Merry meet, guys! I haven't been writing about my Wiccan journey because I have no idea what to write about. As if the deities have heard about my writing block, a follower on the social networking site, Twitter, had noticed a recent post about me finding my element. They had a lot of questions, which is quite normal to ask, and I'm here to break it down not only for them, but for you.
I thought my zodiac sign determined my element.
Actually, it can, but it doesn't. Here's what I mean by that: there are 2 different aspects to elements. The zodiac element doesn't refer to your physical capabilities with element, but they determine your personality. A water sign would be completely in touch with their emotions and more empathic, more-so the emotions behind an idea. One who is in touch with earth would be grounded in what they do and think more in depth. They are the one that holds everything together. Air, my element belongs to me because I analyze everything. I am a natural-born leader, and I'm usually the brains behind the idea. I'm also very creative. Fire is the passion behind the idea. I'm not saying this to embarrass anyone, but they can be pretty sexual.
What is my element?
Your element is one of the easiest things to figure out in Wicca. I promise you, all you have to do is pay attention. I didn't do this until I began researching elements. When the wind blows, I can feel my heart flutter, and I just want to scream and throw my hands in the air. I feel so liberated and loved. It feels like I'm one with the wind. That's why my physical element is air.
But Astrology....
Yes, I get it. Astrological elements may be a guideline for you. I'm a Virgo, but notice how I connect with air on both tiers of elements. You don't have to be what your astrological sign is. Everyone is different. Just pay attention. You'll know.
I hope this helps everyone. There is only so much that I can do. If you want to follow me on Twitter I am @Faerie_of_Dawn. I also am giving you a heads-up. I may be changing my name because I found out my element is air, and my spirit animal is a wolf. I have my first name narrowed down to Camdyn or Aura. As usual, this is considered normal in Wicca.
Much love and positive energies,
Dawn )O(
Showing posts with label Pagan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pagan. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Current Reads
Hey guys! I apologize for not blogging at all/rarely last month, but I have had a lot of things going on with me. I am aware that I have been having panic attacks, and it is suspected to be stemming from an anxiety disorder, so please send a little healing energy my way.
Today, I wanted to share my love of books. This is pretty different from what I usually do, but I have found this excellent book that I have picked up. I'm about halfway done with it, and I got it about 3 days ago. It's a fairly light read, and it's packed with information on Wicca. It is titled Exploring Wicca by Lady Sabrina. It is the updated edition, and I absolutely adore this book.
This book is beyond perfect for a person who has just started classified themselves as Wiccan. It goes over all of the basic things that one would be expected to know after the first and second years of being in this religion. It goes over a history of Wicca, the different traditions of Wicca (some of which I had never heard of until now), and many, many concepts.
It explains the different types of gods such as Sun Gods, The Horned Gods, and The Harvest Gods. It gives a brief history of them and some examples from the Norse, Greek, Roman, and Celtic pantheon. It does the same with the Goddesses (Moon Goddesses, The Triple Goddess), and it actually helped me find which God and Goddess I can consider my patron deities. (In case you do not follow me on Twitter, I have recently changed from the
This book also has a detailed description of the elements, and what they represent. This book, in a way, help me find that my element is actually air. I believed it was fire or water, but given the meaning in the book, I can clearly see that I am of the element air (natural leader, and the intelligence behind the event). They list herbs, the archangels, the stones, the colors, and so much more representing these elements. They also explain how certain herbs can promote certain actions, and I thought that was really neat.
I flipped through the book, and this tells you about alter setups, the history and meaning behind the Sabbats, how to go about casting a circle and magickal spells, and it even has a glossary. You can look up specific terms, and that may be helpful for starters in Wicca.
I give this book a 5 star rating. The only that caught my attention and bugged me is that I saw a couple of love spells in the book. As much as love spells are popular, I have no problem with them... IF THEY DO NOT TARGET A SINGLE PERSON. I don't believe in manipulating one's free will, but... I'll be perfectly honest, I have done a spell having to do with love. It was not aimed at a specific person, but it was more-so a "let me find love, and let me experience it with whoever the universe feels like pairing me up with" spell. The book does have a spell that does say [insert name here] in one love spell, and I didn't care for that. (Once again, I was just scanning ahead and found that.)
Other than that, the book does contain spells that I can actually conduct with what I have on my hidden alter: a pink candle, a green candle, incense....
I can't say it enough, I love this book. I want you guys to check it out and tell me what you guys think of it. I also have to wait for the library to get the other books I have on reserve. One is a Scott Cunningham book, and another one is a huuuge book on Wicca and Witchcraft. I'll let you guys know about those ones too and what I thought of them.
Brightest blessings and much love,
Dawn )O(
Today, I wanted to share my love of books. This is pretty different from what I usually do, but I have found this excellent book that I have picked up. I'm about halfway done with it, and I got it about 3 days ago. It's a fairly light read, and it's packed with information on Wicca. It is titled Exploring Wicca by Lady Sabrina. It is the updated edition, and I absolutely adore this book.
This book is beyond perfect for a person who has just started classified themselves as Wiccan. It goes over all of the basic things that one would be expected to know after the first and second years of being in this religion. It goes over a history of Wicca, the different traditions of Wicca (some of which I had never heard of until now), and many, many concepts.
It explains the different types of gods such as Sun Gods, The Horned Gods, and The Harvest Gods. It gives a brief history of them and some examples from the Norse, Greek, Roman, and Celtic pantheon. It does the same with the Goddesses (Moon Goddesses, The Triple Goddess), and it actually helped me find which God and Goddess I can consider my patron deities. (In case you do not follow me on Twitter, I have recently changed from the
This book also has a detailed description of the elements, and what they represent. This book, in a way, help me find that my element is actually air. I believed it was fire or water, but given the meaning in the book, I can clearly see that I am of the element air (natural leader, and the intelligence behind the event). They list herbs, the archangels, the stones, the colors, and so much more representing these elements. They also explain how certain herbs can promote certain actions, and I thought that was really neat.
I flipped through the book, and this tells you about alter setups, the history and meaning behind the Sabbats, how to go about casting a circle and magickal spells, and it even has a glossary. You can look up specific terms, and that may be helpful for starters in Wicca.
I give this book a 5 star rating. The only that caught my attention and bugged me is that I saw a couple of love spells in the book. As much as love spells are popular, I have no problem with them... IF THEY DO NOT TARGET A SINGLE PERSON. I don't believe in manipulating one's free will, but... I'll be perfectly honest, I have done a spell having to do with love. It was not aimed at a specific person, but it was more-so a "let me find love, and let me experience it with whoever the universe feels like pairing me up with" spell. The book does have a spell that does say [insert name here] in one love spell, and I didn't care for that. (Once again, I was just scanning ahead and found that.)
Other than that, the book does contain spells that I can actually conduct with what I have on my hidden alter: a pink candle, a green candle, incense....
I can't say it enough, I love this book. I want you guys to check it out and tell me what you guys think of it. I also have to wait for the library to get the other books I have on reserve. One is a Scott Cunningham book, and another one is a huuuge book on Wicca and Witchcraft. I'll let you guys know about those ones too and what I thought of them.
Brightest blessings and much love,
Dawn )O(
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Wicca 101: Imbolic
Here is my 2nd blog of the night.... so, here it goes.
