How did you find your Pagan Path?

[Alvin24]

How did you get started on your pagan path? What did you do before you found it?
I'll start.

As a child, I didn't have a religion, nor did my parents. But even then, being outdoors in Nature was something that never failed to make smile or be happier. You know how everyone has an imaginary friend when they're little?

Well, mine was the Sun. When the sun was out and shining, I would run and jump and play, secure in the knowledge that the sun was watching me and maybe playing along too. And then, as the sun would begin to set, I would sit and pour out my troubles to him, about things that made me angry, or scared, or upset, and sometimes just innocent childish nonsense, like my hope that the girl next door would just stop being such a girl and be more like a boy so I could play with her. You could say that the Wiccan God was my very first confidante and playmate.

Also, whenever I saw acts of magic or wizards on T.V. or in books I read, it would arouse such a hunger and longing in me, like for food I had never eaten, or to be something I had no idea what it was in the first place. It was something that went far beyond the childish desire to have "cool magical powers." It was something much more, and much deeper.

Later, in my teen years, my parents converted to Protestant Christianity, and I of course had to go along with them to church and get baptised, etc. While I talked the talk, and walked the walk, Christianity never satisfied the longing I had deep inside me. I longed for a sense of wonder, beauty, magic, inspiration, hope, and harmony with Nature. I wasn't getting any of that with Christianity.

Finally, just six months ago, I decided I'd had enough. I was sick of seeing life as a cosmic chessmatch between the forces of good and evil, tired of believing in a religion which cared nothing for Nature and its creatures, which bred hypocrisy and intolerance, and in whose name have been committed some real evil and atrocities.

I went and bought Christopher Penczak's Inner and Outer Temples of Witchcraft, Scott Cunningham's Guide to Wicca for the Solitary Practicioner, and Oberon Zell-Ravenheart's Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard, and am now happily on my path towards completing a year-and-a-day of study and reflection before I initiate myself into the ways of Wiccan wizard.

Your turn!

[semi]

I just always wanted to know why I was here and what my purpose is. And why everyone and everything else was here. I read a lot, looking for answers. I found the answers in various places. Each answer led me to take a step in a certain direction. Now I'm here.

[Blondie]

Through pop culture, and particularly my medium of choice: film.

It's been ever-evolving, off and on since then. It's been so great, evolving in my spiritual beliefs. And the changes yet to come will be great too.

[Enozgirl]

I found my path early on. I was always intrigued by the myths of the Greeks and Romans, and borderline obsessed with the Salem Witch Trials. In high school, I had the freedom to research and I found one of Scott Cunningham's books. I knew this was for me. It struck such a cord.

In reading To Ride a Silver Broomstick, I learned about Stregheria. When I read Ways of the Strega, my heart was filled with such gladness and happiness. I felt like I had found my home. And it's been that way ever since.

I've recently started studying in earnest with a Strega coven locally. I can't tell you how much I've learned and grown over the last few months! My heart sings on a daily basis that I've finally found my "home".

*gush*

[CaitrionaMorgaine]

My parents raised me non-religiously and encouraged me to find my own spirituality. I was introduced to Paganism by a friend in high school who was Wiccan. That got me started down what would eventually lead me to my current path, the Pagan tradition of Ar Afalon.

Avalon's Blessings, ~Rhiannon

[Rubber_Piggy]

Was born into a R/C family, we left the church when I was ~15. Since then I have always been interested in religion and learned what I could and then made up my mind what I believe. When people asked was religion I was I said "Open", "open-minded" or "what ever you want to call me".
Recently that I discovered that I was inline with the majority of Neo-pagan/Wiccan beliefs and thus I did much focussed research and decided that Neo-Pagan was the way for me. Nothing has really changed except that now when people ask what religion I am I would say "Neo-pagan" and some of my beliefs, while the same in essence, have change their focus slightly. (eg. i know sse the 'Powers that be' as having divine aspects :) )

[Memory's Flame]

When I was 13 (I was a very good little Christian girl up until this point) I got a new best friend! And after a few times hanging out with her I noticed some interesting books at her moms house... and her mom had this beautiful star necklace. So I started questioning... She sent me home with a stack of books, which after my mom saw I was forbidden to see Megan (my best friend) again...

