Graveyard Dirt: Two Worlds and In-between

Standing On Your Own Feet

Do you have any books and/or sites that you would recommend that helped you to get started in your practices of witchcraft?

I know this is TERRIBLE for me to admit, but...I so got a kick from this question. I sometimes forget the age discrepancy between myself and the majority of followers; I forget that I'm double your guys' age (in some cases). The internet's always been around for a lot of my followers, but it's only been around for half my life. I can't recommend any sites because my practice of witchcraft PREDATES the net (at least the version that became available to the general public in the mid 90s), so there weren't any sites (or books) that influenced me or my beliefs.

This is the sort've question that strikes dread in my heart because 1.) I hate to disappoint and 2.) I haven't really found a succinct way to sum up my sort of witchcraft/my beliefs, at least not in a way that satisfies me. Everything I do, everything I believe in I built from scratch with my bare hands. (I do appropriate concepts and images, but I redefine them using personal experiences. There's nothing more powerful - or spiritually meaningful - than what you, yourself, have experienced during your lifetime. That's the sort of intimacy that makes up the foundation of my practices.)

I feel that using books, sites or other people is counter-intuitive, they dilute the significance of things. I want something pure, something totally from ME that hasn't been influenced by outside sources. I do, however, understand the importance of books, sites and people; I just feel that a huge majority uses those resources as crutches, or free templates of belief because they're too lazy to engage with themselves. The more you lean on something, the less you're standing on your own two feet.

I think we MAY have crossing interests, so I'll point you towards my Amazon wishlist. A lot of the books listed are more "how to" (i.e., cooking, making candles, making soaps, taxidermy, preserving - things that HELP me practice, rather than teach me how or why to practice), but there are books with chthonic, plant folklore, herbal medicine, mythological and divine woman/goddess themes as well.

I also recommend checking out the diaries, blogs and journals of witches that I follow. (Left side under "READING" on Graveyard Dirt's index page.) Especially Sarah (Witch of Forest Grove, I think you're already familiar with her) who's compiled lists of books on various witchcraft related subjects, and Carolina (Carolina Gonzalez) who's proof you can live the dream.

I hope that my response hasn't deterred anyone from asking questions. I love answering questions, I love explaining what I do, why I do it and how I came to doing it, I just can't teach what I do. I can show you how I live, but, at the end of the day, people have to live for themselves.