I don't know the difference between Pagan or Wiccan...I have always been intrigued by this way of life for some reason and want to find out why.  Where would I start learning about this way of life and practicing it?
128712
First, you need to learn more about Wicca.  Different denominations have different beliefs and structures, and you need to find which is right for you.  Some have covens, some do not.  It all depends on which direction you go in.  And trust, me there are plenty of directions.  \n\nwww.witchvox.com is a great website.  Also check out\nhttp://www.witchs-brew.org/\nhttp://www.witchology.com/\nhttp://wiccanet.us/\nhttp://www.bewitchingways.com/wicca/wicca.htm\nhttp://www.wiccan-refuge.com/\nhttp://www.witchway.net/\nhttp://www.betwixt.org/\n\nSomeone else talked about SilverRavenWolf, who is a popular Wicca author.  You'll find her stuff often at places like Barnes and Noble.  Personally, I think she is a money grubbing nut.  Her books are about her particular brand of Gardnerian Wicca that she developed.  Her covens all have to swear loyalty oaths to her... and buy all her books.  I personally think shes a freak... but I know people who have found her to be a great stepping stone into the path.  I just wanted to tell you this to give you a realistic idea of the divisions within Wicca/Neo-paganism.  It's not all happy fluffy earth worship, there are real debates and real ideological differences.  Like any group, we have our share of greedy selfish people, strong opinions about our paths, and general weirdos. Every religion has its nuts and charletans, the key is for you as a critical thinker to identify and decide how you feel about them.\n\nAs far as books, here is a short list I would recommend\nThe Power of the Witch by Laurie Cabot (old and a little kitchy, but the author is great at hitting the emotional draw of Wicca)\nThe Spiral Dance by StarHawk\nDrawing Down the Moon : Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshipers, and Other Pagans in America Today by Margot Adler\nWicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cnningham\nWhen Someone You Love Is Wiccan: A Guide to Witchcraft and Paganism for Concerned Friends, Nervous Parents, and Curious Co-Workers by Carl McColman\nContemporary Paganism: Listening People, Speaking Earth by Graham Harvey\nThe Triumph of the Moon : A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft by Ronald Hutton\n\nOr if none of these seem right, you may be more of a Neo Pagan.  I personally draw my belief system for Assyrian mythology and various practices of various pre-christian Mediterranean religions, with a couple of elements Wicca in on the side.  What myths or regions speak to you?  Learn and find out how to draw them together.  \n\nIf you find yourself ready to find a coven or a nesting or a group of some kind, then find a local new age store in your area and ask around, or check about on-line.  Go to a gather or an event and meet people.  Sometimes getting in can be a bit difficult, because wiccans don't proselytize so people can take a while to find us.  But its worth the time and effort.
550287
Well, I recommend starting with the Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft as a jumping off point.  It gives basics and the best chapter is the brief history.  There are many forms of magic (non stage type)  There is ritual magic and tantric magic and ceremonial magic and spontaneous magic.  There isn't a difinitive guide, but there are plenty of people willing to teach/guide assist, including myself.  As silly as it sounds there the Complete Idiots Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca, which is another good resource for beginning inquiries, don't laugh, I'm serious :)\n\nAnother person answered about learning about deception.  I call that listening to your inner ring of truth.  I feel that when you read or experience something or hear something that you can learn to listen to you're inner signals about the validity or "truth" of it.  Basically, if it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.\n\nI feel I could go on and on for hours on this topic alone :)  You're local metaphysical shop is great place to look as well.  Us types (as yet undefined) tend to hang out there alot.
511004
paganism is a huge thing, it simply means anyone not believing in the biblical god, so buddhists, shinto, native american religions, native african religions, aboriginal austrailians, eskimos, as well as wiccans and the followers of the ancient viking traditions are pagan, so which sort of pagan do you want to be? there are thousands of books out there.  drop me a line if you want more info. Blessed Be.
401286
I am not a pagan or wiccan but I have also read a bit about their religion. I have been very attracted to the naturalist observances they have and the use of ritual. I think even as a nonreligious person rituals and life marking ceremonies and observances fill a psychology need for most of us. I have incorporated some into my life in a naturalist, nonsupernatural way. One simple letting go of a relationship ritual I know is to take something that is a symbol of the relationship and think about releasing your emotions and then burn the item. I found this link below describing this and also suggesting writing a letter and another site about constructing your own personal rituals.
