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I have noticed that there are alot of sites that offer some sort of online witchcraft courses. making it so that anyone any where can have access to such courses. I have attended many typos of courses, but they have never been online. I have checked many of them out just to see what they are about. Many of which are minors they have decided they want to be a witch. all of thr classes I have taken have been offered by local shops and lead by a qualified teacher.

I personally feel that, most of these offered online are bogus, and that it has no comparison to those taught by actual Higher Level teacher or master. Do you feel that this is acceptable?

And if you have taken any types of classes where did you.

I have seen the online schools, however, without hands on instruction and guidance, I do not see how anyone could master the craft, nor if they should.

I have seen them floating around as well, I think the majority are bogus however there may be some that have some good info and training, yet I must agree with Doru in that hands on with a real teacher who is qualified is really what is needed. It seems to be yet another fad and yet another way to aid teens in pissing off their parents but hey that's just my opinion.

I actully have never heard about any online witching schools. I don't think that it would have the same effect as someone in person guiding you on the right path of teachings.

Point in fact, I have an online class for school. Everything's compact and supposed to teach you everything in 5 weeks, and not the 9 weeks it should take.

I find this annoying. Not only do you have a high workload of assignements but you have to have them done in 5 days amongst other assignements.

I'm not saying witch classes do that but I don't think they could teach you much with out being really out there to do some of the things you need to do.

I am glad to see that the above feel the same way. I just can't see how you can come any where close to achieving the same amount of instruction from just reading info from a website. It is not the same as hands on, you don't get the same amount of personal experiance as you would with a class you attended in person.

Yes, Fiz I also took some oneline college courses. I did mine threw kaplan and ya it is a heavier workload then taking actually classes in person.

When I attended college in Fresno, California back in 1997-2003, I took almost all of my english classes online, minus the speech of course. Heavy workload, but most enjoyable and it builds up responsibility. Not having to wake up to attend a class at a certain time, but having to be responsible enough to do the assignments on your own time is not for everyone but it works. Now there are certain things I would not recommend taking online, like a math class for instance, where you definitely need some sort of hands on instruction or it will be a losing battle.

Other then that, online craft classes are crap. One should never have to pay to be taught the craft. Just join a community online and start talking with others about it. Decide if it's somthing that you really want to pursue. Then go to the meetup website and check for a local pagan meetup group in your area. Attend one of the meetups and get to know people locally. And most importantly, READ everything!

Eventually you'll find the path you are looking for.

Namaah 2* CoL coven, Fresno, CA.

most online stuff is a gimmick to promote wares.

there is a difference between networking, and instruction. one can research any sites rating to stir clear of sites that produce reputation.

The Witch School on line sells books in book stores.
They will only teach you so much and then ching ching out comes the credit card.
Also but what type of Wicca for you have Alexandrian, Angel, Dianic, Ecclectic, just to name a few.

I am actually a student at Wtichschool, Mysticwinds.

The web site is www.witchschool.com

The classes that you take here not cost unless you want to be a member of the site just like VR has it set up. I have gone back and looked at several of the classes time and again. They do not teach you anything that can not be applied to the daily works that you do. The classes offered are classes on different gods and goddesses, tarot, palmistry, wiccan, and several other classes.

I honestly feel that if you have to pay for a class like this then there is a problem however it does take financing to operate a web site such as this one so they have to have a way to obtain financing some where.

The Magicial Circle School are free classes that you can do on your own.
I have done several classes on this site also.
You get to pick what you want to learn.
Yes, books also are recommended.
I have Candle Magick cerficate
Tarot
Herbal
So I like the pick and choose much better.
So what is right for one
may not be right for the other.

Mystic can you link me the website?

just as with any kind of teachings online there are good ones and then there are none good ones

many years ago i took a class that was long distance done through mail on egyptian mackick by the fellowship of isis.

I think it's probably hard for many people to get the idea of online schools when it is a relatively new thing to the world (especially to those of us nearing middle age). I wouldn't be too quick to discount what's out there. There are scams everywhere... but there are also some great resources as well.

