Your Wiccan/Pagan Path...and How Did You Know?

[lycoris_aura]

I had heard about Wicca in several places before beginnnig my research; I read about a dozen books, and loved what I saw in most of them . I couldn't really find a specific way in any of the specific styles that I liked, they all seemed to have bits and pieces I loved...eventually it all led me to a more spiritual path, through fortuitious meetings with people. Now I incorporate many religious pieces into my life, using Neo-pagan beliefs as a kind of glue for the pieces.

In the end though, "glue" isn't really necessary. Whatever is right for you, just IS.  

[Yanueh]

Y'know, I read about Wicca quite a bit, but I couldn't really dig it. It was too Eurocentric, geocentric, and flat-Earthy for my tastes. razz  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

Yanueh

Eurocentric,

There's a shocker, it being a religion of the Lord and Lady of the Isles wink

Quote:

geocentric

In what sense?

Quote:

and flat-Earthy

Um... what?  

[Yanueh]

Sanguina Cruenta

Yanueh

Eurocentric,

There's a shocker, it being a religion of the Lord and Lady of the Isles wink

Heheh. Personally, I just found that there was so much imagery and symbolism pertaining to Europe that I couldn't really relate that well. I don't live in a forest, and I don't have oaks and rowans; I live in a desert where many of the trees sacred to the Celts won't even grow properly.

Sanguina Cruenta

Quote:

geocentric

In what sense?

Hmm... it's kind of hard to explain. The whole astrology aspect, fer one. razz I used to believe in it, but I kinda tossed it aside as my own experience suggested that there was more selection bias and Forer Effect going on than actual prediction, and when I realized it was slightly silly to think that all these arbitrarily-selected and named stars and planets had an effect on your destiny while others that were arbitrarily ignored didn't.

Sanguina Cruenta

Yanueh

and flat-Earthy

Um... what?

The beliefs and philosophies just seem to make a lot more sense in the context of a flat Earth. Every time I hear about the whole thing with the god dying and renewing (hence seasons,) I find myself wondering how Australia fits into the picture. Unless Australia is the underworld, of course, and that's just a very bizarre thought. razz  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

Yanueh

Heheh. Personally, I just found that there was so much imagery and symbolism pertaining to Europe that I couldn't really relate that well. I don't live in a forest, and I don't have oaks and rowans; I live in a desert where many of the trees sacred to the Celts won't even grow properly.

What do the Celts have to do with it? Or trees generally?

Quote:

Hmm... it's kind of hard to explain. The whole astrology aspect, fer one. razz I used to believe in it, but I kinda tossed it aside as my own experience suggested that there was more selection bias and Forer Effect going on than actual prediction, and when I realized it was slightly silly to think that all these arbitrarily-selected and named stars and planets had an effect on your destiny while others that were arbitrarily ignored didn't.

What does astrology have to do with Wicca?

Quote:

The beliefs and philosophies just seem to make a lot more sense in the context of a flat Earth. Every time I hear about the whole thing with the god dying and renewing (hence seasons,) I find myself wondering how Australia fits into the picture. Unless Australia is the underworld, of course, and that's just a very bizarre thought. razz

I'm not sure how it all works, as I've never experienced the rituals. It's possible it makes a whole heap more sense once you actually experience it and understand the context etc.  

[Yanueh]

Sanguina Cruenta

What do the Celts have to do with it? Or trees generally?

Wiccans just seemed pretty big on European trees that were sacred to the Celts and such. *shrug*

Basically, there's so much ancient European symbolism and imagery, I can't really relate to it all that well.

Quote:

What does astrology have to do with Wicca?

Yeah, probably a bad example. But a lot of Wiccans did seem rather keen on it. xp *shot*

Now much to my annoyance, I can't think of a concrete example of some good geocentric philosophies. Maybe it wasn't so much the actual beliefs as the impressions I got...?

Quote:

I'm not sure how it all works, as I've never experienced the rituals. It's possible it makes a whole heap more sense once you actually experience it and understand the context etc.

