Search Results - RealPagan- Paganism for the Real World

Our place...

2010-11-06T01:56:03.038Z

So, here we have it, folks. Our place outside of the madness of the general OPC. All of the perks of similar forums, less of the nonsense. Enjoy it, and I do mean it as being 'ours'.

two apps

2010-11-06T03:00:10.042Z

Well, besides adding the whole site and nine forums...

Two apps were implemented that I feel may be useful.

The first was the very thing I hoped was available- NoCash. It's a Freecycle application that we can use to post trades and give aways for books, materials or whatever we may no longer need. Obviously, it's based upon the honor system, but I feel it could be very useful. Be sure to click the 'my network' tab to see potential transactions from this RP.

Second, Free Talk Radio, a more or less voice blogging application that only requires the use of your phone. Maybe a couple of members would like to host a weekly show? (Hint, hint!) It does require a sign up through their site, which can be done on the tab, but all those that do can subscribe to each others radio show/voice blog.

Witchcraft on a budget.....

2010-11-06T21:28:02.168Z

Times are hard and the economy is tight. If you're like me just getting
started and unemployed or just on a tight budget, check out this article
I found.

Wicca and Witchcraft on a Budget

© Karen Mitchell

Aug 27, 2004

If you’re new to Wicca or Witchcraft, you may be wondering where to
purchase all the cool stuff… spell candles, books, pentacle jewelry,
robes, altar tools, etc. There’s a lot of stuff you’ll want and need,
and you want it all right NOW. But the prices at the pagan shops you’ve
found online are a little high for your budget. We’ve all been there.
Don’t worry, though. I am a bargain-hunting queen, and in this article
I’ll share my tips for being Wiccan on a budget.

First tip: You may not need to buy as much as you think you do. Take a
look around your house, up in the attic, in your parents’ or
grandparents’ attics… dig up those hidden treasures. An old letter
opener makes a perfect athame. Vintage glassware can be a great chalice.
Old caftans or dressing gowns can double as robes. Recycling old
treasures helps the environment. It’s also a good way to connect with
your ancestors and add some personality to your altar. Plus, it’s all
free.

Second tip: Look to nature. There are lots of gifts you can find just
walking around your neighborhood… branches to make wands or staffs,
feathers, rocks that may be hiding crystals inside, herbs, seashells, etc. Be careful when collecting feathers,
as some are illegal to possess (mainly endangered species). If you’re
gathering your own herbs, be sure you know what you’re picking. If you
plan to use herbs for medicinal purposes I strongly suggest purchasing
them from a reputable shop… it doesn’t pay to play games with your
health. The best thing about found objects? Gifts from nature will help
you feel more connected to the earth, and, well, these are also free!

Third tip: Find the
bargains.
Scour the “non-traditional” stores. Everything doesn’t need to come from
a physical or online pagan shop to be useful. Discount department
stores (like Wal-Mart or Target), craft supply stores, thrift stores,
hobby shops, grocery stores,
interior design stores (such as Pier One), etc, are all good places for
inspiration. Be patient and wait for the sales. Used bookstores (both
physical and online) are also great places to look. Why pay full price
when you can get something like new for less than half? Be sure to visit
your favorite physical and online pagan shops often as well. Ask them
if they have coupons or discount card programs for frequent buyers. Look
around for a closeouts bin. See if they’ll offer you a discount for
buying in bulk. They want your business, and small-business owners are
more willing to give customer perks than the big chains.
Fourth tip: Get crafty. What can you make? What would you like to learn
to make? Craft stores have several different sorts of beginning kits
available for soap making and candle making, as well as tons of other
stuff. You can make your own
jewelry, use Sculpy clay to make god and goddess statues, and buy
material and patterns to make a robe. Depending on the item, it may or
may not be more expensive to make it yourself. Candles, for example, are
a bit pricy when you get started since you have to buy all the molds,
but if you’re planning to make a lot they’ll probably work out to be
cheaper than store-bought, plus they offer a lot of areas for
customization. You can add your own scents, glitter, and colored dyes.

