Your Workbook Of Shadows Exercises

1. Obtain the largest dictionary that you can find with the intention of finding your magickal name. Close your eyes and open the book at random, then point to a random spot on the page. The word that your finger lands on will be your magickal name for the time being. If your finger lands on the definition of a word, use the word defined as your magickal name. Write the word that your finger pointed on and beside this write the definition of the word. Consider how this word relates to you and write your thoughts down below the definition. Leave room for future entries. If you can make no immediate connection between yourself and the word, leave this space blank for the time being.
2. Set aside an area to act as your altar. Decorate it with, at least, symbols of the four elements such as a candle for fire, a dish of salt for earth, a feather for air, and a dish of water for the element of water. Draw a diagram of your altar layout in your journal.
3. Write and perform your own altar blessing. Record your ritual in your journal.
4. Each day, go to your altar and make it a point to commune with deity. Such communion can take the form of prayer, meditation, journaling, etc....
5. Begin to collect your basic tools. Dedicate at least one page in your journal to each tool. Research the correspondences, symbolism, and uses for each tool and record these in your journal.
6. Write your own blessing ritual for your tools. Perform the ritual for each tool, either one at a time or all at once, then record the ritual in your journal.
7. Research the origin and history of the Wiccan Rede. Write what you have learned in your journal in your own words.
8. Research The Threefold Law and record what you have learned in your own words.
9. Write a one page essay on What the Wiccan Rede Means to Me.

Free e-books (can be downloaded):

Sekhet Sophia - The Alexandrian Book Of Shadows
Gerald Gardner - The Garnerian Book Of Shadows
Sasha Fierce - The Book Of Shadows

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How We Help Beginners With Wicca

This website is a just such a place and some of the information that you can absorb here can help you to get started understanding the fundamental principles of wicca for beginners. In time you can understand enough of the basic principles of Wicca for you to begin writing and casting your own spells but until then there is a wide variety of proven effective spells that are available on this website and spells such as these are a great tool for Wicca for beginners.

Wicca magic uses the intrinsic forces that control and power the universe and harnessing these powers is the key to performing effective magic. The information contained in this website help you to learn what it takes to begin using these intrinsic powers to accomplish set goals that you may have and this is one more reason why you have found the right place for Wicca for beginners. There is so much to learn and the first thing that you must learn to understand is that it is the power that is contained inside of you that is the most readily available for you to use. For we are all the keepers of our own destiny and how each person uses what is available to them is what determines the course of their life.

Learning to be in touch with ones inner self through meditation is an important step in the learning process for only after one has ventured within can one begin to venture out. Once you realize your inner strengths you will then be able to use these inner strengths to your advantage to live a fuller life and help others to live more meaningful lives. There is a large degree of misconception that the average person has with regards to witchcraft and with a website such as this that specializes Wicca for beginners much of these misconceptions can be eliminated.

Books You Might Enjoy:

John Dee - The Rosie Crucian Secrets
John Dee - The Hieroglyphic Monad English Version
Michael Bailey - Historical Dictionary Of Witchcraft
Dion Fortune - The Machinery Of The Mind
Louise Huebner - Witchcraft For All

Visualizations For The Circle Of Stones

If you wish, you can back up the circle casting with the following visualizations as you form the circle itself:

Prepare as usual. Approach the North and set the North Stone (or the candle) on the ground. Then, visualize a stone slab standing upright two feet to the left of and behind the North Stone. Visualize this as being bluish-grey, two feet wide, two feet thick and six feet tall. This stone represents the Goddess.

When the stone is really there- in your visualization- create another stone of the same size and color two feet to the right of and behind the North Stone. This represents the God.

Now visualize a capstone resting on top of the two upright stones. It is about two feet by two feet by six feet. This represents The One before the Goddess and God, the source of all power and magick. The Northern Trilithon is now complete.

The stones form an archway, a symbol of the gateway to the realm of the element of Earth.

Firmly visualize this, then gaze through the arch formed by the stones. See the greenish haze of the Earth energy.

Repeat the entire procedure to the East, South and West. Visualize the appropriate elemental color within each trilithon.

