The Crossroads

[Inner Beauty]

If you are interested in Wicca, how do you know if you want to be Wiccan? Like, I know I like the stuff, I enjoy reading about it, and talking about it (not that I get much here)...But I don't feel magickal or anything, or even like the Goddess wants me to be a Wicca - that sounds crazy I know but don't know how to describe it any other way. Does anyone understand this enough to help?

Blessed Be,
Inner Beauty.

[Brijrian]

First of all, don't rush and don't stress. There is a reason that most traditions require you to study a year and a day before committing to the path. This is serious business, and a decision to be deeply contemplated.

I was unsure for a long time--I loved Wicca, I identified with it and held many of it's beliefs before I even found it. But switching religions from Christianity to Wicca left to door open to the question, "What if there is yet another religion that I'm really supposed to be in, and I haven't found it yet?"

So, I researched Wicca, did the occasional circle, checked out Buddhism, went back to Wicca, checked out Hinduism, Islam, Gnostic Christianity, Native American Spirituality, while always bouncing back to Wicca (this is in hindsight, I didn't realize it so clearly then).

After 8 years of this I got tired of my lack of commitment to any path. So I asked the Gods, "once and for all, what is my religion? And please make it in writing, because I'm dense."

Exactly three days later I pulled up behind a car that I had never seen before. It had a bumper sticker that read, "Witches-Not for Burning." The fact that I cast a circle, called the elementals, etc. in order to ask the question to begin with didn't clue me in. Ha!

So, don't worry about it.

As for the feeling magical part, that comes with time and the awareness that the ordinary is magical.

I mean really, there are thousands of chemical reactions that happen inside your cells every moment of the day, and if one of them didn't work, you'd be dead. Plants take *light* and turn that into oxygen and food for us. Electrons flow through wires and makes your computer screen light up so you can access this forum which exists...somewhere, somehow. The sun rises every morning.

It'll come

[Labrys]

If you are interested in Wicca, how do you know if you want to be Wiccan?

Blessed Be,
Inner Beauty.

Wicca and Neowiccan paths are not the only available pagan ways out there...take your time.  Check out "Drawing Down the Moon" from the library for a reasonably good overview of what is out there re-birthing paganism in the world.

It's not a race to the finish line....it is a journey of joy and exploration.

[Lark]

As the others have said, don't rush yourself.  Take your time and let yourself explore a variety of Pagan and even non-Pagan paths.  Neo-Wicca has become the most accessible path, but it is far from the only one.  Ask the Gods for guidance, or try whatever form of divination you might use.  If there are other groups in your area that will permit you to be present by all means try to attend their rituals to see if they feel more like home than Wicca does.

Remember, Wicca is a specific religion with specific beliefs and practices.  If you find yourself feeling uncomfortable with those beliefs and practices it may be a sign that Wicca will not be the right path for you..and that's perfectly OK.  Take some time and write up a list of the things that you do believe and the sorts of things you would want in a spiritual path and see if there is one out there that seems to be a fit. 

And of course in the long run you may find that you are happier coming up with a practice that is uniquely yours.  Nothing wrong with that either.

-Lark-

[Inner Beauty]

First of all, don't rush and don't stress. There is a reason that most traditions require you to study a year and a day before committing to the path. This is serious business, and a decision to be deeply contemplated.

Why a year and a day?

[Lark]

First of all, don't rush and don't stress. There is a reason that most traditions require you to study a year and a day before committing to the path. This is serious business, and a decision to be deeply contemplated.

Why a year and a day?

A year and a day gives the student the time to go through a complete Wheel of the Year, do some serious studying, and even more thinking about the path they are checking out before they make any commitments either to a group or to a specific spiritual path or specific Gods.  Of course the whole idea of the year and a day is not something which is a fixed period of time.  It simply means "at some future point".  For some it might take less time to know that what you are doing is right for you.  For others it might take longer.  But a year and a day is a good average time frame.

-Lark-

[Zenon]

Labrys is correct, it is a journey of growth, exploration, and power.  but it is also supposed to be fun.  if you are really interested, you should start practicing and studying on your own.  if it becomes boring for you after a while, it's probably not for you anyways.  everyone has their own path, and most paths lead to a common thing: a deeper understanding of your own reality.