Wildfire...

That was so interesting...So much there that I identify with. Thanks to all for all the info...I may have found the way to my "true path." Off to Barnes & Noble today, to see what i can find.

Wildfire - your story is amazing and so are you


Kat - please let us know what you find


Ever since I got started in all of this, it's just been one big exhale after another. I always felt like the weird one because I too get incredibly moved by all things natural. I've kept it to myself because of the looks I've gotten when I try to explain the sheer thrill of strong winds, sheets of midnight rain, big waves lapping at my feet, morning mist and yes, an incredibly beautiful harvest moon.

Terri

Oh Terri,
I just have to share with you the frost this morning. Now that I know you will not laugh me off the planet. I let the dogs out for their pee in the morning, and it was still dark. The ground, cars and everything outside was covered in a heavy, beautiful, silvery thick frost. It was clear and crisp and oh so quiet. As I stood there in my jammies, freezing, I thought, this is really beautiful. Took a deep breath and filled my lungs with clean, fresh air.
Virginia

Virginia- yes....... you know the feeling too ok, so we're not alone, or nuts.......well, maybe tilting at windmills

The scene you describe reminds me of the "Silver" poem in the Poetry thread. I sometimes get up early before everyone else just to enjoy those kinds of moments

How are you girlfriend, anyway? Did you go to that womyn friendly place in Moncton yet? Curious minds want to know!

My husband is out of town visiting his mother for the weekend, so my daughter and me are here having a girls' weekend - tonight we're going to see the movie "White Oleander"

Talk to you soon, Love, Ter

That sounds nice Terri. No we have not go to Moncton yet, our Tatoo date is November 16 which is her birthday, so we are going to make a day and night out of it. Should be lots of fun! Really looking forward to it. She is sick right now however, so I hope she will be feeling like going then. She has a bad kidney infection. No fun!
Have a great time with you daughter. and let me know what you think of the movie.
Big hugs!
Virginia

Wildfire-that was an amazing story! Thanks for sharing that with us.

Funny, my parents really believe in the occult, magic and mysticism. When I was a kid my Mum told me to never play with a Ouija board as it was not a toy or game. My parents never said that it was evil but did say that you could open a door to unfriendly spirits and that it was best not too mess around with them if you didn't know what you were doing. To this day I have never experimented with one.

My parents have always been opened minded about spirituality, religion and philosophy and encouraged me to be the same. I feel that in the last few years I have lost touch with the spirituality that I had and need to find it again. Conventional churches and organized religion do not work for me. I will probably be looking into the Celtic path as I am Scottish.

My weird story:


When my parents lived in Scotland they belonged to a Spiritualist Church which had weekly meetings. They would sometimes have a guest medium in who would pick people out of the group randomly for a reading. One time my parents were both picked and were told that the medium's spirit guide was a Native Indian from Canada. The Spirit's name was Black Goose. They were told that they were going to go on a journey across the water and live by the Spirit's birthplace along a great river. Years later, they got maried and moved to Canada and lived along a river. What is even more weird is that when I was really young (3 or 4 years old) I would talk to my imaginary friend. My Mum overheard me one day and asked who I was talking to, I told her it was my friend "Black Goose". She wigged out as I had no way of knowing who that was and my parents hadn't talked about the experience with the medium for years even with each other.


And Virginia, we would never laugh you off the planet

Hello everyone

If anyone has some books to suggest that would be great!

I went to Chapters today and between the "Kitchen Witch" series,
purple faux suede covered books, "Where to Park Your Broomstick", "40 Sexy Spells" and some book on Urban witches that claims to be able to teach you how to cast spells with ordinary items that you find on the sidewalk (EWWW! I live downtown, who knows what is on the sidewalk and where it came from) the whole Wiccan/Pagan book perusing was a frustrating experience.

I am looking more for books that focus on the spiritual side and maybe explaining the rituals if any one has any to recommend.

I haven't found the Wicca for Dummies yet.

Mauvaisroux- there is a Wicca for Dummies or something like that. I have it. There is a Pagan for Dummies too. {I would tell you the exact title but all my books are still in boxes in storage til I find a house} The book is actually quite informative for a beginner who wants to learn in simplified terms. A good stepping stone for the more serious books.

I also like the book "Everyday Magic"... You can find some titles in the library if you live in a big enough city. Then you can read without getting carried away. There are tons of books out there and some are a complete waste of money! Some authors are so dry, you will only end up skimming it and it will just become a dusty book on a shelf. I have several of those.