Now purify salt and water, cast the circle as usual, and carry around the salt, censer, candle and water.

As you approach each quarter to call its Spirit of the Stone, see the trilithon firmly in your mind. Visualize it in all its Pagan splendor. See the elemental hazes within them, boiling and writhing in unmanifestedness. Stretch out with your feelings; sense the arrival of the spirit of each stone, then go on to the next.

With practice this comes easily, but such visualizations are never necessary.

Free e-books (can be downloaded):

Anonymous - Bealtaine Circle Of The Dark Moon
Anonymous - Dictionary Of The Forgotten Ones
Brian Swimme On Chardin - The Divinization Of The Cosmos

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Witchcraft And Wicca

Traditonal witchcraft or wicca is a pagan religion. It is thought to be one of the oldest and newest religions. The reason they call it the newest is because it is constantly growing. Like the different denominations of Christianity, Witchcraft has many different covens and ideas how to practise it. Though the old Traditional Witchcraft covens still exist there are now covens that just have all female or male members. The Temple of Diana is mostly made up of feminist lesbians, though bisexual and heterosexual women are allowed. Also there is a coven called The Radical Faeries that solely comprises of male homosexuals.

Mankind throughout the ages has been practising witchcraft/paganism. Before the rise of the monotheistic religions - Zoroastrian, Judo/Christian - etc.- mankind believed in the nature spirits and the gods. These gods symbolized fertility and the enduring forces of nature.

In Palaeolithic times man was a nomadic hunter. He lived in caves and relied on his ability to hunt and kill fresh meat for his daily feast. In winter, when all the fruits and nuts became scarce, man's skill as a hunter was even more important. This is one of the reasons he would dress in animal skins and pray to the Horned God to make him a skilful hunter. Many caves in France have crude stone age paintings of a man dressed in animal skins. He needed the Horned God's help in catching fast animals such as elks or boars.

In the Neolithic era mankind changed from being nomadic hunters and started to settle down and farm. Now that they had started to cultivate crops, it was important for them to ensure a bounteous harvest. So they started to pray to Gaia, Diana, Mother Earth, etc. for a plentiful harvest.

Different cultures have other names for the Wicca Horned God and Mother Earth. In Saxon paganism its Wooden and Freya. In Celtic paganism they have Cernunnos and the Matres, a triple mother goddess. The Horned God is also known as the Green Man. These different goddess' and gods basically are all representations of each other and were worshipped by the people for the same reason - fertility.

When Christianity came to Europe the old pagan religion was almost stamped out. It was almost wiped out because all the old pagan sites and their sabbats were taken over by the invading Christians. The reason we celebrate Christmas on 25th December is because in the old witchcraft calendar Yule was celebrated on 21st December and represented festivities, rejoicing, decorating the house and putting up a tree to celebrate the enduring forces of nature.

Three years after the Witchcraft Act had been repealed in 1951, Gerald Gardner (1884-1964), an English civil servant and amateur anthropologist, wrote a book "Witchcraft Today". In the book he claims that Wicca is a pre-Christian pagan witch cult. Prior to starting his own coven, he had been initiated into a coven in the New Forest. After "Witchcraft Today" was published a new interest in witchcraft came about in England.

There are now many followers of traditional witchcraft, especially in America and Britain. One of the reasons people practise witchcraft is because it is a none restrictive religion. It does not have a heaven or hell nor it does not thrown on the sexual union of two consenting adults. Witches are also very moral. They believe in looking after their enviornment and the creatures that inhabit it.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Tarostar - The Witchs Spellcraft Revised
Gabor Klaniczay - Witchcraft Mythologies And Persecutions
Rosemary Ellen Guiley - The Encyclopedia Of Witches Witchcraft And Wicca
Gerald Gardner - Witchcraft Today
Jaroslav Nemec - Witchcraft And Medicine

Wiccan Spells

Wiccan Spells

Spells are used in witchcraft to channel the power of the wiccan God and Goddess to initiate positive change and for resolution of problems. It is important to know what phase the moon is in while practicing spells and witchcraft. For example, it is best to do spells of a banishing or destructive nature in the waning of the moon, when it is dark and the new moon is about to wane. Examples of such spells are the banishing of negative energy, hope for the end of illness and also agricultural rites, to ward off destructive insects.

