DISCUSSION: How Did You Start?

[Jen]

I have seen and known things I should not have. Since I was a young a child this is just how my life has always been. I have had visions of myself of what I will look like every 5 years. I have seen a lot of odd things. I am a go with your gut kinda gal. If I get a vibe about someone I trust it. So I talked to a witch and found out I cast a spell. I was 19 and had a crush on this guy who had no idea I was even on the same planet. So I put on a song on and wrote a note. The note consited of how I felt and that I would not once that song was over. When the music was over I ripped up the note. And did not think of him again until one month ago.

I was depressed, sad and unmotivated. Now I am happy and resarching what my path, purpose and life will be. With Christianity I felt like I was having to hide who and what I was. But with witchcraft it just feels like it is all just a part of life. I do not feel ashamed, just feel connected. Like all the pieces of the puzzle were there they were scattered because I refused to put them together. I am just studying right now and really enjoying what I am learning. Love reading these stories by the way.

[BabyBear]

this is an interesting thought lol

lets see, i guess i would have to say i started on the path young around 9.
Since i was born I had been seeing ghost, a lot of physical and emotional empathy also started happening when i was young. I had a way of drawing animals to me and although i tried to block everything out, like i use to actually see my spirit guide, my wolf, all the time and play with him and listen to him but i was always being told he wasnt real, i need to grow up and stuff like that so i tried to block him out, same as the spirits i saw and ignore if i was hurting or something (stuff i still do today to be honest).

anyway when I was about 9 I saw the movie Practical Magic and it all liked clicked, my abilities, my love of mythology and magic, my constant questioning of Christianity, everything. From then on I would go to the library and try to find books on anything "witch craft" or "spell" based, granted I was nine and getting books like harry potter, book on Greek gods, mythology and tarot card books (i got this whole mini tarot card deck that came in little sheets you had to tear into cards and it came with this mini book on what the card meant and everything). I got a pentagram necklace for protection the next year and started search under wiccan and pagan in freshmen year and shall as they say say the rest is history. I would alternate from hiding what i believed to practicing with a friend during 10th and 11th grade who was learning from an older women in Jacksonville when she would go to her dads every other weekend. We would spend our class time passing notes about crystals and divination lol the good old days lol.
To where i am now just hoping that i do what is right for me, gain back my full abilities, and work with what i know now.

[Nightwatcher]

At my 13th birthday party, a casual friend of mine got me a little Wiccan starter spell kit which included a book. I then never saw her again; I don't even remember her face!!! Now I kind of wonder if it was my Lady once again smacking me (metaphorically) over the head to pay attention to her. XD I did a ritual for making special herb water to help with skin impurities. It worked VERY well and I was so happy. When the New Moon came later, I did a cleansing ritual and I felt so calm.

4 years ago something happened to break my spirit (long story, not the point) and now that I'm finally done with university I feel a HEAVY pull; probably my Lady again smacking me over the head and telling me to stop being stupid and do what I need to do. XD So tonight I'll be doing my first ritual in 4 years!!! I was nervous and scared but as today goes on, I've been getting more and more excited. ^-^

[CarlieMichelle]

I had first heard about Wicca from my Aunt but my first book was Scott Cunningham's "Living Wicca, guide for the solitary pracitioner" also. From then on, I read more and more of his books and started practicing. I also enjoyed learning from reading Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft and "To Ride a SIlver Broomstick." I still have most of my books and actually just started re reading them. I can never learn too much.

[Sakura Blossom]

Ooh, how did I start. Well, unlike a lot of people I've seen on here, I was actually raised in a pagan/wiccan household. I was baptized, as this was before my parents realized they didn't agree with that religion. They started moving towards Wicca (my mom did, at least) and I would practice with her by doing circles and I remember we always celebrated Yule with the log and mom would read us stories from this book called "The Sacred Circle" or something like that. I really can't remember what it is, I just know it had "Circle" In it. Haha.

Then they stopped practicing and I forgot all about it until I hit my early, early teen years and realized I had some psychic abilities. I started exploring it again, first looking into the usual Wicca you see when you think of Wicca, that being the worship of the Lord and Lady. I read Silver Ravenwolf's Teen Witch, and despite some of the reviews I've seen, I honestly like it. It still helps me to this day, to get back to the basics even though I do not follow that specific path anymore.

Things have really evolved, though, since 7 years ago. Haha. But it's really fun to grow. (:

[jennybug]

My beginnings were accidental really! I was 12 or 13 and reading a teen magazine when I came across an article about a teenage witch. She spoke of how her mother had raised her in the craft etc. So a few days later I went out and bought her mothers book 'Spells for the witch in you' (Well actually I got my dad to buy it. He thought it had something to do with Sabrina the teenage witch! Needless to say, I introduced my friend to it to and we both took it from there.

