E is for Evil (What is It?)

Today's letter actually comes at a convenient time. I was watching a couple of "Doctor Who" episodes last night that dealt with the Devil and evil. And it got me thinking about evil and what it is.

First off, to avoid any confusion, I don't believe the Devil exists. The Devil is a convenient idea for some that lets them place the results of their actions somewhere else.

I don't believe that there are any beings out there that are purely bad. I also don't believe there are any beings out there that are purely good. I think that all things have the capacity for good or bad.

I think that the evil in the world comes from people's choices. You are not born good or bad, it is up to you what kind of life you lead. Even deciding what is good or evil is up to the individual person. There are choices that most people would label as evil, such as murder. But other things are labeled evil depending on a person's culture or religion.

Perhaps the word evil isn't really useful in my worldview. I believe things are divided into good/beneficial choices and bad/poor choices. Your choices are your own. You can listen to the ideas of another person. But ultimately they can't make you do anything.

I guess good and evil are in the eye the beholder.

How do you view good and evil? I love to read your opinions!

D is for Druidism

When I first started looking into paganism the first thing I started looking into was Wicca. I had a friend in high school that lent me one of her "Wicca 101" books. And for the first time, I found a religious system that seemed to fit how I viewed the world.

So I started thinking of myself as Wiccan. I read (mostly on the internet) on ritual tools, altars, and holidays. I tried casting circles. I tried dedicating myself to the God and the Goddess.

But it didn't quite fit. I couldn't wrap my head around the need to create a barrier when I was doing a ritual. In my mind I there wasn't just one God and one Goddess (or Lord and Lady).  I wasn't much in to spells and magic (though there is a lot more to Wicca than that). But I kept reading and trying to make it work.

But even with all my research and reading and thinking and trying, Wicca just didn't work. And I was stuck.

Then one day, I discovered Druidism. For all my research I hadn't really realized that there were other traditions that fall under the "Pagan Umbrella". (To this day I am still stumbling on traditions I didn't know existed.) And I as I read about this modern day Druidism things began to click.

There were people out there that still believed in polytheism and viewed each god as an individual. There seemed to be less emphasis about spells and magic, and more about connecting to and honoring the gods. I was and still am particularly attracted to the ADF style of druidry: honoring the Three Kindreds (god/goddess, ancestors, and nature spirits), the three realms, and the emphasis knowing about the ancient druids without trying to reconstruct their religion.

Druidism fits me. I am still learning and trying and thinking about my path. And I am excited for the journey.

C is for Community

Here is my chance to talk about the issues that have been floating around the pagan blogs this past month. A little late, but I thought I would take sometime to reflect on what I really wanted to say about the whole thing.

I was surprised with the reactions people had to Star's original post. I was surprised, I had been reading her blog for awhile and was sad when she suddenly disappeared. But honestly it is her choice on what she wants to call herself and where she finds happiness is where she belongs.

But the really shocking thing was how this one post touch of the debate on if we still need a pagan community and who belongs in that community. There are a couple things that I took away from those first couple of days of postings.

1) Some where along the line some one decided the Wicca=Pagan. Never thought that before.
2) Apparently it is alright for me to make belittle your path and cast you out of the Pagan "umbrella". And it is alright if I label you. But the moment someone does the same to me, I can get angry about it.

After those first few days, and people cooled of a little, some really meaningful discussion occurred. People started using more rational reasoning. They started explaining themselves instead of attacking others. And it is apparent that things are going to start changing.

It may have reached a point where people stop just describing themselves as Pagan. It maybe time for individual traditions to start standing on their own.

But I don't think that it is time for us to abandon the idea of a Pagan community all together. I get most of my pagan community through the internet. Though it is not the ideal way to see things, I can still get an idea of what is going on. And I think that at this point there is still more that connects us than divides us. We all have different views of divine and different ways of showing our respect. And we can still discuss our ways and find things in common. We might also find new ways to enhance our own practice. 

