HOORAY! Pagans and Witches...CHECK IN!!!

[Behind the Aegis]

We now have a pagan group! Thanks to everyone who helped me out!!!

ON EDIT: Please feel free to start another thread (I know you don't need my permission, I just want to encourage it! :))!!!! I am very happy right now!!!

[Walt Starr]

1. Checking in!!!!

I was High Priest of a coven in Cheyenne Wyoming while also being a volunteer minister for the Wyoming State Penitentiary.

:hi:

[Behind the Aegis]

6. Very cool!

I can't wait to hear some of your insights. I think this will be a fun group as pagans are so varied! It will be interesting to see what types wander on in here! :)

Brightest Blessings!

[eleny]

2. Congratulations!

I had no idea you had an effort going. I'll be looking in from time to time. Way to go!

[Chovexani]

3. Cool!

Conscious Pagan going on six years now. :hi:

[Behind the Aegis]

4. I am so excited!!!

I can't wait til this group takes off. I think there will be a small core group, but that will allow us to get to know one another better! I was so happy when I got the email!!! YEA!!!

[LibertyLover]

5. Pagan group

Just checking in - a proud Wiccan Democrat from Annapolis, MD. This should be an interesting group.

[Starlight]

7. Hi!

:hi:

[pantouflard]

8. Hello all - I'm new to ancient wisdom, & new to DU!

I'm very happy to have this resource, especially since I'm still learning and exploring. I will definitely check in from time to time.

Thank you, and blessings!

[Behind the Aegis]

9. Merry Meet!

Welcome, welcome! Glad you are here in the room and at DU. I hope you enjoy!

Brightest Blessings!

[PhuLoi]

10. Excellent! I wasn't aware this group was in the making.

Mutual support is a fine thing.

[Beaverhausen]

11. Merry meet

Thanks for this group. I have been out of practice with my spirituality and hopefully this group might get me back in touch with it.

I have been studying wicca/pagan since 1997. When I found the path I knew I had found my home.

[CornField]

12. Yeah! I was hoping a group like this would form.

I've been practicing North American Shamanism for three years now. Good to see everyone!

[NMDemDist2]

13. well done BtA

this will be an interesting group, I look forward to learning more

[Behind the Aegis]

27. Thanks!

But kudos are to you too! You helped me reformat a usable mission. I appreciate the help!

[toddaa]

14. Can Ancient Wisdom include Taoism?

Or is this group strictly for Western pagans? I hate to barge in on you guys, but as a Tao Pantheist I find pagans to be the closest match to my own path.

[flamingyouth]

16. I've actually been interested in starting an eastern spirituality group

That would cover, yoga, Taoism, Buddhism, meditation, etc. :hi:

[Chovexani]

26. I am heavily influenced by Taoism and Eastern beliefs

Due to much martial arts study (Qi Gong and similar "soft" styles) I also feel affinity with Taoism and the Eastern beliefs...they are not as different from Western beliefs as people might think!

Looking forward to sharing some great stuff with you. :hi:

[Behind the Aegis]

28. YES! Taoists are most welcome!

Ancient wisdoms of ALL types are welcome!!! I can't wait to see what you bring to the mix!

Brightest Blessings!

[Is It Fascism Yet]

48. Yep, you are one of us, all right.

[flamingyouth]

15. Merry Meet all!

I'm a solitary Dianic witch who's been practicing since I was a senior in high school. I was influenced by the Nordic traditions my Swedish grandparents kept. Then I read "The Spiral Dance" by Starhawk and "The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries" by Z Budapest.

I've gone to a few public rituals in the Seattle area, but mostly I practice alone or with one of my good friends, who lives in Portland.

I'm really glad we have this group, and I'm honored to be one of the moderators (not that you'll need it, I'm sure). :D

[Kool Kitty]

18. I, too, am a solitary and

I have been most influenced by Starhawk's and Z's books. I am so glad to see this group! Greetings, all.

[PhuLoi]

25. Greetings from my wife and I here in Burien, flamingyouth.

We have considered on several occasions attending one of the rituals in the Seattle area. My wife (50) is more nearly a solitary Wiccan than I (53). I tend more toward the Celtic by nature (no pun intended), but intellectually I am drawn to Indo-European paganism.
It is good to have you here.

[yardwork]

17. Oh this is just great! I thought maybe we weren't going to get our group!

[Behind the Aegis]

19. YEA! Look at all the pagans!

It looks like we will cover the gamut! I am very excited (and yes, Taoism, etc. DO count as Ancient Wisdom! So, welcome!)!

Considering the horrible events of Nov. 2nd, this is a big thing for me! :) I am glad others are as excited as I am!

Brightest Blessings!

[LeftCoast]

20. So this is where all my witchy brothers and sisters have gone to!

I wondered where'd you all been!