Tonight, I also want to talk about Imbolic. It is the 3rd Sabbat, or Pagan Holiday, in the Pagan calendar (First Samhain, then Yule). Imbolic occurs around Groundhog's Day in the North America (February 1st-3rd).
Imbolic is a time of warmth and love. I guess you could say that Imbolic can be considered a "Wiccan Valentine's Day" due to what it is about. It also is about passion, and anyone knows that anything that has passion has a fire to it. That's exactly what it is: Worship of the fire deities. The most popular one is Brigid, the Celtic Goddess of fire. However, there are a lot more. On Imbolic, I will be worshiping Hestia, the Greek Goddess of fire. She is also the Goddess of one of my elements.
I have also known Imbolic to help others with divination. It is a good way to enhance your spiritual energies. Because of this, I would say that tarot reading, any fortune-telling activities, meditating, and other things to that nature is beneficial.
Some ways to celebrate this holiday is to either work with divination, bake and cook (seeing as though you bake and cook with a fire), or going to a bonfire.
I rarely talk about stones and gems, but amythist can help with one's spiritual energies and divination. Rose quartz also helps with being calm and attracting romance, and I would probably recommend it to you guys.
This Imbolic is special to me. Since I am not quite out of the broom closet, I am going to a Church event. On the day of Imbolic, they decided to have a "fireside chat." That means it will be more like a bonfire situation. They have no idea that they are celebrating Imbolic, and it's phenomenal. I can also practice with fire scrying. It is one of my favorite types of divination, and my friends enjoy scrying with me, too. I will also wear my gem bracelet. It has amythist and rose quartz in the mix, and it'll help better my mood.
Wishing you all a blessed Imbolic,
Dawn )O(
Tonight, I also want to talk about Imbolic. It is the 3rd Sabbat, or Pagan Holiday, in the Pagan calendar (First Samhain, then Yule). Imbolic occurs around Groundhog's Day in the North America (February 1st-3rd).
Imbolic is a time of warmth and love. I guess you could say that Imbolic can be considered a "Wiccan Valentine's Day" due to what it is about. It also is about passion, and anyone knows that anything that has passion has a fire to it. That's exactly what it is: Worship of the fire deities. The most popular one is Brigid, the Celtic Goddess of fire. However, there are a lot more. On Imbolic, I will be worshiping Hestia, the Greek Goddess of fire. She is also the Goddess of one of my elements.
I have also known Imbolic to help others with divination. It is a good way to enhance your spiritual energies. Because of this, I would say that tarot reading, any fortune-telling activities, meditating, and other things to that nature is beneficial.
Some ways to celebrate this holiday is to either work with divination, bake and cook (seeing as though you bake and cook with a fire), or going to a bonfire.
I rarely talk about stones and gems, but amythist can help with one's spiritual energies and divination. Rose quartz also helps with being calm and attracting romance, and I would probably recommend it to you guys.
This Imbolic is special to me. Since I am not quite out of the broom closet, I am going to a Church event. On the day of Imbolic, they decided to have a "fireside chat." That means it will be more like a bonfire situation. They have no idea that they are celebrating Imbolic, and it's phenomenal. I can also practice with fire scrying. It is one of my favorite types of divination, and my friends enjoy scrying with me, too. I will also wear my gem bracelet. It has amythist and rose quartz in the mix, and it'll help better my mood.
Wishing you all a blessed Imbolic,
Dawn )O(
Incorporating Spirituality Into Wicca
Hello, again! I feel like I haven't written a thing since I had a sinus infection. I've also been having a tough time bouncing back emotional-wise, but I seem to be better now.
Today, I decided to talk to you guys about spirituality, and how some things I have experienced within it have been incorporated into my Path. This is going to be interesting when I explain some of the beliefs I follow. Some stem from other Pagan religions, such as Buddhism, some have been pulled from Wicca, of course.... And I even found that even a Wiccan can follow some teachings from the contradictory religion, Christianity and it's Holy Book, the Bible. This is what I believe makes me eclectic: Taking bits and pieces from other religions and placing some of them into my life and Wicca.
I believe in karma, which is different from the Threefold Path. Karma says that whatever you do will affect you for better or worse. The Threefold Path states that the energy you give something (positive, negative, passionate, anger) will return to you in Threefold. That is the difference, and it's a rookie mistake. Anyways, I absolutely believe in the law of Karma. I also love to meditate, which is usually a part of Wicca anyways, but it is also Buddhist. It really does calm me down, but I also am creative with these meditation sessions. I have tried meditative painting before, or painting in general. It helps me talk to the God and Goddess. It also pleases Apollo because he is a God of the Arts. I love doing yoga, but haven't done it in quite a while. I like to believe that it is a physiological meditation. I am attempting to work with chakras, but I have no idea where to start. (I will research this later.)
I am Native American, therefore Paganism is in my blood. My great-grandmother believed in nothing but herbal remedies and believed in having a totem animal. I am not sure what our totem animal was, but I think it may have been a wolf. Regardless, I believe in the same thing. I feel more connected to felines, particularly black domestic cats. I also am looking into certain herbs and what they may help with. I have come across a video that has informed me on how to treat illnesses, which will come in handy.
Now, for the most controversial part that I have been DYING to get to: the Bible. You're probably like, "Dawn, how do you live by the Bible when it speaks against Paganism?" I follow certain verses that I would like to share with you. Let me type them.
John 15: 12-13
This is my command, that you love one another, so that I have loved you. Greater love has no man than the one that lays down his life for his friends.
Romans 12:15-21 (Modified for Wicca)
Rejoice with those who are rejoicing, and cry with those who cry. Have the same concern for everyone. Don't be full of pride, but accept humble duties.... If someone has done you wrong don't repay them with a wrong. Try to do what is considered to be good. Do everything that is possible on your part to live at peace with everybody. Never take revenge (for that is the God and Goddess's part). If your enemies are hunger, let them eat. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. This will make them filled with shame. (Do not let negative energies take over you. Instead, let positive energies flow from your heart.)
1 Corinthians 13:13
These 3 things remain: hope, faith, and love. The greatest of these is love.
These are just a few of the verses that I apply to my faith. Just read these and think... Most of these involve love, right? And I quote the Wiccan Rede:
Today, I decided to talk to you guys about spirituality, and how some things I have experienced within it have been incorporated into my Path. This is going to be interesting when I explain some of the beliefs I follow. Some stem from other Pagan religions, such as Buddhism, some have been pulled from Wicca, of course.... And I even found that even a Wiccan can follow some teachings from the contradictory religion, Christianity and it's Holy Book, the Bible. This is what I believe makes me eclectic: Taking bits and pieces from other religions and placing some of them into my life and Wicca.
I believe in karma, which is different from the Threefold Path. Karma says that whatever you do will affect you for better or worse. The Threefold Path states that the energy you give something (positive, negative, passionate, anger) will return to you in Threefold. That is the difference, and it's a rookie mistake. Anyways, I absolutely believe in the law of Karma. I also love to meditate, which is usually a part of Wicca anyways, but it is also Buddhist. It really does calm me down, but I also am creative with these meditation sessions. I have tried meditative painting before, or painting in general. It helps me talk to the God and Goddess. It also pleases Apollo because he is a God of the Arts. I love doing yoga, but haven't done it in quite a while. I like to believe that it is a physiological meditation. I am attempting to work with chakras, but I have no idea where to start. (I will research this later.)
