What most people who complain about the scarceness
of Wicca Advanced publications don’t seem to realize is that writing about Advanced
Wicca is very near impossible, because nobody can really pin down what an Advanced
Wiccan is.
People
perform Pagan rituals because they get something out of it. Some people cast circles and practice spell
work, some seek the Gods, and others are looking to draw closer to the natural
world. These are all very different
things, but they do have one thing in common: they all involve people looking for
more outside of themselves. Ritual can
certainly be introspective, but eventually it
comes down to finding our place in this world.
Ask any ten Wiccans who have been around for more
than five years what the most important aspects of their practice are, and
you’ll get ten very different sets of answers. This is a good post to leave a comment, because I cannot cover all the different answers. Wicca as a religion is not that complicated. You learn the essentials, like how to cast a
Circle, what the holidays are, what the tools are, and after that, then what?
Beyond Wiccan basics, many people begin to
specialize. What one person finds
meaningful will not be all that appealing to another. Some want to learn to lead group rituals and
teach; some don’t. Some decide to focus
their practice on healing and become massage therapists, herbalists or
midwives. Some lean toward a more
shamanic approach and learn about trance dance, drumming, and astral
journeying. Some want to learn more
about ceremonial magick. Some would
rather learn about plants and make things grow.
Wicca does not have long term goals like heaven or nirvana. Norse have a hope of getting to Valhalla - or
at least staying away from Nastrand. And
we all have the seasons and the moon, cycling around the year. A never ending circle of life. But what else is there? Wicca is still a growing religion; so how do
you grow and go deeper in your practices?
You deepen your understanding of those basics, and
then you branch out, adding different subjects and techniques that you consider
vital to your own personal practice. You
find ways to integrate your Spirituality into your daily life.
There is actually a lot of things to learn in
Wicca. Listen to podcasts. Travel to sacred sites and your ancestors
home. Read books. Attend gatherings. Do daily rites. Write a book.
Talk to others, Pagan and Non-Pagan...
Learn about plants. Get out into nature. Pick up a book on your local flora and fauna,
spend time in the woods, grow a selection of herbs in your kitchen, or a flower
or vegetable garden outside. Many Urban
Pagans have access to roof top gardens or city parks. More Rural Pagans should try and challenge
their plant knowledge, such as going to a different forest. Watch the animals and look at the rocks as
well. Take a class on horticulture at
your local college extension. Volunteer
at a local metro park or nature center.
Plant
magic is an age old tradition dating back to ancient Egyptian times, it has been
used for many purposes such as healing, self empowerment, love spells and
protection. Each plant has its own
magical properties and strengths and can be used to add power to any kind of
spell. With their multiple uses, plant
magic is one of the most popular arts used today. Study up on the Doctrine of Signatures so
that by the time you're out on your own, you'll know exactly why herbs work the
way they do.
Study history.
There's more to history than what was at school. If Celtic history is more your flavor, grab a
copy of Ronald Hutton's The Druids or Peter Beresford Ellis' books on the
Celts. Or, for the Norse culture, the
Germanic Poetic Edda, a collection of stories first written down about a
thousand years ago. Choose the history you
want to learn about and learn it.
If you are interested in Anglo-Saxon customs, take
a look at Swain Wodening’s Path to the Gods:
Anglo-Saxon
Paganism for Beginners and Hammer of the Gods:
Anglo-Saxon
Paganism in Modern Times. How
about learning about rune stones and Viking travels? Or about Seidr's in history. A side note, Seidr and Norse Magic is a very
advanced practice with limited written historical content so talking with
others will be helpful. There are other
sources out there, including blogs, sites to visit, books and websites that
contain good information. Later on, as
you practice, you'll understand rituals a lot better if you can imagine them in
a historical context.
Get cooking.
If you can learn to follow a recipe, you can learn to follow spell and
ritual instructions. Not only that,
Pagans will have a potluck at the drop of a hat, and you don't want to be
showing up with a box of Chips Ahoy when your coven folk have all spent hours
making casseroles. If you don't know
your way around your home's kitchen, now's the time to learn.
Breathe and eat correctly is one of the Thirteen
Goals of a Witch. Our religious
tradition has no dogma, so different Paths will define terms like ethical
eating or dietary values in different ways. Dietary habits and choices play a significant
role in health, mortality and can also define cultures and play a role in
religion. Blessings and thanks can also
be given before eating.
Volunteer. Some schools require their students to do a
certain amount of community service, and if you go to one of them, then you're
a step ahead. Most covens and groves also
expect their members to be useful members of the community as well. Spend a few hours each week volunteering at
your local library shelving books, or at the animal shelter scooping up dirt. If you live in a city, then there is at least
one homeless shelter that helps homeless people with meals, beds and other
services.
Doing harm to anything, even by
neglect or apathy,
violates Wiccan ethics. Volunteering is
generally considered an unselfish
activity and is intended to promote good or improve human quality of life. In return, this activity can produce a
feeling of self-worth and respect. You'll
gain the ability to do things for others with no expectation of payment.
Study religion.
