Describe your path

[Gunnarr]

Re: Describe your path

This is not meant as a criticism just an observation, but if you feel a slight then it is probably your eclectic new god that is angry.

When I read this thread, I just feel frustrated, our ancestors were a pragmatic bunch and were flexible to life's bumps, but a disservice is being done to their memory when people forget that pagan (paganism, heathenry or ancestral veneration) or what ever title you ascribe to your religiosity is about culture and locality in the broadest of sense's. It is not about the individual being out of touch and or ill informed or to lazy to really get into the nuts and bolts of their study and self.

The smallest part of being a pagan is the family unit, if you start there you will discover a spirituality, because in a joint venture you tend to use less UPG and a more evidential approach. This approach will give you so much work and satisfaction, simply stating that you have studied from this to this is shallow, adjusting your worldview to try and live and modify oneself will bring a whole new level to that of what you have studied. That worldview will never be like the ancestors at the time of its absorption into Christianity because we are still modern people, but it will be enough to re-read the sagas and any other evidential text through at least a modern pagan worldview as close to ones ancestors as we can hope to be.

These are my musings on this, as always prepared to debate...

[thalassa]

Re: Describe your path

These are my musings on this, as always prepared to debate...

...except that this isn't the debate section, or a debate thread.

How someone decides to recognize divinity and include it in their life is an individual choice, and the only one they need to justify it to is themselves...particularly in this thread.

If is something you honestly and civilly want to discuss, then start a new thread.

[Gunnarr]

Re: Describe your path

Thalassa and forum,

A genuine mistake, for which I apologise.

[Dark Dragon]

Re: Describe your path

This is not meant as a criticism just an observation, but if you feel a slight then it is probably your eclectic new god that is angry.

When I read this thread, I just feel frustrated, our ancestors were a pragmatic bunch and were flexible to life's bumps, but a disservice is being done to their memory when people forget that pagan (paganism, heathenry or ancestral veneration) or what ever title you ascribe to your religiosity is about culture and locality in the broadest of sense's. It is not about the individual being out of touch and or ill informed or to lazy to really get into the nuts and bolts of their study and self.

The smallest part of being a pagan is the family unit, if you start there you will discover a spirituality, because in a joint venture you tend to use less UPG and a more evidential approach. This approach will give you so much work and satisfaction, simply stating that you have studied from this to this is shallow, adjusting your worldview to try and live and modify oneself will bring a whole new level to that of what you have studied. That worldview will never be like the ancestors at the time of its absorption into Christianity because we are still modern people, but it will be enough to re-read the sagas and any other evidential text through at least a modern pagan worldview as close to ones ancestors as we can hope to be.

These are my musings on this, as always prepared to debate...

your opinion is your opinion I mean who,s to say who is really what you trying to debunk someone without even knowing them is a bit pathetic and if I personally don't agree with a post why waste the time to Criticize just move on from it and find something else more amusing to do with your time

[Gunnarr]

Re: Describe your path

The post on this thread was in error as stated, but it has been reposted on this thread, http://www.paganforum.com/showthread...idence-of-them , if you wish to read it.

Thank you for your opinion, I like opinions as they cause debate, which in turn make's me think and progress.

[habbalah]

Re: Describe your path

I'm still finding out everything about my own path, but this is what I have discovered so far.

Like several others, my path is a mixed one. The basic foundation of it is somewhat deist, mixed with angelolatry; I believe in a god, that it created the world and all life, then pulled away. Between us and god there are beings (I refer to them as "angels" because that's how I see them, but you may feel differently) that are there to guide us to where we need to be in life. I do believe in a sort of "guardian angel" that each one person has, then a more powerful, overreaching angel that guides many. My overreaching spirit comes to me in the form of the Archangel Uriel; I don't know my personal angel yet.

I believe that whatever you do will echo back to you, but sometimes, you have to go through a lot of bad to earn your good. I don't, exactly, believe in magic for myself, but I believe in intent. What I mean is, if you preform a prayer or a spell to harm someone, it probably will. However, I do believe in luck (I'm very careful not to put my shoes on the wrong feet in the morning) and maybe some minor herbological practices? I have a bowl of sea salt above my desk to draw in negative energy.

