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 Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 1:14 pm
If anything can be said in common about the myriad of contemporary Pagan paths out there, one of those common threads would be that these are paths to be lived and embodied. While there are certainly the equivalent of "Sunday Christians" in our community, by and large we walk the walk on a daily basis. At times it can be a challenge, particularly when our surrounding culture doesn't lend itself to our values or subtly forces us to hide who and what we are. Here is a place to discuss the various aspects of walking the path on a day to day basis, both its joys and its sorrows.
Questions related to the topic (but by no means answer them as a list; these are just ideas of things you could talk about in this thread; we'd like it to be an ongoing discussion and exchange!):
arrow What are some of the little things you do every day to honor your Path?
arrow What have you done today to honor your Path?
arrow How has your life changed since you adopted your Path? Has it changed your personality? Your values? Your career focus?
arrow Have you had any challenges in integrating your Path with everyday life? What are they? Do you have an example of overcoming them successfully?
arrow How do others treat you differently sine you've adopted your Path? Do they know about your Path? Any broom closet stories to share?
arrow Have a mystical experience of the Divine to share? An omen that crossed your path? A moment that made you stop and think?
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Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 2:47 pm
Well, aside from daily devotionals, I carve out some time to appreciate the world around meh. Even if its just 5 minutes, its 5 minutes that is put to spiritual good use lol. Today, for example, I took a shorter shower, and thought of the long, cyclic adventure water has to take to be there for my future showers. You get a bit more appreciative about things if you know their backstory, and what it took to get to you. Things like cooking for my family, or taking care of my pets also keeps me in touch with my path. Simple things like that have totally helped me grow more positively through my teen years, into who I am now. I learned to listen to others, and that helping with what seems like such a small thing to me can be everything to someone else.
One thing that has been somewhat bittersweet is the way my Paths influenced my work ethic. Like most other teens, my first job was in retail. I did very well and helped the shops I worked for exceed their daily goals. As I adopted this totally new lifestyle, it caused me to take a step back and see the true colors of retail (both on small and large scales). Sure, the little local shops tended to have the community in mind, and their bills second, but I've come to the conclusion that the mall is quite literally a black hole of death. The job I work for now is with a rather large chain store "noted for their charity", but underhandedly taking nearly 60% of every donation to make profit. I worked there last year as well, and refused to offer the option altogether. My Path taught me to give for the sake of giving, and keeping that chunk, especially when the company is already so incredibly wealthy, is blasphemous to humanity. It changed my whole outlook on the job as well. Nowadays I don't care about my customers and their menial demands and "problems". They can wank themselves for all I care, I'm there to make money until I can go work at the hospital, where people have -real- problems.
To the date, im in the closet to not only my close family but most of my co-workers (though I wouldn't care if they fired me on account of that. Unemployments only .60 less than what I get now and Im in school...). I don't mind them not knowing, because I know if I told them they wouldn't take it so well. Despite going to church on Sunday (maybe), thats about as far as religion goes in their lives. Still, its that damn connection that would cause them to have issues, and I'd like to avoid it. I feel that if I told them...it would turn into this thing where I'd feel I'd have to prove something to them...nah.
One time my mum came close to finding out. She raided my room, under the impression that I was doing something "bad" (be it drugs or demon posession...I dont know, I stopped wondering), and she found maybe a pentacle...an offering bowl I forgot to put away, one of those voodoo doll gag gifts...She waited for me to fall asleep, then woke me up and started the interrogation. She asked if the doll was her (which I thought was hilarious cause not only was it a joke present, she "doesn't believe in that stuff"), asked where the bowl had come from, asked me to open a few boxes on my shelves, and started to bash even Buddhism. It was not her shining moment...she threatened to kick me out if that was what I was all about. I could "worship the devil in someone elses house". I tried to fight back, I had already hit REM sleep so I wasnt coherent (or mostly clothed for that matter), but I defended myself. No devil worshiping, the doll was a joke, blah blah. I didn't have anywhere else to go at the time, so denial was possibly my only option (some of my friends arent nearly as cool as others, they wouldn't have helped.), and after a few days she left me alone. I was really hurt, spiritually and emotionally stripped, but I've learned to bounce back since then. I've forgiven her for the relative "witch-hunt"...not verbally but just cause shes my mum and her concern was understandable (though her accusations wernt so much).
The divine seems to happen everyday for me though, as life seems to happen lol. Even the chaos of Christmas sales has its own divine element to it...though I hate the materialism that fuels the majority of it. Living in such a beautiful place, surrounded by people I love, admittedly its a little easier for me to see that divine spark that rests within everything.
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witchunterobin Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 7:28 pm
Number three and five:
My path, a very long one guaranteed to last a lifetime, has led me to a very great spot. My career aspiration is to be a pastry chef, but most importantly, a chef. With my Green Witchery and Kitchen Witchery influences, I feel the need to cook a lot of my days. Recently, I've taken to the feeling of making sugar cookies. The next week I may want to make a soup or a tea. It just depends on my mood and if I make whatever it is or not.
