I apologize for the donation button you see to your far right. I’m really not one to go around begging for money. Truthfully I had to think long and hard before I actually did decide to put it up (it’s going up on all of my blogs) because I just don’t like asking complete strangers for money. I’m just not like that. However, right now, it’s either put up a donation button and hope for the best, or forget about going to college. I’ve been informed that I am completely ineligible for financial aid, even my student loans have been cut off. I can’t use ANYTHING but money from my own pocket to go to school with. This wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the fact that ONE credit hour is over $100, and all classes are at least TWO credit hours. So yeah. It’s either stick the donations button up and hope for the best, or don’t bother going to school.

Just a note – I find it funny that they say we have a RIGHT to an education, including college, but then make it too expensive for us to get one.

I was reading an article on WitchVox about Tradition vs Eclectic Wicca. Basically the gist was that they are not the same. No they aren’t. And even though they may be based on each other, Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Corellian, etc aren’t the same either. The writer of the article made some very valid points and missed the biggest one of all.

Many of the “Neo-Wiccans” do not have the opportunity to become involved with or initiated into “Wiccan” traditions. We have to make our own path because we have no access to any other! I would love to study under a teacher of a specific tradition. Guess what? I can’t. I have no access to a Gardnerian coven or Alexandrian coven. Short of saying a prayer to the Goddess and God and then taking out an ad in the area newspapers that screams “I’m looking for a coven of the ____ tradition because I would like to be initiated and be a part of it,” I don’t have a way of being anything but an eclectic Solitary.

The problem is, by enforcing a seperation of Wicca and “Neo-Wicca” you basically invite those who are trying to find their faith to feel like they’re not as good as others because they can’t get access to a coven of “real” Wiccans. It’s not fair to me and the thousands of other solitaries who do not have access to a “traditional Wicca” coven/teacher to be labeled “Neo-Wiccans.” It cheapens our faith, it makes us look like small children playing copycat.

Guess what? There are umpteen different versions of Christianity but they all get to call themselves Christians. Even the ones who haven’t been baptized by the authority of this church or that church can say they are Christians if they are at the very least making an attempt to worship deity in the manner of the Christians. But “Neo-Wiccans” are to be forced to add “Neo” to the beginning of Wicca because we cannot or choose not to be structured by the traditions and covens of “real” Wicca? To be perfectly honest, how fair is that?

Cross posted at A Question of Faith.

I was reading “Living Wicca: A Further Guide for the Solitary Practitioner” and in the book, Scott Cunningham speaks of starting your own solitary tradition of Wicca. This idea actually appeals to me, and he gives some very good guidelines for getting started. I have a few books of rituals, a few books that give ideas for writing your own Book of Shadows, etc. I am seriously considering studying these and coming up with a plan for my own tradition of Wicca. Whether or not I give it a name or choose to teach others about the tradition I have not yet decided. However, I think this sounds like a wonderful idea.

Granted, I realize that it is not as easy as it sounds. That I will have to do a lot of work and a lot of soul searching in order to build my own tradition and to write rituals for myself. But the thought of having my own tradition – something I created, something I built to honor my relationship with the Goddess and God – appeals to me.

Right now, I’m at my best friend’s house. I’ll be going home in a bit to gather some items and when I do, I’ll bring back to her house the items I need to start working on this Wiccan tradition. I may post notes that I’ve made on this blog, or perhaps, I may start another blog, dedicated solely to my tradition that I am creating. Of course, that will require naming the tradition, something that I haven’t actually decided upon. Then again, I don’t necessarily have to name the tradition in order to create a blog about it.

Oh look at me, rambling on like I’m talking to myself and probably boring my readers half to death! In any case, if I do create a blog regarding my own tradition, I’ll post the link here so you can visit it.