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Author Topic: How did you find out which path you should take? (was Really Nervous)  (Read 5150 times)

Palemoon

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Re: How did you find out which path you should take? (was Really Nervous)
« Reply #15 on: November 13, 2011, 01:00:43 pm »
Quote from: Kodi R.;28414
Hi, um, I'm Kodi.

And I'm really nervous right now to be posting this. Then again, I'm nervous for just about anything. But a lot for this.

Mostly because I'm afraid I'll seem stupid whenever I ask a question and am sorta intimidated, but I've come to realize that if I want to learn more/get help/everything I'm going to need to get over that and ask.

So, with that being said...

I'm not exactly sure how to word this but I'm going to try.

How did you find out which path you should take? Was there anything significant or was it  a "Oh, this seems like a good idea." type thing? How did you know your path was the right one(if you do know that is)?

I think the reason I'm wording it like this is because I've heard that there's different experiences and everything. Like, everyone finds out their path and everything in different ways and there is no exact way to find out. I've heard that is.

So, I wanted to ask how you found out instead of asking how do I find out.

Am I making sense or do I seem silly? >.<

One more thing I wanted to mention is that whenever I meditate or anything I see fire. Which probably means nothing at all. I just wanted to mention it.

Thanks in advance for reading/answering. I know that was long. Sorry.

I started on the Pagan path when I was about 14, and Wicca was the first thing I discovered. After following that for a few years I realised it wasn't for me and so I became a non-religious witch (preferring the term "green witch"). And then a year ago I also stumbled across Druidry and was immediately drawn to it - it's simply a case of studying and see what fits for you and if it feels right. You have to remember that you may pick a path now, and then years down the line your opinions and beliefs might change. It's natural and healthy, because in my opinion it just means you are questioning your beliefs and your religion/spiritual path. You will never find yourself if you don't question anything. :)
« Last Edit: November 13, 2011, 01:02:22 pm by Palemoon »

SkySamuelle

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Re: How did you find out which path you should take? (was Really Nervous)
« Reply #16 on: November 14, 2011, 09:45:37 am »
Quote from: Kodi R.;28414
Hi, um, I'm Kodi.

And I'm really nervous right now to be posting this. Then again, I'm nervous for just about anything. But a lot for this.

Mostly because I'm afraid I'll seem stupid whenever I ask a question and am sorta intimidated, but I've come to realize that if I want to learn more/get help/everything I'm going to need to get over that and ask.

So, with that being said...

I'm not exactly sure how to word this but I'm going to try.

How did you find out which path you should take? Was there anything significant or was it  a "Oh, this seems like a good idea." type thing? How did you know your path was the right one(if you do know that is)?

I think the reason I'm wording it like this is because I've heard that there's different experiences and everything. Like, everyone finds out their path and everything in different ways and there is no exact way to find out. I've heard that is.

So, I wanted to ask how you found out instead of asking how do I find out.

Am I making sense or do I seem silly? >.<

One more thing I wanted to mention is that whenever I meditate or anything I see fire. Which probably means nothing at all. I just wanted to mention it.

Thanks in advance for reading/answering. I know that was long. Sorry.

 
I was raised catholic but i have always been drawn to pagan cults of the past, reincarnation and all kinds of paranormal stuff.

For the longest time, after growing fascinated with Wicca, I kept myself from going past accademic interest because... well, i was afraid of hell. :o

So my first approach to something that resembled a pagan path was working with crystals, meditating, trying regression to past lives. In the end I surrendered and admitted that polyteism made so much more sense to me than anything else i had been taught, so i had to brave up and take the leap.

I experimented different 'flavors of wicca' until I got Starhawk's the Spiral Dance and fell utterly in love with the Victor Anderson concept of Witchcraft: this was when I knew, out of the blue, I had my claws into something that deeply resonated inside me.

As Anderson's witchcraft was influenced a lot from Huna Shamanism, I started to study that too... and those two are the most heavy influences that molded my path.

Until now, at least - now i am getting interest in voudou and there's no saying how or if that will add to the mix.

I must sidenote that I dedicated my path to one Lady, so my service to Her tends to shape my spiritual direction more than anything else since She made Herself known.