I am Native American, therefore Paganism is in my blood. My great-grandmother believed in nothing but herbal remedies and believed in having a totem animal. I am not sure what our totem animal was, but I think it may have been a wolf. Regardless, I believe in the same thing. I feel more connected to felines, particularly black domestic cats. I also am looking into certain herbs and what they may help with. I have come across a video that has informed me on how to treat illnesses, which will come in handy.
Now, for the most controversial part that I have been DYING to get to: the Bible. You're probably like, "Dawn, how do you live by the Bible when it speaks against Paganism?" I follow certain verses that I would like to share with you. Let me type them.
John 15: 12-13
This is my command, that you love one another, so that I have loved you. Greater love has no man than the one that lays down his life for his friends.
Romans 12:15-21 (Modified for Wicca)
Rejoice with those who are rejoicing, and cry with those who cry. Have the same concern for everyone. Don't be full of pride, but accept humble duties.... If someone has done you wrong don't repay them with a wrong. Try to do what is considered to be good. Do everything that is possible on your part to live at peace with everybody. Never take revenge (for that is the God and Goddess's part). If your enemies are hunger, let them eat. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. This will make them filled with shame. (Do not let negative energies take over you. Instead, let positive energies flow from your heart.)
1 Corinthians 13:13
These 3 things remain: hope, faith, and love. The greatest of these is love.
These are just a few of the verses that I apply to my faith. Just read these and think... Most of these involve love, right? And I quote the Wiccan Rede:
Abide by the Wiccan Rede, ye must
In perfect love and perfect trust...
See the connection? That's something that Wicca and Christianity have in common. There's a lot of common aspects between these 2, but in general, no one really knows it. (I'll save this for yet another post.)
This is why I'm Eclectic. I believe in all of these things and apply them to Wicca.
Many blessings and have a great esbat,
Dawn )O(
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Wicca 101: Appreciating Nature
Hello, again! I haven't blogged in forever, or at least, that's what it feels like. Today, I want others to take a breather and think about what you've been doing with nature, and how exactly you treat it.
Pause for a second. When you are a Pagan, especially Wiccan, you notice that you don't go to a certain building for a worship session. Nature is your temple. You go out there and you admire its beauty. To be perfectly honest, that is why I go to camp, regardless of its religious teachings. There are so many subtle ways to go into nature and bond with it. I believe that's why I connect with the element earth a lot.
First of all, when you search for a wood to make a wand, don't you ever snatch a branch off on the tree. Look and see if there is a detached branch. Trust me... I learned the hard way. Another thing you can do is that if the tree shades you from the sun, give it an offering, like water. I remember doing it to this magnificent pine tree and I felt as though the tree actually said thanks.
Meditation in the afternoon is calming, and you can focus on the beauty of nature. You don't do it by using your vision, but by touch and listening. It is amazing. I've done it for 5 days, 15 minutes each day. You don't even have to close your eyes. Just sit and write or draw. It's amazing.
You don't have to be in the sunshine in order to appreciate nature. Sometimes, I like to sit out in the rain, or just watch it.
Either way, these things and more can be taken into consideration.
Just a little thought and lesson for you.
Dawn )O(
Pause for a second. When you are a Pagan, especially Wiccan, you notice that you don't go to a certain building for a worship session. Nature is your temple. You go out there and you admire its beauty. To be perfectly honest, that is why I go to camp, regardless of its religious teachings. There are so many subtle ways to go into nature and bond with it. I believe that's why I connect with the element earth a lot.
First of all, when you search for a wood to make a wand, don't you ever snatch a branch off on the tree. Look and see if there is a detached branch. Trust me... I learned the hard way. Another thing you can do is that if the tree shades you from the sun, give it an offering, like water. I remember doing it to this magnificent pine tree and I felt as though the tree actually said thanks.
Meditation in the afternoon is calming, and you can focus on the beauty of nature. You don't do it by using your vision, but by touch and listening. It is amazing. I've done it for 5 days, 15 minutes each day. You don't even have to close your eyes. Just sit and write or draw. It's amazing.
You don't have to be in the sunshine in order to appreciate nature. Sometimes, I like to sit out in the rain, or just watch it.
Either way, these things and more can be taken into consideration.
Just a little thought and lesson for you.
Dawn )O(
Friday, January 11, 2013
I Seriously Had To...
Hello, it's me again. Today, I'd like to talk about what happened today, and how I felt afterward.
A friend of mine (let's call her Staci) had talked to me in depth about what she believes in. She says that she has had some paranormal experiences and obsessed with spirits and psychic powers and such. She unknowingly brought up divination, specifically tarot. I was so happy, and asked if she wanted to see them. We could also do a reading in the library, seeing as though there is a book about that in detail. She was pleased with that.
Something clicked inside of me, and I literally began shaking. It was uncontrollable, and it felt like I wasn't really the one in charge. I think the Goddess took hold of me and was trying to say that Staci is going to be important in my life and to stick with her. The last time my right hand began shaking, it was when I picked out Apollo, and the God I've worshiped for about a year. So, in a nutshell, my deities are telling me something about Staci and her beliefs.
Just wanted to share that with you guys. I may come at you with another Wicca 101 blog today, so you guys get a treat, hopefully.
Many Blessings,
Dawn )O(
A friend of mine (let's call her Staci) had talked to me in depth about what she believes in. She says that she has had some paranormal experiences and obsessed with spirits and psychic powers and such. She unknowingly brought up divination, specifically tarot. I was so happy, and asked if she wanted to see them. We could also do a reading in the library, seeing as though there is a book about that in detail. She was pleased with that.
Something clicked inside of me, and I literally began shaking. It was uncontrollable, and it felt like I wasn't really the one in charge. I think the Goddess took hold of me and was trying to say that Staci is going to be important in my life and to stick with her. The last time my right hand began shaking, it was when I picked out Apollo, and the God I've worshiped for about a year. So, in a nutshell, my deities are telling me something about Staci and her beliefs.
Just wanted to share that with you guys. I may come at you with another Wicca 101 blog today, so you guys get a treat, hopefully.
Many Blessings,
Dawn )O(
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Huge Steps
Hello, again, guys! I'm Dawn, and today, I'd like to share with you what actually happened yesterday. I talked about it briefly on Twitter, and seeing as there's only about 140 characters, I couldn't explain on what I was saying and what had fully happened, so I'd thought I blog about it.
Yesterday, I had met not only another Pagan, but I had met a Wiccan. It started when we were talking about religion, and he claimed he was a witch. He prefers the title to be called "Mage," so I asked him if he meant real life or Skyrim (because that was quite a bizzare statement). He said both.
At this point, I was really interested in the conversation. He told me about a couple of spells that he had cast... He had cast a couple for revenge, which I'm mostly against. I wouldn't cast one in order to put a family member in the hospital, which is what he did to his sister, but if it was to teach another person humility, then MAYBE. (Let's just say the other involved extensions falling out. Yes, I laughed my butt off.) So, he's more into... a darker side of Wicca, you could say.