Fifth tip: Barter! Talk to your friends and see what you can trade.
Perhaps they have a robe that would fit you fine, and you can swap it
for some candles and an extra wine goblet chalice. This is a great way
to get books without spending a lot of money… it’s like starting your
own private lending library. If you’re already making bulk crafts, this
is a good way to get things you need and possibly make a little extra
money on the side (if someone wants what you’ve got, but doesn’t have
anything to trade).

Sixth tip: Utilize the
internet
and libraries to their full potential. The ‘net is one huge storehouse
of information. Just be aware that a lot of pagan information on the
‘net is recycled from other sites, and some may be posted in violation
of the author’s copyright. It’s ok for you to snag it for your personal
home use, but don’t perpetuate the cycle and snag it for your own website
or share it with friends unless you know you have the author’s
permission. Libraries usually have references on herbs, holistic
medicines, crystals, local history, mythology, and crafting. Before purchasing
a book, check the library. If your local branch doesn’t have the book
you want, perhaps another branch will be able to lend it. College
libraries are a wonderful resource too, especially for the more academic
subjects. Be aware, though, that you may not be able to check anything
out of a college library if you aren’t a student of the school.
Different colleges have different rules.

Seventh tip: Realize that you don’t need to have everything at once.
Take your time to amass your tools and stores of supplies using my other
six tips. If that means doing your first rituals in your pajamas using a
stick and a plastic cup for altar tools, so be it. The gods don’t care
what your tools look like, or what you wear. The important thing is that
you’re doing the ritual. Waiting and looking for that one perfect item
will make the item that much more special when you do find it. I still
have, and use, most of my original set of altar tools.

These seven tips should help you get started without breaking your bank account.
At the very least, I hope they’ve helped you realize that you don’t
automatically have to go out and buy the “witchiest” looking thing off
your nearest Pagan online store.
While those things are often really cool (and yes, I have some too!),
you can honor the gods as easily with a twig as you can with a $150
silver and crystal wand. Happy bargain hunting!

Gods and How They are Treated

2010-11-06T22:34:18.360Z

OK this isn't another discussion on how you understand deities. We have plenty of those. Instead this is a discussion on how the Gods, no matter how you see them, are treated, dealt with and used.

I have seen many people say stuff like "I'm doing a ____ kind of spell, I'll call upon _____ deity" or "x God/dess will surely help" or "I'll evoke ______ God/dess to do what I wish" or anything along those lines.

What's your views on this?

Here's my view: Gods are not tools, they are not to be picked by lists to do as we please. Gods are not going to be bossed around by us feeble humans. We cannot compel Gods to do things for us. If you do not believe or have a relationship with a deity or deities then you have no right to work with them or to even think they will help you. We cannot know the Will of the Gods - we cannot claim they *will* help us. They can very well refuse and let us fret and writhe weakly.

Offerings

2010-11-06T22:41:18.370Z

We've all seen offerings been mentioned in books, discussions, rites and
rituals etc. So, I thought why not make a discussion about the various
types of offerings that exist as well as provide a thread to share the
offerings you give and to whom (oathbound or in anyway private info of
course is not requested to be shared).

I'll start. I'll present you some of the types of offerings in the Hellenic religion.

