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Author Topic: How to start practicing in the closet?  (Read 4511 times)

Amaryllis

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How to start practicing in the closet?
« on: August 05, 2014, 12:09:39 pm »
Hi! So I have a question, How would someone start practicing a pagan religion in the closet? Like setting up an alter, praying, meditating, performing rituals, etc. I probably won't be starting to practice until I tell my mom, but everything religion related has been going faster than I expect, so I am working out a back up plan.

So, any ideas?
« Last Edit: August 05, 2014, 12:10:40 pm by Amaryllis »

Materialist

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Re: How to start practicing in the closet?
« Reply #1 on: August 05, 2014, 12:51:15 pm »
Quote from: Maria_Manannan;154817
How would someone start practicing a pagan religion in the closet? Like setting up an alter, praying, meditating, performing rituals, etc.


 Is your mother still Catholic, is that why you feel a need to tell her?

Anyway, first, don't make a lot of noise. No ululations of the soul while praying or meditating. An altar can be a spot on a piece of furniture or area of floor temporarily put into service. Ritual tools can be common household objects put to sacred use and returned to their usual places with none the wiser. If you have permanent ones though, casually place them here and there on a shelf or wherever in your room without any blinking arrows pointing at them saying "authentic pagan artefact!"

Go stealth; don't act like you're doing anything overtly religious while others are around. Collect the objects you need when others are out shopping or something. Arrange rituals to coincide with times when you are unlikely to be interrupted.

Amaryllis

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Re: How to start practicing in the closet?
« Reply #2 on: August 05, 2014, 01:50:53 pm »
Quote from: Materialist;154827
Is your mother still Catholic, is that why you feel a need to tell her?

 
Yes, my mother is still Catholic, but thats not why I feel the need to tell her. She is actually very dedicated to Catholicism, and I would rather not tell her for much, much longer. Unfortunetely, I have confirmation in about a year and a half, and I would feel guilty joining a religion I don't believe in. :(
« Last Edit: August 06, 2014, 02:04:03 am by SunflowerP »

Jack

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Re: How to start practicing in the closet?
« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2014, 05:35:06 pm »
Quote from: Maria_Manannan;154835
Yes, my mother is still Catholic, but thats not why I feel the need to tell her. She is actually very dedicated to Catholicism, and I would rather not tell her for much, much longer. Unfortunetely, I have confirmation in about a year and a half, and I would feel guilty joining a religion I don't believe in. :(

 
When I came up for Confirmation I said I wasn't sure and I wanted to wait, and the Monsignor said I'd never be sure and that was normal and I should go through with it anyway. So make sure you're very committed to saying no before you have that conversation. XD
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Amaryllis

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Re: How to start practicing in the closet?
« Reply #4 on: August 05, 2014, 07:35:33 pm »
Quote from: Jack;154853
When I came up for Confirmation I said I wasn't sure and I wanted to wait, and the Monsignor said I'd never be sure and that was normal and I should go through with it anyway. So make sure you're very committed to saying no before you have that conversation. XD

 
Yeah, that's why if I have that conversation, it will be a week or 2 before confirmation. :D:That's also why I am going to be heavy-duty researching into paganism and paying a lot of attention in CCD (Maybe reading the bible through, too). I will also see if its required to believe in the old testament, because I disagree with pretty much the whole thing. :confused:

Jack

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Re: How to start practicing in the closet?
« Reply #5 on: August 05, 2014, 08:08:16 pm »
Quote from: Maria_Manannan;154871
Yeah, that's why if I have that conversation, it will be a week or 2 before confirmation. :D:That's also why I am going to be heavy-duty researching into paganism and paying a lot of attention in CCD (Maybe reading the bible through, too). I will also see if its required to believe in the old testament, because I disagree with pretty much the whole thing. :confused:
There's an argument that Jesus basically overruled the Old Testament, except when Christians want to use it. I had a lot of fun in CCD as a young pagan until I got kicked out, so I encourage you to read the Bible and ask LOTS of questions.
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Amaryllis

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Re: How to start practicing in the closet?
« Reply #6 on: August 05, 2014, 08:26:54 pm »
Quote from: Jack;154877
There's an argument that Jesus basically overruled the Old Testament, except when Christians want to use it. I had a lot of fun in CCD as a young pagan until I got kicked out, so I encourage you to read the Bible and ask LOTS of questions.

 
That sounds like fun *laughs evily*

missgraceless

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Re: How to start practicing in the closet?
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2014, 09:38:42 pm »
Quote from: Jack;154877
There's an argument that Jesus basically overruled the Old Testament, except when Christians want to use it. I had a lot of fun in CCD as a young pagan until I got kicked out, so I encourage you to read the Bible and ask LOTS of questions.

The Bible is quite a good read, actually, as a fiction novel. :p

But in all seriousness, research is your friend. How long until the confirmation? If you have an Amazon account, a few bucks, and a Kindle or smartphone, you can get any number of e-books, for fairly cheap, or even free. It's a great way to get decent information without advertising it. I like to browse the religion and spirituality section then sort by price so all the free books are right at the top. Sometimes it may not be even close to what path you want to follow, but there's ALWAYS something to find in the free books.

