How To Be A Witch

I get this question over and over in e-mail.

If I were brand new to the Craft and wanted to learn about Wicca, I'd start by reading The Spiral Dance by Starhawk. I'd follow that up with the newly-revised edition of Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler. After that, I'd check out Twelve Wild Swans by Starhawk and Hillary Valentine to learn basic techniques and Witchvox to find some local public rituals. (If you have time, read Charlene Spretnack, Robin Morgan, Zuzanna Budhapest, and Circle of Three by C. Bird.) You can show up at a public ritual, leave early if it's too weird, stay and participate and then leave, stay, participate, and make local contacts. Many areas have Pagan Nights Out; Witchvox will know. I'd see if there were an Elements of Magic class run by local pagans and if the first one that I attended sqished me out, I'd try another one run by someone else.

After that, I'd go outside under the almost-full moon, and say three times: "I am a witch, I am a witch, I am a witch." Then, I'd start to grow herbs, study Tarot, ground (as per Spiral Dance) and do the Ha Prayer ( as per Evolutionary Witchcraft by T. Thorne Coyle), and start looking for womyn who want to form a circle. Then, I'd sit back and enjoy the show.

Once in a while, I'd look up, realize how blessed I am, and pull my head back into the hood of my magical cape. It's the easiest thing in the world to become a witch. It's the work of an entire lifetime to earn the title: witch.