The Baby Bear of Books

If you'd like to have your own blog here, start yourself a thread. Use your member name somewhere in the title so people will know who you are. The blogs here should be mostly about your spiritual path and beliefs.
User avatar
BabyBear
Posts: 636
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:44 am
Gender: Gender Fluid
Location: Waycross, GA
Contact:

The Baby Bear of Books

Post by BabyBear »

Thought I would post some pics my aunt took why out on a nature walk around the swamp. I grew up in Blackshear,Ga and Waycross,Ga; in fact my family actually came from the area and are some of the first people ever to live on the Okefenokee Swamp our Uncle Henry "Obediah" Barber's house is the one you tour if you ever desire to come out to visit the backwoods of the Okefenokee. Even the 'river' that most of us have in our back yards (or in my case a 5 min walk through the woods) is swamp ><

here is Obediah's cabin (im actually not sure if they still have it there or not to be honest i personally havnt been on the tour since i was in elementary school)
Image

oh and here is a slideshow of the pics my aunt took
http://s1156.photobucket.com/user/ichig ... show/Swamp
User avatar
BabyBear
Posts: 636
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:44 am
Gender: Gender Fluid
Location: Waycross, GA
Contact:

Re: The Baby Bear of Books

Post by BabyBear »

So I found this site looking for some helpful article for a friend who is struggling with the call for paganism yet the moral need to be christian, long story and not mine to tell. I knew that christian wicca was an option and searched for a few sites till i came to this one and I have to say I am rather pleased with this site to the point I plan on printing off these two articles and keeping them in my notes/make notes about them.


A Christian Speaks of Wicca and Witchcraft
by James Clement Taylor


I love that he points out:
"Assuredly I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 8:10-12)

If we accept these words as true, and surely we should, then it is clear that heaven will contain many who are not Christians, and hell will contain many who are! Clearly, throughout the Gospels, Jesus Christ sets forth the criteria for entrance into the kingdom of heaven, and those criteria include love, kindness, forgiveness, and a refusal to judge others:....
I also love that he points out to the end of the article that:
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, these people of Wicca have been terribly slandered by us. They have lost jobs, and homes, and places of business because we have assured others that they worship Satan, which they do not. We have persecuted them, and God will hold us accountable for this, you may be sure, for He has said, "Assuredly I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." (Matthew 25:40)
I just love what all he puts into this short little essay/article and so can see this being used to help show families that paganism is not bad and should be accepted.



Military Views on Wicca
US Army Chaplain's Manual


I also loved finding this; this is an excerpt from the U.S. Army's Religious Requirements and Practices of Certain Selected Groups: A Handbook for Chaplains (pgs 231-236).

In it it states:
Similarly, covens will use particular Deity names as a group focus, and these are often held secret by the groups. It is very important to be aware that Wiccans do not in any way worship or believe in "Satan," "the Devil," or any similar entities. They point out that "Satan" is a symbol of rebellion against and inversion of the Christian and Jewish traditions.

Wiccans do not revile the Bible. They simply regard it as one among many of the world's mythic systems, less applicable than some to their core values, but still deserving just as much respect as any of the others. Most Wiccan groups also practice magic, by which they mean the direction and use of "psychic energy," those natural but invisible forces which surround all living things. Some members spell the word "magick," to distinguish it from sleight of hand entertainments.
Im surprised they actually got as much as they did into this little exert and how accurate it mostly was, if not a little outdated (they just add little notes here and there to update it from the original for example from saying 50k people practice to more like 200k)

What surprised me even more was that they added such things as:
FUNERAL AND BURIAL REQUIREMENTS:
None. Recognition of the death of a member takes place within the coven, apart from the body of the deceased. Ritual tools, materials, or writings found among the effects of the deceased should be returned to their home coven (typically a member will designate a person to whom ritual materials should be sent). It is desirable for a Wiccan priest or priestess to be present at the time of death, but not strictly necessary. If not possible, the best assistance would be to make the member as comfortable as possible, listen to whatever they have to say, honor any possible requests, and otherwise leave them as quiet and private as possible.

