Welcome to the Rehab Center

[Labhraisin]

Hello.

I'm new. 3nodding
I am not pagan, but I love learning about various pagan religions. I'm not sure why I'm so into them, I just am. I like hanging around the M&R and reading in the threads there. Perhaps occasionally posting, too, but I'm a bit intimidated so I don't post that much. wink  

[Pinku Lolli]

Why am I always late to things?

Howdy, I'm new, obviously. Name's Tilly. I'm 18. I'm American, and multi-racial 4laugh Fun times.

Basically...I was raised Christian *fingertwirl* When I was 15, I got super sick, ended up in the hospital. Surgeries, surgeries, surgeries. ICU for a month. Nearly died, all that drama dramallama Anyway, that's when I started to question my faith. It's taken me a while, but I've finally concluded that I want to delve into Paganism, and learn about the different types.

So! I shall be around, yeah?

Toodles~*~  

[Lioka-Rose]

Well, my name's Laura, but you can call me that or Lioka, either is fine. I live in the US, and I don't really know much about Paganism, but I really want to learn! I've always been facinated by it, but I come from a purely Catholic household, so it's a bit hard to learn.  

[deito]

Hi, I'm Max.
I'm not a fluffy bunny.
I just feel pity for those who are.
Happy to teach!  

[QueenSpiffy]

I was SUCH a fluffy bunny from the time I was 13 to about the time I was 17 or 18.

I considered myself to be both Christian and Wiccan and I would argue with people who said that I can't be both because they contradict each other.

I read so many books about all kinds of stuff, and I thought they were all Wicca.

I thought I was so much better than everyone else because I thought I was more spiritually enlightened.

I laugh looking back on how I was, but it also embarrasses me. And then I realize how by spreading my beliefs to people who were just as naive as I was I was just creating new fluffy bunnies. I apologize to all of the true Wiccans out there for helping to spread lies and misconceptions.

But I realized a couple years ago what I was practicing wasn't Wicca, but I still didn't know much about Wicca. So earlier today, I was reading some thread about Wicca in the Morality and Religion forum, and it linked to some other thread, which had a lot of information that cleared up a lot of my misconceptions. And there was a link to this guild. So I signed up. That's my story.

So I guess you could say I'm an eclectic. But I'm not really too sure what I believe. Sometimes I think I'm an atheist, other times I feel all most certain that there is something higher than myself out there. So, where do I want to go from here? I want to learn more about pagan beliefs and Wicca, because, even though I've seen a lot of misinformation, it has still made a lot more sense to me spiritually than any of the major religions in the world (with the exception of Buddhism, which I also plan to look into).

I'm 19 years old. I grew up with one atheist parent (didn't know she was atheist until a few months ago, actually, as far as I know, she could have been Christian when I was little) and one very Christian parent. I went to church when I was really little, but not much ever since I was 8 or so. A few times my dad has tried to get us to start going to church again.

I started questioning what I believed when I was 13 or so, when I started hanging out with my cousin more. She'd probably freak if she knew it was her that got me into all of this stuff and made me realize I wasn't a Christian, seeing as she is one herself, but it was her interest in astrology, tarot cards, Ouija boards, ghosts, and the like, that got me into reading things about magic and witchcraft on the internet and in whatever books I could find at the library. They were interesting, but it's clear now that there was a lot of misinformation and historical inaccuracies. So here I am, ready to learn, and with a much more critical mind than I had when I was 13 (At least, I like to think so).  

[faeriekitsune]

'Allo. I figured I would go ahead and say hi. I'm not sure if I ever went through the fluffy stage, but I thought that I could join here. You know, put in my input and get some input at the same time. Wootness.

*thought crosses mind* You know, I should probably tell you guys some stuff about me! I'm 20, live in a Southern Baptist household, I'm eclectic wiccan, also live in an apartment with three other wiccans (one eclectic celtic, one eclectic, and one fluffy bunny). I found neopaganism when I was about 15, and settled on wicca when I was 18. If you wanna know anything more, ask.  

[TeaDidikai]

faeriekitsune

I'm eclectic wiccan, also live in an apartment with three other wiccans (one eclectic celtic, one eclectic, and one fluffy bunny). I found neopaganism when I was about 15, and settled on wicca when I was 18. If you wanna know anything more, ask.

Oh! I have a question. Within your practice, where do your mysteries come from?  

[faeriekitsune]

TeaDidikai

faeriekitsune

I'm eclectic wiccan, also live in an apartment with three other wiccans (one eclectic celtic, one eclectic, and one fluffy bunny). I found neopaganism when I was about 15, and settled on wicca when I was 18. If you wanna know anything more, ask.

Oh! I have a question. Within your practice, where do your mysteries come from?

What do you mean by mysteries? Everything you don't know is a mystery at that point in time.  

