many questions

[Purplewitch]

i've got a few questions:

i'm a big believer in not tampering with the natural "path" of things for lack of better terms, and for everything to be as true as possible. so how do you make sure that when casting a spell you're not tampering with what i call the natural order? that's one of my biggest fears, and makes me almost hesitant to practice magic, which i'm still searching if wicca is even for me, even though i am more than interested.

i have talked to some people and they agreed with me when i say that casting spells is more of just focusing energy on one particular thing, not anything like the hypnotizing stuff you see on t.v....

another question: ive always heard (when referring to wicca) that you shouldn't do anything for personal gain... maybe i've watched too much charmed,lol (it is one of my favorite shows) but how do you know if what you're doing is personal gain? or does it even matter. of course i'm not saying you should cast a spell like something really huge, but i'm just saying something small like give energy to clean the house, or something small like that

what do most wiccans believe in when it comes to afterlife?

when it comes to harm none, what if you're a wiccan and being wiccan hurts someone? for example: ive been raised christian, and if i was to become wiccan and my mom found out it would break her heart.

also, this may sound TOTALLY ignorant and i mean no offense in this but how/ if ever do people gain special powers. telekinesis is very interesting to me and i wonder if that's even real. other worldly powers are neat to me and i'll admit at first (always been interested in "other worldly/special gifts") that was one of the main points of wicca that intrested me, BUT with study i've learned that's not what it's about, it's about the connection with nature and the God and Goddess AND with yourself. and i'm totally more than okay with that... actually learning that enlightened me... but i was just wondering if it's something some can tap into, IN A GOOD WAY, none of the black magic. many of my past family members were said to have "powers" i could explain to someone interested (message me if so) but i was wondering if maybe it's something inherited, wiccan or not....

last one i promise... for this thread atleast, lol. what is the difference between black magic and white magic? of course i know the basic difference BUT how do you know for sure you're not accidently tapping into something bad? or calling upon something evil? i never ever ever ever want to tap into the dark forces and i want to make sure if wicca is my calling path that i never do that.

thank you all so much and blessing be with you!

ps- sooo sorry if i said something out of text or offending, that's never my intention.

purplewitch

[STORMDANCER]

First thing, forget about what you've seen portrayed as "magic" on TV. That is just manufactured by the media to get ratings and make money.

I think the answer to a couple of your questions in this post is this: Things are not inherently good or evil, black or white. I know Christianity says that they are, but I think if you take the time to really think about how life works at a basic level you will see that this is true. The morality of an action is more defined by its intent. For example, you mention doing something for personal gain. Well there is nothing wrong with trying to better yourself and your lot in life. That is what you are supposed to do. The question is how do you go about it? I would say that a person who is out for money even if it hurts others is doing evil, while someone who asks the Gods to help her find work so that she won't have to be poor anymore is simply asking for some help to better her situation benevolently. Nothing wrong with that. Like you mention breaking your mother's heart. I am sure you aren't studying Wicca specifically to do just that, you are simply looking for a spiritual path that best fits you. That is what people should do, not blindly follow whatever they are told.

As far as afterlife, I can tell you what I believe. I believe in reincarnation, and as such I consider the "afterlife" to be where a person is between lives. Time has no absolute meaning in this realm, so whether you want the time between your lives to feel like 2 seconds or a million years is up to you. I believe that when we are in this state we have access to all the knowledge, wisdom, and power that the Gods do. Of course you don't get to bring it with you in your next life because that would be cheating If you try hard you can grab some memories of past lives, which I think helps give us a sense of continuity and identity that is sometimes lacking, but that's about it (at least as far as I have experienced). If you are looking for more specific details on what this afterlife is like, I think it is largely up to the individual. I mentioned that a person in this state will be all-knowing, and as such you will see and feel the effects of everything you have ever done, though I'd imagine your most recent life would be the strongest. This is why it is in a person's best interest to do as much good and as little harm as possible. So really I don't believe there is any divine judgement at all. The Gods know we will judge ourselves. Heck we do that even in this life.

When it comes to "other worldly powers" I will just say that I don't think there is anything supernatural about it. Some of these things are also hyped up and blown out of proportion by the media, but things like energy manipulation and sensing the presence and intention of people near are just skills that everyone can learn, although some people are naturally more inclined than others. Just like most anyone can learn to play a sport, but some people have a natural talent for it that most do not have.

Storm x