:)

Edited to add :hugs: all around. :D

[NamVetsWeeLass]

21. YAY.......

A group for us!!!! I am trying to recruit some more friends of mine that are witches and democrats to join DU. This group will help.

[Jackpine Radical]

22. Wow, I'm glad I found you.

I'm sort of a pagan/Buddhist type.

And BTW, I consider Buddhism an outgrowth of Indo-European paganism on historical grounds.

The old paganism split into eastern & western groups with the migratins of the I-E peoples. The western tradition gave rise to the Greco-Roman pantheon & the nordic pantheon. The eastern tradition became Hinduism. In the oldest forms of Hinduism you can find the equivalents of the Greco-Roman-nordic gods, etc. Buddhism grew out of Hinduism, a sort of stripped-down modernization.

[kimchi]

23. Present!

I'm an eclectic Pagan currently in a Priestess program. Not sure if I can be ordained this year but I'm going to try to get everything finished. My Priestess project is due on Yule; I'm giving a presentation on the chakras.

Busy, busy time of the year; I've set myself up for failure by vowing to craft my Yule gifts. Dork girl!:spank:

[yardwork]

24. I'm a newly conscious Pagan checking in

and I'm so happy that DU gave us this room!

I'm a heterosexual woman in my mid-forties, married, with two children. I became a conscious Pagan a few months ago. My parents considered themselves to be Pagans but they did not belong to any formal group or movement. They just lived with a strong awareness of the changing seasons, the earth, and natural cycles.

My parents always observed the solstices and equinoxes, along with our family's celebration of Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. Neither of my parents belonged to any church, but I was exposed to the high Episcopal Church in my town, and I joined it and asked to be baptized when I was 16.

It has been many years since I was active in a Christian church. I was frustrated with their baby steps in the direction of parity for women and GLBT. It just wasn't the right place for me but I felt guilty not belonging to some church. I live in the south and the pressure to belong to church and send the kids to vacation bible school is strong. My husband is an agnostic who has no interest in church whatsoever.

Since I discovered the movements that call themselves Paganism and Wicca, I feel that I have discovered my spiritual kin. I've felt this way about things all my life. I didn't know that other people did, too. It's wonderful. It almost makes up for the stupid election.

I no longer feel guilty for not going to church. I also feel no obligation or requirement to join a coven or engage in group activities. The instinct that I had all my life, which is that I am closest to the Mother and Father who are the One when I simply stop and focus on the natural world, turns out to be absolutely right.

I am gathering materials for an altar but already I can tell that formal rituals are not going to be as important to me as meditation and conscious awareness of the Mother and Father.

I'm looking forward to learning more about the various Pagan and Wiccan paths, including eastern paths.

[Behind the Aegis]

29. glad you are with us

I found my way years ago but I am not always good about "following" it. The one thing I really like about being a pagan, is it allows one to take time to understand the way and not make you feel rushed. I look forward to some fun times on this forum!

[yardwork]

32. Thank you for welcoming me!

I am grateful to the admins and mods of DU for giving us these special rooms. It helps get through these difficult times.

[Is It Fascism Yet]

49. many pagans and witches are solitary, organization is not a requirement

Many are solitary, as your parents were, but their traditional festivals are just as important and powerful. You don't have to feel guilty about not going to church! You are in church everytime you deeply breath in a breeze, or view the ocean, the sky, or walk in a forest. Pity for people who only pray in church.

[MountainLaurel]

30. Howdy all

Earth-based practitioner in our nation's capital here. Grew up attending a fundamentalist Baptist church (hae no idea why -- my parents didn't attend and we weren't particularly religious; with my anxiety issues, I think I was too afraid of hell to stop), dropped out in college, read A God Who Looks Like Me and then When God Was a Woman when I was about 24, which completely did me in.

[silverweb]

31. Bright blessings!

So nice to see everyone here.

:)

[knight_of_the_star]

33. Merry Meet!

Good to see a bunch of like-minded pagan folks on here!

[GraphicQueen]

34. Merry Meet All

I live in New Mexico and have been a Pagan most of my life, but didn't really have any real understanding of it until in the '70s. I don't practice anything like Wicca specifically but try to live a Pagan life as best as I can.

This is a graphic I made a few months ago. I love doing graphics as my name implies. I would love any and all criticism.

[Beaverhausen]

51. That is beautiful! Do you have a website?

I would love to see more!

Blessings.

[Behind the Aegis]

52. BEAUTIFUL!

I would love to see more...actually, I would love to know how to do that on my own. I have a fertile imagination. How do I learn to do something like this? Your artwork is beautiful!