I took several long distance/online courses in my senior year of highschool. The classes I took were Psychology, and Web Design. These classes weren't offered by my specific school so we were assigned specific laptops to use while taking these classes.
I did pretty well in those classes and maybe even had an advantage over the other students taking normal classes because I had everything I needed. Every piece of information required was there.
Not all online schools/classes are scams....
However I have seen several online courses, being advertised on websites, for the craft. I've never taken any of them, but one thing I have noticed is...they all require your email. That just seems a little strange to me. The courses that I took were on a website, I had a username, a password and an account message center where I received my assignments. To me that sounds...more...practical maybe? So you don't actually have to put personal info out there.
Besides, if you don't want to participate in these courses information is out there. In the form of books, and websites.

I too have seen many of these online courses. I would prefer a hands on approach but think that the good ones, can be great for people who can't gain access to courses because of the bias community they are with.

I think as with anything in life its just a matter of sorting out the idiots with those who are genuinely there to teach and help.

Images makes a very valid point, the scams are every where. And some of the online classes that you have addressed I have heard of. I just have seen some requestings tons of money for things that could be learned from nothing. But like anything else, it must be researched.

i agree with Wallflower, the online method of teaching is great in the sense that it can be accessed at any time and has to be the most convenient if one works or has other committments.

however, if there is info out there for all to see, surely there is a danger that naive folk, children, or vulnerable people can access stuff that can harm them or others. also, who is to say the person delivering the info has any qualifications whatsoever if the site is not governed appropriately.

methinx this is one reason that VR is such a sucess, the administrators take good care of the users and have set out proper groundrules and other admin officials have been 'vetted' for their suitablity, making things here as good as any university for online study.

Pagan -

Yes the minors being able to access such things I could see as an issue. i know that anytime any of the local shops held classes the students had to be 18 years of old. But on the other hand they could also just search the internet and find just as many harmful things.

I personally think that online courses are a bad thing. You can learn a lot better with a mentor or teacher, in person.

Yes I wouild a gree with you on that. although i have seen some credited online schools on herbalism, and I have been thinking of maybe taking a few. but I have a pretty good knowledge of herbs as of now, but I think taking the course is always a great way to advance.

to be frank any learning is good so perhaps it is a good thing to have access online because a wider range of folk can learn. im still advocating online learning though ive done it for six years and ive not had the bother of needing to turn up for lectures or taking dreaded notes which can and do get lost or misinterpreted whereas if the lecture notes are online they can be referred to time and time again. also, there can be awful fellow students to put up with in real-life classes and i much prefer to go my own way after classes haha

the only negative thing i guess with lack of vis-a-vis leanring is that for classes on say plants etc. its so much safer to be able to touch, smell or see close up the plants

You will not learn Alexandrian, Georgian, Gardnerian, BTW, Dianic, 1734, Seax, or any other oathbound tradition online. If one is claiming to teach an oathbound trad online, they are fake.

The Gardnerian Book of Shadows that can be found everywhere online is public knowledge. You will not find anything oathbound in it.

Most scams appeal to people with extraordinary sensational expectation.

sadly credible schools are sometimes dragged through the mud when such a person does not "buckle up" with initiative. Such individuals what to be spoon feed material that they already preordained as valid, and actual. In essance they want their preconceived notions stroked.

Well, as the economy keep going down and down in the U.S.A., there will be more and more people, who are smart enough, to think as how to make money. Some of those people, go to border's book store, buy a book of witchcraft, let say, they buy the book by Raymond Buckland, COMPLETE BOOK OF WITCHCRAFT, they changed some of the manuscript, and then, BANG, they got a web page, and now, they are making money. Yes, money is the key as why there are so many web pertaining to Wicca and witchcraft, and who are the one going to those places, the novices, who, by reading and following a small ceremony, now, they are considered WITCHES.

online classes, no matter what the topic is, is often times difficult to grasp if you don't have knowledge of the subject matter

You know, there are actually online schools of Magick that have the recommendations (or at least affiliations with) of authors like Raymond Buckland. I know of one in specific. Believe it or not I am private in a lot of areas online so I won't say what school it is. Raymond gave the school an interview for their eZine in 2007.

Much is actually free on the site, the rest... really affordable. You do get certificates of completion when finishing courses there- but they do not grant you any titles. It's not based in the United States.

