Let's talk Gods....

Recently, I have realized that majority of my practice has become pretty Dianic (for those of you who don't know, that means the focus is solely on the Goddess seeing the God as a mere consort). Prior to the past year or so I have always believed in a strong balance of power between the two. 

Hestia

Within the past year I have been gifted to learn of my Matron Goddess, Hestia. The story of how she came to me is very personal and very few know it. Maybe one day I will feel comfortable enough to share it on here, but as of right now I do not. (Dear readers please don't take offense.) She has been with me now for over a year and I have had no inkling whatsoever of a Patron God. 

I would like to bring my practice back into balance, but the longer I am with Hestia the further and further away I get from that balance that I once had. 

I've done research and looked up ways to use divination and meditation to find him. I feel as though once I find my Patron God my practice will fall back into balance, and perhaps my life will follow suit.

The Green Man

There are a few that I feel slightly drawn to, Cernunnos, Odin, and The Green Man. Odin has the most draw for me, I am deeply in love with Norse traditions and beliefs. Recently, I found out that I have Viking connection in my past, so that may have a little something to do with it. 

Regardless, I am still searching. Not that I mind, one of the things that I love about my path is that it is ever evolving, just like the earth around us.

On that note, I bid you all sweet dreams!

Brightest Blessings 
          )O(

Education

I can not tell you how many people I have had to explain this to. Including my family members, friends, and close relatives. 

The question I get a lot is 'Do you really believe in magick?'. Thanks to  modern media there are SOOO many misconceptions about what REAL magick is. Of course every time I answer with a firm and resounding YES! I believe and experience magick all the time. 

I've even broken it down in terms of quantum mechanics for the really skeptical people. And almost every single person I explain it too walks away with a better understanding of what it is I practice and do. Even more surprising, most embrace and accept me for who I am.

So the real question is, "How much should you explain to a non-pagan?"

My go to... as much as they are willing to take in given whatever your time constraints! Most have no real basis for what we are, what we do, and even think we slaughter animals on the regular. Not saying that it doesn't happen, but I personally (and every witch I know) do not.

The more our practices are de-mystified to others the more accepting I have found that they are. Yes, there are still some things that I hold sacred and refuse to share, such as actual spells, rituals, and certain rites. 

My question to you is what are your thoughts on education of non-pagans?

Well, it's getting late and I truly am exhausted.

Blessed Be my wonderful readers!
      )O(

Amazed...

I am completely blown away by the out pouring and resounding affect that my last post has had on my precious readers! Truly, I feel blessed beyond words to know that something so very near to me has touched so many of you. 

One reader spoke up and mentioned how she is shunned because of who and what she is. This post is dedicated to her and all the others who have dealt with such judgement.

I used to spend all the energy I had inside me just to hide what I was and what I believed. It wasn't until 2 years ago when Daddy and I moved into our new home that I could be 100% authentic! What I had come to realize is that all that energy I spent hiding who I was wasted. It manifested itself as depression and stress. Believe me, stressed Momma Witch is NOT someone you want to be around. 

I am one of the lucky ones, I'm not really "shunned" by my family. However, I do have to deal with the constant "oh it's just a phase", "You'll come back to Christ one day", and my personal favorite (via my grandmother) "You're still a Christian, really."

My mother lives by a don't ask, don't tell policy. It works for her and keeps her happy so I don't push it. Because when it comes down to it...my Truth is personal to me and I'm not about to force it on someone else.

I have come to realize that outside validation is NOT needed. It is greatly appreciated and accepted, but it's not required. I am who I am. And damn it all, I am proud of the woman and witch that I have become. 

Even if you are not of the pagan path, be proud to stand tall and say these are the things I believe!

Stand Proud my readers!
Brightest Blessings to you all!
            )O(

I know, I know...

It's been quite some time since my last post. My apologies, I have been super busy and then there was a 5 day stint in the hospital with the Baby while he had minor surgery (which I just don't feel like talking about). But he's all healthy and back to being my living room terrorist!

Today's focus (as long as I don't get off topic) was sparked by a Facebook post in a group that I belong to. It asked, in essence, how you came to believe/practice the way you do and the judgement that followed. I know I have glanced over this topic in a post when I first started this blog a little over a year and a half ago, but I never really went into detail (at least I don't think I did). 

It started over 2 decades ago, as I sat there listening to our bible lesson on Christmas and I remember thinking to myself that it was a boring story and why do I care what happened a bazillion years ago. I was a pretty precocious child. I felt no sense of wonder and awe like the kids around me did.  

As the years went on I began to question more and more of what they were telling me. They never really had any answers and just danced around the questions like the Mexican Hat Dancers. By the time I was a teenager I had had a complete disconnect with the "One and Only God". I gave the pastor of the church a horrible time in Catechism simply because I was questioning and debating him on everything. I was drawn to witchcraft on a purely research based level at this time. I had to learn everything I could about it. 

But being from a very Christian family I tried my damnedest to not be the black sheep that I was turning out to be. When my grandmother died ( I was 14) Everyone around me drew comfort in the fact that she was "with God now". But in my heart, I knew I'd see her again in another life. It wasn't even a question in my mind. 

After her death I began to devour anything and everything I could about multiple world religions. I studied for years and years, monotheism, polytheism, paganism, Hindu, Santeria, Hoodoo, Voodoo, Buddhism, Druidism, and a host of ancient religions. I felt lost in a void, missing a huge part of myself, being that I am a very spiritual person and I KNEW answers were out there somewhere. But I was still trying to be a "good Christian" and force myself into a belief structure that I just could NOT find faith in.

I was 18 when I stopped going to church. And I was about 20 when the pastor basically ex-communicated me (I was also kicked out of a Theology class in college for asking too many questions and debating the professor). *insert shrug here* I didn't care. I had read all the books on Christianity that he had given me and had 10 pages of questions that he simply couldn't answer. So, I started searching for somewhere I belonged. I knew it was out there. I went to temples, synagogues, mosques, you name it. I immersed myself in each religion hoping to find what was missing. All the while all my research kept coming back to different forms of paganism and the occult.    

I was about 24(ish) when I finally found what I believed to be true. I sat back one day with all these different research books and I realized that every single religion had the same basic principals with some variances. That was when I discovered my Truth. Every religion I studied had something that rang true with me. From that, I created my own "religion". Choosing a religion "buffet style" (as my previous pastor called it). I don't call what I practice a buffeted religion. I claim myself as an eccletic pagan who practices the art of witchcraft. 

My Goddesses are sacred to me and they showed me the way. I don't include Gods in this just yet because I have not connected with any specifically, but I do believe there are Gods, many in fact. I don't believe any religion is right or wrong. My belief is that you MUST find what is true to you. Hence the reason I call my path "My Truth". What works for me doesn't have to work for you or even for the rest of my family. 

As for judgement, I don't hide the fact that I am a pagan. Nor did I come right out and tell my family that I was. Well... that was true up until a few weeks ago. My family was having a religious debate and I gave my opinion. When asked what it was I believed I figured now was as good a time as any, and answered honestly, "I am a pagan". You could have heard a pin drop 3 miles away. Then the conversation quickly switched topics to politics and I walked away with a smile on my face. It felt good to be true to myself and not hide behind a mask.

I am not afraid to be the black sheep or not fit in someone's mold. No one should be afraid of being themselves. It's hard to against family expectations, but others don't know what's best for you... only YOU know that. They can help guide you, but it's important to know when to follow and when to blaze your own trail. I've got a great machete and a compass forged by the Gods, I've got this! Do you?

Brightest Blessings to my amazing readers!!
                  )O(