i'm lost...

[Anannsul]

I've always claimed Wicca but after joining this guild its opened my eyes and now... i dont know what i am. sad  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

If it helps, you're probably a Pagan and may well also be a witch. You're in the same boat as most people here.  

[Esiris]

You might also just be Seeking- and that's okay too. Some people feel called to seek after a specific religion, some people seek to understand an experience or calling.

It doesn't help people get that same understanding when they ask you about your path- the way saying the name of a religion does. But it is what it is.  

[Viz_22]

Although my path may not be considered "Wicca" in this guild, I still feel that I am Wiccan in my own right. But yeah... this guild has a strict view on what Wicca is, but I don't agree with it and I let it be.

So if you're just confused by what they call Wicca, I don't see why you can't still call yourself a Wiccan. Does it matter that you're not within the definition? I don't think so biggrin

Live and let live, to each their own~  

[Freyis]

Just because your not Wiccan doesn't mean your path is any less valid than it was before. Your still the same as you were before only now you know that Wicca is not the proper term for you path. That's it, it's just a word. I don't get why people get all riled up about it.

Personally I think finding your own way is much more fulfilling probably because I shy away from any structured type religion.

If you truly do wish to follow Wicca though do some research and seek. From what I've found Wicca isn't just a religion you can just claim you have to work hard to become a member and it isn't for everyone don't limit yourself.

Sorry if my post is a bit jumpy with my thoughts. I just got off work and it's really late so my brain is a bit foggy.  

[Venra Axel Prey]

I had the same problem. I now refer to myself as a "neo-pagan" who dabbles in witchcraft.
not sure if that helped....  

[Esiris]

Viz_22

Although my path may not be considered "Wicca" in this guild, I still feel that I am Wiccan in my own right.

How so?
I would like to know what you have in common with my HPS and what is different if you're willing to talk about it.

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So if you're just confused by what they call Wicca, I don't see why you can't still call yourself a Wiccan. Does it matter that you're not within the definition? I don't think so biggrin

As a Seeker, I think this guild is working towards honoring the hard work, sacrifice and effort that is at the heart of Wiccan service. It isn't really about this guild's definition- it isn't like they just made up the definition themselves.  

[Anannsul]

Sanguina Cruenta

If it helps, you're probably a Pagan and may well also be a witch. You're in the same boat as most people here.

There is a difference? Oh man, my views on witchcraft are so ruined by silver what's her face. gonk

Esiris

You might also just be Seeking- and that's okay too. Some people feel called to seek after a specific religion, some people seek to understand an experience or calling.

It doesn't help people get that same understanding when they ask you about your path- the way saying the name of a religion does. But it is what it is.

Seeking hmm? I never thought of it that way. = However, that leaves me even more confused about where to turn from here... What should I be looking into that is nature based, but also has things such as casting circles and spells but also i can still incorporate my dragons into? I've never heard of a nature based Dragon anything.

Viz_22

Although my path may not be considered "Wicca" in this guild, I still feel that I am Wiccan in my own right. But yeah... this guild has a strict view on what Wicca is, but I don't agree with it and I let it be.

So if you're just confused by what they call Wicca, I don't see why you can't still call yourself a Wiccan. Does it matter that you're not within the definition? I don't think so biggrin

Live and let live, to each their own~

Well, I don't think it's strict but rather just clearing things up. See, all my books are by silver ravenwolf and I was lead to believe that one could be a solitary Wiccan. However, it seems that isn't so because this guild has cleared up things she teaches. I am not one to claim to be something if honestly that is not what I am. I don't want to claim to be Wiccan when I have honestly not put in the true effort to be one.

Freyis

Just because your not Wiccan doesn't mean your path is any less valid than it was before. Your still the same as you were before only now you know that Wicca is not the proper term for you path. That's it, it's just a word. I don't get why people get all riled up about it.

Personally I think finding your own way is much more fulfilling probably because I shy away from any structured type religion.

If you truly do wish to follow Wicca though do some research and seek. From what I've found Wicca isn't just a religion you can just claim you have to work hard to become a member and it isn't for everyone don't limit yourself.

Sorry if my post is a bit jumpy with my thoughts. I just got off work and it's really late so my brain is a bit foggy.

I understand that my path isn't any less valid. I'd hate to limit myself, but there are not many places i can go that are full of witchcraft/pagan stuff. At least none that I know of. and don't worry your post was understandable. ^_^

RavenxXxPyre

I had the same problem. I now refer to myself as a "neo-pagan" who dabbles in witchcraft.
not sure if that helped....

Neo-Pagan? What is that?

Question to everyone. Is it possible to be simply a witch?  

[razielarcha]

Anannsul

There is a difference? Oh man, my views on witchcraft are so ruined by silver what's her face. gonk

Neo-Pagan? What is that?

Question to everyone. Is it possible to be simply a witch?

Witchcraft has no connection to a faith. It doesn't involve calling to a god/dess to make it happen. Religion/rituals do. Witches can be of any religion.

Nep-Pagan, like the word pagan, is an umbrella term. It's also vague, so it suits people who are seeking to start.

