Hi Jeannie. I’ve said it once and I say it again. I love to read anything you put out there. It is always informational, and I am sure to learn something new from you. I am glad to have some books to use as references and I will look your referred book, Another year and a day by Timmothy Roderickor for more info.
Blessed Be,
Medea
Hey, coven members!
I wanted to share a bit about my journey with Wicca and how it’s shaped my current eclectic folk magic practice. When I first started exploring witchcraft, Wicca was my gateway. Like many of you, especially those of us coming from Catholicism, I found the structure and the rich traditions of Wicca to be a comforting and enlightening place to start.
The Beginning
Wicca gave me a foundation, with its emphasis on harmony, respect for nature, and the celebration of the Sabbats. I remember diving into the Sabbats, finding joy in celebrating the cycles of the year. Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lughnasadh, Mabon, Samhain, and Yule became the markers of my spiritual calendar. Each festival brought a new opportunity to connect with nature, reflect, and celebrate the turning of the seasons.
The Rules and Traditions
One of the first “rules” I learned was the Wiccan Rede: “An it harm none, do what ye will.” This has been a guiding principle for me, a simple yet profound reminder to live my life in a way that minimizes harm and maximizes joy. It’s a philosophy that has stuck with me, even as I’ve branched out into other areas of witchcraft.
However, I’ve never been a strict adherent to all of Wicca’s tenets. For instance, the Threefold Law, which suggests that whatever energy a person puts out into the world, whether positive or negative, will be returned to them three times as much, doesn’t quite resonate with me. It’s a beautiful concept, but I find my beliefs align more with a nuanced understanding of cause and effect.
Evolving into an Eclectic Path
Over time, my practice has evolved. While Wicca provided a fantastic starting point, I began to incorporate elements from other traditions and practices, creating a path that is uniquely mine. This eclectic approach allows me to blend Wiccan principles with folk magic, herbalism, and a touch of hearth magic, making my practice deeply personal and flexible.
Books and Influences
A big shoutout to Lisa Chamberlain’s books, which have been a treasure trove of knowledge and inspiration. Her work has been instrumental in shaping my understanding and approach to magic. I have almost all her books and frequently pull them off the metaphorical shelf (all my books are on my Kindle) for guidance and ideas.
Oh my gosh, you’re right!!! It was the same for me being raised catholic and then finding Wicca.
I love her books as well! 
Lovely challenge entry 
You are very welcome. 
It was nice reading through them again!
Challenge entry
Here is my book on Wicca.
Although I think I am more of an eclectic witch, I recognize that I need to do some more ritualistic work, beyond my quick casting of a circle. The rituals will help me get into a connected mode more quickly and likely more deeply. A elder witch I know has advised that I should embrace more ritual so I can experience its value. Wicca has structure that I can benefit from so I am embracing that more. Then with a stronger foundation and structure I can flourish into my own witchcraft stronger and more knowledgeable.
I do thank the Horned God and the Triple Goddess on a daily basis. I have always been drawn to the Triple Goddess. One time I was visited by the Green Man, that was interesting.
Thank you.
Challenge Entry
@BryWisteria thank you for the little push to go deeper. Amaris_Bane was one of the last posts today and seeing her post has given me a bit more confidence with my entry. Thank you @Amaris_Bane.
Let me share a bit of my background with you, and then I want to share my goals for sharing my practice with my children.
I was raised in a Pentecostal household, so I grew up with a lot of knowledge about religion and the Bible. I met my husband in college and converted to Catholicism. Our babies were baptized into the Church, and I worked hard to take my two little ones to Mass because I wanted to do the right thing for them. Then COVID-19 happened, and I kept trying to do the right thing.
My breaking point came when my church family didn’t check in on us. Questions that had been bubbling beneath the surface finally came to a head. The summer of 2020. I started to explore other paths and discovered Spells 8 and embraced the energy of crystals. My journey has grown steadily since then.
This week’s challenge has been interesting. This morning, I was debating whether to send my kids to Vacation Bible School when an article about Wicca for Children caught my eye. I want to do right by my kids and support whatever religion they ultimately choose. I want them to be critical thinkers, and the article highlighted this aspect well. Even if you don’t have children, reading this article about Wiccan beliefs can be enlightening.
