Starting Out
So You Want to be a Witch?

Once, a couple years ago, a young man contacted me, He didn't leave much more information than his name, that he was interested in Wicca and he lived less then 20 miles away which is a big deal out in the boonies where I live. I replied, asking what he wanted to know, and one of his very upset parents answered. .....I won't go into they answered aside from a very firm notice never to contact him again but I wish I could have said the following to the young man.

I don't consider this proselytizing and you can see why. My goal also isn't to be negative but for those who are searching you might want to think about a few of these things. I will also note that I am using Wiccan and Witch interchangeably in this article. I do know that there are other type of witches then Wiccans and feel you could replace Wiccan with the witch path of your choice.

Don't skimp on the learning part if you are considering becoming a witch. You don't become a witch because your friends think it's cool or because your significant other is Wiccan. A person becomes a witch when it becomes evident that it is the right path for them.

To know if it's the right path, you need knowledge. This means a lot of research. At the time I started my studying, we didn't have the net with page after page of information. So I read every book on Wicca that I could afford to buy. These included books by Scott Cunningham, Stewart and Janet Farrar, Starhawk, Raymond Buckland and others. It also included books that would have been better off left on the shelf gathering dust. I found old books in used bookstores and new ones here and there. Slowly I put together a path that I felt comfortable following. Let's face it, we don't have one Holy book we can go to for all the answers as some religions state they do. Also spend time in nature and learn to connect. Learn to connect with yourself too. Both those connections will teach you more then any book.

By the time you decide to become a witch or not, you will know one thing: the path of a witch isn't an easy one.

Newspapers will print editorials maligning Witches when they wouldn't even consider such editorials about Jews, Muslims, Christians or even Buddhists or Hindus. There are people on television readily state we are evil and I am not talking just about Televangelists. As for TV, movies and books, well either it's the in cool thing or we are monsters still and it's rare to non-existent that we are portrayed accurately. Things haven't radically changed since "are you a good witch or a bad witch?" was first uttered on the silver screen.

If you decide you want to become a witch then what?

Do you announce it to the world? Do you keep it private? Or do you, like myself, find someplace in between? Using my real name sometimes and a craft name other times. Having an altar set up in my home but quietly going about my business in my hometown.

Do you risk alienating family and friends? Can you handle the occasional person who finds out what you are who makes it a mission to save your immortal soul? Can you handle it when the same person decides that since you won't come around to the "right," i.e. his way of thinking, that he is going to make trouble for you? Have you thought about all this? I was raised Methodist with a strong influence of Baptist. When I became a Witch, I told my sisters and one of them told my Mom. I am not sure if she told my father or not. We follow the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. As for the rest of my rather large extended family? If they ever found out, well some would accept it but others I know would be camped out on my door with the King James Version of the Bible.

There is a lot of good about Wicca, or I wouldn't be following it. Nature has always called me but I also don't think a person should go into anything, especially a spiritual path, without a good idea about the drawbacks. I could go on for pages about the good but you probably have enough to think about for now.

It's hard to turn your back on everything you have ever been told. I know. Wicca is the right path for me. Is it the right path for you? Only you can decide. All I can say is it isn't something that should be done lightly. How do you know if it is the right path for you? Only you can answer.