Everything Under the Moon

Do you feel like you had a choice in the matter, or do you feel like it was chosen for you by birth or other means?

Good question. I still don't clearly know where the path will take me as I'm still learning... So far its some sort of eclectic solitary thing. I like a lot of things about Wicca, but I'm not sure if I would choose to follow a set discipline, not at this time, who knows... Maybe that will change.

But I have had a hunch about this for a long time. It just feels right and there has been a lot of "coincidences" pushing me towards where I am now. I presume those seemingly random events and aha! moments will keep on coming as time goes by.

One of the first was when I realised how empty and meaningless christianity was for me. It didn't make sense and it didn't feel right and the people I met often weren't my kind. Another kick towards witchcraft was my previous band, folk metal, we delved deeply into Finnish tradition and mythology, interest in Finnish witchcraft came as part and parcel. Then I met some people long time ago who were into wicca, which was quite a trendy thing back in that time... And the list goes on. I feel like I'm being guided in some way, too many coincidences, one after another.

Totally free choice. Through various experiences (mid-30's) I understood that I was offered an option (one amongst others) & not an obligation. That which made the offer waited to see what I'd do with the offer & made no further move until I'd accepted. And like anyone of Mr Spock's generation, I found that accepting was the logical thing to do at the time.

Recognizing my style of practice was a matter of eliminating what didn’t fit - there’s not a kitchen-witch bone in my body, nor cutting it as hedge-Wiccan green crafting. OOB hedge riding ok. Not particularly shamanic but ok with telluric energy. Definitely not ceremonial ritual type. Geez, what’s left? Folk magic? A little bit of this and that, not too ritually fussy & use what you have on hand. Yep. That fit.

I have been a Witch since age 10 in 1951 before Wicca came into being. Growing up in the deep South Bible Belt of course I was a solitary eclectic in the closet. Over many decades this works for me. I do enjoy attending an open circle with local Witches and Wiccans but have no desire to join a Coven. I have had a growing intimate relationship with my Goddess for ever 40 years. My younger sister is also a long time Witch and together we enjoy a mental entanglement and dance to the music of the spheres and walk between worlds.

Shekinah wrote:I have been a Witch since age 10 in 1951 before Wicca came into being. Growing up in the deep South Bible Belt of course I was a solitary eclectic in the closet. Over many decades this works for me. I do enjoy attending an open circle with local Witches and Wiccans but have no desire to join a Coven. I have had a growing intimate relationship with my Goddess for ever 40 years. My younger sister is also a long time Witch and together we enjoy a mental entanglement and dance to the music of the spheres and walk between worlds.

I'm curious now, what sparked your interest in such a young age?

Your way of doing things sounds very much like how I would like to practise mine. I wish I knew other witches from around my area. Its been ages since I had company.

My path is a bit of everything, like zen, magic, meditation, yoga, reiki, channeling. It really is, for me, about what serves one's uniqueness. Uniquely selfish/selfless/realised. That's hard but rewarding.

L.J. Hex- I think it's awesome that you have your culture to inspire you. I take a lot from symbolism in folklore and mythology, but I don't have a strong connection with my family history. I'd like to learn more because I find a lot of comfort in traditions, but I wouldn't know where to start. I think anything I found through research would feel forced. (If you're curious I'm born in the Northeast US, partially raised and currently living in the US Southeast with Scottish, German, English, Italian, and Eastern European ancestry.)

SpiritTalker- You didn't name the offering entity. I'm curious, was that a choice to keep that relationship private or is the offered unknown to you?

Shekinah- I lived in the deep South and currently live in the Southeast. I can't imagine dealing with that decades ago, let alone at such a young age. It's wonderful you have that relationship with your sister, though.

Barker- I'm exploring a few different things as well. I think hearth or cottage witch describes me best because of my main intent, but I incorporate other paths/practices to support that intent. I noticed you listed magic as separate from your other practices, but I feel like I've seen folks classify reiki and channeling as types of magic. Do you consider them to be separate or under the same umbrella?

Yea, its no wonder its harder for people from US, as their heritage and tradition might be really hard to track.

> SpiritTalker- You didn't name the offering entity. I'm curious, was that a choice to keep that relationship private or is the offered unknown to you?

At the time of my un-sought introduction to what would become the next leg of my path I'd had no name to give It. Years later I stumbled on the god-form depicted as Elen of the Ways, an early, antlered, reindeer goddess associated with migration paths & Ley lines.

My intro experience involved a geo-jolt of telliric energy that catapulted me OOB into a flock of migrating geese; a bird's eye view of the landscape laced by glowing blue lines of energy... Close enough to ley line currents to be Elen. So that's what i link it to. When I cast circle on a good day I see the blue energy. It's all related.

Stitchwitch wrote:Barker- I'm exploring a few different things as well. I think hearth or cottage witch describes me best because of my main intent, but I incorporate other paths/practices to support that intent. I noticed you listed magic as separate from your other practices, but I feel like I've seen folks classify reiki and channeling as types of magic. Do you consider them to be separate or under the same umbrella?

Actually I am trying (my best) to call it all "life." I accept religion as proof, not as anything else. So ultimately, all my practices are just that. Practices. I think Prince Charles said: Every form of faith is converted in the end, and the opening is: what you choose to practice is your own truth.

So it's faith, truth, and purpose - NOT - "this is the wiccan part of me," "this part of me believes in the buddha," "this part of me says white light is the ultimate". NoNo. That mind would be riddled with hypocrisy and confusion. I don't know if there is a word for this type of person yetly, but to say life is one's religion would be... honest.

My natural/inherited talent is for healing. However, the nature of my formal Calling earlier this year carried a strong element of reflective work needing to be done. Balancing the two won't be an issue once I've explored this newer aspect, but for now I'm more about the latter kind of work.

Reflect and dissect - analysis is a mind of it's own. Healing is beyond that choosing. This practice, which I do, is termed psycho-[insert suffix here]. It is hidden within every form of spiritual truth.

Agree, and I also realize I was a little nebulous in my description above. The kind of reflection I was referring to is more along the lines of protection, up to and including Return to Sender-type work.

So a few days ago my 50th birthday came around. This, in my tradition, was to be a day for me to focus on something I really want,craft a ritual around it to push it, and then go from there to think about what to focus on now spiritually.

Weirdly enough, there is just nothing right now I really want to push with magic in any way. So I've postponed it because right now I am not even sure where to go.

And they all say you get wiser when you get to 50 haha.

Heh heh after 50 pieces start falling off ... but happy bday