Beginner guide to being a wiccan

[deermaiden]

Dear Witches, Wiccans!

I would like to start Wicca but I don't know how. Could you please help me? Thank you! I am an absolute beginner.

[fruitbat]

The book 'Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner' by Scott Cunningham is a fantastic place to start. Or, 'The Modern Guide to Witchcraft' by Skye Alexander. I'd say give those a skim, or, if this option is available to you, what I did when I first started was to just go to a bookstore and let myself be drawn to whatever book felt right to me.

If you're not in a position or buy or borrow books, or can't use them for whatever other personal reason, let me know, I'll see if I can dig up some resources for you ^^

[FoxTracks]

Deermaiden,

There are basically four things that make one a Wiccan, although one doesn't necessarily apply.

1.) I'll start with the one that doesn't necessarily apply. Are you sure that you want to be a Wiccan, and not part of the broader group known as witches? Some consider only those initiated into a Coven that is part of certain longstanding "traditions" of witchcraft to be Wiccans. Others think if you follow the other three parts of this list, than you can call yourself Wiccan. It's honestly open for debate but there has been a trend to make Wiccan a more specific term that I've noticed.

2.) Celebrate or observe the Sabbats and the Esbats. The Sabbats are the holidays falling either on an equinox/solstice or midway between them, and follow the rhythms of the Earth and the seasons. Esbats are simply full moons. Lots of witches like to mark the new moon somehow too, even if it is simple. A lot of magic(k) is worked on these days.

3.) Worship (or at least deeply honor) Deity. In Wicca, the major Deities are the God and Goddess, the two halves of the whole that is the divine, the divine Masculine and Feminine. All other Deities are considered to be archetypes or aspects of the God and Goddess, although whether you believe these gods and goddesses to be conscious on their own or have a seperate self is up to you. There tends to be a trend in Wicca towards viewing them as archetypes, although I am not Wiccan, I am a Witch, so I'm not exactly the expert. I can only give you the basics.

4.) Practice magic(k.) Cast spells. Work your witchy muscles!

I would recommend some reading, some study. As a Witch, you will never stop learning. There is only so much a book can do for you though. A lot of what you learn from being a which will be by having your own practice, by working spells, by performing ritual, by worshipping. The energies of the work and the gods and goddesses will teach you as much, and eventually more, than any book ever could. But to get started you will need a solid foundation and some inspiration. So buy a few books and read them. I have heard good things about Scott Cunninghams books so thats not a bad place to start. It is showing its age a bit, being published in 1988, so some more modern sources would be good too. I start with Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin and it does a pretty good job of getting you started right off the bat.