Finding Wicca and Paganism as a teenager can be an exciting experience. Because people tend to be more open in their adolescence to subtle energies and their innate psychic abilities, practicing can be rewarding and powerful. Using Magick to help you connect with the universe around you and to support you during this intense time can be a hugely positive experience.
What can Wicca and Paganism help me with?
The beautiful thing about Wicca and modern Paganism are their great degree of flexibility and choice on how you choose to practice. You can decide to focus on getting to know crystal magick, herbal magick, ritual and spellcasting, or any number of other ways of connecting magickally to the world around you.
Because the aims and philosophies of Wicca and Paganism are about learning to live more harmoniously with the world around us, as well as how to focus our intention to connect with Magick, you can find many areas of your life are enhanced by practice. A few examples:
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You might choose to do magickal workings to help you with your studies for example by planning and focusing your intention on motivation, inspiration and organization. You can use self-dedication ceremonies to commit to both The Path and greater self-acceptance and self-awareness.
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Using meditation and self-compassion, alongside connecting to sacred energy such as the great Goddess can help you to find more love and confidence in yourself. Casting a spell with the aim of becoming more comfortable in your body and having greater confidence both spiritually and physically can be just one lovely way to help yourself to grow into positivity.
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In addition, you may be beginning to find your awareness of the world and social issues are increasing as you go through your teen years. Natural wisdom gained through Wicca and Paganism, as well as concepts of peace, harmony and social conscience to build collective positive energy can all help you to engage in a profound way with these issues.
How can I Incorporate Wicca and Paganism into my Life?
There are lots of ways you can incorporate your new spiritual practices into your life. You may choose to enhance practical aspects of your life such as working spells to help you with achieving your goals in school or your hobbies and other interests:
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Developing a daily meditation and visualization practice will also help you on several levels. Firstly, it will help you to cope with emotional situations when they happen. It can also help you keep calm around exam stress or if you are having any issues with friends or family.
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Growing your own herb garden can be an amazing way to add commitment, dedication and fun to your spiritual path.
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One of the first things many Wiccans do when beginning on The Path is to set up their own personal altar. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to embrace creativity and to commit to spiritual practice, seeing it as something you work into every area of your life.
The Wiccan Rede and the Ethics of Magick
When you begin to learn more about practice, it’s essential the first thing you understand is the Wiccan Rede – “And it harm none, so mote it be,” as well as the “Law of Three.” Unfortunately, some people are attracted to practices such as Wicca because they believe it can give them the ability to hex or curse others and punish people who have upset them. In other cases, some people want to work spells because they long for a certain person or relationship.
Coming into practice for any of those reasons can lead to behavior which is harmful to you and other people. This is because using spiritual energy to attempt to control or upset other people will always rebound on you. The Wiccan Rede regarding harming none is one you should always keep in the forefront of your mind, as is the “Law of Three.” This law states that any energy and intentions you send out via magickal working will return to you three times more powerfully.
Therefore, any negativity you deliberately send out will come back to haunt you, and sometimes in strange or unusual ways.
You also need to be careful with your intentions in other ways. It can be very tempting to use love spells and not see this as an attempt to harm someone. It is OK to ask for more love in your life, or to ask the Universe to help you find a relationship which is great for you. But it isn’t OK to cast love spells on any person specifically. By doing this you affect their free-will and manipulate their energy. This isn’t Magick with good intentions, it’s Magick which is controlling. Often if you try to cast this sort of spell, you will find other areas of your life spinning out of control. Or you might find you end up bonded to someone for a long time after you no longer wish to be.
Examine your motivations for wanting to practice Wicca and Paganism carefully. When you know in your heart that your intentions are good then it’s time to get exploring!
How do I begin learning about Wicca?
You can begin with finding resources online or in bookstores and reading about different practices, before seeing which resonate with you. Because magick can be highly personal, depending very much on your own intention and tastes, you can begin to explore simple spells almost immediately.
As you grow and develop your magickal practice you might wish to find others to practice with, or walk the path as a solitary practitioner. Spend time getting to know the basics first and discovering which practices resonate with you.
One way to do this is to read some introductory guides to paganism and Wicca and then choosing 2-3 practices to try. This can and should include one meditation and visualization practice per day, as being able to meditate and visualize effectively is a huge part of your spiritual development.
You can set up a simple altar and begin to set intentions to learn more. Don’t worry about not knowing everything or making mistakes. If you are approaching practice with the right mindset – that of curiosity, willingness to learn and respect for spiritual energies and other people – you will find help becomes available to you. You won’t suffer any ill-effects from rituals which don’t go exactly according to instructions or your plans, so long as your intentions are always positive.
Telling Parents and Friends
Not everyone will understand what Wicca / Paganism is, or why you want to practice. Some people like friends or parents may even react negatively and fearfully as they envisage you hexing people or trying to brew potions which may be harmful. Because the stereotype of the ‘wicked witch’ still exists in our culture, even in a subtle way, many people instinctively feel threatened or uncomfortable when someone they know says they are practicing Wicca. You may also find that Wicca doesn’t align completely with the religious and spiritual beliefs of those around you. Because of this, it might seem nerve-wracking to tell your friends or parents about your new interest, however these tips should help you have the conversation:
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Firstly figure out yourself what you are doing and why. Why do you want to practice? What calls you and what do you hope to learn? When you know your own reasons (and it can be simply “It’s interesting and fun!!”) you will be able to better explain them to others.
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When you talk to your parents or friends give them some basic information about the sort of beliefs and practices you are exploring. Take care to mention the Wiccan Rede and the intention to use these practices positively with the aim of helping yourself and others.
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Explain that modern practices are developed from a variety of sources, both ancient and more recent. Wicca and Paganism may get inspiration from older times, but many practices are new and take account of the industrial world we live in.
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Reassure your parents and friends that you always intend to practice safely. This goes for basic safety such as not leaving candles or incense to burn unattended, and reassuring them you won’t go foraging for wild plants or ingest any oils or powders and potions you make or buy (unless you are 100% sure about their ingredients). Also reassure them about your emotional safety. You are not trying to conjure bad spirits, do magick which harms anyone or trying to become involved in “Black Magick.” You would be surprised by how many people immediately assume this what Wicca or Paganism is about.
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If your parents or friends have religious views which are different from the ones you are exploring with Wicca or Paganism this can be a delicate subject. Try to remind them that Wicca and Paganism are not dogmatic beliefs which exclude other religions or ways of worshipping. Tell them you respect their views and try to find the common energy in your differing paths. Emphasize the positivity and spiritual growth you are finding in your practice.
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Above all else the proof is in you and the way you practice! If you use rituals and magick to enhance your life, to help heal yourself and others, to connect deeply with the natural world around you and to live with social conscience and peace, you will find the way you grow and develop spiritually will be obviously positive to those around you. It may take time for them to accept your beliefs, but seeing you grow and thrive will be an effective way to show this is the right path for you!
Emily Rai is a writer who lives in the Welsh Valleys with her son and two feline familiars – Zach and Sofia. Her magical interests include Jungian Shadow Work, Feminine Empowerment and integrating the psyche for healing and wellbeing.