I'm not sure how I feel about death and the afterlife yet. I absolutely believe there is another world beyond our own, but I don't know what happens to us when we get there. Then again, I do believe in ghosts, so I think there is a lasting soul within the body.

[SilverOak]

Re: Describe your path

I am a polytheist, following the Celtic path, which, for me, is a combination of Druidism and Celtic Reconstructionism. My main God/desses are Cernunnos, Rhiannon, Brighid and Lugh. I'm a solitary. I also honor the Fae and nature spirits.

The holy days that I celebrate are Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh.

Yes, I believe in the Otherworld and in reincarnation.

[Caelia]

Re: Describe your path

Hmmm, I guess I'll give this a shot (though I thought I had tbh)...

What Gods or Pantheon do you believe in?
I believe in technically all gods, but I follow the Egyptian pantheon. Namely, I follow the gods observed in Dendera: HetHert (Hathor), Heru Behedity (Horus the Behedite), and Ihy.

What rituals do you practice and for what purpose?
I follow currently the Dendera calendar, so apart from the daily rituals I try to follow the holidays where I can. Those include: Wep Ronpet (New Year); Kha-Her-Kha (basically end of the harvest season); Festival of the Navigation (from what I'm gathering it seems to mark things like solsitices); etc.

Do you believe in the Afterlife or Otherworld?
Yes, but I believe it does take some work to get there and must be earned to get passage into the better part.

[Cinder]

Re: Describe your path

What Gods or Pantheon do you believe in?
I have the most connection with Roman gods, especially Dionysus. My Pantheon changes, based on who I feel more connected to at the time. I do not have a patron god or goddess.

What rituals do you practice and for what purpose?
I do a lot of purification, Shamanism, and animal magic. My focus has more to do with animals, as I understand and relate to them more. Dreamwalking is a nightly occurrence, and I am learning divination.

Do you believe in the Afterlife or Otherworld?
I believe in reincarnation and the existence of different planes.

[Nahua]

Re: Describe your path

What Gods or Pantheon do you believe in?:
Im a mesoamerican reconstructionist. I primarily worship the Maya pantheon, but I also venerate some Mexica Gods (Huitzilopochtli for example).

What rituals do you practice and for what purpose?
I do offerings of Incense, meat, and blood in honor of the gods. I observe holidays sacred to the gods as well.

Do you believe in the Afterlife or Otherworld?
Indeed I do. I belive in the underword and the journies through it.

[lightningrapunzel]

Re: Describe your path

Describe your path.

I am an Eclectic Pagan with leanings towards the Norse deities. I used to be Wiccan, but found that many of the practises and teachings didn't really resonate with me any longer.

What Gods or Pantheon do you believe in?

At the moment, the Norse Pantheon is the one I am most drawn to. My patron god is Loki, and I sometimes speak with Freyja and Thor. I'm eclectic though; I hold beliefs in the Greek and the Celtic Pantheons too.

What rituals do you practice and for what purpose?

I practise meditation a lot. I don't do a lot of circle rituals with elements; I prefer just to walk around nature and commune that way. If I am trying to speak with a certain god or goddess, I usually sit or lie down in a calm, comfortable place, close my eyes, and go from there.

Do you believe in the Afterlife or Otherworld?

I believe in reincarnation. However, I also believe in the afterlife. I haven't truly settled on this yet, to be honest.

