How do I become a witch?

QUESTION - Hi, I am from Ghana. I am willing to be a witch. Please, I am ready to abide by all rules, please can you help me?

ANSWER - I find the way you phrase your question very interesting because there is a certain irony in the fact that you talk about wanting to become a witch but in the same sentence you make reference to wanting to abide by rules. The two unfortunately don't go all that well together. That is not to say that there are no rules to witchcraft, there are certainly structures that a witch needs to follow (usually self designed, mind you) but certainly in my opinion the hallmark of the witch is someone who has transgressed his/her self beyond following rules and has moved into the sphere of thinking for themselves and starting to direct the flow of their own life. 

So if it isn't about learning rules, how do you become a witch? Well there are a few different perspectives on the matter. Most would agree that a certain amount of learning is required with regard to the fundamental nature of directing energy and grasping the basics of spell work. I'm not a fan of getting too bogged down in book learning and I always advocate the hands on approach. To me there is no substitute for starting to work with elements of the craft and see if they appeal to you or not. So read a book by all means but when you've read it, put it down and have a go. Try the techniques of basic spell work. Play with different correspondence and see what appeals to you. Try out different ideas and practises until you are comfortable in your own mind with what works best for you.

I think it is also important to consider your motives for becoming a witch. Being a witch changes you, it takes you through the looking glass to a whole new level of existence from which it is impossible to go back to you old life. Nobody becomes a witch to achieve a specific purpose. No single aim would ever give you the motivation to make those changes in yourself. You have to want to become a witch for the sake of being a witch, not for the tangible results you can achieve as a witch. You have to want it and you have to want it a lot. You have to want it above everything else in your life actually. Whether you become a witch and practise daily or you become a witch and never pick up a spell book again as long as you live, it will change who you are and you have to be prepared for that.

If you want to follow a specific path or tradition there will be requirements made of you from those teaching that certain way. Wiccans like the observance of a year and a day's study before steps are taken to formalise your path. Other traditions will have similar hurdles for you to pass, all of which in essence are designed to ensure that you are serious and committed to what you wish to undertake before you take the firm steps forward on your chosen path. 

Speaking as a solitary who follows no single definite tradition my advice to you is to join a few forums and get chatting to other witches, try to get a sense of perspective on how many many different ways there are to do things. Read some books and get your head round the basics. Think long and hard about your motivations for wanting to be a witch and what becoming a witch actually means to you. Get involved in some basic spell work, see how it feels, is it something you are comfortable with? Does it feel right to you? Build up from the bottom and I promise, if you have it in you to become a witch one day everything will fall into place and you'll wake up, look in the mirror and say to yourself in surprise - "What do you know? I'm a witch!"

Image http://fav.me/d3e7eym (Georgina Gibson)

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