Constructive spells
Spells of a constructive nature should be performed during the waxing of the moon, when the moon is full and bright. Examples of constructive spells would be spells for luck, fertility rites and protection spells. In witch craft, all spells should be practiced while in a positive mood, because this will achieve the best end for what you want. Many things are used in the practice of witchcraft as aids in spells, such as different herbs and leaves, as many of these things are believed to have magical properties. An example is the bay leaf, which is believed to have a lot of positive energy associated with it, and used often in witchcraft to invoke positive energy.

Consecration/Purification in Spells
Consecration is defined by the dictionary as to “dedicate formally to a religious or divine purpose.” Consecration must be practiced before any tool can be used in the practice of witchcraft. Consecration is a form of purification, and is done with salt, water and incense, which all stand for the five elements of nature – water, earth, fire, air and spirit. It is important that consecration to be used for witchcraft be done in a positive state of mind, as this incorporates the “spirit” part of the elements. Consecration is used in witchcraft to gain the approval of the God and Goddess for what they are about to practice.

Spell for Cleansing the body of Negative Energy
The following tools will be needed:
1 White Candle – this is representative of positive energy
1 Black Candle – this is representative of negative energy
1 Green Candle – this is representative of healing

Clear your mind and light the white candle. Say the following incantation:
“Mother Earth, Fire, Wind, Water and Spirit,
I ask thee to cleanse my body of all negative energies”

Light the black candle and say the same thing. After this light the green candle and say the following incantation:
“Mother Earth, Fire, Wind, Water and Spirit,
I ask thee to free and heal my body from all negative forces.
Blessed be!”
Sit back, and keep your mind clear for fifteen minutes. After this you should feel renewed and fresh.

Three Red Leaves Spell
This spell is used to protect the mind against things such as nightmares, negative thoughts and “invasions of evil”. First you must gather three red leaves from any tree, plant or bush. Lay them in a triangle on a flat surface. In the centre of the leaves, place an already lighted candle, and place a few drops of chrysanthemum oil on each leaf.

Say this incantation three times:
“Red leaves, gift from earth,
Birth to death and death to birth,
Keep all evil far away,
Day to night and night to day.”

Then extinguish the candle, and wrap the leaves in a white cloth or pouch. Place this near your bed within three feet of your head and it will stop all nightmares and negative thoughts.

Invocation of the Elements
Air, Fire, Water, Earth,
Elements of astral birth,
I call you now; attend to me!
In the Circle, rightly cast,
Safe from curse or blast,
I call you now, attend to me!

From cave and desert,sea and hill,
By wand, blade,and pentacle,
I call you now, attend to me!
This Is my will, so mote it be!


Books You Might Enjoy:

Simon - The Necronomicon Spellbook
Kathryn Paulsen - Witches Potions And Spells
Anonymous - Hypnotism Spells
Anonymous - Book Of Spells

Finding The Right Teacher Or Coven

In the 1970's a seeker who wished to find a teacher or coven had a very
difficult time. There were few books and few metaphysical stores. Now we have
the opposite problem. There are hundreds of books and metaphysical stores and
many thousands of websites which will allclaim to be able to teach you Wicca.
The problem now is finding a legitimate, trained teacher amongst all of the
eager but unqualified ones. Anyone can create a website and claim to be a
teacher of Wicca. Be careful. Ask questions. A good teacher will welcome
questions about their background. Make a list of those things which are
important to you, and from that make a list a questions to ask potential
teachers.

Don't be in too much of a rush to find a teacher, and especially do not be in a
hurry to find a coven. There is much you can learn on your own through the
lessons on this website and from the books in the suggested reading list. One
thing you might try if you are anxious to make contact with other Wiccans is an
introductory class in Wicca - sometimes known as "Wicca 101". These classes are
given at many metaphysical book stores. You can find listings of groups and
stores offering such classes on The Witches Voice website. This type of class is
good if you are very new to Wicca and are just looking for the basics. It won't
hurt to take more than one introductory class given by different teachers. It
will help you get to know people and show you that there are many styles of
teaching and opinions and views of Wicca.

