Merry Meet,

My name is Jennifer AKA Phoenix Ravenmoon. I have been studying Wicca /witchcraft  since June 1993. Took Basic Wicca Lessons from "School of Wicca" with the Frost , and Graduated in 1994-1995 or so after . Continued studying different Wiccan traditions. I found my right path, and dedicated myself as a solitary Wiccan in 2001? It seems in my heart I’ve been Wiccan all my life though. I’m a wife and a mother. I live in a small town somewhere in New York state. I love to write, art, listen to music, dance, and spend time outside in nature. I’m like anyone else in the world, a human.

So you want to know what it is to be a Wiccan?

      To start I’m only a voice of Millions out there. So don’t just take my word for it. There is many books and websites to study and get great knowledge of the religion. One author you will hear a lot of "Scott Cummingham" one of the best. Remember his name and read his books. First thing before you even think on any Wiccan tradition as your path is for you is STUDY< STUDY> STUDY. Learn as much as you can. The standard study time is a year and a day. If you hadn’t noticed it took me longer. I studied longer because I wanted to learn and understand all the traditions. Yes some are very much different and didn’t fit me. I choice Solitary which means a craft all on your own. I live in a small town and never can find a Coven/local group to fit me. I like to make my own rules anyways. :) So on this website you won’t find ways to join one or degrees of covens. I would still love to take part in Rituals or celebration to see how they do it. The closest I’ve been to a coven is my yahoo groups Mommyraven, Trinitymoon (ones I own), and a few others. But they are my family more than a coven.

Ok first off if you want to become Wiccan you must know what one is.

#1What is Wicca?

        Wicca is a spiritual thought of free will and individual thought. The understanding of the Earth and respects the Nature around us. Very important we learn to take responsibility for our action! We do not take blame on any being outside of ourselves.(no you can’t blame god and parents) If we take harm on to someone else we have no one else to blame but ourselves. One rule in the Wicca religion. "Do as you will but harm none!" That includes yourself!

     We celebrate/acknowledge the cycles of nature, the moon phases, sun and the seasons. To worship the divine.

        We do believe in the spirit of the One, God and Goddess which exists in all things. The rain, sun, moon, grass, waterfall, rock, etc. To be in harmony! Our teachers and friends are the tree, plants and animals, etc. We also understand and call upon the elements Earth, Air, Fire, Water and some do believe Spirit. If you have ever stopped and smelled the roses or taken a walk in the Nature. You can almost feel the Divine around you. Hear their call. We also use it’s plants/herbs to heal the sick.

        Wicca is also a very tolerant religion. Very free to believe in your Path. You will not catch no freedom of religion, race, and sex. But you also won’t catch us going door to door spending the word of our religion. But I would not turn anyone’s religion away from my door. Still to me a freedom is freedom and that is their believe. But if you go up to me (or email lol) with an open mind and heart I will freely teach you.

#2 What Wicca is NOT

        We are not Satan’s child and do not believe in the devil!! That is Christian believe not our religion. We do not do Voodoo, hexes, sacrifice animals and humans. It goes against the harm none rule. Once again Voodoo is a whole religion on it’s own. We are not a cult, or have sex orgies.

          We do not have powers the TV shows "Charmed" or Bewitched" I do love both of them though, but "Charmed" gets on my nerves sometimes when they use Wiccan terms. Long story short they are not real. Any stereotype, ask me anytime the real story of how they began. It’s really funny!!Oh we can’t fly on broomsticks either. But boy wouldn’t that be fun! Saves on gas too!! We are also no fad or phase to go through! This is a religion to take serious. It will not solve all your problem. Make them vanish! It is not some fantasy and some Halloween Costume.

          We do not believe in Hell! There is no fire place where you go when your bad. Hell is on Earth in Hate, Greed, and Negative way of life. You make the hell. That is where ‘harm none’ comes into play. Put out hell and hell will come back. We call this "Threefolds" or the law of three. The negative you put out three times will come back at you. But as bad there is also good if you do something, good three times will come back too.

       For example you live a negative thinking negative will just take hold over you. Feel more and more pain take hold over you. Not all things are bad luck just a listen to learn and gain knowledge from. If someone hurts you in anyway don’t get revenge learn not to be like them. Do not hate a hater stop it and teach other not to do the same. Gaining good knowledge is always good and will come back to you the same way. In my mind there is no prophecy of the end of the Earth just Three folds to live on by. (Just my opinion in the last sentence!)

         There is no Wiccan/Witch that is perfect because we are human! All have had negative thoughts at some point and had to live with them. "Harm none" is hard rule to carry. I see it myself within reason. I would never do Black magic, but I have done a spell in the past on someone to show the emotional pain they have put on me. But never something to harm them just enlighten/make them aware. But I wouldn’t let a bug/animal bite me or a loved one, because that would put harm on them. I will defend myself or ones I love. I am human and a mother. But I wouldn’t kill a spider because I fear them either. Do you understand? I will eat plants and animal to replenish my body, but I couldn’t shoot an animal. It is in a human to eat both. I wouldn’t ask my cat to not eat meat. But that is just me, and my feelings. There is Witches/Wiccans that do not eat meat. I understand and respect that as their own individual thought.

