Blessed be everyone, I have a friend who is struggling to find a path that they belong on, their green witchcraft has been difficult for them lately and they are more than a bit concerned about trying to find a path that fits them that doesn’t bring painful thoughts and feelings to them whenever they try to do it. They are a new broom like I am but they are struggling with finding a suitable path. Does anyone have any sound sagely advice for my friend when it comes to choosing a path that they may connect with?
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Magickal Monday Slayer,
Well, here are the 3 books I suggest for all newbies,
Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham**a very easy read.
Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft (Affectionately called Buckland’s Big Blue) by Raymond Buckland**this is almost like a workbook, with little exercises at the end of each chapter. This book is a little more in-depth than Scotts book and explains a little about the different Wiccan “denominations” if you will.
A Witches Bible: The Complete Witches’ Handbook by Janet and Stewart Farrar** this is very ritualistic and is Gardnerian Wicca. This explains in-depth the rituals of Wicca.
Maybe by reading some of these, your friend maybe able to choose a path that s/he is comfortable with.
I sure hope this helps your friend figure out what helps them feel more at ease.
Lady Gene 
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K.I.S.S. applies to so many things in life. Have them try candle magic, it’s simple but good.
Try potions and other natural things like various herbal teas. Things that are easy / low stress.
Get more acquainted with a Tarot deck, just study the symbolism don’t do a reading.
Make Sun & Moon water. Collect Crystals and/or other items for ritual use, make a wand.
I will make sure they see this, thank you so much for the book recommendations Lady Gene. I have a feeling these books may all in some form help my friend choose a path that truly fits all of their aspects of their craft.
So, with that said, what if they are entirely new to anything magickal whereas I have a little bit more research under my belt and know more where to possibly look for information. Do u have any information that I could give them about potions, herbal teas they could try to make themselves, or how to make a wand perhaps?
A spiritual path is deeply personal. It’s something your friend has to experience, question, and figure out for themselves. For some people, it can take years even decades before they choose to walk a particular path. Even if a path is clearly laid out in front of your friend, that doesn’t mean they will choose to take it.
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I’ve definitely been trying to hammer home the importance of research to find what personally suits my friend and it seems they don’t fully understand but this is entirely fair and sound advice. It took me years to figure out that I was an eclectic witch and months beyond that still to know that working with liminal spaces was my niche as a practitioner of the craft. I hope this message finds my friend well and that they will be able to find peace with whatever path they choose
Well, other than the web site here and the Google spell, I can give this a big recommend:
… and not at all just because the author is my high priestess… 
Now, a wand all you really need to do is wander in the forest (watch out for ticks and poison ivy!)
and find a branch that ‘speaks’ to you. Preferably one that needs no tools than your own hands.
Maybe break to length and peel off the bark if it’s already loose. Gosh, I need to do that too!
Some trees are better than others, but it’s best to use the native trees of your area, also
DO NOT break anything off a tree, and thank the (nearest) tree and thank any present Fae.
As someone who’s had some radical changes in her practice, my advice to anyone struggling is know thyself.
Like Keldan said, your friend’s practice will be deeply personal - it must be or their power simply won’t be there. I’ve gone through periods of questioning and radio silence in the past. But what’s always happened is that even when it seemed nothing was happening - in reality there’s a lot of activity happening under the surface. Something is going to come through here, I know it.
My advice to them in the meantime is to do some deep introspective work. If they’re feeling overwhelmed - then journal, meditate, go for a solitary walk, or spend some time in their own thoughts away from all the noise. Especially if they’re distressed, it’s clear their inner guidance is trying to tell them something, Perhaps by going within they’ll find their answers.
Cheers. 
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Blood isn’t everything but you might consider advising your friend to look into their ethnic origins… By knowing where one’s ancestral roots lie, we can more easily discern the type of spirits that are connected to our blood lines. For example, Teutonic (Germanic) people have spirits called Disir and Alfar connected to family lineages. The Disir and Alfar can be Trolls, Jotuns,Dwarves, Aesir, Vanir or other Hidden people. These spirits are divine entities and can guide one along the path of arcane wisdom . Celts have a similar belief in that certain pagan gods are often considered to be actual ancestors. Greek and Levantine heroes and kings traced their lineage back to the Olympians and Titans. To be honest, this sort of belief is wide-spread across all cultures, in all times and places. These weren’t just mere fables but considered to be authentic history that explained to the origins of certain tribes and nations.
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The most important thing to know when you’re trying to find where your witchcraft journey is taking you is, in my opinion, that there is no getting it wrong. Read all the books you want, listen to what others who have more experience say, but at the end of the day remember that this is YOUR (or in your friends case, THEIR) path, no one else’s. As long as you are following your intuition, you can not get it wrong. The only way you can end up on the wrong path is if you try and follow someone else’s rules, even when they don’t feel right for you.
I don’t categorize my craft under easy labels like ‘green witch’ or ‘Celtic witch,’ even though with my practice I very easily could. I don’t even particularly like identifying as an ‘eclectic witch,’ just because I don’t want to ever box myself and my practice in. I’ve been practicing for 10 years, and my ways of practicing and beliefs have changed and been fluid many times over those years. It’s entirely normal, especially when you’re staring out, to flail a little as you try to track down what YOU want to do. Just as it’s entirely normal to wake up two or five or even twenty years into your practice and feel that you want to change something about it. Our lives follow cycles like the moon’s, and to resist that is to do yourself a massive disservice.
Read widely, read books if you can get them rather than just blog posts but read blog posts too. Check your local library, I bet you they have more different kinds of witchy books than you’d think they’d have. Follow your interests wherever they take you. If you start wanting to get more into working with spirits or demons or whatever you feel drawn too, don’t hold yourself back just because you’ve decided you’re a green witch and the book you read about it first didn’t say anything about those kinds of practices. If you read something that doesn’t sit right with you, leave it for the next person. Accept that what works for you and what you resonate with will not be what everyone resonates with, and that’s part of the beauty of this practice.
And mostly remember that, whatever you do, it’s YOUR life. You always have the power to change it, even in small ways. This advice holds over for every part of life, I think. Don’t let anyone else’s rules tell you what to do, in witchcraft or in any other area. Follow your desires and your intuition, know that they know and love you and want the best for you. Let yourself be free to change your mind. Even if you decide that witchcraft in general isn’t for you, that’s fine! It sounds trite, but it’s truly the best advice I can give: Be YOURSELF, wholly and radically, and let who you are change as change happens.
I also want to really echo what WrenTalbot said, and do some really intentional introspection. Sometimes listening to your desires and intuition is hard, even impossible, until you really take the time to slow down and pay attention, and TRUST. You have to trust that your intuition, that small voice, will never lead you astray. Even if it seems like it’s taking you on a path you never would have considered, your higher self knows what you need and wants you to get there. You just have to learn to pay attention to them and believe what they’re telling you.
This kind of struggle is normal, and every witch I’ve known has gone through something like this. You and your friend will find what you both should be doing, as long as you believe in yourself enough to go after it <3
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