MEDICAL TREATMENT:
No medical restrictions. Wiccans generally believe in the efficacy of spiritual or psychic healing when done in tandem with standard medical treatment. Therefore, at the request of the patient, other Wiccan personnel should be allowed visiting privileges as though they were immediate family, including access to Intensive Care Units. Most Wiccans believe that healing energy can be sent from great distances, so, if possible, in the case of any serious medical condition, the member's home coven should be notified.

OTHER:
With respect to attitude toward military service, Wiccans range from career military personnel to conscientious objectors. Wiccans do not proselytize and generally resent those who do. They believe that no one Path to the Sacred is right for all people, and see their own religious pattern as only one among many that are equally worthy. Wiccans respect all religions that foster honor and compassion in their adherents, and expect the same respect. Members are encouraged to learn about all faiths, and are permitted to attend the services of other religions, should they desire to do so.
anyway i found these and thought i would share lol I also plan on keeping some of the poems like the "Before Time Was" from The Standing Stones Book of Shadows by Scott Cunningham and note some of the letters the site writes.

Blessed Be
Baby Bear
User avatar
BabyBear
Posts: 636
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:44 am
Gender: Gender Fluid
Location: Waycross, GA
Contact:

Re: The Baby Bear of Books

Post by BabyBear »

Update on Me Feb 19 of 2015

Where do I begain? Last year was a year of self exploration and path searching;This year has started with opportunity after opportunity. I have so much good news from this year and its only February.

First, I am happy to say I came out as Pansexual to my cousin as well as Wiccan/Pagan and to my surprises it was way easier to do then I thought it would be, granted it helped that she has a gay brother and accepts him and that we have discussed my study of various religions and common misconceptions about wiccans and witches and paganism. She went on to tell me that she was fine with my beliefs because those are for me to find and believe, she thinks I am "wrong" but its my right to be "wrong". I think a handful of you understand how hard it is coming out or showing your beliefs to the ones you love when their very values go against accepting you for what those beliefs are. Especially if your like me, living in the south where you grow up going to church every day of the week but Tuesdays and Thursdays even if your sick because "if your sick church and prayer are the best places to be". Anyways its been really fun having thought provoking questions about my beliefs and why I feel my beliefs are right, or making her think about the possibility that she is wrong on some things. She herself admits that she has never thought so much on her beliefs as when were having these conversations and she is having to "defend" her reasoning. Shes even brought a friend from work into the mix its so much fun :D .

Secondly, I am finally putting myself first and setting into motion the need to put myself before others for once in my life and not carry around all this random stress and anxiety over things. I finally made the decision to move out of my Grama's and stop worrying about my ex-boyfriend/now-friend and his life. I am moving in with my cousin and am able to practice my beliefs openly. I even started looking around for colleges to start back my schooling and also some covens in the area now that I have moved to Jacksonville, Fl. I can finally be me and start a new chapter now that I have grown in my path and learnt so much about myself in the last year and a half.

Lastly, I became a auntie on Feb 9th and couldn't be happier granted things are not perfect they are starting to get to some form of happieness and lifting me out of this funk I have been stuck in for the last 2 years. I have only just began the year and I can already see its going to be a year of starting a new, and making myself a priority (something I never really do). :flyingwitch:

I hope that this year will bring what I feel it is going to bring me and if not I am sure it soon will, until then I thank the God and Goddess and my guardians for all they do for me because I know they have been working over time to make my life better these last few months and open me up to what I truely can accomplish with my spiritual path and I am truly grateful.

Blessed Be everyone :fairy:
User avatar
Seraphin
Posts: 1903
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 11:17 pm
Gender: Male
Location: EUTM's dungeon, keeping a dragon egg in a pot over a fireplace!
Contact:

Re: The Baby Bear of Books

Post by Seraphin »

Hiya Babybear!

I missed your bear hug! Can you send me one please because that's exactly what I need now! Haha!!!

Anyway, I so love your honesty. I think you're a great woman so don't change who you are, just change by growing within yourself as we all must.

Good thing your cousin is very open-minded --and amazingly supportive, isn't she?! What an enormous blessing that right now, to find someone who will understand and accept you even she thinks you're wrong.

I'm also glad that you already made the decision to move out of your Grandma's place. I remember we had a discussion about you, having some trouble to get a "me time" in your grannies' place. At least now you can find a quiet place in your cousin's crib and go get some alone time.