Ha! Lotta good that did my mom ;)

So now here I am, almost 22 and I have been a Pagan going on 9 years... but I am now re-evaluating my faith and my path, but I am just looking for new ways around paganism, I don't think I'll venture far!

[9-2-2]

Once upon a time, there was a little asian-american girl who lived with her Christian, moral, upright, military father, but she had no mother. The hole left in this little girl's life created a drive in her, a drive to make her wonder beyond her Christian bounds. She picked up a tarot deck for a friend at school one day, and before handing it off, she curiously perused the cards and through the book. Then this little girl got her own tarot deck. This girl's friend asked for a Wicca book, and of course, the little asian girl bought the book for her beloved friend... but once more, the little girl curious perused the book, staying up late into the night to read the entire thing, going to school the next day not having slept one wink.

That little book contained wonders that hit the little asian girl like a hammer. The little girl's heart pounded as never before, as if these universal truths were the ones she'd been waiting to hear all throughout her life. So the little asian girl bought more and more books: Wicca, ceremonial magick, anything she could get her hands on.

One day, daddy found his little girl's occult collection, and burned everything in the fireplace... it didn't matter that the smoke was pouring out of the windows and setting off the fire alarm. They had to go. Away went the little girl's pictures of fantasy and creation, away went collections of beautiful swords and knives, away went the internet access, away went her priviledge to talk to friends at school or walk unescorted, away went this girl's freedom. What was the little girl to do?

Buy her books back, of course. Do you really think her heart's flame could be doused? Oh, no it couldn't! She hid better this time; for every book thrown out, she'd get two more!

Finally, the little girl broke free, and flew off into her own life. And here this little girl is right now, typing to you. :)

[Pandoras]

I was born into a Catholic family, but the kind that only go to church for weddings. Nevertheless, my parents had me baptized, put me in catechism, and I did my communion. But it never felt right, I was never convinced. So I told my mom I didn't want to continue and both my parents were fine with it. I never did my confirmation.

Always a voracious reader, I started reading about Greek mythology when I was about 11 and I was hooked. I immediately adopted Artemis as my goddess and wondered why nobody else worshipped her (little did I know). Shortly after that, I obtained a book on the power of stones (by Cayce) and began my love affair with rocks. My parents were fine with that.

In high school, I discovered Buckland's blue book of Wicca and finally found a name for my beliefs. My English teacher (and friend) gave me a tarot deck as a graduation present and so I began my love affair with tarot. My parents were fine with that too.

Today, I identify as an eclectic Pagan witch. My parents are fine with that. They're pretty cool, always very supportive. My mom is actually an integral part of my business.

[Atheleisia]

I was raised by my mother and grandmother, who were Methodist. It never quite "fit" right, and I asked a lot of questions, trying to make it fit. On one hand, they were happy that I was asking so many questions about God, but on the other hand, the questions were weird/tough ones.

Anyway, one day we were talking about where our heritage came from, and my grandmother said that we were supposedly related to Mary, Queen of Scots. I thought that was kind of fun, and wanted to know if we were related to any other famous/interesting people. She said that we had a lot of Norwegian and Swedish background and that we could possibly be related to Vikings way back; my 11 year old self thought that was very cool, and so I set out to learn about the Vikings.

So, one day I was at the library looking for books about them, and the shelf I needed was behind me. Being a little slow on the uptake, I didn't realize that. Somebody walked in front of me, and I bumped into the shelf behind me. A book -- I think it was just called The Vikings -- fell out and thwacked me on the head. It landed open to an appendix about runes. I flipped through it, thought runes looked nifty, and went on to read about Norse mythology. That was the start of that -- things that didn't "fit" before started to. Pretty soon, I was praying to the Aesir and Vanir.

About a year after that, I came across A Book of Troth by Edred Thorsson and finally had a name for what I believed and better ways to do what I was doing.