In the past year or two, I’ve been more open about my beliefs with my children. I tell them when I’m building an altar, and they offer ideas to add to it. We celebrate the Sabbats together. Before Christmas, we celebrated Yule with dinner and enjoyed my homemade Yule cake. This last Beltane, we built fairy gardens together. We will celebrate Mabon like a traditional Thanksgiving. I am looking forward to celebrating Samhain by creating a family tree. I want them to celebrate the seasons and experience the rhythms of our natural world.
Ultimately, I want to open their eyes to this beautiful world and help them develop a deep regard for life. I’ve started sharing the Wiccan Rede with my children because the simple idea of “do as you will, harm none” is a great concept. Even before I began on the Wiccan path, my family had connected with nature. I love sharing the beautiful, unique, and wonderful things that occur in nature.
My daughter is the first one to care for spiders, always willing to carry them to safety in a cup. My son values the life of all creatures and tells his friends to be gentle with pets. I want them to be confident, mindful, and compassionate.
Yes, as someone who also transitioned from Catholicism, Wicca was a simple place to begin. (I need to conduct more research before I can say this with complete confidence; it appears to me that the Catholic Church has adopted many Pagan traditions.)
That is one of the first routes I took, as well. Crystals, the Moon, and the Sabbats were my “Gateway”.
My pathway has also become Eclectic. I agree with many but not all of the principles. I strongly agree that “all paths are blessed.”
With that in mind, everyone, Blessed Be!
(Spells 8 is so much easier to work with on a computer instead of a phone. I am proud of myself for finally figuring out quotes!)
“challenge Entry” (so I don’t get flagged again )
I was saying I was going to do something on my ancestors. Also the time seemed fitting due to his birthday being two days ago on the 22nd. I miss him quite terribly and I will forever.
I lit two purple candles for psychic connection. I lit one red candle for love for him, grandma, other grandpa, and ancestors. But grandpa tom was my focus. I lit a white candle for cleansing. I(was a virgin and) lit a black flame candle(just a black candle)(hocus pocus quote) 
but on that note I had a purple candle mirror blue 
light
Ehemm, okay 
I lit some ancestor paper to send up to them in case they need it. I haven’t asked that hahaha 
.
I did sit and meditate and breathe a little before I started communication with my deceased grandpa. Who cried when I cried. I was his baby. I loved that man dearly. He comes to me right away before I even sit to meditate. After meditation I cleansed the room/board/planchet with frankincense sat with my ouija board and I wrote down four questions to ask. I figured last time I didn’t do that and it was impossible for me to remember them all.
Before anything I talked with Satan and asked for his protection and to only allow who I needed to talk to come through. I said be with me Father Satan
Before I put the planchet on the board I told my grandpa that I was gonna ask some questions after I wished him happy birthday and talked to him about everything. I told him only yes or no questions and to return to the center of the board after each question 
Here are the questions I asked him.
1.) will I see you again someday?
He said yes.
2.) is grandma with you?
He said yes.
3.) Is there a heaven and hell?
He said no.
4.)Are you happy where you are?
He said yes .
Oh and I gave a amazing chicken dinner to my ancestors and Satan and my lovely demon team.
Candles were smoke cleansed .
Challenge Entry
For some reason at first i was repulsed by the mention of Wicca. And i went woah, there Celine.
I think I i may have some unresolved stuff around wicca…
And I think it could be what @Mystique talked about in her post.
I have a hard tume with rigidity, rules and hierarchy. It makes me angry and want to rebel…
Thanks @Mystique for helping me to see why I was getting tiggered.
That said I really want to continue participating in the challenges. So i have been keeping an open mind.
I haven’t been sleeping well cause of the heat and I have been avoiding going to bed. This behavior is noraml for due to childhood trauma in the summer.
And my body loves to wake up with the sun. (which I am starting to wknder if this left over from my ancestoral lineage of being a farmer. So my body thinks it is time to work.)
Which has been leaving me feeling depleted.
so insaw that the wonderful founder of spells 8 @Francisco and fellow resident of Portland, Oregon; had recently posted about a sleep ritual bath.
Wiccan Sleep Spell & dreamy bath ritual
It was bit too hot for me todo but i have saved for later this week. I did make a sleep oillow scachet for myself. We had expired tea that had great herbs in it:
Servings Per Container 1, Amount Per Serving: Calories 0, All Herbal Ingredients: Organic valerian root 450 mgt, Organic passionflower herb 300 mgt, Organic lemon balm leaf 300 mgt, Organic peppermint leaf 300 mgt. Proprietary Blend: 150 mg. Organic caraway fruitt, Organic licorice root
I put 9 of these tea bags in it.