*

online classes, no matter what the topic is, is often times difficult to grasp if you don't have knowledge of the subject matter

I knew next to nothing about Psychology and had a very limited understanding of Web design when I started my classes. So, I'd definitely have to agree with Images...the point of school is to be taught. To learn, you don't go into a class "knowing", in most cases.
Like I mentioned before, I have seen online courses for the craft being advertised on websites...but, I don't know, I think that some things should be left to books, and actual personal teachers. It just seems more traditional that way...and in some ways more...mysterious. haha.

In response to the orig. topic, what exactly makes a 'Master Witch'? Who qualifies as such? The most 'Gifted', or the ones with the best 'Smoke-and-mirror' talent?


And regarding whether or not online Witchcraft courses are bogus, I'd pretty much assume so, yes. I remember checking out the 'Manor House of Witchcraft' a few years ago because I enjoyed the music. I knew even then that the stuff I was reading on that website was pretty much bullshit, esp. when they referenced Silver Ravenwolf. I don't do Wicca, thanks.

I don't even buy books on the Craft. I buy research tomes and such. and I've been known to pick up a few books by Regardie. But the new, post-Waite authors I usually don't read, unless I happen to know the authors. I have an amicable relationship with Raven Digitalis and Kala Trobe, so I read their books, but don't really follow any of their rituals and stuff.

So to answer your question, I don't believe that there are a lot of legit. online courses.

Well it seems to me this is just a matter of preference. Learning things online is an amazing option for people who live way too far from any physical place to do it. You can buy lots of books- but it's great to find a place online to interact and ask questions of others who are learning right along with you, or have studied for years and are now paying it forward.

Just because you've never had the opportunity to find what you'd consider a legit place of online learning in the world of magick- doesn't mean they don't exist.

i agree Imagesinwords. There are folk who need online sources because they are disadvantaged by distance, convenience or other such things, and i for one would never have found wise and knowledgeable folk like the friends i have met here if online schools did not exist, or even have my Bachelors degree because that is how i have studied for the last 6 years.

i further agree that just because the ones that have been mentioned already here may not seem legit, it really does not mean every school should be 'condemmed' outright - arent all things a matter ofpersonal preference anyway?

I think Wallflower also pointed out a very obvious fact that when one comes to a place of learning, one does not instantly find things easy lol otherwise who would ever need college, uni etc.?

I have to agree with the hands on training is the best. To fully and properly understand wicca and witch craft you must know someone who practices it and can show you how to read and write a spell book. What the items are for.

Another bad thing about online witch schools, is underage kids going, and thinking they are witches, when they wouldn't understand the first thing about any of it, so now you have a bunch of teenagers runing around pretending they are Harry Potter. I remember after the craft came out every preppy girl in my Highschool thought they were a freaking witch just becasue they played light as a feather stiff as a board slumber party game.

If someone truly wants to learn the craft then they should seek out a real witch or warlock. They can easily find someone at a local magic shop to teach them the proper way.

This reminds me greatly of the "Witch in a Box" product (actual name) that was offered at a local, now closed, book store.

Spoon Feeders are most prevalent, they cater to 'fast food' idealist. Anything that hints of dedication is shunned by such people, they want that hype, the flash, without the roots.

Like a kid going to a martial arts school, and expecting to master the death blow.

Err posted to soon,

Wanting to learn the death blow, but complaining that, "All they teach is how to stretch, and Kies'."

If anything a good Instructor will teach a person how to optimize available resources.

I suggest Obonewits Pages for a fine example of a "mission" statement.

Something that every professed instructor-ship should have.

When I looked into online "psychic institutes" the common come-on lacks any indication of what a prospective student is to expect. That whole idea of "lets see how you do." indicates a scam potential.

I think it could be a helpful resource but if you are going to use it know what is expected on your end. I personal think it is harder to learn the Craft without a teacher but if that is what you feel you need to do, GOOD LUCK.

I will be putting together an on-line school/ coven/ group here within the power punks site. Will even have ritual! The group will be open and made public during full moons and for holidays only and closed to the public all other days. So, for about four nights a month ... you'll have real teachers and HPs. Invites only for private and inner circle stuff.

Looking for experienced people now. See my latest journal entry for details.