I would think it would be possible to be just a witch, though a lot that I know mix their religion into their practices. Witch only means a practiser of a craft. There's no dogma attached usually.

...And I'm sure there's many on this board that can explain it better than me xp  

[Esiris]

Anannsul

There is a difference? Oh man, my views on witchcraft are so ruined by silver what's her face. gonk

Yeah. See- being a Pagan/Neo-Pagan just means that you don't worship as a Christian, Jew or Muslim.

Being a witch means you practice witchcraft. Some Christians and Jews practice witchcraft- I don't know any Muslims personally who do- which isn't to say they don't exist, I just don't know.

Some pagans practice witchcraft- others don't. In ancient Greece, witches were looked down upon if the ancient philosophers are to be believed.

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Seeking hmm? I never thought of it that way. = However, that leaves me even more confused about where to turn from here... What should I be looking into that is nature based, but also has things such as casting circles and spells but also i can still incorporate my dragons into? I've never heard of a nature based Dragon anything.

Cunningham's Standing Stone seems like it might work. It's not Wicca even if the book titles call it that- but it can fit what you're describing. You may also want to just be Eclectic.

For example, you mention casting a circle. Most Eclectics I know cast circles as a magical warding against unwelcome influences. Most of the ones I have worked with also see it as a way to bless the space. My HPS casts circles to plunge the place we are in into a hologramatic reality. (I paraphrase of course). We're not in normal time and space- we're in a little pocket that is separate- one that makes understanding the Mysteries possible.

Those are very different things as I bet you can imagine. Seeking means finding what is right for you.

For me, I find it helpful not to have expectations about where I will end up.

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Well, I don't think it's strict but rather just clearing things up. See, all my books are by silver ravenwolf and I was lead to believe that one could be a solitary Wiccan. However, it seems that isn't so because this guild has cleared up things she teaches. I am not one to claim to be something if honestly that is not what I am. I don't want to claim to be Wiccan when I have honestly not put in the true effort to be one.

There are also major differences about what Eclectic witchcraft can look like and what Wicca is, like the whole Circle thing.

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I understand that my path isn't any less valid. I'd hate to limit myself, but there are not many places i can go that are full of witchcraft/pagan stuff. At least none that I know of. and don't worry your post was understandable. ^_^

You might be surprised. wink

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Neo-Pagan? What is that?

"New Pagan", mostly religions that were created based on older pagan religions in the modern era.

Or at least, that's how Drawing Down the Moon described it in one section.

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Question to everyone. Is it possible to be simply a witch?

Yeah, but being a witch doesn't mean you have a specific religion.  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

You did a pretty good job wink Allow me to clarify briefly. The term "pagan" refers essentially to the member of any religion, big or small, that is not Abrahamic. That is, it's not decended from the religion of Abraham.

Neo-pagans practice a religion that reconstructs or is inspired by pre-christian pagan religion/s, usually of Europe and the near east. To be a little more confusing, many people nowadays are referring specifically to neopagans when they use the term "pagan".

While many modern neopagans are witches, not all are and some get offended being called a witch. Some neopagans consider the practice of magic to be impious!  

[Esiris]

Sanguina Cruenta

You did a pretty good job wink Allow me to clarify briefly. The term "pagan" refers essentially to the member of any religion, big or small, that is not Abrahamic. That is, it's not decended from the religion of Abraham.

I've wondered about this sometimes. There are lots of smaller religions that "descend" from Abraham that seem so different that the three religion's I mentioned tend not to claim them in the same way they claim each other.

Some of the religions that come to mind: Sikhism, the Baha'i and the Yazidi.

I don't know. I rely on the three that are easily recognized because they acknowledge each other for the most part- even when they consider these other groups to be pagan.

You'll always have someone shouting about how Allah isn't Jehovah or something- but I think they're a small group that's just really loud.

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Neo-pagans practice a religion that reconstructs or is inspired by pre-christian pagan religion/s, usually of Europe and the near east. To be a little more confusing, many people nowadays are referring specifically to neopagans when they use the term "pagan".

I also include completely modern religions that aren't related to pre-Christian religions. Some of the Fairy-faiths and the Spiritualist faiths don't draw from much earlier than the slave trade.

Quote:

While many modern neopagans are witches, not all are and some get offended being called a witch. Some neopagans consider the practice of magic to be impious!

Yeah. I got into a discussion about this with my former HP. sweatdrop  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

For what it's worth, I class the little ones as abrahamic too. Even rastafarianism. (rastafari?...)  

[Esiris]

Sanguina Cruenta

For what it's worth, I class the little ones as abrahamic too. Even rastafarianism. (rastafari?...)

I guess it's just about which classification system we use. If we're talking a five group system- European, Abrahamic, Dharmic/Eastern, New-world tribal and African, it makes a lot of sense.

If it's just Abrahamic v. Pagan, it gets to be more tricky in my eyes. It's one of those "How much does it have to change before it isn't Abrhamic anymore?" and I don't know how to answer that question. sweatdrop

Ugh, and then all the synchronistic religions.

I'm lost.