My Journey

[celticmagick]

I feel as if religion has failed me. I have began to question the founders and ethics of my religion. I really don't know where to go from here. I've been reading more than normal and trying to find answers to my questions. There is just so much to learn and I doubt I will ever be finished.

I don't feel I will ever dismiss my gods or Pagan- ness but don't know what religion I really will be exactly. I do have faith in certain things and it has become part of who I am. I don't feel a need to put a label on myself at this point. I just want to learn and continue to change until I come to a point where I am just content with what I have found.

Things I would like to learn in my journey:

1. About the origins of paganism in general.
2. About the origins of pagan ethics.
3. About the origins of magick.
4. About the different types of paganism.
5. About religion in general.

Has anyone ever experienced a similar dilemma? Do you have any suggestions that might help? I have an open mind so say anything you want.

I also have decided to explain where I stand with my beliefs at this point. I think doing so would help you help me.

Divinity- I believe the god and goddesses can be explained metaphorically. They can be described as a diamond. They are all one, but each facet describes a personality or feature. Each of these facets can be given a name, ie. Isis, Osiris, Hecate or Brigid. I believe that anyone can call the gods by any name and regardless what you call them, the one divine knows in your heart you are worshiping them so no one is wrong when they view divinity as differrent as long as you follow your heart.

Magick- I believe that magick can be described many ways. One could be working through the gods and with elements to achieve a result. Another could be directing energies and using intent to cause something to happen.

The Spirit- I believe that the spirit exists alone, while in a body and without the body after one has died. I don't believe that the human spirit is above other spirits. Those of animals and plants are equally important. Once one has died, it may be reincarnated into anything else so a once human spirit may be reincarnated into an animal for example.

[watershield]

There is so much here to address that I think I will give my opinions on it later today. Too short of time this morning.

LOve that analogy of the diamond...bang on, in mho.

[celticmagick]

Thanks. I would also like to add, that if anyone has any books they can recommend that would help me out, that would be appreciated as well.

[watershield]

Take a look at Buckland's Complete Book Of Witchcraft.

I got it a while back via Amazon on my Kindle. It's fairly basic and covers a wide spectrum of topics.

[celticmagick]

Ok. Will do. Thanks.

[watershield]

Dealing with the original post, not necessarily in the same order;

If we look at any form of faith, we can trace their roots back thousands of years to a belief that all things had within it some undefined life. Every thing. Trees, rocks, the Earth, water, air, the moon, sun and stars, everything was a living entity. This is referred to as Animism. From this, the people gave importance to certain things or elements around them and those became associated with spirits that could be named. ( the birth of Shamanism) and from this came the various Gods and Goddesses. Right up to this day "man" has created what ever God he needs to represent what ever it is at the time.

The term Pagan is really misleading as it's a matter of perspective as to who the pagan is. Back in the day's of the Roman Empire, pagans were any one who was not a Roman or believe in the Roman pantheon. ie; Christians were considered pagans. Eventually the tables turned and it became the Romans who were the pagans. The term pagan is a man made word with man made prejudices. A label by any other name......

As to magic, it goes back again to the dawn of time.
All things are made of energy and being energy we can affect that energy around us. It's really just a matter of finding your vehicle for doing so. Be it by some elaborate ritual or a quiet prayer, each of us has our own way to connect with the one energy and affect how it's threads weave together to create the tapestry we perceive as reality. Can you be taught how to do magic....not really. We can show you ways others do it, but ultimately each of us needs to find what works for us.

Pagan ethics. No such thing. Depending where we where raised, our experiences of life and any number of social issues, each of us has developed a personal set of moral codes that we live by.
As a general rule, those moral codes will be more or less in tune with the society we currently live in, but there will always be certain subtleties that vary. So it remains, Ethics is a personal thing.

Now, as to the comments regarding feeling disconnected and religion.....

The feeling of being disconnected or alone, not being able to see any clear answer, these are feelings that all of us have had at one time or another. I think it happens when we find ourselves acting like sheep. Sheep tend to follow the leader, accept what ever comes across their path and seldom wonder from that well worn rut.
So many people get tired of the dogma that is thrown at them within an organised religion. They look to books or the internet or some other source to help them find answers to questions they don't reall know how to ask.
What happens is they start following other people paths and right back in that rut.
What we all really need to do is just stop searching. Take some time, be it a day, a week, month, a year.....time really isn't important.
Find a place where you can sit quietly and reflect. I like sitting by the ocean or in the forest.
Clear your mind of all thoughts or concerns and then ask your self one question. What do I really believe?
Sounds simple...and it is. Just ask the question and let your mind wonder. Get an idea of god, look at it. Is it a reasonable idea or is there something lacking. Keep asking yourself and eventually you will define for you what works.
By knowing what we believe we create our own realities of existance.
I've been doing this every day for some years now. There are still somethings that I haven't attained an accetable answer, but for the most part, I think I know fairly well my beliefs. And I can honestly say, I've not felt disconnected for a very long time.

The Spirit: In my view, and as I have said before, all things are made of energy. This goes farther than just electrons and protons...that's still just a physical perception of energy.
There is an energy that exist beyond our perception. I've sometimes referred to it as the life spark. Individual self aware entities / spirits that while seperate remain connected to all forms of energy and being connected, are as one. THat oneness is what I view as the divine.
I see it that each of us has three bodies. The physical body, the astral body and the higher self or life spark.

The physical body existing in a physical universe.
The Life Spark existing beyond perception
The astral body being a concious / sub concious link between the two.

So, why the physical body? Why are we here? Simple really.
Balance.

One of the oldest facts that man learned is that all things exist in balance. The Yin & Yang of existance.

[celticmagick]

Thanks for your post and taking the time to go in depth. It's given me a lot to think about and I will when I get some quiet time to myself. ;D

[PaganOne]

Beautiful post, WS.

To me, all is energy. Our thoughts, our desires, our physical body. All is of one mind/one consciousness.

As a Reiki practitioner, I believe that I partake of the energy of the life force and flow/direct this energy to enable healing. As a medium, I believe that we hold/form the energy of our deceased loved ones by willing them to be. When there is no longer anyone who remembers our loved ones, their energy dissipates. I believe past lives are pockets of energy that for some reason resonates strongly with our desires, needs, likes, dislikes, etc. I believe they fill a need in us somehow.

How it all works is a mystery to me. I am okay with that. I trust. No, I do not trust a goddess or god, but I trust the laws of nature and the universe. I am Atheist and I am very comfortable in my belief or non-belief, whatever the case may be.

I am currently reading a wonderful book called "Pagan Grace" by Ginette Paris. She describes the gods as avatars for human emotions and behaviors. It makes a world of sense to me.

David Abram's "Spell of the Sensuous" is another fantastic book as well as anything written by Lyall Watson.

I believe the Earth is alive and conscious. I believe our "salvation" is in realizing this fact and reconnecting to what we have lost, the source of our being.

[watershield]

Thanks, I was on a roll that day.