Power Punks Group:
" The Coven of : The Terrestrial Soulsong"

That's a great Billy. and yes I would like an invite.

i have seen them online class, i think they are good for a learing tool . man people can not find teachers to teach them or wish to keep it on the down low.

but for my self i have learned from books and just trying things on my own

I think there are some real misconceptions going on here. I have seen classes for various types of Wicca which I do not consider witchcraft but some want to call it that. It is a different belief system than Traditional Witchcraft and many types of it. Since solitaries are often allowed in Wicca I could see it could be very productive to some. Witchcraft doesn't have solitaries.

As for online school in general my daughter took courses because of time restrictions. They logged in at a specific time and there was a teacher there. It was very fast paced. It is the wave of the future, no overhead for renting a physical place and more students can be allowed in a single classes depending on the topic and how it is being taught.

You can find many occult classes online and offline. I took Tarot and a slew of classes at a metaphysical church. Wicca was barely heard of then. Things have moved on and people tie into many things on the net. If whatever subject you wish to learn is available online and it is a reputable group, I see no harm. So what if they charge for their time, wouldn't you? I think the bottom line is to research the online group giving the classes and perhaps contact someone who took them. See if they were satisfied that they got what was advertised.

You can't pass a driving test by just taking a written exam.
This seems like what these online "with schools" are attempting...
One cannot effectively practice any art, trade or other skill based upon theory alone, save on very rare and special occasions.

I don't know... you can get valid college degrees online from prestigious schools. Why couldn't you learn about a spiritual practice this way? If it is true they cannot learn this way- I am afraid all the people in the world who have purchased books, and studied on their own cannot be 'valid' solitary witches, either. That right there invalidates probably most of the people with these claims on this site.

I am getting the picture that Elitist are imposed upon, those that want to be distinguished by their peers, and significant professed titles.

I like to speak on behalf of online learning... but I am definitely not known as a witch. I don't think there is a single person who would identify me with that world. I do, however, dive into learning all kinds of things. Reading should not be discounted. And reading on your own is also a distance education... an education without a person before you, delivering the message. I would hope most people agree that you can learn a whole hell of a lot by reading.

If you went to just 'any' place online and enrolled without poking around and finding the best option, you could end up with someone giving you a title without having learned anything. In the end, it's obvious who knows what they are talking about and who doesn't. So it's never a matter of what school you went to. Not every witch went to a formal school anyway. Not every witch is a part of a coven.

Very well put Images. There are many that i have known that have not had any formal training and most the time I find them much more knowledgeable then those who have obtain the formal training from one school or another.

when i was a wiccan, i was told by my priestess that anyone that taught witchcraft for money was a fraud. anyone that teaches witchcraft without even meeting face to face is a fraud.

ofcoarse some might consider her a hardliner lol.

i think its possible to teach without meeting face to face, but it would take longer..quite a bit longer.
~W~

i a currently looking to study wiccan , but as i live in a small town in ga, needless to say there is nothing within an hour and half drive ,just not feasable , so if anyone knows a good reliable sight please link it to me if possible i am very serious about this and do not take this lightly ty vm for your time

HolySmoke.org has summarized Wicca for me. There are some key words there that would help quantify an online search.

I feel that Images has made some very valid points on this as well as WallFlower. Like I said before I have taken the classes that witchschool.com offers. I Have also gone back and researched the school and the heads of the school before I even started the classes. If people take the time to do the leg work (finger work) and use the worlds largest database at their finger tips then they should be able to find something that is to their interest.

The online colleges you have to look into as well. I think someone already mentioned that because of the times right now anything is out there and can be used to make money off of. But you have to weed your way through them to find the ones that are actually worthy of learning from.

seen some online but i also think they are bogus. There might be some quality info but not much.

there are certainly good university degrees one can get online...but there are a number that you cant.
many classes require interaction with the instructor. one could easily learn the history of wicca online, and the various god names that are inserted when are calling on them, but for energy work, i think that needs to be done one on one. its like chemistry. you can get a certain amount from the book, but its really hard to do the labs at home.
~W~

thats completly bogus. I refuse to even attend college online. I dont trust learning anything online besides learning how to properly make fireballs lol

But how many people who call themselves witches have honestly gone to a 'professional' to learn that craft? A spirituality is not a profession. If it's anything like that, I would personally denounce the validity of it altogether. Now, gathering together and sharing, passing on knowledge in a class setting is helpful and rewarding. You can do that through different avenues.