Yes, I suppose it might. razz

I dunno; I guess overall it just gave me the impression of a philosophy and worldview that I couldn't really relate to all that well. I still enjoy reading stuffs by Wiccans, in the hopes that someday I actually will figure it all out. wink *is still somewhat of a n00b in the whole mess*

Right now, though, the philosophies and ideas of chaos magic seem to make the most sense of this messy universe. razz  

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

Yanueh

Sanguina Cruenta

What do the Celts have to do with it? Or trees generally?

Wiccans just seemed pretty big on European trees that were sacred to the Celts and such. *shrug*

Basically, there's so much ancient European symbolism and imagery, I can't really relate to it all that well.

Quote:

What does astrology have to do with Wicca?

Yeah, probably a bad example. But a lot of Wiccans did seem rather keen on it. xp *shot*

Now much to my annoyance, I can't think of a concrete example of some good geocentric philosophies. Maybe it wasn't so much the actual beliefs as the impressions I got...?

Quote:

I'm not sure how it all works, as I've never experienced the rituals. It's possible it makes a whole heap more sense once you actually experience it and understand the context etc.

Yes, I suppose it might. razz

I dunno; I guess overall it just gave me the impression of a philosophy and worldview that I couldn't really relate to all that well. I still enjoy reading stuffs by Wiccans, in the hopes that someday I actually will figure it all out. wink *is still somewhat of a n00b in the whole mess*

Right now, though, the philosophies and ideas of chaos magic seem to make the most sense of this messy universe. razz

Morg? Can you comment/weigh in on any of this when you get the chance?  

[Morgandria]

Yanueh

Wiccans just seemed pretty big on European trees that were sacred to the Celts and such. *shrug*

Basically, there's so much ancient European symbolism and imagery, I can't really relate to it all that well.

There are BTW covens in Australia that seem to be coping just fine with the differences in their geography and fauna - and they really can't ignore their own landscape, if they're doing things right.

It's hard to say "All Wiccans do 'X'", aside from the core practice, because covens have their own autonomy. The high priesthood of a coven has the right to add to their core practices, so long as it does not fundamentally change them.

My coven's big on plant names for its' students and initiates - my high priestess is a horticulturalist. My coven uses lots of European and North American imagery - my high priestess is British, and we're in Canada. That's why we are the way we are. That doesn't mean another coven will use the same symbolism in the same way.

Covens have personalities, created from the collective personalities of its' membership. If a coven's not quite the right flavour for you, you'll know, and they'll know. Keep looking.

Yanueh

Yeah, probably a bad example. But a lot of Wiccans did seem rather keen on it. xp *shot*

Now much to my annoyance, I can't think of a concrete example of some good geocentric philosophies. Maybe it wasn't so much the actual beliefs as the impressions I got...?

Don't pin that one on Wicca. Pin it on the individual Wiccans. Astrology is a practice that falls outside Wicca's core practice - basically if you're keen on it, fine, but it's not something every Wiccan will care about. I have a rudimentary understanding of astrology, which I find helpful when doing certain types of magic or some workings, but it's not mandatory.

And Wicca itself isn't about belief. The individual Wiccan is free to believe as they will, and what they will, so long as they properly maintain the core practices of Wicca, and their oaths. I don't have the same beliefs as others in my coven, but we're all on the same page with the practices.

Yanueh

I dunno; I guess overall it just gave me the impression of a philosophy and worldview that I couldn't really relate to all that well. I still enjoy reading stuffs by Wiccans, in the hopes that someday I actually will figure it all out. wink *is still somewhat of a n00b in the whole mess*

Right now, though, the philosophies and ideas of chaos magic seem to make the most sense of this messy universe. razz

Context is key with Wicca. You will have different levels of understanding, depending on what nuance something is given - it all depends on the context in which it is placed. For me, there were a lot of "DING!" moments when suddenly I'd experience something in a different way, or get the context in a different perspective, and I'd understand it much better. If you enjoy ephiphanies, Wicca is full of them.

As with anything else, you really need to 'shop around'. And in the end it may turn out Wicca really isn't for you - but you won't know that until you give it a fair shake.  

