to all non-wiccan pagans...

[astrokaiju]

first of all, i'm sorry if i posted this in the wrong forum, and i'm doubly sorry if i posted this twice. the server was giving me the what-for, and i'm an inept newbie.

anyway...i've noticed several people mention in discussions that they are not wiccan, but they never identify themselves with a particular path, like Druidism or Asatru. therefore, could some of you please indulge my curiosity and tell me a little bit about your particular beliefs, and what path you belong to (if any)?

[Myst]

Sure.

I don't follow any set path, belief system, or pantheon. I move from one set of deities to the next as I am moved, I reexamine my principles and personal laws daily. I use tarot cards, runestones, a crystal ball, gemstones, herbcraft, and work with spirits, dragons, animals, faerie folk, totems, etc. I work with dark and light. Sometimes I use tools and ceremony; sometimes I recognize a Sabbat, Esbat, or other relevant holiday by just gazing at the moon or doing a tarot reading. I read up on Stregheria, Hellenic Paganism, Wicca, Asatru, Druidry, Shamanism, Celtic Paganism, etc. and basically borrow or learn what I can (and want to) from each.

[manstranger]

If they don't specify a path, they may be, as I am, eclectic.

[mato]

I dont really call myself a pagan however I am classified as one just because I am not christian. I practice my ancestral path I dont subscribe to the Rede nor any sort of Crede or set of divine laws. However I hold strongly to the idea of 'karma' or the wheel of life, as it is seen in the european invasion and genocide of my people. My gods are the Aztec gods. I practice my path mindfull of the Wheel and that the demon cortez was an embodyment of Karmic retrobution. Hence I dont practice animal sacrifice or blood letting, rather I follow the 'flower power' philosophy (which is far older than the 60's, Guadalupe herself used/s the flower power in the early 17th century and before that she sent her messanger to tell of her way, even before that the inca and maya used flowers in their early worship only currupted later...) in which the only thing a ritual knife cuts is a stem of a flower and the only thing that is sacrificed are flowers (in the truest sense of the word as they are indeed the only thing worthy of the gods and therefor to be made holy) which are only collected when thier absence wont effect the ecosystem or the plants population. My system doesnt have a name that I am aware of, the closest thing is Bruja (sp?) which is just the spanish term for witch but I am not a Brujo in the implications of the spanish word, I am rather a less christianized aztec witch.

[Lavender]

I don't really have a name for the path I'm on. I guess the closest thing would be hedgewitch or green witch. I work mostly with herbs & related workings.

I don't follow one particular God or Goddess but see them all as aspects of the Divine. If I do call on a deity, it's usually the Great Mother Goddess. To me, She's the spirit of all living things.

I'm not Wiccan but I do follow some of their basic principles. I believe that all individuals are responsible for their thoughts & actions. I believe in karma and that not all your karma is in this lifetime.

The sum of what I follow & believe is the sum of all my teachers & mentors in my past. I have learned from different cultures & religions & that makes up what I am today.

[Psyche Ague]

I'm not Wiccan, though I used to be. I call myself a Pagan, but I don't know what I really am. I don't believe in a deity, per se...but I believe in a Force (Star Wars, maybe ;)) or an Energy that binds us all together and flows through everything. I believe the Earth is a divine extension of this Energy. I call this Energy the Goddess, the God, the Great Spirit, etc, but I don't think of it as an entity...it's just a way for me to define it in terms that I can understand. The Moon is still sacred to me and She represents all that I believe in - I've always loved the Moon. I believe nothing is black and white. I don't believe in pure evil. I believe in Karma and I use the elements in my rituals. I believe all humans are equal and that we are all basically "intelligent animals," equal to our animal friends. I don't know what the meaning of life is or what happens when we die - obviously, no one knows - but I think one should make the most of life and help others along their way. I think I consider myself a Pagan Buddhist more than anything, although every religion I've ever heard of (and probably many that I have never heard of) has influenced me, one way or another. Like I said, there is no black and white to me.

