Okay, so I need help trying to figure out my path. This post is to ask for the various experience and knowledge presented on this board (by you lovely members ^_^).
I have been doing research since August 2013. I was watching a TV show late at night and all of a sudden I had the urge to research Wicca. My only experience with this religion/spirituality was when my cousin practiced it briefly and she experimented with spellcasting and mostly with the Craft portion. She ended up going back to her original religion (Mormon, as I was raised as well).
After checking out various books from the library, reading a few things online and going to a Pagan intro meeting at a local shop, I found myself to start really asking the real questions and how I feel and what I think. Prior to this research I did have ideas but never really thought of them.
As for my research, I have learned about: Wicca, Druidry, and Angelo-Saxon Pagan. I have also learned, thanks to this forum, about some Kemetic, Satanism, and Fae Spirituality. Through my own experiences from traveling and studying world cultures, I am familiar with some Asian (Shinto, Buddhism, Hinduism) beliefs as well as some Native American beliefs (due to growing up in the Northwest and going to school in Alaska). I also am familiar with Mormon and some Catholicism.
I would like to believe that I have a decent idea of Spirituality, yet I still have a lot to learn and there are SO MANY branches in Paganism that I really have no idea what path to to seriously follow so that I may identify myself.
I understand that for some, labels do not mean much. I have tried to make myself not care and to just live without that ... but I find that for my new Spirituality, I do care. I would like something to proudly say "I am THIS" or, at least, I am leaning towards THIS :^^:
Okay, for the NON block of writing to help you, help me, better understand my Spiritual way of thinking:
Higher Being: I believe there is a higher being. I like the saying of The All, since that's the closest descriptive word I have run into to explain it. I think that whatever this being/entity is ... is just too big for me, as a human, is far too complex to understand. I am not looking to completely define this being/entity.
I very much believe that this highest being/entity is connected and the main belief in all religions that believe in any higher beings.
Gods/Deities: I love the ideas of various Gods/Goddesses having different personalities. It sounds wonderful ^_^ I think that the various Deities from the different religions are linked in a way to best define them in which that culture understands. Such as Aphrodite and Venus ... both the same yet different depending on culture. I don't find myself pulled towards any specific Deity from any specific Pantheon. If I think of one, I immediately think of a nature being that is kind and about love and growth but also recognizes that death is a natural part of the cycle, not just life.
God/dess: I enjoy the idea of opposites of the God/Goddess being a representation of the higher being in which I cannot comprehend, therefore I try to define it by splitting in polar opposites (male/female). Also, by having various personality traits of this higher being being represented by various Deities. I do like the two representing the main, higher form.
Death/After: What I very much like and feel that is right (after research into the topic) is reincarnation. I know there are various schools of thought on types of reincarnation but my favorite explanation is from the book "The Druidry Handbook" by John Michael Greer, on pages 57-59.
Basically we all start in a melting pot of sorts and we gain life in simplest form; plant and animal (other than human). Then after gaining the knowledge and insight of that life (multiple cycles) we go to the next step up to human lives and cycle again to learn lessons and then after finally achieving that, higher. It explains it SO MUCH better in the book, but I very much like the idea and it makes SO MUCH SENSE to me :^^:
I believe that we start out as other forms of life to gain knowledge and insight of all factors of those various lives (flower, tree, insect, cat, bird, etc.) and then earn our life as human in various lives. If we fail our lessons, we go back to square one to re-learn what we failed to learn. After human form it's, what I believe, is similar to the explanation of Ancients from Stargate SG-1.
Spirits: I believe every living thing has a spirit of sorts. I believe that humans are no higher or more important than other Animals. Our spirit is the spirit that reincarnates.
Altar: I love the altar of sorts. A place to focus spirituality. Much the same as a church is a reverent place, gets you into the mindset. For me, that's what an altar does for me ^_^ Thus far I have a sort of offering plate, a candle, an incense plate (loose leaf) and a part of a geode that I cracked apart myself. I enjoy holding the geode close to me and having an object on or near it to help me focus my intent. After I offer something (usually orange peel), I bury it in my yard by a tree, to complete my offering and to thank nature for her gifts.
Karma: I very much believe in this type of concept of Karma or the Threefold Law.
Rede: For the Rede from my Wicca readings, I like and want to try to follow about living your life and trying not to harm things as much as possible. I do not take this as literally because I will always harm something as long as I'm living and even when I die, but I want to try to make as small as impact as I can
Holidays: I am enthusiastically enjoying the Wheel of the year! Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Midsummer, Lammas, Mabon, and Samhain. I have started celebrating these in mindset of the natural world and those cycles. Not so much the God/Goddess idea of rebirth and the cycles for both genders (though I acknowledge it). I also celebrate New Years, Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year), Valentine's Day, Easter, 4th of July (I live in the U.S.), Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. These I celebrate from traditions growing up and where I live (such as 4th of July and Thanksgiving in November). Most of these are for fun and my fond memories of what my family did while celebrating (Easter, Halloween and Christmas). Where as the Wheel of the Year is more of a Spiritual celebration for me.
Are you still with me? If you are, you get mad props! I tried to keep it as concise as I could.
I'm hoping explaining my viewpoints will help gather your opinions for what path you think I should go towards. You're more than welcome to ask more questions to help further probe and form your thoughts
So, what do you think? Do I lean towards any certain path or am I just eclectic?
