<https://thevalley.ukpagan.com/forums/topic/73170-where-to-begin/#comment-440905>
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"Hi. Start by dropping the blessings and all that bountiful stuff. It may be your true nature, when you find it, to be loving and compassionate but if you want to explore what I will Capitalise for now, Nature, Her, the Land you should start by recognising there is no morality or niceness in Nature. that is a human overlay and you may find your way back to it, if you survive the buffets of deeper reality, but for now you should start by simply observing it as it is. In other words, remember at an instinctive level such things as entropy, rot, disaster, earthquake, tsunami, bush fires, volcanoes, death are also part of her. Quite how you remember at an instinctive level is not easy to explain but an intelligent person who can do fancy meditation should be able to come up with something that suits them. \n  \nNow start by wondering why the hell you personify Nature as female/goddess. That is probably a need for mother's tit rather than spiritual calling. No reason why Nature shouldn't be recognised withotu a simplistic personification that may or may not be the wrong gender anyway ... \n  \nWitchcraft has no religion to it, so perhaps you won't want to be a witch? Depends on your psychological make-up and needs. There are 'earth religions' and re-created ceremonial magick paths (including simplistic Wicca and much of modern so-called paganism) that love Goddesses and so on where you may fit in if you wnat or need to be worshipful. A good resource is Wikipedia as a start for definitions and so on before you get caught up in ritualistic observance and dogma and suchlike energy and time consuming practise. Then you can browse through 'Sacred Texts' website, google the link and if you can't find it I will try and dredge it up. Buy their DVD if you have a few bob, it keeps them going and saves data rates. \n  \nYou will save a lot of time if you work yourself out psychologically first, most 'magickal' paths do a bit of that, mixed in with methods of opening to psychic realms in one way or another. So try that too, some astral travel or scrying or something to see if you have a knack. You will save more time again if you don't read anything, just go bush, camp out somewhere for a few days well off the track with no human interaction. Start with a night naked under the sky, no clothes or tent or mattress or fire but one blanket, just water so it is also a minor fast, no technology. Just you and nature. thats it. easy. Then of course you have a life to live starting from that point. but instead of being a follower or subject of any random unknown deity, you will be free to choose a path, make your own way.  \n  \nIf you still want to follow, any religion will do, they all have rules and regs and secret things and badges and even rewards if you are good. Oh yeah, there is another middle road where by being yourself and opening yourself up and  all that stuff (it works) a god/goddess will actually visit you, invite you. You can then say yay or nay thanks and don';t get any demerit badges. The best thing about making your own road is you don't pick up or be influenced by the nonsense and mistakes of others, and you can shape it (your path and belief) and yourself together. Of course, it may end up being near the shape and form of some existing group, well then you have like minded friends to go along with. Or else you may become a walker in your own power and even, if you work hard, become a minor deity yourself in time a nd fullness. And always allow to have fun or don't bother. \n"
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