New Pagan; a few ?'s

[OceanEyes]

I'm extremely new to my path, and I'm doing lots of research and reading. I did have a couple of ?'s that I can't seem to find answers to, and I would love some opinions on something else.

First, where can I find a calendar that shows me when the Wiccan holidays are? I know there is one coming up in June, and I would kind of like to cast my first circle in celebration.

However, (and here I'd like some opinions) how long should I do research before I begin practicing? Should I wait until I can do meditations really well? (I can't now) Or is it just "do it when you feel ready"?

Second, what items would you consider 'necessities' to my altar before I begin doing rituals?

Thanks in advance, I really appreciate it.

~OceanEyes

[*~*Chary*~*]

hey merry meet and welcome

I'm Chary (Charysma) and if u would click below you can take my official MW tour

Click Here (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?threadid=16815)

[Myst]

To actually answer your questions..


Originally posted by OceanEyes
First, where can I find a calendar that shows me when the Wiccan holidays are? I know there is one coming up in June, and I would kind of like to cast my first circle in celebration.

Well this is a bad time of year to get calendars, as you probably noticed they are usually sold a few months *prior* to the year they're for. You might be able to order one from a local new age store or book store that carries Pagan books, but it might be easier to just find the dates of the sabbats and moon phases on the net somewhere and copy them down onto your own calendar, or to make a new calendar with that information.


Originally posted by OceanEyes
However, (and here I'd like some opinions) how long should I do research before I begin practicing? Should I wait until I can do meditations really well? (I can't now) Or is it just "do it when you feel ready"?

I would. I'd wait to do spells until I could sense and manipulate energy well too, and until I had a good grasp of correspondences and basic theology surrounding deities (if you thought you wanted to manipulate energy or call on deities). I studied a long time before doing any spells or rituals whatsoever, and I took a long time studying even before commiting myself to the path by dedicating myself to it.

You don't have to do this, and I know someone's going to come along and go 'oh no just jump into it' but I don't agree with that kind of thinking. If you want to just 'jump in' jump in with sensing and manipulating energy and giving yourself time to think about your beliefs and how they relate to your rituals and spells. If you don't have a good understanding of your beliefs on energy, on the holidays you want to celebrate and why, the deities you want to call on and why, and what you want to achieve and why, it's just gonna be dumb luck if you don't have a spell backfire or stuff mess up on you IMHO.

That doesn't mean you have to study for decades or years before doing anything, but do be careful. You'll have less heartache and backfire if you are confident in what you do - and if you learn to sense energy, and manipulate it, then say cast a circle and do simple candle spells, and various forms of divination, and all about correspondences and energy and so on, you'll have a solid basis of knowledge to build off of. It's like going to school to learn how to live in the world, or learning traffic rules before driving, IMHO.


Originally posted by OceanEyes
Second, what items would you consider 'necessities' to my altar before I begin doing rituals?

You don't have to have any tools to begin, or even an altar at all. In the beginning an altar gives you a center point, and a way of learning about correspondences and energy ('ok what represents fire on my altar, and why?') and that gets you in the swing of learning these things. The same thing with the tools. The tools, you will learn, simply become tools - the magic will be commanded by you and the tools only a symbol for you to use it. For instance a pretty wand will put you into a magical mindset and into spiritual thought because of the stones on it or the way it's set, but then you'll know you can just as easily use your finger to direct energy, or a feather to represent air or just to think about how air feels to you.

I know that sounds kind of complicated right now, but that's the gist of it. If you want to make a tool or find a pretty one to use do that. I personally have an athame, a wand, a chalice, and a quartz for each element. I also have a black candle for the goddess and white for the god. But in the end the only thing you need is yourself and some knowledge.

I hope this helps :)

[OceanEyes]

Actually that does help. Although I'm not really looking for a physical calendar to hang (you're right, June is a bad time of year for that, lol); I just wanted to know what the dates and/or time of year (as I know the dates vary) is that the sabbats -- I think that's what they are -- are celebrated.

Also, I'm not looking to cast spells yet -- there's no doubt in my mind that I am *not* ready for that. So I guess that kind of answers my own question about rituals - duh.

Just feeling really antsy to do something physical and tangible. :o)

Thanks again for your advice.

~OceanEyes

[Myst]

Ah. There are tangible things you could do. I know what you mean. For instance, you could start casting a circle, meditating, doing divination (tarot cards or runes or whatever), or simple candle stuff. For instance you could get a white candle and light it and send blessings to people who need them. This is a very simple spell but let's you do something useful without really any chance it could screw up. :)

[Mithrea]

Myst, you thought someone was going to come back and say to just jump in and it really sort of turned out to be you :T ;)

And now I will too. I'm not saying do something big. But I got hung up on studying and meditating and thinking about it and it almost kept me from getting to the point where I could start learning by doing. While you should still learn all you can early, little spells like blessings and making amulets and charms, erecting and dedicating an altar and things like that really help you to learn. I started out by learning color and herbal correspondences. The less you know the more mistakes you might make so you have to be really careful, but it helps that you can come to a place like MW and get advice before you just barge ahead (if you don't have a teacher already). The best beginners book I have ever seen for learning correspondences is "The Wicca Handbook" by Eileen Holland.

Here is a link that will help you with the holidays: http://www.geocities.com/Wellesley/4531/wheel.html

And there are lots of threads in Magic and Rituals that discuss correspondences and elemental representations for altars and color correspondences. The only ones I can think of off the top of my head are:

http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15530

and

http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1077

But there are tons of great threads there.

Of course, if you don't feel you are ready, by all means do not start. Just don't not start trying when you feel you are ready out of fear. Good Luck!

[OceanEyes]

Thanks very much for the input!

I actually bought the Eileen Holland book... I was attracted to the charts and lists of correspondences. Haven't begun reading it yet though, I am reading "True Magick" by Amber K.

One of my problems is I get hung-up on wanting to know EXACTLY how to go about doing things... I have a hard time just going with the flow and trusting myself.

I also have a beginner's book on Tarot and a set of Rider-Waite's that I bought last week. I haven't begun doing too much with them yet... have tons on my shelf to read right now! :o)

Thanks again, I'm going to go check out those links now.

Brightest Blessings!

[Myst]

Yeah I was! I guess what I really meant to say was don't overdue yourself by doing some elaborate spell or ritual. When you feel ready, wade in, start small and learn and grow then make things more complicated.

I have placenta brain :eek:

[Nissala]

Oceaneyes..first of all WELCOME to MW!:wave:

Second, I understand how you feel, as I have reading, studying and researching for almost 7 months now and have yet to cast my first circle or spell!! I do alot of studying and research colors, candles and herbs ( I have recently started an herb garden:D ) Take your time and when it is time for you to cast a circle or a spell you will know in your heart and mind exactly what are the right things to do and in what sequence.......as for me, my time has not yet come, but is getting really close, I can feel it....:D

In love and light,
Nissala

[*~*Chary*~*]

Hey OceanEyes ... sorry for not answering your Q's truth be told i didnt know the answer but it is my official job to welcome you and give you the tour hee hee

[OceanEyes]

That's ok! Though you did send me through there once already! :D

[*~*Chary*~*]

oh god did i ? Sorry hun ... i take it you have a newbie post in just talk then ?!?!??!!?!?!!?!