Before I begin, I'd like to point out this thread is my first and hopefully, at the very least, entertaining. Let’s begin.
Despite my being very ignorant, I've noticed a great deal of pattern among those new to, and wish to study, the occult. I see a pattern of people who abandon fundamental thought-form because of personal distaste of being told what and how and why to worship to run into the arms of one of, if not, the world's broadest religious segments. These people are pilgrims of thought and what some would call truth. They wandering through a desert of ignorance so they go toward whatever mirage they see which fools them one after another as they search for that elusive well of knowledge in search of their cognitive water.
Some find paradises of knowledgeable and capable practitioners of the metaphysical such as this website and this is where my observation takes place.
These sites are chocked full of philosophical and metaphysical knowledge ready for the reading, but we insist on finding some belief system or some practitioner to follow and mimic their every belief. We thirst for knowledge, but instead of digging our own well, we sup forth from another’s.
It is apparent the tools necessary to dig this metaphorical "well of knowledge" are excessively provided through these forums and articles and books and YouTube clips, but I find more and more insisting to fallow a group or mentor as if they're some type of preacher employed to tell them what to believe, how to believe and why to believe.
I do not know whether to find this hypocritical or a subject of situational irony, but what I do see is an issue. I do understand that I am generalizing greatly and I do apologies, but I feel it is necessary to an extent because of the common occurrence. As a novice I have run into many occasions where I was disappointed because of some philosophy or metaphysical ideal I had conjured within my own cerebrum and dismissed due to my own belief in my excessive ignorance turned out to be a common subject of magic. This feeling is quite demoralizing when you find that you missed out on a great and life-changing epiphany.
I see many teachers reluctant to share too much too quickly and many do hold back for the proper amount of time, but some simply are too enthralled with the idea of helping us poor thirsty souls that they forget the value of restraint. You can just pop in midway through and watch months of videos meant to build up over months in a few hours in these YouTube series. Because of this, one neglects themselves time to ponder and take a mental journey for themselves when they do this. Most cannot be blamed, fore how are we to know what we are missing out on when we don’t even know there is something to miss?
By no means am I claiming these video series and such are a menace, in fact I'm all for them, but perhaps a bit of a disclaimer is necessary...
I apologies if this appeal has been difficult to understand and in accordance, understand that it will be for many, so I'll just sum my point up in a simile. Spoon feeding the novice occult knowledge is like carrying Bilbo and the company upon the backs of the eagles throughout the whole movie. (If one had read the book they’d know it was because some political issues, but now I'm off topic.) If this were so, Bilbo would never have had to save the Dwarves and become who he truly was: a Baggins.
Before you bash upon me for a misguided and incomplete observation, I do believe, all things are relevant and subject to change under circumstance. This means these theories are just theories I'm putting out there as possible truth until disprove. You don't know whether or not you’re immune to a sickness until you’re sick. Nothing is written in stone because nobody wants to be the idiot who wrote a falsehood in stone. I do not wish to be that idiot, nor do I wish to be the freeloader who gains books of knowledge from this site and leaves nothing in return. Because of this I opt for the lesser of the evil.
Do with this what you will and once again, I hope you at least found this entertaining in some form. Blessed be and please point out and dependencies.
Good post. But! First of all teaching. The reason most of us do not actually "teach" on-line is because the recipient would only be reading words. Secondly, all "clips" on YouTube can be faked; so are not reliable. All we can really do on such a site as this, is to point in (what we think!) is the right direction. It is not reading alone that gives knowledge; it is the ability to "think".
I will write here what my witch teacher taught me many years ago:-
"Do not believe everything you hear. Do not believe everything you read. And only believe half of what you see!".
Most of the posts written on this site are of "beliefs". And what I,personally, try to point out, is that a belief is not necessarily the truth! One has only to look at the various "beliefs" of humanity. Millions of people believe that Jesus was God; millions more would disagree. This is why most of the strife, suffering, and violence in this world is caused by "beliefs"! Each group of "believers" challenging the "beliefs" of others.Each "believing" that they have the truth; when, in reality, none of them have the truth. They only have their "belief".
Whoa, lot of reading and big words. [Needed a minute to process al that lol]
Ok! [As Brysing mentioned] there are many reasons why people do/don't teach. Legality being a prime reason, but no matter what you study under this Pagan umbrella, it's a living practice. Yes, you could type out how to connect with energy, but without being with the student you can't see if they're doing it right, you can't know if they're really doing the exercise or if they just read and skip trying, and you can't feel if they're raising energy properly. Many who can teach don't for this and more reasons [like the time commitment] however, they will provide articles, videos, books, and general help to guide new members.
You don't need a teacher, but it's nice to have someone to ask questions. Many are afraid they're doing things wrong, so the first month it's fine to follow another's footsteps, but eventually, you need to find your own path. Many come to magick for selfish reasons [have a perfect life or become someone/something else] or they are going through a phase and aren't serious. Either way, many members want to be spoon fed 'the basics' and then stop learning [because it's not fun to do homework] so either way, at some point, you're on your own.
On the other hand, many who teach online [specifically on this site, because there are sites dedicated to actually teaching] have studied for a month and feel they can. It gives them a feeling of accomplishment or superiority, when in reality they don't know enough. Once you go past 'the basics' many take a look around and proclaim 'now what' and without knowing, they decide to teach. [When in reality you must dig deeper.]
You also don't need a label, but it helps define your path. Even if you follow a religion or not, no one agrees 100% with someone else, so you should make a few rules and morals to follow. An example, the Wiccan Rede [As in Harm None, do as he will] so long as you don't harm you can do what you want. Many read this and go 'sweet, Wicca has no rules!' Not true. You need to ask yourself what is 'harm'? Is eating meat do harm? [Some say yes some say no] does self defence count as harm? What about tattoos? Eating honey? Wearing fur? Saying mea. things? When viewed a few steps back we see it's much harder.
How true the comment by Nekoshema, a month of learning,then wanting to teach!
I was being taught witchcraft from the age of six, although I was unaware of it! I just thought I was being taught things I wasn't learning at school.In fact, I was 17 before my "teacher" actually admitted that she was a witch! (Witchcraft in those days was illegal). My "teacher" carried on teaching me for the rest of her life, mostly with long discussions on all sorts of subjects, and exchanging letters.I never even thought about teaching others, until I was asked to give "talks" to my local Pagan group. By that time I was 71 years old, and Retired!
And even now, at 82, I am still learning about things I didn't know before! Learning in a few weeks? Impossible!