Thank you for your time, patience and knowledge :^^:
Edit: Some Resources that I enjoy;
~ To Walk A Pagan Path - by Alaric Albertsson
~ Wicca and Witchcraft for Dummies - Diane Smith
~ The Druidry Handbook - John Michael Greer
~ Out of the Broom Closet - Arin Murphy-Hiscock
I have been doing research since August 2013. I was watching a TV show late at night and all of a sudden I had the urge to research Wicca. My only experience with this religion/spirituality was when my cousin practiced it briefly and she experimented with spellcasting and mostly with the Craft portion. She ended up going back to her original religion (Mormon, as I was raised as well).
After checking out various books from the library, reading a few things online and going to a Pagan intro meeting at a local shop, I found myself to start really asking the real questions and how I feel and what I think. Prior to this research I did have ideas but never really thought of them.
As for my research, I have learned about: Wicca, Druidry, and Angelo-Saxon Pagan. I have also learned, thanks to this forum, about some Kemetic, Satanism, and Fae Spirituality. Through my own experiences from traveling and studying world cultures, I am familiar with some Asian (Shinto, Buddhism, Hinduism) beliefs as well as some Native American beliefs (due to growing up in the Northwest and going to school in Alaska). I also am familiar with Mormon and some Catholicism.
I would like to believe that I have a decent idea of Spirituality, yet I still have a lot to learn and there are SO MANY branches in Paganism that I really have no idea what path to to seriously follow so that I may identify myself.
I understand that for some, labels do not mean much. I have tried to make myself not care and to just live without that ... but I find that for my new Spirituality, I do care. I would like something to proudly say "I am THIS" or, at least, I am leaning towards THIS :^^:
Okay, for the NON block of writing to help you, help me, better understand my Spiritual way of thinking:
Higher Being: I believe there is a higher being. I like the saying of The All, since that's the closest descriptive word I have run into to explain it. I think that whatever this being/entity is ... is just too big for me, as a human, is far too complex to understand. I am not looking to completely define this being/entity.
I very much believe that this highest being/entity is connected and the main belief in all religions that believe in any higher beings.
Gods/Deities: I love the ideas of various Gods/Goddesses having different personalities. It sounds wonderful ^_^ I think that the various Deities from the different religions are linked in a way to best define them in which that culture understands. Such as Aphrodite and Venus ... both the same yet different depending on culture. I don't find myself pulled towards any specific Deity from any specific Pantheon. If I think of one, I immediately think of a nature being that is kind and about love and growth but also recognizes that death is a natural part of the cycle, not just life.
God/dess: I enjoy the idea of opposites of the God/Goddess being a representation of the higher being in which I cannot comprehend, therefore I try to define it by splitting in polar opposites (male/female). Also, by having various personality traits of this higher being being represented by various Deities. I do like the two representing the main, higher form.
Death/After: What I very much like and feel that is right (after research into the topic) is reincarnation. I know there are various schools of thought on types of reincarnation but my favorite explanation is from the book "The Druidry Handbook" by John Michael Greer, on pages 57-59.
Basically we all start in a melting pot of sorts and we gain life in simplest form; plant and animal (other than human). Then after gaining the knowledge and insight of that life (multiple cycles) we go to the next step up to human lives and cycle again to learn lessons and then after finally achieving that, higher. It explains it SO MUCH better in the book, but I very much like the idea and it makes SO MUCH SENSE to me :^^:
I believe that we start out as other forms of life to gain knowledge and insight of all factors of those various lives (flower, tree, insect, cat, bird, etc.) and then earn our life as human in various lives. If we fail our lessons, we go back to square one to re-learn what we failed to learn. After human form it's, what I believe, is similar to the explanation of Ancients from Stargate SG-1.
Spirits: I believe every living thing has a spirit of sorts. I believe that humans are no higher or more important than other Animals. Our spirit is the spirit that reincarnates.
Altar: I love the altar of sorts. A place to focus spirituality. Much the same as a church is a reverent place, gets you into the mindset. For me, that's what an altar does for me ^_^ Thus far I have a sort of offering plate, a candle, an incense plate (loose leaf) and a part of a geode that I cracked apart myself. I enjoy holding the geode close to me and having an object on or near it to help me focus my intent. After I offer something (usually orange peel), I bury it in my yard by a tree, to complete my offering and to thank nature for her gifts.
Karma: I very much believe in this type of concept of Karma or the Threefold Law.
Rede: For the Rede from my Wicca readings, I like and want to try to follow about living your life and trying not to harm things as much as possible. I do not take this as literally because I will always harm something as long as I'm living and even when I die, but I want to try to make as small as impact as I can
Holidays: I am enthusiastically enjoying the Wheel of the year! Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Midsummer, Lammas, Mabon, and Samhain. I have started celebrating these in mindset of the natural world and those cycles. Not so much the God/Goddess idea of rebirth and the cycles for both genders (though I acknowledge it). I also celebrate New Years, Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year), Valentine's Day, Easter, 4th of July (I live in the U.S.), Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. These I celebrate from traditions growing up and where I live (such as 4th of July and Thanksgiving in November). Most of these are for fun and my fond memories of what my family did while celebrating (Easter, Halloween and Christmas). Where as the Wheel of the Year is more of a Spiritual celebration for me.
Are you still with me? If you are, you get mad props! I tried to keep it as concise as I could.
I'm hoping explaining my viewpoints will help gather your opinions for what path you think I should go towards. You're more than welcome to ask more questions to help further probe and form your thoughts
So, what do you think? Do I lean towards any certain path or am I just eclectic?
Thank you for your time, patience and knowledge :^^:
Edit: Some Resources that I enjoy;
~ To Walk A Pagan Path - by Alaric Albertsson
~ Wicca and Witchcraft for Dummies - Diane Smith
~ The Druidry Handbook - John Michael Greer
~ Out of the Broom Closet - Arin Murphy-Hiscock
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