Wicca/Witchcraft - Is it real? ANY PROOF?

I want to become a Wiccan & study Witchcraft.
Yeah I get that Witchcraft & Wicca isn't about flying broomsticks and love spells etc., but I want to know what the real intent is of those who study and practice it.
Like, do you have an internal power after doing rituals, or making herbs etc., like you would if you opened your third eye?
Is it not just a mental trance your putting yourself in? And do witches/wiccans know this, or do they genuinely believe that it's the spirit world contacting them?

a reply to: theworldunknown

Nobody biting? Ha, nice try, next time you want to appear as a seeker you shouldn't put ANY PROOF? in your title. Just a friendly hint.

a reply to: theworldunknown

They utilize (super)natural laws, to produce (super)natural result. What differs Wiccans from other magician societies is their open declaration of benevolence. Most of them say they do not study and practice magical rituals for destructive purposes.

I personally find Wiccans pathetic new-age half-educated occultist enthusiasts. If you want to dip your toe into the supernatural laws, you can try becoming a Wiccan, yet if you are serious about learning the hidden side of life, run far away from them. You might want to go then to real starting-points like Traditional Chinese Medicine, Egyptology, Theology, Native American Traditions, Kabbalah, Hermetic Theurgy, Alchemy, and so on...

Yet remember, that no matter of which art you choose, if wrongly understood and practiced only would bring disappointments.

a reply to: theworldunknown


Wicca is the biggest hodgepodge of hokum I've ever come across.

I've met people with power. And they were not the wanna-be's that are the average "Wiccan".

that depends on what you consider to be real for yourself? belief is one of the strongest things in the universe.

First off, I have been studying wicca a d paganism for a year now.

Is there proof? Well, I could ask you for proof of Christianity outside of the bible. It's all about what you connect with spiritually and what you believe on a personal level.

I don't believe it is an "occult" path. At least not for me. I would describe it more as esoteric than anything. To me, occult implies you're dealing with the paranormal. I'm sure some wiccans do, but most of them don't.

As far as intentions....for me it is more about going back to the basics. Being more in tune with nature and natural energies. It's also about personal responsibilities. You create your own destiny so to speak. Not god.

Although wiccan is more of a modern pathway, it is steeped in mythology and folklore.

You can pm me if you're interested. I don't have all the answers, but I could probably point you in the right direction.

I've known a few who went down the wiccan path,
they still observe the wiccan holidays and practices, but it's more like it was a stepping stone to other paths. one's a reikki master, another was more into the shamanic path, another was more into the influences of sound and light.

originally posted by: theworldunknown
I want to become a Wiccan & study Witchcraft.
Yeah I get that Witchcraft & Wicca isn't about flying broomsticks and love spells etc., but I want to know what the real intent is of those who study and practice it.
Like, do you have an internal power after doing rituals, or making herbs etc., like you would if you opened your third eye?
Is it not just a mental trance your putting yourself in? And do witches/wiccans know this, or do they genuinely believe that it's the spirit world contacting them?

Why? What are you after? Are you interested in the spiritual path? Or are you just interested in power? Are you interested in "enlightenment"? Or are you interested in being cool? Spirituality is about knowing yourself, first and foremost. If you aren't ready to do the shadow work, you aren't ready to get serious about the journey.

Know thyself, and To thine own self be true, are not just memes.

a reply to: theworldunknown

Knowledge is a great thing. Knowledge is power. I think you need to read up more info. Your opening post here implies you think it is something else, acts a certain way, and is for a certain specific reason. It is many things, different to all who practice it. Gain an understanding deeper than you exhibit about what being a Wiccan is...and isnt.

A few phrases in your statement implies you may have the completely wrong impression of it as a whole. But, I will let members well-versed in the subject to clarify it, who can do so much better than I.

Good Luck

originally posted by: nullafides
a reply to: theworldunknown


Wicca is the biggest hodgepodge of hokum I've ever come across.