Libations: the ritual pouring of a liquid in honour of a deity or other important spirit (e.g. a daimon [not demon] or an ancestor). In Hellenism it's called "sponde"
(σπονδή) and it involves one or more of the following liquids either
combined or separate: water, honey, milk, wine, olive oil. Libations are
poured on the ground near, in front or on the altar. They were and are
the most common type of offering in Hellenism.
Food offerings: the ritual offering of a portion of food in honour of a deity (and less often for another important spirit). Those were called "aparchais" (απαρχές -
pronounced aparhes [heavily toned h]), literally meaning "beginnings"
because those usually initiated the ritual. These offerings included but
were not limited to cereals, bread, fruits etc. Usually they were burnt
and less often left in crossroads or other places of significance (e.g.
the doorstep) for poor/homeless people and wild/stray animals to
consume.
Blood sacrifice/animal sacrifice: the ritual slaughter of an animal in honour of a deity (and less often for another important spirit). In Hellenism a grand scale version of
animal sacrifice, the "hecatomb" (εκατόμβη - pronounced hecatomvee)
involved the sacrifice of 100 cattle (usually oxen - from the Greek
"hecaton" meaning "a hundred") and it took place during a city's
festival (hence the large number of animals). Animal sacrifice was the
core of a Hellenic ritual due to the effect the sacrifice has on a
person (life conquering death, by the death of a living being others can
survive etc), the fact that is was the greatest offering one could give
to the Gods (physically greatest - a greater but spiritual sacrifice
would be dedication to priesthood of a deity) as well as the bonding of
the members of a community it entailed (all together feasting after a
celebration).

Usually, in ancient Greek celebrations, the rituals combined the above
three types of offerings in many possible ways. Also, other types of
offerings, usually outside the spectrum of the ritual included but were
not limited to: offering a portion of the spoils from a battle to the
temple of a deity (usually to the deity believed to have granted victory
or if a soldier had a vow with a deity to that deity's temple as
"payment" for fulfilling their end of the bargain), offering/dedicating
"ornaments" resembling limbs or humans as a vow (usually for healing),
dedicating a member of the family or one's self to the service of a
deity either temporarily (e.g. a young boy to Apollon till maturity,
since he is a protector of young males) or permanently (this usually
meant priesthood).

Nowadays, the Hellenic Polytheism movement (this includes Hellenic/Greek Reconstructionists, solitary Hellenic
Polytheists and groups/organizations that follow Hellenic Polytheism but
not as revival or at least not revival-exclusive ways) performs most
but rarely all of those offerings. Usually, animal sacrifice is excluded
either due to legal prohibition, personal reasons or finally, due to
social backslash.

Personally, I have started to perform offerings (so far my practice did not include offerings of almost any kind). So
far, I have performed food offerings (left at a crossroad in honour of
Hekate and the dead to be consumed by stray animals) of bread and milk
(as I cannot easily use more or something different without raising
questions I'd rather leave "sleeping"). I also wish to start pouring
libations to the Gods, the Agathos Daimon (protector spirit of the home
and hearth, similar to the Latin genius loci) and my ancestors.

So... what type of offerings does your faith/path include, which of them (if
any) do you perform and if you wouldn't mind explaining why as well. :D

Plants are people too....

2010-11-07T01:03:51.698Z

Ok... not *really*....

BUT I am always baffled by the idea that plants are somehow *less* living than animals, specifically when it comes to vegetarianism. I've heard so many times "I am a vegetarian because taking a life is wrong." or "I could never, ever kill anything." So my initial question, "What do you eat?" Well the answer of course is plants. So again, I ask, how are plants *less* living than animals?

In basic interaction science, there is a visual tool called an energy pyramid that deals with the transfer of energy from one organism to another. At the bottom of the pyramid are plants who receive their energy directly from the sun. The pyramid progresses, showing energy loss, to herbivores, then omnivores, and then carnivores at the top. Therefore, from an energy stand point plants could arguably be *more* alive than animals (including humans). Those of us that work with energy can attest that there is a *lifeforce* in plants. So why is this lifeforce less important than that of animals?

I can only conclude that it is a comfort thing. Plants do not cry, whine, or do cute little animal things. It is easy to *ignore* the fact that they are indeed alive. But this is in fact a delusion. Even science is beginning to provide proof that plants communicate:

http://www.livescience.com/animals/071008-plants-communicate.html

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/06/070614-plants.html

Next, I would go on to ask a person providing this arguement for vegetarianism why they are incredulous when a human (humans ARE animals btw people) partakes in the eating of meat, but not when the same is done by the animals they love so much? I can assure you that the beef I eat came to a much nicer end than the antelope taken down by the lioness, or the mouse teased and tortured by your beloved house cat. Are humans now somehow above the cycle of life?

