Specific paths anyone might know of?

[HolyDiver777]

Ok, not necessarily that I want to fit in, but I do want to feel like I belong to some path based on my beliefs because one day I might like to practice with a coven. As far as I know this would be hard to achieve if everybody wasn't pretty much on the same page as far as beliefs go. So anyway, I was hoping if I wrote down my core beliefs if someone might know what path I might have beliefs in common with.

As far as gods and goddesses are concerned, I belive what is known as soft-polytheism I guess. I do believe in The All, one main source where god is everything and everything is god. From this force, is the male and female figures, the God and Goddess. I don't believe they are just symbols. I believe they are in fact real, but the pantheons used that stem from them is what I believe are just aspects of the Lord and Lady.

As far as creation goes, I don't think any scientific theory created the God and Goddess. I think those spirits were already here and though the creation of the world may have been the Big Bang theory or whatever, I believe the God/Goddess made that happen. I do believe reincarnation is possible because a lot of things in nature die and come back again and it is possible for humans to do the same. Whether or not reincarnation happens, I do believe in an afterlife. I don't believe in two separate places like Heaven and Hell. I believe in one place for everybody, though everybody may not know everybody....such as some people will have it better than others based on their actions in the past world.

As far as things I am most interested in making part of my practice, I feel drawn to moon magick, home made herbs, incenses and oils, candle magick, working with food, brewing, and divination, particularly runes. I am most interested in plants & herbs, planting them myself and using them for healing remedies and things like that.

When it comes to ethics, the Rede makes since because I do believe in karma. I do think we should all strive to be good people, but I also recognize that we are not completely good by nature and Wicca seems like it is about being good....just good...no recognizing the negative side of yourself. I for one, feel that people have negativity for a reason, that at times anger should be channeled into something. Ya know, if someone was harassing me and I did everything I could mundanely to get this person to leave me alone and it didn't work, I would be really pissed off and I wouldn't necessarily be feeling the whole peace and love thing. A revenge spell would suit me in certain situations. I wouldn't do something to make someone seriously ill or whatever, but just something where they could feel my anger and disgust. (I don't know what kind of spell this would be because I haven't really looked into it. I'm just saying as far as beliefs go, this is something I would do.)

I suppose that if someone had done something really bad, Wiccans wouldn't go to drastic measures to make a person feel their anger or punish them, they would say karma will get them. I feel that I am that bad guy's karma when I seek revenge on them. Kind of like Christians saying God will punish those who do wrong. I don't want to leave it up to the gods or karma to always punish people. If someone gets in my way, maybe I'd like to deal with it. So I don't know if that's really wrong, but it is how I feel.

Also, I believe in certain creatures, like faeries, and I don't know if that puts me in any particular path or not. I know there are traditions devoted to faeries and spells and stuff. I haven't looked into it. I'm just saying I believe in them...I believe in a lot of little creatures out there that could help Witches or whatever.

Theres probably many more questions I should think about but this is what I have for now. I don't think anyone's gonna have my path picked out for me cuz there's still a lot of research I'd like to do. But I do think some people could help me by giving me a small list of what sounds like me so I can do that research.

[Deerwoman]

You sound like a polytheistic Neopagan to me, and the rest defined solitary eclectic witchcraft. Not all Wiccan traditions are peace and love, some do practice cursing and darker workings - your overall beliefs sounded a lot like the basic foundations of Wicca. For you I'd recommend checking out BTW Wiccan traditions, Traditional Witchcraft, and Green and/or Hedge Witchery.

[HolyDiver777]

You sound like a polytheistic Neopagan to me, and the rest defined solitary eclectic witchcraft. Not all Wiccan traditions are peace and love, some do practice cursing and darker workings - your overall beliefs sounded a lot like the basic foundations of Wicca. For you I'd recommend checking out BTW Wiccan traditions, Traditional Witchcraft, and Green and/or Hedge Witchery.

Ah yes I do have a book on Green Witchcraft & most of the rituals described in there felt right to me. Thanks!

[Lunacie]

You sound like a polytheistic Neopagan to me, and the rest defined solitary eclectic witchcraft. Not all Wiccan traditions are peace and love, some do practice cursing and darker workings - your overall beliefs sounded a lot like the basic foundations of Wicca. For you I'd recommend checking out BTW Wiccan traditions, Traditional Witchcraft, and Green and/or Hedge Witchery.

Not all Wiccan traditions feel they must choose between light and love vs cursing and hexing. I believe most of the traditional Wiccan groups believe in the Law of Balance, and if what is needed to maintain the balance or prevent it from tipping too far into harmful things they are willing to do whatever may be necessary, such as doing a binding. It's not about "revenge", it's about "the law of returns" or justice.

One of the oldest tenets of Witchcraft (which is a major part of Wicca) is that one must know how to harm as well as heal. It's all part of that "balance."

Anyhoo HolyDiver, drop in at the Wicca Path forum (linkie in my siggie below) and check out the thread that is stickied: Core Beliefs and Practices of Wicca. The discussion that follows might tell you more about whether Wicca feels like something you'd like to learn more about.

[HolyDiver777]

I did some reading on Traditional Witchcraft today and their only ethics is pretty much human nature, judging for yourself whether or not your intentions are right. This felt more like me, except I read that most of them don't recognize the Lord and Lady or any other gods/goddesses, and I thought that the reason Wiccans today believe in that was because those of the Old Religion did believe in certain gods/goddesses.

Also, as far as the Rede goes, I'm sure it is also implied mundanely. For instance, when I went to school I really wanted to beat up this one girl and I didn't because I was in foster care and I would have got in major trouble. But now if I ever saw her out, I would definately go through with that old desire, and I don't think a Wiccan would. The only thing is, I couldn't say I was Wiccan if my views went against those who practice that religion.

I do really like the idea of Green Witchcraft though. I have The Green Witch's Grimoire, which is a great book and if I could read more about it, I might find it a very suiting path. I'll check out more about Wicca in the paths section though. Thanks for helping me out. :)

[Lunacie]

Taking personal responsibility is a big factor in the Wiccan religion. And although traditional Wiccan groups worship a particular god and goddess, the individual person within the group or as a solitary practicioner is welcome to connect with any god or goddess (or multiples) when they aren't working with the group.

But I think all that is covered in the Core Beliefs thread in the Wicca Path forum.

[Deerwoman]

I'm glad you found a path that speaks to you HolyDiver, but keep in mind that the majority of books out there on "Green Witchraft" are really just Wicca with a "green" spin.


I did some reading on Traditional Witchcraft today and their only ethics is pretty much human nature, judging for yourself whether or not your intentions are right. This felt more like me, except I read that most of them don't recognize the Lord and Lady or any other gods/goddesses, and I thought that the reason Wiccans today believe in that was because those of the Old Religion did believe in certain gods/goddesses.
I'm a traditional witch and I believe in the old gods. With Traditional Witchcraft it's a choice - to be polytheistic, monotheistic, pantheistic, animistic, or even atheist. I just wanted you to know there are religious traditional witches in all types and forms. We do have ethics, but we're more about personal responsibility and self-development than following one set of rules which may not apply to every individual.