Moving from a belief-based religion to a practice-based religion can be daunting, especially for those with little experience with personal spiritual practice to begin with. Shifting away from a system where your thoughts and feelings rather than your actions define your spirituality can be very empowering, but some people may worry — as I did as a less-experienced witch — that they’re doing Paganism ‘wrong’ or have taken ‘the wrong path’. After the bright, shiny newness of finding a religion that speaks to you wears off, the real work of building a practice begins, and that can be intimidating. You may see people who have it all figured out and are very secure in their path. You may see others who have a very poorly defined practice and yet somehow it works for them. You may see seekers dipping their toes into a variety of traditions trying to find the right one for them. You may be one of those seekers.
Spoiler alert: the path is your own, and you decide where it leads and what stops you take along the way. Your path cannot be wrong because it is yours, and you will know when it is time to change directions because you’re no longer being fulfilled by your journey. The path is long and winding, and sometimes it goes through dark places, but the Light of Truth is always there for you to seek and find.
Things were very different when I was seeking. It was the late 1990s. Satanic Panic was still a fresh memory, and the New Age section of Barnes & Noble was all I had. Most Pagan music was inaccessible unless you knew what names to type into Yahoo! so you could find a hand-coded web page and order a cassette direct from the artist. A lot of it was bound up in the Society for Creative Anachronism, which I didn’t know about at the time. I was a teenager then, so I had to save my lunch money and my allowance to buy books — RavenWolf, Cunningham, Buckland — which I then had to hide from my parents so I wouldn’t get lectured about evilness and sin. (It didn’t work. They found them and I got lectured, but I was fortunate enough that their disapproval did not lead them to acts of destruction.)
Even into the early 2000s, people were still creating theology and uncovering layers of deeper meaning in extant writings of early Wiccans, Witches, and Pagans. The richness of Wicca was veiled, its Mysteries hidden in practices of established covens from traditions that sprang from Gardnerian and Alexandrian initiatory lines. Non-Wiccan Witchcraft traditions were growing, evolving, defining for themselves what their Mysteries were and how those Mysteries were accessed. And many of them influenced the thinking of other traditions, back and forth, as books were published and the Internet connected people across the world.
But I didn’t know any of this at the time. I had my books and a small study group and a fervent desire to learn everything I could about my chosen faith. I craved knowledge without regard to utility, wisdom without the struggle of experience. And so I didn’t respect the advice of my elders. I took my opportunities for granted. And I spent a lot of time thinking about the Craft rather than practicing the Craft. In fact, it took the unfortunate death of my first teacher to shake me out of this mentality. Again and again, Marcy had tried to tell me to do, to practice, to live as a witch. But I had equated thinking about magick with doing magick, reading about rituals with experiencing rituals, talking about theology with understanding theology. So, at twenty years old, I started doing what Marcy had told me to do: to read, to sing, to explore, to connect, to live the Craft. And it transformed my life.
Steps Toward Building Pagan Practice
I have learned that the sooner and the more fully you bring Paganism into your life — in little ways and in big ways — the more opportunity you have to experience the spirituality of the Craft and grow from that experience. But this is a process best undertaken one step at a time. You might start with removing the trappings of your old faith, storing them or disposing of them as you see fit, and erecting a simple altar to the Goddess or Nature or a specific deity that you’re interested in working with. Then find a few books and meet a few people. There’s no need to buy a whole library that you won’t read or totally redecorate your house to match a witchy ‘look’ that may not be authentically you. It’s good if the process is gradual and meaningful to you. After all, you’re embarking on a journey of faith. It’s not meant to be achieved in a single weekend.
Exploring Books and Music
There are many authors out there, each with their own system of practicing Wicca, Witchcraft, or other traditions of Paganism such as Druidry, Heathenry, Kemeticism, or Hellenic Reconstructionism. Some of them are reputable; others are less so. Some of them have been around for ages; others are fresh on the scene. Do your research about the author and where they are coming from. Google is your friend. Also, Amazon has a feature that allows you to read samples of most books, so you don’t have to buy them in order to flip through them. If you’re interested in buying a book and it’s currently in print, please consider buying a new copy from a bookseller in order to support the hard-working Pagan author who wrote the book. As a younger Pagan, I focused on buying used books, and I still do if a book is out of print, but I now see the value in the energy exchange of buying new books. As a teacher, I buy some books again and again, and I am happy to support our Pagan economy this way.
