I am very interested in following the wiccan path and wondered how I go about this. Do i need to join a coven or can I follow the wiccan way by myself? Got so many questions lol

Blimey, this can be a can of worms, a minefield or any number of metaphors you might choose to deploy!

Originally Wicca is a coven based, initiatory mystery religion. For this you have to join a coven which can trace its lineage back to the original Gardnerian or Alecksandrian covens. You would study and practice and work your way through a series of initiation and slowly have revealed to the religions mysteries.

Over the past twenty years or so, Wiccan teachings and practices have broken out of the traditional arena and there are now a plethora of books showing how One can follow a wiccan path on Ones own, or without being initiated by others.

There are countless arguements back and forth about what is real wicca, can a person be a wiccan and self taught and so on. I have seen such rows and circular arguments and the phrase "Bicca & Bitchcraft" is often very apt.

Don't know how new you are to the Pagan scene and how much you know about the various views on Wicca, but why don't you search some of the threads on this site. I'm sure you will find something which will help you get clear in your mind which route into Wicca best suits you. If you are too keen and just leap into it you might find yourself having to spend time backtracking to change your path......not that that is always a bad thing.

Either way, enjoy your search.

Mike

Thankyou!! Think i need to explore all aspects of pagan/witchcraft to find my way and where my path is going. Will do some research and hopefully get advice from all aspects of the forum to help me

Hi

You might find Scott Cunningham's 'Guide for the Sloitary Practitioner' an interesting read.

There are a plethora of books out there and if you asked 20 Wiccan's which book they would recommend, you will get 20 different suggestions!

For what it's worth, my advice would be to read much and 'cherry pick' the ideas and rites that feel right for you. Take your time, it will all come to you as it is meant to be.

Pax Wobiscum

Rob

I was interested to read this thread as I'm pretty much in the same boat at the moment, leaning towards Wicca and totally confused by what to do next. I will get a few books and see where that lead me!

Thanks.

Take your time and 'go with the flow'. You may reach many crossroads along your chosen path, folow your heart to choose which way to travel. You will reach the end of your journey eventually.

Pax wobiscum
Robiron

Pax wobiscum

oooh, so glad this thread is here.. I am drawn to wiccan and drawn to join a covern. any idea how I can find a coven near to me? Cardiff, UK?

Steven hun, why not start a topic in the Moots and Events section - you might get a response there about your query

If it’s an interest in Wicca you have then that’s all the excuse I need to recommend Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft by Ronald Hutton. It won’t tell you how to do Wicca but it will give you a good foundation in the history of Wicca. It should also help to separate the wheat from the chaff when look for reliable sources of information on Wicca.

Have you though of joining the PF? They send out a booklet advertising moots and other Pagan groups which you may find helpful.

Thanks Pomona, I did that after this reply. lol So new to this I am still getting my head around things.

Yarrow, thanks for the recommendation. I will look at this book. And, sorry for being thick, what is PF? lol. My bad I know. Thanks for the reply peeps.

PF Pagan Federation.

Pagan Federation

Thank you.

There are lots of things you can read to help you on your path.

Pete Jennings book: "Pagan Paths" is a good introduction to paganism and covers quite a bit in such a small book (he used to be the president of the Pagan Federation). There is also a glossary at the back which is handy.

Anything else by:
Anne-Marie Gallagher,
Raymond Buckland,
Gerald Gardner,
Janet and Stewart Farrar,
Alex and Maxine Sanders,
Silver Ravenwolf,
Vivianne Crowley,
Scott Cunningman,
Cassandra Eason,
Professor Ronald Hutton etc

These are all excellent and trustworthy, so there is quite a bit out there lol. I just mentioned these particular authors because there is also a lot of rubbish written out there, especially on the internet, and if your new to your path then it could be hard to know what to trust.

The BBC also has a good intro as well in its religion section.

Bright Blessings

*cough*

not Silver Ravingwolf. Or Raymond Buckland (who admitted he made up at least one thing). And the list shows a very heavy preference for Wicca.

If anyone's interested, they can probably find any number of books members would recommend in the books section of the forum, or in the pagan paths sub-forum.

Although I'd firmly recommend the BBC Religion & Ethics entry on paganisms, I daresay John Mac (who wrote a substantial chunk fo some pages) and I (who wrote a substantial chunk of others) might have a wee disagreement about some wording here and there.

Have to admit that the only book i have read by Silver R'wolf is a novel and so cant really be used a reference guide.

And I would just take what I need from Buckland as I dont agree with everything he says. However, this is why i posted such a long list because that way it's easy to check against other sources.

There is also the Witchcraft Encyclopedia which is interesting as it covers a lot of stuff including the media e.g. Buffy, Disney, Charmed, The Craft etc and is quite interesting.

Well... that MIGHT be cause Tom said he was interested in the Wiccan path and following it... *holds up hands* Just sayin...