Hi again all,
I hope all are well. Today I'm discussing the differences between learning about the Craft from a book and from a teacher, and the idea of the Threefold rule.
Books versus Teachers
Despite having been a practising Wiccan for three years now, I recently enrolled on a beginner's course in a shop in laying the foundations of modern Witchcraft. 'Why on Earth,', people ask me, 'Are you forking out to be taught stuff you already know?'. I tell them this: I still read beginner's books, because there's always something to be gained from it, even if it's just a new perspective from a different author. As a writer, starter books are a goldmine of information, because all these authors learned in different traditions at different times, in different countries and under different circumstances, and all have unique insights and an individual style to offer. I never had a teacher starting out, I taught myself from books, and I've recently discovered that there's something to be said for having someone stand there and physically show you how it's done, and to offer personal techniques handed down by word of mouth that won't be found in books or online. There's something special about a group dynamic in a study group as well - the way the penny simultanously drops for everyone when they understand how to do something - not nearly as special as learning in an online community.
What I hope the most to get out of my long overdue beginner's course is how to teach. It's all very well me knowing my athames from my wands, my Wheel of the Year, Moon phases and all about 'Auntie' Valiente, 'Grandad' Gardner and 'Uncle Al' (Crowley), but stick me in front of a group of keen newbies and I'd go quiet as a mouse. I wouldn't know where to start! Fortunately I've found a pair of exceptionally good teachers, so if I can learn from them how to teach, then I'm well away!
Thought of the day
My thought for the day is that of the Threefold rule and the idea of harm none. In the Wiccan Rede, the lines
'Mind the Threefold Law ye should,
Three times bad, and Three times good,'
can be interpreted a number of ways. The most literal is that whatever energies you send out will be returned to you with three times the intensity. Send out happiness and healing, and expect it to come washing back to you. Send out somthing nasty, and expect a metaphorical bite on the bum sometime soon.
Another school of thought is that the Universe is always seeking a balance of light and dark...if you're meant to get that promotion at work, you will. And if you trip and break your leg on nothing at all, it's probably not because you've been sending out any negativity, you just didn't see that branch sticking out there.
The end of the Rede,
"These words the Wiccan Rede fulfil,
An it harms none, do what ye will,'
carry a similar theme; as long as it harms no-one, follow your true will (not 'do what you want' - it means to follow the life path that you're meant to tread.)
Aforementioned awesome teacher discards the whole idea altogether. She goes by Aleister Crowley's idea that 'Do what thy will shall be the whole of the Law.' This means that if you do what you think is the right thing to do, nothing at all will bite you on the bum....if you send out a really harsh curse on someone, well, they must've bloody-well deserved it!
It all depends on your point of view.
Blessed be, thanks for reading )O(
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