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Author Topic: General/Non-Specific: Beginner pagan here - possible calling or something else?  (Read 2981 times)

daydreaming247

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Beginner pagan here - possible calling or something else?
« on: February 24, 2020, 02:23:29 pm »
Hey guys!
I'm new to this forum so forgive me if I am posting in the wrong area, but I don't have any pagan or even witchy friends IRL, so I was hoping for some advice.
Now when I say I am a beginner, I mean I have been dipping my toes in and out of paganism for a while now, however it has always been somewhat apart of my belief system.
Lately, I have been feeling a pull towards the woods, to forests, to nature as a whole. It feels like cabin fever on steroids. It's almost as if I've been feeling homesick for a home I've never had. I should also point out that in the UK at the moment, there are a fair few storms going on so I've not been able to go out and about, so what I'm essentially trying to figure out is what I'm feeling simply me missing being outdoors, or is this pull I feel something more (or even a sign)?
Again, sorry if I've posted this in the wrong part of the forum, but just looking for some advice :)

Anon100

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Re: Beginner pagan here - possible calling or something else?
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2020, 02:45:28 pm »
Hey guys!
I'm new to this forum so forgive me if I am posting in the wrong area, but I don't have any pagan or even witchy friends IRL, so I was hoping for some advice.
 I should also point out that in the UK at the moment, there are a fair few storms going on so I've not been able to go out and about, so what I'm essentially trying to figure out is what I'm feeling simply me missing being outdoors, or is this pull I feel something more (or even a sign)?
Again, sorry if I've posted this in the wrong part of the forum, but just looking for some advice :)

Hi daydreaming and nice to meet you.
First I hope you are weathering the storms ok. I'm also Uk but am lucky enough to be south coast england and have a feeling what we've had is a bit milder than many other locations.
Now I'm only a short time finding my way myself and others will be on with more/better advice. What I can say however is there's plenty of room to take things slow. Take your time and see if the feeling changes or disappears when you can get out again or if anything else comes up - perhaps something you've read suddenly resonating with you or such.
No one's going to say 'you must become pagan NOW!'.

Jenett

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Re: Beginner pagan here - possible calling or something else?
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2020, 08:56:22 pm »
I'm new to this forum so forgive me if I am posting in the wrong area, but I don't have any pagan or even witchy friends IRL, so I was hoping for some advice.

First, with my staff hat on, for reassurance! This is a perfectly fine place for you to post. Some of the forums have additional rules beside our main forum rules, to help guide conversation (for example, this one has some rules to make it more accessible to people who are brand new and might be nervous.) You can post in any folder on the forum that makes sense, and if you do guess wrong, staff can move the thread. Not a big deal at all.

(And in the case of the beginner friendly forums, usually that's your call, depending on what approach to answers you're looking for.)

Ok, now let me put the staff hat aside, and get to your question.

Quote
Lately, I have been feeling a pull towards the woods, to forests, to nature as a whole. It feels like cabin fever on steroids. It's almost as if I've been feeling homesick for a home I've never had. I should also point out that in the UK at the moment, there are a fair few storms going on so I've not been able to go out and about, so what I'm essentially trying to figure out is what I'm feeling simply me missing being outdoors, or is this pull I feel something more (or even a sign)?

One of the things I often think is most confusing for people trying to sort out Pagan paths, and what they're doing, is this question you've posed here, of "How do I tell if this is related?" It can be really hard to tell if something is about the physical environment, their spiritual path, a more personal thing (some people get edgy if they don't get a good walk in, or sunlight, but it's not exactly about being out in nature), or all sorts of other options.

In this case, the good news is that you should be able to get more information fairly quickly.

Take some notes now, about how you feel, day to day. Does that pull feel stronger? Weaker? About the same? Once the weather improves, see how it feels when you get out in nature. Better? Different?

One of the ways I work with students learning about this kind of self-awareness is encourage them to feel things in their body before they do something (like an exercise, or a ritual - or in this case, going for a walk outside.). Think about how you're breathing, or standing, or holding your body. I like to start at my feet or my head and work up (or down) as needed, because then I don't skip stuff.

