Ideas or inspiration regarding a possible path?

Discussion of the different types of witchcraft and pagan paths.
Post Reply
Jeanne Rising
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2020 5:29 pm
Gender: Female

Ideas or inspiration regarding a possible path?

Post by Jeanne Rising »

I am not quite sure, if this is the right subcategory...but since I honestly am not quite sure, what kind of answer or inspiration I am looking for, I will just try it with this one.

I am feeling stuck in some kind of cognitive dilemma I guess...trying to more or less find some kind of "official rulebook", that shouts "YES, THIS IS MY PATH" while - at the same time - trying to get away from some of the more organised religious structures. The common "playlist" of my thoughts that seems to repeat over and over again somewhat sounds like this:

I start reading another book about Wicca or Goddess Spirituality... at first I feel a bit inspired...there is some baseline that I feel connected to - worship of nature, believe in reincarnation, a positive attitude toward bodily pleasures, a positive image of female goddesses and the position of women in general and so on - and that isn't the problem. I really feel an honest desire to connect to goddesses (and maybe also gods) and there is also a positive feeling that draws me to specific parts of nature (the moon, the night...forests to some degree...I'd say more kind of the...shady, mysterious parts?), although I wouldn't consider myself a nature fanatic to a degree that I often find in texts of others on this platform...I'd say it is a feeling of wanting to respect and protect nature and its inhabitants...the yogic Ahimsa always felt quite fitting. When I read passages about basic spiritual practices - grounding, visualisation, meditation...also drawing a circle...and also somewhat following the cycle of the year that still doesn't feel too much out of reach.
But then there seemingly always comes a huge "and now we take some planty stuff, some of this, some of that, combine it with a hundred ritual steps..." and at this point I always somehow lose it. I get lost at many points - I also get lost trying to find my goddesses or my pantheon and have no idea where to start...but that is at least something I am interested in. But I somewhat can not at all connect to this whole "brewing mixtures with all kinds of stuff" part of it.

I come from a yogic background...I also did chinese martial arts for quite a while and I guess, my image of spirituality always felt somehow like a "flowing of energy" thing. I am even thinking of starting with Qi Gong or something of this kind again in this regard. Turning to paganism was more due to an interest in its worldview, its inclusiveness, its positive look on reincarnation compared to the "nirvana" or "flee life" perspective, that always feels present in other religious movements.

Another thing is: I somehow like to find the "core" of things. The basic, fundamental exercises or practices, that mean something without building a huge kind of "fluff" around it. And that is how the second half of almost any book somehow felt like...

Yea... hm... any ideas? I really can't say what to make of it... is paganism just the wrong place? Is there maybe some fitting path, that I didn't yet discover? Am I constructing too much drama and should just draw a circle and...talk to someone? ^^

Well thanks for your ideas!

Jeanne
User avatar
SpiritTalker
Banned Member
Posts: 6237
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 9:51 am
Gender: Female
Location: Earth temporarily

Re: Ideas or inspiration regarding a possible path?

Post by SpiritTalker »

I have what might be a similar sense like hitting a brick wall when lists of ingredients come into play. The intuitive flow bucks like a horse & I fall off the theme-saddle. I need to simplify - use less gimmicks as symbolic links. I substitute a method of thinkIng of the goal as accomplished, feel the satisfaction in my gut, say it is so & release the energies into a spiraling “cone of power” - using the circle itself. It just seemed to me that this is what the rites & lists are acting out anyway to create a train of connected thoughts. I think an intuitive path is what we’re after and books are supposed to lead us there. The roots of the Craft are shamanic. Trad Craft & Hedge Witchery draw on earth spirits & more traditional roots. I have a vague idea that the books don’t come out and say so because the “traditional way” is that each traveler sees it for themselves when they’re ready... or the author hasn’t seen it yet... or I’m cockeyed loco 🤪... all 3?
Jeanne Rising
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2020 5:29 pm
Gender: Female

Re: Ideas or inspiration regarding a possible path?

