Introduction

I came to the Craft through the backdoor. For me, becoming a Witch wasn't

a process of

reading books and attending workshops. There were no correspondences to

memorize,

no chants to be recited to perfection. Instead, a handful of teachers

through the years

responded to my questions by giving me the tools to find my own answers

and then

sent me out to discover them on my own.

The heart of my personal practice was created in the mountains and

forests of the

Pacific Northwest, on lonely windswept beaches, in the midst of hidden

groves of old

growth timber, and underneath a canopy of stars. As the years slowly

slipped by, as

my path deepened and I began to bring my personal magick into the home

and before

the hearth, I began to spend more time in thought, wondering how I had

come to the

place where I am now. Were there secrets that my teachers had somehow

imparted to

me? Were the things that I experienced in the Wild unique, or could they

be found

anywhere, regardless of whether you stood at the top of a mountain or in

your own

backyard?

The First Cycle course represents the first answers that I discovered to

those

questions. Some of the things that I present here are incredibly simple;

if you have any

background in the Craft, you may have considered the approach before. But

other

portions of what I have to share I have never found in print; they seem

unique to a path

that was found in the heart of the wilderness, discovered by someone who

only knew

enough to realize that there weren't any boundaries, that any dream we

hope for can be

ours if only we dare to reach for it. In the lessons to come, you will

walk by my side as I

relive discoveries that I made, you'll share techniques that I have spent

years

developing, but most of all you will be given the tools that I was

given - the concepts,

techniques, and principles with which to blaze your own spiritual trail.

My path isn't like much of modern Witchcraft. Rather than having specific

criteria to

memorize and meet in order to advance to the next level, my own personal

Tradition

(Sylvan Witchcraft) utilizes the concept of Cycles. Based around the

Goddess's growth

cycle through the stages of Maiden, Mother, and Crone, these three Cycles

mirror our

personal growth within the Craft, rather than serving as levels or

degrees. Each Cycle is

a measure of personal growth, wisdom, knowledge, and maturity. The First

Cycle serves

to give a strong foundation in the concepts of the Tradition as well as

the tools to

continue to grow on your own. Rather than teach you my practice, I've

used this

template to offer a scaled-down version of what I teach students

one-on-one so that

you can apply these tools to your own path, rather than learning my

Tradition.

For those that are interested, I'm working on supplemental lessons for

this course,

geared specifically toward teaching the Sylvan Tradition. Feel free to

e-mail me at

Sylvanpath@aol.com for more information.

The First Cycle Course will be presented in three phases, each phase

appearing

approximately every six months. Phase One is now on-line; Phase Two will

appear around

Winter Solstice; Phase Three will be presented near Summer Solstice 2000.

Phase One is

intended to give an introduction to many of the concepts that I teach.

Phase Two will

build on those concepts, offering more advanced theories, techniques, and

applications.

Phase Three will focus on what you've learned and further develop the

skills that you will

need to continue learning on your own, without a teacher or book as your

guide. Many of

the lessons will continue to be built upon. For instance, Lesson Nine

from Phase One,

"The Deities," presented the concept of the Goddess and the God and ideas

on how to

work with them in your ritual work were presented in Lesson Thirteen.

Phase Two will

address the interconnectedness of life and how that spark of the divine

is a part of all of

us, as well as how to develop a deeper connection with the divine. Phase

Three will

present advanced concepts, theories, and techniques which will continue

to build upon

Phases Two and Three.

Before you begin, you'll need to acquire a simple notebook. Time and

again, you'll be

asked to record your observations and insights. Not only will this act as

a record for you,

but it will form the basis of your own Book of Shadows.

As you consider each lesson in turn, you'll find that some of the ideas

presented here will

speak to you while others simply fall aside, forgotten and unneeded. My

hope is that you

will respect your inner vision that makes certain words catch your eye.

Use what you will;

disregard the rest. After all, the only way to truly grow is to follow

your own heart. My

intent isn't to teach you to be like me, but to help you find what it

means to be yourself.

The First Cycle course is written by Graelan Wintertide

and is © 1999 All Rights Reserved