So to sum it up - I kept looking and trying for different things so i was costantly stimulated until i smacked into the right path. ;)
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SkylarB

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Re: How did you find out which path you should take? (was Really Nervous)
« Reply #17 on: November 16, 2011, 07:33:07 pm »
Quote from: Kodi R.;28414
Hi, um, I'm Kodi.

How did you find out which path you should take? Was there anything significant or was it  a "Oh, this seems like a good idea." type thing? How did you know your path was the right one(if you do know that is)?


Hi Kodi!

First off, I wanted to say that I can relate to how you feel, in the "don't want to sound stupid by asking this question." But it is important to remember, as I often have to remind myself, that if we don't ask questions we will never learn and evolve. Also, remember that if you have the question, the odds are good that someone else has the same question, so you are not only helping out yourself, but you could be helping out someone else too!  Lastly, ask away, as this is why we are all here!

I think the biggest thing in finding your path is using your own intuition, I guess you could say, and  your feelings. Just like you know what is right and wrong morally, you will also feel what is right and wrong for you religion-wise. When you are doing something religious and you just feel like it's doing nothing for you, that's a sign that it's probably not for you. But if you are really feeling it affect you, you feel happy, it makes sense.. etc.. then it's a sign that you are on the right path and doing something for you.

For me.. and my beliefs, all religions lead to the same goal, to live happily, treat each other with respect, live honorably, don't take things for granted, etc... (bare bones basics here) And what ever you do that will help you live this kind of life is right for you. That's why there are so many different religions out there. They just help people of different cultures and personalities ultimately reach the same goal.  There are no wrong religions or right religions.. there are just "wrong for you" and "right for you" religions.   And what's the worst thing that can happen if you start practicing one religion and then go to something else, and then maybe even something else? You won't go to hell... you won't be punished.. you will only grow and be happier. So there is no need to fear, or to be afraid of sounding silly! :)

Anyway.. I'm babbling! My personal story starts out with my parents forcing me to go to Roman Catholic church. Though we mostly only went on Christmas and Easter, my parents did send me and my sister to CCD classes every year, from Kindergarten to 10th grade. They felt it was their obligation for us to learn about Catholicism, though they said once we made our Confirmation, they didnt care what we did religion wise.  I questioned my CCD teachers from as early as I can remember, including 4th grade when my parents were called in several times because I kept asking the priest too many questions, like about sin and why this was a sin or that was a sin if it was things that people do every day! They told me to treat it like a history lesson.. I had to learn it, even if I didn't necessarily believe in it!

So I knew from an early age that Christianity wasn't for me. I did know that I liked Ouija boards and paranormal stuff.. though not a religion, it was a stepping stone for me.   Also, living in Massachusetts, about an hour and 15 minutes away from Salem, I've seen Laurie Cabbot and other witches on TV every Halloween since I can remember. I was fascinated and glued to the TV when they were on.

Then I was old enough to drive, me and my boyfriend at the time (I think I was 16 or 17, and a Junior in High School) drove to Salem one October and I had my first taste of real Witches and Wicca. Each store I stepped into, smelled like I was in heaven. With each step, my heart rose higher and higher. I was more than delighted. I came home with my pockets full of pamphlets and a bag with Scott Cunningham's Guide To Solitary Practitioner. I also vowed I'd go back to Salem every year for the rest of my life (I haven't but I try to go every couple of years!)

I practiced for about a year, but then stopped because I was a teenager and going out was more important to me at the time. Though I kept my beliefs, I just didn't celebrate or practice. To make a long story short, I picked it up and put it down several times throughout the last 20 years. I even most recently questioned if Wicca was right for me. What helped greatly was sitting down and writing out my beliefs of Goddess and  God and The Source, and seeing that it did match the Wiccan philosophy. It just solidified that the reason I keep coming back to Wicca is because it is the right religion for me.  

My current husband, when we were dating, on several occasions even gave me an ultimatum.. stop practicing Wicca or lose him."  And I'd practice in secret, or put it away for a while, but I always kept coming back. Finally, after a severe depression and really taking a good look at my life, I  knew I HAD to get back into my Wicca spirituality to feel complete and happy. It just feels right. I feel the happiest, I feel complete or whole, and the world makes sense to me when I'm actively practicing Wicca.  Though I am currently solitary, I am at peace, and my husband has also realized this is part of me and he gives me no grief anymore. I have my altar set up in the middle of our house!

