Hi, very new here and have a few questions....

[mandalinn]

I hope I am not repeating too many threads, I have been reading here nonstop as well as many books lately.

I am not quite sure as to which "path" I am closest too yet, but feel very drawn to Wiccan traditions/beliefs and that is where most of my reading has been focused. I definitely will be solitary at least in the beginning, I don't know many people down here and no one with pagan roots.

I am a water girl, the Intercoastal (Gulf of Mexico) is literally in my backyard, I went to school for zoology/marine biology, I have this STRONG affinity with dolphins and feel close with all ocean beings. It is so stong that I can't even describe it. I swam with dolphins once and literally cried afterwards because I was so moved. I was married by the ocean and it was included in our ceremony.

Any suggestions on water dieties, rituals and the like would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I would like to do something to "introduce myself" to the goddess/god tonight. I don't have any "tools" dedicated to this yet, but I am a soapmaker/candlemaker and have a lot of oils though and herbs as well as candles and bath products. I am not ready for a full ritual, but would like to do something. Any advice would be great.

Same goes for Samhain, I should be able to get some supplies by then, any opinions on what are some must haves?

Sorry for such basic questions and I hope I am not asking anything silly. I am still very new at this, but feel so drawn to it.

Amanda

[Teresa]

Ok for something simple maybe find a nice spot outside under the full moon and meditate. You do not have to do anything really elaborate.Good Luck! If you haven't read this book yet I would suggest reading Buckland's Complete Guide to Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland.:fpeace:

[RubyRose]

I hope I am not repeating too many threads, I have been reading here nonstop as well as many books lately.

I am not quite sure as to which "path" I am closest too yet, but feel very drawn to Wiccan traditions/beliefs and that is where most of my reading has been focused. I definitely will be solitary at least in the beginning, I don't know many people down here and no one with pagan roots.

I am a water girl, the Intercoastal (Gulf of Mexico) is literally in my backyard, I went to school for zoology/marine biology, I have this STRONG affinity with dolphins and feel close with all ocean beings. It is so stong that I can't even describe it. I swam with dolphins once and literally cried afterwards because I was so moved. I was married by the ocean and it was included in our ceremony.

Any suggestions on water dieties, rituals and the like would be greatly appreciated.


Deities associated with the element of water are as follows:
Poseidon/Neptune
Sobek
Aegir
Boann
Llyr
Morrigan
Gabriel
Nammu



Also, I would like to do something to "introduce myself" to the goddess/god tonight. I don't have any "tools" dedicated to this yet, but I am a soapmaker/candlemaker and have a lot of oils though and herbs as well as candles and bath products. I am not ready for a full ritual, but would like to do something. Any advice would be great.

Same goes for Samhain, I should be able to get some supplies by then, any opinions on what are some must haves?

Sorry for such basic questions and I hope I am not asking anything silly. I am still very new at this, but feel so drawn to it.

Amanda

As for rituals and tools for that matter, you don't have to have all the tools they write about in books.

Simple rituals can include basic candle devotions, prayers, and even ritualistic offerings to a God or Goddess.

Following are some elements which have been included in Self Dedication rituals: (see: http://bluemoonwicca.org/initiation.html for more)

Preparation - You may want to make tools, an altar cloth, a robe or other special items for your Self Dedication ritual. None of this is necessary but will add to special feel the experience. There may be parts of the ritual you want to memorize, but if this is difficult do not feel bad if you must write some or all of it down. We suggest that you write it by hand on nice paper rather than bringing a computer printed page into ritual. The way we achieve a feeling of being outside of time and space in ritual is by leaving those things which mark our ordinary, everyday existence. You may also want to choose a new name for yourself which you will use only in ritual. Do not feel pressured to pick one that will be perfect for you forever. People often change “magical” or “circle” names as they progress through their studies. Having a special name which you use only in ritual helps add to the special, magical feeling. Do not be tempted to use your magical name in your e-mail or on-line communications, nor should you use your on-line nick name as a magical name. Again, the idea is to leave behind the everyday world as you enter the special space of a magical circle.

Purification - This can include purifying and defining the space in which the ritual will take place, purifying yourself, and purifying the clothes, tools and other items which will be used in the ritual. Suggestions for spiritual cleansing and purifying can be found in any basic Wicca book. Do not over look physical cleaning though! Take a bath, polish your tools, sweep and dust the room (or, if working out doors pick up litter). The idea is you are making a fresh start in your life and also, you want to show the gods that you are serious.