There is a lot you can learn from people regarding spirituality, but if you cannot learn most everything on your own without having to rely on someone else- I don't see how it can be 'spiritual'.

I understand a lot of people are coming from the point of view that 'just anyone out there' is calling themselves a witch or a pagan without really knowing anything about it these days. That's the same for any religion. You'd rather see them guided in truth. But there isn't anything we can do about the 'truths' they hold as opposed to ours.

Raymond Buckland read books, and had conversations and correspondence with his mentor to learn his craft. With that he became a spokesperson in American. That is distance learning. It was after that he had a formal initiation. And he's well-regarded as one of the most influential and well-learned people in this subject matter today.

I believe there are scam educations online- but that doesn't make me believe that valid online educations aren't worthy. Learning witchcraft isn't like studying to become a heart surgeon. I think we can very well read how to cast circles, prepare for rituals, and work with lunar energy just fine. If we can't... why are books worth anything, period? Do we need a person to explain each book we acquire because there's no way we'd be able to interpret them correctly on our own? Then again, let me not sound as if I am squashing every classroom setting. In studying anything I would hope that students purchased various books to guide them. Most schools have a suggested reading list.

In the Bible it says when two or more are gathered, God will be among them. We gather in different ways here in the year 2010. If you take the Judeo-Christian context out of that statement you will get that there is something bigger there when people join in a common effort. If you're one of those people who has read various books for your foundation, and are gathering with a group for that common effort in an online setting... it very well sounds like a valid hungry mind to me. One that may end up the next Raymond Buckland. Like that one or not.

I hope it's clear that my 'beef' with people saying you can't learn anything online is that it also slams books. How could it be any different? I love books. And I don't have someone physically standing over me to make sure I am understanding them correctly as I read. I'll always stand by books and what you can gather from them alone.

imagesinwords, i agree wholeheartedly with that. learning is good whether or it is in the physical presence of the tutor or not.

not all tutors are good tutors however and so each and every one of us has to make a decision about how much we take from each tutor and the same goes for books we read and forums we learn in.

i stand by my argument that online learning is just as good as classroom learning although it does not suit all of us.

what i should also say is that i agree with those who have pointed out that some things are better taught face-to-face especially if it involves all the senses, ie you simply cannot represent smell, touch or taste online and so for that reason i believe it is a matter of each application having its own particular merits

i think back in the old time there were no schools and it was taught through family generations,there was no deplomas needed to be called a with back then but it seems these days everyone has made it so if you don't have a certain deploma your not officially a witch or whatever it may be
nowdays with the internet seems alot has changed and not always for the good. i can remember long ago being taught the practices of witchcraft through the elements of nature but these days its all about reading a book or watching a video.

But you do have to get the information somewhere. That is, if you want know. A person, a book, something.

it's true it can be hard to get the information especially if you don't have any friends or family that's in the practice.

Most practitioners these days don't seem to have family involved in it- they went about it on their own. Most profiles I have read here show an evolution to a Pagan spirituality after growing up Christian. Many of them also in small towns where it is uncommon. They would have had to have purchased books and met people online or something- just like Raymond Buckland (who grew up Christian).

I think you can read books, search for sites on-line, but in the end it's up to you to believe what you read and practice what you learn.

I agree with images there are people who had to search for information on their own, like me.

i just wondered...if online learning isnt a great thing, then what are we all here for? im certainly learning lots more by speaking to folk here than from all the books i have read

Jewelz if you need help you are more that welcome to message I will help as much as I can depends on what you want to learn.

it all just depends on what you are seeking.
to learn about the gods, history, practices, holidays, etc, a book is fine.
but for magic....thats a bit like trying to learn a martial art online. you can learn the stances and such, but far harder to learn than if you have the attention of an instructor.
~W~

Totally a matter of opinion. Because honestly- even the people arguing for the necessity of one on one physical learning here haven't had it themselves. I just don't agree this is anything like martial arts. It's a spirituality. It's not a job or art. In my opinion, treating it as such drains the spirituality right out of it. I have to wonder how much some people know about solitary witchcraft. And why they honor books written by people who have learned witchcraft via distance learning themselves. Just doesn't make any sense at all to me.