Post by Jeanne Rising »

Thank you for your inspiring reply. Yes, "hitting a brick wall" does describe it quite well. Everything intuitive and "flowy" about it somehow get's lost in some complex structure where everything in me seems to say "no...things of meaning need to have some underlying, meaningful simplicity" - at least for me. It feels contraintuitive to me to find a higher truth behind some kind of overly complicated cooking recipe...which doesn't mean everyone has to feel about it like I do...

Your concept of releasing the energy into a cone of power sounds fascinating :) Maybe, it is all a very individual thing after all...it just doesn't please the part in me, that wants a guide to hold to...but maybe that is what it means to grow up...
User avatar
SpiritTalker
Banned Member
Posts: 6237
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 9:51 am
Gender: Female
Location: Earth temporarily

Re: Ideas or inspiration regarding a possible path?

Post by SpiritTalker »

There are layers of meaning symbolized by ingredients, such as plants - life forms with spirit - relate to the energy-nature’s of elements as the type of energy each gives off . The simplest way to connect is thru scent. Scents trigger the primitive switch in the brain. Something like Tabasco sauce is spicey hot so represents the element fire; fire is an “activating” energy so Tabasco can be used to heat things up, energize, speed up conditions of a spell. Air & Fire are active energy so activate conditions. When we shred or burn we are activating a spell’s effects, aka releasing its power.

Water & Earth are passive energy so their energies are used to pacify conditions, such as brewing to combine a potion’s energies, mingling flavors in a stew, or dropping a cord/knot spell into flowing water to neutralize and cancel a spell, or to stand a candle in water intentionally to have the water extinguish the flame and cancel ie, pacify a former spell. Likewise with earth-burial which can subtly allow a seed-of-intention to slowly root & grow or cover and decompose, nullifying and pacifying a condition into submission.

.
User avatar
RosieMoonflower
EUTM Support
EUTM Support
Posts: 1005
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2014 11:32 pm

Re: Ideas or inspiration regarding a possible path?

Post by RosieMoonflower »

I once felt this way and finally gave in and just accepted “I’m an eclectic witch/pagan”. Taking some this and some of that, tossing out the parts that don’t suit me, and never having one “rule book” I can just easily follow. I have to find it or create on my own. I’m okay with it now. It’s not binding and gives me freedom to keep exploring and learning. I hope you find your path or eventually find peace in being an eclectic.

Rosie
Jeanne Rising
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2020 5:29 pm
Gender: Female

Re: Ideas or inspiration regarding a possible path?

Post by Jeanne Rising »

RosieMoonflower wrote: Tue Sep 08, 2020 9:20 pm I once felt this way and finally gave in and just accepted “I’m an eclectic witch/pagan”. Taking some this and some of that, tossing out the parts that don’t suit me, and never having one “rule book” I can just easily follow. I have to find it or create on my own. I’m okay with it now. It’s not binding and gives me freedom to keep exploring and learning. I hope you find your path or eventually find peace in being an eclectic.

Rosie
Thank you...yes I guess, that is where it will lead at some point. It surely could be described as a more...complicated...path. Or one that needs more inner stability and strength. Seems the "exploring and learning" is the point where I am at. And maybe that is okay. One should probably never stop to explore and learn anyway...
User avatar
Corbin
Posts: 369
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2017 6:50 pm
Gender: Male
Location: South East England (UK)
Contact:

Re: Ideas or inspiration regarding a possible path?

Post by Corbin »

Pagan Paths by Pete Jennings is an interesting book detailing the wheft of paganism.
Jeanne Rising
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2020 5:29 pm
Gender: Female

Re: Ideas or inspiration regarding a possible path?

Post by Jeanne Rising »

Corbin wrote: Tue Sep 15, 2020 6:45 pm Pagan Paths by Pete Jennings is an interesting book detailing the wheft of paganism.
Hi,

just wanted to say, that I indeed bought the book and read it :)
It was a pretty good overview...though it also confronted me with the fact, that I still don't reeeeally know, what I am actually looking for...but I guess I'll just have to continue reading.

Thank you all again of course!

