But first you must understand what it is that you believe. If you do not have an understanding of a religion how can you say that these are your beliefs? So, what is a witch you ask. Well, many different people have many different definitions. A witch is one who works with the magick of the universe. They believe all nature is connected and they believe in living in harmony with nature. They worship the Divine in a form of a God and a Goddess.
Again this means you will need to do lots of research and studying. Read as many books as you can. There are a number of books on the market to help you get a better understanding of Witchcraft. And with these many books you get the different perspectives of each writer. This will help you form your own opinion of the path you wish to take.
Don't be afraid to take things slow. You are now searching out your path. Everything you read is giving you information to make your decisions. While you are doing your research take everything you read with a "grain of salt". Remember you are doing research and the books and website you visit are just that. You are reading the opinions and research of others. This information is will give you the foundation you need to get started.
So are you still interested? Well here are some tips I got from www.witchvox.com to help the beginner.
DO- Read as many books on the subject as you can on History, Myths, Poetry, Psychology and Science as well as books on Witchcraft or Magick.
DO- Make yourself a research library. Take notes or highlight passages that particularly interest you. If you have a question on what is written, place a question mark next to that passage. You should enjoy what you read at this stage-the enjoyment will actually help you to retain what you read better than struggling through dusty tomes on alchemy (unless you happen to love alchemy, that is!).
DO- start a journal. You can even call it a "Book of Shadows" if you want to. (It can just be a loose leaf notebook, These are handy for creating different sections.) Write down both the things that you have found to be of interest and the things that you would like to know more about.
DO- Look at Nature. Witchcraft and most other Pagan paths are called "earth or nature based" religions. What is Nature saying to you? Bring home rocks, sticks, leaves or other things you find that attract your attention. Now ask yourself-WHY did you bring that home? Write it down.
DO- get organized. Concentration is an important skill in Magic. Disciplining yourself to make regular entries into a journal and writing things down will help you to develop concentration.
DO- learn to ask SPECIFIC questions of other Witches or Pagans when you need help. And ask yourself some questions, too. "What do I think Witchcraft is? What do I find here that has meaning for me?"
DO- tell the truth. Can seasoned Witches tell if someone is "full of it"? Yes, they can and rather quickly, too! Be honest about what you know and what you don't.
DO- spend time alone to think carefully about how you feel and what you want for yourself. Some people think at the onset that Witchcraft will allow them to change other people or circumstances. But YOU will be the one who changes as you explore this Path. Do you really WANT to change?
DON'T- take it too fast. You have not made any commitments yet. You are doing research into a subject that interests you on a personal level. Jumping into a group situation at this point may hinder your development more than help it. You need to find out where YOU are going before you hit the trail with someone else.
DON'T- get discouraged. Sometimes it is very difficult to "go it alone." But the Craft is made up of individuals who bring something of value to the Path-as well as receive benefits from it. Many "old timers" have the "Grampa attitude". You know, the "When I was your age, I had to walk three miles to school every day...in the snow...with no boots...carrying my little sister...and a load of firewood..." Well, in a way that is true. It WAS much harder to be a Witch only a few decades ago. So be forgiving if they are not ready to hand you all their hand gathered "firewood" on a silver platter....you may have to walk a mile or two by yourself....in the snow...with no boots.....
DON'T- ask about joining a coven just yet. A coven is a close knit group working together. It is a difficult process to create an effective magickal unit. Most covens are not actively looking for new members, as each time a new person is added to the group, it takes time for the unit to re-adjust. There are some cyberspace "covens" that readily accept new members. If you look on it as a "training exercise", you could learn a few things. Ask around the Internet.
DON'T- be afraid because you are not part of a group. Many, many Witches find out after much trial and error that they actually PREFER to work alone. Traditionally the Witch WAS a loner...and many still are by choice. Often solitary Witches get together to talk and exchange information and then happily go back to their solitary practice. You CAN do a little bit of both.
As you do your research you will reach a point where you decide this is a path you would like to pursue or you will decide it is not. No harm has been done and one has learned new things and ideas. You have done you research and now you can decide what things feel right to you and discard what does not. If this is a path you wish to pursue you will begin to be comfortable with your new beliefs and be ready for the next step and begin to practice your beliefs.
Taking things slow is still good advice. One can began to meet others and find out more. This will help decide if you want to belong to a group or be alone. The more you understand the more comfortable you will become and the more you will begin to practice.