My mom isn't too happy about me being pagan, and still insists its a phase -- a 15 year phase. ;)

[oscenn]

As a child, I was always into the supernatural. I always read about vampires and witches. But I was unaware of the fact that they do exist, but different from the ways the books describe them. I finally found out about Wicca, in a book called Sweep, which is my favorite series of all times. Before I read the series, I had some troubles with my dad ( don't worry It wasn't abusive, lol ), and I found that talking to the Catholic God, and going to church wasn't giving me any faith. So when I found the book, I instantly connected with it. I started to research and check out books from the Library about Wicca. Now I'm here today, still researching, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to stay on the path I'm on.

[Windigo]

born into it

thats about it... :floating:

[Shanti]

I was born..followed my heart and once I began the growing up part....I found the words for the things I always knew.

[Rowan Darkmoon]

When I was about 11 or 12 I went to piano camp for a week. At this time, I was very interested in fantasy novels, and I was always looking for new ones to get my hands on. I saw a girl reading a book called "Celtic Magic" and to this day the way that book looked in that girl's hand is burned into my mind. So, I went to the bookstore to pick it up, and low and behold it was in the New Age section. And involved real magic. I stayed up all night reading it cover to cover, highlighting words that had particular resonance with me.

Since then I've read every Wiccan book I could get my hands on and dedicated myself to this path which is on going and ever changing, but true to myself. And that's how I began!

Rowan

[Dark Phoenix]

I was wondering throughout the school library one day and picked up a fiction novel and wondered how much of it was real and what the author was just making up, so I went home and searched around the internet and checked out a few books and here I am.

[silverstard]

Funny that this came up... I was just retelling this story to a roommate a couple days ago!

I was probably 16 or so when a friend of mine came to school one day and said she was Wiccan. Her family had gone to the same church as mine too, I knew her family was uber-Christian. (It was a Lutheran Church - really nice, just didn't have a pull past having friends that went there). At the time, I thought to myself "She's cool, she's doing something different and getting away with it". You can see my mind set. Well, she & I talked and she explained a few things about Wiccan beliefs and explained differences between that and Christianity. A lot of what she said resonated deep within me, but I was too scared to change anything. About the same time, my step-sister (we're the same age) started bringing home books on witchcraft and asking if I wanted to do some spells. I would read the book, but I didn't ever practice anything - again because it was scary.

By the time I was in my first year at college, now in the midwest, I had completely forgotten all of this. I had been battling some serious depression that had built up for years, so I started searching for what I needed to heal my heart/soul. One day, I remembered the conversations that my friend and I had had, but I couldn't remember what she called it. I was frantic at this point, and found The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, so I started at the beginning.

That was 8 years ago, and although there have been bumps, and I am still evolving, I have come home. :)

[bshore]

Well, when I was 16, I picked up a copy of Llewlyn's Magical Almanac for 1997 at a new age store. I was interested, and bought a couple SRW books, and wrote a term paper on Wicca (which was the controversy of the century for my small town school).

So, I liked Wicca, but never practiced anything, just read, and eventually fell off the track. A couple years later in jr. college, I took a religion class and began searching in earnest for a path that really worked for me. See, I've always been a very quiet, thoughtful person. I could live entirely in my mind pondering the vairous nuances of existance forever and be quite happy. If i'd been a love 3000 years ago, I would have been one of the great Greek philosophers.

So, I'm analyzing everything, and reading everything, and decide to look up "spiritualism". Not sure where this came from, except that it's a word I heard of and sounded interesting. This lead me to checking out a book by Sylvia Brown, and a lot of what she said resonated in me. Once I began researching her, tho, I started having doubts about her real motivation (she charges hundreds for psychic readings and publishes tons of books which basically just repeat themselves). But, I couldn't deny that I liked her approach and the "take it or leave it" attitude she presented it with. So, I did just that, I took what I liked and left the rest.

Just this summer I got more interested in Wicca and Paganism in general, and once I found this place I was all gung-ho for being Pagan and finding a personal diety and becoming closer to nature. It didn't happen. I've just recently decided that I am not Pagan. I don't have a very personal relationship with God, but I trust he/she's there. I like nature, and respect it, but don't worship it. I'm currently looking into a UU group on campus, and like what I'm hearing.

