New to Wicca and troubled

Hi, I'm 14 years old and a few months ago I became interested in Wicca. My family have been very devoted Catholics and if they saw I was studying Wicca they would take everything away from me and I would never be able to try and educate myself on the beautiful faith.
I really love the little information I have about the religion and if anyone could help me learn more then I would be very grateful. I can't join a coven because I can't drive and there would be no way for me to be a member. I feel like I should know more about sabbats and how to cast a circle but I need help. Thank you.

My best advice would be to get some books...if you can :S Scott Cunningham is great - two books of his would be Guide for a Solitary (or something along those lines) and then the follow on book to that Living Wicca :) He is very good and really easy to read i found. I also just got another book called A Witch Alone by Marian Green and althoughi have only just started it its great :) Ronald Hutton is good but more academic and its not an easy read.

You need to read as much as you can. Dont practice anything until you feel ready but the best bet is to join forums such as this but do all the reading you can. Dont take just one authors opinions and values draw what you agree with and disregard what you think is silly. Alot of it is about feeling your own way through and making your own path. We are all here to help so ask if you have any questions.

Also dont worry about your parents. You dont have to tell them anything if you dont want too. If you have someone safe to keep your books and candles and whatever else you have them put them there and theres no need for anyone to know unless they need to :)

Thank you :)

It is your right to keep your views about spirituality private, even from your parents. There is no need to cause them distress about this.

There are probably many sites that discuss these issues as well as the Wicca section of this site. Explore past posts in this section as they may well have information that would be useful for you.

It might be prudent to clear the computer history when you’ve visited any sites that could be problematic for you w/ your parents.

If you don't want your parents to know, do it online. There are tons of posts here as Mattie says. If you really want books, try Silver Ravenwolf. She's easy to understand. To Ride a Magick Broomstick and to Stir a Magick Cauldron are two I recommend to teens. She also has one called Teen Witch that my daughter and son have both read.

[norseman]

I have PM'd a route which is very uncontraversial and would be acceptable in most religions i.e. via the study of Nature.
Books - there is so much choice and so much drivel. The best book has been mentioned, Hutton, but it is expensive and needs a degree of thought.
Dont take this the wrong way but any coven which accepts you at 14, you should run a mile from. Just be very careful, there are many phonies around.

You can get a good overview here http://www.sacred-texts.com/

In my opinion, one of the most basic, and possibly best ways to learn about the different seasons and when to celebrate the sabbats would be to purchase a farmer's almanac. The almanac is based on the Wheel of the Year because planting seasons, harvest seasons, and all other such times of the year that farmers use follow the same sabbats as Wiccans do, though obviously for different reasons.

Though it will obviously not delve into the spiritual aspect of Wicca, it will help you keep track of the change in the seasons, sunrise and setting times (if you wish to observe one or the other for spiritual reasons) and other handy things. The almanac will also be slightly easier to explain if the parents happen to find it. Some almanacs may even have a bit of historical information about each solstice/equinox, and again, though lacking in the spiritual department, would be a fair place to start perhaps..

My family is devout southern baptist. Anyone from the Southern US knows this is an incredibly close-minded sect. However, my grandmother uses and has used the almanac for years, as has our family, to coincide planting and harvesting seasons.

It may not work out, but it is a place to start perhaps.

Originally Posted by norseman

Dont take this the wrong way but any coven which accepts you at 14, you should run a mile from. Just be very careful, there are many phonies around.

I agree with Norseman. Be careful- a good coven/church/etc will probably not allow you to join without parental consent. If they do... I just think that would not be a good situation for anyone, no matter WHAT the religion is.

I didn't even think about that :l

Yea i agree with Norseman, i would run a mile :) These days it so common for people to be solitary that there is so much help out there :)