Since I have started my path, mentally June 2007 and physically jotting down since March 2009, I have become a better person. I'm willing to help out some people in need, like a guy who just needs a buck for gas because his paycheck hasn't come yet or a little girl who might have been hurt if I hadn't been there to save her.
On the flipside, I have been avoiding people who drag me down or have bad vibes. I get an achy chest/heart or nervous of these kinds of people if it cannot be avoided. Sometimes, I even have to lie to them and tell them I have something important to do just to free myself from stress. Avoidant, but I'd rather escape than just stand there for open leeching on my energy and mind.
My values, however, have been changed a little bit for the greater good. I went from not wanting children to wanting the little rascals. For my ocdish issues, I also want a boy and a girl. People, under my values, need to stop being such wusses and get a back bone. I realise that some humans, mainly Americans who do not experiance a different religion, do not have open minds. I'm highly irritated that most people would rather-- ending rant. <--- that could go on for hours, trust me. sweatdrop
So values: from anti-mommy to family-oriented, from slightly open-minded to fully open-minded, and from trusting to not fully trusting, I have changed.
~5~
Most of my blood family does not know I am Pagan. My family through spirit does however. All of my spiritual family is quite alright with that because most of them are Pagan as well. Only my blood relative, Mother, knows that I am Pagan.
I do have plenty of close calls on a few occasions. Mom is first because she is a funny one.
#1: So I was on my laptop looking up Wiccan sites that seemed either elitist or really open and my mother asks me to look up something. As she says that, she walks into the kitchen, where I am at, and walks over to me. I, in calm-panic, try to minimize that window ASAP/Fire Drill mode. She stares at my screen and asks, "Did you pull it up?"
~sighs in relief~
At this point I knew she hadn't seen anything and pulled up what she asked me to pull up. Later I questioned her eyesight and found out she is as blind as a bat without glasses on. xp
#2: I was studying my books when my mom came in. Of course in my house no one knocks except for the bathroom. So, I acted like nothing was wrong and she just asked me if I wanted to go get some ice cream with her. She was totally oblivious.
Dad, on the other hand, is not blind as a bat and is a bit religious: I only have one story from him and it was recent: He was leaving to take my mother's laptop in to get it fixed. I was looking at a Pagan girl's video on Youtube and he left. Then all of a sudden he came back in and walked over to where I was. I clicked the window to minimize and acted like I was looking for something on my laptop. [facepalm]
Honestly, that's the closest call I've ever had besides the time when I just finished a ritual and he came home as soon as I had cleaned up.
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Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 9:46 am
Cygan Czarwonica Meri The divine seems to happen everyday for me though, as life seems to happen lol. Even the chaos of Christmas sales has its own divine element to it...though I hate the materialism that fuels the majority of it. Living in such a beautiful place, surrounded by people I love, admittedly its a little easier for me to see that divine spark that rests within everything. Yeah, I'm starting to switch over to gifts that are either crafted by local artisans, are experiences, or consumable in some way so it's not another bit of plastic sitting around someone's house. I like giving people expensive teas... sometimes with hand-painted mugs to go with. Something more unique and meaningful than a gift card to Box Store Deluxe or whatever. This year I think I'm going to make a ton of votive candles scented with essential oils for gifts. whee
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Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 9:50 am
witchunterobin So values: from anti-mommy to family-oriented, from slightly open-minded to fully open-minded, and from trusting to not fully trusting, I have changed. This is kinda funny, because my path hasn't changed my desire to not have children at all, because humans are still overpopulated. I wouldn't mind adopting, but I almost find it irresponsible for people to have more than one child of their own blood. Instead I work to helping the populations of nonhuman critters who, with all the habitat destruction we wreak on them, they sure do need it more than we do! More people actually means more of their habitat is destroyed. xd Interesting how the same general path can lead people to completely different conclusions, isn't it?
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:37 pm
Cygan Czarwonica Meri She waited for me to fall asleep, then woke me up and started the interrogation. I HATE that. It has only happened once and was definately for the wrong reasons. Parents are so... unthoughtful(?) sometimes.
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witchunterobin Vice Captain
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witchunterobin Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:40 pm
Starlock Humans are still overpopulated. We won't have to worry about that if this d----d war takes a long time. Of course the male species will go down. *shrugs* It will get to a point where we will all be like China. One kid per family with the rare exception of twin/triplets/+.
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Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 1:37 pm
witchunterobin Starlock Humans are still overpopulated. We won't have to worry about that if this d----d war takes a long time. Of course the male species will go down. *shrugs* It will get to a point where we will all be like China. One kid per family with the rare exception of twin/triplets/+. Except I doubt this sort of policy would ever fly in the United States or any other democratic nation. xd
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witchunterobin Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:38 pm
Starlock witchunterobin Starlock Humans are still overpopulated. We won't have to worry about that if this d----d war takes a long time. Of course the male species will go down. *shrugs* It will get to a point where we will all be like China. One kid per family with the rare exception of twin/triplets/+. Except I doubt this sort of policy would ever fly in the United States or any other democratic nation. xd *sighs*.... government. Such a pain in the ---.
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