Technopaganism in the real world

[SlaineWildfire]

So I was curious as to how many, if any, technopagans are involved w/our little guild. I am extremely curious to know the practical parts of how you practice your faith. I'll be honest, I have very little prior knowledge, but I want to know how it affects you personally. Do you chant in your car? Do bless your harddrive?

I'm curious both as a personal piece of my life and because I have created a character for a game I play that is a technopagan, and I want to get it right without misrepresenting an entire community.

Thanks in advance for any info you share...  

[iRTsuki]

instead of writing with a pen and paper sometime i go for my laptop or computer, to me it just seems natural to just type away everything i have in my mind at that very moment and then save it, that and i write so slow sometimes. i feel more creativity come out when i type then when i write. that and i can edit it too, it helps me perfect what im trying to get out of my head sometimes. Some of my thoughts just dont make sense being able to edit just helps clear up the confusion i create for myself rofl another thing i do is i collect images i find interesting on my computer. there are some images that the quality and detail take me to a place i cant always go to, or just help put me in a meditative state, and after that i write sometimes =P

but sometimes with all that i do go back to my pen and paper and go outside, nothing can replace the feeling of being outside writing down thoughts on a nice day, but there are moments when i just need my technology blaugh  

[ProfessorZed]

I'm sending my husband (QuantumPresbyterian) in ASAP. Or at least I hope I am. He's very much a TechnoPagan.  

[Tsuzuki]

I draw sigils in photoshop. Other than that, I know a lot theoretical stuff that I have yet to put into practice. A handheld computer would be a wonderful addition to my magical tools. So would a graphing calculator.  

[CuAnnan]

Do I need to actually comment or will posting in general do?

Seriously though. I am indeed the technomancer. I have built constructs on the web and have even designed one that people can help grow (you do wanna feed the poor ickle construct, don't you *grin*)  

[CuAnnan]

I'm sorry, for some reason the content of your post didn't sink in below the drug induced haze (I have tonsillitis at the moment).

The net is just a tool. The working of the tool blesses it. I don't have access to the physical machine WD.org is hosted on, I won't have access to the physical machine that will be my server in the next few months. When you build code that you're passionate about, though, you pour your heart and soul into it. You nurture it and make it healthy.

I have seriously treated GNAT as a growing life-form and tried to nurture it as best I can (which is why I haven't added it to google, nor will I ever, it will always be my hydroponics bay for GNAT). Tarot-Alley.com is where GNAT is going to graduate to, but it will always have a save haven on the web, somewhere I have total control.  

[BookWhore]

i'm a computer junkie. i live my life online and and it seemed like a good idea to do the same with my BOS but i just didn't like it. i was more comfortable and feel more connected when i write it all down. thats the one area in my life where i actually take the time to use pen and paper. part of the reason it's better for me to use a book is because if i'm writing anything it's a recipe or a spell while i'm rooting through my bottles and jars (insert stereotypical witch picture here) so i'm scribbling on the fly. i am planning on getting a laptop though so maybe i'll convert everything over at that point.  

[WebenBanu]

I strongly suspect that, whether we emphasize it or not, all of us are technopagans to some extent. All of us live and work with technology every day, and most of us build or tend to our spiritual connections/communities over the internet- just as we're doing right now. The internet is an incredibly powerful and versatile tool, and it occurs to me that these days we probably fit very well the old accusation of witches flying broomsticks to gather in some unknown place, inaccessible to others, in which to hold our mystical meetings. Except that in our case, we're riding modems.^_~

I don't particularly identify as a technopagan (or a witch, for that matter^_~), but I have attended rituals online, have participated in an online funeral for a deceased community member, and I've kept my spiritual and dream journals online. Like Aisuru, I am simply better able to express myself through writing and specifically typing, and so far one of my most rewarding spiritual projects has been my online journal. Sometimes, I will play music on my computer while I go into shrine for a certain ambiance.

That's all pretty tame compared to another guy I know, who actually does identify as a technopagan. He's very good at making gadgets, and uses them to create some really amazing "special effects" which he uses to enhance his rituals. He has rings with laser lights worked into them, and light sensors hooked up to various gadgets which light candles, ignite small piles of saltpeter, turn lights on and off, etc. Another fun thing to do is to draw sigils, magical circles, or whatever on the walls and floors of your temple space in invisible ink- the kind which only shows up under a black light- and turn that black light on when it's time for ritual.  

[PurpleDragonsGems]

i keep a lot of information on my computer, but mom won't let me bless the car XD  

[Keistera]

WebenBanu

Except that in our case, we're riding modems.^_~

... Hehehehee. xd

iTunes is my friend. Whenever I'm doing something related to my faith that requires music, I either hook up my iPod or boot up iTunes. I store information on both computers (my College laptop and my home Mac Mini), which also contributes to my faith. Being a studying Pagan, the internet makes a lot of information and communities easily accessible, therefore making my info-hunts a bit easier. I have a decent BS-meter (usually), so that part is usually no problem.

I know I'm not much help... heheh. Good luck in your search.  

[kara_h]

While I use the term as a noun, it is probably closer to an adjective. Myself and many of the pagans I have ongoing contact with are in the computer field and that transfers over, calling us as a group technopagans is just more accurate than, say, herbalists.  

[CuAnnan]

kara_h

While I use the term as a noun, it is probably closer to an adjective. Myself and many of the pagans I have ongoing contact with are in the computer field and that transfers over, calling us as a group technopagans is just more accurate than, say, herbalists.

Would someone please translate this for me. (Dyslexic and no punctuation = reagun.cannotRead)  

[TatteredAngel]

Some technical things, it's harder for me to think magically about. Part of it is because where so many people's magical thinking about technology begins is the part I work with. I do tech support, and listen to people who probably don't even realize the mystical powers they are attributing to both me and their machines. This is not to say I discount any possibilities, just that it's more difficult. As already stated, much of technology is a tool, and one that doesn't always work as it's supposed to, so I'm wary of it.  

[SlaineWildfire]

reagun ban

kara_h

While I use the term as a noun, it is probably closer to an adjective. Myself and many of the pagans I have ongoing contact with are in the computer field and that transfers over, calling us as a group technopagans is just more accurate than, say, herbalists.

Would someone please translate this for me. (Dyslexic and no punctuation = reagun.cannotRead)

While I use the term as a category, it's probably more like a descriptor. I know many people who work with computers constantly that are pagans, so it's probably more accurate to call us technopagans than herbalists.

Is that better, Reagun?  

[CuAnnan]

SlaineWildfire

reagun ban

kara_h

While I use the term as a noun, it is probably closer to an adjective. Myself and many of the pagans I have ongoing contact with are in the computer field and that transfers over, calling us as a group technopagans is just more accurate than, say, herbalists.

Would someone please translate this for me. (Dyslexic and no punctuation = reagun.cannotRead)

While I use the term as a category, it's probably more like a descriptor. I know many people who work with computers constantly that are pagans, so it's probably more accurate to call us technopagans than herbalists.

Is that better, Reagun?

Much better Slaine, thanks.