      Lastly not all Wiccans are witches (witchcraft is casts spells or do magick). Wicca is also actually a Younger religion developed in the 1950's by a man Gerald Gardener. That put Wicca in terms of a modern way of Paganism. That was wiped out by the Burning Times and Witch trials. Some say Pagan, Witch and Wicca are all different. But in my mind it’s all one in the say of my beliefs. Through out your study you will make your own thoughts. The fact is Witchcraft/Pagans been a religion for over 30,000 years. I would like to Thank Gerald to bring that back to light. He was able to have it in the open again. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be writing this freely right now.

#3 Once again STUDY gain Knowledge

         Now that you know what Wicca is and isn’t. That is just a little taste of things about the beliefs. There is no way to some up a religion that been around for thousands of year or some same 50 years. This is my view of what has taken me to new heights. That has changed my life, or actually made me realize what life has always been. As I said before study and read as much as you can. Learn all traditions of the craft. There is so many. Find a teacher that works for you. I have find many that has, and I’ll meet many more. Don’t feel bad when you find some too that don’t help you at all. Not all have had the same views as me. That’s all right that’s the beauty of this religion! Able to question or disagree in some tradition. You’ll find some traditions that you do not agree on! I also feel that reading and learning as many different religions as you can. Can also help you on your path. See what makes them all different and the same really enlightens you to know the true one within you!

#4 Accept Others

        Learn that all being are different and accept that. With no judging! Remember the rules of the ‘Rede’ (on my Homepage). Learn to accept all of different race, religion, age, sex, sexuality etc. All makes mistakes! Live by them and move on. "A mistake is like tripping on a branch walking on a path. Next time you walk through there remember and step over it" Never belittle ones believes of religion. One (weather wax)says said ‘ Religion should be a means of communing with divine, not a tool for the bigot!’ We just hold a different map that leads to the same place at the end. No one really knows until the end.

#5 So you found your Witchy Path

         So now what? Sit down and write your pro and cons about it and adapt to you and you alone. What made you feel true this path. Is this the true being within yourself. If you feel whole heartedly for it. Congratulation you’ve find your true path! Ok then you ask me so now what? I myself not all has done this but I found a Magickal Name. This is your name that you give yourself when you are new to the craft. It can be something special you found during your study. Like a goddess or god, mythical creature, an animal you feel close to, or anything. Mine just came to me. Which is Phoenix Ravenmoon. Though out time like I did you may change it as things do. I started as Ravenmoon. Which suited me when I start my path. Raven for my partner Black cat that died to honor her, and moon for the full that I always loved. Now May 2005 I added Phoenix for the mythical bird that rose up from the ashes. I went through a hard time in my personal life. With the craft and my teaching I have been able to do the same as the Phoenix. So more time you spend on your path you may do a name change.

#6 Self Dedication

        This is the time when you have choice your path and name. Feel that you are ready to dedicate yourself to your new found religion. Pick a special day for yourself. Be it a full moon, your birthday, Holiday, or whenever feels right to you. Pick a quiet time where no one can bother you. This is a first ritual for you make it up how ever you want. It can be big or little. In the book " A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" by Scott Cunningham is a good one. But I also like to keep it simple. For your Ritual:

Draw yourself a bath of warm water you can use lavender in it. It’s cleansing and relaxes. Have all your negative thoughts wash away. Think of all your great future that your about to take hold. I even played nice music and had candles going. Before hand I bought my first pentacle to wear when I dedicated myself. I had that ready for me when I got out of the bath. I also had all my feeling written down on paper what I would like about the path I’ve made. When I was ready I got something nice on like a robe, night gown or you can go skyclad (nude) if you want. I got down in front of a white candle and called to the goddess and told her my Magickal Name, and my intention to the craft. I then meditated. And that’s it.

#7 Once on Your Path

       I suggest making your first Book of Shadows. It is like your own personal grimoire. You can put your studies, spell, journal, dreams, anything to do with Wicca. My is all of it. In fact now I have three. Book of Shadows my main book still has all I’ve printed about Wicca throughout time chapter by chapter. My second is my Mirror Book or journal with my spells, dream journal, and personal wicca journal of dates like my self dedication. The last book is my herbal and witchy crafts book with different herbs, recipes, and craft ideas.

      Also I would start thinking about putting together your first altar or shine. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. Things around the house or you can treat yourself buy from a Store. On another web page I will show you and tell you all the tool used on your altar.

        Now you can study Wicca Sabbats and esbats, but you really can learn them until you celebrate them. Your first year try to celebrate each holiday and learn/celebrate each Full moon. Besides they’re fun.

       Also each day take some quiet time (morning or night)to reflect on the day/day a hold, pray to the divine, and learn to meditate. Also weather, season and area permitting take a walk in the nature get closer to your divine. Pick up garbage if you see it. Clean up the Earth! Recycle give back to the Earth. Learn to give thanks to the food your about to eat. It was once living like you, but not for you! Animal and Plants wasn’t just put on this earth for Humans. Just to work with us as a cycle of life for the Earth. We are all one.

    Ok these were the easy to follow 7 step to Wicca. Just kidding! But in the rest of the website are a bit more to help you.

Practical Magick : How to do your own Spells and learning Rituals. What tools and other goodies what I think Every witch can’t do without.

Witch’s Year : All the Sabbats and Esbats/Moon Magic, Magickal Days

One’s Worship : Gods, Goddesses and Elements

One’s Self : Medication, Grounding & Centering, Shielding, and other psychic ability/discovery

Wicca Terms : Definitions of a lot of Wicca