Is the site upfront with course dirration, are they over concerned with selling you workbooks, without specifying courses needed to receive certification. Have they been listed on IBCA Internet Business consumer affairs sites? Do they present anFAQ, and offer limited course adits? Promising sites I have seen do, while a bulk of new age sites are promise every thing, and combinastions of things, and promise it all in 1 month.. One Month ? I have weeded through Psychic sites with a skilled Tracker Cracker, and he chased links, and site structure to some shady peoples.

good point dabbler. its a matter of looking for proper structures and ethical practices as one would when looking for the best school no matter the format of learning

Dont get me started on "Metaphysical" seminars, the "free" ones that cost a small fortune, and promise workshops, that when you arrive ( to the over priced dive "confrence hall, with a shady price for room across the street at a hotel.. find out are not included, and that you are basically paying to attend a craft, and trinket fair.

Mediums,are notorious for retreats.. get aways.. refer 3 and get a discount, but opps the trip your on is all booked, and your friends wont fit on the bus.. how many times have I seen senior friendships muddied by such crockery.

Roman,

I read an article about that, "converts" to wicca, pagan, or even satanism that "spring board" from Sermon Dictation, often in rebellion to a Faith they find lacks the initial warm fuzzy, they want people fussing over them. Their intrest are shallow, and just engaged enough to learn (phish) basic lexicon from such groups, often fundamentalist "seed" such notions into their flocks head.

The fundies have been tactical in misrepresenting wicca, satanism, and paganism. "A letter to witches Being one of the more promenate ones. Stirring fears in young adults in youth groups that they were bewitched while at a slumber party for playing light as a feather stiff as a board.. they want "power" and the fundies make it seem like wiccas have power..

Online schools teaching the ways of witchcraft are dangerous. Ritual and spell work should never be learned without the supervision of a serious, respected and well versed tutor.

But *any* school can be dangerous. Before anyone enrolls in any school they should know what it's all about.

imagesinwords, you made good valid points in your post. i hate trying to argue with logic, so i think ill just pull back to the old "thats just the way i see things" line.

if others find the online schools helpful, then that is a grand thing.
~W~

i like the online school idea ! as im usually unable to leave house often and when i do not for long times also struggle with concentration amongst other things so this option would be much better for me and others who also have health issues!

not many guides or teachers willing to come to your home and then put up with you needing explainations 10 + times oh and you think they ok with constant cancellations due to you being in bed ill etc no worries with online do it around your good moments/days !

think that you need to do your homework if you decide on attending a online school the same way you will do it if going to a normal trade school college university or seeking a apprenticeship teacher etc there are ones that will offer what you are wanting to learn, there are the ones that don't then jot down the pros and cons of attending that school

are some of the schools online a rip off yes but there are also teachers apprenticeships, colleges universities trade schools and correspondence schools that are rip offs but as long as you do your homework ask questions to those who have taken it and those in the field etc only person to blame is still get rip off is you for going against advice from others or not even doing the homework

LB, Paraphrase:

"Online Schools are dangerous, one should seek Tutors.."

The same applies to seeking tutors, as applies to On-line schools.

How, prey tell, is one to assess the accreditation of said tutor?

When I say 'argue', please realize I don't mean it as anything more than cordial debate on the topic. It is true- it's totally a matter of opinion. I just wanted to keep pointing out folks like Raymond Buckland who came upon his knowledge over phone and correspondence. If online learning is invalid, then Raymond's learning would have to been invalid as well. And so many people regard him as a someone totally worthy of note.

This is like Mac and PC. Some people are for one, while others are for the other. Or Canon and Nikon... what we do find on both sides of these coins are products that work well for people and and their preferences. Online schools are good for some people, and they are valid. Physical learning in necessary for others. We all absorb differently. And if you are one that can pick things up by reading and practicing on your own- you're a lucky individual... because you can find great resources without leaving your home.

i also agree that learning from someone to have an actual teacher there would be ideal and for me if it was possible to have a tutor right now i would jump at the chance but..alas im an hour outside savanah and going back and forth to there is not an option for me so i go to what i know ...online friends and info...i practice the wicca i know ..rituals, prayers spells and such and they all have great meaning for me but i seek to learn more .....always seeking ...never finding...a teacher .. a mentor

Learning Wicca on-line is the same as study Martial arts from a book.

