Wanting to learn more as a Wiccan

Yule3

I have been a Wiccan for the last 3 years, I have quite a bit on the subject and have learned a lot over the last 3 years.

I feel its the right path for me and I am happy to be on this journey. However for the last few months I have not been as, how would you say, in touch with my religion as I should be. I had a lot of stuff happening for the last few months, emergencies and so on, and my religion sort of took a back seat.

I feel I want to get back in touch with Wicca, and I have started doing a few mediations and rituals, but I want to learn more. I have bought more books on the subject but most of them seem to be just basic stuff which I already know.
I want to evolve more spiritually as a Wiccan, you know go up to another level so to speak but I am not sure how. I feel like I need a guide or something as I am solitary.

I was thinking of maybe going to Barbara Lee's course, which someone mentioned runs in April? I thought perhaps this will maybe help me to get more in tune with things and learn more as a Wiccan. Does anyone have a website for her?

Does anyone have any reccommendations on what stuff I should read, in order to learn more or should I try and get in touch with a Coven? or something? I don't mind Covens but I am quite shy about approaching one. To be honest, I wouldn't know where to start looking for one.

Anyway, I am open to any feedback, thanks.

sugardaddy

when i was younger i think i saw a film where there were three women who where wiccan ,i cant remember it now but somehow i thought that all wiccans were women.am i wrong about this yes?nd i was just wondering are there much males who practice witchcraft?

Yule3

No, there are a lot of males who practice Wicca and Witchcraft believe it or not. Search around you will find a few. There are a few on the message boards and on Witchvox too.

For example, Gerald Gardner (of Gardnerian Wicca) and Alex Sanders of (Alexandrian Wicca) were males weren't they

Don't take what you see in movies seriously, most movies on this subject are silly and fluffy, and are meant to be taken light hearted.

Talliesin

It would be pretty tricky having a fertility religion without a mixture of both men and women.

Nevyn

When the student is ready the teacher will appear.
(Nope not me, I am still working out my own path,)
I would suggest you join the an Fainne mailing list and get to know
the wider pagan community and there are several other yahoo groups for Ireland.
That way you can get to know and meet more people.
Most Covens do not make themselves publically know at all.
You may meet people and never know that they are in a coven never
mind what tradiation they are from.
But by getting to know people and people getting to know you, you may
find who and what you are looking for.

NeilJ

You could alway start reading non-wiccan books. Maybe branch out into stuff on druidry or shamanism. There is a very good book on power animals called Animal Speak by Ted Andrews that I'd definitely recommmend. As well as not repeating the same old stuff you'll be learning about a different system/aspect of pagan practise which will force you to reexamin you current beliefs and practises. Especially if you find something that really works for you and you want to incorporate it into your ritual.

Neil

Nevyn

May I ask what you have read Yule3 ?

Yule3

Well, I have read tons of books on the subject....

too many to mention here but some were

Scott Cunninghams books,

Encylopedia of Magic and Witchcraft

Vivienne Crowley's Wicca Book

Buckland's book

Kate Wests Book

Fiona hornes books

The Witches Craft by Raven Grimassi

Book of Shadows by silver raven wolf.

Cassandra Easons Books.

I also have some books on buddhism, sprirituality in general and voodoo.
Right now I am starting to read The Witches Bible by Janet & Stewart Ferrar. I would say for now I am eclectic, I haven't chosen a tradition ,as I am still learning about various traditions and that, or perhaps I will never will pick just a single tradition.

I will try the Ted Andrews book and some books on druidry and shamanism as I haven't read anything on that yet. I will also try branching out onto various mailing lists. The problem is most of the pagan moots are too far from me, so I don't get the chance to meet many other Pagans.

Nevyn

I would suggest,

ARADIAor the Gospel of the Witches
by Charles G. Leland
[1899]

http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/aradia/index.htm

The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer
[1922]

http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/frazer/index.htm

The Witch-Cult in Western Europe by Margaret Alice Murray
[1921]

http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/wcwe/index.htm

Some may say they are a bit dusty but they are the start of the scholarly
work that then allowed Gerald Gardner to write
Witchcraft today and the meaning of witchcraft.
Both of which are still in print and well worth getting.

Yule3

Thank you Thaed. I will check them out and try to get them in print. The bookshop near me doesn't really stock these type of books, do you know of any shops around the Dublin area which might stock them? Probably the "House of Astrology" has them, but do you know of any other shops? Preferably around south Dublin as I don't get out to the city centre all the time

Nevyn

the first 3 are links to the full online version of the books.
As for Gerald Gardners books I would suggest ringing up waterstones and
getting them to order them in for you they are great for that.

Talliesin

House of Astrology is particularly worth giving a browse right now, higher than usual percentage of interesting looking books amongst the fluff (and copies of Lora O'Brien's excellent Irish Witchcraft from an Irish Witch, not a book on Wicca, but bloody good stuff).

As for online copies of books, Psychic Self-Defense by Dion Fortune is worth anyone with any dealings with the occult reading. A critical reading of it is required, but it's a must-read.

Kitty-Kat303

hey, ive just started on the wicca trail and i was wondering if there was someone around Cork who had a coven or i could just talk to about wicca. no one that i know is wicca and i cant find anyone who is.:o

NeilJ

There is a Pagan society in UCC which have public meetings on Sundays I think. They're fairly open from what I've heard. You can find out more by visiting their site from the UCC site.

Neil

scorplett

Some of the most influential books I have ever come across (bar the obvious 'what witches do' 'the white goddess' etc.
THE first book I read on the topic was starhawks 'spiral dance' and straight after, margot adlers 'drawing down the moon', Given to me many years ago and passed on many times since (that said many find them too feminist, that said, they are in their 30th years of nearly always being out of print)
Another authour I find to be very good and an honest down to earth, no bul**** kinda gal is Phillis Curott, her first book 'book of shadows' is an excellent read. I have found it a great book to give to new coveners and seekers, along with her second book, 'witchcrafting', especially for those considering traditional craft. She is very accessable, practical and fluff free...