To walk the path of the witch brings much self discipline and challenges. Learning the history can be boring but if you don't have an understanding of the old ways you won't have the full experience. However, that is my opinion. Personally I find the history of the old ways very interesting. This is just a brief article of how to walk the path of the witch so I will make another article on the history. Next is training the mind. If you don't master meditation, visualization grounding and centering, and channeling your energy into your magickal work your spell/ritual will not be succesful. Each one of these subjects I will have an article about so don't stress. While in the process of mastering those learn exactly what a spell, ritual, invocation, evocation, amulet, talisman, and charm is. Study the different practices of magick such as white magick, dark magick, ceremonial magick, and high magick. Choose what you are going to major in. If you are looking for a belief system it's good to study the different kinds such as Wicca, Paganism, etc. Next up is harmonizing and balancing the elements. The elements and the earth is what you are gathering your energy from to channel into your spell/ritual. Not only should you utilize the energies within the elements, experience them. This means take a week just to sit in your back yard and experience each element separately. Most people start with Air. Simply closing your eyes and listening, feeling, and smelling the air, experiencing each one deeply will teach you about it. I will talk more about that in another article. Once you have an understanding of the elements learn to incorporate them into your life. Learn to utilize them for every day work, spell, and ritual.
Understand that being a witch is a lifestyle it's not just about the magick. It will take time, patience, and self discipline. You must be ready to face challenges.
I commend you for your effort into making this post. However, did you know you double posted this very same article under different titles?
Anyway, here are some of my thoughts and critiques on your post.
I personally find some of the things that you recommend rather superfluous. Your post is titled the path of the witch. The term witch can be used as a rather large umbrella term. However, it usually deals with “Low-Magick” practices such as witchcraft and the like.
Why are you even suggesting them to study practices such as High Magick and Ceremonial Magick if this post is for those that wish to learn the path of the witch? Furthermore, these fields are actually quite large and can take many years to learn the various aspects of those. It is strictly unnecessary in my opinion.
Granted, delving into those fields of study can give forth many unique concepts that may be worth their while. However, you could simply have told them to look those concepts up individually such as
-The Various Bodies
-The Various Planes
-Elements from their subtlest to their most material form.
It should be noted that those that practice High Magick or Ceremonial Magick usually identify themselves as Magicians, Ceremonial Magicians, Adepts or initiates. Since this post was about “The Path of the Witch”, I am of the opinion that your comment on asking them to major on these aspects is quite unnecessary.
Actually a Witch practices what she wants. You are insulting us if you believe we practice just low magick. Yes a witch does practice witchcraft. I think you are a little messed up in your head if you believe we don't. Honestly I like the criticism but at the same time is irritates me because you are going against something that obviously you have no idea about.
And remember those are just labels. Labels Labels and more labels. In fact you don't ever have to call your self a witch to practice magick. you are who you are. And you are more then a label.
I am not sure if anyone else feels this way but...A lot of people label themselves. I might seem like a hypocrite for the forums I've posted but I get allot of constructive ocriticism. Maybe not constructive because most people claim it is but in all reality they are putting you down. Constructive criticism is a good thing to have and it is 100% necessary. Thing is a lot of people say oh well this person who practices this magick is called this. Isnt it all magick? We harness and utilize the same energy just in different forms. And we label it. If you want to be a witch you can't practice this or that. you are you and you can practice what ever the fudge monkey you want. Stop letting people label you and tell you What is right and wrong. If you want rules go be a Christian or any other label. Stop slapping labels on peoples foreheads and telling them what they can practice and not. If you want to be a witch and practice high or ceremonial magick do it. You don't need to be some special magician to. You are who you are. You don't even need to label your self a witch to practice magick.