Then put two tea bags of nettle that also had expited for protection. I sewed the sachet by hand and sang an ecantation to help me sleep.
I used the wolves so i could have protection for my younger selves that get scared when it is hot.
I also drew some siglis and activated them.
I used the pentacle as protection, the moon for good dreams, Algiz for protection and connection to source.
Laguz, ᛚ, is associated with dreams, imagination, and psychic powers.
Thurisaz, for protection.
Same
Me too. It’s hard to sleep past nine . Oh I want And need to though
I love your sachets and drawings. I love raw looking images 
Edit: hard to sleep past 8 with begging cats walking All over you, meowing, stalking
I’m so late to this party… I’ll have to start from the bottom and read upwards, somehow.
Same. 
I don’t want to have people “below” me and I feel like rigidity is mostly about keeping people out. I dunno. I guess it goes against my beliefs.
Wishing you a lovely sleep. 
I’m scared to ask what happened, but curiosity is killing me.
I see what you did there. 
It sounds like you had a beautiful session there. I’m glad it went so well.
Challenge entry
I still don’t get where the boundaries of Wicca end, so hopefully, this is okay.
There seems to be very little from Wicca that I do follow, but this point from the Spells8 website is interesting because it is something that I do somewhat follow:
Gods and spirits can be given different names, but it does not matter what name they are given, because they continue to be the same Divinity.
I’m no expert on any of these matters of spirituality, but I constantly have this feeling that across cultures, many of the same spirits have travelled and been given different names by the cultures across land and time, but they are actually the one spirit. I’m not sure why, but it’s a notion I have a lot of trouble shaking.
Anyway, seeing that the Goddess and Horned God are on the list of suggestions, I’m going to go back to that book on Slavic Witchcraft (which I attempted to translate here: Slavic Witchcraft: Spells and a Meditations to the Goddess & God) and commune through the Goddess and Horned God. The meditation I’m following is here:
Now, I’ve lit a candle on my ancestor altar and am meditating with my ancestors here.
I had to pass on using incense or anything with a smell today as I still feel sick and any smells make me feel nauseous. But it was nice regardless.
I’m going to go lay down and rest… Feeling emotionally good but physically terrible.
Madea, 
Aw thank you Madea I’m glad I participated in our challenge this week! 
Thank you your a true Goddess and a good good friend!
Right know I am the app Megan referred me too
Planets 
I should have took a picture of my 
fire I lit tonight! I made southwestern burritos and did a meditation and it was perfect! Then I did some yoga 
!
I’m glad 
it’s been really neat going over this book called Wicca I get all my magical correspondences ahead of time. I like working with this book 
it helps me to expand my mind! I ordered some sandalwood powder so I hear it good for the skin!
I’d thought I’d share my apothecary
I’ve been blessed with many essential oils.
Starborn,
Your alter is beautiful I thought about using a Slavic Witchcraft
Jeannie
Challenge entry
Mundane life was a bit demanding this week, so I just listened to this documentary
You are so welcome love! It seems a lot of us are triggered by the rules and guidelines of Wicca.
@Satans_Helper sleep past 9??!! Holy hell! If I sleep past 4 in the morning I’m doing good! Don’t matter what time I go to bed, my body and mind want to be up and running by 4. I think it’s from years of having to be to work by 6. But now that I’m retired, I’d sure like to sleep a little later. 
Beautiful job to all those who joined in to explore Wiccan magickal traditions, deities, and more. Your entries have brought us all on a wonderful exploration - thank you very much to everyone who joined in! 
A Props and Presents post will soon appear with shout-outs and prize details for everyone who submitted an entry. Please keep an eye on the main page of the forums.
Note : To avoid confusion, this discussion will be locked until the Props and Presents post appears. At that time, this thread will reopen for discussion for a few more days- comments are welcome during this time, but please note that no additional prizes will be given.
Thanks again for joining in the challenge! 
Blessed be! 
The challenge deadline has passed- thank you to everyone who joined in!
This topic is reopening for continued discussion and comments (feel free to respond to entries that were shared, chat about the challenge theme, etc!)
The Props and Presents award post for this challenge is now live in the forum and badges have been sent to all entrants! 
→ Award Post for the Wiccan Magick Challenge
Thank you once again to all those who joined the challenge! 
I hope you enjoy your new badge 
This thread has been reopened for discussion- feel free to comment on the theme, ask questions or reply to entries! However, please remember that no additional badges will be given out now that the challenge has officially closed. Thank you!
