Getting Serious - Any Tips?

[Uneryx]

So i have decided that, in order to get myself figured out, I'm going to be spending the next year studying different occult & pagan styles to see if any are right for me. Sort of a sampler course. And since I know just the surface-scratch level of magic basics (ie, what I could glean from the internet and a handful of books), I'm spending the first four months of my journey on magic.

My first stop is energy work, because from what I can gather, that's pretty important. I used to play with a "ball" of energy between my hands when I first started dabbling about 15 years ago or so, but never really got deeper than that. Done a few things with sigils and candles, too, and gotten decent enough results to want to keep at it, but I know I could be doing better and doing more.

So! Any suggestions for a babby practitioner who really wants to get down and dirty with magic? Books, articles, anything goes. I would prefer there to be a solid "why" behind the reasoning, if possible. I'd also prefer stuff that doesn't have faith tied to it - I've skimmed Cunningham and Cabot, and while there's good practical stuff in there I'm not exactly looking to get into Wicca, or any faith path, yet. That's later down the road. I gotta get over my ex before I'm ready to start dating again, y'know?

Anyhoo, your wisdom and advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance

[Corr]

So i have decided that, in order to get myself figured out, I'm going to be spending the next year studying different occult & pagan styles to see if any are right for me. Sort of a sampler course. And since I know just the surface-scratch level of magic basics (ie, what I could glean from the internet and a handful of books), I'm spending the first four months of my journey on magic.

My first stop is energy work, because from what I can gather, that's pretty important. I used to play with a "ball" of energy between my hands when I first started dabbling about 15 years ago or so, but never really got deeper than that. Done a few things with sigils and candles, too, and gotten decent enough results to want to keep at it, but I know I could be doing better and doing more.

So! Any suggestions for a babby practitioner who really wants to get down and dirty with magic? Books, articles, anything goes. I would prefer there to be a solid "why" behind the reasoning, if possible. I'd also prefer stuff that doesn't have faith tied to it - I've skimmed Cunningham and Cabot, and while there's good practical stuff in there I'm not exactly looking to get into Wicca, or any faith path, yet. That's later down the road. I gotta get over my ex before I'm ready to start dating again, y'know?

Anyhoo, your wisdom and advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance

Best advice I can give is see if you can find a local group and start checking out their public gatherings.  Paganism is more about effective practice than it is about belief and you need to find out what practices work best for you.  Besides you're not really going to know what works best for you unless you actually get in there and do it.

As for reading sources, some of the ones you suggested are good places to start. Also if you start connecting with local Pagan groups, though also have their own suggestions on what you can take a look at as well.

That's all I got for you. Good luck!

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[Uneryx]

Best advice I can give is see if you can find a local group and start checking out their public gatherings.  Paganism is more about effective practice than it is about belief and you need to find out what practices work best for you.  Besides you're not really going to know what works best for you unless you actually get in there and do it.

As for reading sources, some of the ones you suggested are good places to start. Also if you start connecting with local Pagan groups, though also have their own suggestions on what you can take a look at as well.

That's all I got for you. Good luck!

Sent from my LG-M153 using Tapatalk

Aw, man. Any pointers on how to actually find/connect with those groups? Vancouver is... pretty sparse on the public/open groups, so I'm either not looking hard enough or they aren't there.

[Morag]

Aw, man. Any pointers on how to actually find/connect with those groups? Vancouver is... pretty sparse on the public/open groups, so I'm either not looking hard enough or they aren't there.

Reclaiming has open rituals, Pagan Pride does open sabbat rituals year-round as well as having multiple groups present on the day of, and I know Phoenix Rising Metaphysical Emporium in Langley has events all the time, though they're not all rituals.

There's also the Gathering For Life On Earth, which is on Victoria Day weekend at Lake Sasamat and I know Abysmal Productions does public Sabbats. Heathen of the Nine Realms also does public events.


Honestly the best way to get plugged into the Vancouver pagan scene is to come to Pagan Pride and introduce yourself to people. Make friends, become friends with them on FB, ask them to invite you to things.

The public/open groups here aren't always that great about getting the word out to the public in general (with the exception of Pagan Pride, as that is its purpose) but coming to basically one event and getting to know people will plug you in pretty quickly.

[Morag]

So! Any suggestions for a babby practitioner who really wants to get down and dirty with magic? Books, articles, anything goes. I would prefer there to be a solid "why" behind the reasoning, if possible. I'd also prefer stuff that doesn't have faith tied to it - I've skimmed Cunningham and Cabot, and while there's good practical stuff in there I'm not exactly looking to get into Wicca, or any faith path, yet. That's later down the road. I gotta get over my ex before I'm ready to start dating again, y'know?