Just don't get anything by Silver Ravenwolf. (I'll let other Cauldronites explain why she's awful.)
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Amaryllis

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Re: How to start practicing in the closet?
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2014, 11:20:39 pm »
Quote from: missgraceless;154894
The Bible is quite a good read, actually, as a fiction novel. :p

But in all seriousness, research is your friend. How long until the confirmation? If you have an Amazon account, a few bucks, and a Kindle or smartphone, you can get any number of e-books, for fairly cheap, or even free. It's a great way to get decent information without advertising it. I like to browse the religion and spirituality section then sort by price so all the free books are right at the top. Sometimes it may not be even close to what path you want to follow, but there's ALWAYS something to find in the free books.

Just don't get anything by Silver Ravenwolf. (I'll let other Cauldronites explain why she's awful.)



I have confirmation in about 2 years, so really a long way away. Thanks so much for the amazon idea, I didn't even think about using it! I've just been getting my information from websites (though I have found some wonderful ones, this one for example) , but it will be awesome to read some real books. As for Silver Ravenwolf, I've already heard about her noncredibility, plus I've already knocked off Wicca as a possible religion.

missgraceless

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Re: How to start practicing in the closet?
« Reply #9 on: August 06, 2014, 07:06:27 am »
Quote from: Maria_Manannan;154911
I have confirmation in about 2 years, so really a long way away. Thanks so much for the amazon idea, I didn't even think about using it! I've just been getting my information from websites (though I have found some wonderful ones, this one for example) , but it will be awesome to read some real books. As for Silver Ravenwolf, I've already heard about her noncredibility, plus I've already knocked off Wicca as a possible religion.

If you're knocking off Wicca solely because of SRW, don't. It's just like any other religion/path, with both bad and good authors/teachers/whatever. Scott Cunningham is one that I find decently informational, and while I'm not sure if he's strictly Wiccan, Christopher Penzack is another good one, from my experience.

But if you're knocking it because it genuinely doesn't click, then that's fine. I, unfortunately, started off with SRW's "Wiccan" books, but it all felt too... formal, even when I discovered "real" Wiccan stuff. I'm using quotes because truth be told I never dove deep enough into Wicca to really get a sense of its core beliefs, other than SRW is a terrible author.

Don't feel like you NEED to find a specific path (or even a name for it) in the long run, and just do tons and tons of research.

And another thing I find useful when starting out is to just start paying attention to life around you. Sometimes it throws you consistent symbols or mannerisms that you never put much thought into previously. I found Quan Yin because of an Alanis Morissette song. I also discovered about a year after I got my peacock feather tattoo, that the bird is actually a symbol of Quan Yin through a creation story.
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Amaryllis

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Re: How to start practicing in the closet?
« Reply #10 on: August 06, 2014, 10:23:05 am »
Quote from: missgraceless;154929
If you're knocking off Wicca solely because of SRW, don't. It's just like any other religion/path, with both bad and good authors/teachers/whatever. Scott Cunningham is one that I find decently informational, and while I'm not sure if he's strictly Wiccan, Christopher Penzack is another good one, from my experience.

But if you're knocking it because it genuinely doesn't click, then that's fine. I, unfortunately, started off with SRW's "Wiccan" books, but it all felt too... formal, even when I discovered "real" Wiccan stuff. I'm using quotes because truth be told I never dove deep enough into Wicca to really get a sense of its core beliefs, other than SRW is a terrible author.

Don't feel like you NEED to find a specific path (or even a name for it) in the long run, and just do tons and tons of research.

And another thing I find useful when starting out is to just start paying attention to life around you. Sometimes it throws you consistent symbols or mannerisms that you never put much thought into previously. I found Quan Yin because of an Alanis Morissette song. I also discovered about a year after I got my peacock feather tattoo, that the bird is actually a symbol of Quan Yin through a creation story.

 

I didn't knock off Wicca from my list because of an author, It just didn't click. I really like the magic and rituals in it, though, just not the part about the divine in everything, and becoming part of the divine after enough reincarnation.

As for eclecticism, I think it is an awesome idea, and even if I choose a specific path, I will probably add bits of other paths with it anyway, even if you are not supposed to.

Also, thanks for the advice on observing life around me, I will definetely have to try doing that. And another thanks for mentioning a religion I've never heard of! I have to go off and research now. :)

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Re: How to start practicing in the closet?
« Reply #11 on: August 06, 2014, 11:26:14 am »
Quote from: Maria_Manannan;154946
I didn't knock off Wicca from my list because of an author, It just didn't click. I really like the magic and rituals in it, though, just not the part about the divine in everything, and becoming part of the divine after enough reincarnation.


I'm curious where you hit that last bit ("becoming part of the divine after enough reincarnation") because that's not actually all that standard.
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Amaryllis

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Re: How to start practicing in the closet?
« Reply #12 on: August 06, 2014, 11:42:17 am »
Quote from: Jenett;154954
I'm curious where you hit that last bit ("becoming part of the divine after enough reincarnation") because that's not actually all that standard.

 
It is? I seemed to find it everywhere I looked.

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Re: How to start practicing in the closet?
« Reply #13 on: August 06, 2014, 12:07:46 pm »
Quote from: Maria_Manannan;154956
It is? I seemed to find it everywhere I looked.

 
That's why I was curious - where were you reading?

(It's certainly out there in some strands of neoWicca, but initiatory Wicca tends to be much more 'we are all part of the divine' and quite varied in theories about what happens after death - people may have personal opinions, and often do, but there's no single teaching.)
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Amaryllis

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Re: How to start practicing in the closet?
« Reply #14 on: August 06, 2014, 12:20:20 pm »
Quote from: Jenett;154957
That's why I was curious - where were you reading?.)

 
Many websites, an occasional blog or 2, youtube (yeah I know youtube is not the best source... books are hard to get)

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