Seeker's Questionnaire
devised in 1987 by Elsa Die Löwin, HPs
Circle Dragonmist
Version 3.3, November 2000
(Circulate freely, but if you make changes, note them as such.
Suggestions for changes are welcomed. Send them to
elsa@draigsffau.org)
These questions are asked not to make judgment of you, but to see
where you are, on what path, and to get an idea of your style. Take
your time. You may choose to answer most questions on separate
sheets, on computer disc, audio tape, or in person.
Part One: Background - definitions
How do you define "Pagan"?
How do you define "Witch"?
How do you define "Warlock"?
How do you define "Heathen"?
How do you define "Heretic"?
How do you define "Shaman"?
How do you define "magic"?
How do you define "occult"?
How do you define "New Age"?
Do you include any of the above in your spiritual path (1-9)? If so,
which ones?
Do you wish add any of the above to your spiritual path(1-9)? Which
ones? Why?
Do any of the terms (1-9) turn you off? Which ones? Why?
How long have you been interested in "this sort of thing"?
What sparked your interest?
Do you know what is meant by the term "feminine deity"?
Do you know what is meant by the term "polytheism"?
Do you know what is meant by the term "pantheism"? "Panentheism"?
Do you know what is meant by the term "karma"?
Do you know what is meant by the term "free will"?
Do you know what is meant by the term "animism"?
Which of these concepts (15-20) do you include in your own spiritual
path?
What other religions have you explored?
Is there a particular Tradition that you identify yourself with? If
so, which one?
Part Two: Lore
How do you correspond the elements to the quarters (directions)? Why?
What are the attributes of the quarters?
What names do you give to the Sabbats and what does each one mean to
you? If you use different dates than these, please note what they
are.
October 31st
December 21st
February 2nd
March 21st
May 1st
June 21st
August 1st
September 21st
What are the significances of the phases of the moon?
new
waxing
full
waning
dark
What are the attributes of the aspects of the Goddess? Who are your
favorite Goddesses?
Maiden
Mother
Crone
What are the attributes of the aspects of the God? Who are your
favorite Gods?
Winter Born King/the Young God
Horned God/ the Green Man
Sage/the Old God
Which Pantheon attracts you most? Are you familiar with Their myth
cycle?
Are you familiar with the "Wiccan Rede"? The "Law of Three-fold
return"?
Part Three : Technique
Do you know what is meant by the terms "ground" and "center"?
Do you know what is meant by the term "cast a circle"?
Do you know what is meant by the term "call quarters"?
Do you know what is meant by the term "invoke deities"?
Do you know what is meant by "raise a cone of power"?
Do you know what is meant by "work to be done"?
Do you know what is meant by the term "Great Rite" (both "actual"
and "symbolic")?
Do you know what is meant by the term "cakes and wine"?
Do you know what is meant by the term "open the circle"?
Do you know the significances of these things (1-9)?
Have you done any of them? If so, which ones?
Do you feel capable of doing any that you haven't already done?
Are you proficient with any of the following systems of divination?
Which ones?
tarot
runes
I Ching
scrying (crystal or dark mirror gazing)
palmistry
augury
other (be specific)
Do you know the uses of the following tools?
incense
feathers
bell
wand
athame
sword
boline
candles
chalice
water
oils
pentacle
salt
crystals
drum
cord
scourge
Have you any training in astrology?
Have you any training in Cabbala?
Have you any training in weather working?
Have you any training in candle magic?
Have you any training in healing?
Have you any training in herbalism?
Have you any training in midwifery?
Have you any training in counseling?
Have you performed or participated in a Wiccaning or baby blessing? A
Coming of Age? An initiation? A handfasting? An ordination? A Croning
or Saging? A memorial?
Part Four: Background - books, magazines, films, music
Mark whichever of the following books that you have read with a plus
if you generally liked them, a minus if you generally disliked them
or a circle if you didn't feel much either way. Mark the books you
have started but not finished with an "S" and either a plus or minus
as above. Mark the books that you haven't read yet but would like to
read with an "I". Feel free to make brief annotations. We will
discuss the books in greater depth later.