Would be a real unfortunate thing, I think, to put your needs on hold for the next 20 years...

And I'm glad you're keeping us updated on what's going on with you. I know sometimes it helps just to write it all out, and definitely getting supportive feedback is a plus.
Seraphin

If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me.
User avatar
BabyBear
Posts: 636
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:44 am
Gender: Gender Fluid
Location: Waycross, GA
Contact:

Re: The Baby Bear of Books

Post by BabyBear »

*hugs* Thanks for the support Seraphin :D I love you guys so much and it dose indeed help to have the feedback. And I'll pm you now that your on more :P well and now that I am back.
User avatar
BabyBear
Posts: 636
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:44 am
Gender: Gender Fluid
Location: Waycross, GA
Contact:

Re: The Baby Bear of Books

Post by BabyBear »

Feb 21 2015

So its 100% official, I moved in with my cousin and I am getting the rest of my things on Thursday. I can't wait.
Life out in the open is just to good to have to go back and hide who I am when I go home to my Grama's like I use to.
No more worrying about leaving anything out, or her popping in the middle of meditations or spell work.
For example, my cousin, knowing I am pagan, asked me to help her find Easter and spring decorations for her house that would fit not just her beliefs but mine as well. It was so much fun :mrgreen: .
We got this door hanger that was a wired cross covered in moss and little spring flowers and covered in speckled eggs. I love it so much, and instead of these window gel decals she loves putting up that just say Easter, she got new ones of a forest scene with bunnies and a fox and a tree stump its so adorable. Also we got a few spike decorations of egg and rabbit ones, also as a compromise we got one wood spike decoration that says happy Easter for her and one for spring for me.
Ill post some pics once we get everything up smiley_dance .

I even think that my god and goddess blessed me with a gift for taking this major step and changing. The other day I was looking in the gift shop of the hospital my cousin works at and we saw these rings on display. I was all set on getting this blue opal ring and at the last second I was drawn to this blue ring,Ill post a pic of it at the end of this post ;), anyway i felt this warm feeling and fell in love with it as soon as I put it on my finger. Its made of Paua Shell or Sea Opal as some call it and I think they were giving me a sign and gift to help me with my new chapter on this journey we call life. It helps so much knowing and feeling the approval soul deep.

I guess the theme of this month has been HAPPYNESS cus I seem to have it in spades atm.

Blessed Be :fairy:

ps here is my ring https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/or ... 6901dd.jpg

pss I also would like to minchin that thanks to less stress and just being more myself in the month I've been here at my cousins I've already lost 12 lbs without even trying smiley_dance
User avatar
BabyBear
Posts: 636
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:44 am
Gender: Gender Fluid
Location: Waycross, GA
Contact:

Re: The Baby Bear of Books

Post by BabyBear »

MY LITTLE HAUL OF EPICNESS

Lol I just got some reallly cool things from my cousin to use in my practice and thought I would share the fun

These are the glass bottles...

Image
This is a blue glass heart bottle that corks... oh the possibilities lol

Image
This is just two glass bottles one is filled with this liquid and sealed with wax. Not sure what is in it just that it smells flowery and is to thick to be just flower water so *shrug*

Image
This is the last of the glass bottles she gave me but i love it :D

Now for candles and candle holders...

Image
She has a bunch of these with diffrent animal prints but gave me these two, I plan on using them for my Artemis altar every once and awhile cus wild animals duh lol

Image
This is a pink triangle candle I plan on using for self love meditations :D

Image
This is a pillar candle with dried apple slices and cinnamon bark. I plan on keeping it on my altar permanently cus i just love the smell and i tend to use cinnamon in a lot of my works.

Image
Alright last but not least is my new candle holder its a little lantern and reminds me of camping and night time I just love it.

Oh and the red table that I have stuff setting on is a mushroom table my uncle made for my cousin years ago. I love it and plan on using it as my altar table :D

Oh and I also got this old fossilized wooden costar to set things on i think im going to use it for my tea lights or to set my cauldron on not sure yet
User avatar
Seraphin
Posts: 1903
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 11:17 pm
Gender: Male
Location: EUTM's dungeon, keeping a dragon egg in a pot over a fireplace!
Contact:

Re: The Baby Bear of Books

Post by Seraphin »

THOSE. ARE. AWESOME!!!