Resist at all costs the temptation to illegally download books. Occult download bundles are redistributed without authorization from the authors and publishers and are packaged too densely to be of any use to the new practitioner. Are you really going to read 500 PDFs about “Wicca Witchcraft Paganism Satanism Occult Sex Magick Tantra UFOs Aliens Conspiracy Thelema Crowley”? Some of them are total trash, some of them are outdated, and the rest of them are freely available in the public domain. Start small. Think quality over quantity.
Once you have found a few authors you like, branch out into the wide variety of Pagan music out there. Much of it is available to sample on YouTube, but if you find an album you like, please go to iTunes or Amazon Music or wherever you purchase your media and buy a copy of the album on CD or MP3 to support the artist so they can keep creating the music you love. Again, resist the temptation to illegally download. This is not only an economic practice but a community practice. There are now more Pagans in America than there are mainline Presbyterians, but you can still meet well-known Pagans in the flesh at local and regional events. We are growing, but we are still a small community, and showing our support for one another is one way we can embody the practices of hospitality, generosity, and community care that were so important in ancient cultures across the world.
Doing Inner Work
Inner work is the process of reflection, examining hurts and flaws and asking ‘why’ until you reach the ultimate answer. It’s also the process of working with one’s imagination to create a mental space that reflects who you are as a person. Anything that happens in the mind can be considered inner work, and it’s part of the self-transformative work that Wiccans and Pagans often take on to heal and grow.
One introductory inner-work practice is centered around creating and using an inner temple. This space serves as a combination of the ‘happy place’ that some meditations call for you to visualize as well as a mind palace for storing knowledge and a spiritual working space for those times when doing work at a physical altar is inconvenient or inaccessible. It is a versatile tool and can be a fulfilling practice to engage in.
Another type of inner-work practice is called shadow work. This is a process by which a person uncovers, confronts, and works to integrate the dark side of their psyche with their whole self. We all have parts of ourselves that we aren’t proud of, and shadow work helps a person make peace with their inner demons in order to live a more peaceful and centered life.
Inner work as a spiritual practice can be immensely transformative, but sometimes it uncovers things better addressed through psychology or psychiatry. Paganism allows for holistic, integrated exploration and addressing of these issues. It is very easy to supplement inner work techniques in a spiritual context with the therapeutic techniques used in mental health care. In fact, it is recommended by every reputable teacher I know.
When beginning inner work, start small. Work with one aspect of inner work, such as establishing a mindfulness practice, for a few months before adding another aspect, such as inner temple work. This gives you the time to build gradually and not overwhelm yourself with the expectations of what you think your ideal practice should look like. Give yourself time to get firmly situated in one practice before adding another to the schedule, and really figure out what is going to work for you without judgment about what you “should” be doing. A wise priest once told me, “No one likes to be should upon.” This is especially true when the person who is doing the shoulding is ourselves.
Spending Time in Nature
Many — but not all — Pagan religions place emphasis on the natural world as sacred, whether nature is personified as the Earth Mother or simply as a being with spirit that should be honored and respected along with gods and humans. Throughout the centuries, artists, thinkers, and spiritual people have retreated to the wilderness to become closer to the Divine and to be refreshed and inspired by their surroundings. As a practice, this could be as simple as walking along the trails at a nearby state or national park. Or it could be as complex as a scheduled weekend — or week-long — retreat. It could be a day spent fishing, a hunting trip, a foraging adventure, or simply sitting for a while with your feet on the earth and the sun on your face. Nature is available to us in a variety of ways, even in an urban environment or for those who have accessibility needs. Putting your hands in the dirt as you work your container garden can be just as enriching as a trip to a secluded forest or a forgotten beach — and for many people, it’s more achievable. Sitting in the open air can be a simple and relaxing way to experience nature and can help you get to know your environment, to listen to what it has to teach you, and to learn how you can help it. The wilderness exists everywhere; finding it is simply a matter of perspective.