He explained to a friend that was sitting with us that Wicca is all about manipulating energies and that is how spells work. He actually volunteered to help her learn more about Wicca and its beliefs. He also stated he works with candle magick, and I was happy that I wasn't the only one. After he said this, I stated that I knew a lot about Wicca and asked him how long he's been a Wiccan. He is on his 7th month, 5 months after I became a Pagan.
The conversation had died out, and he left to check out a devotional book from the library. I then took a deep breath and said I researched Wicca for a year, and that I am Wiccan. She is quite accepting, and now she has 2 friends that are Wiccan. She has yet to get used to the fact that I don't believe in the Christian God and that I believe in Apollo and Hecate and other deities of this nature. As a matter of fact, she loves religion and is kind of wondering if she wants to minor in Theology like I might do.
So, that's yesterday in a nutshell. I am so glad I was able to find another Wiccan, and I am starting to get out of the broom closet.
To all of you who are still in the broom closet, I suggest that you tell your best friend about being a Pagan first. They are usually the ones to understand you a lot more.
Much love and blessings,
Dawn )O(
Yesterday, I had met not only another Pagan, but I had met a Wiccan. It started when we were talking about religion, and he claimed he was a witch. He prefers the title to be called "Mage," so I asked him if he meant real life or Skyrim (because that was quite a bizzare statement). He said both.
At this point, I was really interested in the conversation. He told me about a couple of spells that he had cast... He had cast a couple for revenge, which I'm mostly against. I wouldn't cast one in order to put a family member in the hospital, which is what he did to his sister, but if it was to teach another person humility, then MAYBE. (Let's just say the other involved extensions falling out. Yes, I laughed my butt off.) So, he's more into... a darker side of Wicca, you could say.
He explained to a friend that was sitting with us that Wicca is all about manipulating energies and that is how spells work. He actually volunteered to help her learn more about Wicca and its beliefs. He also stated he works with candle magick, and I was happy that I wasn't the only one. After he said this, I stated that I knew a lot about Wicca and asked him how long he's been a Wiccan. He is on his 7th month, 5 months after I became a Pagan.
The conversation had died out, and he left to check out a devotional book from the library. I then took a deep breath and said I researched Wicca for a year, and that I am Wiccan. She is quite accepting, and now she has 2 friends that are Wiccan. She has yet to get used to the fact that I don't believe in the Christian God and that I believe in Apollo and Hecate and other deities of this nature. As a matter of fact, she loves religion and is kind of wondering if she wants to minor in Theology like I might do.
So, that's yesterday in a nutshell. I am so glad I was able to find another Wiccan, and I am starting to get out of the broom closet.
To all of you who are still in the broom closet, I suggest that you tell your best friend about being a Pagan first. They are usually the ones to understand you a lot more.
Much love and blessings,
Dawn )O(
Sunday, January 6, 2013
I Am Offended...!
Hello again, guys! It's me, Dawn, and I want to tell you guys about something that is making me angry at church. (Yes, in case you didn't notice, I am still in the broom closet, but I'm becoming more bold and may tell others about my actual religion.)
So, the minister is doing a series about the main questions people don't have answered, and that is why they aren't Christians (to his logic, that is). I thought it was a brilliant idea at first, but he is doing things that are very controversial to not only the church, but Pagans as well.
I have never heard the word "Pagan" so much when a minister is preaching. It seems as though he brings it up every single Sunday, and so many people are confused as to why. Are you trying to tell the church that Pagans are bad, or are you trying to drive them away from the Christian God to... I don't know, Gaia and Zeus? If you drill the word in their head, they're going to get a little curious. After all, that's what happened to me. Oh, and here's the best part.
According to him, there are Roman Pagan documents that state that Jesus was alive. Does it, like, matter where the documents are from? I mean, they're from Rome, alright. But did you have to include the word Pagan?
This minister also downsized the Pantheon that I associate with, the Greek Pantheon. It stung when he looked at me when he said the insult, about how it is "mythology" and "false deities." Let me put it this way: I am a Wiccan and a Pagan inside of a church. I respect the Bible. As a matter of fact, I'm going to highlight some teachings that I can apply to my Pagan life from there. I don't downsize the Christian God. To be perfectly honest, church saved my life. In order to preach your opinion to a bunch of people that aren't a Christian and not knowing what background they're from, you must have a certain compassion. You can't just talk lowly of the Greek Pantheon. What if there was a Pagan wanting to convert to Christianity and you offended them because they used to work with the Greek Pantheon?
He also insulted some of my views on Jesus. I know that he was a Rabbi (for those that don't know what a Rabbi is, it is a religious leader for Judaism) and spoke wise things, and I like his teachings, but I am a Wiccan. I'm not denying that he isn't the son of the Christian God, but... I'm not worshiping him, at least for this moment in time. But the minister says that if I believe that, I'm denying him and his existence.
Let me just throw a little something out there... If you worship a person, that can be considered Paganism, correct? So why does the minister focus more on Jesus? If he says that Jesus is God, he's denying Paganism in a way. It's the exact same thing that's frustrating me.
I have respect for the Christian religion because it is where I stemmed from regarding my spirituality, but this minister is getting on my nerves. Here's some points that a Pagan can pick out and argue on. Excuse me if I was venting way too much, but I can't tell the minister about how offended I am. Otherwise, everyone will start talking and... I get shunned from all of my friends and family. Hopefully you guys understand that.
Thanks for dealing with this.
May positive energies flow your way,
Dawn )O(
So, the minister is doing a series about the main questions people don't have answered, and that is why they aren't Christians (to his logic, that is). I thought it was a brilliant idea at first, but he is doing things that are very controversial to not only the church, but Pagans as well.
I have never heard the word "Pagan" so much when a minister is preaching. It seems as though he brings it up every single Sunday, and so many people are confused as to why. Are you trying to tell the church that Pagans are bad, or are you trying to drive them away from the Christian God to... I don't know, Gaia and Zeus? If you drill the word in their head, they're going to get a little curious. After all, that's what happened to me. Oh, and here's the best part.
According to him, there are Roman Pagan documents that state that Jesus was alive. Does it, like, matter where the documents are from? I mean, they're from Rome, alright. But did you have to include the word Pagan?
This minister also downsized the Pantheon that I associate with, the Greek Pantheon. It stung when he looked at me when he said the insult, about how it is "mythology" and "false deities." Let me put it this way: I am a Wiccan and a Pagan inside of a church. I respect the Bible. As a matter of fact, I'm going to highlight some teachings that I can apply to my Pagan life from there. I don't downsize the Christian God. To be perfectly honest, church saved my life. In order to preach your opinion to a bunch of people that aren't a Christian and not knowing what background they're from, you must have a certain compassion. You can't just talk lowly of the Greek Pantheon. What if there was a Pagan wanting to convert to Christianity and you offended them because they used to work with the Greek Pantheon?
He also insulted some of my views on Jesus. I know that he was a Rabbi (for those that don't know what a Rabbi is, it is a religious leader for Judaism) and spoke wise things, and I like his teachings, but I am a Wiccan. I'm not denying that he isn't the son of the Christian God, but... I'm not worshiping him, at least for this moment in time. But the minister says that if I believe that, I'm denying him and his existence.