[chatters]

Re: Describe your path

What Gods or Pantheon do you believe in?:
I do believe in gods as higher spirits but not really into gods and goddesses as such. My beliefs is more along the lines of one divine spirit which is within and beyond everything

What rituals do you practice and for what purpose?
My rituals are simple and include a lot of work around ancester reverance and the land. I give offerings to my ancesters and ask them for help and guidance in all my workings. All the tools i use in my work are natural or are found objects in my home. I use natural materials such as feathers, pine cones, conkers, stones, sticks. I also use a lot of herbs. I work with with the creative and destructive side of nature


Do you believe in the Afterlife or Otherworld?
I do believe in the afterlife and that sometimes we return to the earth as a land spirit or come back to live another life. I believe that that are different planes in the afterlife

[Chris_Trejbal]

Re: Describe your path

Well I am currently pagan, looking for my deitie(s) and spiritual protector. I am open to all god(s), Goddess(s) and spirits, but i find myself connnecting with greek deities. I am open to all options, and i love the nature-free path that paganism has to offer

[Moonkissed Wolf]

Re: Describe your path

What are basically your beliefs...

Things like....
What Gods or Pantheon do you believe in?
What rituals do you practice and for what purpose?
Do you believe in the Afterlife or Otherworld?
etc...

Let's see...

1. I don't follow any pantheons. I see myths as myths (meaning no disrespect to those who follow specific pantheons!). I believe in the Spiritual Divine though. One "being" that people of all religions "worship," whether they know it or not.
2. I haven't really done any formal rituals. I love going outside and feeling the different energies in nature and wilderness... ahhhh And I use the Quarter Sabbats to recognize the changes of energies in nature.
3. Reincarnation. I definitely believe in reincarnation! I believe... no, I KNOW spirits are among us, I might not have if I haven't witnessed them myself. But I have had many spiritual encounters and that's why I do know they're among us.

[Laketear]

Re: Describe your path

I don't believe in any particular gods or pantheons I do however believe that there are MANY deities, spirits, and also the Triple Goddess and the Horned God however I don't pray to any of these. I pray to Angel but she's not an angel in the Chrisitan sense I see her as a winged being that emulates everything good and full of light in this world and my world as well. I've just always called her Angel because that's how I saw her since I was a child but sometimes I wonder if there's another that I can't see an am vaguely aware of at times. Because I also believe that there's always a duality of deities, there must always be a balance, such as The Divine being divided into The Goddess and The God or Yin and Yang for example. So that would mean that there must be a dark being that represents the darker baser sides of human nature or the more primal desires I have a demon then? I don't really know I've never really explored or thought about that side of my beliefs before.
As for rituals I don't practice any I merely go for long walks and try to be as close to nature as possible to clear my head and it usually makes me feel better. Although when I go for walks I almost always have my ipod with me and I listen to music when I walk and I'll try and visualize the energy of the things around me whether they're inanimate objects like cars or things that are alive like the trees and the plants around me. Sometimes I'll even try to feel my own energy an visualize it into all sorts of different things like a...flare of sorts signaling Angel where I am. (Not that she would need a flare to find me, lol.) So could you consider that a type of ritual because I do that all the time I'll visualize a lot of things trying to reach Angel.
I do believe in an Afterlife, Heaven and Hell of sorts even a type of Purgatory but I believe the soul decides where it goes based on the choices and actions made in past lives of life. I definitly believe in reincarntion and rebirth it's all just a long road trip to the soul all for it's completion or fullfilment as to what happens once it reaches that I have no idea maybe the soul becomes a higher type of being and has no need to be reborn. I honestly can't see myself moving forward without the ones I love and maybe that's what Angel is someone I once knew in a past life but found peace and has decided to remain behind to help me? Ah, who knows but like I said before I do believe in a Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory but I don't think they are a permant resting place unless the soul needs it to be; sometimes the guilt from the things we did in past lives may inadvertently send us to Hell where we stay till the soul feels some sort of Atonement. Of course that may bring up Q. like what if there's an evil person and they feel like they did no wrong? Well I can't really say but I should also mention I also believe in the influence people have on each other so maybe that evil person will change. Apocatastasis is the term made by a man named Origin he lived around 300B.C. or something anyway Apocatastasis is Universial Salvation though it's a Christian term I do think there is some truth behind it whether or not that salvation is for the good of all I don't really know. I do think that every soul at one point or another will find it's salvation.

Laketear