To keep the community together, we just need to remember to respect each other. In the end we are human. We are all just trying to find our way.
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Thoughts? Is community something that is important to you? Any tips for newbies looking for community?

B is for Body

We all know that we only have one body.

And I'm working on taking care of mine better. It's not a New Year's resolution, it is something that I have been working on for awhile. I exercise regularly and have been working to clean up my diet. It is going to take some time, and breaking bad habits isn't easy.

I think that taking care of my body is part of taking care of my spirit.

Several months ago there was a big to do about weight and the Pagan community. Many people seemed upset that some people wanted to tell them it wasn't alright for them to live the way they wanted. I even wrote response posts (here and here). I don't want to get into that argument again.

I am just wondering if there will be a time to discuss healthy living without people getting offended?

I feel that what we are doing to are bodies as a society is a problem. I wish more people would take the time to look at what they are eating and how it is effecting them.  And, because I happened to watch "Vegucated" last night on Netflix, how their food is made and how it is treated before it gets to them.

But at the same time I completely understand that people don't want healthy living shoved down their throat. I understand they don't want to be criticized for how they live their lives.

So here is what I'd like to know...
Do you think that taking care of your body is part of taking care of your spirit?
How do you feel about discussing healthy living?

A healthy body is the guest-chamber of the soul; a sick, its prison.  

~Francis Bacon

A is for Afterlife

This one is a little tough. I don't think very many people want to think about death and what happen after that. But it is something we all have to face eventually.

I believe that all people go to an afterlife. The spirit just doesn't disappear into nothingness. I have always thought that where you depends on what you believe. If you believe that you are going to the Summerlands or Heaven or somewhere else,  that is were you are going to end up.

But that does bring up a couple of issues.

If you believe one in one afterlife, and your family believes in another then you won't end up together.

What happens to those who commit, for lack of a better word "sins", or great acts of evil? Surely they can't end up in their religions paradise.

Do we stay in afterlife forever, or are we reborn into this, or even other, worlds?

I don't know.

Perhaps all afterlives exist together on one plane, and you see what you want to. Maybe those who commit evil acts are judged by their particular deity and sentence to another part of that plane. Maybe you get to choose to be reborn to learn more life lessons.

I'm sure that as I grow my ideas of the afterlife will change. But nobody truly knows until that day comes.

Any thoughts?

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A is for Ancestors

One of the beautiful things about paganism is its respect for the ancestors.

I believe that it is important for us to remember those who have passed on. I like the idea that your ancestors do not have to be people that you are related to by blood. It can be friends, past members of your tradition, or people that have made a difference in your life.

I like to think that no matter what religion a person was, wherever they are now they know they are being remembered. They know that the people that they have left behind love and remember them.

Thinking about the ancestors also gives hope to those here on Earth. By remembering them, we acknowledge the existence of a place beyond ours. We have the belief that we have a place to go when we pass on. We have comfort in the idea that we will not be alone in the afterlife, there is someone waiting for us.

Remembering where you come from is essential. It is nice to know that there were people that came before you. We remember those people's actions and words. But it is important that we all are also going to be an ancestors one day. We should always strive to leave a positive an lasting legacy for our descendants.

“If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.”            - Thich Nhat Hanh 

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Happy New Year!

Just a quick post today.

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I hope that you got to spend the holidays with your family and friends.

For 2013, I wish everyone health and happiness. I really hope that this year will be wonderful.

I plan to get back on track and do some more writing soon.

Happy Winter Solstice

In all the different traditions and different faith celebrations of the winter season, I find that one thing connects them all.

Family.

It doesn't matter what religious group you belong to, everyone wants to get home for the holidays. I truly believe that family and friends are the most important part of the holidays.

No matter what your personal tradition is, I hope that you have a wonderful time celebrating. I hope you get to enjoy spending time with family and friends. Have a blessed winter solstice.

Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays, 

‘Cause no matter how far away you roam

If you want to be happy in a million ways

For the holidays, you can’t beat home, sweet home.