Again, we'll go back and forth on this. Not a big deal to me though. I'd just be repeating what I have already shared. I've been in both situations and I didn't see things physically that I couldn't have figured out by reading it. But that's just me.

The only positive thing about on-line stuff is the material itself. It saves you from buying the books. But you only get 'book-smart.' Not very helpful in practice. And will only hindered you in Witchcraft since you will need to un-learn it. Intuition and a personal connection to the elements is what you need in the Craft - not - book knowledge or tests.

Now unless you are reading a topic and then going out to paint, write (inner passion), sitting in the rain and playing in the mud that is being created ...and learning from within, using the online stuff as an inspiration for expression...while at the same time, learning what is happening to your self as you are doing this ... online courses and books will not help in anyway, shape or form.

You can't have a healthy fifth chakra focused on intellect and intuition at the same time!

if a person wants a working knowledge of the craft, any craft, it comes down to what options they hope to obtain, if a person wants to open a shoppe, or apply at one then to reference a site may aid in application, i would ask in advance what references would be prefered, and those who practice.. may know what counts toward assessment of a
n individuals "status", yet their are pompous elitist, who insist that to learn is worthless unless one is of bloodline gift, and a fraction of those consider those that seek to learn marks for fleecing, and they
tell the curious what ever flattery that suits them, that extracts the money.. money, and resources they feel entitled to. not all elitist are out to fleet though.. they are so smug as to how well learned they feel they are, yet it more about how one applies, and represents then by how they avow such matters. i always find it curious when self claimed gifted people have deteriorating capacity to maintain basic momentum in their personal affairs, and relationships..

Well dabbler, that last line covers many who are gifted in the mystical. Not very easy to make money in wicca, witchcraft or anything related. Unless you try really hard at it. And then you get called names as "cheat" or "fake."

Plus how do use language that the public can understand if they don't really want to or have any basis in the topic?

I can and have on more than one occasion sat waiting at night while a wild skunk walked and sat on my lap and let me pet him. Also have had dragonflies land on my hand by a simple thought. Can I put in writing how I was able to do this? Not a chance in Hell. The written word wouldn't be enough.

you see i really get that online is only good for content i do but please tell me what is someone to do when it is something not available in my town hands on anyway and this is the only thing i really do want i am celtic by blood back many many generations and i feel a spellcasterby nature , but wut to do when knowledge is not available correctly

BillytheJust: Could you explain that experience face to face either? We're still using words rather we are saying them or writing them. Rather using an internet class or a sitting right in front of a person, you still can't physically take them to that place where you were petting a skunk.

I personally think online class don't help some. I don't think it's black and white... they they are worth zero, period. If it doesn't work for you, that's fine.

In my opinion, it is unacceptable to have a witchcraft school for minors on the internet or off. I think they should make the age of consent for these at least 18, really 21. An age where someone has had the opportunity to have a real education at a real school so that they can someday get a real job.

Also.. I'm not trying to say that wicca is bad or anything like that, before you put words that I didn't say into my mouth. I am simply saying that I find it inappropriate for minors aka children to be able to access these classes. Adults, on the other hand, go for it! Just because you can't get the hands-on experience doesn't mean that you can't learn anything from it. If you feel it is right for you, than do it. If you
don't feel it is right for you, don't do it. In the long run, it's your money, it's your life, it's your education and it's your decision. So to really answer the question... YES.. I think that it is okay to have these online classes with the one exception.

Totally agree with Sexy that those 18 years or older should access the sites not only online schools but all sites that might have spells rituals etc posted in them

Never know when a child or teen might decide to try it out on a family member classmate friend teacher etc because they are angry with them or tired of being bullied

Well... that's not really my reasoning for it, I mean, you got to think. In the real world... that stuff doesn't really work! LOL If I had a dollar for every time some idiot in h/s said they put some kinda curse on my and it didn't work, I'd be rich LOL.

and if i even had a dime everytime it worked for me id be one richbi@#$and to play devils advocate for a min how or why should religion (of any nature) be censored toward an age group , and yes i completely understand the try a spell when mad thing but honestly no other religion is censored where age is concerned and with parental guidance/consent and/or mentor /teacher ..granted things could go very wrong but they could also go very right i believe one of the reasons we have this nation...freedom to practice whatever religion no matter what...

