They awoke in the post-Harry Potter world, where magic was journeying back to the land of fairy godmothers and losing its ‘evil’ tag. Slowly but steadily as it shredded its ‘Satan-worship’ image, the Internet played a pivotal roll in the independence and resurgence of Wicca, one of the few alternative religions that flowered in the 1960s. The Wiccans welcomed the surge of information in the Da Vinci Coded-world but are still cautious of their dark connotations. Wicca is a spiritual orientation. Yes, it is probably a sober name for modern day neo-paganism but please refrain from images of hags on broomsticks. In a world where yoga is now increasingly practised in gyms, it is difficult to understand any spiritual school of thought without suspecting it of hearsay, but unlike kundalini yoga which seeks to tap the powers in the human body, Wicca strives to unite the human with the spirit of nature which it sees in two forms, the god and the goddess. Yes, it uses magic as a means to its end but isn’t everyone allowed their tools of trade?

My decision to explore Wicca met with the same reaction that I would have got were I to be caught watching porn or doing drugs: my mother blamed my circle of friends for poisoning my mind and my friends disregarded me saying that I am plain bored. However, exploring Wicca in a byte-sized world assures one that nirvana is after all, available on the Internet like everything else today.

3 Steps to Internet-Wicca

1. Join an online Wiccan school.
They are free and many online.
A typical Wiccan class structure taken from the Magickal School includes knowledge about witches’ general beliefs and practices as well as the history of witchcraft and some of its key personalities and traditions; followed by a research project, two meditative and self-transforming exercises and a reading list to broaden your knowledge, culminating in a blessing.

After 28 days, there is an exam, with a downloadable certificate if you pass.
Wiccan schools online: www.magickaschool.com, www.witchschool.com, www.herbalmusings.com/classes.htm

2. Join an online witches’ coven
One can practise Wicca alone but groups are always a better way to learn. These covens have everything from forums and spells to the Wiccan Rede and even a how to tell your parents that you are a witch.
Here’s an excerpt from the Rosewicket Witches Coven on How to Tell Your Family You’re a Wiccan:

This is a problem many people face, how do I tell them? I mean it’s not like you can go up to your highly religious Catholic mum and say, “Mum, you know my study group that’s been meeting in the front room once a week to study the bible?, well we weren’t studying the bible...we were studying Wicca, but don’t worry we didn’t kill any newts!” I dread to think what would happen. One of my friend’s parents tied her down and called a priest to exorcise her! Sometimes its best they don’t know, but I think it’s better to let them know, tactfully, and making sure you have information to hand and arguments against anything they say that is bad.
www.rosewicketwiccacoven.co.uk

3. Buy the stuff that goes with the territory.
Finally for all the magic you will need your tools which include cauldrons, anathemas, crystal balls, candles and more. Shop for your Wicca tools @ www.thepointyhat.com, www.wiccanway.com, www.themysticcorner.com
Don’t you worry, to satisfy the consumerist Wiccan, they also have discounts, of course based on the moon phases.

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