Saturday, January 19, 2008

Seeking your Path - Theoretically or Practically?

I wonder how you all found your path. Had you read tons of books and made sure what is your path before you tried it out in practice or did you make solitary experiments without consulting a book on everything or hopping from one group/community/coven to another till you found your path?

The stuff I'm reading is interesting, but sometimes I feel like being an internet Pagan or someone who hides behind books. I haven't read books about specific paths yet, just some overview stuff about Paganism and stuff about herbs, animal guides, tarot, traditional chinese medicine which would fit somehow into more than one path, but doesn't point towards anything specific.

I feel drawn towards witchcraft, solitary work as well as group work, but don't know how to start. But just reading makes me impatient. I'm practicing Tai Chi Chuan and Qi Gong since 5 years and have some experience of energy flows. I also have done a few experiments like aura-seeing or trying to feel the energy of plants, stones and other things. Part of those experiments gave me the impression that something happened, but I feel I could need some sort of education and practice structure. But maybe I'm just spoiled by my martial arts school, where I get regularly feedback and learn only new stuff if my teacher thinks it's the right time. Maybe in Paganism you have to decide much more for yourself and be a real good judge of yourself and the stuff ahead?

Spells and circles feel over my head at the moment to do alone. But is there any point I can start alone? How do people get initiated? Can you try with a group for a while before you choose? Even though I'm such a clueless newbie I'd so love to meet some people in person and if it's just to talk. Reading and doing some experiments alone in secrecy feel so 'unreal' or like leading a double life.

How did you start searching for a group? Did you attend pan-Pagan gatherings to meet different people or just jumped into the next coven/community of your neighbourhood? Did you attend initiatory classes done by your group or learned by yourself before you joined a group?

Maybe someone could also recommend a practice orientated introductory book on witchcraft?

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