I've met people with power. And they were not the wanna-be's that are the average "Wiccan".

I have to second this. The last "wiccan" I met informed me that she likes to put cakes and food out in the woods at night so fairies can eat it while she's sleeping. She was completely serious. That's about par for the course with those people.

originally posted by: dreamlotus1111
that depends on what you consider to be real for yourself? belief is one of the strongest things in the universe.

i have to agree with this.

Do your research into all of the disciplines. Don't limit yourself to Wicca. Take your time. Also, decide why you are seeking this strength.

Wicca does very little intentional harm. If you are looking to be a Dark practitioner then read the Necrinomicon. Get a Grimiore.

And like any other discipline, find a mentor. Don't stumble through what others have practiced for thousands of years.

Also, check out other cultures. You never know if you might connect better with some obscure south African voodoo sect

Have fun.

Some tools are very sharp and specialized while other tools are very dull. The only way to know if the tool is useful is to test the tool under different circumstances.

"Third eye abilities"=Using the body to sense information from the Quantum field with the help of entanglement and allowing the information to go thru the unconscious to the conscious mind (where is can be degraded depending on the consciousness level of awareness).

originally posted by: nikkib0421
First off, I have been studying wicca a d paganism for a year now.

Is there proof? Well, I could ask you for proof of Christianity outside of the bible. It's all about what you connect with spiritually and what you believe on a personal level.

I don't believe it is an "occult" path. At least not for me. I would describe it more as esoteric than anything. To me, occult implies you're dealing with the paranormal. I'm sure some wiccans do, but most of them don't.

Gerald Gardiner was just a wannabe A.Crowley. Occult has nothing to do with the paranormal as a word. It means hidden just like esoteric means secret.

If you got nothing better to do go for it. The last wiccan I knew was in hifh school. I have had a few girlfriends who were Wiccan.

No power outside of your own mind.

As far as intentions....for me it is more about going back to the basics. Being more in tune with nature and natural energies. It's also about personal responsibilities. You create your own destiny so to speak. Not god.

Although wiccan is more of a modern pathway, it is steeped in mythology and folklore.

You can pm me if you're interested. I don't have all the answers, but I could probably point you in the right direction.

You don't need to be a Wiccan to do anything Wiccans do.

a reply to: Mrgone

The "Necrinomicon" yeah you're a pro! Oh GAWD! That's funny, you get the cake!

Just fyi, that's Necronomicon and fiction based on Lovecraft. To distract the weak minded. But go ahead, you might also want to try Princess Lillifee

Speaking of Crowley (not a Wiccan) here's his definition and I have never found anything better:

MAGICK is the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will.*

* In one sense Magick may be said to be the name given to Science by the vulgar.

Cf. "Magic Without Tears"

a reply to: GmAndre

Does anyone ever conjure something that destroys them outright?
If so WHAT would that look like?

a reply to: theworldunknown

Wicca is simply a denomination of Paganism. You can "study" the Craft without becoming Wiccan. Anyone can "study" any religion they wish, any time they wish, without converting to that belief system. And anyone can be a Witch...that designation is a Pagan one, not exclusive to Wicca. It's like someone being a christian...there are many offshoots of christianity, but they're all under the same umbrella. Perhaps what you should have said is that you want to dabble in something that fascinates you. I think that is more accurate.

If you truly want to convert to Wicca, then do it for the right reasons. Practicing Witchcraft is not a hobby. It is a complete spiritual lifestyle, a total paradigm shift. Asking for "proof" will net you absolutely nothing...at least from genuine practitioners. We tend not to flaunt our faith...history has taught us that we are much safer staying in the shadows.

I am what is called a "Gray Witch", meaning I practice both White and Black Magick, but I call myself Wiccan because I identify very strongly with the ideals of that particular school of Paganism more than the others. However, I am not what you would call "orthodox"...but that's the beauty of being Pagan: there's no big, convoluted book to interpret, no countless hours spent in a church listening to someone else's interpretation of it are required either. The Earth is our church, our sacred space is our place of worship.

