I have a new segment for the blog that I’m going to be getting underway and I wanted to let you all know about this by giving you an example of what it is! Basically this is for those who have questions and are looking for a place to ask, openly and freely, and get some good answers and even a discussion going in the comments. The section is called Ask A Witch and you’ll see it listed over in the left column under the topics section. If you’d like to submit a question for this section, you can email me at [email protected] with “Ask A Witch” in the subject line of your email and I’ll be happy to post your question and my answers and thoughts here. This is a great way to get a perspective from not only myself but also others who join in our discussions in the comments! So here we go with a questions I got from my website (which was ironical similar to a question I’d received over at AllExperts this week as well):

“I am just getting started with Wicca but I’m worried about how this will impact my soul and possible salvation. I like the idea of doing magic and healing people but having been raised to believe in Heaven and Hell I worry that doing these Wiccan things are going to send me to Hell when I die. Is that true?”
~ name withheld by request

This is a tricky subject and one of the things that is most common for people to struggle with when they come to any of the Pagan religions, especially those that embrace the practice of magick, after being involved in Christianity in one form or another.

The first thing that I feel the need to address is the difference between Wicca and Witchcraft in this instance. I’m not sure if you’re beginning to follow the religion of Wicca or if you’re just starting to make steps into the practice of Witchcraft but it’s key to note they are not one in the same. They walk hand-in-hand for many people but they are not the same thing. If you’re looking into Wicca as a religion, the issues of heaven and hell will be addressed along the way by various authors you read and teachers you encounter. To make it real brief (because there will be plenty of sources that will address this ad nauseum), the issues of heaven, hell and Satan/Devil are, in a sense, non-issues to Wiccans as none of these are part of the Wiccan belief system as they are Christian in nature and Wicca is in no way connected to the Christian faith.

Now if you’re talking about Witchcraft, that’s something else. Witchcraft doesn’t have any one specific religion or religious belief system tied to it. Witchcraft, or other forms of magick, can be found in just about every culture and spiritual path in one form or another, including Christianity. It’s often the wording and the presentation of the act of magick that throws people off.

So with all that said, how would practicing magick impact your soul? As hard as it might be to really understand, it’s all in what you believe. If you truly believe that there is a hell and that you will go to hell for practicing magick, healing people or the like, then that is what is spiritually true for you and what you will experience. If you don’t believe this though, and you do not believe that your actions are going to lead you down that path, then they wont. All of this has to do with belief, plain and simple. Nobody can prove that hell exists and nobody can prove that casting a spell for whatever intention can seal the deal and send you there for all eternity. At the same time, with the idea that the power of belief and the collective energy toward that belief can make it true, you have to wonder if that is quite possibly the fate for someone that does firmly believe in the existence of hell.

What you truly need to do is figure out for yourself what you believe in. If you’re still following a Christian faith, how strongly do you believe in your faith? Do you believe that the Bible is the word of God and that it is infallible? If you answer yes to those questions, you might want to find your power of transformation and healing for yourself and others through the power of prayer within your own religious path. If you don’t really think these beliefs are right for you, then you might find that exploring Wicca will open you up to some other possible answers that will ring more spiritually true for you.

Life is a journey and transformation of our thoughts and beliefs is part of that journey. Don’t be afraid to walk down that path if it’s time for you to do so.