Introductions - The main point of Self Dedication is to introduce yourself to the god(s) and goddess(s). At this point you do not have to have chosen a particular god and goddess to work with. You may not even be clear on who or what they are. What you will be declaring in your Self Dedication ritual is a desire to get to know them and to understand what you can do for them. You may also want to take this opportunity to introduce yourself to the elementals (Air, Fire, Water, Earth). Again, you do not need to have a full understanding of the nature of the elements at this point. You need only to have a desire to get to know them better.

Promises - At the very least a Self Dedication rite will include a promise to the god and goddess that you want to get to know them and that you want to understand what it fully means to be Wiccan, and that you will do your best to learn how to honor them and the Earth. Sometimes more specific promises are made during a Self Dedication ritual such as a vow to recycle, do volunteer work, read a certain number of books, meditate on a regular basis or anything else which seems appropriate to you. You may also want to made promises to each individual Element. See Class 5 for a chart of elemental correspondences which may give you some ideas for promises you can make to each Element.

Offerings - Many rituals, including one of Self Dedication, will include an offering of food and drink which is shared between the gods and the participant(s) in the ritual. This is usually in the form of wine or juice and some type of cookie, bread or cake. Fruit or nuts are good alternatives. Sometimes milk or water are substituted for the wine or juice. Incense is also considered an offering to both the gods and the Element of Air. Those offerings or parts of offerings which are not consumed by you can be placed outside under a tree, buried in the ground or placed into a stream or the ocean. If circumstances make it impossible for you to place parts of your offerings outside you can offer them symbolically by holding them in your hands and declaring that you are offering them, and then consuming them yourself so that nothing is wasted.

Journaling - If you have not yet begun to keep a journal of journey into Wicca or have not yet begun a Book of Shadows, your Self Dedication ritual is a good time to begin this discipline. You may want to keep track of such things as when you do rituals, the books or other information which inspired you, what you did, the tools and incense you used and how you felt about what you did.

This site, gives some good information regarding Samhain: http://www.dreamwater.org/moonshae/holidays/Samhainlore.htm

Bendithion,
RubyRose

[yavanna]

I am a water girl, the Intercoastal (Gulf of Mexico) is literally in my backyard, I went to school for zoology/marine biology, I have this STRONG affinity with dolphins and feel close with all ocean beings.

Awesome, I went to school for ecology. I love the earth but i'm definitely a water girl too :D

Any suggestions on water dieties, rituals and the like would be greatly appreciated.

You might check out Cunningham's Elemental Magic books (there are two). As for dieties.... Hmmm what pantheon are you interested in?

I am not ready for a full ritual, but would like to do something. Any advice would be great.

IMHO, tools just help you get into the mood and act as reseviors for pent up energy, so you can do just fine without them. To me, they're like icing.
Have you meditated yet, you could try to do a guided meditation where you meet the god and goddess on a beach or some place you feel comforatble. There are many guided meditations on the net, if you do a search I'm sure you'd find hundreds.

Same goes for Samhain, I should be able to get some supplies by then, any opinions on what are some must haves?

Just you, IMHO. You can be as simple or as complicated as you want to be. A middle of the road kind of list could be, 3 candles (orange, black and yellow) a cup for libations (apple cider, wine, whatever) and a plate for bread. I like to bury an apple for spirit food on Samhain, but really you can celebrate with just you and only you.

Sorry for such basic questions and I hope I am not asking anything silly. I am still very new at this, but feel so drawn to it.

Hey, ask away. Thats what we're here for right _happydanc

Amanda[/QUOTE]

[luna rising]

IMHO, tools just help you get into the mood and act as reseviors for pent up energy, so you can do just fine without them. To me, they're like icing.

I agree 8 bajillion percent. Sometimes folks get so wrapped up in the things they think they are supposed to have that they lose track of the heart and the emotion, and those are really the only tools you need.

Best of luck to you, and welcome!:welcome:

[Kalika]

Check out the Pagan FAQ's also, right here on MW. :)

http://www.mysticwicks.com/forumdisplay.php?f=155

[mandalinn]

Thanks so very much everyone.

I went outside last night and lit a candle, meditated and just talked, it actually surprised me. I felt very warm and tingly and then a rush of power and all I could see was the candle, then it was gone. That was a very odd sensation and a first for me.

It seems that so many things have been blocking me in my path, but now it is starting to come together.

I am so happy to have found this place, everyone is so giving of themselves.