Are there spots that feel tense or achy? Are there ways in which you feel really good in your body (or in your mind/spirit/whatever?) Make notes about all those things, briefly, in a notebook. Then go off and try the thing you want to figure out more about (like spending time outside). Do the same kind of self-awareness check in when you get back. Compare.

Now, I will say that building a practice solely around something that requires being outside is maybe not the best long-term goal - the weather can be dangerous, you might end up sick or with an injury that means you couldn't get out. It's a good idea to have forms of your practice that you can do sitting in a chair, while travelling, if you or a loved one ends up in hospital, that kind of thing.

But that's a larger question, for when you've figured out some things that do work for you and speak to your soul and spirit.

You want to do this process more than once for a given activity, because there can be other factors in changing how you feel (and you might want to know if it's being outside that does it, or if it needs to be sunny/nice weather, or you need to go a particular location.)
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arete

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Re: Beginner pagan here - possible calling or something else?
« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2020, 11:17:04 am »
Hey guys!
I'm new to this forum so forgive me if I am posting in the wrong area, but I don't have any pagan or even witchy friends IRL, so I was hoping for some advice.
Now when I say I am a beginner, I mean I have been dipping my toes in and out of paganism for a while now, however it has always been somewhat apart of my belief system.
Lately, I have been feeling a pull towards the woods, to forests, to nature as a whole. It feels like cabin fever on steroids. It's almost as if I've been feeling homesick for a home I've never had. I should also point out that in the UK at the moment, there are a fair few storms going on so I've not been able to go out and about, so what I'm essentially trying to figure out is what I'm feeling simply me missing being outdoors, or is this pull I feel something more (or even a sign)?
Again, sorry if I've posted this in the wrong part of the forum, but just looking for some advice :)
You like nature. A lot of people do. ;)

Uneryx

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Re: Beginner pagan here - possible calling or something else?
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2020, 07:19:56 pm »
Hey guys!
I'm new to this forum so forgive me if I am posting in the wrong area, but I don't have any pagan or even witchy friends IRL, so I was hoping for some advice.
Now when I say I am a beginner, I mean I have been dipping my toes in and out of paganism for a while now, however it has always been somewhat apart of my belief system.
Lately, I have been feeling a pull towards the woods, to forests, to nature as a whole. It feels like cabin fever on steroids. It's almost as if I've been feeling homesick for a home I've never had. I should also point out that in the UK at the moment, there are a fair few storms going on so I've not been able to go out and about, so what I'm essentially trying to figure out is what I'm feeling simply me missing being outdoors, or is this pull I feel something more (or even a sign)?
Again, sorry if I've posted this in the wrong part of the forum, but just looking for some advice :)

It can be hard to get out into nature if you live in a city and it's still gross inclement weather out. Some things I like to do when it's icky and not physically safe though are

- Find an indoor area with greenery
- get a potted plant
- sit outside briefly if I get a rare less-inclement moment (i live in the Pacific Northwest so winter is basically just cold rain 24/7 and I'll wait until it's merely drizzly)
- visualize/meditate on nature with nature sounds

none are  a great replacement for the real thing but maybe see if you can't get CLOSE to some plants and nature, and see how that feels!

Dynes Hysbys

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Re: Beginner pagan here - possible calling or something else?
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2020, 04:26:57 am »

Hey guys!
I'm essentially trying to figure out is what I'm feeling simply me missing being outdoors, or is this pull I feel something more (or even a sign)?
Again, sorry if I've posted this in the wrong part of the forum, but just looking for some advice :)

Helo  bore da

Yes - been a bit wet hasn't it!

It is of of course possible for it to be both - I go stir crazy when trapped inside

Are you able to get to any of the real life moots/meetings? There are some now covering most of Wales  with a new one just started in Aberystwyth. It's a great way to meet RL pagan people. Please feel free to message me if you want a link to a good facebook group for finding out what is going on in Wales

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