Everything Under the Moon

I hope I am not bombarding you all, but - I have a lot of questions, as I am very new to this board and to paganism in general.

The Pentagram, what does it mean? I have been told various things, that it represents various holidays and times of worship, that it represents the stages of woman (except I can only think of three stages; maiden/mother/crone)

Alters - how does one go about making an alter? then what?

Places to start? The internet is indeed a scary place, and there is lots of false information. I don't have a whole lot for money for books, so I figure the net is a nice place to start ^^

I am just starting on my path, starting to learn and reasearch. If there is anything else I need to know, tell me! ^^

Ah, yes, these are things I can help with!

1) The Pentagram-I am told that the pentagram represents two things: One is the elements water, fire, earth, air, and spirit. Another theory is that the right-side-up pentagram represents God ruling over the world, and when it is worn reversed that it represents Satan ruling the world.

2) Alters are in essence tools set up in sacred space, such as within a circle. I don't have much experience with them, but from what I know, an alter is some sort of special setup of certain things, like, say, the alters used in all those TV shows. It can range from really elaborate and organized to the simple wooden-box-with-candles variety.

3) Places to start! Now here's where I can really help! Start here:

www.spellsandmagc.com

This guy has many spells, tips and advice, as well as sections devoted to certain things ranging from Casting Circles to Astral Projection!

K I am just ganna ansore what i think i can do best. Alters. ( to me anyways )

An alter is where your sacret space *can* be. Its where you set up your god/Goddess statues, and where people place there tools. I dont have one really. I have most my tools on my dresser, but my candles herbs and salt are either in draws or the kitchen ( i cook with some of my herbs ) and my Chalice is a whine glass i sometimes use for more than just magical uses. Some people belive you whould never use your tools for anything but there magical uses, but if i use my salt in a rost or my herbs for food or make a pudding desert in my chalise i see it as adding magic/blessings to the food. ( kinda a kitchen witch here ) Sometimes you also cant have an alter, really i cant right now i dont have the space i though i did , but...clothing..*grr* got thrown on it ( wasnt really his falt he didnt know what it was ). Your alter can be as simpal as a little moon and a sun with 2 candles or as elaberat and full sized staues in the back yard with stone seats and a stone alter table. There are soooo many ways to decorat an alter. Alot of them are so fun to do also.

If your wanting to do a spell then a protection spell is what i started with. But reading is always a good thing to do, really alot about the hstory, and stones and learn, Why?, alot of the time people just start doing spells and just donno why it works, or why it didnt work. Keep a BOS ( book of shadows ).(just in case ya donno) A BOS is a book with information kept in it, spells,works, dreams, art, poety, anything you feel like putting into it. I have 3 ( kinda overkill) one is where i jeep more like a jernal, dreams feelings. Also has a list of all the Sabbats (holidays) and what activitys and foods to do on them. The other i keep spells in and all my numerolagy math. The 3erd is all been printed off i wrought some of it and i found some of it. Really its just a more organized BOS.

Ok i think i have confused you enught!

(ps the link didnt work for me)

Not sure how much of the wording on this is true but this is what the pentagram means ( i made this erlyer today )

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k306/ ... rudge1.jpg

GeekyPagan: Okay, for starters, you aren't bombarding us. You could have posted a hundred and one questions in that post and you still would not have bombarded us. Thank you for the courticy though.
As I have stated often to newer members here. Ask as many questions as you need. It's what we're all here for, to share what we know. There isn't a single member here that knows it all and we all have questions that require answers. Ask away, If one can't answer then someone else might. You won't know untill you ask.

Now, as you stated, you are new to the faith, to this I say welcome. I hope you find all that you seek. If I may ask though, are you following any particular path or are, as are several of us here, a solitary explorer?

As for the Penticle. It means several things. Personaly, I use it as a marker of the elements and pathways that link them each to the other. A simple google search or, as you have done here, asking elder pagans, will net you a diverse wealth of knowlage to work with.

Alters, Addalaide really covered things there. It is your sacred place. A spot you set up as a reminder of the God and Godess(s). It can be a simple or ornate and elaborate as you wish. The key part is this. If you wish to set one up, make sure it speaks to you and of you. Anyone can set up candles with christ and Mary or any number of christian saints in a window sill and light them everyday, but it doesn't make them a catholic does it? It's not what you have or how you go about communing with the greater divine. Only that it's your heart that speaks. If you aren't comfortable with something, change it till it fits you. Personaly, I have no set alter at the moment as I have little room that isn't full (Navy housing, go figure...) Let your inner voice guide you if you wish your alter.

Places to start? Here for one. I think I counted somewhere in the ball park of a hundred and ten different schools of worship here. I'd have to poll to get more accurate numbers. Very few will be the questions you can ask here that somebody, somewhere on this forum can't answer or at least point you down the right path to an answer. In many their is strength and power. And there's a heck of a lot of us here. As for books, if and when you get the funds, I recomend (As do quite a few others.) Scott Cunningham's "Wicca, a guide for the solitary practitioner." It's a great primer in the generals of the faith and his writing style is very consice and clear. It helped me immensly in my early days. I have heard others sing the praises of Raven Silverwolf and her beginners books, but, I have not had the opprotunity to read them at present. The amount of feed back I have heard on both the posotive and the negative suggest that she is worth investigating as well. My mentor (HPCrowley on here.) also recomended a book called "Magical law inforcement" It is a initiary written by a wiccan cop and is quite insightfull and should do a great deal towards helping you understand how to be yourself spiritually if you happen to be in a place where that is frowned upon. Best of all. The books that I have mentioned hear are not very expensive and can be found in most large book chains.

Advise for the young and faithfull? Well, something that helped me and still does is called a mirror book. It is like a journal and mine has become a part of the collection that I consider to be my book of shadows. Basically you write within it any of your discoveries or ideas you want to explore. Anything that comes to you spiritually that you feel needs to ve placed to page for later use or posterity. Write about anything that you have learned or that has happened to you spiritually. It's like a spirit diary. It's meant to "mirror" your daily life from your faith's standpoint. No one should read it save you and you alone unless you deside they may. It's been a wonderfull tool for me as both a sounding board and a chronical of my growth for me to use as I need.

I wish you all the best in your searching for enlightenment. May the Norn smile upon you and light your path brightly. And as always, feel free to ask me or anyone here if you aren't sure about something.

Blessed be and welcome.

WolfWitch.