They're great questions.
Having done stuff for longer now, have your thoughts on what is or is not moral/ethical changed in terms of things that wiccans, pagans, etc do, particularly spells?
Not at all actually. I figured it would, but my ethics are deep-rooted.. while my morals have changed in the sense of what I allow, or what I allow others in my presence to do, but what I cast spells for? Never.
The crazy thing about Paganism is that there is no bound morals. You receive what you get.. that's about it. If you cast out harm and illness, expect it back, and not nearly as nicely as you dished it out. Spell casting is different from prayer in the sense that for Christians, there is an ultimate God. Just one. With just one set of rules. That God listens, and sometimes says, "You're being an idiot. I know, because you're young, but you'll thank me one day that this prayer goes unanswered." Paganism doesn't quite work the same way. There are several Gods, of all shapes and rules.. when you cast out and appeal to a particular God, that one may not answer you.. but there is a chance another will. There is a chance that being vague means being open. And different spirits, energies, and Gods will all take hold of that spell in a different way.
For me, I pray directly to nature.. No God per say, just the energy of the Earth and spirits that drive it. That doesn't mean that the Earth lacks shadows.
Have you seen any wide range of variation of ethics or morals amongst different practitioners?
Very much so. While many feel it appropriate to spell cast for things like money, and a better job, and such, I feel this is unethical and simplistic. You should not cast spells for shallow things like this.. instead, to me, one ought to cast for divination and introspection.. Asking for answers within yourself for the solutions to things like that. Meditation and divination are the two most simple, and most powerful, spells one can cast, and the safest imo. I would argue that casting for things like Love, and for someone to leave you alone, are at least more emotionally driven and have deeper inner roots.. but I still typically would not cast a spell like this. Instead, I would cast a spell praising things I already have, like love, in hopes that that praise would be returned to me in kind.
Do you wish that pagan spent less time "publicizing" that it does spells, rituals, and spirits?
No more than I wish Christians would stop publicizing how cool their churches are or all the cool events they do. It's the 'sexy' part of our religion--rituals, and spells, and spirit calling and such. It's the appealing part.. the way music during ceremonies and christian-rock-concerts appeal to Christians. There's something mysterious about it all that calls to people. What I *do* wish people would not harp on as much is the gaudy aspects of it all.. Overpriced t-shirts and stickers with cutesy saying on them. But I dislike that about Christianity too. It just isn't my personal style.
Do you feel that the moral implications of doing such things are adequately presented/trained or would you prefer something different?
I think advertised 'spell kits' and such keep people on the right path. Someone who is tampering in such things, which I believe to be very powerful in practice, cannot really go astray by lighting some candles and singing the parrot's song on a piece of parchment. Maybe something will work, maybe not.. but they don't expose themselves to some of the dangers that come from tampering in muck that they have no guidance on at all. There is a capital gain on it, money is involved, but not much harm is done to the caster, which is the main concern.
I'd rather have advertised uniform kits that don't 'work' or do well, than a bunch of kids running around lighting things on fire because they read it once on a blog.
Do you wish that such things were emphasized less, or maybe their training wasnt provided until further into being wiccan, pagan, etc?
Not really. Some things you just have to jump into and learn for yourself--Paganism is very much so one of those things. We were just complaining about the fact that there isn't much 'advanced' knowledge outside of Covens. You have to learn how to work the deeper aspects of the religion yourself. There is no graduated programs the way Christians have them--Sunday School, Catechism, Adult Learning, Priesthood, etc. You learn on your own.. it's the hardest part of the whole thing.
There are some books I find genuinely good foundations, like Wicca: A Year and a Day. But books will always have a bias--it is someone else's morals, ethics, and reasons. It's like reading a recipe.. you have to know how to adapt the recipe to your taste and needs. You read:
1 cup olive oil
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
and at first, you follow the recipe to a T. It's good, and you like it and try again. After that, you realize you want orange flavored recipe, so you substitute vanilla for orange and you love it. Then you read on a website you can substitute the oil for applesauce and make it healthier. So you try it. Eventually, the recipe becomes your own creation.. something uniquely suited to you, influenced by ideas you heard and inspirations from others.
Are there any personal "morals about spell usage" that you use or follow that you would be willing to share here?
1. I never name names unless I am praising a person.
2. I never do any unsafe acts. Either physically or mentally. I don't dwell on issues that will rot a spell, and I don't light candles next to cloth or work on surfaces that catch flame easily. I always have safety items nearby. Flowy clothing is beautiful, but doesn't do well for many candles.
3. I never cast for shallow things. I usually only divine, acknowledge existence (in the case of holidays), and meditate. Occasionally I will create something, like a talisman, but this is few and far between. I find such things to be powerful influences that require care and responsibility, and I'm a very lazy person. I can take my thoughts with me where ever I go without a single breech in security. A talisman poorly cared for is just a sad thing.
4. I don't involve others without their permission.
5. I don't make things over elaborate. Fancy words, and lengthy spells, and lots of steps I think takes away from the process, the same way presents and decorations take away from the spirit of Christmas. Nothing can be a sad process, though doable. Too much just creates a stress out of something meant to take away stress.