She had a tough time with it over the years, even having her mother go so far as to take all her books and altar supplies and throw them out I had it a bit easier as my parents just thought it was a phase. Over the years when times got tough, I got overwhelmed and pulled away from it. Now I realise these are the times I could have done with my faith the most! Sometimes I still get overwhelmed, I think maybe I need to go back to basics and start fresh
BB

[Zili]

Which time? I was back and forth for the longest time unable to let go of the Catholic teachings I was raised with.

The first time I performed my own dedication ceremony that was rather stupid and lacked any true meaning. The second time was with a deck of cards when I did my first readings and all I had was a few crystals and my deck. The third time, my prayer stick found its way to me and that sealed it.

[cloverfox]

I guess around the time I was a preteen I somehow came across Teen Witch by Silver Ravenwolf. I can't even remember if I actually read it or not but had always been attracted to witchy and mystical things. My mom was a spiritual lady and passed it on to me I suppose.

My friend and I at one point tried to create our own religion, sort of similar to Wicca I suppose and she and I would put on seances and play light as a feather stiff as a board at parties and just loved being apart of it.

I remained interested but not dedicated into my later teens and didn't really start getting back into it until I was early 20's then went through a divorce at 23 and am just now starting to gravitate towards it again at 27.

I would do so much reading and writing pertaining to Wicca and just learn everything I could, but have been through so many slumps! Although it seems like something many people go through, but it's really just something that never REALLY leaves you It always finds a way back.

I wouldn't say that I'm "dedicated" to any sort of craft, but I like to talk to God and Goddess and think about them daily. I guess I just incorporate it into my life through thoughts and energies and feel like that is enough for me at the moment.

[Mythasaurus_Rex]

Hi! I don't blame you for feeling overwhelmed at first. I first started introducing myself to Wicca when I was about 15 years old. I read everything I could get my hands on and skimmed through books and talked to a pagan friend I had about it and learned a little from her too. I didn't actually start getting into Wicca itself though until last Samhain and knew then that I wanted to be Wiccan for the rest of my life. So I can understand feeling like it's a bit overwhelming and feel like there's so much to learn BEFORE you decide.

To let you in on a secret I still feel overwhelmed when I perform my rituals and like there's still so much for me to learn that I haven't even scratched the surface but I don't let it get me down. I use that as motivation to keep going, keep learning and keep growing. Ya gotta start somewhere and once you become more comfortable try easing yourself into practicing. You'll know when it's time. :wink2:

[SpiritTalker]

I was led by my spirit-guide to Scott Cunningham's Solitary Wicca I practiced casting circle daily. it was a handy short-cut to learning raising & directing energy needed to do spells later. Early spells were property boundary & home protection spells, dream pouches, mixed spices & teas to aid psychism & dream recall. I already meditated occasionally so made it a daily priority. I'd kept notes in a cheap notebook so eventually I had something to start my 1st BOS with. I went to public pagan meet ups & open programs locally & any relevant public lectures I could find thru 5 local colleges.

[Corbin]

A website called Flames Firepit had articles that really fired up the ole neurons and filled the empty spaces left by books, gutted when it went away as I absolutely devoured its content at the time.

[Stitchwitch]

I only started in early December, so I guess everything I'm doing now is part of how I'm getting started. As far as spellwork, though, food and tea magic have come really naturally and were my first steps into practice. My beliefs rely heavily on symbolism, and finding the right ingredients to support my intentions has been very intuitive and motivating.

I've also done some really rewarding shadow work, starting with the eclipse last month. I do spells with a lot of my self-care, too, so it's all very integrated into my normal routine.

I'm working on respecting my home as a sacred space. It's a new-to-me apartment so I'm carefully selecting new decor and furniture for each room to support my intentions and casting spells as part of my cleaning. I'm building two altars, one in my kitchen and a more private one in my bedroom.

I'm also starting a bee garden on my balcony with plants that can be used in my spellwork. As the weather warms up the garden will be a new meditation space for me.

As to how I got started with witchcraft as a path, I was lamenting to my husband that I wished I believed in witchcraft, but that I couldn't accept a deity and that magic (as it's popularly portrayed) obviously doesn't work. This led to some internet searches on the topic, specifically definitions of magic(k) and different paths. After ridding myself of some misconceptions, it started to click. The philosophy surrounding hearth witchery especially resonated with me and it's been witchcraft ever since