Inspiration

[Sanguina Cruenta]

I'm searching for something. The only problem is, I have no idea what it is. I'm even reading through websites I know are crappy sources in the attempt to grasp at something I feel like I'm looking for.

In the interests of getting some new ideas, I come to you, dear MM member. If there is something - a website, a book, a poem, a ritual, a prayer - that has inspired your faith, or made you think, or made something click in your mind, please share. ^_^

Edit: I'm not sure I was clear before. To clarify: I'd like you to share something that inspires you. I'm not really looking for advice or anything. ^_^  

[Beautiful Propaganda]

Maybe you should meditate on the feeling? And pay attention to dreams, your subcontious might know what you're looking for.  

[ncsweet]

The Charge of the Goddess is one of the things that inspires me most. Whenever I'm feeling "disconnected", the simple act of reading it gives me a boost. Even if my path still seems unclear, when I read it I am instantly sure that I am going in the right direction, even if I'm not quite sure where it is leading me too.

Charge of the Goddess

Now listen to the words of the Great Mother,
Who was of old also called among men
Artemis, Astarte, Athene, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite,
Cerridwen, Dana, Arianrhod, Isis, Bride
And by many other names.
Whenever ye have need of any thing,
Once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full,
Then shall ye assemble in some secret place,
And adore the spirit of me, who am Queen of all witcheries.
There shall ye assemble,
Ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets;
To these will I teach things that are as yet unknown.
And ye shall be free from slavery;
And as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites;
And ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love,
All in my praise.

For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit, and mine also is joy on earth;
For my law is love unto all beings.
Keep pure your highest ideal;
Strive ever towards it, let naught stop you or turn you aside;
For mine is the secret door which opens upon the land of youth,
And mine is the cup of wine of life,
And the cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of immortality.

I am the gracious Goddess,
Who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man.
Upon earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal;
And beyond death, I give peace, and freedom,
And reunion with those who have gone before.
Nor do I demand sacrifice; for behold, I am the Mother of all living,
And my love is poured out upon the earth.

Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess;
She in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven,
whose body encircles the universe.
I, Who am the beauty of the green earth and the white moon among the stars,
And the mystery of the waters, and desire of the heart of man.
Call unto thy soul.

Arise and come unto me;
For I am the soul of nature, who gives life to the universe.
From me all things proceed, and unto me all things must return;
And before my face, beloved of Gods and of men,
Let thine innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite.
Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth;
For behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals.
And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion,
Honour and humility, mirth and reverence within you.

And thou who thinkest to seek for me,
Know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not
Unless thou knowest the mystery:
That if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee,
Thou wilt never find it without thee.
For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning;
And I am that which is attained at the end of desire.  

[Starlock]

If you don't listen to any of the Proud Pagan Podcasters already, give them a go. More often than not they'll give you something to think about.

Likewise, there's much to be said by simply living and being aware of being alive; taking notice of things that appear ordinary and discovering they are not ordinary at all. Sit someplace and just watch things going on around you for half an hour, an hour. Something will probably come up. Experience things. Really experience things.  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

Thanks Sweet 4laugh

Matters and Starlock: Thanks. I'm not sure if I was clear, but I'm not looking for advice. I want to know about what inspires you. I've been at this for nine years, I know about meditation and experiencing things. wink But thanks for the thoughts anyway.  

[Starlock]

lol Whoops. The way you wrote it before made it sound like you wanted something for inspiration.

I really get it from pretty much anywhere, including the two things I already mentioned. I live in an information era; I might as well make use of it, especially since there are so many wondrous things out there to draw from. The majority of where I draw from though centers around the natural world in some way. It's amazing the things you can learn by watching a tree leaf out in the spring or my herbs grow into big plants from an itsy bitsy seed. I imagine to many that sounds terribly boring. xp  

[Furrie Princess Nala]

i would try a song called if you still belive in love by elsa raven. its what finaly got me to open my heart and accept the fact that i wasent like my family in stead of hiding it.  

[whiporwill-o]

i usually find my inspiration by sitting in my garden and reading one of my books, by writing in my B.O.S. and by doing some arts and crafts that i incorporate into my beliefs.

on the flip side, my "guilty pleasure" inspiration is shopping, lol. i love shopping for new books and going to antique shops in search of ritual items, jewelry and potential talisman/spell items. its a weakness, lol.  

[Aryain Flames]

Nothing inspires me more then nature, getting out in the world to enjoy the Goddess' creation. Some of the best days of my life have been spent paddling a canoe through northern Minnasota. Also,I love thunder storms. The incredible power of them reminds me of that of the Divine.  

[RubyLight]

Just looking at some form of water outside fills me with insiration. I also like going through bookstores; reading the titles and even the dusty smell of the old ones really give me ideas.  

