The "Interview for your Beliefs" thread

[Pan]

Here's a thread that'll pose questions to help people find their beliefs. Of course, it may not work for everyone ... but it's working for me so far! I've gotten two answers so far, which can be read in my "beliefs" thread. :)

Q1: What do you believe the Divine is, if anything?

Q2: What about the afterlife?

If anyone has any other questions they can think of, that would be awesome! I could use some help on this, too, since I'm running out of questions for myself. 8O

Q3: What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything?

Q4: What of the Fae? Do you believe in them? If so, why and what are they? If not, why not?

Q5: Do you believe in Fate? Why? Why not? Define what you mean by Fate?

Q6: Do you believe in Karma? Is it different from Fate? If you do, why do you believe in Karma? If not, why not? Why is/why isn't it different from Fate?

Q7: What about Souls? Do you believe in them? Why or why not? What are they? Where do they come from?

Q8: What about Animal Guides? Are they integral to your beliefs? What are they? Are they solid, living animals or spirits? Why do you/don't you believe in them?


EDIT : Here's the link to my Beliefs thread, to see my answers so far. :)

Loki Panwit's Beliefs (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=36073)

[Ahautenites]

Hmmm. Good questions. It looks like something everyone should answer for themselves and keep a record of it that they can check back on in a year or so. (I always do that with my journal. The change in beliefs, and not just religious beliefs, is always fascinating to me.)

[Pan]

I was hoping it would be helpful to people. :) They don't have to post their answers up, of course, but it really helped me find out what I actually believe.

and I like the idea of coming back in a year or so to compare it.

[LeftToWonder]

Are we supposed to give our answers? Cause I am going to, whether you like it or not.:p

Q1: Do you believe in a Divine, if anything?
A: I would like to think that there is something larger than myself at work, It seems rather conceited to me to atribute the universe to mere chance. Now as to the form it takes, I believe that it is what you make it, If I firmly believe that my cat is the divine, then it is, its all about your preception. No matter what form you worship the divine in, it really boils down to just being a symbol for something that we cant really fully understand.

Q2: What about the afterlife?
A: Afterlife is tricky, because most concepts of it deal with, to put it roughly "Being good, and transcending to eternal happiness". What if everyone gets to go to the afterlife when they die? Does this negate the purpose of life? (New question here, What is the purpose of life?). So the only thing I can really say for sure, is that I believe in some form of afterlife, but I'm not sure how I'm going to get there.

Q3: What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything?
A: Magic(k) is what you make it, if you believe, and it helps you with your connection with the divine, then its a good thing, I had trouble with Ceremonial Magic(k) when I first started investigating it, it felt like an act to me, but I realized, that it was merely a focus for people, and that although the ceremony was important, that really wasn't the focus(At least thats what I think, from the information that I have gathered). As to whether I believe in it, I don't think that we give the human mind enough credit, we are capable of much more than we think we are, so I guess that is a sorta kinda round about yeah.

Q4: What of the Fae? Do you believe in them? If so, why and what are they? If not, why not?
A: I haven't done much research on them, maybe someone could point me to some info, or I could just use the MW credo, which seems to be "Search first, ask questions later."

Q5: Do you believe in Fate? Why? Why not? Define what you mean by Fate?
A: At the most basic level, I don't believe in fate, I like to think I have control over my actions. I believe that fate guides and directs us. When we look at ourselves in the present we seem to have control over our environment, but when you examine your past, if begins to look like you weren't in quite as much control as you thought.

Q6: Do you believe in Karma? Is it different from Fate? If you do, why do you believe in Karma? If not, why not? Why is/why isn't it different from Fate?
A: Yes , I believe in karma, I have to have some basis of repercussions for my actions, this ties into fate, if we accept fate, then some people tend to get the idea that they have a free reign to do what they please because "Im fated to do it, I have no control". There was a story by Ray Bradbury, I forget the name, but to make a short story shorter, Researches go back in time, and one of them kills one butterfly, when they return to the present the entire world is changed, we have to be mindful of our actions , and realize that we affect our surroundings more than we realize. Karma and fate differ in that Karma is the law of "What goes around, comes around", where as Fate is, from my standpoint, is like destiny, you are fated to become this.

Q7: What about Souls? Do you believe in them? Why or why not? What are they? Where do they come from?
A: I want to say yes, but I'm not sure why, I believe that we all have something that ties us to the divine, something deeper than maybe even our subconscious, an idea that came to mind, that I might have to think about, is what if there is one universal soul, and we are all linked to it, this could even be called the divine, I think that theory is collective conscious, but not sure. So yes I believe in souls, but Im not sure in what form.

Q8: What about Animal Guides? Are they integral to your beliefs? What are they? Are they solid, living animals or spirits? Why do you/don't you believe in them?
A: Im not sure about guides, but I do feel that animals should be treated on the same level as humans, they deserve just as much respect as we do, people often overlook them as lesser beings, which IMO is just as bad as racism, but I don't think that was what you were asking so... :)
Shewww, that was alot to write, well here are my questions I pose.

What is the meaning/purpose of life?
Do you believe in a collective conscious?
Do you believe in a Universal morality, a subjective morality, or something else? Why?

[Pan]

You can post your answers if you want! You just don't HAVE to. :)

It's great to read replies, just to see how different each others' beliefs are.

[Calzaer]

Q1: What do you believe the Divine is, if anything?
I don't know. There are simply too many options with the same amount of evidence backing each one. My personal favorite is a reverse-animism, that the Divine is a manifestation of Nature (rather than the other way around). That would make them entirely "local" to the planet Earth... but that also makes them a bit more comprehensible. Another option I like is that the Divine is some sort of cosmic weaver, like the Fates in mythology. Closely related to that is the idea that the Divine we know is in the business of entertaining bigger Divines, so we're the universe's biggest reality show.