So, I guess I found Paganism, decided it wasn't for me, and continued with my own flavor of spirituality. Dang, that was a long post.

BTW, I love reading all your stories!

[Luminara]

I was raised in the Catholic Church, I was baptised, had my 1st communion and did my conformation in high school. Every sunday my mom would make all of us dress up pretty and go to church and listen to God's word. Everytime I went to church I felt something was missing. I asked my mom when I was little, that there is a God, but where is God's wife (the Goddess). She wouldn't answer me.

I got married in a chappel with my husband 7 years ago. I decided that catholism wasn't for me, I am almost 30 and decided it was time that I found something that made me happy and not just to go to church cause someone else said I had to go. KWIM!

I researched about witchcraft after watching the 1st Harry Potter movie with my son. It was actually my son that wanted to know more about it.. So we went online and researched all we could about it and found that it was something that we could live with forever. So our family decided to be Pagans. Enjoying all of nature and the moon and everything with Gaia.

So I have been Pagan for about 3 years now, I wish I would have found out about it earlier, cause I am so mu happier now than when I was Catholic!

~Megan

[sincerebliss]

My mom is Catholic even though she doesn't attend church and my dad is pretty open minded and he doesn't attend any church. It all started...hummm..probably when I was about 14 (I'm 16 now) at my sister's and her boyfriend's apartment. They had an amazing thing..a computer! lol I didn't have a computer at home so it was nice to explore and learn, especially chat online. I came across a Pagan section in the Yahoo chat and I became very curious as to what religions followed under it. At first it was just fascination and then I really had a longing for it. After much thought and a while of joining F.C.A., I figured the Wiccan religion just fits me better. I decided the internet was a great source but I needed some books. So...without my mother or father knowing what I was buying exactly, I bought my first online book, "Wicca: Guide for the Solitary Practitioner." The came.."Living Wicca" then "A Witch Alone" then Bucklands big blue book..then and then and then..lol You get the picture. I had/have access to many sources of information and Mystic Wicks was a big contributor to that!!! Anyhow, my parents don't know of my chosen path and really it's none of their business. It's MY religion, not theirs. My friend has suspected that I was Wiccan. I told her I wasn't but that I have looked up info on it. I don't know..it's none of her business either! lol I have an altar in my room wide open but considering my mom and father's ignorance, they don't think a thing of it. Not to mention a few of my books laying nearby. So that's how I came to find my path....:)

[Rubber_Piggy]

Born in to Roman Caotholic church. When 15 family left the church for reasons i'm not going to state. So for some reason I developed an interest and mythology and basically learned what I could about other religion and made up my own faith. I recently (at age 23) began looking into neo-pagan faiths and discovered that basically my beleiefs were a very good match. Thus I did much more research and am on the verge of calling myself neo-pagan. For me there was never an altering of my beliefs, just the finding of a community, ie. finding that what I was had a name.

[Sonic Seamus]

My mother loved her episcopal church and I had to go with her every sunday. Back in the day they didnt really know what ADD or ADHD was but they knew how to treat it and my mother refused to put me on a lot of drugs. This of course lead to all manner of problems at school and at home. Sometimes my punishment was to copy scripture out of a childrens bible and durning a temper tantrum I ripped all the pages out. That pretty much set the tone for the rest of my life where my spiritual beliefs were concerned.

Since then I've bounced from Satanism to athiesim and lightly explored other paths not really agreeing with any of them. I've always known about the Greek and Roman gods and godesses but conditioning from the public school system and mainstream church had me believing that these gods were never real but more like folklore (this is ironic in so many ways).

A few years ago I got a Shapeshifter deck for my birthday and a whole new world opened up for me. I knew that most of my Irish ancestors that came to the States were presbetyrian (sp?) or protestant but I had now idea that something came before all that.

Last year I met a woman who learned about goddess worship through her womens studies class some years ago in college and we talked long about the importance of the balancing of engery, that virtually every living thing on this earth was born of polarity and that mainstream christianity's creation ideaology flies in the face of these very basic and very visible/tangible things. Paganism makes sense to me and feels right to me.

