Anyone On Here Pagan/wiccan/practicing An Earth Based Spirituality?

[FlowerDemon]

Just wondering. Recently I got in touch with my personal beliefs and my unique path of spirituality, and I found that my practice is similar to Paganism and Wicca (yes I know the two have some similarities, but are two different things). I meditate and work with the elements of the earth, I revere nature and love to emerse myself around it, and feel very closely devoted to the Mother Goddess. I hold the Panentheistic view that the One Higher Power is a part of this universe but also goes beyond it, and the many deities symbolize aspects of the One Higher Power (which is why no one is "wrong" when they choose to believe, or not to believe, in a specific deity).

 

I believe there is the Goddess and the God, but they are one in the same because they represent masculine and feminine aspects of the One Higher Power. So I believe that when I'm connecting with the Goddess, I am connecting to one aspect (or "face") of the One Higher Power, out of the thousands of others.

 

A summary of my beliefs is this mantra I came up with (feel free to use it in your meditations if you want):

 

I am one with this earth,

I am also a part of this earth,

I have my own purpose on this earth.

 

In other words, I believe that we are all interconnected, since we share the same planet and survive on the same elements, and all influence each other. I recognize that I am a part of this earth, a small part of the many parts. And then I think, that even though I am a small part of this earth/universe, I still have a purpose to be here and I'm important. We're all important. We just have to find our purpose on our own...from within.

 

I dont currently have a patron/matron (a specific aspect of the Goddess or God I am devoted to) for I recently stepped on this path. I do feel very attracted to the Hindu Goddess Kali, though. I like her role in Hindu mythology; she represents a strong warrior but also a loving mother. Honestly though, this is a path I already started a couple years ago...I looked into paganism when I was having my doubts about Christianity. but then I went back to Christianity for a while and was mind warped into thinking that my pagan-like beliefs were evil and offended the Christian God. Recently I deconverted, and decided to embrace the spirituality I felt comfortable with and agreed with 2 ish years ago. 

 

It's nice to be on a path that isnt defined by any religion. i dont have to evangelize to anyone about my spirituality. i dont have to fear going to hell if i don't follow the right god. it's a personal sacred thing that i feel comfortable sharing in a forum like this or with friends. Again I am so glad I found this website because I've become comfortable in my spirituality/beliefs that i repressed when I was a Christian. 

 

Anyone else on here pagan or wiccan or something similar? what are your patron/mantron gods/goddesses? what are your beliefs? how did you come to this path?

 

[Thurisaz]

One laid-back Asatruar here if that counts. You know, Odin, Thor, Loki... you've heard the names

 

Edit:

 

I feel closest in mindset to Thor as "the common people's patron god", with Tyr as God of justice a close second. I came to that due to reading the Poetic Edda which had long been on my "to read" list. If I ever had a genuinely religious feeling it was the day I was reading my way through the first few stanzas of the first saga in the book. I contemplated that for a few days, then declared myself Asatruar (= true to the Aesir Gods). Took me a bit more time to officially leave the German protestant church but I got it done.

[Ravenstar]

I lean to pagan/panentheist, I was a practicing traditional/eclectic witch for quite a while after I left christianity.. but being a witch isn't like being a christian, for me it was never a belief system, it's who I am - the spiritual practices/rituals are merely tools and now unnecessary for me - though occasionally I still do simple rituals for focus and meditation. (I find them calming and I still practice aromatherapy and herbal medicine, but it's not an identity thing, and other than my daughter no one else really knows - it's personal)

 

I see the gods and goddesses as aspects of nature... and our psyche's.  

 

I have never had a patron goddesss/god... because I've never felt comfortable anthropomorphizing any deity, or unless you consider the Great Mother an actual 'goddess' or the Green Man a 'god'. I always saw it as a force, the underlying essence of the universe. Like the ocean...beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

 

I've learned more from spending time in nature than I ever have from any man-made practice. She has a lot to teach us.  

[Ellinas]

Hellene here.

 

Greek pantheon generally; Hekate, Athena, Artemis, Zeus, Apollo, Hermes would be the ones I most usually have in mind.

 

I initially was impelled toward this as a result of a sort of "waking thought".  Interesting experience for a Christian to wake up talking to a pagan deity...

 

As to current beliefs, see here:

http://www.ex-christian.net/topic/62285-reply-to-dagny/#.VgxVCJerF_g

 

Quite agree with the idea of interconnectedness - web of reality is the term I normally use.  Though not entirely sure quite what it means...

[VacuumFlux]

I don't have much of a practice, but I do have a few favorite gods I like to read about and pray to, and occasionally make some art projects about. I'm also trying to be more aware of nature.

 

I'm a materialist atheist. I don't believe that life or consciousness is a fundamental aspect of the universe. As far as I understand it, "ultimate reality" is the trippiness that is quantum mechanics. Unimaginably large groupings of quantum particles form solid matter, including our bodies. Our bodies form our minds/souls. And large numbers of minds/souls form societies and culture and myths and the gods. So although I don't believe in the "reality" of the gods in most senses of the word, I do find them and their myths... useful for understanding myself, for feeling connected to other humans (both modern and ancient), and as a way to motivate myself to become the person that I hope to be. I guess this might make me a Jungian polytheist?

 

I grew up and continue to live in a city, and like nature but am frustratingly clueless about it. I do find that whenever life gets frustrating, the best thing I can do is go hang out with trees or running water. The noises in my head really calm down when I do that, and I can feel at peace. I'm trying to learn to identify some bugs, flowers, trees, and stars; I can safely identify 2 spring "weeds" that are good to eat, so that's progress. I'm currently trying to pick a tree to check on regularly for the next year to get a better feel for a tree's life cycle. I expect that I will develop an emotional attachment to it and anthropomorphize it like crazy in my attempt to make sense of it. I'm going to be careful to pick a healthy looking adult tree, because if the tree I like dies, I'll probably cry over it and have to spend time mourning.

 

I fell in love with the sky one. The night sky, in a clear location with minimal light pollution. I tried to write it some love poetry, but the feeling was too immense; the sky is too immense and impersonal, and words just seemed stupid in comparison.

[FlowerDemon]

Hellene here.

 

Greek pantheon generally; Hekate, Athena, Artemis, Zeus, Apollo, Hermes would be the ones I most usually have in mind.

 

I initially was impelled toward this as a result of a sort of "waking thought".  Interesting experience for a Christian to wake up talking to a pagan deity...

 

As to current beliefs, see here:

http://www.ex-christian.net/topic/62285-reply-to-dagny/#.VgxVCJerF_g

 

Quite agree with the idea of interconnectedness - web of reality is the term I normally use.  Though not entirely sure quite what it means...

would you care to share your experience, about the "waking thought?" sounds intriguing. 

[FlowerDemon]

I have never had a patron goddesss/god... because I've never felt comfortable anthropomorphizing any deity, or unless you consider the Great Mother an actual 'goddess' or the Green Man a 'god'. I always saw it as a force, the underlying essence of the universe. Like the ocean...beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

 

Very excellent point. I have read more about Kali and learned that she represents nature, beautiful and terrifying at the same time. I read all kinds of information about Her and I've gotten to the point in my path to where I am connected to Her. She is that force, that essence of the universe, nature...personified in a way that I can relate to/understand. Having a patron goddess (for me personally), isn't denying that force/essence of the universe. It is just looking at it in a personal way that makes sense to me. 

 

I see where you're coming from though.

[FlowerDemon]

I don't have much of a practice, but I do have a few favorite gods I like to read about and pray to, and occasionally make some art projects about. I'm also trying to be more aware of nature.

 

I'm a materialist atheist. I don't believe that life or consciousness is a fundamental aspect of the universe. As far as I understand it, "ultimate reality" is the trippiness that is quantum mechanics. Unimaginably large groupings of quantum particles form solid matter, including our bodies. Our bodies form our minds/souls. And large numbers of minds/souls form societies and culture and myths and the gods. So although I don't believe in the "reality" of the gods in most senses of the word, I do find them and their myths... useful for understanding myself, for feeling connected to other humans (both modern and ancient), and as a way to motivate myself to become the person that I hope to be. I guess this might make me a Jungian polytheist?

Very interesting! That's really cool how you use the gods and their myths for understanding yourself and being connected to other people. 

[Ellinas]

I've twice had pagan-related "waking thought" experiences.

 

In relation to the one I referenced, it was simply that, as I awoke, I became aware that I was discussing a hiccup in a personal relationship with Venus/Aphrodite.  I don't mean that I heard anything said to me - the words were all mine, addressed to that deity.  I can only assume that I must have been in some sort of dream which spilled over into my waking state.

 

The second was completely different.  I awoke and the words popped into my brain "The gift of Mithras is reason".

 

I don't know a great deal about Mithras beyond the general historical outline.  According to a contact who has Persian connections, the thought makes perfect sense, but I've not looked into it any further.

[Moxie]

I am exploring the Great Spirit way of life. I resonate with it so much! Here is an excerpt from a page describing The Great Spirit:

 

 

The Great Spirit (Wakan Tanka, Gitchi Manitou of Native American cultures) is a beautiful example of a non-theistic belief in an active, personal, non-anthropomorphic Deity that is intertwined with the fabric of the Universe itself on the large scale and yet is personally engaged with the web of living things and the world on an earthly scale. These cultures are not completely homogeneous, and there are a variety of creation mythologies that need not concern us as (in my opinion at least) these cultures have always been aware that their mythologies are myths, that their legends are legends, that their sacred stories are stories, and thus they have avoided the curse of socially enforced orthodoxy or any sort of insistence on ``belief''. The myths themselves are intended and used as teaching stories that guide individual behavior in ways that support the individual and the community, not as metaphysical speculation. These religions also seem to lack the hellfire and damnation meme - the Great Spirit doesn't punish people for being bad, doesn't inflict eternal torment on people for ``not believing in It''. In these cultures, a life out of balance with the Great Spirit, with the earth, with the community is its own punishment.

Brown, Robert G. "The Great Spirit." https://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb/Philosophy/god_theorem/god_theorem/node23.html

[FlowerDemon]

I am exploring the Great Spirit way of life. I resonate with it so much! Here is an excerpt from a page describing The Great Spirit:

 

 

The Great Spirit (Wakan Tanka, Gitchi Manitou of Native American cultures) is a beautiful example of a non-theistic belief in an active, personal, non-anthropomorphic Deity that is intertwined with the fabric of the Universe itself on the large scale and yet is personally engaged with the web of living things and the world on an earthly scale. These cultures are not completely homogeneous, and there are a variety of creation mythologies that need not concern us as (in my opinion at least) these cultures have always been aware that their mythologies are myths, that their legends are legends, that their sacred stories are stories, and thus they have avoided the curse of socially enforced orthodoxy or any sort of insistence on ``belief''. The myths themselves are intended and used as teaching stories that guide individual behavior in ways that support the individual and the community, not as metaphysical speculation. These religions also seem to lack the hellfire and damnation meme - the Great Spirit doesn't punish people for being bad, doesn't inflict eternal torment on people for ``not believing in It''. In these cultures, a life out of balance with the Great Spirit, with the earth, with the community is its own punishment.

Brown, Robert G. "The Great Spirit." https://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb/Philosophy/god_theorem/god_theorem/node23.html

wow, that actually makes a lot of sense. i will need to look more into that, thank you for sharing(:

[Astreja]

Not all that many years ago I self-described as an agnostic polytheist and still identify with Ásatrú, partly because I have Scandinavian heritage on My mum's side but mostly because of the runes.  Mentors are Oðinn and Freyja, but there's just something about Uncle Loki that rings true.

 

Several decades before I found the Norse path, I was a serious student of ceremonial magic and even now I see a lot of value in it for focusing one's intentions and emotions.

[Zephie]

Funnily enough, I've never really connected with the gods/goddesses of my familial heritage. Instead I'm very much into eastern spirituality and Saraswati as well as Kali-ma are my Goddesses. I'm not really spiritual but I embrace this side of me cautiously because of where I live in rural southwest Texas as a teacher. 

[Noggy]

i am my own tulpa