Sometimes it's hard for me to pull away from hard polytheism, too. I can't imagine that the god I worship and the god the Muslims worship is the same dude, ya know? Then again, standard animism combined with pantheism is also attractive.

So I don't know.

Q2: What about the afterlife?
You die the first death. Your spirit takes a little journey into the astral to Somewhere Else(tm), and dies the second death. After that, you're reincarnated. Between the second death and reincarnation... who knows? But recently dead people do show up on the astral for a variable amount of time, and ghosts are people that got lost or confused somewhere between the first death and the second.

Q3: What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything? On the surface? Some sort of natural energy inherent in nature either as a result of nature being part of the Divine (pantheism) or nature being the source of the Divine (reverse-pantheism).

Deeper down? Threads of fate. Poke them at your own risk.
(*poke poke*)

Q4: What of the Fae? Do you believe in them? If so, why and what are they? If not, why not?
Astral Entities. Creatures that live their entire lifespans (which can vary greatly) on the astral plane. Ditto for demons, angels, leprechauns, and just about any other folkloric critter. Sometimes I wonder if dead AEs wander our world for a while before dying their second death and being reincarnated. Further study is needed.

Q5: Do you believe in Fate? Why? Why not? Define what you mean by Fate?
Think of life is a huge "chose your own adventure" book. At certain points, your decisions become critical to your path. The decisions you're presented change depending on your previous choices. The tricky part is determining which decisions are critical ones. "If you eat breakfast, turn to page 3,402,927. If you decide not to eat breakfast, turn to page 4,328,090,001." Best to treat each decision as if it were critical.

If humans all of a sudden stopped making decisions on their own (say they started relying entirely on Magic 8-Balls), there's an End Result that the universe would curve towards. This curving-without-interference is a state I like to call the Null State. It's still trying to head that way now, but alot of behind-the-scenes finagaling has to be done to get it there with all these strange creatures running around making their own decisions and changing the path in weird directions. So it's gonna take the long scenic route rather than the direct route.

Plus, the decisions of someone else can impact your path. Making decisions in such a way as to attempt to continue on the path you find yourself and at the same time minimize the impact other peoples' decisions can have on you is what I like to call Null Action. Trying to cancel everything out because you're happy with the way things are going.

What does all this mean? It means that, from a purely material, practical, layman's standpoint, there may as well be no fate or destiny. Odd coincidences and unexpected events will appear to be random and unpredictable. From a magical standpoint, there is a fate, and your decisions will put you on a custom-made fate-path (turn to page 20,332) that will hopefully eventually curve the average of all fate back around to the enigmatic End Result. Someone in the know can wield great power over their own destiny and the destiny of others by manipulating decisions and poking directly at the fate threads underlying everything (do not try this at home *poke poke*).

Also note that divination, with the exception of devices that directly contact astral entities, is sort of like weather forcasting for fate. A general reading is "Given Null State/Null Action (everyone stops making decisions and continues along whichever path they're on right now/I make decisions to try and minimize the impact of others on my path), what will happen to me?" a specific question is saying "Given Null State/Null Action, what will happen if I do x?" Lots of different reading types open up to someone using this system. "Right now, what events are most likely to affect my path in the near future?" "What actions do I need to take to change my current path?" "What's going to happen in the future, not given Null State/Null Action?" (this one, obviously, is only really useful in the very short term. A couple days, at most).

Q6: Do you believe in Karma? Is it different from Fate? If you do, why do you believe in Karma? If not, why not? Why is/why isn't it different from Fate? There is no karma, only a series of actions and reactions. If your actions are out of harmony with the rest of the universe, it's going to naturally try to snap you back into the direction it's trying to go. No "cosmic smite button" involved, merely natural reaction.

Q7: What about Souls? Do you believe in them? Why or why not? What are they? Where do they come from?
Yes, I believe in them, but I can't prove it.

Q8: What about Animal Guides? Are they integral to your beliefs? What are they? Are they solid, living animals or spirits? Why do you/don't you believe in them?
More Astral Entities of a type I like to call "Astral Archetypes". Theoretically, there's a perfect example of every living critter on earth somewhere in the astral (and, theoretically, the God and Goddess could be the Astral Archetypes of humans). THE Bear, THE Wolf, THE Bedbug.

Never met one, tho.

[Ben Trismegistus]

DISCLAIMER: Every answer in this post begins with an assumed "IN MY OPINION". I don't feel like typical it every time, so just take it as read, ok?

Q1: What do you believe the Divine is, if anything?The Divine is a field of energy that pervades the entire universe and everything in it, much like the concept of "The Force" from Star Wars. It is conscious insofar as it is the synergistic sum (which is to say, the whole is greater than the parts) of all human and inhuman consciousness and experience. It is one being, and simultaneously, it is an infinite number of beings, including the deities to which we have given names and forms.

Q2: What about the afterlife?Dunno. I think it's pretty much a given that we have some sort of immortal soul, and reincarnation seems pretty likely, but since there's no way we can know until we're dead, I choose instead to focus on being the best person I can be while I'm still living.

Q3: What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything?Magic is the utilization of the untapped semi-conscious portions of our brain, in order to manipulate the pervasive energy field of the universe to make things happen. Since all life is interconnected, we have the power (if we know how to use it) to affect every other living creature.

Q4: What of the Fae? Do you believe in them? If so, why and what are they? If not, why not?Literally? No. Do I believe that there are certain eddies and waves in the energy field of the universe that put off a playful, fairy-like vibe? Sure. I believe that the literal Fae are a metaphorical representation of the more playful aspects of the deific field, but I do not believe that they're little people living in Ireland.

