thanks for that, i use to have a vast array of links of all manner of sites of staggering variations but lost them all when i lost my computer a few years back.
i did wonder how different they are to what could be termed life coachs and basic theories of developing the inner self on personal development issues a si have heard they tend to be linked, thus wonder if they might be completely seperate in the nature of what they teach. there seems tobe an ever growing number of peopel who take it very seriousely, as least as and if not more soo or equal to how the majority of the worlds population consider religion in general.
Traditionaly there has been great service to humanity through various religous organisations by teaching reading and writing through to crop management and various other needs of basic society like animal breeding and seed stock preservation, as far as the human body and basic medicine and even some extreemly advanced medicine.
Some of the more well known things would be Yoga and herbal use for health purposses.
as Society moves away from traditional religous structure that use to be the basic mechanism for the greedy and power hungry to control populations and garner land and other material wealth it did cross my mind that there in turn with evolution must come groups and organisations that try to purafy their mission toward the betterment of the whole devoid of these aspects of power and control dysfunction, thus do psychic schools and schools of wicca and paganism (as you refer to) pick up the batton on this always present cutting edge of human evolution ?
I believe so. Since the 60's and 70's there has been what most people call, that New Age movement, though many find the term "New Age" offensive. It offered a way for like-minded people to connect and find faith and healing outside the normal areas of religion. Still, many don't realize that a lot of what is considered New Age is actually very old and that many Pagan religions practiced today are revivals of what was practiced long ago. I do not know about Wicca. There isn't really a place in history specifically for Wiccan's, from what I know, it is thought of as the Old Religion, but there is no documented proof, though this religion came "out-of-the-closet" in the 1950's.
I think the religious "norm" of our society leaves much to be desired, thus leaving people stranded; no faith, no gods or goddesses, no place where they can come together to meet others like themselves because these other areas of practice, like you said, are not widely publicized or are unknown. Most people can no longer be controlled by some fear of Hell and since you can't burn people at the stake or toture them legally anymore, people are no longer afraid to step outside the box. Thus, like you said, leaving others like Pagan's, Wiccan's, and other believers of such, to "pick up the baton", take these people in, and run with it. I believe that the condemming (spelling?) nature of many of todays "normal" religions, just doesn't fit some people's world views anymore. Though I cannot speak for everyone, obviously over half the population still believes in these religions.
I think schools for psychic training and others that offer these kinds of things, are not widely known for fear of hate and crazy people with pitchforks and stones!
But they are there. You just have to know where to look and know the right people. Many Wiccan's and Pagan's train in this sort of thing, but you have to be, sworn in, for lack of a better term, and you must promise that all things taught or learned be kept secret. That is how these people's beliefs and traditions have survived for so many years. They certainly didn't get there by waving there knowledge all over the internet and posting people in air ports with flyers. I used to work for a Pagan couple that was very deeply involved and devoted and, well,...I'll never tell...