Any Pagans out there?

There are a number of Christian chats out there but I can't find any of my sisters and brothers in faith! I would love to hear how all you heathens out there perhaps integrate your faith with your healthy lifestyle.

I'm a follower of the older Celtic faiths. I really like how this faith deals with the balance in all aspects of life eg; human and nature, body and soul, man and woman, God and Goddess. Looking at life this way really helps me deal with the day to day when I realize that even if I have a really bad day I will eventually have a great day to make up for it. Just my thoughts:)

I would love to here your take on life and all its Mysteries.

Red Raven 

Hi Lisa, nice to meet you. Hope whatever you medical problem was for leaving work is improving. Can you explain about your gift. I believe everyone has gifts but have to be open to them.I seem to beable to sense when things are going to happen. I've also had out of body travel (there is another name??) when dreaming.

Hope the weather isn't too hot there. we are melting. high 90's and no rain again. Tori

Thank you for the welcome Gypsierose!

The medical problem (or should I say problems) is a severe case of fibromyalgia and cervical disk disease. I have a very over active immune system that has lead to a large calcium deposit around my disk at c5-c6. The fibro has taken over my life, I am working with a great doctor who has been able to take my pain from a level of 7-9 daily to a 5-7. Still too much to do a lot of normal things. I also get tired really fast, so I have to pace myself.

On a lighter note, the gift of an oracle is the gift to recieve truth and somehow I am able to say just what someone needs to hear. I have been told that my readings should come with a warning label or two: "will make you cry" and "gives homework".

We are having a very unusual summer down here. It has not gotten above 93 all summer and July was the wettest I have ever seen.

Blessings to all

Lisa

Hi Lisa, I know what you mean. I have L4& L5 in lower back with bulging disk. Going to P.T. right now 3 times a week for 6 weeks. I'm on my 2nd week. I have arthritis in hands, knees and feet. I see a specialist in the "big city" 2 hrs from here. My doctor in town here said last week I might want to ask them about fibro. I get so worn out and feel so bad. I wish my family could understand how bad I hurt. Talk to you later , want to add you to my friends list. Feel better and rest. hugs, tori

Tori, add away, adding you to mine.

gypsierose:  I have seen the moonbow at Cumberland Falls.  It is very pretty.

I have a hard time understanding what paganism is.  It seems that whenever someone speaks of paganism, there is a uncomfortable atmosphere around the conversation and jokes start being made.  "Yea, I am a witch...I am stirring a brew...Let's go dance around a bonfire...I cast a new spell..."

Why would anyone have a problem with announcing their belief.  Or as someone put earlier, "... come out of the broom closet.." 

What is celtic, wicca!  I really am clueless.  How does a person distinguish between Paganism and Satanism?  Are they not the same or at least similar?

Bigjer - Paganism and Satanism are not the same thing. Most pagans believe in an earth center religion where we are a part of the whole, not better than or less than just a part. That puts us on the same level as all living things, but because of our nature that we were blessed with we have the task of caretaker for those things that can't care for themselves (as in much of the earths plant and animal life). The star we wear stands for earth, air, fire, water and spirit and remindes us that we are connected to the whole.

Satan is a Christan embodyment of evil, most pagans do not even believe that there is a Satan. I for one believe that when you name something you give it power, so eventhough I believe that evil does exist I prefer not to name it and do my best to bring any evil in my life back into balance by doing as much good as I can.

I am sure that others will have something to say about this also so I stop here. That is another aspect of paganism, it is a very personal religion and each person believes as they need to in order to connect with the whole.

Morning All! Looks like we got some new friends!! Welcome everyone!!! Sorry I didn't post over the weekend. I neglected my CC duties. BAD RED!! BAD GIRL!!

Morning all, I'm calling everywhere looking for my sister shitsu dog. My elderly dad lost it sat. My sister flys home this evening, would be nice if I could find Zoey before she gets home. I went for 3 hrs everywhere yesterday. I called left messages at animal control and human society. they still arent' open , going to call the vets office and check newpaper. Have to put ad in. Poor dad is so up set, I went over and found him walking the streets. He's 86yrs old and its  so hot in the 90's. I have abunch of stuff to do today, I have to go back to work tomorrow but the kids don't start until Thurs. Till later. *) -it's my magic wand ,lol

hope you find the dog! chances are they'll have picked her up and she'll be waiting at the pound, stray dogs are pretty rare so they usually get picked up really quickly!

and bigjer...the reason people have trouble coming "out of the broom closet" is because lots of people have the ridiculous misconception that paganism has anything at all to do with "satan".  satan is a christian creation. i agree with the poster above when it comes to "satan." giving a name and face to evil only gives it more power. i don't believe in satan or hell.  so no, wicca and pagansim are not the same or in any way similar to satanism.

Bigjer -

You would distinguish between a pagan and a satanist because one believes in the Christian God and one does not.  Also, one believes in the bible and the other does not.  Also, one is worshping evilness and darkness while the other believes life is sacred and powerful and beautiful.

Why pagans are CALLED satan worshipers is because some christians believe that if you are not worshiping Jesus Christ and the true God, you are being falsely misslead by 'Satan' and thus, even though we SAY we are not worshiping satan, they say we are and we just don't know it.  Well, that's the best reason anyway.  Some people just say it because they don't get it.

Basically, think of the Woodstock hippies of the 70s.  That would sum up your average pagan pretty well. 

Part of the problem with "what is a pagan" is that we have worked hard to UNdefine ourselves.  We don't want rules to the religions we just want to FEEL the religion.  Thus, if someone came to the Coven group and stated "I believe David Hasselhof is the embodiment of the male diety and I'm going to make a shrine to him and all his glory." Well, we'd probably snicker a bit, but we couldn't outright say that he was 'not pagan'.