Q5: Do you believe in Fate? Why? Why not? Define what you mean by Fate?No, I don't believe in Fate. I believe that from our vantage point, life is a linear progression and we're free to make any choices we desire. Fate would make our lives pointless, and I prefer not to think of Life as pointless.

Q6: Do you believe in Karma? Is it different from Fate? If you do, why do you believe in Karma? If not, why not? Why is/why isn't it different from Fate?I believe that in certain circumstances, what we put out into the universe comes back to us. I have known people who always complain, and are eternally pessimistic about their lives, and therefore bad things tend to happen to them. And I have known people who are eternally optimistic despite all setbacks, and they seem to live under a lucky star.

However, I believe that in other circumstances, for want of a better term, sh*t happens. Good people get sick. Bad people get rich. There's no rhyme or reason to that, there's no lesson to be learned. Sometimes, sh*t happens.

Q7: What about Souls? Do you believe in them? Why or why not? What are they? Where do they come from?Yes. We're allotted a little portion of the universal energy field that is who we are.

Q8: What about Animal Guides? Are they integral to your beliefs? What are they? Are they solid, living animals or spirits? Why do you/don't you believe in them?I believe that animal spirits are a representation of that which is animal within each of us. I believe that when one is communicating with an animal spirit, he is communicating with the divine energy that surrounds him, but through the medium of his own subconscious. My tiger is obviously a product of my own subconscious, as he is often a complete cynical pain in the ass.

[Pan]

Of course this is all opinion. :D Thanks, Ben, for pointing that out. I forgot all about the "in my opinion" bit. :)

I'm glad people are responding! Look at how different it is even so far. This is really fascinating!

[♪Hazel♪]

"What do you believe the Divine is, if anything?"



I believe the Divine is everything. Everything we're surrounded by. The entire Universe, as it works in harmony....
It has both masculine and feminine aspects, it is not only one.
I like to see it as an "All"... Everything weaved together and interconnected...
What one does to another, it does to itself.
I dont really know how else to explain it... sorry I think Im still a bit groggy on this subject.
Hope you understand what I mean .. *crosses fingers*




"What about the afterlife?"



When you die, you're actually becoming born into a different life. Into the "Astral realm" if you will. I dont believe you start off as a child or anything again... but are just you as your soul.
Once the "All" decides its time for you to move on, you are born again (reincarnated) into the physical realm again. Maybe on some other planet in some other side of the universe!
I believe everything cycles this way. ^_^




"What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything?"



I believe it's the bending of energies, (to accomplish a desired goal or purpose) beginning in the astral realm, and so coming through to the physical. I think any reality must begin in the astral plane first, and then it will come forth in the physical plane.




"What of the Fae? Do you believe in them? If so, why and what are they? If not, why not?"



I definetly believe in Faefolk! And I believe they exist on the astral plane or however many other planes there are. I also believe its possible for them to meddle in people's dreams..
speak to people while they are in altered states of conciousness, or dreaming... And I think in certain places in the world, at certain times, it's possible to see them!




"Do you believe in Fate? Why? Why not? Define what you mean by Fate? "



In a way...I believe in fate. I believe everything happens for a reason. Whether we choose to see it or not, we learn from everything we experience, and we just might have needed that certain experience at that moment. I think we're given exactly the right knowledge and strength to get through what we're struggling in. All we have to do is keep trying.

For example.. I became friends with my Theresa right at the exact right moment in my life where I needed HER guidance and noone else's. SHE helped me make it through. I believe it was fate that we would become friends. She helped me, I help her. We need each other and we can help each other through the hardest times in our lives.

But I also believe we have a definite say in where we're going in our lives. We do what is right for us... And others make decisions that affect us as well.. but I think all those things still happen for a reason. Even if we dont know what it is... Things've gotta work out somehow.




"Do you believe in Karma? Is it different from Fate? If you do, why do you believe in Karma? If not, why not? Why is/why isn't it different from Fate? "



I think differently about this "action/reaction" kind of thing...I dont believe the Universe sees the way things happen as "bad" or "good" and I dont think it's like " YOU WERE BAD NOW I WILL PUNISH YOU".. the Universe just flows...and goes with it.. it doesnt judge anything.
I think humans really make up bad or good within themselves...they determine if what they're doing is wrong or right. And if they feel they've done something wrong, the guilt they feel will produce bad energy around them.. and maybe that bad energy will be the cause of something unfortunate that'll happen later on that they may have seen as 'Bad luck' or 'Karma coming back to them.'




"What about Souls? Do you believe in them? Why or why not? What are they? Where do they come from? "



I believe in souls... I definetly think there's gotta be some kind of centre that differs people from one another... Where their centre.. their being... and their personality sprouts from and they cant deny it, no matter how much they pretend to be someone else.. they always will have themselves and the way THEY personally feel, and I think the soul is the cause of that. When you become close with someone, and begin to know them well.. I believe you are connecting with their soul. Yes. Souls.
Yum.:cutie:




"What about Animal Guides? Are they integral to your beliefs? What are they? Are they solid, living animals or spirits? Why do you/don't you believe in them? "



I believe in them...But have never met one, so I cant explain it I guess. But I hope to meet one someday!!

[Ceallach]

Well, I see I have some homework to do. Great idea, though. This is something everyone should do. It helps you explore yourself and a reminder of who you are and what you believe! Thanks! I have been working on something similar for months and I think I will just sit down tonight and get it done!

[Mindflayer]

Q1: What do you believe the Divine is, if anything?
I believe in the God and Goddess, and they go by many names, and have many attributes...