Where to find a teacher:

There is a saying, "When the time is right, the teacher will appear".
This is all well and good, but you can't expect them to materialize magically in
front of you. You will have to visit places where teachers are likely to be. As
suggested above metaphysical bookstores are a good place to start. Look in your
phone book under "Books" or "Psychics" (occult or metaphysical bookstores will
often offer tarot or psychic readings). If there is no metaphysical book store
in your town try the next town. Anyone serious about learning the craft is not
afraid to work or travel to gain knowledge. If there is no metaphysical store
anywhere near you try any large book store. Most will have their Wiccan books in
the "new age" section. You may meet other Wiccans there.

Pagan gatherings are a great place to meet other Wiccans including teachers. You
can find the times and locations of pagan gatherings through The Witches Voice
or at metaphysical stores.

Some of the questions you should ask a teacher of an introductory Wicca class:

• How long have you been teaching Wicca?
• Where did you learn the craft?
• Do you teach a particular tradition of Wicca?
• How many students have you taught?
• Are the names of your students confidential? (if this is important to you)
• How much do the classes cost? [There may be a small fee for classes to cover
the cost of handout materials and rent if the classes are held in a commercial
building. Most Wiccan teachers do not charge for their time teaching the
religion.]

Beyond the basics:

If you are interested in finding a teacher to take you beyond the basics you can
first check with the teacher of the introductory course. They may provide
additional instruction but may not advertise it publicly. You can also ask that
teacher where you can meet other Wiccan teachers and if they know of any who are
currently offering intermediate classes. You can also look for classes in
herbology, astrology, tarot, guided meditation or other topics which can help
you in your progress through Wicca.

While there are many good teachers of the craft there are also people who pass
themselves off as teachers but are unqualified or dishonest about their
intentions. In many cases you will have to trust your instincts when evaluating
a potential teacher. Unfortunately there are people who pass themselves off as
"coven leaders" or "teachers" who are on power trips or looking for sexual
conquests. One way you can avoid such situations is through studying Isaac
Bonewits' "Cult Danger Evaluation Frame". Try to talk with other people who have
studied with the teacher you are evaluating. It may be that the teacher is
perfectly qualified, but simply not the right teacher for you either because
they do not teach a style of Wicca you are interested in or there is a
personality conflict. Ask around the pagan community about the teacher - at
stores, on the net, at pagan gatherings. The network in the craft is good and
most likely you will find out whether the teacher has a good or bad reputation.

We also recommend reading the following pages on our website for more help in
evaluating teachers and classes: "Self Dedication and Initiation", "Traditional
vs. Non-Traditional Craft", and "What is a Coven?" . These two pages will help
you formulate questions to ask about a group or coven you are thinking of
joining. If you are thinking of joining a coven - especially a traditional coven
- do not expect to change anything once you are part of it. A coven must fit
100% - not 90% or even 95%.

Some Cautions:
Some of the more bizarre things we have heard of that have taken place in some
covens:

• Beware of anyone whom you do not know well that asks you to join a coven. This
is not a normal Wiccan practice. Students must ask to join and are only admitted
after months, or sometimes years, of study.

• Beware of any adult coven leader who accepts as a student or coven member,
anyone under the age of 18 without verified permission of the child's parent or
guardian. Most High Priests and High Priestesses will not take on students under
the age of 18 unless they are accompanied by a parent or guardian to all events.
You will occasionally find "covens" or study groups whose members are all under
the age of 18. We highly recommend that you do not involve yourself with such
groups unless you have permission from your parents and you know that the group
is either supervised by responsible adults, and/or the parents and guardians of
all members are aware of the existence of the group and condone its meetings.

• Beware of a teacher who seems to blame other people (students, assistants,
society) for their problems. A leader of a coven or group needs to take
responsibility for what happens in the group and to the group.

