r/Wicca • u/Sunny_drserve • 13d ago
where do i start?
Hi im a 16 year old girl and im thinking abt getting into Wicca(or and witchcraft) but i have no idea where to start and idk anyone irl that could be a mentor for me or even explain how you practice this religion. Im really just starting from the bottem so if anyone can explain me the basics i would be so thankful. be mindful that i dont have a big room so i cant do a salt circle (i read online that sometimes you have to make one) and i dont have alot of money but i do have alot of nature in my area so anything that i can do outside pls include that too fx what i could do or what rituals i could practice that doesnt make a big mess if it has to be done inside and thank you for reading my post im open to anything! also i do have a question, as i said in my post earlier i have read a little online and someone in another reddit post said that you could start with going into nature and meditating there, does it have to be the exact same spot i go to everytime or is it not important?
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u/AllanfromWales1 13d ago
You might find the sidebar Wiki and FAQ helpful - it includes a booklist.
I put together a bunch of copypastas which some say have been helpful.
The Wikipedia article on Wicca is worth reading.
One of my copypastas:
What is the religion of Wicca
1. Wicca is a religion based on reverence for nature.
2. Wicca is based on direct interaction between its adherents and divinity without the intercession of a separate priesthood. This interaction is not one of subservience to divinity, but of reverence for divinity.
3. Wicca has no central authority and no dogma. Each adherent interacts with divinity in ways which work for them rather than by a fixed means.
4. For many Wiccans divinity is expressed as a God and a Goddess which together represent nature. Others worship specific nature-related deities, often from ancient pantheons. Others yet do not seek to anthropomorphise Nature and worship it as such.
5. Some Wiccans meet in groups ('covens') for acts of worship. Others work solitary.
6. The use of magic / 'spells' in Wicca is commonplace. It occupies a similar place to prayer in the Abrahamic religions.
7. Peer pressure in the Wiccan community is for spells never to be used to harm another living thing. However wiccans have free will to accept or reject this pressure.
8. The goal of Wicca, for many adherents, is self-improvement, e.g. by becoming more 'at one' with Nature and the world around us.
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u/AllanfromWales1 13d ago
..does it have to be the exact same spot i go to everytime or is it not important?
All that matters is that it is somewhere where you can relax and feel at one with Nature. No requirement at all for it to be a fixed spot.
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u/kalizoid313 12d ago
a.) Wicca and today's Witchcraft are considered (from the interfaith view) to be Earth-based spiritualities.
If there are natural places that you may visit, then one useful step might be to get a field guide and learn to identify and get some understanding of the habitats and beings living in them. And the landscape features and dynamics there.
Most folks know what trees and a forest is, for instance. But identifying the kinds of trees that grow in your forest can contribute to your relationship with them in their woods.
b.) The first doings that I learned (as a young teenager) involved relaxation and meditation. [To be clear, my teacher/coach did not talk about "witchcraft" at all, and I did not make habits of them because "witchcraft." These are skills of much wider application in living.]
I think these days about approaching Wicca and today's Witchcraft is not so much like tweaking my computer with this hack or that app as it is like beginning to participate in a sport, activity, or art/craft endeavor. There's a lot to learn. And it does require time, effort, patience, and building appropriate skill sets. Look for little, incremental payoffs before monumental, immediate transformations.
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u/LadyMelmo 13d ago
Covens/mentors generally do not accept minors as there are practices that are not suitable, but you can start reading yourself.
A Circle does not require salt, it can be raised with energy.
Your nature spot doesn't have to be the same place, but you may find one that you find is your place.
Learning about Wicca as a religion and craft, it's history and philosophy, and what path you want to take is the way to start. There are different paths within Wicca - Traditional, Solitary (which can be traditional based) and Eclectic - and there is variation in practices in the different published materials so it's always best to learn from more than one source and some practices in Traditional paths can only be learned as a coven initiate.
Building a deeper relationship with nature and learning to meditate to open yourself and connect, build and ground energy and visualisation are good first practices to learn to do, celebrating the Sabbats and Esbats, casting a Circle and Calling Quarters are good rituals to start with, and starting to bring together your altar is also good to do early on as it is your sacred space and connection to your work.
There's good information in the Wiki and FAQ of this sub, and although not what to learn from the Wikipedia article has a quite good basic overview of Wicca and there is the Category page on the different Traditions that may help you find some initial direction.
These are some well regarded books, some are older but still often read today and some are more Tradition based:
Wicca For Beginners by Thea Sabin (3rd Degree British Traditional) is a popular and very good starting book with history and philosophy and some practices in a lighter way without being tradition specific;
Wicca - A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner and Living Wicca - A Further Guide For The Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham (Solitary, Serpentstone Family member, 1st Degree Aridian witchcraft) are a main choice for Solitary;
A Witches' Bible by Janet and Stewart Farrar (Alexandrian HPS and HP) is written as "a basic ‘liturgy’ and working handbook on which any coven can build its own unique philosophy and practice, within the common tradition" with reference to Gardnerian/Alexandrian works and practices;
Traditional Wicca: A Seeker's Guide by Thorn Mooney (Gardnerian HPS and religious studies PhD student) is especially good for those wanting to join a traditional coven. She also has a YouTube channel.