I believe that they are the energy, the spirit behind all existence, and exist everywhere at all times, but also have a pure form, not "physical" but a form that is recognisable none-the-less



(On a side note, I also believe that there are beings, that may be confused for Gods if you met them, but that do not make up the spirit of nature, they just exist within it and through it...like Humans)

I also agree that it's a rather conceited point of view to think that humans are the epitemy of evoilution, and that the physical realm is the penicle of existence



Q2: What about the afterlife?
Not quite sure, I believe there is something afterwards, but not quite sure what it is, I feel that as long as you accept death and what you did in life, it'll be nice

though I also believe that some people who cause great pain (i.e. Hitler, Charles Manson) will have much left over greif from what they did


Q3: What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything?
Magic is manipulating energy to achieve a goal, it can be both religious and non religious


Q4: What of the Fae? Do you believe in them? If so, why and what are they? If not, why not?
Yes, I believe that if you can think of something, it probably exists somewhere in reality...maybe not this planet, maybe not even this dimension or universe, but somewhere



Q5: Do you believe in Fate? Why? Why not? Define what you mean by Fate?
Kinda, I believe that you may be destined to achieve some ultimate goal, but how you get there is completely up to you


Q6: Do you believe in Karma? Is it different from Fate? If you do, why do you believe in Karma? If not, why not? Why is/why isn't it different from Fate?
Yes, if you cause pain, pain will come back to you, same thing with pleasure...

Karma is the return of energy that you put out

Fate is having the future set, and cannot be changed (which I do not beleive in)


Q7: What about Souls? Do you believe in them? Why or why not? What are they? Where do they come from?
Yes, they are your consciouness, they are the essence that makes you...YOU



Q8: What about Animal Guides? Are they integral to your beliefs? What are they? Are they solid, living animals or spirits? Why do you/don't you believe in them?
I believe they exist, but I don't know enough to make any other statement...maybe if I meet mine one day ;)

[Aidron]

Q: What do you believe the divine is, if anything?

A: A balanced force, neither cruel or compassionate, evil or good. It merely represents truth, which can sometimes be disturbing and other times enlightening. It seeks only to present us with opportunities and lessons so we can learn from them and grow, not to deal out reward or punishment. When we embrace the truth and thus, the divine, we will begin to realize that we are the divine and the divine is in everything. I am quite comfortable with the idea of the divine being the unconcious mind, in which all things, animal, plant, dirt and people are connected. When we pray to the divine we are beseeching the unconcious mind to bestow us with its wisdom, which it has in spades if you consider all the lessons that could be learned from the creatures that have existed throughout the ages. It is no different than those who post requests on the energy forum. We all appeal to the concious mind through our magic or prayer. Sometimes we obtain a response, other times, not.

Q: What about the afterlife?

A: I believe in the basis of energy. We all contain energy, which some refer to as souls or spirits, though this energy is not limited to human beings alone. It exists within rocks, trees, animals... everything. We never cease to exist, but merely go through a metamorphosis in which our energies are recycled into the cosmos, then transformed into something else. There is no end or beginning for it is an endless cycle of growth, change, and discovery.

Q: What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything?

A: Magic, to me, is the harnessing of the energy that exists within everything throughout the unvierse and then focusing it toward a task, thus creating a ripple affect in the cosmos which manifests the desire. Many energies are more compatible than others, which is where we get sympathetic energies, or magic. Energy can be blocked, such as electricity being grounded by rubber, thus magic does not always work as there are blocks that we may not can overcome or push beyond at times.

Q: What of the Fae? Do you believe in them? If so, why and what are they? If not, why not?

A: I do believe in them, and I consider them to be just like every other creature. Just as there are differences present between humans and animals, and even amongst humans as a whole, they still are apart of the unending cycle of the cosmos. Some of us have may at one point lived as a fae in another life (or really anything). They lovers of mischief, laughter, joy, and nature. They are pure magic through and through due to the fact that they can attune with the universe much more readily and easily than us.

Q: Do you believe in Karma? Is it different from Fate? If you do, why do you believe in Karma? If not, why not? Why is/why isn't it different from Fate?

A: Fate and karma are very different in my eyes. Fate is opportunity, or changes that have occurred to present us with an opportunity. For example we may be running late for work and along the way to our job run into the love of our life. Now there is no gurantee that it any sort of relationship will work, as we are in charge of what to do with the opportunities presented to us. We cannot expect to sit back and things simply fall into place, ultimately achieving our dreams. Karma I believe exists in a very unconventional sense. Good and evil exist only in the minds of man. We created it and that's that. There is no universal right, wrong, or judge that dictates what sort of 'karma' we recieve. If anything, karma is nothing more than magic in that we are all linked to an unconcious mind, and thus if you cause distress for someone they will not take kindly to it. They intentionally or unintentionally manifest negative energy toward you which is essentially magic--focused energy. This focused energy manifests changes in your life, though does not dictate its absolute course. Since good and evil are so subjective, it is impossible to venture through life without ever dealing with negative karmic backlashes since someoneone, somewhere, will always wish ill toward you.

Q: What about Souls? Do you believe in them? Why or why not? What are they? Where do they come from?

A: I believe we all posess a spirit, essence, or energy. Our concious and unconcious minds combine to create it. Thoughts, emotions, and the like add up to produce our spirit. It is nothing more than energy, just as all things are in the universe. As per scientific law, nothing is every truly destroyed, only transformed. Wood is not destroyed by fire, but turned into ash. When we die our spirits transform, and continue the transformation cycle indefinitely. There is no such thing as 'true destruction', since nothing is ever truly lost, but 'true creation' does exist and hence how I view more spirits, souls, etc. popping up every day in the form of an ever increasing population.

Q: What about Animal Guides? Are they integral to your beliefs? What are they? Are they solid, living animals or spirits? Why do you/don't you believe in them?