[mato]

Psyche Ague, you posted twice, and you might benifit from studying Tao, perhaps that is what you are close to. I found a wonderfull book Tao Te Ching when I was a kid helped clear up alot about 'the force' for me. Wonderful if abit annoying at first.
The Tao (link :lol: ) (http://www.maths.qmw.ac.uk/~ade/sldocs/TaoTeChing.html)

[mol]

Originally posted by astrokaiju
tell me a little bit about your particular beliefs, and what path you belong to (if any)?

I dont belong to any Path. My Path belongs to me.

[astrokaiju]

Originally posted by mol


I dont belong to any Path. My Path belongs to me.


right on!

[astrokaiju]

Originally posted by mato
I dont really call myself a pagan however I am classified as one just because I am not christian. I practice my ancestral path I dont subscribe to the Rede nor any sort of Crede or set of divine laws. However I hold strongly to the idea of 'karma' or the wheel of life, as it is seen in the european invasion and genocide of my people. My gods are the Aztec gods. I practice my path mindfull of the Wheel and that the demon cortez was an embodyment of Karmic retrobution. Hence I dont practice animal sacrifice or blood letting, rather I follow the 'flower power' philosophy (which is far older than the 60's, Guadalupe herself used/s the flower power in the early 17th century and before that she sent her messanger to tell of her way, even before that the inca and maya used flowers in their early worship only currupted later...) in which the only thing a ritual knife cuts is a stem of a flower and the only thing that is sacrificed are flowers (in the truest sense of the word as they are indeed the only thing worthy of the gods and therefor to be made holy) which are only collected when thier absence wont effect the ecosystem or the plants population. My system doesnt have a name that I am aware of, the closest thing is Bruja (sp?) which is just the spanish term for witch but I am not a Brujo in the implications of the spanish word, I am rather a less christianized aztec witch.


i like that a lot. i am pretty enamoured with pre-columbian civilizations, and i am familiar with the original "flower power" movement you're talking about.

also, it's kind of refreshing to see someone who follows an ancestral path but not a European one-not that any of the European paths are any less legitimate. it just provides another well to draw from. not to mention, i'm glad to see that the conquistadors couldn't completely demolish the culture they came up against, and that some aztec still honor their true heritage.

oh...and please excuse me for how white that must have sounded coming from me....

[Haedis]

Well I was Wiccan for a few years but lately my beliefs have shifted to the point where I dont identify as closely with it as I once did. Now I follow my own, ever-changing, very eclectic Path. I believe in "God" as an energy, also. A singular force that isn't merely a combination of "dark and light, good and evil" etc. Its much more complex and multi-faceted than that (and I'm still unable to really explain it). Sometimes I personify this energy by using exsisting dieties (usually associated with the Dianic trad of Wicca, though i use others too from all cultures) but usually I just communicate/work with the energy as I think it literally exsists. I believe strongly in Karma. I incorperate mainly Wiccan and Taoist beliefs/practices into how I live my life, but dont adhere to any specific set of rules (like the Rede). I've been studying the Kabbalah for a little while, and so far it's influenced me greatly, as well. Its so hard to say "i dont have a religion per se" without having to go into a big explanation (which can be a pain I'm sure most of you know), but I'm happy with my spiritual direction...atleast for a few days. :LOL:
Well thats a very general summary...but you get the picture.

[Angelwulfe]

i most follow a celtic path i borrow from wiccan and druid philosphies. i beleive in karma but not the three fold law. i believe in reincarnation. i work with herbs, fearies and the elements alot. i mostly work with the celtic pantheon but i will borrow from other pantheons too from time to time.

[Faechylde]

I have a question about those who say they are not Wiccan but say they are eclectic. I am new but don't want to restrict myself to one trad or the other. But wouldn't you say that you can do all this and still be Wiccan? I have never heard of Wicca having only one trad it is associated with. Your thoughts?

BB!

[Myst]

Originally posted by Faechylde
I have a question about those who say they are not Wiccan but say they are eclectic. I am new but don't want to restrict myself to one trad or the other. But wouldn't you say that you can do all this and still be Wiccan? I have never heard of Wicca having only one trad it is associated with. Your thoughts?