If a religion should be kept from children, is it safe at all?

I've heard of a lot of Wiccans who teach their children. Most religions have adult themes in certain areas, and you just deliver what is age appropriate over the years. As for what a child could learn from the internet, if they can read it they are probably old enough to get the point. If there are things just far too mature- I'd also question it entirely. Saying things like it's far too much for kids doesn't give much good 'press' for Wicca.

I seriously doubt the adults in this thread weren't seeking as teenagers themselves anyhow.

Well, when I lived in Buffalo, we had a shop that offered a class called Moon School, it was held in the local shop and the class was geared towards minors. It taught them about the different Gods/Goddess what each of the elements represented, what each meant and just the basic. It then expanded more on the herbs and flowers that we had in our area and what the magical and medicinial properties of each item was. I think that isd a great way to teach your child if your rasing them with your beliefs and it is something that they are interested in.

i wish Seattle had something like that, it would be convenient for me.

yes exactly age appropriate teaching

ok some think I mean all kids guess should have worked on the wording

If you as a adult follow the path of the pagan or Wiccan or some1 does in the family and your children grandchildren etc wishes to learn also then you will or the adult who follows the path will know how to help them learn

I was talking about kids just playing searching etc and who come cross the sites and find the spells etc they won't have anyone to help them or teach them properly and who might cast it depending on how badly they want the bullying etc to stop not many teens and kids think about the consequences of what will happen after they do but as adults we do know how to stop and think

same as goes to those teens and kids who have done research on what it means to be Pagan and Wiccan won;t it be better that they have a adult to be a mentor first before signing on to a online school that can teach them and help them learn like our teachers etc did in pre school kindergarten and the earlier years of grade school

I think that would be the danger in any spiritual path. This happens with the Bible all the time- people taking things out of context is always dangerous (and it happens with all ages). But we don't hide the Bible from kids because of it. We hope that their parents are there to guide them. And that's the key thing right there. It's not up to the rest of the world to censor things from little kids- it's up to their offline care-givers to pay attention to what they are doing and explain things that aren't clear. Yeah, sometime they'll get bumscoop from them, but we can't do anything about that. When we start censoring at this level- where do we stop?

The Dark Network is for ages 13 and up. And we don't do anything beyond making sure blatant porno isn't posted, and no nipples, genitalia, anus showing in photos. There are still very adult themes going on here and it's not up to us to hide the kids' faces- it's up to the parents to pay attention to their kids. This very same concept should apply elsewhere on the web.

There's also this very intriguing thing called "the power of suggestion". I'm in the women's room and I don't have to pee, just putting makeup on or whatever. Then four women come in and they all tinkle at the same time. 2 minutes later I have to pee.

Same thing goes for these "spells". If you believe that someone's curse is going to work, your mind is powerful enough to make it so. If you believe yourself stronger, it won't. The power of suggestion is very strong and very real and a great defense against that kind of malicious event.

Besides, if a person tells you they are going to put a "curse" on you, they aren't really a Wiccan because wiccan's believe in 3 times good/3 times bad (the rule of 3). Anything they do will come back to haunt them 3 fold. So whoever put spells on you that worked, wasn't truly wiccan.

Well the only thing that comes to mind after the last comment is ... Not all Witches are Wiccan but all Wiccans are Witches. I have never been Wiccan, I don't condone any one that is its just a simple matter of preference.

A good point to keep reiterating. All witchcraft isn't the same.

No it's not and I think that is a big misconception amoungst alot of people. There are many different traditions, Strega, Celtic, Wiccan, Gardinian ect. Most follow similair ideas but they are not all the same.

Doru,

You have an interesting thought. You mentioned that without the right hands on training, a student couldn't learn appropriately. The question that comes to mind is: Does an indivudual inherently have withcraft abiliy, or is it a learned skill?

That seems to be subjective. Just like online witchcraft schools :P

I've never taken an online course, but i've studied since i was a young. I've taught a few people, but i do know where to get free books online. try www.4shared.com.

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