A: They are a significant portion of my path. Every animal within nature has evolved to be the best it can be, and since perfection is never obtained, they continue to evolve. If we observe them we can learn from the skills and talents they posess. They are neither solid, alive, dead, a spirit, or animal. They, just as us, are energy, and have many representations, from a raven we can physically touch or see, to its spiritual essence. All things are multi-faceted and animal guides are no exception. We cannot ignore their physical being anymore than their spiritual one. It's not really a question though of whether I believe in them. They exist, it is as simple as that. To those that do not believe they exist, they simply have not opened their mind enough in my opinion to see them. That sounds very "I'm right, if you don't agree with me you're wrong" I'm sure, but I firmly believe that all beliefs are important, so you should never deny any as you may be missing out.

[RubyRose]

Q1: What do you believe the Divine is, if anything?
~I believe that the Divine, is both male and female. It represents a whole. Like that of a coin having two sides, the Devine is one. I believe that there are many Gods and Goddesses and that they are the many faces and aspects of the Devine.

Q2: What about the afterlife?
~I believe there is an afterlife, I don’t as yet, have a concrete knowledge of what the afterlife is, but I do believe that it is there, and regardless of what we have done after we die, that’s where we go.

Q3: What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything?
~I believe that magick is an essence, a life force, energy that flows through a person, something akin to Faith.

Q4: What of the Fae? Do you believe in them? If so, why and what are they? If not, why not?
~I believe the Fae are beings, maybe they were cast out of a particular place or dimension. Maybe for doing something wrong (like that of the angels) or maybe they were just created to help us along our travels. Either way, the Fae are around, and it’s nice knowing that spiritually I’m not alone, and there’s being out there that are willing to lend a hand.

Q5: Do you believe in Fate? Why? Why not? Define what you mean by Fate?
~I believe our Fate is pre-determined at birth. Maybe not totally, but I believe that somewhere along the line the Goddess, determined a path for us and we will eventually follow it.

Q6: Do you believe in Karma? Is it different from Fate? If you do, why do you believe in Karma? If not, why not? Why is/why isn't it different from Fate?
~I believe there is such a thing as good and bad Karma, similar to that of luck. If luck is what you get out of positive planning and the like, then Karma is something you attract from being kind and nice to those around you, as equally if you were mean you don’t have that much positive Karma around you.

Q7: What about Souls? Do you believe in them? Why or why not? What are they? Where do they come from?
~Souls. I’ve never understood what they are, ‘cept in Christian terms of being holy and devout. If you were to be mean and devilish you’d lose your right to have a Soul.
I’m not sure it can be proven whether or not you have a soul, because what is a Soul, other than something Christian’s created to keep you from sinning and going to hell?

Q8: What about Animal Guides? Are they integral to your beliefs? What are they? Are they solid, living animals or spirits? Why do you/don't you believe in them?
~Animal guides. Yes I believe in them. I believe that they can be living animals, but they are most likely spirits, like Angels, they are there to guide and to comfort you and help you in your magickal workings to heighten the power of the spell or ritual.
Other questions to ponder, if they haven’t already been mentioned, if so, I am sorry. (I haven’t gotten around to reading the entire thread)

Some other questions that could be useful
What are Angels? Do you believe in them?
Do you believe in Destiny? If so why?
Is there such a place as Hell? Or is it just a misconception?

[~*Ginger*~]

What do you believe the Divine is, if anything?

I believe the divine is everything.
Yes, I mean everything...

Everything & anything IS POSSIBLE!

What about the afterlife?

I believe the afterlife will be a new and wonderful experience for all of us!
That we will see & understand the reason that the way things are for us (each) right now in this life & that we will have a remembering of our life's past.
That we will understand for our very own self how to do better the next life to come...

What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything?

I believe magic(k) is that spark that dwells within the soul of us all.
That in every life we come to recognise & understand that 'yes, the divine is everything and everywhere in and around us and how to use it to the good of all'.
Lifetimes are infinite.
The elements around us have been and will always be, and we are a part of them.

~*remembering/learning/practicing/knowing.*~

Of course anyone can make it as elaborate or as simple as they please.

[Storm]

http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=12840

Loki. I love this thread. I rave about this thread all the time. It might give you some more ideas for your questions. I copied it and altared the wording slightly to fit a general questionaire rather than talored to the forums. I made a few copies and I keep them in my ringbinder BOS. I hand them out to anyone who seems serious about paganism.

Hey and post a complete list if you alter it any.

Storm

[Mesektet]

First off Hi, its obvious Im new here, but here is a good jumping off point, at least for the forums.
Q1: What do you believe the Divine is, if anything?

Answer: The Divine is us and everything around being connected together. This vague, so Im not going to say many specifics because there are an infinate ways for connection, people see many things in their walk. What i will say is that for me, the simple concept of Creation is a connection, as all this around was once created...one way or another...

Q2: What about the afterlife?

Answer: Yes. To elaborate, what about it?

Q3: What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything?

Answer:The ability to pull the threads, and re-weave commonly percieved reality, by will alone.

Q4: What of the Fae? Do you believe in them? If so, why and what are they? If not, why not?

Answer: What of them? I think they have it rough these days. Yes, I do believe in them, though I dont consider it a belief, its not something I can call into question anymore. Its akin to breathing now, or having a pulse. Though I live alone (i.e. no roommates) I dont live alone (i.e. Im shacked up with a Fae) and this appears to be a lifetime contract situation.

Q5: Do you believe in Fate? Why? Why not? Define what you mean by Fate?

Answer: Yes, in the form of synchronicity. Connections are there, but connections can change based on decisions. Again, fate is something that dont believe in and rather accept without thought. It just is.

Q6: Do you believe in Karma? Is it different from Fate? If you do, why do you believe in Karma? If not, why not? Why is/why isn't it different from Fate?

Answer: Yes. I see it different from fate though tied as well. I dont see affecting every decision but a whole series of decisions. It builds up over a period of time, not just in the physical plane but in the emotional and the spiritual as well.

