The one question I hear more than any other from those new to the Craft is "what is a tradition and (more importantly) how do I choose the right one for me?" Wanting desperately to settle in and get a handle on their new path, they're just a little bit baffled at the idea of choosing one's specific beliefs.

And I don't blame them.

When I first began learning about this ancient way of life, I became a little frustrated. Why? Because the Craft seemed to change from book to book. What one author suggested to be an accepted method of practice, another might dismiss in favor of something completely different. And because there are soooo very many traditions that could fall under the general heading of paganism, how does one begin to choose? Dianic or Teutonic? Celtic or Gardnerian? Am I a wiccan or a pagan or both? Hmm. What to do... what to do??

Oh, I still felt the tug from Spirit, but I also felt confused with how to proceed. So, I did what any good Witch would do. I kept on reading.

All that said, there are three basic principles that serve as the basic foundation of the Craft, regardless of your particular tradition:

The Wiccan Rede - "An ye harm none, do as ye will." Put simply, do as you please as long as it hurts no-one, including yourself. This does not for a second imply that there are no consequences for your actions. Quite the contrary, in fact, as you'll discover when you read Rule #2 which is:

The Threefold Law - "What you do comes back to you threefold." You've heard the saying, "what comes around goes around"? Well, that's the idea behind this little piece of philosophy. And, not only will it come around, but it will do so three times as bad. Hopefully, you've been practicing this one anyway as its a good rule to live by. Period. Just remember: Karma, karma, karma. Which brings us to Rule #3:

The Golden Rule - "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." I doubt I need to explain this one but, just as a reinforcement, I will. This, like the first two principles, reminds us to be kind and good to others, lest we get back a little of what we gave. And, like the other two, makes us totally responsible for our own actions. Respect all, would be the basic message here, and one well worth heeding.

As it stands right now, I would likely call myself an Eclectic Witch if I had to classify. There are two reasons for my choice: One is that I find that the more I learn about the various practices and traditions out there, the more I am fascinated with pieces of each. A Celtic Witch, for example, follows a practice that is largely based on nature. The elements, plants, flowers and stones all play a large part in the way they celebrate their faith and these things ring true for me. At the same time, I've also discovered the Dianic tradition seems to follow a path that centers around the Goddess. And, being a woman, I'm quite fascinated with our history, our heritage and the myths and legends that aren't so widely known.

The second reason is that I simply have grown to relish the idea of a religion that allows me to follow my path whichever direction it may turn, without judgment or criticism.

All of which brings me back to the beauty of this religion. While some traditions are very formal in nature, others are not. There is no one right way to practice the Craft, only what rings right for you.

And as I gather these bits and pieces of the various traditions, I have found that following what rings true is, in fact, the only way to live.

Labels: choosing your path, magick, paganism, pantheons, traditions, witchcraft