Witches Weekly--Updated July 15th, seriously. -- old topic

[maenad nuri]

November 1st 2006

Who has been a spiritual mentor for you during your path? If you do not have one (or even if you do), what motivates you to stay on your spiritual path?


My Answers:

My family is intensely religious. Yes, they are Catholic, but I learned good habits from them. Being just the right amount of open-minded, a healthy attitude towards reading and research, and how to devote yourself permeated my early life.

As I began to study paganism, the people who shoved me off my fluffy roots were on a diary site I used to write on. One was another BTW dedicant, although I think he left, but I do believe he has stayed Wiccan. One of those special cases. The other was a flaky and drama-filled, but militantly researched UU/Asatru woman. Let's just say I got my butt kicked more than a few times.

I was self-directed after that, with various people coming in and out. I am lucky now to have met the people who inspire my faith, and some day I want to meet those from the Hellenic side. As much as Kyrene (or however she wants to be known now) doesn't see herself as a leader, she inspires me, as a person who gets things done.  

[TeaDidikai]

Nuri

November 1st 2006

Who has been a spiritual mentor for you during your path? If you do not have one (or even if you do), what motivates you to stay on your spiritual path?

My family for the most part. My Baba taught me as much as she could before she left. My Nana continues to poke at me about some of my skills. My Bibi Robin has threatened (and continues to do so when I need it) to fly over and kick my arse if I ********- my deities- who have kicked my arse when they felt I needed it (or it amused them to do so)  

[TheDisreputableDog]

Nuri

New Question!

Describe your preferred symbol of spirituality (pentacle, celtic cross, triquerta, etc). Explain what it means to you.

I'll get to the newest one eventually...I just realized what this one was so I thought I'd answer it first.


The flaming chalice of Unitarian Universalism.

I grew up with this symbol and the actual lit chalice it represents. Church was always a safe place for me, and I learned many important lessons there and important lessons from my parents were supplemented and vice versa. I've had a hard time getting back to church as a young adult because I'm trying to get school under wraps before i have the time/energy/brain-power to do other things as well, so at the moment it's mostly nostalgic, but I still try to live by the values it represents to me.  

[MoonJeli]

Who has been a spiritual mentor for you during your path? If you do not have one (or even if you do), what motivates you to stay on your spiritual path?

My mother (animist and pantheist) and father (agnostic, but with a great reverence and awe of the universe and science, which he passed on to me). Since then I have had few spiritual mentors. Even in the Christian church (which I belonged to for a year or so) I felt the youth leaders were not serious enough, and kind of silly and -- well, fluffy. I followed the messages I got even though the messengers didn't always seem to.

For anything more specific, I don't have a spiritual mentor, and that is one reason why I am currently without a specific path, and seeking. To find a mentor I could trust and who is practical, intent and serious is a major goal of mine.  

[Aya Azura]

Who has been a spiritual mentor for you during your path? If you do not have one (or even if you do), what motivates you to say on your spiritual path?

My great friend Mike, who lent me books, and lent his ears for A LOT of discussions and debates. Yemaya, my matron, whom I talk to when I feel sort of wobbly, and going down the wrong path. My mom, who is a Catholic, (and paranoid, I'm not kidding, it's true), but she is religiously insightful, and has great morals. Karen, my spiritual mother, and favorite librarian, who told me to listen to myself for choices. I think the person who teaches me a lot though, is me. I don't mean that in a conceited way, but in a this yea, I've learned so much about me, and what I am capable of, which brings up both new, and old doubts, but because of this change I went through, I feel I can disect, and get over the doubts in a new and better way.  

[Boadicia]

Who has been a spiritual mentor for you during your path? If you do not have one (or even if you do), what motivates you to say on your spiritual path?

Even though she is Christian, I admire Silvia Browne because of her belief in the Goddess. (Even today, I'm sure many Christians would consider her a heretic.) Also, I receive encouragement and counciling from a Gardnerian High Priestess I exchange e-mails with.  

[Boadicia]

What do you find most annoying about the Pagan Community?

How easily so many Pagans think all Christians are out for our heads. Many Christians are open-minded and support our religious rights.

Are there any specific symbols that are sacred to you or that you hold close to you?

I like the Ouroboros.

What's one thing that you think the Pagan Community needs?

To remember that even though there are many types of Pagans, we're all in the same boat. We need to learn to respect others just as much as we demand their respect.  

[Skrae]

What do you find most annoying about the Pagan Community?
It really doesn't exist where I live.....and that the few who are refuse to speak to you for fear of losing their jobs and such the like. Or they automatically assume all you want to know about is those...love charms.....


Are there any specific symbols that are sacred to you or that you hold close to you?
Thunderbird, Bast, and the wolf.