Recommended:
Drawing Down the Moon by Margo Adler
The Spiral Dance by Starhawk
Real Magic by P. E. I. Bonewits
Good Magic by Marina Medici
Positive Magic by Marion Weinstein
The Meaning of Witchcraft by G. B. Gardner
What Witches Do by Stewart Farrar
The Witches' Goddess
The Witches God
Eight Sabbats for Witches
ABC of Witchcraft by Doreen Valiente
Natural Magic
A Book of Pagan Rituals by Ed Fitch, edited by Herman Slater
Magical Rites from the Crystal Well by Ed Fitch
The Wheel of the Year by Pauline Campanelli
Ancient Ways
West Country Wicca by Rhiannon Ryall
Celtic Myth and Legend, Poetry and Romance by Charles Squires
The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries by Y.W. Evans-Wenz
A History of Pagan Europe by Prudence Jones and Nigel Pennick
The Tree by Raymond Buckland
Gods and Myths of the Viking Age by H.R. Ellis Davidson
The Masks of God by Joseph Campbell (which volumes?)
Bullfinch's Mythology
The Way of the Shaman by Michael Harner
Jambalaya by Liusah Teish
Moon, Moon by Anne Kent Rush
Mother Wit by Diane Mariechild
Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart
The Hollow Hills
The Last Enchantment
The Wicked Day
Tain by Gregory Frost
Remscéla
Song for a Dark Queen by Rosemary Sutcliff
Juniper by Monica Furlong
Wise Child
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip
The Riddlemaster of Hed
Heir to Sea and Fire
Harpist in the Wind
Brisengamen by Diana Paxson
The Serpent's Tongue
The Wolf and the Raven
Moonhart by Charles de Lint
Greenmantle
The White Witch of Kynance by Mary Calhoun
The Witch Who Lost her Shadow
Strega Nona by Tomie de Paola
May also be of interest:
Earth, Air, Fire & Water: More Techniques of Natural Magic by Scott
Cunningham
Spell Crafts: Creating Magical Objects
Magical Household
The Magic of Food
Wicca Craft for Families by Margie McArthur
The Family Wicca Book by Ashleen O'Gaea
Dreaming the Dark by Starhawk
Truth or Dare
The Fifth Sacred Thing
Crossing Over: A Pagan Manual on Death and Dying by Reclaiming
Collective and Friends, with Starhawk (first edition)
Circles, Groves and Sanctuaries by Pauline Campanelli
Rites of Passage
Women of the Celts by Jean Markhale
The Celts by Nora Chadwick
The Celts by Frank Delaney
The Celts by Gerard Herm
An Encyclopedia of Fairies by Katharine Briggs
Carmina Gaedelica compiled by Alexander Charmichael
A Modern Herbal by M. Grieve
The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra
The Master Book of Herbalism by Paul Beyerl
The Male Herbal by James Green
Hygeiea: A Woman's Herbal by Jeannie Parvati
A Dictionary of Tarot by Bill Butler
Tarot for Yourself by Mary Greer
Classic Tarot Spreads by Sandor Konrad
The Magician's Companion by Bill Whitcomb
The Golden Bough by Sir James Frazier (which edition?)
The White Goddess by Robert Graves
When God was a Woman by Merlin Stone
The Chalice and the Blade by Raine Eisler
The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries by Z Budapest
Ariadne's Thread: A Workbook of Goddess Magic by Shekhinah
Mountainwater
The Dark Goddess: Dancing With the Shadow by Marcia Starck and Gynne
Stern
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Moon Magic by Dion Fortune
Sea Priestess
The Books of Westria by Diana Paxson:
Lady of Light
Lady of Darkness
Silverhair the Wanderer
The Earthstone
The Sea Star
The Wind Crystal
The Fire Jewel
Memory and Dreams by Charles de Lint
Dreams Underfoot
Psychic Self-Defense and Well Being by Melitta Denning and Osborn
Phillips
God of the Witches by Margaret Murray
The Women's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets by Barbara Walker
And what did you think of these:
The Urban Pagan by Patricia Telesco
Watch the North Wind Rise by Robert Graves
To Ride a Silver Broomstick by Silver Ravenwolf
To Stir a Magick Cauldron
Wicca Craft by Gerina Dunwich
The Wicca Spellbook
Iron John by Robert Bly
The Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman
Medicine Woman by Lynn Andrews
Celtic Magic by D. J. Conway
Not recommended:
Psychic Self-Defence by Dion Fortune
Witta by Etain McCoy
Magick in Theory and Practice by Alistair Crowley
Transcendental Magic by Eliphias Levi
A Modern Witches Spellbook by Sarah Lyddon Morrison
The Book of Black Magic by A. E. Waite
Are there related books that you consider important that are not on
this list? Please list them.
