I think that a lot of spiritual practice can be intimidating, especially if it is something far from what you grew up with. Many Pagan paths emphasize solo work, even when you have a regular group to work with, as your regular daily practice will be done on your own. And of course practices like divination, meditation, visualization are highly dependent on your own skills and abilities.
Not only is there a lot of personal work and growth to be done, but many times there aren't clear instructions laid out for you to follow, especially if you don't have a teacher or tradition you are learning from. You may not know which practices to work on first or even how to approach any given practice. There may be a dozen or more ways that you have read about, and many of those may say that they are the best (or only) way to do things.
It is easy to get caught up in doing 'more research'. Of course it is often a good idea to read up on the things you are wanting to learn, and it can definitely save you a lot of time by explaining basic methods or telling you what common mistakes you can avoid.
But at some point you have to accept the idea that you may never feel 'prepared enough' and that you just have to jump in and get your feet wet. There is only so far you can go through reading and researching. No matter how many different sources you read, some things just don't click until you have done them yourself.
Spirituality and magical practice both often involve a certain amount of trial and error. There are struggles along the way, as you figure out what methods work for you and how to overcome the natural obstacles that stand in your way. Luckily, if you have done some amount of research, you probably are starting with simpler practices first, and so setbacks aren't as bad. Much like how babies learn to crawl before they walk and walk before they run, you will practice the easier skills and get a handle on them before you work on harder things. And if you stumble while crawling, you may get a bit of a shock and possibly a little bruise, but it is much safer than trying to run without learning to walk first.
I am an avid researcher. I love to read about anything and everything I can get my hands on. I often find myself dragging my feet at the thought of actually practicing new skills, and I feel that a big part of that is fear of failure. I feel pretty serious stage fright and anxiety when I think about sharing my own knowledge with other people in any kind of a formal situation, which is sort of funny because I love to talk about things casually with about anyone.
When I push myself through that fear though, and actually get on with the doing, whether it is trying a new method for personal use or actually sharing my experiences with others, I find that the fear diminishes. I don't always succeed at the things I try, but trying and stumbling or making mistakes is still easier for me to manage than never trying at all.
I think that is a big mental obstacle that many people have to overcome when they are starting out (or at any plateau along the way). We feel like there is something horrible that will happen if we don't get things 'right'. And there are definitely some serious practices out there that have serious consequences when things go sideways. But for the most part, what happens when you don't succeed is, at most, a minor setback. Often the only thing that happens when you don't succeed is exactly that: you don't succeed.
Take meditation for example. Many people struggle with meditation, and put it off for a variety of reasons (they don't have time, they have little kids, there is a construction site next to their house). But if you sit to meditate and you don't succeed..nothing bad actually happens! And, I think that more people succeed than realize it. Part of what I feel is the process of learning meditation is figuring out what it means to you. Meditation isn't always hours of sitting perfectly still without a thought in your head. It can mean different things at different times, and learning to recognize when you are meditating is as important (in my mind) as actually getting good at meditating.
Another area that I think a lot of people are quite hesitant to explore is divination. Many people feel they need to undertake a full and complete study of the tarot, memorize the meaning of every card and know layers and layers of symbolism. And that is a wonderful thing, if that is something that appeals to you. But it isn't the only way to read cards, and plenty of people work with cards without knowing all of that (especially if you are reading a non-standard deck). I feel that divination is more about figuring out how you relate to your divination tool of choice, and becoming comfortable with your own symbols and their meanings and learning to trust your readings.
And that is a huge undertaking right there: learning to recognize your own personal take on things and accepting that what works for you...works for you! There are lots of reasons to use the 'tried and true' ways of doing things. Often the standard methods are standard for a reasons: they work for the vast majority of people. That doesn't mean that they work for everyone, nor that they are the best and most effective method for everyone. But they are often a great place to start, and may save you a lot of time trying many different ways until you find what works for you.
The transition between trying to standard ways and really stepping into your own power is a big one, but I think it's one we all face eventually. It isn't something that seems to be talked about a lot, and I think it needs to be. I think that people need to understand that it is okay to be themselves, and that their personal perspective is what gives their path it's unique flavor and what works for them will create the strongest power in their practice.
So definitely read up on the things you want to learn. See what other people have done, and listen to the warnings they have. But don't let your fear hold you back, especially when the risks are small (or non-existent)! Take appropriate precautions, but once you have, go for it! Meditate, try your hand at divination, cast a circle, cast a spell! See what you enjoy, and do more of it. See what doesn't work for you and try something else. Listen and be true to yourself. Find your own way, for that will be the path that feels like home to you, the one that is truly yours!
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