Pagan Journeys > Beginner's Chat

What advice would you give a newbie based on your experience?

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FairyQueen:
I hope you don't mind doing this little survey for me. I'm so curious to see how different everyone's answers will be, should you choose to fill them out. Also, based on similarity, it'll help give me an outline - since I've been feeling so overwhelmed. Of course, a lot of this could be considered personal, so of course only answer what you feel comfortable!

If a newbie asked you for help what advice would you give them, based on your own personal experience?

Where would you have them start?

Would you tell a newbie to read and learn one thing that is relevant to their spirituality at a time?
or
Would you tell them to read a little here and a little there?

What specifically would you have a newbie research?

What aspect of your path do you find most important?  Least so?

Looking back, what would you have differently as a newbie yourself?

What do you enjoy most about the spiritual path you have chosen?

Zlat:
Read as much as you possibly can before you start asking people about specifics. You will learn what you need to on your own time, experiences you go through are yours alone. Others can help guide you on the details, but many won't if you don't put in the legwork first.

Study based on what works best for you; this is logical guidance for anyone pursuing higher education as well. Same concept, do what works for you and don't worry what works for others.

Begin with the basics, read a broad variety of things and build upon the ones you feel you need to.

Ethics and understanding of the universe around us is more important to me than the rituals/spellwork/scientific theory and debate behind esoteric topics.

treeforest:
If a newbie asked you for help what advice would you give them, based on your own personal experience?
Take it slow. You can't jump into these things. Religion is a major choice. Don't do anything unless you are 100% confident in what you're doing - don't perform a ritual where you're going to stumble around with the words and have to constantly refer to a note sheet. (Oh, and if you have something very specific you want to say, don't be afraid to use the note sheet though! Sometimes I get caught up in the moment and having what I've thought written down helps ground me)

Where would you have them start?
I'd say start on the internet - read forums, websites and blogs. From there, get a scope of what books people recommend. There are a mountain of Pagan books out there and a great many of them are rubbish. Especially if you are spending money on buying books, wait until you see some out there. Check out the author's website - if it's completely dedicated to selling you products and services and they seem haughty....

Would you tell a newbie to read and learn one thing that is relevant to their spirituality at a time?
Would you tell them to read a little here and a little there?
I'd read a little here and there. In your wide scoping internet search, what catches your eye? If the elements are interesting to you, read about those. If you are drawn towards circle casting or specific magickal creatures or a certain aspect of the Divine, go from there.

What specifically would you have a newbie research?
At first, everything as a more general approach - then narrow it down as things catch your eye.

What aspect of your path do you find most important?  Least so?
What I find most important is to continue feeling my connection to the Universe. I worship the life force of the Universe - what makes the trees grow, what makes the clouds form, what causes the Earth to orbit the Sun. It is important to me to continue to feel that connection. Least important - formal practice. I do love performing rituals, and I try to at least once a week because they are a great way to accomplish the above, but I do not hold myself to unrealistic expectations.

Looking back, what would you have differently as a newbie yourself?
Hmm, I'm not really sure. Maybe I would have gotten more serious, quicker - as there was a good 4-5 year gap in between initial research and real dedication. But, it is a little better this way.

What do you enjoy most about the spiritual path you have chosen?
I can feel my connection, physically, in my body. I feel the energy flowing through me almost at all times. At times it's a better wake0up call in the morning than coffee. I have a certainty about my life, that I will be taken care of because the Universe takes care of itself and I am a part of the Universe.

Eternal Seeker:

I, too, would begin with advice to read- but not to read just anything, because there's a lot of crap out there, and a beginner wouldn't be able to differentiate. I would recommend these two online sources for the very beginning: for the academic and historic aspects, http://wicca.cnbeyer.com/ For the daily practice, http://www.duhovnirazvoj.com/ElektronskaBiblioteka/Maiden%20Moon.pdf  Oh, forgot one- if the beginner has children, this is a good resource for kids- http://www.pookapages.com/ Those are enough to start with, to get a grounding. Once you have that basic understanding, you will be able to tell if any other books you read are stuff.

The reason I would give that advice is that it's impossible to tell what will work for you from reading about it- you will have to practice, and then see how it affects you. You will then have some idea of what touches your soul and what doesn't, and can move from there- but it's only a fair test if you're practicing properly, and those sources are the best I know for Wicca. After you've practiced a specific path for an adequate test- I would give it one full turn of the wheel- then you would know whether you wanted to pursue Wicca further, or maybe Druidism, or another... but you would know, whereas without that experience you'd merely be guessing.

What is the most important aspect I would advise? Actual practice. As important as research and reading are, sooner or later you have to start doing. And I say sooner rather than later. There is no teacher like experience.

peace,
ES

FairyQueen:
Thank you Zlat, Tree, and ES! I appreciate that you took the time, in your way, off your advice.

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