- Vince Gill "Home For The Holidays"

Exciting Group-Solitary Druid Fellowship

One of my favorite blogs is Teo Bishop's "Bishop In the Grove." He is a wonderful writer and his posts always leave me thinking. For the past few months, Teo has been writing about creating a fellowship for solitary pagans.

So today I was really pleased to get an e-mail announcing the launch of the Solitary Druid Fellowship website. According to the site

The Solitary Druid Fellowship (SDF) is an extension of Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF), an independent tradition of Neo-Pagan Druidism. It is organized to provide solitary Druids, as well as any solitary Pagan in the general public, with an opportunity to engage more deeply with their ritual practice, while at the same time forging spiritual bonds with other solitaries through the adoption of a shared liturgical form.(1)

I have spent some time looking around the site. Though there isn't a whole lot there right now, the articles that are up are very interesting. The site is well organized, clean, and easy to navigate. I think that it is an interesting idea that this site will be for information, not a replacement for groves or communities.

I love the idea of being able to share a common ritual with others, but still being able to worship on my own. I believe that this site is going to be a wonderful tool for many Pagans. I am looking forward to reading the Yule ritual and using it my practice.

Notes:
(1) Taken from the "What we are" page- http://www.solitarydruid.org/what-we-are/

I'm a bit of a Grinch

As we head into the holiday season, I need to get something out in the open...

I'm a bit of a Grinch.

There are really about three things about the holiday season.
1) I enjoy getting presents. (Really, who doesn't?)
2) I like the once a year treats and foods.
3) I love spending time with family I don't get to see very often. 

But here's the thing...

I don't watch holiday specials. I don't enjoy listening Christmas music. I don't like the commercials that play over and over and sometimes don't change for years. I'm not a big fan of Christmas decorations. The Elf on the Shelf freaks me out.


And I get frustrated when people don't understand that I don't enjoy these things. It started long before I discovered I walk a pagan path.

I really wish people would let it be.

This time of the year should be more about spending time with family and friends then what present you are going to get them. We should be concerned about helping people all year round, not just in November and December. I believe children should behave because they are taught to do the right thing, not because Santa is watching. 

So I'm a bit of a Grinch. I'm not out to ruin your holiday, I may just have a different opinion than you. In any case, I hope everyone enjoy's their holiday season. I will just do it in my way.

"The threat of Christmas hung in the air, visible already in the fretful look of passersby as they readied themselves for the meaningless but necessary rites of false jovialities and ill-considered gifts." 

-Peter Dickinson

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful holiday. In the midst of all the turkey and football, make sure you take time to reflect on all the wonderful blessings in you life. Take time to think about all the people that give your life meaning. Thank your deities for their influence in your life. Remember those who might not be as fortunate than yourself. Really take time to be thankful for all the things you have.

Anyway, I am off to have dinner with the family. Have a great Thanksgiving!

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Image source: http://www.artuji.com/funny-thanksgiving-jokes/2834

Why I Became Pagan

The time has come for the almost required "Why I Became Pagan" post. Though it is something it seems almost all pagan bloggers do, it really is an important thing to write about. Many times when I read a story like this, most people describe a difficult time with the religion or church they were raised in.

My story is a little different. During my childhood, there was not an emphasis on religion that I can remember. My immediate family does not attend church. As a child, the only time I was in church was for weddings and baptisms of extended family members. My parents raised us to be good people. To respect others and think about our actions. And really, isn't that the most important thing?

When I became a pre-teen, I had a friend that started inviting me to events at her church. I went because she was my friend. But I didn't feel anything special. As my teen years went by I did try to be "Christian." I tried to read to the Bible to find some meaning. I tried to pray to a deity that I didn't feel anything for. It was because it was "normal." I live in the South and that is what's expected.

But it didn't work. It didn't feel right.

The theology didn't work. And it still doesn't. I can't wrap my mind around one God. And he is male. Why isn't there a female deity? It doesn't make sense that there is one Son who came down to save mankind from what to me seems like human nature. There is a lot more, but for the sake of the story I will leave it for another day.