[Hekate]

35. Is this where we get to figure out what the "pagan agenda" is?

So we can really scare the bejesus out of Bob Jones, Falwell, et al? ;)

This looks like it's going to be fun. Nice to see you all -- if we make each other smile maybe we can banish those post-election blues and this forum will indeed be a merry meet. :party: :party: :party:

Hekate
:grouphug:

[Behind the Aegis]

36. Special hello!

I have never seen you post! I would have remembered! I follow a Hellenistic path, so Hekate is VERY important to me!

Yes, this is the very forum where the pagans shall rise like the tide to wash clean the Earth of those who destroy Her! Well, not really...just a place for other pagans to hang out! :)

However, I think it would be very interesting to develop a pagan group on a larger scale. I said in another post, perhaps a national "coven" of sorts. One where we, pagans, gain some political power to push back the tide of oppression!

Again, welcome here! All three of your faces are welcome here! :)

Brightest Blessings!

[toddaa]

37. Pagan agenda?

Show of hands: How many people here know what a Discordian is?

[Behind the Aegis]

38. Not sure

But there is a website at Discordia. Care to explain? Oh, BTW, thanks for the Taoist book recommendations on the other thread!

[toddaa]

40. Hail Eris!

The Principia Discordia online at http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~tilt/principia/.

FNORD!

[Behind the Aegis]

43. very interesting!

I have looked over bits of the site. Some of it is very funny! I am very familiar with Eris as I follow the Greek path. I will continue to read more! thanks for the 'heads-up!'

BB!

[frictionlessO]

39. Not only do I know what a Discordian is, I know how to make the

juice!! Hmm maybe I should back off that remark Im more of a neo-discordian (funny right), of the Grouple Dome variety.

Pagan/Taoist/bull cult, right here! I like everyone else checkin' in am very very happy to see this group here. Was a decisive factor on me joining and donating to DU.

I've been involved on this path since '90 and have never looked back. I make didgeridoos and am fairly active at Starwood. Hope I might meet some of you at a festival someday next Summer!

[Hekate]

44. I think my brother can play the polka on his Discordian...

;-)
One of the traits that distinguish (most) pagans from x-treme fundies is our sense of humor.
Hekate

[CarbonDate]

72. I imagine it would have something to do with....

...religious liberty, gender equality, and environmental protection. I could be wrong, though.

[indigo11153]

41. Best wishes

For your new group, Behind the Ageis.
I ran and got a star to vote for your group.
I don't know a lot about pagans or witches but I want to learn more.
Glad you are here :hi:

[Cerridwen]

42. Congratulations on getting this group put together.

And, checking in.

My current spiritual system doesn't categorize well. A little "new age" a little ancient Celtic, smudging from Native American, candle and color magicks from Wicca, affinity for many things Egyptian, astrology, tarot, women's spirituality, probably some others that didn't pop right into my head.

I'm not sure if that makes me eclectic or A.D.D.

:hi:

[LeftyMom]

76. Wow...

I thought I was the only one that mixed elements from almost everything!

Celtic, Egyptian, Greek, Hindu, Japanese, Native American, et. al. ..Throw it all in a cauldron and stir well with a broom...add a dash of druidism (and some chaos magick in the form of literary references) and let steep under the light of a full moon for a year and a day.

That pretty well sums up my personal style.
Glad this forum is here!

Leftydad

[depakid]

45. Count me in-

More of a pantheist, really, on the line of Spinoza, et al.

[toddaa]

46. We're all pantheists

Pantheism is as ancient as you can get.

[Is It Fascism Yet]

47. So happy to be among you

Merry meet my friends! I have been a witch for thousands of years, through many lifetimes. In this lifetime I have enjoyed association with some southern california covens, but have been solitary for the last 20 years. Thank you for starting this thread! Bright blessings.

[Is It Fascism Yet]

50. Authorities take woman's children away because she is pagan!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=263&topic_id=179&mesg_id=278&page=

[CelticWinter]

53. Its nice to know

that there is a place to come to and share ideas.
:hi:

Blessings
~~Celtic

[Der Blaue Engel]

54. Solitary practitioner in San Francisco since 1989

I, too, first came to the craft via Starhawk and Z Budapest. (And have been privileged to attend a few events with them both...living in the Bay Area is great!) Currently drawn to Egyptian and Hindu pantheons.

I have a tiny little gothic-pagan webstore if anyone's curious. :)

www.innergoth.com

[Is It Fascism Yet]

55. Yeah? Cool!

How is Z? I used to circle with Z in the seventies. Is she still beloved of Helen?

[Der Blaue Engel]

58. The spiral dance I attended with Z was back in '91

I didn't really get a chance to talk with her much, but I know she has (or at least had two or three years ago) a website (and of course I can't remember the link right now) with a personal mailing list and forum. Talked to her a bit on that, but again, didn't get to know her personally, so I'm not sure. :)

[Withywindle]

56. Newbie checking in

:hi:

Merry meet!


