Re: Where did you start your path?
When did you first *discover* paganism?
Probably as a child through books. I fell in love with the Greek deities in C.S. Lewis' Narnia. Even though those books were about Christianity, you couldn't have told me that. They were about Bacchus and naiads and such to me. As an adult, I came to paganism through tarot. I started seriously studying the cards right around 1998/99 and that brought me to archetypes and symbolism. That led to more research and that "coming home" feeling that everyone talks about when the find the Goddess.
Did you read a book, or meet someone that told you about it?
I started by reading books. Cunningham's Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner was my first. Then I met some folks through meetup.com and just kept going out to meet them. I spent time on some other online forums as well.
How long did it take you to figure out that *this* (whatever the heck that *this* was for you) was what you were looking for?
Not long. Like I said, many people have that feeling of coming home when they discover a pagan path. ANY pagan path.
Do you still follow the same tradition?
I never really had a tradition to begin with. I studied books on Wicca because that was what was available, but I've never actually called myself Wiccan. (caveat: I have to folks who don't understand paganism. If you say "I'm Wiccan" they sort of leave you alone). I'm one of the few with the very unpopular opinion that you should be initiated into that path. *ducks as tomatoes are thrown*
ETA: Taliesyn and I just had a conversation about this thread and he informed me that I'm an idiot. I have been initiated as a Wiccan because the HPS of my coven (who was an initiated Gardnerian) initiated me. This never occurred to me because I didn't consider our coven to be purely a Wiccan coven. :P Not that it really matters that much to me. My deities have accepted me and that is more important than human acknowledgement.
How have your beliefs changed?
I started out by calling upon deities who had not called upon me. I think we all do this, we have to start somewhere. Now I have deities who have laid claim to me and I speak to them.
What (in your estimation) is the dumbest newbie thing you did or thought?
Taliesyn had a good one and I agree with that. Not every pagan is nice. lol I'd like to add that now I take "teachings" with a grain of salt. I do not read books on paganism or any other topic and take the contents for fact. If something resonates with me, I accept it. If it does not, I pass it by. I no longer think that what someone published is the "right" way and what I'm doing is the "wrong" way.
When did you first *discover* paganism?
Probably as a child through books. I fell in love with the Greek deities in C.S. Lewis' Narnia. Even though those books were about Christianity, you couldn't have told me that. They were about Bacchus and naiads and such to me. As an adult, I came to paganism through tarot. I started seriously studying the cards right around 1998/99 and that brought me to archetypes and symbolism. That led to more research and that "coming home" feeling that everyone talks about when the find the Goddess.
Did you read a book, or meet someone that told you about it?
I started by reading books. Cunningham's Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner was my first. Then I met some folks through meetup.com and just kept going out to meet them. I spent time on some other online forums as well.
How long did it take you to figure out that *this* (whatever the heck that *this* was for you) was what you were looking for?
Not long. Like I said, many people have that feeling of coming home when they discover a pagan path. ANY pagan path.
Do you still follow the same tradition?
I never really had a tradition to begin with. I studied books on Wicca because that was what was available, but I've never actually called myself Wiccan. (caveat: I have to folks who don't understand paganism. If you say "I'm Wiccan" they sort of leave you alone). I'm one of the few with the very unpopular opinion that you should be initiated into that path. *ducks as tomatoes are thrown*
ETA: Taliesyn and I just had a conversation about this thread and he informed me that I'm an idiot. I have been initiated as a Wiccan because the HPS of my coven (who was an initiated Gardnerian) initiated me. This never occurred to me because I didn't consider our coven to be purely a Wiccan coven. :P Not that it really matters that much to me. My deities have accepted me and that is more important than human acknowledgement.
How have your beliefs changed?
I started out by calling upon deities who had not called upon me. I think we all do this, we have to start somewhere. Now I have deities who have laid claim to me and I speak to them.
What (in your estimation) is the dumbest newbie thing you did or thought?
Taliesyn had a good one and I agree with that. Not every pagan is nice. lol I'd like to add that now I take "teachings" with a grain of salt. I do not read books on paganism or any other topic and take the contents for fact. If something resonates with me, I accept it. If it does not, I pass it by. I no longer think that what someone published is the "right" way and what I'm doing is the "wrong" way.
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