What led you to be a pagan? If you were raised as such, how do you feel your experience differed from that of others around you? If you became pagan when you were older, how do you feel it has affected your life?
Also, what specifically are your beliefs? What gods or goddesses do you worship, revere, etc... ? Did anything affect your decision to follow them specifically?
The dwarves of yore made mighty spells, While hammers fell like ringing bells In places deep, where dark things sleep, In hollow halls beneath the fells.
For ancient king and elvish lord There many a gloaming golden hoard They shaped and wrought, and light they caught To hide in gems on hilt of sword. - J.R.R. Tolkien
Hey, Yavanna, fancy seeing you here! I was attracted to Paganism as a small child because of it's acceptance of kinship with all other living things. Mostly, the stories of creation or of gods were understood as myths. Being accepted as myths, they were used to teach about human nature, life and death. There didn't seem to be any immediate conflict with reality or science, and personal experience was accepted as just that, personal. Belief was based on who or what called to the individual or where you felt you fit in. Some believe literally, I suppose, but they don't seem to insist on everyone believing or being destroyed by an angry, jealous god.
The theory that energy and matter are kept in balance, that energy can not be destroyed, only transformed, is not in contradiction to what science tells us. Paganism seems to have elements of many science fields, biology, geology, astronomy, archeology, physics, etc.
I don't have rituals for the gods, but I am fond of Demeter because I can identify with her story on a personal level. Whether she is real in a literal sense, I don't know that, but I do know her story is real in a way that is terribly human, with love, betrayal, despair, hope, restoral, joy and learning to let go. We learn these things over and over again in our lives, just like going through the seasons. And the seasons become the stages of our lives. And so it goes...
I'm known to pop in just about anywhere on bnet. You know me, I love to learn.
Thank you very much for sharing. I always found mythology fascinating as a child and growing up did nothing to change that. The personal impact and moral value of such old stories and beliefs is extremely valuable.
Do you have anything along the lines of fellowship with like-minded people?
The dwarves of yore made mighty spells, While hammers fell like ringing bells In places deep, where dark things sleep, In hollow halls beneath the fells.
For ancient king and elvish lord There many a gloaming golden hoard They shaped and wrought, and light they caught To hide in gems on hilt of sword. - J.R.R. Tolkien
Hey, Yavanna, fancy seeing you here! I was attracted to Paganism as a small child because of it's acceptance of kinship with all other living things. Mostly, the stories of creation or of gods were understood as myths. Being accepted as myths, they were used to teach about human nature, life and death. There didn't seem to be any immediate conflict with reality or science, and personal experience was accepted as just that, personal. Belief was based on who or what called to the individual or where you felt you fit in. Some believe literally, I suppose, but they don't seem to insist on everyone believing or being destroyed by an angry, jealous god.
The theory that energy and matter are kept in balance, that energy can not be destroyed, only transformed, is not in contradiction to what science tells us. Paganism seems to have elements of many science fields, biology, geology, astronomy, archeology, physics, etc.
I don't have rituals for the gods, but I am fond of Demeter because I can identify with her story on a personal level. Whether she is real in a literal sense, I don't know that, but I do know her story is real in a way that is terribly human, with love, betrayal, despair, hope, restoral, joy and learning to let go. We learn these things over and over again in our lives, just like going through the seasons. And the seasons become the stages of our lives. And so it goes...
Your post is an excellent explaination of logos/mythos.
C.H.
No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.
It's just natural! Belief-O-Matic™ says I'd make a lousy Jehovah's Witness.
Meaning that you'd do poorly at it?
Belief-O-Matic always nails me correctly at 100% so I'm usually fairly pleased with it. Now, some of the others in the top ten...
To repeat my question though, does anyone have anything akin to fellowship? A gathering of local pagans for social and/or spiritual purposes?
The dwarves of yore made mighty spells, While hammers fell like ringing bells In places deep, where dark things sleep, In hollow halls beneath the fells.
For ancient king and elvish lord There many a gloaming golden hoard They shaped and wrought, and light they caught To hide in gems on hilt of sword. - J.R.R. Tolkien
... and? What do you discuss? Do? Why do you get together?
The dwarves of yore made mighty spells, While hammers fell like ringing bells In places deep, where dark things sleep, In hollow halls beneath the fells.
For ancient king and elvish lord There many a gloaming golden hoard They shaped and wrought, and light they caught To hide in gems on hilt of sword. - J.R.R. Tolkien
