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Maybe this is something that people do not know about me, but religiously I consider myself to be "Pagan".
I just use the general definition because as far as religions go, I'm a bit of a mix. I have studied Wicca (Celtic & Nocturnal), Satanism, Jedi-Realism, and Sithism...and that's just naming a few. For awhile, I was even trying to create my own type of lifestyle/study- but that's beside the point.

There were a lot of things my ex did not allow me to do and/or hated, and 'Paganism' was one of those things. When I met her, I defined myself as a Wiccan, but then when that made her uncomfortable, I gave it all up. Later I became a Jedi (which she thought was dumb), and then she was scared when I started climbing the ranks in Sithism. Anyways...with my wife, I have the freedom to explore several things again (that my ex banned for one reason or the other), and religion is one of those things.

So...I have taken up Witchy-practices again. Rituals, spells, meditation, and those sorts of things. I even have a friend with similar beliefs so we swap info and etc.

It's been really nice getting to really explore myself again. It's relaxing and it really 'frees my soul' in a sense when I can just light my candles and chant without fear of being criticized, dumped, or otherwise.
My wife, though she isn't sure what her true path is, is very open-minded and loves learning new things. She has asked me multiple times that I teach her how to meditate, and when she was feeling weighed down by negative energies, she allowed me to buy some supplies and have her do a cleansing ritual for herself to get rid of the dark energies and feelings surrounding her.

But the real important part of this...of coming back...is just seeing how much I have changed and how much I have grown as a person. I was 15-years-old when I first got into Wicca. I was obsessed with it because my girl-crush (at that time) was a Witch, and her beliefs seemed so cool and so close to how I wanted to see the world. But I don't think I was fully taking it seriously back then. I was...but in a way that I almost felt elitist. I felt like using Google and collecting various books made me better, smarter, and stronger than the average Witch- and lets be honest, I was trying to show off for the girl I liked.
But I was uncomfortable casting spells. I was scared to recite things aloud. I was in the "broom closet" because my Mom was pretty religious at the time...so all I really managed during that time was a lot of dream divination and weird homework assignments.

But now I am using the salt water, making the protective circles. I am saying the words and burning the candles...and while a small step for most, for me, this is HUGE! I have grown so much that I even asked someone else if they wanted to get together so that we could celebrate Lammas together.

I wouldn't go so far to say I am a "witch" just yet. I still feel like I'm finding myself, and I do believe that I need to start over with my "Year-and-a-day" study (for reals this time) if I am to dedicate myself.

But it's just been a really good time and a real eye-opening experience for me as I get back to doing the things that call to me. mrgreen