As for intent, that depends upon the spell and the person casting it. That intent can be good or bad or both...just like anything else we consciously decide to do. It is a choice. Everything done under the power of Magick releases that intent into the Universe, and as with any action, there will be a reaction. The person who released it will be the immediate recipient of that reaction and therefore, significant caution is advised about just exactly what intent is put out there in the first place. Plainly put, the Universe does not suffer fools gladly.

There are always consequences, to every single choice we make. Whether those consequences are good or bad depends entirely upon the person making the choice. People often say that opposites attract, but actually the reverse is true. Like attracts like. So if you don't want unpleasant repercussions, don't put unpleasantness out there to begin with. And that is true of everyone...not just Witches.

I would strongly suggest, if you're truly sincere (I'm not sure that you actually are, no offense), that you read up on what you're considering diving into before you start looking for "proof" of anything. Understand how it works and the philosophies behind it first.

Anything by Silver Ravenwolf or Scott Cunningham is excellent reading. Silver is one of my facebook friends; she's an extraordinary woman. She is also one of the most powerful Witches alive. She practices Shamanism, Voodoo, you name it.

I can tell you that Magick is indeed real. I can tell you I've witnessed it, countless times along my path. But until I went back to the beginning and truly understood the nature of it, truly absorbed the meaning of it within my own spirituality, I was simply dabbling in it. And after experiencing the consequences of my own stupid mistakes, I learned to respect it.

But "proof"? No, I will not give you that. I could, but it involves other people and some very private things and I would be violating the Rede...not to mention the trust of those people by sharing it. But if you're sincere and true in your intent, you will receive all the proof you need. Start at the beginning.

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: Mrgone

The "Necrinomicon"

yeah you're a pro! Oh GAWD! That's funny, you get the cake!

Just fyi, that's Necronomicon and fiction based on Lovecraft. To distract the weak minded. But go ahead, you might also want to try Princess Lillifee

i thought the point was that "belief" was the most important thing. Guess you proved me wrong.

And I'm no pro. Magic is as believable as angels and aliens.

Belief is more important than proof. And i don't remember saying believe the necrinomicon

You sound like an "expert"

a reply to: Mrgone

Come on, don't be bothered by me laughing, be happy you brightened some strangers day. Magic!

You did it again! Necronomicon, and yeah I successfully broke my mind, that's the only proof one gets when experimenting with the dark arts. It doesn't change the world but your perception of it.

a reply to: theworldunknown

Wicca, witchcraft, the occult and paganism are under a pretty big tent, so the motives, techniques and results for each person within can be quite varied.

However, I'll give you what I see as a relatively common theme within them. I'm going to veer away from Wicca in my answer just because it's what I know.

While there's a relatively short normative component in Wicca, "an it harm none, do what ye will", I believe many of them would ascribe to the great work. The great work is itself a nebulous concept, but to me, it embodies becoming a complete man, or woman.

In more polytheistic or kabbalah circles, that might consist of invoking gods or aspect of god whose virtues
end up creating the complete man and embodying the source of all. If you think of virtues like mercy, strength, wisdom, or unifying your subconscious with your conscious, that sort of thing.

As to whether it's " just " a mental trance or whether there are actual spirits, I would say the point is moot, depending upon your objectives - there are atheist occultists. Also, if you can keep with it, I guarantee you the idea of what you can experience under what you would likely call a mental trance would be obliterated. Visions, ecstasy more potent than any drug and more are possible. More difficult for me are trying to integrate those experiences into daily life and develop as a person. But if it's something you decide to try, my hat's off to you.

ETA - wandering scribes answer on the following page is good, as said I veered away from your direct question under the assumption that you were just using Wicca and witchcraft as words to cover the big tent.