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Whether you want a teacher of magic, marketing, or anything else, here are seven helpful hints:

In the Process of Magic class, one of the expectations I lay out there is that people taking the class will ideally do daily work. I feel that daily work is an essential part of magical practice, and not something which can be ignored if you are really serious about studying magic. However daily work is only part of the equation. Another part is making sure that the core skills of magical practice are developed. You need to build a foundation that supports the magical work you do. This means spending some time learning those core skills, which may not be glamorous, but nonetheless are important because of how such practices provide the necessary experience to handle more advanced work.

Still the question that may arise is this: Is it is possible to make magic more accessible, to teach it in a way that makes it possible for anyone to pick it up? The answer to that question is both yes and no. It's yes, in the sense that it is possible to write about magic in a way that strips away the esotericism and focuses on the technique, but it's no in the sense that unless the person is actually willing to do the work, willing to apply what is read into actual, experiential practice, it is very hard for a person to get a lot of meaning out of magic. The student must do the work. Without doing the work the magic is just a concept, and the student is just an armchair magician. In the process of magic, one of my goals was to explore the fundamental process of magic by examining how techniques work. I feel that if you can help someone understand how a technique works, understand the principles that inform the actions, then what you do is make magic not only more accessible, but you also show a person how to personalize magic.

I get some variation of this question in my inbox at least once a week, if not more often:

I’m thirteen. Will you be my teacher? And by the way, don’t tell my parents I emailed you.

The techniques for finding a teacher—at least initially—are similar to those for finding other Pagans or Wiccans in your area. Check out my post on finding other Pagans to begin your search. But before you try to actually connect with a teacher, it helps to answer some or all of the following questions for yourself.

Questions to Ask Before Your Search

1. What do you want to learn? Are you interested in learning about Wicca or Paganism in general or a specific tradition or path? It’s helpful to do a little research to see what traditions appeal to you, or, putting the egg before the chicken, to see if any of the traditions taught in your area resonate with you. Or are you interested in studying a specific deity or pantheon, a magical system, or a skill, such as herbalism?
2. What is your goal in taking the class or working with the teacher? Are you hoping just to gain some knowledge, or do you want to train toward membership in a specific path?
3. Are you looking to join a coven or circle, or do you want to practice solitary? Are you willing to practice solitary for a while if you can’t find the right group, or practice with a group for a while if you can’t learn what you need to while practicing solo?
4.  How far are you willing to travel and how often? If you don’t have your own transportation, is there public transportation available?
5.  What are the qualities you’d like the teacher to have? Are you willing to work with a teacher who doesn’t fit your preferred profile if he or she is the only one available or is the only one teaching what you want to learn?
6.  How much can you afford to pay for classes if the teacher charges? Many people charge for classes, but some traditions forbid charging for teaching.
7.  How much time can you devote to your learning? Can you meet the requirements of the particular classes or teachers you’re considering?
8. Are you willing to take online courses if you can’t find a teacher in your area? If so, does online coursework suit your learning style?