What's one thing that you think the Pagan Community needs?
More courage to teach and educate even through severe criticism in untouched areas. Most of the people where I grew up regard pagans as anathema. It would be extremely difficult for one to be open about their religion, but they would be rewarded with several serious students.  

[Dema]

November 1st 2006

Who has been a spiritual mentor for you during your path? If you do not have one (or even if you do), what motivates you to say on your spiritual path?



My best friend who is an Asatruan Priest and Necromancer is my mentor. I just fairly recently found a path that I'm pretty sure I'll be following and that is Egyptian Pagan. Its tough right now because Elexi and I can't see eachother very often but we make due. And I'm motivated to stay on this path because I've been interested and drawn to Egyptian stuff for at least all through HS and most likely before that.  

[Dema]

What do you find most annoying about the Pagan Community?
All the misinformation and "fluff" books out there. Like "How to turn your ex-b/f into a toad" and "101 love potions for the teen witch" *rolls eyes*


Are there any specific symbols that are sacred to you or that you hold close to you?
Ankh(sp?), pentacle, scarab

What's one thing that you think the Pagan Community needs?
Either more positive "advertisement" or less "advertisement" in general. Because we either get people flocking to Paganism for the "glamor" of it or people being bigoted about it because of all the negative media out there.  

[ShadowSharrow]

What do you find most annoying about the Pagan Community?

The lack of community, you are not a community until you learn to be
inclusive and tend to the needs of your young, your elderly and your sick.
Pagan community has to inculde responsiblity and is not about geting wasted and getting laid and behaving like a pack of feral cats.


Are there any specific symbols that are sacred to you or that you hold close to you? Yes serveral but none that I am willing to share here, sorry.

What's one thing that you think the Pagan Community needs?

To stop trying to be so big and bad and outragous and to relearn some of the simple joys of life. Really at time there seem to be no middle ground between those who's only intrest is dogma and those who's only intrest is 'dogging'.

Who has been a spiritual mentor for you during your path? If you do not have one (or even if you do), what motivates you to say on your spiritual path?

My Patron Diety, we are both bitches and argue a lot.  

[ILuvEire]

You know, they have something like this going on at witchesqanda.blogspot.com

What do you find most annoying about the Pagan Community?

The fact that there IS no community! I have to work my butt off to get to any tipe of pagan event going, and there are so many people who are all "PAGAN PRIDE" on line, but at home they are not...I know some people can't help it, but that's why we have such a presence online, but not in the real world.


Are there any specific symbols that are sacred to you or that you hold close to you?
Mainly, the celtic cross, and the tiple spiral. The triquetra looks cool but it reall has no spiritual importance to me.

What's one thing that you think the Pagan Community needs?

Less of the uninformed, less of the fluffies. Some people complain about the Occult shops stocking things that no respectable pagan would want to use, but there are so few respectable pagans around that the only way they can make money is with that useless crap.

Who has been a spiritual mentor for you during your path? If you do not have one (or even if you do), what motivates you to say on your spiritual path?

My mom was my big spiritual mentor. in our town there was a giant statue of "St." Brigit, that I could sit under and pray, and other stuff and I actually got a response back which has taught me a lot. Nothing really needes to motivate me on my spiritual path...I just stay on it my self...lol  

[TheDisreputableDog]

Nuri

November 1st 2006

Who has been a spiritual mentor for you during your path? If you do not have one (or even if you do), what motivates you to stay on your spiritual path?

I don't think I have a spiritual mentor. The thoughts of many people in this guild have spurred me onward or forced me to think myself many a time, but I'm not sure I would qualify that as any "spiritual mentor" type thing.

As for what motivates me to stay on my spiritual path... Curiosity, I enjoy it, it seems fulfilling as far as I've gotten, my budding relationships with gods...  

[maenad nuri]

What deity has the most influence in your life? Do you not pray to a specific deity? If so, explain your beliefs.  

[TeaDidikai]

Nuri

What deity has the most influence in your life? Do you not pray to a specific deity? If so, explain your beliefs.

My namesake.

For one, I'm named after her.
She has me quite perplexed.

Her mythology crosses so many cultural lines I cannot begin to rationalize it. Unlike so many other gods which have mere surface ties to others in other cultures- the myths and legends around her are only about her.

She was a Leader of her People.
She was a Saint.
She was a scion of Yeshua.
She was a Harlot.
She was a Goddess.
She was an Avatar of a Goddess.
She was a woman.

Is it any wonder that she is a Mystery to me?
And is it any wonder that that mystery has my thoughts tangled like the hair of the woman standing on the beach, surf to her ankles looking out at the sea?