Hey everyone! I'm as I get better at the basics (grounding, energy manipulation, visualizing) I want to define a path for myself. Can anyone give me some examples of paths I can choose? I'm not too interested in making my own... Thanks!
What sort of path are you looking for? wicca/witchcraft? or other paths entirely?
Within Wicca there are so many different paths to pick. I guess the foundational ones would be the Gardnerian and Alexandrian. Most forms of Wicca/Witchcraft owes some sort of debt to Gerald Gardner, who in turn was himself highly influenced by the O.T.O. -- Gardner initially presented many of the rituals as only slightly modified versions of Thelemic rituals, though later on much of this was replaced by other sources such as the Ariadia. ((Though if you look closely at Gardners Book of Shadows you can still spot a few lines directly taken out of the Gnostic Mass and Liber Al Vel Legis))
It is true that there are many "paths" that are variations of the original Wicca. But witchcraft is a "path" of itself.Wicca is a religion; witchcraft is not! One may follow any religion and still work with witchcraft. Or one may not follow any religion at all! I have been a witch for many years, and I am an Atheist. I have never been a Wiccan; although I respect Wicca, as I do any religion. But a religion is a belief! Witchcraft is a reality; it is a Craft!
When Gardner (and others) mixed witchcraft with rituals and ceremonies of the Occult, he was trying to get witchcraft accepted as a religion in British Law.
Of course, just as all religions do,Wicca has changed over the years; and there are now many "paths". If Gardner was alive today he would not be able to recognise the religion he started!
How does mixing witchcraft with rituals and ceremonies of the Occult make it in any way shape or form closer to a faith or religion? Ritual and ceremonial magick has been used in many different Fraternal and Occult organizations, regardless of doctrine or belief. Like initiation rituals in Fraternal or Occult organizations, on one hand this could be regarded as our first step to becoming one with Deity, however many others see it simply as a representation of our own personal growth within the symbolic framework of whatever path we have chosen.
Isn't Wicca and modern Witchcraft essentially the same, since it stems from the same source? Admittedly I know little about the subject but I have heard many times that it is impossible to figure out what actually is traditional witchcraft because of the obvious fact that most of the testimonies given were either by religious fanatics of given under torture during the famed witchhunts.
I feel like making this distinction (between wicca being religious and witchraft being a craft) is a bit silly. Since I am not a witch I can only speak from my past experience in Hermeticism and Thelema -- I knew many thelemites at the time who whole heartedly believed in Deity and the Gods, and at the same time I knew many who did not and saw the rituals much in the same way as Asana or Yoga is seen by most westerners today. there was never a need to distinguish ourselves or make clear the difference in our beliefs.
to both parties the practices remained the same, it was only in our minds, how we saw the enactment of our practices, where diversity sprang up.
To me a path is what theological framework you would like to use in your magickal workings-- how we choose to see the results of our actions is up to the individual.
By putting all these things into a SET framework I feel like we are simply limiting ourselves. I am THIS and you are THAT. If you believe in THIS then you must believe in EVERYTHING WE ALL DO. Thats silly. you can be a wiccan and an athiest. I know a few. They believe they work with the energies inherent in all of us(and nature), yet I would, and they would consider themselves wiccan. -- you can be anything mixed with anything else. Thats what our agency is all about.
As stated before I am not a witch however, just a pathetic little heathen, so maybe all I said is wrong and doesnt apply to witchcraft. It is however my opinion and I hope it doesnt step on anyones toes.
well in this life you have to really make your own path . be yourself . ask yourself what do you like to be and what do you like to do. in time your path could change so dont hesitate to try many things