Let me just throw a little something out there... If you worship a person, that can be considered Paganism, correct? So why does the minister focus more on Jesus? If he says that Jesus is God, he's denying Paganism in a way. It's the exact same thing that's frustrating me.
I have respect for the Christian religion because it is where I stemmed from regarding my spirituality, but this minister is getting on my nerves. Here's some points that a Pagan can pick out and argue on. Excuse me if I was venting way too much, but I can't tell the minister about how offended I am. Otherwise, everyone will start talking and... I get shunned from all of my friends and family. Hopefully you guys understand that.
Thanks for dealing with this.
May positive energies flow your way,
Dawn )O(
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Christian Friends With Wiccan Aspects!
Hey, guys! It's me, Dawn, coming at you with another entry. First off, I wish you guys a prosperous New Year and I send you all positive energies~!
I was just thinking (yes, I know that this is how I start out every other blog, but I do think a lot) about all of my friends. I was wondering why I got along with them so well, and a new friend had brought it to my attention when she said something about aromatherapy.
I realized that most of my friends, whom ARE Christians, have some sort of Pagan beliefs. They don't designate that they are Pagan, but they do share some belief in some Wiccan ways. This shocked me a little, but it makes sense that I believe a little in what they believe in, and they believe a little in what I believe in. So, there are about 4 friends that I'll describe, and you'll see what I mean. Of course, aliases are in order, so, I'll make them up as I go along.
I'll start with the newest friend I made. I'm going to call her Cynthia. I've hung out with her as we rang in the new year together. Cynthia has had such a troubled past, but she's overcoming it as we speak. She's so strong-willed and loves to have many adventures. As stated, she believes in aromatherapy, as do I. One odd thing I've noticed about her is she believes that everyone has a Lilith side to them. At first, I thought about that name. I had thought I heard it from the Greek Pantheon, and I was right. Overall, I haven't really sat down to talk to her about any spiritual things, but she absolutely loves it when I do some divination.
The second friend will be called Willow. She expresses herself a lot. She's a talented actress and singer, but also acts as one of the guys. She has read the House of Night series, so, she's pretty much familiar with Nyx, the Goddess of Night, casting a circle, and other things deemed Pagan in the book. She's pretty satisfied that there's a Goddess in the story and that the elements are active in them. What she doesn't know is that she loves elemental magic. Willow has also believed in some paranormal things.
So, I am going to talk about my 2 best friends right now. Excuse me if I get way off topic because one of them is like my sister, and the other...
Let's call that friend Aiden. I will not lie, he is thecomplete and utter love of my life best guy friend any girl can ask for. He's beyond nerdy and is more into Medieval fantasy. That means, he believes in elven races, faeries, magick, and what have you. He is quite the religious person. If he was Pagan, we would probably form a coven together with him as High Priest and myself as the High Priestess. ANYWAYS, since he believes in magick, he can write his own spells. It's more-so for our LARP (Live Action Role Play) sessions, but nevertheless, he does write them. AIden's also the one who got me into doodling elves and believing in Celtic aspects such as different types of faeries (again).
And the last friend. The one that is most controversial.
Let me call her Raven. She actually helped me come up with part of my magickal name, and that's why Raven is in it. I talked about her numerous times...
Anyways, Raven is a huge believer in divination. She introduced me to a type of it, and sometimes I use it to locate a lost/misplaced item. She also has influenced me to attempt to make a wand, as she has one herself. Raven also ended up having paranormal things going on around her house. She has to leave a window open so that the spirit won't bother her. Raven's also had tried Lucid Dreaming... On top of this, she wants her tarot read. She shows a lot of potential for a Wiccan one day. The only thing that is holding her back is the fact that her father and grandfather are leaders of the church. They wouldn't approve of a Christo-Witch/Wiccan in the family, or even in the church. The last Christo-Witch that was in the church had been forced to leave, and that is why I can't talk about my actual religion. I wonder if I should secretly teach her about Wicca, read her tarot in her own house with a Youth minister involved, etc. Either way, I'm walking on a very fine line here (these people consider me to be one of the "most Christian-like" in the church when I absolutely am not).
I mean, all of these don't define a friend, but these are kind of interesting friends I have here. It's funny how some morals we believe in can belong to another religion. Just thought that I'd share.
Many blessings,
Dawn )O(
I was just thinking (yes, I know that this is how I start out every other blog, but I do think a lot) about all of my friends. I was wondering why I got along with them so well, and a new friend had brought it to my attention when she said something about aromatherapy.
I realized that most of my friends, whom ARE Christians, have some sort of Pagan beliefs. They don't designate that they are Pagan, but they do share some belief in some Wiccan ways. This shocked me a little, but it makes sense that I believe a little in what they believe in, and they believe a little in what I believe in. So, there are about 4 friends that I'll describe, and you'll see what I mean. Of course, aliases are in order, so, I'll make them up as I go along.
I'll start with the newest friend I made. I'm going to call her Cynthia. I've hung out with her as we rang in the new year together. Cynthia has had such a troubled past, but she's overcoming it as we speak. She's so strong-willed and loves to have many adventures. As stated, she believes in aromatherapy, as do I. One odd thing I've noticed about her is she believes that everyone has a Lilith side to them. At first, I thought about that name. I had thought I heard it from the Greek Pantheon, and I was right. Overall, I haven't really sat down to talk to her about any spiritual things, but she absolutely loves it when I do some divination.
The second friend will be called Willow. She expresses herself a lot. She's a talented actress and singer, but also acts as one of the guys. She has read the House of Night series, so, she's pretty much familiar with Nyx, the Goddess of Night, casting a circle, and other things deemed Pagan in the book. She's pretty satisfied that there's a Goddess in the story and that the elements are active in them. What she doesn't know is that she loves elemental magic. Willow has also believed in some paranormal things.
So, I am going to talk about my 2 best friends right now. Excuse me if I get way off topic because one of them is like my sister, and the other...
Let's call that friend Aiden. I will not lie, he is the
And the last friend. The one that is most controversial.
Let me call her Raven. She actually helped me come up with part of my magickal name, and that's why Raven is in it. I talked about her numerous times...
Anyways, Raven is a huge believer in divination. She introduced me to a type of it, and sometimes I use it to locate a lost/misplaced item. She also has influenced me to attempt to make a wand, as she has one herself. Raven also ended up having paranormal things going on around her house. She has to leave a window open so that the spirit won't bother her. Raven's also had tried Lucid Dreaming... On top of this, she wants her tarot read. She shows a lot of potential for a Wiccan one day. The only thing that is holding her back is the fact that her father and grandfather are leaders of the church. They wouldn't approve of a Christo-Witch/Wiccan in the family, or even in the church. The last Christo-Witch that was in the church had been forced to leave, and that is why I can't talk about my actual religion. I wonder if I should secretly teach her about Wicca, read her tarot in her own house with a Youth minister involved, etc. Either way, I'm walking on a very fine line here (these people consider me to be one of the "most Christian-like" in the church when I absolutely am not).
I mean, all of these don't define a friend, but these are kind of interesting friends I have here. It's funny how some morals we believe in can belong to another religion. Just thought that I'd share.
Many blessings,
Dawn )O(
Saturday, December 29, 2012
My Story
Within 24 hours, I come at you with a 3rd blog entry. I have been blogging a whole lot lately, so please bear with me.
