Lughnasadh, Lammas (rituals, experience, pagans, blessing, faith)

[Fluffy]

As I'm sure I have posted on here before, I try and celebrate every major Wiccan holiday by attempting something new and significant in my life. For example on Beltane, I started to learn how to drive a car so I could work towards passing my test. On Midsummer, I started my CV and went out job hunting.

As anyone who celebrates it will know, Lughnasadh is almost upon us and with it a new form of self improvement on my part. I personally celebrate it on the 1st of August though I know this date differs amongst Wiccans and other Pagans. I thought it appropriate that on this day, when the god's powers are supposed to be at their strongest, I would attempt to restart my study into an area of Wicca on which I have long since neglected due to my skepticism. That of witchcraft.

It has been roughly 2 years since I last attempted any magick (the last being a failed attempt I might add) and I have not even brushed into the area since then. As such my cruddy memory is rather sketchy so I wish to start from the absolute beginning when it comes to studying, and perhaps practicing, witchcraft. If anyone has any references (perferably on the internet) which they think might aid me in this then I would be extremely grateful if they could pass them on to me. Also if anyone would like to share their own personal stories of their first few steps into magick then that would be incredibly useful and interesting to me.

I know I'm posting this on the Wiccan forum, I am Wiccan afterall, but this is for anyone who has knowledge of magick. Also to anyone who celebrates the above holiday (or its equivilants), I hope you have a truly wonderful day.

Blessed Be
Fluffy

[michel]

Well, all I can say is happy "Lughnasadh" to you.

[Draka]

I guess it all depends on what is magic to you. I don't really deal with ordered "spells" you might say. I do however do a number of other things. Have you ever tried energy transference of any kind? Using it for raising energy for workings or for healing? Do you know how?

Do you perhaps know anyone in your area, a friend maybe, that is Wiccan like yourself that is more proficient in that area that perhaps you could get instruction from? There is no shame in going back to the days of having a teacher if you feel you need it. I constantly find myself in the role of teacher with those around me. If you were near me I would be more than happy to help, but that is not possible geographically. If you have any questions, however, feel free to contact me however you wish and I will do my best to help you in whatever endeavor you have.

Do you have any definite plans for Lughnasadh? Anything you would like to do inparticular?

[kreeden]

I don't practice Magic as such , but Happy Lughnasadh .

[Shadow Wolf]

Im going to spend this Lammas reflecting on were I am physically. It's a somewhat Important date for me, since I had surgery to replace my ACL last year. I found it rather difficult to celebrate it in a hospital bed still feeling the effects of anestesia, and a really sore knee thats swollen to more than twice its size.

[Fluffy]

I guess it all depends on what is magic to you. I don't really deal with ordered "spells" you might say. I do however do a number of other things. Have you ever tried energy transference of any kind? Using it for raising energy for workings or for healing? Do you know how?

Magick, to me, at least at the moment, is a source of mesmerising intrigue though I don't think that is quite what you meant. I'm interested in more ordered rituals as well as what I have seen referred to as the "wild and woolly" side of magick. I believe that magick is a "force" (for lack of a better word) that can be tapped into through a variety of methods.

When I used to practice it, I tried numerous things including tarot cards, rune casting, automatic writing, controlled out of body experiences, mind travelling etc. but stayed away from things such as casting with a circle etc. because I neither had the resources to understand nor practice something like that. I came across energy transference (actually I came across it as simply a way of building it as a method of gaining confidence) but it was at around the same time that I lost faith and deviated from my path as a Wiccan completely so I never got any further into it. I would love to learn more about it though, especially in terms of healing.

Do you perhaps know anyone in your area, a friend maybe, that is Wiccan like yourself that is more proficient in that area that perhaps you could get instruction from? There is no shame in going back to the days of having a teacher if you feel you need it. I constantly find myself in the role of teacher with those around me. If you were near me I would be more than happy to help, but that is not possible geographically. If you have any questions, however, feel free to contact me however you wish and I will do my best to help you in whatever endeavor you have.

I only ever met 1 other Wiccan in person and she did not practice magick (and we aren't in contact any more anyway). Nor have I ever had a teacher. What I know about Wicca is completely self taught or scrounged where I can find reasonably verifiable sources. Thank you very much for your offer, especially since it is difficult at best to find accurate, useful information when browsing the web when it comes to magick! I would love to know more about energy transference if you are willing to share .

Do you have any definite plans for Lughnasadh? Anything you would like to do inparticular?

The only thing I have planned definitely at this moment is going out at looking for suitable stones and pebbles so that I can make a new set of runes. Also Ill go about collecting the necessary equipment to perform a blessing ritual on said stones. Seeing as its an area I'm more familiar with, I thought it would be a good place to start.

Then I have the rest of the summer stretching out infront of me .

[KirbyFan101]

Im not sure if Satanic magic has its place here, but heres a toast:

May we employ magic to get the edge over those who don't!

*cheers*

[Unedited]

I'm in the process of relearning a lot myself. I belong to an online school for Wicca where I study mostly, but I also find it helps just to type keywords into Google. If you haven't already though, you should check out witchvox.com. It's geared towards all Pagans, not just Wiccans, but it covers a lot of basics that might be worth skimming over. It also has a ton of links to other great sites. I actually haven't visited there in awhile, but I did a lot when I first started learning.

There were three other sites I learned a lot from. One is http://collegewicca.com/ which is geared towards Wiccans in college, but has a bunch of basic info. I like it mostly for the 'daily meditation.' The other two are gone away.

I also remembering learning a lot from MSN and Yahoo groups. At http://groups.msn.com/ and http://groups.msn.com/ if you didn't know.

This may be better advice for people are just starting fresh in their study, but I thought I'd try to help anyway.

Happy Lughnassadh everyone!

[DreamQuickBook]

Originally Posted by KirbyFan101

Im not sure if Satanic magic has its place here, but heres a toast:

May we employ magic to get the edge over those who don't!

*cheers*

Are such superstitious activities really required to get an edge? I would prefer to increase my physical strength, my knowledge and my social power. Don't need magic for any of that. Just practise.

[kreeden]

Knowledge would be the key word there JS . But I agree , one doesn't " need " Magic , it is just there .