herbal witches

[Kijo Firecaller]

*writes it up* thank you ^^

[Avy]

Kijo: The internet is your best friend and worst enemy on this topic.

Try searching for pagan information sites, and you <i>might</i> find some things that are of interest. However, you really have to watch out because half the time you're reading blatant lies, or someones really warped view of that they think Paganism is. Don't go in to it trying to find "The one true path", just look around and see what there is to learn.

I am SO not helpful on this. Everything I learned was by painstakingly searching out information, finding sites that had good credentials, and picking up books at the bookstore or alternative shops that catered more to a Pagan customer.

[Zully Quirke]

Kijo Firecaller

I've already looked there and they have no books on the subject

I reccomend anything by Raymond Buckland or Scott Cunningham. Two of my personal favorites.

I learned a lot out of books by them insofar as the basics go, as well as some internet sites. WitchVox is a pretty reliable place for Pagan information, gatherings, links, etc. You might want to check them out, too.

[Aoi Shinu]

I love herbal magic (yes I know the forum is a bit off topic now) but I need a little help with it. Anyone who is pagan or Wiccan, or herbal witch (or if you're not and just wanna talk, whatever) then please PM me, I'd love to hear from you.

[Miyami]

Ok sure, I'm a bit after buuuut.... I've read this whole thread. And now I'm almost even more confused over what wicca and such are about. Is it about the herbs and spirits that lies within? sweatdrop sorry to bother...

[Aoi Shinu]

Well I can't really say I know a lot about other religions that are discussed, and I wouldn't try to give you info that I think is true for fear of being wrong and offending somebody. But I can tell you that Wicca is basically an earth worship. Of course, we practice witchcraft and we believe in a pray to nature and the spirits that lay within nature, and of course the gods and goddesses. I hope that kinda sums it up. If you really are interested, then PM me and maybe we can talk about it.

[Aoi Shinu]

Well I can't really say I know a lot about other religions that are discussed, and I wouldn't try to give you info that I think is true for fear of being wrong and offending somebody. But I can tell you that Wicca is basically an earth worship. Of course, we practice witchcraft and we believe in a pray to nature and the spirits that lay within nature, and of course the gods and goddesses. I hope that kinda sums it up. If you really are interested, then PM me and maybe we can talk about it.

[Zully Quirke]

Aoi Shinu

Well I can't really say I know a lot about other religions that are discussed, and I wouldn't try to give you info that I think is true for fear of being wrong and offending somebody. But I can tell you that Wicca is basically an earth worship. Of course, we practice witchcraft and we believe in a pray to nature and the spirits that lay within nature, and of course the gods and goddesses. I hope that kinda sums it up. If you really are interested, then PM me and maybe we can talk about it.

Technically, Wiccans are supposed to worship the God and the Goddess above all else - and follow the Rede essentially to the letter. I avoided Wicca because it reminded me a bit too much of a New Age Christianity.

[Aoi Shinu]

"An ye harm none, do what ya will" Of course I follow it, and follow the GOd and Goddess above all else. I know I was very brief with my post, sorry if I wasn't clear enough.

[Miyami]

Thank you. Now i know a little bit about it.

[The TRUE Brahms]

So much activity today...

I don't think I have the mindset/patience/attention span to ever stick to ANY religion...I preffer just living life with what ever principles I have at the time. I love when people try to convert me to the "happening" religion at the time...I get free cookies and "black Jesus" poster for just listening to them babble. XD

[Avy]

Ya know...I <i>severely</i> hate this word "herbal witch". What does that even <I>mean</i>? I swear to God, Jenna just made that up. I've never heard it before. I'm Pagan. I study herbology and holistic medicine. I've heard it described as "Traditional Witchcraft", which is what I call it, but I've never, ever heard "herbal witch".

I tend to think the Rede is a load of hooey. There's something about a rule that states the cosmos is gonna come kick your a** if you do something that has negative consequences. I'm going to state this again, I do NOT believe in "completely positive" or "completely negative" actions or beings. I think white magic and black magic are stupid definitions that new-age Pagans use to justify their religion to people. "Oh I'm a witch...but I'm a <i>White</i> Witch. Not like those nasty Black Witches."

[Zully Quirke]

Avy-chan

Ya know...I <i>severely</i> hate this word "herbal witch". What does that even <I>mean</i>? I swear to God, Jenna just made that up. I've never heard it before. I'm Pagan. I study herbology and holistic medicine. I've heard it described as "Traditional Witchcraft", which is what I call it, but I've never, ever heard "herbal witch".

I tend to think the Rede is a load of hooey. There's something about a rule that states the cosmos is gonna come kick your a** if you do something that has negative consequences. I'm going to state this again, I do NOT believe in "completely positive" or "completely negative" actions or beings. I think white magic and black magic are stupid definitions that new-age Pagans use to justify their religion to people. "Oh I'm a witch...but I'm a <i>White</i> Witch. Not like those nasty Black Witches."

I don't believe in the threefold law, but I do happen to believe in karma. Don't ******** with people because it'll ******** with you later, etc. It's just happened to me too many times for me NOT to believe it.

But that white witch/black witch bullshit annoys me. Especially the fishnet and leather-claid 16 year olds with upsidedown pentagrams proclaiming they're "Black Witches" to piss off poor mom and dad.

[Avy]

Shiraishi Mayumi

I don't believe in the threefold law, but I do happen to believe in karma. Don't ******** with people because it'll ******** with you later, etc. It's just happened to me too many times for me NOT to believe it.

But that white witch/black witch bullshit annoys me. Especially the fishnet and leather-claid 16 year olds with upsidedown pentagrams proclaiming they're "Black Witches" to piss off poor mom and dad.

I do believe there is something akin to Karma in the universe, simply because there is negative and positive energy and eventually it has to balance out. I think the Rede bothers me a lot because it's such a "Big Brother" philosophy. You've got this nice religion that teaches to be good to your fellow humans, to respect the world and it's creatures...and then there's rule "Hey don't do anything "bad"...cause the cosmos is watching YOU! And it'll kick you right back in the a** if you do anything!" If I wanted to practice a religion where I'm considered a sinner who should be punished, I'd be a Christian xd

When I was 14 I had an altar set up in my room [white round table with a black pentacle on it], and I was very heavy in to the "goth" look. My stepfather thought I was a "Satanist" and he was trying to convince my mother that I should go to a pyschiatrist. I had to sit him down and pretty much explain the entire religion, Satanism, and the belief systems behind most Pagan religions before he understood that I didn't eat babies or something.

[Kes]

Shaoli

Shiraishi, knowing Kes, she was joking. Really.

Hee-hee. I have a reputation! ^_^ *hugs Shaoli*

Anyway, I'm going to jump into the current topic of discussion! Yay!

AFAIC, both the Rede and karma are attempts at modeling what ultimately amounts to a more internal process. Less along the lines of, "If you kill people the universe will take pot shots at you," and more along the lines of, "If you kill people you will either have psychological trauma and work through it or have a whole host of other problems." I think we sort of (gonna get kind of messy here) create our own "sins" that we carry with us - since each decision we make creates our selves, then the self we forge affects us as we go on. The choices to be cruel, or ignorant, or self-defeating, or optimistic, or kindly, all change who we are and affect our blah-blah-etc (why am I even bothering to say anything when I'm feeling so incoherent? xp )

I dunno, the idea of positive and negative energy.... I mean, lightning isn't really positive or negative (unless you're talking about charge blaugh ).