Anyways, I was thinking about where my path had stemmed from and when it actually started. I guess you could say that I didn't really notice it until my freshman year in high school (I'm a senior in high school now, so...) .
It all started when I was 7. I was entertained with the idea of magick. Something about it had drawn me in. I read books that had had magick within them, and I used to create my own world with elements and faeries. I was completely lost in it as a child would be.
When I was in 8th grade, I started to see a huge change. I was into things like intuition, the laws of karma, and all of those types of things. I absolutely believed in self-control and if something needed to be said, I wasn't one to hold back. It seemed as though when I got mad, something was controlling me to say mature things. I thanked it each and every time. I believe it was the God and Goddess controlling me, and I didn't know it yet.
By my freshman year in high school, I had a unique friend. She wasn't exactly into church, and she introduced me to types of divination. She read my numerology (which was a 2) and said that I was bound to be a leader and do great things. I laughed at her when she said that, but now I'm starting to see what she means...
She also used a Ouija Board while I was on the phone with her. You could hear and feel the spirit she was talking to. I never really believed in such things until then. She also read my palms and taught me a little about palmistry. She had tarot cards, too, but her mother had threw them away, claiming that they "belonged to and served the devil."
Also in my freshman year, we had this huge research project due about a Greek God or Goddess of our choosing. As much as I wanted to choose Apollo, the God of music and light, many people had chose him. Instead, I chose Artemis, Goddess of the hunt. I found that she was independent and the twin of Apollo. I had so much respect for mythology after this, and I literally obsessed over this project. I lived, breathed, and ate the project until I had to present. I had to edit my 10 minute speech because I had acquired so much information about Artemis.
In my sophomore year, I found myself going back to church, but as soon as I did that, I began looking up spells and became a Christo-Witch. That contradicted everything in my opinion. I just couldn't make up my mind.... Until my junior year.
I actually met a pagan through a music program that unites our school district. He was goth and Pagan, so I thought he was quite unapproachable. I was wrong. He was one of the most awesome people I've met in my life. I found that surprising, not because I had heard that goths were so distant and cold, but how a Pagan, something that I was taught was wrong, was amazing and confident in what he believed in. He also developed a small crush on me, and I was pretty much liking him, too. I thought that if I got some more religious tolerance under my belt, I could actually date him and make this work. Unfortunately, we didn't end up dating, but, about a week later, Wicca became my obsession.
I researched it night and day, tried a new moon ritual, tried keeping a Book of Shadows, and researching Gods and Goddesses to work with. In about 2 weeks, I had known most of the basics, and did a dedication ritual to the God and Goddess. It was about a week or 2 after Imbolic. I took notes, tried to memorize things, and now I have the days of the week correspondences memorized. I also have some colors that I mostly use memorized.
I fully couldn't grasp the idea of a Goddess until I reasoned with it in a Christian way. "Ok, so God... The Christian God, has a masculine and feminine side. The feminine side would be the Goddess, right?"
Long story short, it's been about a year since I actually got into Wicca. In my opinion, it was only a matter of time before I got into a great religion. And now, I'm starting to learn from a mentor so that I can continue on my path, form my own coven, and become an effective leader.
Well, that's my story, but it's still not written to its fullest.
Wishing you many blessings,
Dawn )O(
Anyways, I was thinking about where my path had stemmed from and when it actually started. I guess you could say that I didn't really notice it until my freshman year in high school (I'm a senior in high school now, so...) .
It all started when I was 7. I was entertained with the idea of magick. Something about it had drawn me in. I read books that had had magick within them, and I used to create my own world with elements and faeries. I was completely lost in it as a child would be.
When I was in 8th grade, I started to see a huge change. I was into things like intuition, the laws of karma, and all of those types of things. I absolutely believed in self-control and if something needed to be said, I wasn't one to hold back. It seemed as though when I got mad, something was controlling me to say mature things. I thanked it each and every time. I believe it was the God and Goddess controlling me, and I didn't know it yet.
By my freshman year in high school, I had a unique friend. She wasn't exactly into church, and she introduced me to types of divination. She read my numerology (which was a 2) and said that I was bound to be a leader and do great things. I laughed at her when she said that, but now I'm starting to see what she means...
She also used a Ouija Board while I was on the phone with her. You could hear and feel the spirit she was talking to. I never really believed in such things until then. She also read my palms and taught me a little about palmistry. She had tarot cards, too, but her mother had threw them away, claiming that they "belonged to and served the devil."
Also in my freshman year, we had this huge research project due about a Greek God or Goddess of our choosing. As much as I wanted to choose Apollo, the God of music and light, many people had chose him. Instead, I chose Artemis, Goddess of the hunt. I found that she was independent and the twin of Apollo. I had so much respect for mythology after this, and I literally obsessed over this project. I lived, breathed, and ate the project until I had to present. I had to edit my 10 minute speech because I had acquired so much information about Artemis.
In my sophomore year, I found myself going back to church, but as soon as I did that, I began looking up spells and became a Christo-Witch. That contradicted everything in my opinion. I just couldn't make up my mind.... Until my junior year.
I actually met a pagan through a music program that unites our school district. He was goth and Pagan, so I thought he was quite unapproachable. I was wrong. He was one of the most awesome people I've met in my life. I found that surprising, not because I had heard that goths were so distant and cold, but how a Pagan, something that I was taught was wrong, was amazing and confident in what he believed in. He also developed a small crush on me, and I was pretty much liking him, too. I thought that if I got some more religious tolerance under my belt, I could actually date him and make this work. Unfortunately, we didn't end up dating, but, about a week later, Wicca became my obsession.
I researched it night and day, tried a new moon ritual, tried keeping a Book of Shadows, and researching Gods and Goddesses to work with. In about 2 weeks, I had known most of the basics, and did a dedication ritual to the God and Goddess. It was about a week or 2 after Imbolic. I took notes, tried to memorize things, and now I have the days of the week correspondences memorized. I also have some colors that I mostly use memorized.
I fully couldn't grasp the idea of a Goddess until I reasoned with it in a Christian way. "Ok, so God... The Christian God, has a masculine and feminine side. The feminine side would be the Goddess, right?"
Long story short, it's been about a year since I actually got into Wicca. In my opinion, it was only a matter of time before I got into a great religion. And now, I'm starting to learn from a mentor so that I can continue on my path, form my own coven, and become an effective leader.
Well, that's my story, but it's still not written to its fullest.
Wishing you many blessings,
Dawn )O(
Friday, December 28, 2012
Wicca 101: Rituals and Circles
Hello, this is Dawn, and this is my 2nd post of the night. In this entry, I promised that I'd explain what it means to cast a circle, why should you cast a circle, and most importantly, how to cast a circle.
Since tonight is an esbat, or full moon, this means that Wiccans will hold a ritual. Most Wiccans will cast a circle, conduct their rituals inside of this circle, then close it. This is so all negative energies are kept out and pure energies are kept in.
Before we get to casting a circle, let me state things that prefer to do before conducting a ritual. Sometimes, I like to clean the place that I am going to have the ritual. Seeing as I've been a little more bold, I clean the table in the living room. Depending on my mood, I may also clean my body. To me, it symbolizes that the Maiden (new moon) is reborn or that whatever is living will have to deteriorate and start anew (Full moon). Then, I cast my circle. Here's where you, once again, do what you feel is correct.