Q7: What about Souls? Do you believe in them? Why or why not? What are they? Where do they come from?

Answer: This would be a resounding "oh hell yes." Mainly because I have one and feel it every day awake or asleep. I have no idea what it really is, though I suspect its at least part of the essence of the concept of Creation, Immortalized in existence. Beyond that Ill give those answers when I shuffle off this mortal coil.

Q8: What about Animal Guides? Are they integral to your beliefs? What are they? Are they solid, living animals or spirits? Why do you/don't you believe in them?

Answer: Yes. Yes. A connection with Creation to us to them and their essence and spirit. Both on the solid/spirit question. And yes, I do believe and am learning more and more about myself and my animal every day.

[Alyn]

Q1: What do you believe the Divine is, if anything?
____________________________________________________________________

- The Creator exists. And it had definite limitations. It is not "all powerful" and it exists in and is limited to linear time as we are. It is what it is. Belief, misnomers and metaphors do not change it. It isn't whatever we want it to be or whatever we see it as. We may glimpse parts or aspects accurately, but that does not mean we understand the whole. And all of us describe aspects inaccurately.
- It wants to be known and understood, but not in a theological, scholastic way. 100% accuracy is not as important as a teachable spirit.
- It is connected to everything and all things are interconnected but it is not the same as all things being divine. Some things are evil
________________________________________________________________

Q2: What about the afterlife?
________________________________________________________________

There is an afterlife. One life - Game over. The spirts of the dead go there immediately upon death. They do not stick around for any reason, nor do they communicate with us. Other beings mimic the dead to trick people, but they are always fae or others. Some "ghosts" are windows in time, the connectedness of the universe in a visible form. The experiences people refer to as reincarnation are really these connections with the past.
_________________________________________________________________

Q3: What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything?
_________________________________________________________________

- Majic is merely privileged nformation. Much of what we call magic is realy ritual. A rite to formalize an internal change in the person performing it. This can be meaningful and real, but it can be rediculous and laughable as well.
- Real Majic is privileged information. It can be information regarding technology, physics, chemistry, biology, botany, astronomy, music, art or anything that is unknown to the "audience". There are "unknown" principles and properties which if one "pulls the proper thread" has a "supernatural" effect.
- Superstition gives majic a bad name. A large part of supertition is the belief that "if i do X then Y will happen. This is NEVER true. If i turn the key, sometimes the car does not start. Is it supposed to? yes. Is it possible? yes. Is the potential there? yes. But sometimes majic does not have the desired consequences because of almost infinite variables.
__________________________________________________________________

Q4: What of the Fae? Do you believe in them? If so, why and what are they? If not, why not?
___________________________________________________________________

There are intelligent beings that are not human. Some have never been here and communicate via connections. Some were placed here. Some traveled here. Some left. Some are fables and wishful thinking. Some are good, some are evil.
____________________________________________________________________

Q5: Do you believe in Fate? Why? Why not? Define what you mean by Fate?
_____________________________________________________________________

- No, i believe in potential. Every being is created with a potential, and some ability to achieve it. The universe drives us to fulfill this potential. Some do, some don't. In fact billions of billions of potentials are wasted. But that is okay.
- Added to that is the fact that the creator has been known to intervene on behalf of certain creations, also against.
- And then there is the Sh*t Happens factor that has already been wisely elaborated on .
______________________________________________________________________

Q6: Do you believe in Karma? Is it different from Fate? If you do, why do you believe in Karma? If not, why not? Why is/why isn't it different from Fate?
______________________________________________________________________

Karma is a universal principle. You can call it karma or reaping what you have sown. Whatever. I like to use an analogy of a brick house. Each action in your life, no matter how small is a brick. Throughout your life you build a house with these bricks. If one or two actions are wrong, bad or evil (whatever), it is the same as one bad brick. One bad brick will not ruin the house. In fact one bad section or course of bricks will not ruin the house. And possibly if you had a whole bad wall the three other good walls would hold it up. So then why does it matter? Because an earthquake is coming. Some will stand, some will fall.
____________________________________________________________________

Q7: What about Souls? Do you believe in them? Why or why not? What are they? Where do they come from?
________________________________________________________________

Each person is a trio of three distinct voices. Spirit, Soul and Flesh. The soul is the decision maker between the other two. They come from the fact that all things are created with certain properties. The properties are inherited from the parents.
_________________________________________________________________

Q8: What about Animal Guides? Are they integral to your beliefs? What are they? Are they solid, living animals or spirits? Why do you/don't you believe in them?
______________________________________________________________________

It is sad that people look to animals for guidance when often they have rejected every other form of guidance. Animals can be good friends and teach us many things about ourselves and "humanity" Also we can understand some of the connecting principles through interacting with them. But what you speak of is sad superstition and projection. The Universe WILL go to great lengths to enlighten a seeker, and within that context many things are possible. However Animal guidance (except seeing eye dogs) whether in flesh or spirit form as generally practiced is just wishful thinking.
_____________________________________________________________________

Other questions posted,

- The purpose in life is to show love in a real way to as many beings as is possible. Specificaly the most challenging ones.

- Yes you could call it a collective conscience. It is a good a name as any. It is really the connectedness of all things. and the bleed over that happens (by design).

- Yes there is universal morality. Some actions are always evil. And yes there is subjective morality. Many actions are good or bad according to the motive of the one acting.

Angels are agents of the creator, however they are limited in number. And are quite unlike mythology. Their properties and aspects vary wildly, and mythology and legend have morphed them into many other superstitions.

Destiny = drive

Hell is a realm that exists. It is simply the realm of the disconnected. As Raven Windsong pointed out, "As per scientific law, nothing is every truly destroyed ". But it can be disconnected. There will come a time when all that is evil will be disconnected from the divine and from the universe. It will then continue to exist in perpetual isolation.