• Beware of teachers who require students to do house work for the High Priest
or High Priestess. This is not normal Wiccan practice. It is reasonable for a
High Priestess to ask for help setting up for ritual and cleaning up afterward.

• Some Wiccans have reported being beaten for failure to obey rules of the coven
or for failure to do housework. This is definitely not part of Wicca! If you are
a victim of such a practice do not hesitate to report it to the police. Wiccans,
like everyone else, are required to obey civil laws. No oath of secrecy binds
you from reporting such illegal acts.

• Beware of teachers who claim that you must have sex with them before beginning
your instruction. This is not normal Wiccan practice and should be a major
warning that the teacher is unscrupulous.

• There are some covens which do use actual sex for purposes of initiation. If
this is a concern to you make that very clear the High Priest and High
Priestess. You may be told that the initiation involves only a symbolic "Great
Rite" or symbolic sexual union between god and goddess. SPECIAL NOTE: There have
been reports of at least one coven which tells potential initiates the union
will be symbolic, and then the student is coerced or forced into actual sex with
the High Priest or High Priestess. THIS is not legitimate Wiccan practice! Any
forced sex should be reported to the police as well as to the Wiccan community.

Suggested ebooks:

Gerald Massey - Ancient Egypt The Light Of The World Vol Ii
Gerald Massey - Ancient Egypt The Light Of The World Vol I
Frances Billinghurst - Is Wicca The Right Spiritual Path For Me

Wiccan Ritual Robe

Many wiccans and Pagans prefer to perform ceremonies and rituals in special robes. If you're part of a coven or group, your robe might have to be a certain color or style. In some traditions, the color of the robe indicates the level of training a practitioner has. For many people, donning the ritual robe is a way of separating themselves from the mundane business of everyday life -- it's a way of stepping into the ritual mindset, of walking from the mundane world into the magical world. Most people prefer to wear nothing at all under their ritual robe, but do what is comfortable for you.

It's not uncommon to have robes for the different seasons, symbolizing the turning Wheel of the Year. You can make one in blue for spring, green for summer, brown for fall, and white for winter -- or any other colors that symbolize the seasons for you. Do take the time to put some thought into your color selection -- it used to be that most Wiccans wore white robes, but many people prefer to use earth tones, because it's a way of establishing one's connection with nature. Some people choose to avoid black, because it sometimes has negative connotations, but use the color that feels right for you.

To make a basic robe, you can follow these simple steps. You'll need the following:

* A piece of material in the color of your choice -- make sure you select something that will be easy to sew and comfortable to wear. On the average, you'll need about three yards, but if you're heavyset or extra-tall, add in some more. A flat bedsheet is actually the perfect size for this.
* Scissors, thread, tailor's chalk, and a measuring tape.
* A sewing machine.
* A length of cord or light rope, approximately 6 feet long.

You'll need some help for this first step, because you need to measure yourself from wrist to wrist with your arms outstretched. Unless you have a third arm, get a friend to do this for you. This measurement will be Measurement A. Next, figure the distance from the nape of your neck to a point even with your ankle -- this will be Measurement B. Fold the fabric in half (if the material has a print on it, fold it with the pattern side in). Using your A and B measurements, cut out along the lines indicated in Figure 1, making a sort-of T-shape. Don't cut out along the top fold -- that's the part that will go along the top of the arms and shoulders.

Next, cut a hole for your head (X) at the center of Measurement A. Don't make it too big, or your robe will slide off your shoulders! On each side, sew along the underside of the sleeve, leaving an opening at Y for the arms (Figure 2). Then sew from the armpit down to the bottom of the robe. Turn your robe right-side out, try it on, and adjust it for length if needed.

Finally, add a cord around the waist, as shown in Figure 3. In some traditions the cord may be knotted to indicate degrees of training or education. In others, it acts simply as a belt to keep the robe from flapping around during ritual. You can also add trim, beadwork, or magical symbols to your robe. Personalize it, and make it yours. You may also wish to consecrate your robe before wearing it for the first time.

Recommended books (Free download):

Richard Alan Miller - The Magical And Ritual Use Of Herbs
Andrew Lang - Myth Ritual And Religion
Marian Green - A Witch Alone