When you feel unsettled, it is so difficult to focus on your spirituality, even if it is a high priority for you. I know there have been times in my life where that has been true. I think other readers will tell you that you aren’t alone in your feelings!
First, you must acknowledge how far you’ve come already. You didn’t make this decision lightly. You are choosing your own religion and practices. That takes guts. It takes research and discretion. If it feels like you have made no progress, ask yourself what journey has led you here to where you are now? Your heart is filled with a desire to do what you believe is right, but how long did you wander around feeling out of place in other religions? Or lost in total darkness?
In Wicca, what you have gained is always internal. No one can take that away from you unless you let them. Knowing everything there is to know about Wicca is just a detailed footnote when you think about the personal lessons you have learned. If you’ve moved and lost your tools and community–again, details. The real power is inside of you. No one can take away the visions you’ve had, those glimpses of truth, that connection with Infinite Love we call Deity. The power of Wicca is the structure of how to achieve these things more often and when we want to. It is only one way to touch the face of God, and only one way in which we learn lessons of personal growth.
If you are a solitary it can make it even harder to keep on the path, to know which way to go, or to measure progress. So ask yourself “what are my goals”? There is no right or wrong answer, and for beginning Wiccans, this can range from worshiping the old Gods to personal development or becoming a Priest/ess or simply “because it feels right”. Your goal is yours, but identifying it will give you some direction. This should help:
If you are still unsure of your goal, you might need to get informed and do some more research! Read widely, perhaps check out some recommended reading at the end of this article or check out the Witchful Thinking Bookstore (yes, it is shameless self-promotion, but I think it’s a great place to start). If you’re feeling bold, try out some of the exercises in the books you read.
The easiest place to begin is to simply observe as many points on the Wheel as you can. You might start out by celebrating the Sabbats at the eight points on the Wheel of the Year. Or start by trying to do something for each Esbat. You don’t have to write rituals for each point, but you can find ones out of books you like, or do something simple but with focused intent. This will orient you in time and space. It allows you to experience yourself as part of a larger cycle. Each time you honor the Sabbats and Esbats, you experience the energy differently and learn new lessons.
If you are considering becoming a Priest or Priestess, you have a long road ahead of you! It is a challenging and rewarding path of service. Yet this path begins with yourself. Becoming Clergy or a true Priest/ess means having extensive knowledge of human beings as well as the ins and outs of your chosen religious path. It means having your life in relative order and having the skill to know when something is beyond you. Because it is a long path, you might consider organizing it through some outside courses that challenge you as a person and a Priest/ess. The nice thing about this kind of structure, is that you can see how far you have come and where you are going. What courses you select will be based on the practices that interest you, what is available to you, and how you learn. Some folks are happy to work at their own pace out of a book, while others require live classes and a teacher to push them.
If you feel like you are really ready, and you have enough control over your life, consider making a commitment. It doesn’t have to be a big one, it just has to be one you will follow through with. In a way, this is what self-initiation or dedication is. You are saying to the Gods “Here I am! What would you have me do?” You can commit to updating your Book of Shadows every month, or commit to taking a class at your local Pagan/New Age shop, or commit to attending two festivals per year, or to the quest of finding that perfect Athame or Pentacle. The choice is yours, but remember the Gods will certainly hold you to it, unless you make other arrangements! Your commitment to the Gods and to yourself can be a safe and sturdy point in your life that actually helps you find balance. That’s what any kind of ritual will do for you. Even though you are busy, do your best to stick with it!
The most important thing to keep in mind is that your journey is your journey. There is no right or wrong way to become Wiccan or dedicate yourself to those ways, as long as they are ethical and honor the rights of others in this world. The best advice I got when I was a Wee Wiccan is what I’m passing on to you now: The Gods know us. They know we’re busy. They know that sometimes other things take precedence. They know your intent, even if you can’t do all the fancy ritual required. There is truth in your honesty with them, and they are not wrathful. On the other hand, the Gods do see your highest self. They know who you are and who the best “you” is, even if you don’t. They will hold you up to those standards like loving parents–which sometimes means letting you fail or the cosmic clue by four. The Gods recognize that there are fallow and productive times in our lives.
So, how do you start? You start by planting seeds, by making goals, by watering and nourishing yourself, by taking action, by seeing it through, by acknowledging and harvesting the results….in other words, the same way you start anything else.
Thank you
Rob (greywolf) Robinson
No comments:
Post a Comment