13 Goals of a Witch

1. Know Yourself
Know who you are. Discover who you are. Go out in nature and reflect on yourself. Know where you've been and where you're going. Know your goals and dreams. Know your hopes and fears. Keep journals.

2. Know Your Craft
Study and learn the Craft. Don't just read one book and call yourself an expert. Take courses, learn from others, read many books. Learn as many points of view as you can, so that you can form your own opinions. It would also be a great idea to attend public rituals to learn how others practice. Maybe they will have ideas and knowledge you haven't thought of. Maybe you can exchange ideas.

3. Learn
You never stop learning. Read as many books from as many points of view as possible. Ask other Wiccans questions. Don't just learn about Wicca and Witchcraft. Learn about other religions, history, or anything that might interest you.

4. Apply Knowledge With Wisdom
As you learn, the best way to solidify the knowledge in your head is to apply it. Always think before anything you do. That way you can be sure you're doing the right thing.

5. Achieve Balance
Too much of one thing is never a good thing. You should strive to achieve a balance between all things. For instance, you have home and family, but you also have a career, and you have your spiritual path, among other things. If you spend too much time in one area, then the other areas will be neglected. In my opinion, this is one of the harder goals to achieve because it's difficult to keep everything in life balanced.

6. Keep Your Thoughts in Good Order
This goal can be taken a couple different ways. Everyone knows about the law of attraction and the famous quote, "Thoughts are things." What you think is usually manifest somehow in the world. If you think nasty things all the time, if you think how bad your life is, then things will continue to not go as well for you. However, if you think positively, then things will start to look up for you. Also, don't think of others badly. If you think of other people badly, then people will not want to be around you, because it can be sensed subconsciously by others.

7. Keep Your Words in Good Order
This goal is similar to number 6. It's better to speak positively for the same reasons. You want people to be happy when you enter a room, not happy when you leave. Others flock to positive people. Also, if you encourage someone, or say nice things to them, it will often make their day. You don't know if they were having a bad day and really needed a pick-me-up.

8. Celebrate Life
Live in the moment. Live every moment. Stop to smell the roses, so to speak. Don't get caught up in the hustle and bustle of every day life. Stop to enjoy it. Take a long nature walk and listen to the animals and the breeze in the trees. Spend time with your loved ones. Do things that you always wanted to do. Don't waste your life sitting around complaining and not enjoying your time here.

9. Attune With the Cycles of the Earth
This is very important. We celebrate Sabbats that are based on these cycles. The reason why we celebrate them at certain times because they all fall on turning points in our year. If you track all the Sabbats and Esbats in one year, and you note the important things you notice in the world around you, especially the natural world, then you will see how the cycles work.

10. Breathe and Eat Correctly
We should eat healthy and breathe the way we're meant to breathe. Too many people eat junk food and fast food. While that's occasionally ok, it's not healthy. And if you're body isn't healthy, it starts to break down and as you get older, you will have problems. As for breathing, most people don't breathe properly. Most people breathe very shallow. You don't take in nearly as much oxygen as you need. You should be breathing deeper, and not just when in Yoga class.

11. Exercise the Body
This is another thing that keeps your body healthy. Regular exercise. Don't be lazy and sit in front of the TV all day. I don't understand how a witch would do that, while following a nature spirituality. You don't have to run marathons, but if you go outside and walk once a day, it's very good for you. As witches, we should try to go out for walks several times a week, and be out in nature. Even if you live in a city, there's still nature around you. I'm glad I live away from the city. I have woods and animals - all kinds of nature.

12. Meditate
Meditation is difficult for many people. In this day and age, the mind is always running. It's hard to still the thoughts. Meditation is great for many things. It's a way to connect with the Goddess or God. It's a way to visualize a place that calms you. It's a way to forget about your daily stresses. People who meditate are often happier because they have learned to let go of the stress. It's advisable to meditate for at least 10 minutes each day.

13. Honour the Goddess and the God
This is an important goal. If you follow a religion, you really should honour your deity or deities. Otherwise, what's the point? It's important to establish a relationship with them. It helps you to become a better person. If you don't know your deity, then why are you a part of your religion? Honouring them should be done every day, not just at Sabbats and Esbats. You don't have to sit down and do daily devotions. If you help someone in need, you are honouring deity. If you pick up litter, you are honouring deity. If you give thanks or say what you're grateful for, you are honouring deity.

It's That Time of Year Again...

***this has been in my private files since December 17, 2008; only now have I posted it on my blog***

As everyone knows, that time of year is upon us. It's a time of family, a time of good times, and a time of...religion? Wait a second. I live in a society that largely celebrates Christmas. However, I noticed that the other special days are forgotten. Christmas is not the only thing celebrated this time of year. There's also Hannukah, Kwanzaa, and many other festivals most people have never heard of. Then there's Yule.

Yule is what I celebrate, as a Pagan. It falls on the winter solstice each year, around December 21. For me, it is the rebirth of the Sun God from the Mother Goddess. To people who aren't familiar with Paganism, that may seem strange, but to me, that is my belief. A lot of what we do on Yule is similar to Christmas. We still exchange gifts and cards, we decorate trees, we sing carols, we have religious ceremonies. Actually, most of those traditions originally come from Paganism, but most people don't know that.

I don't mean to offend people, but when I say I don't celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, some people do tend to not take it so well. They ask me how I could possibly not see how 'Jesus is the reason for the season'. I just say that I don't follow Christianity. I have my own religious observances and beliefs. Unfortunately, some people can't take that as an answer. Then I'm given the whole spiel about how I'm going to hell because I haven't accepted Jesus as my lord and saviour. Add a few bible quotes into the mix and a very uncomfortable situation is created.

I don't get offended when someone wishes me a Merry Christmas. However, I do get offended when someone tells me my religious beliefs-something I hold very dear to my heart-are wrong. There are people who don't understand that there are so many belief systems that how could only one be right? Then I'm told that the bible says Jesus is the only way to God. But what they don't realize is that the bible only applies to Christians who follow that faith.

All I'm asking during this holiday season is that you remember everyone. Don't get offended when someone wishes you a Blessed Yule, Happy Hannukah, or Merry Christmas. Smile, and offer your own best wishes in return.

We live in the best country in the world: CANADA. One thing that makes me proud to be Canadian is our freedom. There are so many things we take for granted. Our freedom is one of those things. Many countries don't have the same freedom we do. Please keep in mind that everyone has the right to follow whatever religion they choose, and believe what they believe, and celebrate what religious holidays they observe. Why don't we all just live and let live? Remember what the holiday season is all about. It's about acceptance. And spending time with those you love.

So, to those who are reading this that are Christian, I wish you a Merry Christmas. To any Jewish readers, Happy Hannukah. And to my fellow Wiccans and Pagans, Blessed Yule. And to all a good night.