This brings me to my biggest problem with the posts I have encountered, and the reason why I have posted this here on Real Pagans. In addition to being indignant about consuming meat, *many* seem to want to push vegetarianism as a dogma of paganism or Wicca. "How can you condone the killing of innocent animals when you are pagan. Pagans are suppose to be about protecting nature." Ok.. well how about this... I am for protecting the natural balance in nature, and this means the cycle of life, which in turn means consuming meat. Not only is there absolutely no support for the claim that vegetarianism is a component of paganism as a whole or Wicca, paganism has a long history of animal sacrifice.

In addition, I ask these people, do you bathe? Do you take antibiotics? Do you wash you hands? Do you walk on the grass? All of these lead to death. But again, these deaths are easily *ignored.* The *cuteness factor* has been removed. And, again, that's what it really comes down to, your own personal comfort level. YOUR *personal* comfort level.... so do not get indignant when our level is different than yours. My path is about amplifying my connection with the divine energy of the universe, and part of that is recognizing my natural place in the cycle of life, not removing myself from it. Vegetarianism is NOT a pagan concept. Please do not try to sell it as such.

Oathbound Traditions

2010-11-07T02:24:06.002Z

One of the main arguments I hear from a LOT of people, is about oath-bound traditions....

That is, "keeping secrets."

For some reason, a lot of people look at "secrets," as bad things... I mean, why would you "hide that from me?!?" It must be something *important* so you should tell me!!!

There are some good reasons, such as the privacy of practitioners to keep things under oath.

However, to me, there is really one very important reason that some of the mysteries are oath-bound.. It's not to keep them from getting out... It is to keep them sacred.

Some of the things that are oath-bound are information and rituals. Specific things... Things that if someone knew of before-hand, they may not get as much out of, during a ritual or initiation.

The reason for the secrecy, is so that if someone else wanted to go on the same path... It would be THEIR path. They would experience it for themselves, first-hand, instead of having *my* experience, or a preconceived notion of what they should see, hear, smell, feel, or taste, if I told them about it.

Ritual is about using symbols.. The subconscious mind will pick up on its language (symbols,) in ritual, even if a student, candidate, neophyte, or initiate does not at the time, and change them in ways they won't even recognize. This is even more powerful when there are no preconceived notions going in.

Any thoughts?

Pathworking.....

2010-11-07T03:09:50.025Z

I've just begun reading some about this spiritual technique and was looking for some more insight into it's importance...such as when it would be used and is it a common practice during ritual? Is it complex? The book I am reading speaks as if it is easy to accomplish with proper grounding and centering first....Would love some input:)

It's ok to NOT be Wiccan

2010-11-07T04:05:50.048Z

So, you discovered you don't agree with Christianity anymore. You heard of this religion called Wicca and read up on it. It sounded great to you, right? It's anything &
everything you want it to be. You started reading books, gathering
information and looking for more Wiccans. You joined a few networking
sites (or maybe just this one) and now some meanie-head is telling
you you're not Wiccan? Now you're angry and confused. Maybe you ask
yourself, “if I'm not Wiccan, than what am I?

If you're like me you began searching for something else then, because I realized, when I found that Wicca isn't actually like Burger King, I can't have it my way. I started
searching other paths, looking for something to call myself. Only to
find I didn't exactly fit anywhere specific. Sure, I found
similarities here and there, but no perfect fit.

Then I began to question myself. Why do I need a label? Isn't it ok that I don't fit in anywhere? Can't I just be me? Of course I can. And you can too. It's ok not to be
Wiccan. It's ok not to have a name for your path or a title. It's ok
to even come up with your own name for what you do. Not everyone is
going to fit into a specific path, in fact a LOT of people don't.
Many Pagans have tread their own path for many , many years. There is
absolutely nothing wrong with that. Only when you incorrectly label
your path as something that it truly is not, do you run into trouble.

