Note: "An Open Letter to Young Seekers" is used with permission from the author Sana Karine (Zanetta Wilson). It is based on material by Saira, HPs, Crystal Moon Coven; from Home Circle materials. (Home Circle is a Wiccan church based in Knoxville, Tennessee.) For permission to copy this piece, please email homecircle@mindspring.com. The NWC cannot authorize others to use this article.
Merry Meet!
If you are under 18, you will probably already have noticed that young folks generally elicit different reactions from adults in the Pagan community than what you'd like. You've probably had a great deal of difficulty finding someone to answer your questions honestly, or a respected teacher who is willing or able to teach you what you really want to know.
Following is part of the general information we make available for young seekers. If you have any questions, we will do our best to answer what we can, but please understand if sometimes the answer is "you really need to ask your parents." (If your parents support your interest and would like more information about Wicca, please have them contact us.
We hope you can understand that without knowing your parents, and hearing directly from them that they support your interest in Wicca, an ethical teacher or mentor cannot work with you. Most groups and private teachers don't accept seekers under 16 or 18. (Some even require you to be 21 -- or even older!)
There are many reasons for age restrictions. The biggest is that until you are over 18 or are emancipated (a term which means that legally you are fully responsible for yourself) your parents or guardians have the legal right to guide your religious instruction, and to decide what is best for you. Anyone who interferes with a parent's rights in this area can get into a lot of legal trouble, and in most states can even get arrested.
But there's also a second big reason why many teachers and mentors won't accept young students, even with their parent's permission -- a lot of Wiccan training is very demanding and can be very difficult, even for older folks. A lot of folks who begin formal study drop out rather quickly. And the younger people are when they start, the more likely they are to drop out.
Remember that adolescence is the time of a person's life when questioning everything from politics to fashion, from science to religion, from philosophies to health practices is quite healthy and normal. That is what much of growing up is all about -- finding out what you really believe deep down inside. You already know what your parents think. You have figured out what society expects. So the real work is figuring out what *you* really need, want, expect, and think.
And while you're in this state of flux, figuring out just who you are, you are instinctively working through exactly what you believe about how the world works as well. The personal beliefs about deity that you develop are part of the very core that shapes who you will become. Almost everyone instinctively knows this. (That's why religion and philosophy are argued about so much.) But it can be very hard to fully explore and develop your spiritual self while you're working on getting accustomed to all the changes in your physical body, and all the social, educational and many other changes that are a part of adolescence. Maybe you've got it all figured out. That's not impossible (no matter who tells you it is). However, for the most part, you are in what most adults would consider an experimental time. Even if you are convinced Wicca is for you, most adults will still be wary of your choice. They'll be worried that you are looking into Pagan paths because you want to shock your parents. Or hex that nasty so-and-so who's causing you so much trouble. Or get that hottie in second period to fall head over heels in love with you. And it's really not good to get Wicca into for those reasons.
First of all, you would be undermining the religion. Wicca is a spiritual path that is followed by thousands of people who frequently have to struggle to be accepted in a society that often does not value what we hold dear. Not many will look kindly on someone causing trouble and drawing a kind of attention most of us work hard to avoid. (And if you do one day truly want to walk the Wiccan path, you will have difficulty being taken seriously, or finding a reputable teacher or group to work with, if you have a track record of using what you learn in selfish ways.)
Second, you would be undermining yourself. Hexing, charming, shocking... all of that has a price. Maybe just a little damage in the long run, but maybe more than you can deal with. Shocking people is a great head trip. It's an easy way to get energy. However, it's also addicting. Once you start, you can fall into the "just a little further" routine and wind up with some bad karma, people hating you, a jail sentence, or worse. Hexing and charming is manipulative. And what if it turns out you don't really like the person you charmed after all? What if you hex someone and they get so depressed they suicide? Then their life is on your head. You will have to deal with the consequences of your actions for the rest of your life.
A lot of young people (and some older folks) get into Wicca for these kinds of reasons, because it's 'cool', because they like other folks being just a little scared of them, or because they are looking for a way to feel different or special. And a lot of groups and teachers have had to clean up trouble caused by folks who had these sorts of less-than-honorable reasons for wanting to learn about Wicca and Witchcraft. So it's pretty easy to see why most adults don't want to get involved with a young seeker. They're worried that they could get into a whole lot of legal trouble, or have to fix problems they didn't cause for what they see as a teenage joy ride.