Which of the following Pagan periodicals are you familiar with? Mark
those you subscribe to with an "S", those you read occasionally with
an "R", and those you browse or have only seen one issue of with
a "B". Feel free to make brief annotations.
Circle Network News
Green Egg
Enchanté
Magical Blend
Green Man
SageWoman
Shaman's Drum
Are there related magazines that you consider important that are not
on this list? Please list them.
Which of the following films have you seen? Mark them the same way
you marked the books. Feel free to make brief annotations.
The Donna Reed Films:
The Goddess Remembered
The Burning Times
Full Circle
Sorceress (The Suzanne Schiffman film, not the "Adventure" version)
The Occult Experience
Clash of the Titans
Willow
the Star Wars trilogy
The Wicker Man
The Doors
The Witches of Eastwick
The Craft
Are there related films that you consider important that are not on
this list? Please list them.
Which of the following Paganistic music/musicians are you familiar
with? Mark those you own to with an "M", and those you have heard
with an "H". Feel free to make brief annotations.
Ruth Barrett and Cyntia Smith
Charley Murphy
Annwn
Deborah and Rick Hamouris
Gaia's Voice
Reclaiming
Libana
Gypsy
Lady Isadora
Amber Tide
Jim Allen
Isaac Bonewits
Dead Can Dance
The Waterboys
Kate Bush
Stevie Nicks
Sínead O'Connor
Clannád
Are there other musicians that you consider important that are not on
this list? Please list them.
Part Five: Personal - Values and Ethics
You may choose not to answer any of these questions, but you should
know that the significance of that choice will be recognized as well.
How do you feel about the concept of Motherhood?
How do you feel about the concept of Fatherhood?
How do you feel about your own parents?
In general, do you like children? Why or why not?
Are you open about sexuality in general? Are you open about your own
sexuality? How do you feel about observing sex?
Do you feel that either pre- or extra-marital sex are wrong? Why or
why not?
What do you consider the most important factor(s) in determining the
appropriateness of sexual activity?
How do you feel about the idea of casting spells to benefit yourself?
Would you do such a thing? Why or why not?
How do you feel about the idea of casting spells to benefit others,
without the others knowing about it? Would you do such a thing? Why
or why not?
How do you feel about the idea of accepting payment for casting
spells? Would you do such a thing? Would it make a difference if the
payment was "in kind" or in services rather than in cash? Why or why
not?
How do you feel about the idea of accepting payment for services such
as tarot readings or psychic consultations? Would you do such a
thing? Would it make a difference if the payment was "in kind" or in
services rather than in cash? Why or why not?
How do you feel about the idea of accepting payment for providing
services such as wiccanings, handfastings or funerals? Would you do
such a thing? Would it make a difference if the payment was "in kind"
or in services rather than in cash? Why or why not?
How do you feel about the idea of casting curses? How do you define
cursing? Would you do such a thing? Why or why not? If so, what
circumstances would make it justifiable? If not, what action, if any,
would you take instead?
How important is it to you that promises be kept? Why?
Do you make a distinction between your spirituality and reality? If
so, why? If not, why not?
How do you feel about the idea of using herbs or drugs to alter your
state of consciousness for magical or religious purposes? Would you
do such a thing? Why or why not?
Positive/negative, light/dark, and good/evil are polar pairs. How are
the pairs different from each other? Do you see differences
between "negative", "dark" and "evil"? Do you see differences
between "positive", "light" and "good"?
Do you believe in a particular or personified malevolent force? If
so, what do you consider to be the cause of that force?
Do you consider psychic phenomena to be real? Do you have experience
in dealing with it? Do you consider yourself to be psychic?
Part Six: Feedback
How confidential do you want your responses to these questions? (May
I discuss them with my co-HPs? My circle? Anyone I feel like? Nobody
but you?)
How do you feel about this questionnaire? Its style? Its level of
nosiness?
Are there questions that you think should be included in this
questionnaire that aren't? What are they?
Are there questions that you would leave out? Which ones? Why?
Describe how you are feeling right now, physically and emotionally.
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