Oh ya, the women I met.....we've been seeing each other for almost 8 months now. :)

[Morning Star]

I worked at a bookstore that employed a surprising number of witches and there were a couple pagan groups that met in the cafe (where I worked) - but I had always thought pagans were just silly new age freaks.

Anyway, I was always reading at work, which was against the rules, but I had just started dating the General Manager, this is just after my wife left me for not being Christian enough, so I figured I could get away with it. After reading all of the philosophy books in the store, I came across a book called the Philosophy of Wicca, which I thought sounded funny, because I didn't think Wiccans were capable of philosophy. I figured they just dressed in black, liked pentagrams and being spooky. Anyway, the book was amazing, in that it really made a lot of sense.

After that I started reading everything on Wicca, then witchcraft, then paganism and since then I've been reading up on the histories, philosophies, societies, communities, traditions, magics and beliefs of pagans. It has only been during the last month that I've really come into my own, but I'm quite happy with my own little breed of pagan practise and I couldn't be happier!

and while I haven't found a single tradition or path for me, I've found my own nitch. Life becomes more beautiful and inspiring with every day! I am home.

[rhee]

I was raised baptist and forced to go to church every Sunday. At the age of 11, I read the Clan of the Cave Bear series and wanted to be an herbal healer like the main character. I read anything I could about plants and eventually started learning the magical uses. Around the same time I found a few books on Astrology and Witchcraft in our attic. I still considered myself Christian at this point however because of the music I listened to and my new found interest in herbology, astrology, and mythology everyone called me a devil worshiper. My books were thrown away and my church forced me to watch a documentary about how satan controls our minds through heavy metal. Well, to prove my christianity I decided to read the bible cover to cover. After reading it, I decided I did not want to worship such an evil god and most christian are hypocrites (at least the ones I know). I decided the earth was the only being truly deserving of my worship and adoration and have been pagan now for 15 years.

[lilromantyc]

My parents pushed Christianity so much upon me when I was a kid...I resented them for that. I never felt it was my path, that this would lead me to be at peace and happy with myself. I've pretty much avoided organised religion since then (nothing against those who do, it's just not my cup of tea). I had always been the odd quiet girl who liked being outside more often than inside. A few years ago I began reading and looking around. I found things in various places that answered my questions and corresponded with what I had always felt to be true. So I fully agree with what semi said:
I found the answers in various places. Each answer led me to take a step in a certain direction. Now I'm here.
It's like I've just been working my way here all my life. And I'm still not done, I'm always open to growth and learning and change. But I've pretty much found my path as a pagan. I wouldn't be true to myself if I said anything different.

[celestrialdragon]

I was not brought up in any specific religion, as we went to many different types of churches (because my setpmom needed to find the right one) so I really didnt have any certian religious beliefs. I kinda always did my own thing, and always questioned a 'God' sitting up in 'heavn' looking down at me...made me wonder. Well wasnt till I was about 17 when I was walking down Hollywood blvd and wondered into a store. Not knowing why I was there really. The store owner came up to me, said this is the book your looking for..and handed me Bucklands big blue book. I was like...ok, cool Ill read it, no harm ever came from a book. So I bought it, read it, and wanted more. I went on a serching rampage...lol and soaked up everything I could get my hands on, and still do.

[celestrialdragon]

In reading To Ride a Silver Broomstick, I learned about Stregheria. When I read Ways of the Strega, my heart was filled with such gladness and happiness. I felt like I had found my home. And it's been that way ever since.

I've recently started studying in earnest with a Strega coven locally. I can't tell you how much I've learned and grown over the last few months! My heart sings on a daily basis that I've finally found my "home".

*gush*
I find this so interesting that you meantion Strega. My son the other day came home with a library book, (he is 4) called Strega Nona Her Story as told to Tomie dePaola. I read it with him, and was like wow, cool, only my son would pick out this book out of all the books in the library. :) Im so proud.
:uhhuhuh: Hes like look mommie a book about a witch, see see she has a cauldron. So I thought it was just a childs story, but now you bring up the term Strega again, and thats soo cool. :)
Blessings

[audi]

i was raised catholic. it was too much and i was so unhappy. i have been so happy since i am exploring this new path! :boing: :boing: :boing: