Wicca Beginner Tips

Newcomers to Wicca often feel a little lost as to where they should start. This article offers advice in the first year of study as a new Wiccan to build a solid foundation for years to come.

Those who are seeking a new path in life and moving away from the mainstream faiths for whatever reason often come across Wicca. After learning about the very basics of what Wicca is, beginners typically jump right on in without always understanding what it is they're jumping into.

Traditionally in Wicca, you have to be initiated into a coven before you can call yourself Wiccan. Before you're accepted into the coven, you first have to spend a year and a day studying the faith.

But as Wicca has evolved to include looser groups and solitary Wiccans, newcomers are often left to figure out where to start on their own. The following tips will help the beginner navigate through all the chaos of information publicly available today.

Year and a Day

The traditional requirement of a year and a day study before initiation into a coven was set in place for a reason. Today, beginners learn about ritual and tools almost immediately. However, that kind of knowledge originally was presented during the initiation ritual.

Study, then, needs to be focused on the faith and other areas.

The main topics to begin with are the history of Wicca, beliefs of Wicca, and the structure of Wicca. In studying these three areas you'll find that there are some areas of controversy and a distinct difference between what makes one a Wiccan, Witch and/or Warlock, and Pagan.

Although a Wiccan is all three, the terms most certainly are not interchangeable. You will study many other areas; however, you should have history, beliefs, and structure mastered by the end of your year and a day study.

Take the time during this year to pay close attention to nature in your local area:

How do the seasons differ from one another?
What marks the transition from one season to the next?
What wildlife is in your area?
What roles do they play?
What plants grow in your neighborhood?
Are there any features to your area that are different from others, such as mountains, waterfalls, forests, etc.?

As you study the Sabbats, match the information you come across with your local area. Much of what you read in books on the Sabbats will apply to the geography of western European countries.

To build a real connection with the earth, then, you need to learn about the land you are in.

Be Honest

Specifically, be honest with yourself. As you learn what Wicca is, you may find that you don't actually resonate with Wicca.

Maybe you were drawn to Wicca because of Witchcraft and spellcasting but failed to realize that Wicca is a specific religion that incorporates Witchcraft. There's absolutely nothing wrong in being a Witch and not a Wiccan (and some will joke that it's better to be just a Witch).

Maybe the reverse is true; you're drawn to the idea of a central Goddess and God, but have no interest in developing psychic and magickal skills (or simply lack the patience and dedication to do so properly) associated with being a Witch. Many other Pagan faiths closely resemble Wicca and share this same concept of deity.

If at any point you find that Wicca isn't the path for you, don't feel obligated to stick with it. Wicca does not judge against those who choose to walk another path.

Source: NASA Still Image

Psychic Development & Quantum Physics

These two subject areas will help you the most as you step into the world of Witchcraft and real magick. We all have different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to what's known as extrasensory perception.

Learning to trust and increase your abilities will help you immensely in your craft.

As you study psychic development, make protection magick and psychic protection a top priority. Those who are sensitive to energy are also more susceptible to attacks (intentional and unintentional).

As such, think of protection as new hygiene. Taking a shower every day is good hygiene for the body. Cleansing and protection magick is good hygiene for the psyche.

As for quantum physics, you don't have to study so in-depth that you understand terminology and formulas that'll make the average person's head spin. What you want to study are the basic concepts with a focus on energy.

Anyone can mimic the motions to cast a circle and use tools and props while reciting some words (it's called fancy prayer by some). However, not everyone can do real magick.

Magick is using your energy to work with other energies to manipulate energy to manifest real changes in the universe by your Will. Although many magickal practitioners (who do real magick) can do so without knowledge of quantum physics, the knowledge creates a great foundation for understanding how real magick works and how you can do it yourself.

Avoid the Urge to Convert

When we find the path that's right for us, we get so excited we want everyone to know all about it. It's so perfect for us, surely it'll be just as perfect for others!

Actually, no. You found the path right for you, not the path right for everyone.

No matter how much you feel you know, you aren't immediately ready to speak as a representative of the faith.

Imagine: You study a little on Wicca. About two months in, you get really excited and tell your best friend all about it.

Your best friend responds with interest (not always sincerely). You tell them everything you know and fill in the gaps with your current understanding. Your friend takes what you say as gospel on the faith and continues to spread the information.

As the years go on, you continued to study and realize that what you thought of the path in your first few months was all wrong. Your best friend, however, didn't study aside from what you shared and still holds all that wrong information as truth.

Worse yet, your best friend has acted as an expert just as you had and has now shaped the opinions of dozens or more of others on the topic of Wicca using that information you now realize to be incorrect.

Bottom line, there's absolutely nothing wrong with being excited. There is nothing wrong with sharing what you have learned with others. However, be aware that words can stick and that what you say will impact others to varying degrees.

In your first year (preferably the first few), your focus needs to be on your own learning and not encouraging others to learn. This isn't to say you shouldn't network with others who may be on a similar path and at a similar level.

We all have knowledge to share. However, if you're new to a faith, you aren't an expert on the subject and those you speak with should be made aware of this fact.

Source: Wikimedia

Never Stop Learning

Like other paths, Wicca encourages thinking for oneself and self-improvement.

Even after you complete your year and a day study (assuming you don't find that a different path resonates more with you), you aren't done learning.
Even after you become someone who is well-versed in Wicca and are sought for advice, you aren't done learning.
Even when you become a subject matter expert and a representative of Wicca, you aren't done learning.
Even when you grow into elder status and are a respected Wiccan, you aren't done learning.

There's far more to learn in this world than any one person can learn in a lifetime. Branch out and learn about everything.

Wicca is only a part of life. Look into other paths and disciplines. Research different philosophies and sciences. Aspire to understand what enlightenment is and how it can be reached.

Don't be lazy and idle in your studies and you'll find that Wicca will be a satisfying religion, spiritual and magickal path, and lifestyle for the rest of your days.