[patch99329]

faeriekitsune

TeaDidikai

faeriekitsune

I'm eclectic wiccan, also live in an apartment with three other wiccans (one eclectic celtic, one eclectic, and one fluffy bunny). I found neopaganism when I was about 15, and settled on wicca when I was 18. If you wanna know anything more, ask.

Oh! I have a question. Within your practice, where do your mysteries come from?

What do you mean by mysteries? Everything you don't know is a mystery at that point in time.

The wiccan mysteries. The ones you learn at your initiations.
Alot of them are about the mechanics of wicca, I believe.  

[TeaDidikai]

patch99329

The wiccan mysteries. The ones you learn at your initiations.
Alot of them are about the mechanics of wicca, I believe.

Actually, while some of the mechanics are secrets, I think it is more fair to say that the Wiccan Mysteries are the context that provide spiritual fulfillment for the mechanics.

So Faeriekitsune,
If you didn't receive an initiation and thus the mysteries, how did you come about them?  

[StrawberryDaifuku]

I'm new to the guild. It seemed interesting. So I joined.
Call me Dai. It's what everyone else seems to want to call me.

~ahem~
Apathy aside, I consider myself an eclectic pagan, basing my beliefs off of wicca. I tried going allong with the wiccan faith for a while, but I found my own beliefs were just ever so slightly different after studying for a while.
If there's anything (and I mean about ME) that you want to know, feel free to inquire.

So hello to everyone! <3  

[faeriekitsune]

TeaDidikai

patch99329

The wiccan mysteries. The ones you learn at your initiations.
Alot of them are about the mechanics of wicca, I believe.

Actually, while some of the mechanics are secrets, I think it is more fair to say that the Wiccan Mysteries are the context that provide spiritual fulfillment for the mechanics.

So Faeriekitsune,
If you didn't receive an initiation and thus the mysteries, how did you come about them?

Just call me Fae. It's so much easier and closer to my name.

I never said whether or not I had been initiated and I never said I "had" the mysteries. I welcome questions, and love to ask them, but please don't jump to any conclusions.

I haven't been and won't be initiated until or unless I choose to join a formal coven. Right now, I consider myself still learning. Always learning... Right now, I'm simply dedicated to the God and Goddess, and continuing my education until I feel ready or am deemed ready for initiation.  

[TeaDidikai]

faeriekitsune

Just call me Fae. It's so much easier and closer to my name.

Sure.

Quote:

I never said whether or not I had been initiated and I never said I "had" the mysteries. I welcome questions, and love to ask them, but please don't jump to any conclusions.

Your assertions implied such. I am sorry if the assumptions offend, but they were as reasonable as it is to assume that if I refer to a friend of mine by feminine pronouns, she is going to be female.

Quote:

I haven't been and won't be initiated until or unless I choose to join a formal coven. Right now, I consider myself still learning. Always learning... Right now, I'm simply dedicated to the God and Goddess, and continuing my education until I feel ready or am deemed ready for initiation.

Why the title of Wiccan then, and not Eclectic Neo-Pagan?

Wicca is a religion made up completely of clergy by the very nature of the theology as outlined by it's founder.
Do you have a justification for your desired to be considered Wiccan, or was it something you found in a book, or something else?  

[faeriekitsune]

TeaDidikai

Your assertions implied such. I am sorry if the assumptions offend, but they were as reasonable as it is to assume that if I refer to a friend of mine by feminine pronouns, she is going to be female.

Sorry. I wasn't aware I had made assertions. I'll try not to let it happen again. 3nodding

Quote:

Why the title of Wiccan then, and not Eclectic Neo-Pagan?

Wicca is a religion made up completely of clergy by the very nature of the theology as outlined by it's founder.
Do you have a justification for your desired to be considered Wiccan, or was it something you found in a book, or something else?

I was drawn to neopaganism for awhile, but I couldn't put my finger on a path. Eventually, when I was able to look at things without the parentals looking at my browsing history or library receipts, I found Wicca. I was drawn to the fact that it recognizes both male and female sides of everything (God, Goddess, and Deity), and the fact that it's completely clergy. You don't have to go through anyone else. You can, and at times, should probably look for guidance, but you don't have to.

And I really don't care what I'm considered. My beliefs are slightly different from everybody else's, so whatever you classify me, woohoo.  

[TeaDidikai]

faeriekitsune

You don't have to go through anyone else. You can, and at times, should probably look for guidance, but you don't have to.

This isn't completely true.

Within Wicca, just because everyone is clergy it does not mean there isn't a structure.

The High Priestess is "The First amongst Equals". And without the initiation, how can you consider yourself a member?

How do you know what you are doing is Wicca without knowing the Mysteries?

Quote:

And I really don't care what I'm considered. My beliefs are slightly different from everybody else's, so whatever you classify me, woohoo.

But if your beliefs are not Wiccan, why call oneself such?

Out of curiosity, where did you "come across Wicca"? What sources did you use? Did you check their validity?