Wicca isn't just one trad, but it certainly isn't the only colour in the crayola box of Paganism. Why do you really want to be called Wiccan so much anyway? Anyway it's up to you to research what Wicca and Paganism are and where you feel you fit in, or of course you don't have to label yourself at all.

I don't think the important thing is labelling yourself, but taking the time to research and consider your beliefs and those of others and examining them. That said, there are several threads on what Paganism and Wicca are to various people here, so use our search function and go nuts.

[Faechylde]

Wait, I thought that Wicca was a branch of Paganism and it had different trads (ie faery wicca, celtic wicca, etc...). I follow the ways of Wicca but am not limited in the tradition. I might take one thing from Celtic Wicca and from Faery Wicca and also maybe another tradition not associatd with Wicca at all. That is why I say I am eclectic. But for the most part I follow Wicca. So I consider myself an Eclectic Wiccan. If someone asks me it is an easy way to let them know my path. I have no problem with being labelled something as long as it is not degrading or false.

How come it is okay to be labeled/called Pagan and not Wiccan? I understand if you are not Wiccan, but if you don't label yourself at all, then why call yourself Pagan? I am just wondering... = )

Just curious about your thoughts on the matter... : P

BB.

[Psyche Ague]

I'm not sure why being labeled "Wiccan" became such a bad thing, but I've noticed that there is a negative feeling attached to it. I never considered it bad to label yourself as Wiccan, but it may be that some people can't get past labels. Believe what you want to believe because it makes you happy. What it's called doesn't seem as important as the beliefs or ideas you follow. I'm not sure what I am, but when I was Wiccan, I didn't mind being called Wiccan or Pagan. Perhaps people just don't want to limit themselves.

[Myst]

Originally posted by Faechylde
How come it is okay to be labeled/called Pagan and not Wiccan? I understand if you are not Wiccan, but if you don't label yourself at all, then why call yourself Pagan? I am just wondering...

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying :)

I label myself Pagan, but if people want to label themself Pagan or Wiccan or nothing at all or anything that's up to them. :)

[Twilight Garden]

Originally posted by Psyche Ague
Perhaps people just don't want to limit themselves. I think you've hit the nail on the head with that statement. I think that one distinguising difference between Wiccan and Pagan is that Pagan allows for less restrictions. Wicca, while it is a very open religion, is more defining. It's comparable to the difference in calling oneself Christian v/s calling oneself a Methodist.

I think that Wicca is still very popular in the Pagan mainstream. But some people, like myself, who found Paganism through Wicca, are discovering that there is much more out there. I found that my beliefs are just not quite in line with the Wiccan path. But I might not have turned to Paganism had I never ventured through Wicca. Now that I know I'm not Wiccan, I distinguish that fact. I certainly don't think any less of anyone who is Wiccan, just because I no longer consider myself Wiccan. I don't think most Pagans do either.

[Myst]

That's exactly it in my case.

There are just certain principles I consider Wiccan and that I disregard, and therefore I don't call myself Wiccan. It's not that I look down on those who do, I'm just not one of them. :)

[Mercuria]

My first introduction to paganism was, like many people, through wicca. After a year of learning and practicing, I realised that it was not the path for me.

Now I follow a loose form of Hellenic paganism, but would not consider myself a reconstructionist. I'm interested in many different paths, even if I don't actually practice them.

Mercuria

[Faechylde]

Originally posted by LunarMist
I think you've hit the nail on the head with that statement. I think that one distinguising difference between Wiccan and Pagan is that Pagan allows for less restrictions. Wicca, while it is a very open religion, is more defining. It's comparable to the difference in calling oneself Christian v/s calling oneself a Methodist.

I think that Wicca is still very popular in the Pagan mainstream. But some people, like myself, who found Paganism through Wicca, are discovering that there is much more out there. I found that my beliefs are just not quite in line with the Wiccan path. But I might not have turned to Paganism had I never ventured through Wicca. Now that I know I'm not Wiccan, I distinguish that fact. I certainly don't think any less of anyone who is Wiccan, just because I no longer consider myself Wiccan. I don't think most Pagans do either.