Building Your Witchy Network
While it is possible to practice Paganism alone, it can be lonely and discouraging. Finding others of like mind can go a long way toward helping you build your own practice. After all, even the most introverted people are still part of a social species. We as humans need other humans to survive and thrive.
Most Pagans are finding other Pagans on social media. Platforms like Facebook and Meetup are popular for those just starting out, and there are a wide variety of paths represented. On Instagram, the hashtags #witchesofinstagram, #pagansofinstagram, and #wiccansofinstagram are popular and can help you find like-minded folks of all popularity levels.
Don’t discount your own back yard either! Local pagans can be found in metaphysical stores, natural and organic markets, fair trade cooperatives, and alternative medicine shops, as these are all areas where there is a significant crossover in interests. Also, some LGBTQIA+ organizations may have Pagan connections in your local area, as there’s also a high crossover between the Pagan and Queer communities. Start with public events such as coffee hours and meetups, then see what open circles are available in your area. After circling with people for a few visits to feel them out, see if there are individuals or organizations in that circle who offer workshops or share knowledge in other ways. If there aren’t, perhaps some of the attendees know someone who is offering instruction. If it’s a teacher you’re seeking, this is the tried-and-true way to find one.
Developing Your Witchy Aesthetic and Lifestyle
With the advent of Tumblr and the aesthetic blog, it can be tempting to become an “adjective witch” — a storm witch or a water witch or a cosmic witch or a desert witch — and focus only on that little sliver of practice while rejecting anything that doesn’t fit the look and feel of your projected brand. Please remember that you are not limited to one source of power or to a small, closely related set of interests. There’s a reason that the archetypal depiction of the witch’s cottage is that of a small house filled to the rafters with a wide variety of mismatched but useful books, tools, spells, and ingredients. Nevertheless, building up your own personal witchy look can help you feel empowered as well as show off your interests and style. It doesn’t have to be hippie bead curtains or bohemian candle lanterns. It can be seascapes and nautical decor, or quilts and family photos, or earthtones and wood furnishings. Your clothes don’t have to be black velvet cloaks or bold tie-dye dresses or a pentacle the size of a salad plate. You’re just as much of a witch if you wear jeans and a t-shirt. You already have a look. Cultivating that look and figuring out why you like it will help you along your spiritual path by giving you insight into the things that energize and empower you.
Some interests or power sources are obvious to us in the form of favorite animals, favorite colors, favorite places, and favorite types of weather. Others we can have a huge blind-spot about, which is where having the insight of people who know you well can help. While your spiritual journey is yours alone, companions and allies show us a side of ourselves that we might not be totally aware of, and becoming aware that you’re really more of a dog person than a cat person or that you say you like green but all of your clothes are purple or that you have a dozen dolphin figurines around your house can aid you in your quest to find the mix of strengths, connections, and talents that is uniquely you.
In seeking to develop a more witchy lifestyle, remember that practice is based on action rather than aesthetic. If you have a beautifully appointed altar but never work at it, then what you have is an installation art piece rather than an altar, which does reflect your interests but not necessarily your lifestyle. However, if you have a favorite mug that you always drink tea from for your end-of-the-day wind-down time, that’s a spiritual practice in the making. Try having coffee with the Goddess and see if the quiet time with Deity appeals to you. If not, you still have a nice evening ritual and that mug takes on a special significance that reflects your lifestyle. Try new things, one or two at a time, and see what sticks. Like herbs in the garden, it takes time for seeds to grow into a flowering plant. Be patient with the process, and be true to your own soul. Starting off on a new religious path is a big experience, and no one expects it to happen all at once.
Sum-Up
From books and music to meditative practices and meetups, there are a variety of ways to build and customize your own practice as a Pagan. But the first step is to take action! Paganism, by and large, is guided by personal choice, so don’t forget that you’re in the driver’s seat. If something isn’t working for you, accept the lessons you’ve learned from the experience and do something else! Think less about what you ‘should’ do and more about what you ‘could’ do to inspire your desires, enliven your spirituality, and build a meaningful practice that will help you on your journey for years to come.