Okay, I know it sounds trivial, why would you want to study
Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Scientology, Whatever to go deeper into
Wicca? Well, a lot of times there's a
lot more there than you've really paid attention to. Many religions have narratives, symbols,
traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to
explain the origin of life or the universe. They tend to derive morality, ethics,
religious laws or a preferred lifestyle from their ideas about the cosmos and
human nature. And if you studied
history, you will find many times when religions mix and/or take on local
cultures into their own practices. Such
as Christian Easter with rabbits and eggs coming from Pagan Spring Equinox with
rabbits and eggs.
If you've grown up in a certain faith, you probably
take it for granted. Take some time to
really ask questions. Go in depth, and
figure out what it is you disagree with or agree with. What is science? Is Christmas Pagan? Who is God?
Where are humans? Meditation
vs. Prayer? You may find that
the religion you've been brought up in isn't so bad after all, even if it's not
the right one for you, and you'll certainly gain a better understanding.
Look at the stars. For the ancients, so much of what they knew
was determined by tracking the movement of the stars in the heavens. Learn about the constellations, the movement
of the planets, all the things that go on thousands of light years away. If your city has a planetarium, go
there.
Pay attention to the phases
of the moon. Practice moon rites such as
the Esbats. The
moon's regular phases make it a very convenient timepiece and the periods of
its waxing and waning form the basis of many of the oldest calendars. In many traditions of modern Pagan cosmology,
all things are considered to be cyclical, with time as a perpetual cycle of
growth and retreat tied to the sun's annual death and rebirth. It will come in useful later on, particularly
if you develop an interest in astrology.
Get healthy.
Part of a well-balanced life includes taking care of yourself not only
spiritually but physically. Exercise,
even if it's just going for a walk on your lunch period. Take a yoga class or meditate daily. Eat a balanced diet. Add whole grains into your diet, cut back on
sugars and empty calories. You can tie
this into your new cooking lessons too - learn to prepare healthy meals for
your entire family.
Exercise the body is one of the Thirteen Goals of a
Witch, along with breathe, meditate and eat correctly. This is a difficult goal for many people but
it is an important one. Our bodies are
wondrous things that the God and Goddess have blessed us with. We should respect the bodies we have been
given and keep them in shape.
Trace your roots. Since
time immemorial, humans have experienced feelings of warm attachment not only
to parents, siblings and close family, but also to the generations of family
members who preceded us. The love and
respect we hold for both the living and the departed are the basis of strong
families and caring communities, and ultimately, they are what bind us as a
society.
Think you might be interested in Norse religion
because your family's Scandinavian?
Great - start learning about your ancestors. Figure out who they were, where they came
from, what they did, etc. There are a
ton of great genealogy resources on the web to get you started and this is a
project you can share with your whole family.
Be a steward of the
Earth. Nearly all
Pagans and Wiccans regard our planet as sacred!
Our Gods and Goddesses can be found in oceans, rivers, forests and
mountains. In many cultures, Earth is
the primal Mother of most acknowledged Goddesses and powers. Some pre-Christian cultures envision a World
Tree that binds the universe together.
In Norse mythology, Jord was the personification of the Earth.
Take some time to learn about things you can do to
help save the planet. Pick up trash
along the roadside and recycle or reuse it.
Begin a recycling program at your workplace if you don't have one. Organize a newspaper collection drive and
donate the money to an Earth-friendly organization. The Earth is our mother, so learn to treat
her with honor.
Learn a skill. Most Norsemen were all-round handymen, but
some had special skills. There were farmers,
potters, leather-workers and smiths. Most
Viking men knew how to handle and build a boat. And many men and women could fight to protect
the family or to support their chieftain. Women did spinning and weaving. They looked after the children, made the
family's clothes and cooked the two meals a day most families ate. On the farm, women and children milked the animals
and made cheese. My own ancestors were
farmers, saloon keepers, miners, dress makers, ship navigators and more.
If you join a coven, if that's what you want to do,
one question that may be asked of you is, "What can you do for us?" Maybe you can say, "Well, I sew so I
could help people make ritual robes and I taught myself metalworking so I'm
good at making jewelry". Learn to
do something with your hands - it not only occupies the body, but the mind as
well. Find something you love and
practice it until you've turned it into something beautiful. As you are making the item, keep the God or
Goddess you are honoring in mind. This can also come in handy later as
something to sell and make money.
Wicca is not just about choosing a divinatory tool or
finding your power animal. It’s about
living the Path, having sanctity and purpose infuse your every cell.
One of the best ways you could personally honor our
Gods and Goddesses, is to live a life of which they are proud. A life with strength and honor. Raising our
families, we're loyal to our friends, and we get things done.
The Divine watch to see what we do with these lives
they have given us. If they are proud of who we are and what we do, on
occasion, in times of need they will give us a nudge, or a bit of wisdom, or
some much needed luck.
Try
to establish a daily routine. It's easy
to let your studies go by the wayside if you're all by yourself, so
establishing a daily routine will help you keep on task. Whether your routine includes meditation, jewelry
making, writing poetry, reading, gardening, ritual work, or whatever, try to do
something each day that helps you work towards achieving your spiritual
studies.
Continue
learning and growing and be willing to accept that sometimes new knowledge will
come from unexpected sources. There
is no right or wrong way to be friends with the Divine. No one can tell you how to do this. Let the Divine and your own nature guide you.