That said, if you are really serious about your interest in Wicca, there are some things you can do to help prepare you for formal Craft training:
Waiting is pretty hard for all of us. But it really is worth it. Here are a few book recommendations that you can work through while you are waiting...
21st Century Wicca: A Young Witch's Guide to Living the Magical Life by Jennifer Hunter; Written by a woman in her early twenties who became Wiccan as a teenager. Gives a good introduction to many Wiccan concepts without talking down to you, oversimplifying, making grandiose claims or relying on shoddy research.
When, Why... If by Robin Wood; The best introduction to Wiccan ethics in print. In an easy, informal style Robin covers both the basis for Craft ethics, and also how they apply to everyday life and how they shape the Wiccan worldview. (This is required reading for all our students.) It's hard to find sometimes, but Robin Wood has a web site (www.robinwood.com) that it can be ordered from if you can't find it locally.
Positive Magic by Marion Weinstein; This is a good primer about how the proper use of magic can change your life. Using a simple and direct style, Marion covers many aspects of the proper foundations and ethics of magic, and many of the ways it can fit into a complete spiritual practice.
A lot of good concepts are explored in fiction. A new series of young adult books called "the Powers of Three" isn't bad. Many things - especially the magical bits - are written much more sensationally than what happens in real life to make the story more exciting, but a lot of the general ideas are accurate.
Here are some other fiction books we recommend to our students:
Strands of Starlight; Strands of Sunlight; and Spires of Spirit by Gael Baudino; This is the first and fourth books in a series, and a collection of related novellas. It's a beautiful storyline dealing with Witchcraft, Elves and the Inquisition, and linking the Middle Ages to our own times and issues. (The second and third books are not as good, are not required to make sense of the story, and have some themes that your parents may not be comfortable with you reading. Ask your parent's guidance if you think you might want to read them.)
Gossamer Axe by Gael Baudino; Although the premise is fanciful - ancient Druid learns to play heavy metal in order to rescue a long-lost love - the exploration of themes in family ties, music, magic, power and pagan belief is woven into a masterful tale that is one of the best we've read.
Bell, Book and Murder by Rosemary Edghill; This is a collected reprint of the three Bast mysteries (Speak Daggers to Her, Book of Moons, and Bowl of Night), where the leading character is a real Wiccan, instead of a Hollywood witch. The mysteries are a bit simple for those who love deep, twisted plots, but the realism of day-to-day life as a witch, and the wry commentary on the Pagan community is more than worth the read.
We generally recommend that any serious student avoid books by Raven Grimassi, Gerina Dunwich, Sirona Knight, Kisma Stepanich, Silver Ravenwolf, Edain McCoy, AJ Drew, DJ Conway and Patricia Telesco. Many of these have an easy-to-read style and some have even won awards, but much of their history is based on incomplete research or inaccurate references, and a lot of what is in their books has little in common with the majority of what is taught in most Wiccan Traditions.
If you have read - or own - some of these books, it's nothing to worry about. But you probably should compare them against more recommended sources, as well as against what you learn from researching cultures, history and mythology. (Think of it like a game and use them to improve your research skills - can you find the historical errors and the inconsistencies in these author's works?)
The best places to look for good books to give you a foundation for future Craft studies is not the New Age or Witchcraft sections of the bookstore or library. It's in the History and Mythology sections, in Archeology, in Psychology and in Personal Development.
Look for books that give you solid information, that help you learn how to tell verifiable facts from opinion or personal experience, and that help you learn how to use your mind and think logically. These are skills that will help you in all areas of your life - and they will put you way ahead of the game when you're ready to start your formal training in the Craft.
Brightest Blessings on your journey!
By Sana Karine (Zanetta Wilson), based on material by Saira, HPs, Crystal Moon Coven; from Home Circle materials. This piece may be freely copied as long as it is used in its entirety and credit is clearly stated. For more information, please email homecircle@mindsprin.com.