Teaching Witchcraft

[Kendrah]

It is my theory that when we teach someone witchcraft, we teach it to the persons soul. Soul first and all the words are to distract their minds. So this is my theory, only I can't figure how to teach someone to do this. I can't conceptualize the process that takes place.

And so, I ask you all who have taught witchcraft, how do you teach witchcraft? What do you think of this idea? Am I smoking something?

[Amethyst Rose]

Hmm.....well, it's my personal belief that the soul doesn't learn such mundane things. It has no need of witchcraft knowelge, and I bet that the soul already knows more 'witchcraft' than we can actualy learn in one life time. So, therefore, the actual knowledge is taught to the person, and the soul's natural knowledge is what helps the magic along.

Other than that, I have nothing to say about teaching witchcraft... I've taught about the Wiccan religions, but not specifically about magic.

[Kendrah]

I don't follow that belief. Why else would we be here if our soul knew everything already? I believe we're in school, so to speak.

[Morgandria]

The last person I heard this theory from also told us the Gods taught him everything he needed to know in his dreams, and thus he didn't need to do research, homework, or practice any sort of obedience or oaths to our coven, which he wanted to be the Summoner for.

A little too New-Age flaky for me to think that witchcraft is taught to the soul. I think witchcraft is taught to the hands and mind, and the soul provides the fuel for the actions. But to each their own.

[AstralMagick]

I don't follow that belief. Why else would we be here if our soul knew everything already? I believe we're in school, so to speak.
I believe that we are here for our souls also. This is sort of like the playground for our souls to learn, practice, and gain wisdom. We have many lifetimes to do this, and then we go on. I'd say that experience is what teaches the soul.:)

[Amethyst Rose]

I don't follow that belief. Why else would we be here if our soul knew everything already? I believe we're in school, so to speak.

Yes, I agree that we are here to perfect our souls. However, as I said, I don't think that souls have any need for such mundane knowledge as witchcraft. What on earth would a soul need witch craft for??? I believe that a soul is here to learn goodness, charity, strength, justice, temperance, etc. etc.. It doesn't need mundane knowlege like math or physics or witchcraft. But, thats just my take on it.

[Kendrah]

Yes, I agree that we are here to perfect our souls. However, as I said, I don't think that souls have any need for such mundane knowledge as witchcraft. What on earth would a soul need witch craft for??? I believe that a soul is here to learn goodness, charity, strength, justice, temperance, etc. etc.. It doesn't need mundane knowlege like math or physics or witchcraft. But, thats just my take on it.

I disagree about witchcraft being mundane. Being a witch is a way of life. It's learning how to awaken your full self and using that self. It isn't something you pull off the shelve, do some problems with, but has no application in the real world.

And besides, how else are we to learn goodness, charity, and all the rest but through actions and different ways of life? For the most part, being a good person is about what your do with your life and how you live it. No one is born disapplined. And all the rest...

[SilentDreams]

I believe our soul is just our essence, our "life force" if you will. Its not some being which can think on its own. Thought processes, memory, opinion, being able to accept new ideas(I guess would make them "mudane"?) come from the brain. So when we are taught witchcraft or spelling or anything else its connected with our brains. Not our souls. Thats just my belief though. So I can not tell you how to teach one's soul. I can only tell you that I believe the mind can be taught by repitition(sp) and practice.

[SoulHealer]

Well I teach witchcraft with fewer words than most witchcraft teachers as I don't feel the words are the most inportant bit (lol that sounds vague dosn't it?)

I don't think I'd say I was teaching the soul though more training/re-training the mind. Never really thought about which part of the body/soul/mind it goes into

[paygun]

...Being a witch is a way of life. It's learning how to awaken your full self and using that self. ...

I see what you're saying here and unfortunately that's exactly the thing that seems to get lost in a lot of instruction in Wicca. I admire your dedication but you can't teach that. You can teach a system of belief and practice that can be used as tools to get there, but the getting there is a combination of work and life experience. On top of that, not everyone wants instruction for that purpose. You can only point people in the right direction. Their soul (will, really) is theirs to do the work on, I don't think you can do it for them.

My experience in teaching is limited because of exactly this kind of thing. Maybe I'm selfish but I gave up after about the fifth case of OMG LUV SPELLS TEACH ME!!!! :)

[Dio]

I see what you're saying here and unfortunately that's exactly the thing that seems to get lost in a lot of instruction in Wicca. I admire your dedication but you can't teach that. You can teach a system of belief and practice that can be used as tools to get there, but the getting there is a combination of work and life experience. On top of that, not everyone wants instruction for that purpose. You can only point people in the right direction. Their soul (will, really) is theirs to do the work on, I don't think you can do it for them.

My experience in teaching is limited because of exactly this kind of thing. Maybe I'm selfish but I gave up after about the fifth case of OMG LUV SPELLS TEACH ME!!!! :)
I agree completely. Teaching of a spiritual path is mostly showing people the doors and perhaps handing them a key. It is the student's responsibilty to decide whether or not they want to enter. A good teacher can percieve the student's spiritual needs and help them find the correct keys. But it is impossible to hold their hand the entire way. You just can't.

[SoulHealer]

I agree completely. Teaching of a spiritual path is mostly showing people the doors and perhaps handing them a key. It is the student's responsibilty to decide whether or not they want to enter. A good teacher can percieve the student's spiritual needs and help them find the correct keys. But it is impossible to hold their hand the entire way. You just can't.


That is true of any teaching though -be it witchcraft/spirituality or school subjects

But getting back to witchcraft (since that is what this thread is about lol) apart from the historically side of it facts/figures blah de blah I think witchcraft is best taught by simple allowing the person to be pointed in the right direction and then guided once they have started to experience things -then again I seem to practise witchcraft different to 99.9% of people here (or at least those posts I read)

[Kendrah]

It's not that I want to hold hands or make them learn, or what not. I'm thinking more of the initial class, when I teach, how can I get past the words to make an impression on them. (Maybe I'm not explaining it correctly, I'm having a hard time formulating words.) I just don't want to be providing lip service.

[Dio]

It's not that I want to hold hands or make them learn, or what not. I'm thinking more of the initial class, when I teach, how can I get past the words to make an impression on them. (Maybe I'm not explaining it correctly, I'm having a hard time formulating words.) I just don't want to be providing lip service.
The impression comes when you are able to relay the information in a way that it is coming from your own soul. You can't touch people by just spitting out a bunch of information. You need to take that information and weave it into your own personal beliefs, experiences and feelings. When you get the hang of it, you begin to open up and become a voice for the divine.

Some will listen, some won't. It really doesn't matter. What matters is that *you* are learning vast amounts about your own soul by teaching others.