I am not allowing the boys to trick or treat this year. I think we will have a healthy feast and a night of family games. Tomorrow night will be a solo ritual to say goodbye to the old year and hello to a new one. It is time for a new emotional start! I will try to talk to my late husband and see if he can give me any new insights on why his 12 year old son is being so difficult!!!! Then a hot bath and a good night sleep. This ex Vegas girl is not used to these cold nights. It is only going to be 18 tonight!!!! ~flower

Happy Halloween or Samhain to all our pagan friendly chicks





Terri

Happy Samhain and All Hallows Eve!!!!

while I know precious little about this topic, I do understand some of the concepts, after all, wern't many of the Christian rituals copies from the Druids...and I know this type of topic can get people upset and freaked out, but I believe that they are all connected.

A while ago, when the crystal craze hit, and everyone was sporting a necklace of some form, I wanted on. My christian friends said,'are you nuts...sign of a false god, paganisim...bla bla bla' to me, it is actual proof of a higher, more creative power. A tangible, touchable piece of evidence of something that believes in beauty.
we can all call it what we want, and give it a gender, if that makes us comfortable. We can bow to it, burn incensense, light candles, pray (or not) and show our respect in many ways. But to me, we are all part of the same cosmic stew, a people guided by our internal needs. I call mine Christian, though am totally burned out by mans perversion of the orginized church. You call yours something else, but we all believe in the same goodness instilled in each of us, to be shared and nurtured through connecting together. the Native american belief system seems very natural and wonderful, and some Buddist concepts are very insightful (and how we all could bennifit from controlling desire) so in a sense, we are all one.
The danger is when it overpowers our minds and makes us blow up buildings and take innocent lives...(Christian fundamentalist blowing up abortion clinics are just as much terriorist as the el Quida) So, enjoy your holiday, be one with your beliefs, fellowship with your people and strengthen your spiritual bonds that bring peace and harmony to the planet...we need it!

Crap, books - I forgot to list some books.... I swear I go home and *whoosh* there go all the ideas/things to do that I had while I was at work! TOMARROW!!!!

Happy Samhain to those of the Pagan persuasion!

Yes Ginya, a LOT of the Christian holidays were originally from an earth based culture which later became coined as "Pagan" (non-Christian). When the time came to do the mass converting, they took the holidays of the "heathens", tweaked em a bit, put a different spin on it and voila, it's now a Christian holiday!

Yule is a perfect example - for Pagans it's the Winter solstice, or the birth of the new sun (the days start getting longer). For Christians it's the birth of Jesus, the son of God (get it? son, sun?). No, no coincedence... Ditto for Ostara/Oestrara which Christians call Easter. A major fertility holiday (hence the eggs and rabbits). For Pagans it's a symbol of the rebirth of Earth, plants wake up from their winter sleep and wildlife generally has their offspring. Easter (Christianity) is the celebration of Jesus being reborn, or resurrected.
Yes, even Halloween (Samhain, Pagan new year, the celebrations in the old times went from the eve of 10/31-11/2). Christians dubbed it "All Saints Eve" (Nov. 1st being All Saints Day). So Christians are celebrating and remembering the saints (of course decessed, it's a requirement) of their faith that meant so much to them. Pagans take Samhain as a day to remember those in our lives that we loved that have passed because it's believed that the veil between the worlds is at its' thinnest on this day. LOL! Ya see a patern?

Stuff like this is why it always frosts my cookies when people fight over religion. We're all celebrating the same thing. "My God, your God" no - it's all the same - essentially we're all on rivers flowing from the same lake.

Anyway (that got lengthy didn't it?), happy Halloween and Samhain to everyone!!

Terri

Happy Samhaim to all you pagan alternachicks

Thanks for the info flower

I have been reading books on religion and philosophy since I was a kid, courtesy of my bookworm parents. A lot of religions have a lot of good beleifs and ideas, I guess you just have to find the one that is right for you. I think it is great that all the Chicks on this forum are so open minded to you all

I definitely respect everyone's spiritual path but I don't think all religions or religious beliefs or spirituality are all the same. That just doesn't logically make sense, especially since each belief system makes different claims about the existance and nature of God. I know this is the pagan thread but I just wanted to throw in that not ALL Christians are conservative, close-minded, right wing fanatics. Yes, unfortunately, there are plenty but I think it is so easy to stereotype people and groups (not that anyone here was doing that). Anyway, I just felt compelled to share that most people don't really understand the basics of the Christian faith that are rooted in the teachings of Christ and the significance of his experience on earth. I consider myself a Christian who doesn't really have all the answers, however, I do know that offering my faith in God and turning to the life of Jesus has changed my life forever.

Anyway, not trying to proselytize, just sharing a few of my thoughts with all you dear friends!

Gosh, I hope I didn't offend anyone by posting on the pagan thread. I was just sharing my thoughts because I was nervous that I would be lumped into some sort of crazy close-minded Christian category. Please, continue your discussion and understand that my thoughts should in no way be inferred as a judgment about anyone and their beliefs... just sharing my approach to spirituality as were others.