If you have gotten this far, thank you for reading. Comments are welcome.



Truth is Universaly true. It is the application of truth that is infinitely diverse.



Further question. (off topic i guess)

- If you could ask the creator one question (and get the answer) what would it be?

Blessings

[Carol]

My beliefs have always been Christian because that is what I was taught when I was a child. Then one day, I grew up and am on a quest for answers because I suddenly realized the ones I had been taught to believe didn't make sense, nor were they comforting or peaceful, or even familiar. So here are my answers to date, and think the journal idea is a great one so I can go back in a year and say, WOW! I believed THAT? LOL...(hoping I am alive in a year to make these comparisons...sigh)


[Q1: What do you believe the Divine is, if anything?
I have always viewed God as being male, white hair, throne, all of that...now, I think
he is energy, not physical, and that his spirit, energy, is in all of us and all of nature
and all that is and was and ever will be.


Q2: What about the afterlife?
Definately there, just not sure what it is yet...


Q3: What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything?
The manipulation of energy that is constantly around us, through thought and pure will.
I don't believe one necessarily needs physical tools or herbs to tap into this energy,
unless it helps direct and focus thought waves for some people...

Q4: What of the Fae? Do you believe in them? If so, why and what are they? If not, why not?
I don't know what the Fae are yet, I haven't heard of them...

Q5: Do you believe in Fate? Why? Why not? Define what you mean by Fate?
Yes and no...a terrible answer I know...fate is what is destined to happen, but if a
certain event DOESN'T happen because of psychic interference, was the event really
fated or was the canceling of the event by psychic intervention the fate?

Q6: Do you believe in Karma? Is it different from Fate? If you do, why do you believe in Karma? If not, why not? Why is/why isn't it different from Fate?
Yes, I definately believe in that old adage "what goes around comes around" because I
have seen it happen to many times NOT to believe in it...and sometimes, it comes
around fast! It's different than fate as fate is what is going to happen because
of predestination. Karma, on the other hand is a kind of universal code of justice,
for lack of a better explanation...what you do comes back to you, whether it be good
or bad, and you usually know when it happens, and why.

Q7: What about Souls? Do you believe in them? Why or why not? What are they? Where do they come from?
I have been told souls are the human body, and our 'essence' i our spirit; I'm still not
decided on it, but definately believe our spirits are eternal, and come from whoever
created us...I'm not sure if our spirits are all one with God, or separate...

Q8: What about Animal Guides? Are they integral to your beliefs? What are they? Are they solid, living animals or spirits? Why do you/don't you believe in them?
Haven't read enough on them yet to form an opinion...

[DebLipp]

This silly little survey is actually excellent at assessing beliefs:

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html

[aefentid]

Q1: What do you believe the Divine is, if anything?I'm a polytheist I believe the Gods are individual entities, and I see my Gods as my elder kin.

Q2: What about the afterlife?I believe in a multiplicity of afterlife possibilities: going to the God you served in life, going to a Heaven or Paradise, going to Hel or something like that, reincarnation, or even choosing to cease to exist.



Q3: What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything?I believe magic is the art of focusing the will to cause change in yourself and/or the world.

Q4: What of the Fae? Do you believe in them? If so, why and what are they? If not, why not?I believe in the Idesa( which is Old English for the more common term Disir), Aelfs, and various land and house Wights. The Idesa are powerful female ancestral spirits that watch over families, sometimes they help that members of the family they watch over sometimes they punish them. My Patron rules over the Aelfs and there are many types of them. Some are at times called Light Aelfs and have very close associations with the Gods and reside in Alfheimr also known as Aelfhame. Others are thought to be the male equivilant of the Idesa, and are sometimes thought to dwell in mounds.Land and House Wights are spirits that inhabit the land or your home, and are often given offerings in my tradition.

Q5: Do you believe in Fate? Why? Why not? Define what you mean by Fate?In Northern Traditions there are two kind of fate both of them are highly complex but can be briefly defined as; orlog which is unchangeable and affects everything including the Gods and wyrd which is more personal and can be changed.

Q6: Do you believe in Karma? Is it different from Fate? If you do, why do you believe in Karma? If not, why not? Why is/why isn't it different from Fate?No, I don't believe in karma.

Q7: What about Souls? Do you believe in them? Why or why not? What are they? Where do they come from?My beliefs about the soul are the same as what's explained in this article. http://www.ealdriht.org/soul2.html

Q8: What about Animal Guides? Are they integral to your beliefs? What are they? Are they solid, living animals or spirits? Why do you/don't you believe in them?I have a spae-aelf which can be described as a sort of equivilant to a Holy Guardian Angel. I also have a fox, and a tree. They are very very important to my beliefs especially my spae-aelf. I think they are spirits and I suppose I believe in them because of the experiences that I've had with them and the fact those experiences line up with similar experiences others have had.

[LittleRhiannon]

Q1: What do you believe the Divine is, if anything?

I believe the divine is higher power, and it is divided into a Goddess and God equally

Q2: What about the afterlife?

I believe in reincarnation, but other than that I don't really know

Q3: What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything?

The manipulation of energy and patterns of things to suit ones will

Q4: What of the Fae? Do you believe in them? If so, why and what are they? If not, why not?

I believe in them, just spirits of nature and such in physical form

Q5: Do you believe in Fate? Why? Why not? Define what you mean by Fate?

I think some things are predetermined and fate, but not everything is controlled

Q6: Do you believe in Karma? Is it different from Fate? If you do, why do you believe in Karma? If not, why not? Why is/why isn't it different from Fate?

I'm not sure if I believe in karma, because it doesn't seem very evident around us.