So what am I? I believe there is more than one deity, so I do know that I am a Polytheist. Other than that, I am only a seeker of knowledge, a student of religion, a spiritual
wanderer. There is no label required for me to know who I am. No
label required for me to define what I am. I am simply Tasha.

The Fourth Face of the Goddess

2010-11-07T15:21:59.452Z

I have been giving a lot of thought to Her lately, partially as a result of my own personal experiences over the past year, and partially as the result of watching a string of natural catastrophes across the globe.

In Wicca, most speak of the three faces of the Goddess - Maiden, Mother, and Crone. And there are an awful lot of Wiccans who see all of these aspects as loving and benign. None of these Deity-forms would ever do anything that would cause harm to their worshipers, or make someone unhappy, or (Goddess forbid!) cause death and destruction. So when disaster strikes home they have no understanding of its place in the Universe, and their pleasant little Bambi-Wicca comes crashing down around them..leaving them with an empty faith.

Somewhere along the line we have lost or ignored the fourth face of the Goddess, and we do so at our peril. I don't know why the idea of the Goddess having a fourth face seems so impossible. After all much of what we do in Wicca utilizes a symbology of fours..four elements, four suits in the Tarot, four cardinal directions, four seasons of the year, four times of the day...everything is in fourths except the Goddess. And take the phases of the Moon, that absolute symbol of the Goddess. We place the Maiden at the New Moon, the Mother at the Full, and the Crone at the third quarter of the Waning Moon. So where is the fourth face of the Goddess for balance? Who is represented by the Dark Moon?

In the Tradition in which I trained, we believed that there is a fourth face of the Goddess, and we know Her as the Hag. That is not to say that She is old and ugly, sometimes She has a terrifying beauty. But Her function in this world is that of the destroyer, and often the bringer of death. Yet there is another side to Her as well. For out of that death and destruction comes new life, new beginnings. She is Kali devouring Her husband's entrails even as His penis penetrates and impregnates Her. She is Pele's lava flow that covers fields and villages in its wake..and brings forth new islands out of the sea.

The Hag is not a comfortable Goddess to be around. Her agenda is not that of the humans that live upon this earth. She has no pity to appeal to when our death is upon us. She does not care that the forces of nature She utilizes wipe thousands from the face of the planet. She did not care when the dinosaurs were extinguished, and She will not care when humans are gone either. That is Her function and her place in the scope of the Universe.

We are not comfortable with our mortality, yet death is a necessary part of living. If there were no death we would long ago have overwhelmed the resources of this world we live in. We speak of our belief in a spiritual life that does not die..but none of us really know this for an absolute fact. We can only have faith and belief that it is so. And this belief can seem a bit hollow when we watch a loved one die or face death ourselves. And so we fear our physical destruction, we fear the loss, we fear the pain. And all these things are what the Hag promises us.

And because fear is the 'mind killer', we cannot seem to get beyond the Hag as merely the destroyer. We forget that She is also that one who brings life out of death. Her womb is like the Cauldron into which the dead are laid and rise again.

The Hag is not a Goddess one invites to one's monthly rituals. She is not one that gives you a warm feeling inside. But to ignore Her is to ignore the great cycle of life, to close your eyes against fear of the dark. And nothing you can do will make Her go away when it is your time to face Her. Nonetheless, I think we are unwise to ignore Her, to leave Her out of our teachings and to make it seem as though death and disaster are not something that happens in our world. They do happen, and if we don't come to terms with that we will be shattered when our perfect world is broken.

The Hag is our fears, the Hag is the darkness of the grave and of the womb. She is the earthquake, the volcano, the tidal wave, the plague, and the plunging asteroid. And one day She will gather us all in Her terrible arms and carry us gently home.

-Lark-