A couple of authors I love do write from a Wiccish perspective but their witchcraft is also immensely practical, & it's easy enough to alter whatever is too Wiccish in their work to make it more secular. Kris Bradley wrote Mrs. B's Guide to Household Witchery (which I love and recommend to everyone), and Ellen Dugan has a number of books out (I'm reading through Seasonal Witchery right now).

Another book I often hear recommended for non-Wiccan magic practice is Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Huson. I haven't read it, so can't tell you personally, but I know it comes recommended often in discussions on this topic.

And then there's Jenett's site, which is FULL of info on magic, ritual, and...just basically almost everything. Highly recommended.

[Uneryx]

Reclaiming has open rituals, Pagan Pride does open sabbat rituals year-round as well as having multiple groups present on the day of, and I know Phoenix Rising Metaphysical Emporium in Langley has events all the time, though they're not all rituals.

There's also the Gathering For Life On Earth, which is on Victoria Day weekend at Lake Sasamat and I know Abysmal Productions does public Sabbats. Heathen of the Nine Realms also does public events.


Honestly the best way to get plugged into the Vancouver pagan scene is to come to Pagan Pride and introduce yourself to people. Make friends, become friends with them on FB, ask them to invite you to things.

The public/open groups here aren't always that great about getting the word out to the public in general (with the exception of Pagan Pride, as that is its purpose) but coming to basically one event and getting to know people will plug you in pretty quickly.

Awesome! Thank you very much for the tips, I'll check these out

[Uneryx]

Reclaiming has open rituals, Pagan Pride does open sabbat rituals year-round as well as having multiple groups present on the day of, and I know Phoenix Rising Metaphysical Emporium in Langley has events all the time, though they're not all rituals.

There's also the Gathering For Life On Earth, which is on Victoria Day weekend at Lake Sasamat and I know Abysmal Productions does public Sabbats. Heathen of the Nine Realms also does public events.


Honestly the best way to get plugged into the Vancouver pagan scene is to come to Pagan Pride and introduce yourself to people. Make friends, become friends with them on FB, ask them to invite you to things.

The public/open groups here aren't always that great about getting the word out to the public in general (with the exception of Pagan Pride, as that is its purpose) but coming to basically one event and getting to know people will plug you in pretty quickly.

OK Abysmal Productions sounds amazing. I'm disappointed that I can't make it to the Yule ritual, but I'm gonna definitely try and attend the Ostara one, because that sounds really cool! Thanks for the tip

[Emma Eldritch]

Phoenix Rising Metaphysical Emporium in Langley has events all the time, though they're not all rituals.

Phoenix Rising was where I first heard of chaos magic from a very nice young man who wondered why I wasn't in the Wicca section.

Also Morag, I am so bad - I've been to Pagan Pride exactly once. XD I suck. It was... last year? It was hella windy and the tents kept getting nearly blown away.

[Uneryx]

Phoenix Rising was where I first heard of chaos magic from a very nice young man who wondered why I wasn't in the Wicca section.

Also Morag, I am so bad - I've been to Pagan Pride exactly once. XD I suck. It was... last year? It was hella windy and the tents kept getting nearly blown away.

Lol well ok then, looks like my eventual bra-shopping trip out to Langley is getting a stop added to it.

[Morag]

Also Morag, I am so bad - I've been to Pagan Pride exactly once. XD I suck. It was... last year? It was hella windy and the tents kept getting nearly blown away.

That was 2015, the year of the Wind Storm That Ate Vancouver. It was also Mr. Morag's birthday and a tree fell on our house and stopped about 5 inches from going through the window above our bed. Awesome wake up call. XD (Poor guy didn't get his Memphis Blues, either, because every single restaurant -- except 1 or 2 -- was without power.)

Last year was pretty sunny and nice. This year was horrendously rainy for most of it, which sucked a lot for us volunteers and for a lot of vendors, but on the plus side my friend bought me an umbrella that lights up as a birthday gift.

Aside from last year and this year, though, I think I've only made it to one, back when it was still in Surrey.

[Morag]

OK Abysmal Productions sounds amazing. I'm disappointed that I can't make it to the Yule ritual, but I'm gonna definitely try and attend the Ostara one, because that sounds really cool! Thanks for the tip

No problem. Violet (who runs Abysmal Productions) is pretty solid.

Lol well ok then, looks like my eventual bra-shopping trip out to Langley is getting a stop added to it.

If I'm right about what bra store you're visiting (there's really only one out this way that's worth making a trip for), then Phoenix Rising is right across the street. Super convenient! XD