[GoddessAttuned]

Similar to ncsweet, I love to read a poem outloud even if its not to focus on a sertain thing or if I am not sure of the directiong I am taking yet I love the read a poem known as the "Witches Creed." I find its wonderful for inspiring pride inmyself and good moral.

The Witches Creed.
Hear now the words of the witches,
The secrets we hid in the night,
When dark was our destiny’s pathway,
That now we bring forth into light.

Mysterious water and fire,
The earth and the wide-ranging air,
By hidden quintessence we know them,
And will and keep silent and dare.

The birth and rebirth of all nature,
The passing of winter and spring,
We share with the life universal,
Rejoice in the magical ring.

Four times in the year the Great Sabbat
Returns, and witches are seen
At Lammas, and Candlemas dancing,
On May Eve and old Hallowe’en.

When day-time and night-time are equal,
When the sun is at greatest and least,
The four Lesser Sabbats are summoned,
Again witches gather in feast.

Thirteen silver moons in a year are,
Thirteen is the coven's array.
Thirteen times as Esbat make merry,
For each golden year and a day.

The power was passed down the ages,
Each time between woman and man,
Each century unto the other,
Ere time and the ages began.

When drawn is the magical circle,
By sword or athame or power,
Its compass between the two worlds lie,
In Land of the Shades for that hour.

This world has no right then to know it,
And world beyond will tell naught,
The oldest of Gods are invoked there,
The Great Work of magic is wrought.

For two are the mystical pillars,
That stand to at the gate of the shrine,
And two are the powers of nature,
The forms and the forces divine.

The dark and the light in succession,
The opposites each unto each,
Shown forth as a God and a Goddess,
Of this did our ancestors teach.

By night he’s the wild wind’s rider,
The Horn’d One, the Lord of the shades,
By day he’s the King of the Woodlands,
The dweller in green forest glades.

She is youthful or old as she pleases,

She sails the torn clouds in her barque,

The bright silver lady of midnight,

The crone who weaves spells in the dark.

The master and mistress of magic,
They dwell in the deeps of the mind,
Immortal and ever-renewing,
With power to free or to bind.

So drink the good wine to the Old Gods,
And dance and make love in their praise,
Til Elphame's fair land shall receive us,
In peace at the end of our days.

An Do What You Will be the challenge,
So be it in Love that harms none,
For this is the only commandment,
By Magick of old, be it done.

Eight words the Witches’ Creed fulfill:

If it harms none, do what you will.

 

[GoddessAttuned]

iHecate

Similar to ncsweet, I love to read a poem outloud even if its not to focus on a sertain thing or if I am not sure of the directiong I am taking yet I love the read a poem known as the "Witches Creed." I find its wonderful for inspiring pride inmyself and good moral. Other then this poem I love to take a walk in the forest around my house or in a park near by.

The Witches Creed.
Hear now the words of the witches,
The secrets we hid in the night,
When dark was our destiny’s pathway,
That now we bring forth into light.

Mysterious water and fire,
The earth and the wide-ranging air,
By hidden quintessence we know them,
And will and keep silent and dare.

The birth and rebirth of all nature,
The passing of winter and spring,
We share with the life universal,
Rejoice in the magical ring.

Four times in the year the Great Sabbat
Returns, and witches are seen
At Lammas, and Candlemas dancing,
On May Eve and old Hallowe’en.

When day-time and night-time are equal,
When the sun is at greatest and least,
The four Lesser Sabbats are summoned,
Again witches gather in feast.

Thirteen silver moons in a year are,
Thirteen is the coven's array.
Thirteen times as Esbat make merry,
For each golden year and a day.

The power was passed down the ages,
Each time between woman and man,
Each century unto the other,
Ere time and the ages began.

When drawn is the magical circle,
By sword or athame or power,
Its compass between the two worlds lie,
In Land of the Shades for that hour.

This world has no right then to know it,
And world beyond will tell naught,
The oldest of Gods are invoked there,
The Great Work of magic is wrought.

For two are the mystical pillars,
That stand to at the gate of the shrine,
And two are the powers of nature,
The forms and the forces divine.

The dark and the light in succession,
The opposites each unto each,
Shown forth as a God and a Goddess,
Of this did our ancestors teach.

By night he’s the wild wind’s rider,
The Horn’d One, the Lord of the shades,
By day he’s the King of the Woodlands,
The dweller in green forest glades.

She is youthful or old as she pleases,

She sails the torn clouds in her barque,

The bright silver lady of midnight,

The crone who weaves spells in the dark.

The master and mistress of magic,
They dwell in the deeps of the mind,
Immortal and ever-renewing,
With power to free or to bind.

So drink the good wine to the Old Gods,
And dance and make love in their praise,
Til Elphame's fair land shall receive us,
In peace at the end of our days.

An Do What You Will be the challenge,
So be it in Love that harms none,
For this is the only commandment,
By Magick of old, be it done.

Eight words the Witches’ Creed fulfill:

If it harms none, do what you will.