I totally agree with you on all of the above. I think I will always be Pagan and I am becoming more fond of referring to myself as Pagan because I am so eclectic I borrow from many different trads. But since I am still just learning, I first started out with Wicca and it goes with a lot of what I think. but I have so much learning to do and I've got to say that talking with all of you has really helped me. Thank you. :cutie:

[Armitage]

I call myself Pagan because to me, there is no Neo (shaddap Matrix fans! :D ) because I'm not quite revisiting anything, and my sense of morality and ideas of deities are too much my own to fit into most of the traditions I've studied.

[Tranquility]

Faechylde, i agree with you and lunar, because there are so many paths that i practice and beliefs and practices in eachother that i can't be completely called one thing, until i have found completely my interests im calling myself pagan

[Tranquility]

Actually, i guess i could consider myself an Asatru or pagan because my main practices involve druidism, shamanism, and wicca, which basicly are all part and are considered branches of Asatru(ism?) Either one suites me =) The name doesn't matter much at all, as long as you know what you are practicing and it suites you well.
"Asatru is frequently regarded as one of the Neo-Pagan family of religions. That family includes Wicca, Celtic Druidism, and re-creations of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and other ancient Pagan religions. However, many Asatruers prefer the term "Heathen" to "Neopagan" and look upon their tradition as "not just a branch on the Neopagan tree" but as a different tree. Unlike Wicca, which has gradually evolved into many different traditions, the reconstruction of Asatru has been based on the surviving historical record; it has been maintained as closely as possible to the original religion of the Norse people. "

... Wow, and whats pretty ironic is my first vision completely coincides with this, because i saw Fehu, which is related to the Aesir and Vanir deities, which is the basis of the Asatru gods/goddesses...

[Tranquility]

Eeep, didn't mean to post it already. Anyhow, on the other hand a few of the things i don't agree with or believe.. Asatru's are considered pagan, right? Im pretty sure because it is part of a family that includes pagan religions, paganism, druidism, wicca and etc.. So i guess pagan would be correct, but to get into specifics, asatru..
Hey, this worked out well, i spent about 3.5 hours reading up on some interesting stuff to post this, that was fun!

[Xentor]

Greetings,

My personal beliefs are shared by nigh and about 35 people... most of whom I know personally... not really main-stream.

We don't worship deities like the Wiccan traditions do. We believe there's two gods and one energy. One god died while creating this universe, and the other one is gathering energy and knowledge needed to create the next universe. We just happen to live in this one.

Our belief is classified "Pagan" because of the animalistic traits, the "all-is-one" aspects, the belief in reincarnation and the idea that life equals energy. There are also some magickal traits, like healing, telepathy and clearvoyance, and they are seen as part of the same energy. Unlike Wicca, we don't practice this magick through a magickal circle, although we do tend to divine the place we do happen to practice as "sacred".

[JimWA]

Don't like labels to much, but if I was to call myself anything it would be a druid. I was taught my druidism person to person. I had a mentor teacher when I was younger, 18-20 years old. What I learned from him has stuck with me for 25 years. When I first encountered Wicca, I knew enough to see the simularities, but also the differences. I first encountered Wicca in the fall of 1979. This was one of my defining moments.

Nature Good!

[FLipsiDE]

I call myself a Pagan sometimes and othertimes I call myself a Panentheistic Discordian... but only when my Marshmellow-Chakra (Muave, 16, Saturn, Ukelele) tells me it's ok to give out so many secrets of the universe. ;)

[Illuminatus]

Originally posted by FLipsiDE

I call myself a Pagan sometimes and othertimes I call myself a Panentheistic Discordian... but only when my Marshmellow-Chakra (Muave, 16, Saturn, Ukelele) tells me it's ok to give out so many secrets of the universe. ;)

Shhh!! They're all looking at us. Just act normal.