The candle holder and the bottles are just... WOW!

I have bought and added nothing personally in my Craft tools last year, except an old mortar, which my 2-year old niece vandalized with crayon scribbles and broke. :)

I think this coming week, I'm going to do some shopping...
Seraphin

If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me.
User avatar
BabyBear
Posts: 636
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:44 am
Gender: Gender Fluid
Location: Waycross, GA
Contact:

Re: The Baby Bear of Books

Post by BabyBear »

@Seraphin lol Ik what you mean I've not had any true 'here you can use this for your practice' things in a very long time (mainly 'cus I had to hide my practice) but I am LOVEING being out and open and having a cousin who gives me stuff like this...

As for my update from the move:
I have to say I am more then happy the move is official :D ; I just wish it would have gone without all the drama to be honest. I've been off since late Thursday night when we finished getting my stuff from my grama's. To put it mildly my grama made it a big yell fest and called me all sorts of names; my cousin got really pissed over it and actually had to turn her yelling at me to her so I could quickly finish packing and that didn't go over so well. Lets just say shoving was involved a time or two and none of it was my cousin.
My cousin took me out to eat so that I could de-stress and get less anxious but as soon as I got home I passed out for 3 hrs >< and later sleeping from 7 am to 7pm. That was so draining guys you dont even know. I hate being an empath at times *sigh*.

Needless to say that was the down side of my moving out finally; but Its been worth it and I know the Gods approve and that's all that matters.

Other then that this week has been wonderful; I got my financial aid approved, my address changed, some other things changed over and I might have found weekly group to hang out with and make some friends down here *yay*. Now to just find a coven/group to hang out with and talk to about paganism/wicca.
User avatar
Seraphin
Posts: 1903
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 11:17 pm
Gender: Male
Location: EUTM's dungeon, keeping a dragon egg in a pot over a fireplace!
Contact:

Re: The Baby Bear of Books

Post by Seraphin »

Well my fiancee gave me a ritual wand last year as her Valentine's gift. But as you said, I haven't bought personally any stuff that I can use for practice.

I'd been also so negligent with my craft tools last year: my cat broke my cauldron because I just left it on our table, my niece cracked my mortar because I left it somewhere... dunno exactly where, I lost a lot of things including some stones, bottles and poppets -- which I think quite understandable because 2014 had been particularly difficult for me; between situational upsets and some significant spiritual growth... 'roller coaster' is an apt description of my life last year.

And that is such good news! I'm just so happy for you that your move is officially done! Now you have the opportunity to rediscover your self and explore all the things that are good inside of you -- without the negative looks, and talks and feedbacks from conservative folks.
Seraphin

If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me.
User avatar
BabyBear
Posts: 636
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:44 am
Gender: Gender Fluid
Location: Waycross, GA
Contact:

Re: The Baby Bear of Books

Post by BabyBear »

:D yep YAY for finally being finished lol
And I think this year for you will be better, idk its just a feeling lol then again we all need our 'roller coaster' years in between the 'river boat' ones lol
User avatar
BabyBear
Posts: 636
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:44 am
Gender: Gender Fluid
Location: Waycross, GA
Contact:

Re: The Baby Bear of Books

Post by BabyBear »

As per request here are my past lives that i remember how i remember them (obv there are pieces im not going to tell you but anyway lol)

My Past Lives

I think it was 1940s and I was 13 or 14. :
Me and this girl are sitting in this tub (one of those old metal tubs you use to bring out into the kitchen to wash up in pic down below). We were both wearing overalls and the tub was filled with water. It was outside in the middle of the backyard by the garden and it was hot as all get out. Me and her had just meet; she had just moved in down the road and we were getting around to becoming friends cus back in those days it was rare to have someone to play with your own age.
Anyway we were laughing and giggling and becoming fast friends just chilling in the water cooling off.
Fast-forward and its later in the summer, me and her realize we have more then friendship we are attracted to each other and end up, after giggling and play fighting out by the creek in the forest by the farm fields my dad owns we end up kissing. We end up sneaking off to make out a lot that summer. Fast-forward, its almost fall, we are out in the bath tub again chilling in the water and talking we end up getting out and about to head in we sneak a kiss or so we thought only to have her mom and mine come out from around the house why we were making out. My mom drops her lemonade pitcher and both of them gasp as me and her jump apart and stair at the open mouth embarrassed and just as my mom and her was about to yell at us we turn tail and run into the forest hearing them rant and rave behind us.