[Unusual Inescapable Me]

I always grew up being pushed into Christianity, but always saw other beings. My mother attributed it to my imagination, but I always knew they were real. I started reading up and it just felt right.
I'm a Hedge Witch which works for me because I've always felt very in tune with the Earth.  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

SexyVampireStalker

I'm a Hedge Witch which works for me because I've always felt very in tune with the Earth.

What does one have to do with t'other?  

[Unusual Inescapable Me]

Sanguina Cruenta

SexyVampireStalker

I'm a Hedge Witch which works for me because I've always felt very in tune with the Earth.

What does one have to do with t'other?

crying I wasn't sure how to explain it, sorry. redface  

[Morgandria]

SexyVampireStalker

Sanguina Cruenta

SexyVampireStalker

I'm a Hedge Witch which works for me because I've always felt very in tune with the Earth.

What does one have to do with t'other?

crying I wasn't sure how to explain it, sorry. redface

Aren't hedgewitches practicing an Otherworld tradition involving journeying into the spirit realm? I can see you saying that you're a Hedgewitch because you enjoy journeying into different spirit worlds...but I'm not as clear as to how feeling in tune with the Middle World has as much to do with it. Technically, since we live in the Middle World, we're naturally going to feel more in sync with it than other realms.  

[Unusual Inescapable Me]

Morgandria

SexyVampireStalker

Sanguina Cruenta

SexyVampireStalker

I'm a Hedge Witch which works for me because I've always felt very in tune with the Earth.

What does one have to do with t'other?

crying I wasn't sure how to explain it, sorry. redface

Aren't hedgewitches practicing an Otherworld tradition involving journeying into the spirit realm? I can see you saying that you're a Hedgewitch because you enjoy journeying into different spirit worlds...but I'm not as clear as to how feeling in tune with the Middle World has as much to do with it. Technically, since we live in the Middle World, we're naturally going to feel more in sync with it than other realms.

I meant more of the spirits that dwell in the trees and such. I just wasn't really sure how to explain it. confused Ahhh I'm still confused as to how to say it.  

[khlouiie-nicole]

Well, when I was 8 maii mom taught me how to communciate with sprits through pendulum and we did alot of the indian rituals, you know, with the sage and sweet grass, and the dream catchers than when i was 10 i moved into maii christian grandpa's house and thats when I started studying oujii (I never NEVER used it) and witchcraft and stuff and when I was 11 and 12 i practiced witchcraft and so yeah now im a wicca who practices witchcraft.  

[Morgandria]

devilerina101

Well, when I was 8 maii mom taught me how to communciate with sprits through pendulum and we did alot of the indian rituals, you know, with the sage and sweet grass, and the dream catchers than when i was 10 i moved into maii christian grandpa's house and thats when I started studying oujii (I never NEVER used it) and witchcraft and stuff and when I was 11 and 12 i practiced witchcraft and so yeah now im a wicca who practices witchcraft.

It's 'my', not 'maii'. We do encourage proper spelling and grammar here. smile

Are you Native? If not, how is it appropriate for you to practice Native religion?

I am not sure how you have made the leap from witch to Wiccan. It is not something you can just decide you are or claim for yourself - Wiccan is a title that must be earned. And Wicca is much more than simply practicing witchcraft.

Your profile says you are 13. If you are indeed a minor, you are not actually a Wiccan, nor are you able to be a Wiccan at this time. Wiccans are initiated members of their traditions, and the laws of the Wicca do not permit the initiation or membership of people under the age of 18.

We hold a standard here regarding claims to Wicca. If you would like to talk about Wicca, and learn more, please feel free to ask - I am an initiate in the Gardnerian tradition and would be glad to help you sort out fact from fiction.

Do not take my post as meaning I think you are a bad person or that your practices are wrong. That is not my intent. I simply see that you may not understand what Wicca actually is and entails, and that you may be mislabelling your path. You're still very young, and you have a lot of time to develop skills and find an appropriate path ahead of you. You may discover, in time, that Wicca is absolutely not for you, and it's a poor name for what you do, because it's not the same thing.