Pagan since the late-80s; initiated in a tradition sort of Neo-Gardnerian with some Reclaiming influence. Now solitary eclectic but works a bit with a Reclaiming group here.

So great to have a Pagan group here! I find my faith inextricable from my politics.

[Is It Fascism Yet]

59. Merry meet!

Nice to meet you Withy!

[BamaGirl]

57. Can I barge in?

And mostly lurk, I'm sure lol. :D I've been back and forth between wicca and Christianity for years. I think the ties I felt to Christianity have finally broken for good this year. I'm going to spend some time studying NA this year. My grandmother is Cherokee and I find that I have a new need to explore their beliefs. (If anyone has a link in that direction, I'd sure appreciate it!)

[Is It Fascism Yet]

60. ah hum ha! You'd be perfect

for Raymond Buckland books. He is a very well versed high magician and wiccan priest. His books explain many rituals and principals of candle magick. I think he explains each ritural with a pagan and a christian translation. Pretty cool, for you folks with a foot in each paradigm, huh?

[H3Dakota]

65. {{{BamaGirl}}}

Sweet!!! - something else we can talk about... ;) I knew I liked your energy. he-he-he

[BamaGirl]

66. Hey girl!

Lmao...how'd you know it's me lol? Did I post my username at the other place lol? I'm having major computer issues and it won't come up for me over there. x( I'm having fitness board withdrawals lol. How are you doing?

[solinvictus]

61. 93!

I'm a Gnostic who's into Thelema and ritual magick.

[sans qualia]

62. Whoa, I didn't know they had Thelemites in Alabama

;) Love is the law, love under will.

I'm a chaos magician who's heavily influenced by Thelema and unusually fond of a certain Sumerian water god.

[solinvictus]

63. "They" don't know it..

Probably. I only knew of one other a decade ago and he was planning to move away. It's hard as hell to bite your tongue and cope here.

[davsand]

64. I almost changed my Screen name to Hathor, but opted not to.

That was before I spotted this group... How wonderful to see you all here! I'm looking forward to learning from all of you.

I have been a kitchen witch for almost 20 years. I remember buying my first book on numerology when I was about twelve or thirteen. It was an awakening that has never stopped in all the years since. I hope it never does!

Merry meet, and brightest blessings to you all!


Laura

[LiberalEsto]

67. Better late than never

but here I am and merry meet, everyone!

I've been involved in wicca for 30 years in both the Celtic and Dianic traditions. I'm also exploring my pagan roots -- my grandfather in Estonia belonged to a religious movement that revived old local traditions of worshiping nature spirits in groves of trees. Estonia was one of the last countries in Europe to be (forcibly) Christianized, and still has a strong pagan tradition of its own despite decades of Communist rule. My family also has a tradition of practicing herbal healing -- something I found out two years ago when visiting relatives there for the first time.

[Chalco]

68. I need to ask a stupid question

What is the difference between wicca and pagan?

[Chovexani]

69. There are no stupid questions

Just stupid people (Freepers). :evilgrin:

Seriously, Paganism is an umbrella term which encompasses a lot of different kinds of spiritualities: Wicca, Asatru, Reconstructionism, Kemetic Orthodoxy (though they probably wouldn't call themselves Pagans), etc. Wicca is a specific term referring to the religion cobbled together in 1950s Britain by Gerald Gardner and other folks. All Wiccans are Pagans, but not all Pagans are Wiccans (though many are, merely because Wicca is the form of Paganism people are most familiar with).

It's sort of like how all Methodists are Christians, but not all Christians are Methodists.

[nickinSTL]

77. checking in...

one of the few Asatru around, apparently.

(maybe better defined as a liberal Heathen)

[Silver Gaia]

70. Just checking in...

Greetings all! Long-time Pagan here... will try to post more when I have more time. I'm glad to know this part of DU now exists.

[CarbonDate]

71. Hoo-ah

Glad to find this group.

[denese]

73. I can hardly believe it

A little pagan corner of the world here at my favorite place on the web, aahhh, life is good!
I'm what one of my dearest friends calls 'spiritual eclectic"
A little of this, a pinch of that, whatever works.
So happy I found you guys.
denese

[Athame]

74. Merry Meet all!

I have been offline for a while and just catching up. Longtime Moon Mama in California. UU Pantheist, really. Looking forward to the good times with this great circle! :grouphug:

And blessings to you, Behind the Ageis, for getting this going. :thumbsup:

[Coventina]

75. Well, gosh....better late than never I guess....

Merry meet all!

I had no idea we had a pagan group here.

I'm Christo-pagan myself.
Sometimes describe it as being a "Quaker Witch".
I also have strong affinities to Buddhism.
:hi: