Religious and Spiritual Degrees Faces with Problems

[Itagami Hako]

I have been playing with these ideas for quite a long time, and I don’t quite know what to do with them, so I turn to the Internet, and to you.

I graduated from high school this past year and I felt that I had no plan for my life. I had told everyone I was going to go into fashion design, but I decided against that and left myself to rot in my parent’s basement with no other plan.
I have been a practitioner in Pagan religion for the better part of 5 years now. I have a strong interest in ghosts, paranormal occurrences and pagan spirituality. I wanted to know if there is a degree out there where I could use all of these talents and interests for the future.
My final desire is to feel as though I am helping people, though not necessarily in a hands-on medical field. I was thinking of something along the line of psychology, but I do not have faith in the psychological “facts” that they teach. I’d like to be able to sit down with someone and talk about their experiences and try to council them through it with a non-medical outcome. The only spiritual degrees I can seem to find are Christian Ministry and that is not what I am looking for. I’d also like to get a radio show, but that’s another thing.

The problem is, I come from a Christian family and I don’t think I could have picked a worse time to finally make these plans for my future. My father is on the religious warpath, truly believing that the end is coming and we all have to prepare for the second coming of Christ. I have kept my spiritual preferences secret from him for quite a while but I don’t know how I can come up with a reason he should help pay for my schooling for something he believes is the work of the devil.

So my questions are:
Does anyone know of a degree that I could seek?
How would I go about dealing with my father?

[elizabeth jude]

Why not go into Philosophy or Religious Studies? Those are the only majors that come to me off the top of my head.

What's your tradition? I'm a non-specific (meaning I'm still seeking a tradition; I just can't decide right now).

[Queen Lime]

I'd say religious studies. If I wasn't going into Theatre and Japanese I'd probably be doing the same.

I'm on a non-specific path at the moment, but what have you studied?

[Itagami Hako]

I have faiths in several areas. I don’t think I could ever settle on just one. I mostly center on healings and things of that nature. I don’t take medicine of any kind, no pain relievers or antacids. Especially when a slice of pineapple does more for stomach acid does than any meds can. I also do different types of divination like tarot and tea leaves to try and better myself. I also use herbs, chakras Reiki and gemstones/crystals for healing on myself and others. Mostly I just want to be able to give that to other people.

While the /idea/ of philosophy or religious studies sounds good, I would need a degree of some kind that would allow me to see and treat people, which is what I want to do. Not read books in a library all day.

[Queen Lime]

As far as that goes, there really is no real degree in that sort of thing that I can think of. You can always try going for a Reiki degree in conjunction to a massage therapy. Most people go that route or start up their own business. If anything, get a degree in something practical and start your own business on the side. You'd be surprised at the amount of people you could draw even if you are unlicensed.

[Itagami Hako]

Queen Lime

As far as that goes, there really is no real degree in that sort of thing that I can think of. You can always try going for a Reiki degree in conjunction to a massage therapy. Most people go that route or start up their own business. If anything, get a degree in something practical and start your own business on the side. You'd be surprised at the amount of people you could draw even if you are unlicensed.

I think I may have to look into that. I was thinking of medical massage, but I didn't want to appear as a 'New-age healer', you know what I mean?

[Witch of Ice]

I don't really have anything on the major part, I would say talk to an adviser at your school.

On to the father issue. My mom is a lot like you father. My entire family is Catholic. First off, the beauty of being Wiccan (or in your case pagan) it doesn't limit who you worship. You can choose like me to still believe in God and Jesus et al. and it doesn't go against the religion.

If you are really worried about how your family would take it, the safest route I can give you is this.

Research. Research. Research. Get the facts for them. It will help them understand that this isn't just something that you are doing on a whim. Make them believe that this is what feels right for you, that you have taken time and explored your options...

Possibly go see a local minister, not one from your family's church if they go just in case, but talk to them. I have faith that most will understand.

And you can always have the most common arguments stored in your bag. Would your family have freaked as much if you chose Buddha? And one cannot forget the theft argument. Christianity is in a large part grifted from the pagans, the best way to prove this:

All Hollows Eve and All Saints Day: Samhain
Christmas: Yule
Easter: Ostara and don't forget with this one, Easter is determined by the moon

[Queen Lime]

Itagami Hako

Queen Lime

As far as that goes, there really is no real degree in that sort of thing that I can think of. You can always try going for a Reiki degree in conjunction to a massage therapy. Most people go that route or start up their own business. If anything, get a degree in something practical and start your own business on the side. You'd be surprised at the amount of people you could draw even if you are unlicensed.

I think I may have to look into that. I was thinking of medical massage, but I didn't want to appear as a 'New-age healer', you know what I mean?

I hear ya, but that is really all that's open in so far as metaphysical degrees is concerned. Just putting yourself out there as a tarot reader is a good start. It opens doors for you to try your other gifts too. People can be amazingly receptive during readings, I've often found.

[Agriune]

If you're willing to go through the extensive schooling, why not go into naturopathic medicine? Also, you might consider talking to your Reiki master about taking the next step towards becoming a Reiki master or Reiki master/teacher yourself.

Queen Lime has a good point; a lot of people who practice that sort of thing as a profession do it on the side of a medical massage practice. Both can be very fulfilling.

[Itagami Hako]

I'll have to look into these suggestions when it is not 2:30 in the morning. Thank you for your help.

[Humor J Fox]

Hello there, you should forget about pagan believes and listen to your parents, they're in the right track, sorry mrgreen

[Itagami Hako]

humor07

Hello there, you should forget about pagan believes and listen to your parents, they're in the right track, sorry mrgreen

I'm not doing this to spite my parents and I'm not about to give up on what I feel is right to please the masses. That's just not right.

[onicoe]

I'm suprised social work hasn't been mentioned. You learn a lot of psychology during your education, so you have a basic understanding. But in practice, it's much more of developing a connection with people and helping them get their life in order. Any direct psychology is often sourced out to other services. Alot of social work services exist as crisis intervention, where you provide aide in the homes and establish connections with a variety of services that can help your client/family.

Therapists and counseling in general are also options. You can easily take an eclectic approach, where you don't have to follow one set method like psychoanalysis or behavior therapy. The education also helps you to solidify what you feel works and you gain the knowledge of many different theories on behavior.

[DrVAnime]

You could tell your father how you feel about what you want to do for a career but do it respectively and let him know that you are old enough to make some major decisions since your out of high school. I don't know that much about the pagan religions or beliefs so I won't comment on that. When I was in junior high I was very interested in the history of ancient egypt so I did a lot of studying on it. But when I got in high school I decided that I would study microbiology and that's what I'm studying now in college. I am a good writer also, but I haven't improved my vocabulary for writing since I study mainly sciences. Uh, hmm, I guess I could comment on the pagan religions. Since I'm a christian and I did like to study ancient egypt I really don't let my studies bother with my faith especially since I'm in the sciences. I would say that studying these religions is okay but I would never practice these religions myself because I don't want to worship no other god beside God. He has been so good to me, better than I have to myself. Anyways just follow your dreams and don't take negative crap from anyone. You should enjoy loving what you do. I wouldn't drop that fashion design idea also. You can make that work out as well.

[DrVAnime]

I had learned this lesson from a Bible study with my friends in college, or either it was TBN. I heard someone say that is important to understand another person's relgion before witnessing to them. When I witness to people I sometimes ask them what church they go to or whatever. I have talked to a Buddist, a Muslim, and Jehovas Witness. They explain to me their faith and I explain to them mine. But I do pray that they will become Christian one day because Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.