What am I, then?

[Ganga]

Hi! I'm really new here. I was wondering about my status in the Pagan community since I'm actually a Hindu, but I consider Hinduism the same religion as the Europian Old Religions. I am very interested in witchcraft, and I suppose one could call me a solitary witch since I celebrate the Sabbaths and the Full Moon. I do a bit of magic and am learning about the use of herbs (mostly herbal teas for common ailments). Still, I don't follow too many (if hardly any) Wiccan rituals. In some (perhaps minor?) points, my opinions are quite different than those held by other Pagans; for example, I find the concept of gathering in a coven sky-clad quite uncomfortable (which is a reason why I haven't approached other witches in my city, although I do visit a shop run by the local Pagan/Wiccan community). I occasionally do mental journeys to other realms (I am not sure what to call that), and have two spirit helpers (a wolf and a snowy owl). That, by some, is considered shamanistic. So what to categorize myself as? Is there a need to categorize myself? What should I answer if someone asks me, "Are you a witch?" or "Are you a Wicca?"

[Myst]

No there's no need to categorize yourself - just practice what feels right. "Pagan" is a blanket term that covers all kinds of beliefs that aren't Muslim, Christian, or Jewish, so that's the easiest term for you to use.

Witches and Wiccans are two different things though. If you do a search and look through threads here at MW you will find many many posts about the differences.

Defining all the kinds of Paganism and what they mean is a task that will take a lifetime I'm sure. :)


http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12102 has some starting points and of course MW has a wealth of info on the subject.

http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11834 has a discussion on Wicca

Some articles on Wicca vs Witchcraft
http://www.spelwerx.com/wvtw.html
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/3203/wiccavswitch.html
http://www.spiralnature.com/def/craftvswicca.html
http://members.rogers.com/mtlatimer/wiccawitch2.htm

[Theres]

skyclad rutual is NOT a prerequisite for being Pagan, or Wiccan. in all my years of practice i have rarely been in a skyclad situation, or known of many others who practice that way.
Gerald Gardner claimed that it was an old tradition, but he was a nudist. i for one DO NOT believe that the ancient Celts were dancing around the Orkney islands skyclad in the middle of winter!
(MAJOR shrinkage!).
this may have been different in the Mediterranian countries.
but you do what is comfortable. if the group you meet practices skyclad and you don't feel right about it, find another group. there are plenty of them out there, and i think you'll find that the majority of them are not skyclad.
anyway, welcome to the board, and good luck on finding your path.

[Sequoia]

welcome, my friend.


oooh! Hinduism? I've heard a lot of good things about that. . . :)

As has been said before, "Pagan" isn't a defined religion, rather, it's a term used to describe religions that are perhaps eclectic, or simply not mainstream. As someone once said, "All Wiccans are Pagan, but not all Pagans are Wiccan." hehe

above all. . . what are you? You are you! ;)

[Ganga]

Thank you for your replies and encouragement! I'm slowly getting more comfortable admitting that I'm a Witch (and Goddess knows what else I am), but still feel hesitant to speak about it aloud. I'm such a neophyte in the craft that it almost feels like I'm trying to drive a Cadillac when I haven't even mastered walking properly yet. Am I being too vain and proud when I think of myself as a witch?

[astrokaiju]

see, i have been doing almost an inside-out version of this...i consider myself a pagan, and consider the Hindu deities to be manifestations of the God and Goddess. by the same token, i know that Hindu considers all the deities to be manifestations of Brahma, and considers all other religions to be correct and all deities outside their religion to also be manifestations of Brahma.

i wear a bindi (or pottu, whatever you wanna call it) every day, and i read the Vedas and the Bagavada Gita. and i have been asked on separate occassions if i was a pagan and if i was a hindu...and answered yes to both. i think they're perfectly compatable.

[astrokaiju]

Originally posted by Ganga
Am I being too vain and proud when I think of myself as a witch?

nah!

[manstranger]

Originally posted by Ganga
Hi! I'm really new here. I was wondering about my status in the Pagan community since I'm actually a Hindu, <snip>.....

Hmm. I didn't know Hinduism used the "wisdom plant" as well as rastaferians.

[manstranger]

Originally posted by Ganga
Am I being too vain and proud when I think of myself as a witch?

Hmm. I would say no, coming from my veiws on witches. IMO, anyone that intentionally uses magick is a witch. So if you do, you are in no way vain and proud. However, someone that thought of witches as being people that have studied their relgion for a number of years and attained the necessary degrees/levels/expirence might.