The Pagan Circle

[Marianne]

For me, that's one of the beautiful things about the old religion. You're free to worship and believe according to your experiences. Some look at Nature and say 'God made this', others look at Nature and say 'this is a part of God'.

Like I said in an earlier post, we aren't trying to convert anyone. It's just so nice to find so many people that have so many things in common! Yes, respect, tolerance...

 

[dragonlaurel]

I always celebrate it on Oct 31st, since the timing feels important to me. I used to decorate more, but gross looking stuff doesn't appeal to me. It's getting too commercialized and every horror movie thinks they have to try to make a buck then. I'd rather use fall stuff and add some ghosts, bats, etc. I display pictures of deceased family and light candles for them.

I don't go skyclad for Samhain because it's usually cold. I cast circle and invite my ancestors and loved ones that have passed on to visit for the evening. I make a meal that includes foods they would have liked and leave a plate of it out till morning.

It's the start of our new year, so it's a great time to to do readings after any trick or treaters are done. The old year ending can also be a time to get rid of old habits.

Some groups I worked with had to use the nearest day that all the members could get together. They tend to have a bigger feast and more elaborate ceremony. I dress up for it, if celebrating with others, but that's for fun.

If it's a full moon (any time of year) - I'll blow it a kiss as a salute.

 

[Wannabefree]

Sorry if I offended anybody, I had just wanted to say hi and learn

Anyway, I have been invited to ask questions and so here I do have a few if someone could answer. I'm not bent on debating the validity of each persons religion or beliefs, just curious as to your perspectives, and how they vary within the group, so please do not take offense to anything I ask/say, as I promise it is not intended to be malicious in any way whatsoever, but I will try to be careful of the wording nonetheless. I don't wanna hurt anyones feelings. I love you all! I think you're great folks

I have read the whole thread, everyone's individual views and such, so I am asking this collectively, and those who wish to respond I'd appreciate the insight. I do understand some of it because I have a friend who is Wiccan, but she's not very good at expressing the inner workings I guess you could say when I ask her questions. My sister claimed it for a while, but...well she never knew what she was doing anyway she could never tell me the first thing about it.

It seems(seems being the keyword here) from the outside looking in, that you all seem to have a religious relationship with darkness and things of the night, moon and stars and such. In the bible it states the greater light and the lesser light was put here by God, so I don't personally worship either light. I am however aware that the moon does hold the key to some things, such as the tides and that it does affect us generaly speaking. I see it simply as Gods design though. Old religious groups worshipped the sun and LOTS worshipped trees and animals, even eggs were objects of worship or at the very least held as sacred items. Can someone explain how the moon came to be so important and centered in your beliefs system? Or is it just nature in general? And no offense intended, but why worship the object, and not the Creator, if in fact you all believe there is a Creator and this is all not just a big elaborate game of chance? Do you believe in a Creator?

Another question..please bear with me here...the tarot cards. What makes the cards "tell" what they "know" so to speak? Is it the person holding them? Is it the cards themselves? What is the beliefs behind that? I have only seen or heard of inanimate objects possessing "power" in older religions, and some old Christian foundational church beliefs such as the way the pope is chosen, or before Christ with Aarons rod etc. etc. but, those powers are said to come from God Himself, not actually the object, but the will of the Father through that particular object/objects, and I can't fathom worshipping a stick

Again, just curious, NOT trying to be offensive, and I hope nobody takes it that way. I just seriously wanna know!

 

[Wannabefree]

dragonlaurel commercialism is hijacking EVERYBODY'S holidays. Just look at Christmas and Easter. I feel your pain on that one, and yeah, a lot of the "decor" is just downright gross.

 

[MsPony]

Wannabefree good questions! I don't quite know how to answer them, so I'm looking forward to someone elses answers

 

[Wannabefree]

Wannabefree good questions! I don't quite know how to answer them, so I'm looking forward to someone elses answers

HAHA thanks! I get some really tough ones about my own religious beliefs from time to time that I have to think and meditate on before I can come up with an answer too. I think that's pretty universal religiously though Religious beliefs are personal and often very VERY complex. I have found alot of times, some folks don't really know why they believe a certain thing, just that they do because it has been taught to them, then they dig deeper, find out the why, and realize they agree with it anyway

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

*takes deep breath*

I would like to share, but do not want anyone to feel offended, or think I'm being rude, so I just want to say this really is just sharing, and please understand I made my choice to be Christian for a reason...

Wannabefree, I cannot answer about the Tarot cards, or worshipping the moon, etc. because I had still kept God as my diety, but the moon is thought to have power. When I did rune readings (yes, you read that) I would "charge" my runes by sleeping with them under my pillow. My runes were Carnelian stones with the emblems engraved in Gold. They were specially made for me specifically. When I cast the runes, the power came from within me - not from any outside forces. I deciphered what the stones were telling me by knowing what the symbols meant and what they could mean together. I did castings/read the stones for people I knew, but mostly for strangers and everything was always spot on.

I was never able to touch a tarot card. Pendulums didn't work for me. I still have my crystal ball, but I never got beyond charging it. I charged my crystal ball by taking it into full sun, full moonlight, and rain. I didn't try to scry, as I chickened out.

I was not pagan or wiccan, I considered myself an eclectic spiritualist because I was seeking, trying to decide for myself what was true and what wasn't.

The turning point for me was when I went to town with a friend - who believed herself to be a witch. She had an amethyst stone with the triquatra engraved on it and she said it was her worry stone. She said if she rubbed the stone it helped relieve her stress because all her worries went into it. She was always a negative person (not because of her beliefs) and the energy around her felt bad. I mean, like you'd get physically sick to your stomach bad. An hour with her, and you were tired and drained the rest of the day. Her aura just sucked the life out of people. The very presence of that stone in my car made me feel heavy, and I remember feeling panicked, and wanting that stone gone right then. I prayed the whole way into town for her to lose that stone. I hadn't prayed to God in a long time. By the time we left town, the stone was gone. We couldn't find it. I was terrified I'd find it lying in my car somewhere, but it has never surfaced.

Why that stone bothered me so bad, I cannot tell you - I just know it did. I walked away from being an eclectic spiritualist and back into Church.

Again, just sharing, not judging. This was just my experience.

Although I will admit I do still have my chakra bracelet, an athame, and my crystal ball. Everything else I sold (sold the runes and pendulum on BYC). I had books on Reiki healing, feng shui, candle magick, Wiccan, Healing Arts, Chakras, etc.

 

[Wannabefree]

I wanna know where the inanimate objects get their "power" I should have been more inclusive, the question about the tarot cards is meant really for all objects used, not just cards. Crystal balls, etc. are the objects and I suppose runes would be grouped into that as well. Pardon my ignorance but I have no clue what runes are

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Ok, well I can't explain it for everyone else, but when I was dabbling, my runes got their power from me - I was the force behind them, if that makes sense. I never let anyone else touch them, for fear their aura (or vibe) might taint them and if someone touched them, I'd cleanse them by burning sage and passing them through the smoke.

I am not sure where the Sun or Moon would get their power, just that they are considered powerful, and it's believed that by charging the objects (cards, crystals, pendulums, etc) in the sun, moon, rain etc gives power to the object. Regular cleansings if someone else touched the items and then re-charging is recommended.

The only method of "cleansing" that I am aware of is burning loose or a wand of sage and either fanning or blowing the smoke over the items.

I can't explain it any better than that - maybe someone else can!

 

[Wannabefree]

Darn it Aly, what power hath the sage?! I just keep getting more questions now

Did we just totally jack this thread or is everyone else offline? I'm shutting up in here for a bit. Sorry ya'll!!