Everyone that responded to my post has really calarified a few things.  Even though I grew up in a Christion home, I find myself feeling the same way you all are describing this pagan thing.

But, what is wicca?  Do people who claim to be wicca worship a god or whorship satan?  Who are the people that claim to be witches and warlocks, are they wicca or pagen, both?  Why do you speak of a coven?  When I hear the word coven, I think "bad" and there is some leader who leads and has power over the others.

bigjer, glad we cleared things up for you! wiccans are pagan, but all pagans are not wiccan. wicca is an earth based religion, they believe in a god and a goddess. pagans (including wiccans) DO NOT worship satan. pagans don't believe in satan! a coven is a group of wiccans/witches (as far as i know some wiccans call them selves witches, and some don't). a coven is a group who follow the same path (there are all different branches of wicca with different beliefs and rituals). they get together to celebrate the different earth based holiday's. some covens have a high priest or priestess, but these people have no more control over the coven than a priest or pastor would have over a christian church. they are usually there to guide and teach the others, and probably lead the rituals. google wicca and check out some of the wicca 101 type sites. not being wiccan myself i don't want to give you any wrong info (any wiccans out there PLEASE let me know if i'm incorrect in any part of this post!). hope this clears things up a bit though!

Well, Wicca is to paganism as, say, catholic is to christianity.  It is a specific form of paganism.

The term "witch" is actually a term that came about in Roman times when they were worried about the influence of religions from outside Rome.  Since the Roman government was largely meshed with the religious leadership, people losing their religion in Rome also meant people losing faith in the government.  This couldn't happen, so the governement started finding ways to convince the population that outside religions were evil and bad.  (Not really hard, religions tend to be pretty jealous of each other by nature.)  There was one specifically where people from the east were followers of some guy called Zoroaster.  He was kinda the Jesus of many many years before Jesus actually because popular.  Incidentally, the 'three wise men' were followers of Zoroaster and they were in the story to be worshiping baby Jesus to convince people that they should switch religions.  Anyway, Zoroaster's people were really into the stars and the skies and what they could tell us.  You get a lot of the current day pagan astrology from them.  Those women were the ones that were first called "witches" but really, it spread to be any females that were independent and rather hermit-like, or just plain medically or scientifically knowledgeable.  "Warlock" on the other hand, translates to "oath breaker" and I don't know the full history of the term.

History aside, the current day 'witch' or 'warlock' is sometimes used by any of the pagan society as that is where the roots are.  Some pagans think they can just embody the term and change what it means from something derogotory to something magikal.  Personally, I tend to just plain not like the term but all the same, I'm open to laughing at myself and the term fits in well.  It's all just kinda, 'whatever works'.

Wicca specifically is just a particular way of being pagan.  I BELIEVE, though I don't know because I'm not wiccan, that there was a book started by Robert Gardner and he is pretty much hailed as the father of wicca, yes? no?  This book is rather like a 'bible' of wicca and it has all sorts of specifics and such.  I don't like the rules and specifics so I'm not wiccan.  Some people like it.  Really though, Wicca and plain old paganism are not all that different.  They are still pretty much Earth Mother\ goddess people.

Coven is just the word we use in place of 'church'.  Funny that you phrase it that way though because when I hear 'church' I think "bad" so I imagine it is the same coming from the other side.  Humans like to think 'different' is 'evil' sometimes I think.  In some covens, there are 'leaders' per say.  Priests or Priestesses that kinda lead the worships or circles.  Some are more democratic about their leadership.  Some are based on levels of learning or time spent in the group, etc.  It is usually easier to have someone that is in charge of finding places for everyone to meet up and arranging schedules and all that.  They are all different though, just like churches are all pretty different.  Some pagans just 'worship' through the unitarian/universal churches too.

Thanks for your replies jules817 and robynanne.  I have been interested in this stuff for years but never new anyone near to me to really get involved.  There has only been one individual to whom I asked questions like these before; he just kinda avoided answering any of my questions.  In my mind I felt he was hiding something.  He was my brothers step son (26 yr old) so maybe he was natually timid.

Wow, so all you have written has really been informative.  I am not only improving my health but also gaining spritual insight to other religeous groups.  Thanks!

Just a note to my friends, so happy to see our thread is still here. Have to go back to work today. School is starting , meetings all day. I hope to have time to read everything everyone has posted lately so far looks very informative.

bigjer, if you have an interest in learning more, there are a lot of great sites out there! i'm a big fan of witchvox.com. it's got tons of links, articles and info about the pagan community!

greetings my fellow pagans!

oooh i love this thread! i love llamas and the moon too :). actually, i love everything related to Mother Nature. i get really frustrated and upset when people think that being pagan makes you a devil-worshipper! i honestly think that no faith/religion has less "evil" in it than paganism. satan is a bloody christian invention. we pagans encourage love, tolerance, unity, respect, equality for all living things.

as for spiritual/religious experiences, i don't think it's necessary to go to a church or mosque or even to sit in a circle holding hands and going "om". just go out into the wild; a forest or a hill top or a beach, just some place untouched by civilization and breath in the air, feel the breeze, the sun, the rain, the darkness, touch the grass, take in the beautiful surroundings. nothing will make you feel closer to Mother Nature and nothing will make you feel more comforted, safe and at peace.

okay enough tree-hugger rambling! hmm i DO like trees though...

*hugs a tree* me too!!

welcome longliv :)

I love to sit out by the woods and listen to the animals and watch the moon. Sooo relaxing.

Hey!! Where is everyone? Oh well I guess pagans get bored to easily! Or you guys just get distracted to easily like me lol! OOOOHHH LOOK SOMETHING SHINEY!!!! Gotta go!!! lol!!