal. I have found that the principles mentioned in the Rede are something that every Wiccan must adhere to and this is where their way of life and principles come from. If I'm wrong then please correct me. And yes, I have found myself leaning much more toward Celtic traditions and Gods/Goddesses.
Aeran, I was given one of Buckland's books as a gift when I first considered becoming Wiccan. I also have an autobiography by a woman named Rochelle Moore. She came highly recommended.

[Gardenia]

Re: New Pagan

Gardenia, I have the Wiccan Rede in my journal. I have found that the principles mentioned in the Rede are something that every Wiccan must adhere to and this is where their way of life and principles come from. If I'm wrong then please correct me.

Keep in mind that rede means advice or counsel, rather than something like law or requirement. Many Wiccans do look to the rede for advice, but there are also different interpretations of what the rede means and applies to... but it isn't really a mandatory thing, either. Still, yes, it has influenced Wicca a good deal.

And yes, I have found myself leaning much more toward Celtic traditions and Gods/Goddesses.

I can't think of a specific Wiccan tradition that has a Celtic focus, but someone else might know of one. More broadly, there's just what's often called 'Celtic Wicca.' (Although if that's anything like 'Egyptian Wicca' was - it can mean a variety of different levels of incorporating that culture into the Wiccan framework.) One can also work with and worship Celtic deities in Wicca without really taking a more Celtic focused path.

[Eclipse]

Re: New Pagan

Ok, I understand what your saying. Is there anything a bit more focused for healers and guides? My fiance, Jared, has sad many times that Wicca is the perfect religion for me because of my almost innate desire to help people with. Whether it be in life or in health I always try to find a fix for things.

[toxicyarnglare]

Re: New Pagan

Thanks everyone for being so helpful. Gardenia, I suppose I may have phrased that wrong. What I meant was I have started following the Wiccan way of life. The principles, as it were. Toxi, I'm not even sure what I know about being Wiccan. Every book or website or person I talk to almost completely contradicts what I thought I had previously learned. I've heard phrases like "Gray Witch", "White Witch", "Moon Child"(which I have been called, although I don't know the meaning). From everything I've gathered I know I prefer the Celtic background of Wicca, though I don't know which which branch of the religion it is. I worship the Mother Goddess, of course.

To clarify, as far as I know the only inherently Celtic thing about Wicca is their 8 Sabbats, most of which were holidays celebrated by Celtic people's throughout the centuries. Otherwise, unless a person specifically mentions Celtic Wicca as their form of practice, there isn't really much else to tie the two together.

[Louisvillian]

Re: New Pagan

My name is Amber and I have fully adopted the Wiccan religion. Unfortunately, I'm a little lost as to how to worship.

Typically, worship is done in the context of ritual. Casting a circle, invoking one's deities, and making an offering. Generally there is a distinction between worship and magical working, through both are done in ritual and both may involve casting a circle and invocations. The difference is in the intent and goals of the ritual, and the purpose for making an invocation.
If you've fully adopted Wicca, you ought to have studied it, and ought to know what the typical ritual format is.

I've also been told that Wicca a a neon religion that was made in someones basement

Not quite "someone's basement" but it is new. It's been around since only the 1940s; Neopaganism in general is a Modernist movement.

and that if I told the Pagan community I was Wiccan I wouldn't get any respect.

That is somewhat true. Wicca has garnered a reputation in the Neopagan community as the religion of choice for newbies and others. Thus, it's seen as full of people who know little, research little, and possess limited experience. It's an attitude that really gained headway in the 1990s and early 2000s, and it gradually losing traction.

I'm really trying to find the right path of Wicca but I'm so very confused.

The important thing to remember is that there is no one 'right' path. There's older, more traditional paths. But Wicca has largely developed in the 20th century philosophical milieu of relativism and subjectivity.

To clarify, as far as I know the only inherently Celtic thing about Wicca is their 8 Sabbats, most of which were holidays celebrated by Celtic people's throughout the centuries.

Even that's not really so. Only four of them are explicitly Celtic-rooted. And they're celebrated in a manner quite different than the way traditional Celtic cultures celebrated them.

[Astrayus]

Re: New Pagan

Howdy Eclipse~

You are somewhat correct that there are people that don't respect Wiccans, but don't let other peoples opinions stop you from spiritual growth! (unless they're saying something like sacrificing the neighbor's pet pig is wrong. Then you might wanna listen) The biggest reason why there are people who are "anti-Wiccan" is because they are so many Wiccans who don't fully understand their religions background, history or principles. If you want to help yourself stay out from under fire, learn as much as you can about how Wicca came to be. Just because it's a "new" practice doesn't mean it isn't valid. I would hate to have scientist start throwing away new discoveries because they don't fit into older models and my spiritual practice is no different! Everyone is going to interpret everything in their own unique way and understanding.

A lot of people initially like to think they can grab a Wicca 101 book and it's going to spoon fed them the entire philosophy, technique, et al. Fortunately (and yes that is FORTUNATELY) there is NO book of definitive knowledge on the Craft or Wicca or any Paganism. Congratulations! Your sources for spiritual growth and development are unlimited as long as you allow it to be so.

One more note about Wiccans and the respect they deserve:

If it wasn't for the various Wiccan movements back in the 1950s and 1960s, pagans wouldn't have the opportunities they have today to have open forums (public and online), recognized religion, and the ability to tell other people about these beliefs. It isn't perfect yet and there are many places in the world where it still isn't accepted as well as it is in the west, but it's better than it could still be.

I would suggest you read Margot Adler's "Drawing Down the Moon", Thea Sabin's "Wicca for Beginners", and Scott Cunnigham's "Living Wicca" or "Wicca: a Guide for the Solitary Practitioner". Remember to read all of them with an open mind. Throw out what feels like crap and embrace what feels right.

Good luck!
~Astrayus