Hello everyone! I hope someone can help me. I am interested in learning about the craft and I know a little bit I'd say. Can someone tell me exactly what it takes to become a witch. For instance, what is a "normal" day like? And what things must I do? I've read up on the subject but I haven't found anything about day to day living. Any info would be helpful. How do I know I have what it takes or know if I'm meant to practice? Do I have to possess certain gifts? And how would I know what gifts, if any, that I have?
Everyone has the capability to be a Witch, which may be something you have to convince your subconscious of. (Stubborn things, subconsciouses.) What's more, being a Witch means different things to different people. To some, it just means acknowledging the sabbats and worshipping the Goddess alongside the God. To others, it means doing a brief ceremony every day. The path is different for everyone, which is kind of a principle concept in Wicca - many paths, one destination.
I'm a teenage Witch (which may give you a new perspective, at least), still in high school, and I live with my mother, who is also a Wiccan (I thank the Goddess for that every day; I'm very lucky that my family knows, accepts, and can even teach me more about my chosen path), but we also live in an extremely Christian town, so our way of life is probably different from a lot of people. My religion doesn't much affect my everyday life, other than inside my own head and heart (which I suppose is exactly where it should affect you, isn't it?). I don't usually wear a pentacle (actually, I just got mine), and my Book of Shadows is tucked away among a bunch of drawings in my room, where it's nice and safe. The only thing that my religion really affects consistently are my Sundays: I play piano for a Lutheran church for my job, and I do still participate in the service. I just see things a little differently: communion to me is somewhat akin to cakes and ale, something I noticed a few weeks into the job; in the prayers, I quietly add "and Lady" or "and Goddess" under my breath; I abstain completely from parts of the spoken prayers ("holy Catholic church", etc.); and instead of "for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ," I quietly say, "for the sake of Your sons and daughters."
As far as what you "must" do, the only thing for that as far as I'm concerned is acknowledging the Divine in all, and following the rule of harm none ("An' it harm none, do as ye will."). Everything else is a matter of preference, choice, and feeling, even how you celebrate the sabbats and/or esbats. Following the Wiccan rede (the summary: "Bide within the law ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust. Eight words the Wiccan rede fulfill: An' it harm none, do as ye will. And ever mind the Rule of Three: what ye send out comes back to thee. Follow this with mind and heart, and merry ye meet, and merry ye part.") is part of it, but even that has undergone different interpretations.
Knowing if you're meant to practice the Craft is something only you can know. If Wicca feels right to you, then it's probably your path. If it doesn't, then it's not. There are no real guidelines. Knowing you "have what it takes" - as I said, anyone can be a Witch. Each and every one of us is a priest or priestess in our own right, and the God and Goddess love each and every one of us equally. You have the right, and the ability, to practice the Craft, to work magick. You may have to work at undoing some subconscious programming it sounds like you might have, telling you you can't be a Witch, you can't do this. A lot of people do. There are no special gifts you have to have, only your own will and mind and, more than anything,
intent. Intent is a word you'll hear a lot in reference to Wicca, and that's largely what it's agreed that the Rule of Three refers to.
If you choose this path, we'll be here to help you along your way. ;3 I'm not as experienced as most of the people on here, and I'm much younger than a lot of them, but I will do my best to help where I can, just like anyone else.
