Student Study Habits

We have a lot of work to do so good work habits will come in handy. These seven steps will guide you on your path if you follow them.

1. Define your goal.
2. Keep notes - write.
3. Attend Public rituals and festivals.
4. Perform private rituals. Set up a personal shrine.
5. Subscribe to Neopagan periodicals and journals.
6. Talk to your teacher.
7. Read books every day.

1. Define your goal.

Success is the accomplishment of a desired goal. You can not succeed if you do not have a goal. Before you take aim at a goal you should first know why you are pursuing it.

This is the degree training program for the Braided Wheel Tradition of Witchcraft.
Why are you embarking on this program?
What do you hope to accomplish?
Write it down.

2. Keep notes - write.

Most Wiccan teachers recommend that the student keep a journal and record all their experiences. This is a good habit if you can do it.

There are other methods or keeping notes for people who have never been able to maintain a journal consistently. The important thing is to write. Write your rituals, write down chants and spells, write down dates of important events write articles and letters, write down your thoughts on any scrap of paper that is handy.

Don't worry about making sense at first, just write down your Ideas. As you grow you will find ways to organize your thoughts.

3. Attend public rituals and festivals

If you are lucky you may live in an area with an active Neopagan community and public rituals. We recommend that you attend local public events to broaden your experience and feel the support of being in a community of like-minded individuals.

Even if you are not fortunate enough to have an active community close at hand you can still attend national level festivals.

Although large festivals tend to have the character of the group that sponsors them they still provide a forum for people from a wide variety of disciplines to gather and exchange ideas.

At any public gathering your goal should be to make contacts and learn about as many different groups and philosophies as you can. Public events are for outward focus and growth.

4. Perform private rituals. Set up a personal Shrine.

It is important that you continue to work on your own, even when you are with a group. All growth is personal growth and you need to give yourself time to find out not only what your vision is but how you are going to achieve it. Do rituals on your own, set aside room (a shelf or a small table) in your apartment or house for a shrine. Develop a daily spiritual life. Do you want to say a prayer in the morning? or at night? before you eat? Look for ways to express your beliefs in your daily life. Walk your talk.

5. Subscribe to periodicals and journals.

Subscribe to Neopagan periodicals. In any field where you want to obtain proficiency you need to keep up on professional journals. Is your spritual growth less important? We are blessed with a profusion of local newsletters and national magazines. Take advantage of them. Some are listed in the back of "Drawing Down the Moon" or you can check the shelves at your local occult store.

6. Talk to your teacher.

No one is expected to complete this training alone. The advantage of joining a tradition instead of practicing solitaire is the support system a tradition can provide. Talk to your teacher find out the history of the tradition. You are not alone on this journey make friends with others on the path. sheherazahde@yahoo.com

7. Tapes and books

We recommend that you read from the suggested book list for at least 15 minutes every day. You should be able to read one book every month.

We also recommend that you listen to Neopagan tapes. The tapes can be music or lecture. Most of what could be called Neopagan "doctrine" is in the lyrics of the chants and songs.

© 1998 Sheherazahde, The Braided Wheel Tradition
For more information contact: sheherazahde@yahoo.com
http://geocities.datacellar.net/Athens/Ithaca/7746/

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