520052
a)  Nope.  100% Neo-pagan, which makes sense since I'm Wiccan.  The next closest matches were New Age and Buddhism.\nb)  I've explored all three.  I was raised Protestant.\nc)  I'm extremely happy with where I am in my life.  I would advise anyone else to look at what they truly believe - not what they have been told to believe, but what they actually think "explains things" when they look at life and how it works.  I was very unhappy until I finally let go of the fear that I would be punished if I said, thanks Jesus, but I'm going over here.  Thus far, things have been much better since I realized I was on the wrong path.  Above all, I think maintaining a balance in life helps breed happiness.
202956
the wiccan rede cites all for all not just one god, so if you are open enough to your self you will begin the journey of yourself and your belief in ALL things bigger than self.i implore you to study your needs and follow the pathe of light because without it there can be no dark, the Lourde&Ladye will wrap you in the light of the sun and bring you full circle to a long and blessed journey. to be wiccan is to follow your heart, and to understand that the creator what ever she is, finds endearment for those that move in unison with the green world she has entrusted us to. please go to www.witchtopia.com to, and above all never be drawn in to believeing in anything less than belief
599560
Witchvox is the best way to find a Pagan community of any sort. Also try MeetUp.com. \n\nGood luck and blessed be!
582391
Wicca is about understanding metaphysics and the great powers of the universe. Wiccans believe in God and Goddess not only a female Deity also male. There are a lot of people making money from religion and spirituality, if you come across such people trying to sell you spells and religious books claiming they know how the world will end and things like that you should know it might just be a fraud. I'm Neo-Pagan so I have read up on Wicca but am still learning. I think the main purpose is to grow spiritually.
75850
I have been Wiccan for 8 years.  Wiccans believe that everyone has a clairvoyant/magickal potential.  So of course, for the better part of that 8 years I have been casting spells.  Most of my spells deal with healings, aura cleansings, divinations, and power channelings.  Although I have also done seances, bindings, protections, and exorcisms.  These are rarer forms of magick but good to know if the need arises.  \n\nI'd love to chat further, but I'd like have more info on what intentions you have for your magick.  \n\nIf you have yahoo IM you can add me.  Valhallabridge.\n\nThe big things to remember about Wicca is that we vow not to harm others.  To do so would only inflict harm upon ourselves threefold.
71688
I was baptized Catholic as a baby, and raised that way throughout my early childhood. Eventually my parents stopped attending church, and so did I. I never really felt connected to what the Church preached, but I didn't question it because I had never been exposed to anything else. Eventually, I went on a self-exploration. I took it upon myself to find, research, and learn about other religions, views, beliefs, practices, philosophies, theories, etc.\n\nDuring my soul-search, I made a collaboration of different things I found to be logical, reasonable, logical, and sensible in my own personal opinion. I basically created my own religion. I followed that path for a while, and relished not conforming to an organized religion, because my beliefs were free to grow and change as I grew and changed (and learned). Then one day a friend introduced me to Wicca.\n\nWicca is a Neopagan religion, first reformed by Gerald Gardener in 1940 based on what is believed to be the beliefs of the ancient Celts. The more I learned about it, the more in coincided with the beliefs I'd already pieced together on my own. Its lack of dogma allows any follower to define his or her own beliefs within little restriction. This allowed my beliefs to continue to grow and change with me. It also does not require any follower to conform to any other follower's specific ideas, as you can either practice in a coven with others who hold the same views, or practice solitarily (like I do).\n\nI would recommend it to anyone looking for something to believe in. You can find out about it here:\n\nBut remember one thing! Because the specifics of the religion are free to be defined by the individual practitioner, no two Wiccans (or Pagans for that matter) will ever agree on everything. I am an open book to any questions you might have if you'd like to contact me through my profile page, or you can find nonbiased information about Wicca here: http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm
421645
I stay away from certain labels because they carry so much negativity with some people.  While they may be accurate, other people's reaction to them are unpredictable.  In normal conversation when things like reincarnation, ancient mythology, magic, etc. comes up, I simply share my views on that subject.  New people get to understand my views one at a time.  Eventually they learn enough about me to figure out that I am a neo-pagan.  I'm in no hurry---they can learn about all of me, not just my religion.
473018
I admit I don't know a lot about wicca, so you are getting an answer based on the hype that is out there about your religion. From what I heard it is an earth religion with some good basic values.  I have never heard of any type of wiccan sacrifice!  I have heard of different rituals but none that involve sacrifice or any type of harm.  In fact, I always thought that wicca's main focus was to live without harming anyone or anything.
