new name?

[julie]

I am a very new pagan through a lot of research I have found that a special name is given how do you go about getting one and also finding a teacher? I am very intrsted in practicing but do not know excactly where to begin the material I have has conflicts in them so I am confused Please give me some direction thank you

[RubyRose]

Well the way I went about getting my magickal name was simple, I wrote down, all the things I liked for example: fave flowers, gemstones, colours, seasons, dieties, then I went about narrowing down my list, and somewhere in amongst doing that, I found my name, or it found me as the case was.

Other ways, you can find your name are by meditation, though I don't really know much about that as I haven't really delved into it, other wise trust your intuition, it will most likely be your best bet, and don't worry. A magickal name is not critical to the praticing of Paganism, your name will come in due time ... don't fret

[RubyRose]

As for finding a teacher, try finding those in your area, who might be willing to teach you, or alternatively you can follow your own path, and learn by yourself as a solitary (like I have chosen to do), partly because I have yet to find, any instructors, within proximity to where I live in Perth Australia. But only you can know what feels right for you, whether it be learning with a teacher or on your own, both are quite okay, neither one (I find) is inferior to the other.

[Cerulean]

Many have asked the same question as you about what guidance to follow. Look at these threads to see the answers.

[mothwench]

having a teacher can be dodgy, i agree with ruby rose and go my own path, there's enough info on the internet or in libraries. i can imagine nothing worse than finding out the hard way that your teacher was wrong. if you aquire a good basic knowledge of
-history and prehistory (yes, it's a drag)
-folklore (mythology, fairy tales, superstitions...)
-nature (herbs, animals, trees, crystals, metals, elements)
you should be ok on your own.

as for your name, just pick what feels right for you, but keep in mind that there is an ocean of fairyravenwillowwhatevers, and i for one have a hard time keeping them all apart.

enjoy yourself, searching the path is an important and eventful stage in your life. :)

edited to add: if you change your name, tell us, won't you?

[Jenett]

Names:

It depends. Some people pick their own, some people are given one as part of training. Some traditions require one at a specific point (most commonly at initiation, but not always), others don't care. (And of course, if you're working on your own, a lot of that may not apply to you).

I have two: one I use only in circle/ritual and which I don't share except with people very close to me and the other (Jenett) which I use publically online and in my local Pagan community (It's a lot more distinctive than my given name, which is Jennifer). Both names were picked because they had associations I wanted to bring into my life, or to focus on more.

Teaching:

As far as finding a teacher: I think the *right* teacher can be amazing - however, there are lots of things that can make that hard (your location, your interests, how much time you have to commit that can fit with someone else's schedule, etc.) It's also, I think, generally harder to find a teacher to work with one-on-one than it is to find a group setting that provides training.

http://witchvox.com/xwotw.html has some excellent networking pages - just find your state in the list on the left, and you'll get a list of individuals, groups, and other categories in your state (listed by city/town). This can help you find other people in your area.

I also highly recommend reading the following webpage - it deals specifically with the kinds of problems which can crop up either in coven situations, or with other teaching methods : http://www.wyrdweavers.org/files/cashi.html

Beyond that, I think it's important to know *what* you want to study (which is probably going to mean you spend some time exploring on your own first, to learn some basics and figure out what your interests and preferences are). It's very hard and frustrating for teachers to have someone express interest, but then change their mind a few months in about what their interests are. It also can be hard on fellow students, or on the person trying to make up their mind.

Spending at least 6 months or so doing some general reading and learning (maybe with some intro classes if they're available in your area) before looking seriously for a teacher is almost certainly going to be in your best long-term interest, no matter what happens after that. (It also means you'll have better ways to evaluate what you're learning, and whether someone is a good teacher for you.)

If any groups in your area offer introductory classes, that can be a good way to get some basic information. I help teach them for the group I work with - we don't teach much you can't find in books, but we do give people some background and general information that can help them decide where they want to go from there (and also get a feel for us, or we provide referrals to other groups in the area if those groups are more in line with their interests or preferences)

Ideally, such classes should be relatively cheap (if the people doing the class need to pay rent for space or costs for photocopies, there may be a small donation requested: $5-10 is fairly common, and generally considered perfectly reasonable) and should indicate that they're an introduction.

You also generally want to beware of teachers or groups which promise you initiation or other specific results automatically - spiritual learning doesn't work like that (especially in Pagan groups, where a good fit with the other people is often an important consideration.)

Responsible groups should tell you that there may be paths which may be an option (and what will be required if you go down that road, at least in a general sense, like how much time/homework/other obligations might be involved) but shouldn't generally promise a specific outcome (like initiation or a certain title.)

[Note: I'm talking religious groups here: people that do training in things like Reiki (which are much more skills/experience based) are a little different.]