I label what is in front of me north, what's on my right east, what's on my left west, and what's behind me south. I call the elements. North can be whatever your heart desires, but I label that Earth. Water is west. East is air. And South is fire. With what I have in my possession, I am able to have representations of everything: a cup of water, a candle that will be lit when I call fire, a pine cone for earth, and incense for air. I then light the incense. Once again, do whatever feels right.
Calling the elements can be as simple as, "air, I welcome you into my circle," or it can rhyme and all of that jazz. Normally, I would say, "Air, may you guide me in the right direction. I welcome you into my circle." Move onto the next element. I go counterclockwise.
"Earth, I ask you to ground me..."
"Water, allow me to relax in your body..."
"Fire, warm me in your flame..."
Great. You have called all of the elements. Now, it is time to welcome the deities. So, call them and politely welcome them to your circle. Don't demand them. Welcome them. Then you do your spiritual work.
Cake and ale is not actual cake and ginger ale. It's a sweet treat that you take one bite of and take one sip of in honor of the God and Goddess. I usually grab tea and something to bite, then uncast the circle. Uncasting the circle is like casting the circle in reverse and bidding the deities and elements farewell (going from the one you recently called to the first one called). You politely say that they can leave the circle. Remember, you are in sight of the God and Goddess, and you should completely act like it.
After closing the circle, and if there's tea and what-have-you left over, then you can finish your cake and ale after the circle is gone. At least that's what I do...
I hope that this helped you guys who are new and wanting to cast your circles and have rituals. These are the basic esbat rituals...
Much love,
Dawn )O(
Since tonight is an esbat, or full moon, this means that Wiccans will hold a ritual. Most Wiccans will cast a circle, conduct their rituals inside of this circle, then close it. This is so all negative energies are kept out and pure energies are kept in.
Before we get to casting a circle, let me state things that prefer to do before conducting a ritual. Sometimes, I like to clean the place that I am going to have the ritual. Seeing as I've been a little more bold, I clean the table in the living room. Depending on my mood, I may also clean my body. To me, it symbolizes that the Maiden (new moon) is reborn or that whatever is living will have to deteriorate and start anew (Full moon). Then, I cast my circle. Here's where you, once again, do what you feel is correct.
I label what is in front of me north, what's on my right east, what's on my left west, and what's behind me south. I call the elements. North can be whatever your heart desires, but I label that Earth. Water is west. East is air. And South is fire. With what I have in my possession, I am able to have representations of everything: a cup of water, a candle that will be lit when I call fire, a pine cone for earth, and incense for air. I then light the incense. Once again, do whatever feels right.
Calling the elements can be as simple as, "air, I welcome you into my circle," or it can rhyme and all of that jazz. Normally, I would say, "Air, may you guide me in the right direction. I welcome you into my circle." Move onto the next element. I go counterclockwise.
"Earth, I ask you to ground me..."
"Water, allow me to relax in your body..."
"Fire, warm me in your flame..."
Great. You have called all of the elements. Now, it is time to welcome the deities. So, call them and politely welcome them to your circle. Don't demand them. Welcome them. Then you do your spiritual work.
Cake and ale is not actual cake and ginger ale. It's a sweet treat that you take one bite of and take one sip of in honor of the God and Goddess. I usually grab tea and something to bite, then uncast the circle. Uncasting the circle is like casting the circle in reverse and bidding the deities and elements farewell (going from the one you recently called to the first one called). You politely say that they can leave the circle. Remember, you are in sight of the God and Goddess, and you should completely act like it.
After closing the circle, and if there's tea and what-have-you left over, then you can finish your cake and ale after the circle is gone. At least that's what I do...
I hope that this helped you guys who are new and wanting to cast your circles and have rituals. These are the basic esbat rituals...
Much love,
Dawn )O(
Wicca 101: Spells
Hello, again! It's me, Dawn, and I'd thought that since tonight is an esbat (more commonly known as a full or new moon) that I would talk to you about the subject most people would love to know most about: Magick. Many people know this as spellcasting.
To tell you the truth, most don't need the physical casting of a spell, but most consider this common. What I just found out moments ago is that prayer can be considered a spell. Depending on who your mentor is, this can vary, so you don't really take what I'm saying at face value. Once again, what you think matters when being Wiccan.
There are different methods in casting spells. I usually cast a circle to keep positive energies in and negative energies out. (I will explain this in a post following this, so do not worry!) If you do not want to cast a circle, then it is fine. Some decide to get their spells online, while others write theirs. Once again, it is up to you. However, it is more powerful if you write your own. There are many kinds of spells that you could conduct, and that depends on what you want to achieve.
When conducting a spell for love (as an example), you can use correspondences to strengthen this spell. The color red is for passionate love, and you would most likely cast it on Friday. As a note for any love spells, you must be careful. If you follow the Wiccan's Rede, you do not want to tamper with one's free will. If it is more of a general spell to find love, and it is not aimed towards anyone, I would say that that is better. Still, you would want to be very careful.
There are so many things that I could tell you guys about spells, but this will have to do, seeing as though Wicca 101 is covering certain topics briefly. In the future, I may post about different spells I have used and how they work.
Wishing you many blessings,
Dawn )O(
To tell you the truth, most don't need the physical casting of a spell, but most consider this common. What I just found out moments ago is that prayer can be considered a spell. Depending on who your mentor is, this can vary, so you don't really take what I'm saying at face value. Once again, what you think matters when being Wiccan.
There are different methods in casting spells. I usually cast a circle to keep positive energies in and negative energies out. (I will explain this in a post following this, so do not worry!) If you do not want to cast a circle, then it is fine. Some decide to get their spells online, while others write theirs. Once again, it is up to you. However, it is more powerful if you write your own. There are many kinds of spells that you could conduct, and that depends on what you want to achieve.
When conducting a spell for love (as an example), you can use correspondences to strengthen this spell. The color red is for passionate love, and you would most likely cast it on Friday. As a note for any love spells, you must be careful. If you follow the Wiccan's Rede, you do not want to tamper with one's free will. If it is more of a general spell to find love, and it is not aimed towards anyone, I would say that that is better. Still, you would want to be very careful.
There are so many things that I could tell you guys about spells, but this will have to do, seeing as though Wicca 101 is covering certain topics briefly. In the future, I may post about different spells I have used and how they work.
Wishing you many blessings,
Dawn )O(
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Wicca 101: Yuletide Greetings!
Hello, guys! It's me again!
In case you couldn't tell by the title, I'm going to explain what Yule is about, the traditions, and ways to celebrate it.
So, Yule is the second Sabbat, or Pagan holiday, of the Pagan year. The first one is Samhain, or in Layman's terms, Halloween. (Yes, that myth about Wiccans and Witches going all out for Halloween is true.) Anyways, Yule is held on the Winter Solstice. It is celebrating the rebirth of the sun and the fact that days will get longer from then on. There's many Gods and Goddesses you can worship on this day. The 2 I'll be working with are Apollo, my main God, and Demeter, Goddess of birth and children.