Q7: What about Souls? Do you believe in them? Why or why not? What are they? Where do they come from?

I believe in souls, and that they are the essential "you", what transfers during reincarnation, what you are without your body.

Q8: What about Animal Guides? Are they integral to your beliefs? What are they? Are they solid, living animals or spirits? Why do you/don't you believe in them?

I don't know much about them, they aren't really part of my beliefs.

[Saggitario]

Q1: What do you believe the Divine is, if anything?
well, I consider myself a dualist. I beleive in a God and a Godess. They represent duality that is found in nature. They represent man and woman, light and darkness, sun and moon, etc. I veiw them as equals, but not neccesarily oposites. Let me put it this way; I see the Devine as a coin. The God represents one side of the coin, and the Godess, the other. The are just 2 sides of the same coin. Ive stuck with this idea, because it is easy (for me) to comprehend, and it extends into other realms of my spirituality. For instance, I think good and bad are part of the Divine, also as 2 sides of the same coin.

Q2: What about the afterlife?
I beleive in the afterlife, because I have investigated hauntings, and in some, there is deffinately some form of intelligence at work, thus proving to me that the mind can operate outside the body.

Q3: What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything?
Im not sure yet. It could be manipulating devine energy, or it could be mind-over-matter. It could also be a little bit of both, I just have to keep practicing it to try to understand it better.

Q4: What of the Fae? Do you believe in them? If so, why and what are they? If not, why not?
I havent really done much research into the fae folk, as im trying to keep my beleifs simple. I will let you know if that changes.

Q5: Do you believe in Fate? Why? Why not? Define what you mean by Fate?
Q6: Do you believe in Karma? Is it different from Fate? If you do, why do you believe in Karma? If not, why not? Why is/why isn't it different from Fate?


I put these 2 questions together, because I think Fate and Karma are intertwined together. I think some things can be attributed to fate, and some to chance. I think life is just too complicated to stick fully with one or the other. I think the Karma that you generate can have an effect on your fate, or the chances that something will happen.
This is a really complicated issue. If I roll a die, and it comes up on six, then did that happen by chance, or was it fate that it would land that way? I guess its all in how you look at it.

Q7: What about Souls? Do you believe in them? Why or why not? What are they? Where do they come from?
I think your soul is the sum of your thoughts, memories and your peorsonality. I think its the part of you that lives on when your body dies. Where do they come from? thats a really good question...

Q8: What about Animal Guides? Are they integral to your beliefs? What are they? Are they solid, living animals or spirits? Why do you/don't you believe in them?
Hmm. I beleive in totem animals, but thats a completely different thing......


I hope you gained some insight into my beleifs, and I hope that newbies who read this might be inspired while finding theirs,

Take Care,
Saggitario

[IrishRiotGrrrl]

I believe the Divine is something that cannot be touched in the physical sense. I think the Divine is something that is within every single person and is more of a feeling than an actual person or being. I do believe that to communicate with the Divine to put it into something that is tangible...ie a God or a Goddess or whatever....you are able to be more in tune with it so to speak.

I'm not sure in any kind of afterlife. I like to think we are all reicarnated until we complete our mission or whatever we have to do, if it's not done in this life...If that makes sense? LOL!

I think magick is everything wonderful that happens in your life. I know that sounds cheesy but I really believe it.

I want to believe in the fae, but I also want some scientific proof. I love the idea of these beautiful creatures and in some cases not so beautiful creatures, but I can't say either way.

I think fate is something that is supposed to happen to an individual in their life. I think it will happen no matter what. Do I believe in it? To a point. Then I want to fight it. ;) I believe karma is "payment" so to speak for good things and bad things an individual does in their life.

I believe in souls because it's scary to believe that I am just an empty shell. What do I think a soul is? I think a soul is the inner beauty of a person...is the "spirit" or the actual sexless, person that resides inside of everyone...even animals...and no I dont think drums have souls. ;)

I dont know if I believe in animal guides or not. Sometimes I want to believe in it but other times I think it's BS. I guess it depends. I just haven't really felt the urge to have an animal guide. I do think it's a beautiful idea though. ;)

[Jeleia]

Ok here are some of my beliefs. :)

Q1: What do you believe the Divine is, if anything? Well I believe in "the force" which is like an energy force. It surrounds us and is a part of us.

Q2: What about the afterlife? I do believe in reincarnation, although I have scattered thoughts on this subject.

Q3: What do you believe magic(k) is, if anything? I have a lot of thoughts on magic, but in basic terms, I think that magic is energy manipulation.

Q4: What of the Fae? Do you believe in them? If so, why and what are they? If not, why not? I never done much research on Fae. I wouldn't say that I don't believe in them, but I also wouldn't say that I do.

Q5: Do you believe in Fate? Why? Why not? Define what you mean by Fate? To some degree. I have mixed thoughts on the subject. I don't like the idea that our lives are controlled. However I do think some things happen for a reason.

Q6: Do you believe in Karma? Is it different from Fate? If you do, why do you believe in Karma? If not, why not? Why is/why isn't it different from Fate? What goes around comes around. I don't really believe in fate, but it does differ from Karma. Because Karma is something you bring upon yourself.

Q7: What about Souls? Do you believe in them? Why or why not? What are they? Where do they come from? I do believe in Souls, but I'm not sure what excatly they are or where they are from. I've read some very interesting response to this question, but I don't really have an answer.

Q8: What about Animal Guides? Are they integral to your beliefs? What are they? Are they solid, living animals or spirits? Why do you/don't you believe in them? I don't have an animal guide, but that doesn't mean that I don't believe in them. I think they can be living or spirits.

I had a hard time answering some of these questions. I have many thoughts about the ideas of souls, the afterlife and fate. After all, who knows what is out there.