And there you go my very simplified memories from my last life before this one *blush* Its my coming to terms with myself summer and i guess was important for me to remember since i just recently came-out not to long ago I dreamt/remembered this Dec 28 of 2014

Image

As for the Asian one this one actually I've known for awhile.
the memories are always the same and just bits and pieces and have no ideal what erra it is to be honest:


The first memory is that I am high birth, granted not the highest but pretty high. I am outside in the moonlight practicing with my sword even though its not common for women to learn it hence why I am doing it at night. I'm in the garden in the middle of the house (again pic at the bottom of kinda what it looked like but mine was bigger and had grass and a small pond with coy fish and a sakura tree). The moonlight was shining down on me and I took a moment after finishing my movements/katas to pause and look at the moon and asking for her guidance with the issues that have been going on in my fathers lands (I knew my father was a bad land owner and not a very good man). I hear foot steps and turn to see my father coming up the walkway to my right and he lectures me for being up so late.

The next memory is my fathers house being over taken by others, and people being killed. I grab my sword and fight as best I can but end up getting captured. I don't remember much of this its just flashes like rope on my hands and arrows here and there, some yelling. I also remember blood and knowing that my father has been killed.

Next memory is this samurai coming to my aid weeks later, he saves me and the last memory of the whole thing me waking up and going out to search the area coming across him standing outside the house he took me too, its mid afternoon and hes standing on this cliff area overlooking the ocean with a flower in his hand and he looks at if almost like hes letting something go or praying and he releases it over the cliff area into the ocean.

So those are my two past lives, I have a thing for remembering vivid odd details more so thoughts then the whole memory lol ><

Image

a sketch i did awhile back of the last part of the memory
Image


anyway any ?s feel free to ask :P Cus i have no ideal what people would want to know ><
User avatar
Seraphin
Posts: 1903
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 11:17 pm
Gender: Male
Location: EUTM's dungeon, keeping a dragon egg in a pot over a fireplace!
Contact:

Re: The Baby Bear of Books

Post by Seraphin »

I enjoyed reading about your pastlife memories! WONDERFUL!

Did you meditate on this, have a past life regression, or just feel it?

I'm pretty sure I've already posted about my own past life recollections (some of them, anyway), so I won't repeat them here.
Seraphin

If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me.
User avatar
BabyBear
Posts: 636
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:44 am
Gender: Gender Fluid
Location: Waycross, GA
Contact:

Re: The Baby Bear of Books

Post by BabyBear »

lol its hard to say to be honest, for me most of my things come from dreams; they are almost like a movie in my sleep. i get the whole story in just simple flashes here and there.

For example my ability to guess the cards in our card game I KNOW that the dream i am having is for that single act, where as other times I know its warning me about the future in general, or its a recollection of the past or Its a dream of me talking to Artemis or my Guides. Dreams are just were most of my abilities are lol.

I think it helps that when I wake up from a dream I literally get bombarded with more to the memories/warning then just the dream itself, almost like that's what i needed to awaken the memory/warning and now that its awaken I can further remember.
For example, this isnt one of my past life dreams it was a warning about the future but in this dream I have a whole back story to it that i just KNEW but the dream itself started way later and included way less details then I ended up putting into it after waking up. The July 25 one. http://everythingunderthemoon.net/forum ... ml#p203409

I don't usually clam the memories though at least not until I've meditated on it later or finally feel 100% that that is what happened. It helps when your little and have this happen to you like my Asian one because you can verify that you have no ideal about any of the things in your dream never even heard of half of it but you look it up and there it is facts you had no ideal existed ><.
User avatar
BabyBear
Posts: 636
Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:44 am
Gender: Gender Fluid
Location: Waycross, GA
Contact:

Re: The Baby Bear of Books

Post by BabyBear »

Oh and link me to those post i want to read :D
Post Reply

Return to “Members' Personal Blogs”