The next question that somehow came up for me is...where do you draw the line to determine, when to use some kind of magic? When I approach the whole topic, it is still pretty much filled with a wish for ....hm "spirituality for its own sake?" I somewhat began my research inspired by ideas of female empowerment, connecting to the deities, finding the divine inside instead of outside life... but I still can't imagine to start working spells to...dunno...push my career or other mundane things. Methods of divination maybe come a little closer, but many guides also more or less say "be clear in what you want to ask"...and then again I don't know, what I should ask. At the moment it is some kind of "I want to develop spiritual connections, learn psychic abilities and such because it brings me closer to what feels meaningful" without knowing, how to integrate this with methods with rather defined targets... ugh i am too much overthinking this...
User avatar
SpiritTalker
Banned Member
Posts: 6237
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 9:51 am
Gender: Female
Location: Earth temporarily

Re: Ideas or inspiration regarding a possible path?

Post by SpiritTalker »

Spells use supplies as symbolism to tell power what to do.

Saying “I want...” keeps the goal forever in a wanted state, as wannabe. Replace i-want with I-have or I-am. Make statements in the possessive, positive, present state. Do one goal at a time. Just say what you expect final results to be. Imagine feeling the ah-ha moment, the Fire in the belly. Follow up with appropriate action.

Use positive incantations, rhymes feel more witchy.

I make accurate psychic connections daily. ” & follow up with occasional psychic practices

“I am expressing spirituality thru my magic.” & follow with centering, drawing power on the breath to the belly

“I have the best job for me at this time.” & follow with resume updates & job aps as inspired
User avatar
Corbin
Posts: 369
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2017 6:50 pm
Gender: Male
Location: South East England (UK)
Contact:

Re: Ideas or inspiration regarding a possible path?

Post by Corbin »

When to use magic? When there is honest need, secondary to need, honest desire (and if wise after a degree of honest measured consideration to intention, reasons and consequences), used when no other avenues are apparent or have seemingly been exhausted.

If you convince yourself you are not 'worthy' or it's impossible (even subconsciously) it won't happen - you are not receptive - same goes for a spell for someone who is resistant (it's unasked) or the feel they don't deserve it... Unless you start getting 'crafty'. Resistance can can cause backfires.

To avoid 'what you asked for but not what you want' use clauses in castings. Every positive has its negative.

Magic is a 'spiritual initiator' , a spell is 'cast' into the metaphysical lake waiting for the ripples of return. Once the spell is cast consider the outcome already determined - do not be impatient, or agonise, or repeat.

We don't live in a vaccume, while casting a spell is focused, once done, it is best accepted as waiting to happen and that all other 'dimensions' need to engaged in (as it ripples back to all those other dimensions) - focus on the desire and need - in manifesting a favourable outcome, not on the spell itself; like a net into the sea, it has already been 'cast'.

A job spell (for example) is best followed with a positive 'can do' attitude, concerted and renewed effort, taking advantages of turns of 'fortune' as she presents herself, carried by the quiet patient certainly that if possible the universe will conspire to go your way. So be careful what you wish for, who you wish for but accept some things cannot be effected or the return is to only be later recognised on reflection of its subtleties.

A spell for money? A little may come your way. A spell for the lottery jackpot? Hmm... Just how much competition do you think you have; that lies in many peoples wishes and desires.

----
'practice' is always a good reason, focusing on little things, incidental things for just such a purpose.

Magic, done well is an anonymous 'occulted' benefactor, a magical serendipity, a questionable happenstance. You will know, no one else need to, or vanity, pride and ego can cloud your basic connections.
User avatar
Corbin
Posts: 369
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2017 6:50 pm
Gender: Male
Location: South East England (UK)
Contact:

Re: Ideas or inspiration regarding a possible path?

Post by Corbin »

As for settling in a path? Why bother? Let honest Intuition guide you... Learn to listen and trust it... until something draws you, celebrate being an eclectic seeker.

Remember the eclectic maxim; does it work? A lot of time can be wasted chasing themes and techniques you would like to have rather then honing those miss-matched ones that work for you.
Post Reply

Return to “Types of Witchcraft”