44 Days of Witchery Day 16: Witchy Websites

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What are your favorite witchy websites?

Although I read many blogs through Google Reader, I don't frequent a lot of websites on Paganism and Witchcraft. I find that there are basically four kinds of Pagan websites.

The first category of websites contain general information on Paganism and Witchcraft. These are the basic 101 and FAQ sites, which are great for debunking misconceptions and for people, usually beginners, seeking to learn more. This category may include coven websites as well as personal ones. At this stage in my Craft, I know what an athame is so I don't find myself visiting these kinds of sites very often unless I'm checking out a group.

The second category of websites are from people who have been on the path for a while and want to tell you what it's really about and share their experiences. Some of these are intelligent, well-researched, and informative, but many are also angry and exhaust an inordinate amount of virtual space ranting about "fluffy bunnies" and why you're not a "real" insert the blank.

The third category of websites covers Pagan social networking sites and forums. These are focused on people rather than information though, of course, they do share information. While I'm an enthusiastic user of social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Plurk, I don't belong to PaganSpace, CovenSpace, MysticWicks or other such sites. The primary reason is because I don't want to add another social site to my routine, but also because, in my casual browsing of such sites, there are a lot of people seeking community, which I already have, and I've also found that internet Paganism does not reflect my offline Pagan experience. My impression is that there are a lot of Pagans out there whose only contact with other Pagans is through the web.

The fourth category of websites are the stores. I recently blogged about why I sometimes find it difficult to support local Pagan businesses and I have the same problem online. I just don't need another athame or that black, blank Book of Shadows. Unless a store carries something notably different, I don't find many reasons to visit and shop. There are exceptions, of course, such as stores that carry unique hand-crafted items, interesting jewelry, and statues. I especially like Sacred Source, Dryad Design, and Boveda Beads.

So, we're back to blogs. My favorites include the Wild Hunt, Letter from Hardscrabble Creek, Pagan in Paradise, the Mystic Cup, and recently I discovered Feminism and Religion and Daughters of Eve.

What are your favorite websites?