The path of a Witch is a strange one. For close to fourteen years now seeing things dance through the fabric of reality is still a bit rough when it happens when you least expect it.
Recently I’ve been getting nudged again to iron out a tradition again. Not just what my tenants are but trying to formalize them in such a manner that others I end up teaching could adopt.
I’m no teacher.
Hell I’m not even sure you could me a good influence.
But I keep getting the impression that this is something that would be good and it needs to happen. It’s all fragments at the moment. This is going to be a crazy quilt at first. >_<
The Wandering Witchling 
If it were me, I’d start with the traditions I know and/or am interested in, and do a list of bullet-points on what that tradition stands for or has as a distinction. Then using those, do some combination of pick-and-choose and make-my-own.
Just a suggestion.
An excellent suggestion though.
Back when i was doing such things, I was more drawn to folks whose descriptions were more lean (like Cunningham) versus overwrought (like Gardner). Just my preference.
One book I’d suggest is “Walker Between the Worlds” by John and Caitlin Matthews, mostly because it deals with creating one’s own personal tradition through work in the inner worlds, with a good discussion of others’ work. Older edition (which may be cheaper) is known as “The Western Way” in a 2-volume set (v1 Native Tradition and v2 Hermetic Tradition) or combined in a single binding.
Sometimes they come knocking on your door instead of the other way around.
screw traditions. Look them over and if one appeals to you the most go for it. If none of them stand out, take what you want from each and make your own trad. There are a great many eclectic Witches out there. I myself am Celtic with a touch of some others on the side. The best thing about our way is find what works for you and stay there or grow into something else as it fits. Silver Ravenwolf is a good writer to use. She has written a number of excellent books. Scott Cunningham wrote a number of good ones. My 1st one was by Raymond Buckland about 26 years ago. Before that I was Christian in name–OMG gotta pause for a sec, big dog is asleep on my legs and just passed a poison gas cloud and the walls and my eyeballs are melting lol. I have watched and read your posts for some time now and you seem to have a good head on your shoulders and a lot of common sense. Trust your feelings. If something feels right, no misgivings, no doubts then do it Too many think they have to follow one trad or another, follow what feels right to you. Our most remote ancestors did. There is no single ‘right way’. You will find teachers without looking if you need them, they will pop up. Many times they may not even know they are teaching you something. Remember trust your instincts.
🙂 Thank you Douglas! I’ve always been a fan of those authors, and I also really like Christopher Penczak stuff too. If you haven’t checked him, I highly recommend!