I am Jera Riverstorm. I'm a married mom of two lil girls living in Northern New York. I've been a pagan for 15 years and studying wicca for almost two years now. I've gotten myself started on ebay selling ritual tools and pagan stuff, trying to begin my own business.
Lately I've gotten very discouraged with forums and web sites in general.
It seems like everyone and their uncle wants to teach wicca for a price, and the things they are claiming to be teaching is the same mediochre nonesense that everyone else is teaching. However I work nights so finding a coven to teach me is becoming impossible, to the point that i'm ready to stop trying.
Yeah, discouraged is an understatement.
Anyhow, I found your site through the Internet book of shadows. And figured I would give it a try. I'm hoping to learn as much as I can.
Thanks for reading all my crap.

Welcome!

What kinds of things do you want to learn?

Thanks Nan.
Well I feel like I've read WAY too many wicca 101 type books, so I think I'm interested in furthering my studies within the religious aspects. I'm not really sure where to move on from here. I feel very drawn to the spiritual aspects of wicca. I know next to nothing about magick. I've read a small bit, but never really taken it very seriously.
I considered finding a coven, or at least a live human being to teach me, but I work nights, which makes my free time limited and my ability to get along with others well is limited as well.
Wow i'm sure you didn't want that long of an answer, sorry

Welcome to WitchGrotto.com, Jera!

The bookstores do tend to carry mostly the introductory texts, but there are actually quite a few intermediate to advanced books out there. If you watch the bookstores sometimes they'll pop up. I tend to find most of the ones I buy online through places like Amazon. And even if you find out about a book on Amazon you don't have to buy it there -- you can always support your local bookstores by special-ordering the specific books you want. Just tell the people in the bookstore the title and author of the book you want and they are usually more than happy to order it in for you.

If you're interested mostly in learning more about the spirituality side of Wicca, I would recommend any of the following books:

"A Witches' Bible" by Janet and Stewart Farrar (it covers the basics too but is good for in-depth explanations of the philosophy and spiritual side of things.)

"The Circle Within" by Dianne Sylvan.

"The Philosophy of Wicca" by Amber Laine Fisher.

"The Second Circle" by Venecia Rauls.

There's also my own book, "The Wiccan Mystic," which focusses a lot on the spirituality of Wicca and is more for intermediate-to-advanced practitioners.

In the main menu for the site at the left of the screen you'll also find my booklist. There is a list in there of books sorted by my classification (intro, intermediate to advanced, reference) with a bunch of the books classified but not all. If you check that out (the "printer friendly" version is the one I find easiest to browse personally) you might get some other titles that interest you.

Thank you, bgruagach. I've actually been reccomended your book by someone else already, so I'm looking forward to reading it. I'll check your book list. I'm sure I'll find things I'll love.

Welcome Jera! I am new to this forum as well, and I get by when overtime allows. I am hoping as things get going here we will all be able to share more and explore some threads of learning.

Glad you are here!

Rael