Okay.. so this is really long! My advice to you is to just start reading, read about different Pagan paths and see which one makes you go "hmmm"! Which paths are you drawn to read more about, or which ones could you care less about. Eventually, you'll notice a pattern about you are reading about most, and that is a sign of you resonate most with and will be a path you are most fitted for.

Blessed Be and Good Luck!
Blessed be,
SkylarB  
My Wiccan Blog - From The Phoenix Flames

Darkhawk

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Re: How did you find out which path you should take? (was Really Nervous)
« Reply #18 on: November 18, 2011, 12:45:37 pm »
Quote from: Kodi R.;28414


 
I discovered neo-Wicca back in high school in the early days of the pagan publication explosion - basically back before all the books sucked.  :P  It was closer to something that made sense than anything I'd encountered before, so I leapt into it with enthusiasm, without really realising that 'closer to something that makes sense' is not the same thing as 'makes sense'.  I tried to do rituals; I felt a right idiot.

So I drifted into a vaguely pagan agnosticism for a long time, which is at least more specific than the vague agnosticism that I had before then.

Somewhere along the line I took the notion of looking into ancestor-oriented reconstructionist religions.  I wound up doing a fair amount of research into Slavic paganism as the most compatible of my many and varied ancestries, but none of the gods appeared interested in me.  A spirit that ws apparently attached to that portion of my bloodline showed up in a fit of "YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION?!" but that was it.  (Right, I should issue him a formal invitation to the new house.  Woops.  He's a stickler for correct protocol.)

I also was looking into various forms of devotional work.  While reading a book about tattooing as a devotional practice, I was very strongly and vividly struck by one of the symbols in the chart of associations.  It was the sort of book where one says "Huh, that's an interesting symbol, let's do some reasearch to confirm it actually is associated with that deity," so I did that, and discovered several Kemetic temples.

I wound up affiliating with one and starting to study.  This went in several interesting and frustrating directions over time; the long and short of it was that while I would prefer to be a congregant in a stable and well-constructed theological school, there fucking well aren't any that meet my standards, so I have to build one.

In and among that, I a) started reading the Cauldron and b) started dealing with my mental health issues.  The former introduced me to an assortment of religions and traditions that I had not come across casually.  As an upshot of the latter, I got told by one of my gods that I needed to study one of those new-to-me religions in order to meet His standards for a devotee.

So I started doing that too.
as the water grinds the stone
we rise and fall
as our ashes turn to dust
we shine like stars    - Covenant, "Bullet"

Lokabrenna

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Re: How did you find out which path you should take? (was Really Nervous)
« Reply #19 on: November 18, 2011, 11:27:15 pm »
Quote from: Kodi R.;28414

How did you find out which path you should take? Was there anything significant or was it  a "Oh, this seems like a good idea." type thing? How did you know your path was the right one(if you do know that is)?

 
I read a lot of books in high school, and then I read a lot of books in university, and in between all that reading I was (slowly) piecing together what I believed and where I wanted to go from there.

Actually, I stumbled upon the path (Northern Tradition Paganism) I knew I really wanted to look into when I found a mention of it in the "corrections" portion of one of the issues of PanGaia. I just happened to look there and notice it, and that was the point when I said: "Waitaminute, you can worship the Norse gods and not be a reconstructionist???" It was mind-boggling!

Then I found Vanic Paganism, and it just felt like it was where I belonged.

So I would say that you shouldn't be in a hurry to apply a label to yourself. Maybe there isn't one path that will fit you (sometimes that happens), and if so, work with what you have!

MoonChild78

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Re: How did you find out which path you should take? (was Really Nervous)
« Reply #20 on: November 19, 2011, 01:16:24 am »
Quote from: Kodi R.;28414


How did you find out which path you should take? Was there anything significant or was it  a "Oh, this seems like a good idea." type thing? How did you know your path was the right one(if you do know that is)?
.


I think, as does many others here from what I'm reading, is that when you find "THE" path you just kinda know.  Think of it like love... how do you explain to someone how to find love, you just "know".  For me, it just made sense to me and it was like a "lightbulb" moment when I was "YES!!  THIS makes sense!!".  And don't worry about the "right" path... being spiritual and searching is more important that right but when it's right for you, trust me you'll know!!

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