344744
Do a lot of reading. "A Witch Alone" by Marion Greene might be a good start for you.  Buckland's "Big Blue Book" of Witchcraft might be another book you'd find useful.\n\nThere are also tons of sites online relating to witchcraft. http://www.witchvox.com comes immediately to mind.\n\nNot all witches are the same - while we all use magic, there are wide differences in philosophical, ethical, and religious aspects depending on the path we follow.  How someone who practices Voudon will look at witchcraft a lot differently than someone who practices Wicca, and both will look at witchcraft differently than someone who practices Thelema, for example.
413149
Which Pagan path do you want to hear about? It is an umbrella term or a general name placed to someone who practices an earth based religion but no specific path beyond that.\n\nA short list of a few pagan paths so you can refine your search. This is not quite all of them and some can have variations within themselves as well.\nSanteria\nVoodum(the religion behind the practice of Voodoo)\nWicca\nAsatru(spelling may be off0\nOdin-ism\nSatanism\nDruidism\nBuddhism
647830
Hey Colleen, \n I feel I should inform you that Wicca is a religion with a great reverence for nature. It is not a teen clique you can join, and learn to do "spells and stuff". If you are really interested in Wicca as a religion, you can do a search on the internet, and get the basic idea of what Wicca is all about. If all you want to do is "cast spells", please do not even consider Wicca. It is not for you.
446823
The best spells are those one writes for themselves.\nIf you are looking to Wicca only for spells---don't bother.  Wicca is a religion.  It would be similar to wanting to learn about Catholicism only for the wafer and wine at communions.  If all you want is to learn magic, you don't need to pretend to be interested in a religion.  You can learn magic without it.
273272
Well since you're a Christian, here's what one Christian website respectfully says about Wicca.\n\nhttp://www.allabouttheoccult.org/wicca-spells.htm\n\nWicca Spells - What is Wicca?\nWhat is Wicca and what are Wicca spells? While it is rooted in ancient pagan beliefs, the Wicca religion, as it is practiced now, is only about 50-years-old. Wicca is a belief system cobbled together in the 1940's and 1950's by Gerald Gardner from a variety of religious traditions and beliefs as well as Freemason rituals. Since Gardner published several books espousing his system of worship, many offshoots and variations of Wicca have sprung up. \n\nThere is no particular agreement between Wiccans, or "wise ones" concerning what they believe and worship. Some worship the "Goddess," some worship the "God," and some worship both. Others worship nature. Some Wiccans say they embrace Christian doctrine, while others reject it. Most promoters of Wicca believe in reincarnation. \n\nOne thing most Wiccans agree on is the fact that Satan is not a part of their pantheon and they vehemently deny Satan-worship as one of their practices. This is because they disavow the notion of moral absolutes. There is no such thing as good or evil, because it is all relative. Wiccans have only one law that they bind themselves to, called "The Rede." It simply states, "Do what ye will, harm ye none." In other words: "Do what ever you want to as long as no one gets hurt." The Three-fold Law governs consequences, and is a law of returns that states, "All good that a person does to another returns three-fold in this life; harm is also returned three-fold." \n\nWicca Spells - Mind Control\nWhat about Wicca spells? Not all Wiccans practice witchcraft (which they call "magick" to set themselves apart from illusionists and magicians). Magick is to Wicca what prayer is to Christianity. Wiccans claim that the practice of magick is simply using their minds to control matter, while Christians call upon God to heal people and to intervene and work in their lives. Because the Rede forbids harming others and the Three-fold Law sets forth consequences for those who do, Wiccans view themselves as "white witches" or "nature witches." \n\nWicca is basically a religion that is about minding your own business and living peaceably with your neighbors and environment. Wiccans are eager to draw parallels between themselves and biblical Christianity for the sake of earning credibility, but what does the Bible have to say about this religion? You won't find the word "wicca" in the Bible, so let's evaluate the beliefs in light of what God says about them. \n\nWicca spells are idolism - Romans 1:25 says, "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things, rather than the Creator…" Who wants to settle for second best? In Isaiah 40, God paints a very cool picture of how much greater the Creator is than His creation. If you are worshipping anything besides the Creator, you are just spinning your wheels.\n\n\nWicca spells bring false hope - Hebrews 9:27 says, "…Man is destined to die once, after that, to face judgment." God says we get one chance at life, and that is it. There are no do-overs. If we don't accept God's gift of Jesus in our lifetime, He judges us as unwilling to be in His presence, and we are sent to Hell. \n\n\nWicca spells bring disillusionment - Mark 7:8 says, "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men". God is God, and we are not. We have a decision to make. Are we going to take God at His word and adopt His worldview, or not? Knowing God is hard work that takes a lot of discipline. Wicca is a religion that takes a pack of lies, ties it in a romantic ribbon, and searches out a well-intentioned, but lazy and gullible mark to sell its hollo