It wasn't until the end of high school that answers started appearing. A different friend started talking about Paganism... Wicca to be more specific. She even let me borrow a book on the subject. And it made sense. There was another way of thinking and it made sense to me.

Over the next several years, to about my senior year of college, I did more research on and off about Paganism. Some things worked and made sense and some didn't. But most of the ideas fit me and how I view the world and spiritual life. During college I met people that had different ways of thinking. The important thing I learned was it was okay to think differently and it is all right for me to be different. It sounds silly. But it's true.

Paganism felt right.

In the fall of my senior year, I made a commitment to myself, and to the Lords and Ladies, that paganism was the path for me. I remember sitting on the floor of my room and I asking, "How do I do this?" And something inside me said, "Just try."

And, few years later, here I am. Doing my best to, "Just try." I am still learning and trying to find my way. But I do know that this is the right choice for me.

Post-Election Thoughts

I am so glad that this election is finally over!  It felt like it would never end. But where does this election leave us?

Unfortunately, at this point, it seems as a country we are more divided than ever. Everybody seems to have their own opinion, but nobody wants to work together to solve the nation's problems. Instead of compromise, we tear apart other's ideas. Instead of finding the middle ground that benefits the most people, we are stuck in a cycle of endless arguments. The parties stick to ideals that are no longer relevant and are not willing to listen when people want change. 

Instead of presenting both sides off the issue fairly, which is what I want when I turn on the news, most mainstream media outlets pick a side and won't let the other speak. It seems that often media present analysis and news without any research or facts to back it up.

Instead of campaigns that present us with viable plans for the future, the voter gets months of vague promises with no details on how they will be accomplished. The goal of campaigning seems to be "how can I make to other person look bad" instead of "how can I accurately promote my plans and credentials." Parties spend so much time trying to get their candidate elected that we end up with a two or more year election cycle. By the time election day rolls around, the population is overwhelmed and ready for the whole thing to be over.

We are left with a divided population. A government that is so caught up in party divisions that nothing gets done. Big media outlets you can't rely on.

My hope is that as a nation we can come together and mend the deep divisions that lies between us. That our leaders can put aside their differences and come up with some viable, fact based legislation that will benefit the most Americans, not just those that give them the most campaign dollars. 

I guess we will just have to wait and see...

What Should this Blog Be?

I have started doing some thinking about what I want this space to be. It has been sitting here, untouched for awhile (sorry, been a little unmotivated lately). 

I would like to start using this space to start exploring my personal faith a little more. It is still a work in progress, and there are still more questions than answers. I don't expect everyone to agree with everything I say. In fact, as I explore and do more reflecting, I imagine my views will change. 

I would like to do reviews. On books and movies and stuff like that. I would like them to be helpful. And I plan to be honest about what I think.

I would like to put my two-cents about what I see going on in the pagan community.

I would like to post a couple times a week.

Let me also get this out of the way, so everyone (especially me) knows where I stand in my journey on a "pagan path". Even though in my head I have thought of myself as pagan for many years, I am still in the very beginnings of this journey. I feel that I have a lot basic knowledge, I just need to put it into practice. I don't personally know any other pagans. Hopefully that will change.

I would love some input from those who stumble on this blog. However, if you do have something to say, please make it constructive. Correct me if you think I'm wrong, but don't be mean about it. This is a learning experience and I don't know everything. Be nice to the newbie.

So, with that being said, let's get started...

"There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth...

 not going all the way, and not starting."

-Buddha 

Been awhile...

Hello all!

So it has been awhile since I last posted. Honestly, I did not feel much like writing anything. For the past few weeks I have just been feeling blah and uninspired. Things have not been going quite like I planned, though it has kinda been that way for the past two years. Guess that's life for you.

But yesterday I started feeling myself for the first time in awhile. I felt lighter, both physically and spiritually. Like it was finally time to move on and try again. I have lots of ideas running around in my head. Not sure what to do about them all yet, but at least it is a start. Hopefully things will start going my way soon.