Traditions of Christmas don't make sense, do they? Well, allow me to explain one: the dreaded mistletoe. Pagans don't really hang it up to get couples to kiss underneath it. Believe it or not, mistletoe is hung up for protection. A feast around or on Christmas is to get the family together and bond with each other. This is also true for Pagans, but it also celebrates the sun's return. If you catch onto these traditions, and you just SO happen to be in the broom closet, notice that you can celebrate Yule like Christmas. Notice how they're less than a week near each other. Yes. This also means that during this time, Pagans and Christians can celebrate different things in unison.
Now, ways to celebrate Yule can range for most people. Some can decide if they would love to open presents and have a feast on this holiday. Others can simply acknowledge and pray to a sun God or Goddess. Usually, a ritual is performed at night. I advise that you plan out this ritual in advance. It's really helpful than just winging it. Wear the colors of Yule: green, red, white, gold, and silver. Welcome back the energies of the sun. Devote yourself to the God and Goddess again, because this is a day of renewal. There are SO MANY THINGS you could do.
Since this day focuses on Apollo, I will most likely be creative and write poetry. I'll also write a Yule chant. I'll drink tea with peppermint, a spice of Yule, and meditate. I'll cast a circle and hold a ritual. Hopefully my plans have sparked something in your interest.
Wishing you a blessed Yule,
Dawn
)O(
In case you couldn't tell by the title, I'm going to explain what Yule is about, the traditions, and ways to celebrate it.
So, Yule is the second Sabbat, or Pagan holiday, of the Pagan year. The first one is Samhain, or in Layman's terms, Halloween. (Yes, that myth about Wiccans and Witches going all out for Halloween is true.) Anyways, Yule is held on the Winter Solstice. It is celebrating the rebirth of the sun and the fact that days will get longer from then on. There's many Gods and Goddesses you can worship on this day. The 2 I'll be working with are Apollo, my main God, and Demeter, Goddess of birth and children.
Traditions of Christmas don't make sense, do they? Well, allow me to explain one: the dreaded mistletoe. Pagans don't really hang it up to get couples to kiss underneath it. Believe it or not, mistletoe is hung up for protection. A feast around or on Christmas is to get the family together and bond with each other. This is also true for Pagans, but it also celebrates the sun's return. If you catch onto these traditions, and you just SO happen to be in the broom closet, notice that you can celebrate Yule like Christmas. Notice how they're less than a week near each other. Yes. This also means that during this time, Pagans and Christians can celebrate different things in unison.
Now, ways to celebrate Yule can range for most people. Some can decide if they would love to open presents and have a feast on this holiday. Others can simply acknowledge and pray to a sun God or Goddess. Usually, a ritual is performed at night. I advise that you plan out this ritual in advance. It's really helpful than just winging it. Wear the colors of Yule: green, red, white, gold, and silver. Welcome back the energies of the sun. Devote yourself to the God and Goddess again, because this is a day of renewal. There are SO MANY THINGS you could do.
Since this day focuses on Apollo, I will most likely be creative and write poetry. I'll also write a Yule chant. I'll drink tea with peppermint, a spice of Yule, and meditate. I'll cast a circle and hold a ritual. Hopefully my plans have sparked something in your interest.
Wishing you a blessed Yule,
Dawn
)O(
Saturday, December 8, 2012
An Experience With Finding a Deity
Hey, everyone! Once again, I am posting an entry because I was reminded of the time that I found my first Deity to work with, which was (and still is) Apollo. I want to tell you about something about what happened that made it apparent I am connected with Him.
I remember, about March of this year, I was researching Wicca. Of course, I had just presented myself to the general God and Goddess. Like I had stated, I work with the Greek Pantheon and believe that certain aspects of The Lord and Lady are displayed in this pantheon. So, I had went on Wikipedia, and saw all of the Greek Gods and Goddesses. I had noticed that I was in the beginning of the alphabet.
So the mouse had hovered over Apollo and I stopped moving it. My hand began to involuntarily twitch. It almost made me click on the page for Apollo. It wasn't until after I moved the mouse that my hand STOPPED twitching. So, I moved it over the mouse once more, and once again, it twitched. I took that as a sign and have pleased Apollo ever since.
It's weird how the Universe gives you a sign when making such a decision. I should say that people should look out with these signs... Not only it is life-changing, it can be subtle, or it can be in-your-face, like my experience.
Just a little story to amuse you...
Much blessings,
Dawn )O(
I remember, about March of this year, I was researching Wicca. Of course, I had just presented myself to the general God and Goddess. Like I had stated, I work with the Greek Pantheon and believe that certain aspects of The Lord and Lady are displayed in this pantheon. So, I had went on Wikipedia, and saw all of the Greek Gods and Goddesses. I had noticed that I was in the beginning of the alphabet.
So the mouse had hovered over Apollo and I stopped moving it. My hand began to involuntarily twitch. It almost made me click on the page for Apollo. It wasn't until after I moved the mouse that my hand STOPPED twitching. So, I moved it over the mouse once more, and once again, it twitched. I took that as a sign and have pleased Apollo ever since.
It's weird how the Universe gives you a sign when making such a decision. I should say that people should look out with these signs... Not only it is life-changing, it can be subtle, or it can be in-your-face, like my experience.
Just a little story to amuse you...
Much blessings,
Dawn )O(
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Wicca 101: What is Wicca?
Many beginners of this religion may come and ask, "What IS Wicca? Oh, it's witchcraft, right? I must be Wiccan because I am doing witchcraft." That is not the case.
Wicca is a religion. It branches off from the generalized category of Paganism. Wicca focuses on energies from the aspects of the elements (Water, Earth,Air, And Fire) and the form of the spirit. This is best represented by the pentacle or pentagram. Both symbols show that these aspects are connected. Also, everyone is made up of these elements.
A stereotype about Wiccans is that we "worship the devil." As a matter of fact, we do not believe in the devil. We believe in the God and Goddess. In other words, we are a polytheistic religion.
There's no real "book" of this religion. We decide to make our own. It's known as the Book of Shadows. (There will be separate post about this, as there is a lot to this book.)
Unlike other religions that are structured, Wicca is more of a religion that is adapted by you, for you. You do whatever feel is right. Most Wiccans believe in the Wiccans Rede's famous lines. In Layman's terms, it is: Do what you want, but do not hurt a person or tamper with free will.
There's a lot more that I have not mentioned, but do not fret. I will cover some more of the basics, dears.
Wicca is a religion. It branches off from the generalized category of Paganism. Wicca focuses on energies from the aspects of the elements (Water, Earth,Air, And Fire) and the form of the spirit. This is best represented by the pentacle or pentagram. Both symbols show that these aspects are connected. Also, everyone is made up of these elements.
A stereotype about Wiccans is that we "worship the devil." As a matter of fact, we do not believe in the devil. We believe in the God and Goddess. In other words, we are a polytheistic religion.
There's no real "book" of this religion. We decide to make our own. It's known as the Book of Shadows. (There will be separate post about this, as there is a lot to this book.)
Unlike other religions that are structured, Wicca is more of a religion that is adapted by you, for you. You do whatever feel is right. Most Wiccans believe in the Wiccans Rede's famous lines. In Layman's terms, it is: Do what you want, but do not hurt a person or tamper with free will.
There's a lot more that I have not mentioned, but do not fret. I will cover some more of the basics, dears.
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