Mauv, sorry I didn't get to answer you sooner, it's been a week and a half.
)O( is the cycle of the moon...waxing, full, waning...or is also seen as the triple goddess, as mentioned...maiden, mother, crone. It was my attempt at humor..."wax and wane in frequency". I have to say I agree with you on the type of pagan who seems to be in it just for the "show"...dripping with pagan jewellry, long black clothing, freaky hair/piercings....not that there's anything wrong with that stuff, I know and like lots of people who have various combinations of it, it's just the phoniness of it all put together....paganism is a religion just like any other and you don't need to scream it to live it. I'd feel the same way about anyone dripping with the costumes and jewellry for any religion.
RavensToy, the best online resource I've found is
http://www.witchvox.com . I've mentioned it here before, and it continues to improve and grow in leaps and bounds over the years. It's quite huge now!
I'm a solitary of family traditions, descended from women known as "village witches". Been on the path for almost 17 years and have never looked back. I think one knows when it is right...it's feeling like you've come home and there is a great sense of peace and comfort. People of all religions have expressed that same feeling, and can't imagine being anything else. So it is with Paganism, regardless of which traditions you follow.
Like Lamorgan, I've gone to the occasional gathering, usually for one of the major sabbats, held a few small ones at home, but for the most part I practice quietly. Yes, I do wear a pentacle. Just one, though...used to wear a necklace but then hubby bought me a diamond pendant, so now I wear a ring. I've had more than my share of discrimination over the years, but I've found the best way to handle negative comments about the pentacle is to simply say, "Oh, you have a problem with the four elements being surrounded by spirit?" They usually realize they're ignorant on the subject and go away.
Gotta go play chauffeur.
