how does one define their path?

[whiporwill-o]

say you were not part of a tradition, currently you are an ecclectic pagan, or not for those who are not pagan, but you are still seeking to the point that you are not sure what to believe and you do not actively practice anything you have 'learned'. what would it take for you, personally, to fill as though you have found what you're looking for and you begin to understand and practice your beliefs?

this is not neccessarily a question for me, more of a discussion for those of us who just aren't sure, for the sake of just because. 3nodding  

[Aino Ailill]

I suppose, it would be when I find the best answers (as applied in my life) to the questions that I hold.  

[Fiddlers Green]

Having been there before, I can say for me, the catalyst to action was Gnosis, or inspiration if you prefer.
I just Knew, and that was that. Everything else was studying this Knowledge and finding ways to articulate it and reconcile it to the observables around me.  

[TeaDidikai]

Similar to Fiddler, CPG. Confirmed personal gnosis- as opposed to UPG, unverified personal gnosis. After all, everyone likes validation.  

[Bastemhet]

I would start with what interests you. I've always had a passion for ancient Egypt, but I never realized I could reconstruct an extinguished religion. From there I combined my love of that time period and its gods with my spiritual seeking, and they just meshed together so well that I knew I was on the right path.  

[TeaDidikai]

Sophist

From there I combined my love of that time period and its gods with my spiritual seeking, and they just meshed together so well that I knew I was on the right path.

How did you test it?
What about it is gnosis as opposed to potential delusion or simple answers based on personal taste?  

[Bastemhet]

TeaDidikai

Sophist

From there I combined my love of that time period and its gods with my spiritual seeking, and they just meshed together so well that I knew I was on the right path.

How did you test it?
What about it is gnosis as opposed to potential delusion or simple answers based on personal taste?

Those are good questions.

I think the reason I feel this is the right way is that I've tried reaching out to other gods before, or tried other religions, and received no response. Granted my studies into those religions weren't very deep, but I didn't feel a need to continue studying something that did not fit well into my way of being.

Whereas I've made only a small handful of specific requests to specific Kemetic deities, ended up getting a very favorable outcome, and then thanked them with more offerings. These experiences were very important events in my life that I feel like the gods I spoke to really came through for me. It is because of this personal connection, and that they listened and responded that I think I owe them great honor and gratitude. Otherwise I may never have graduated from amateur Egyptologist to religious student because I don't usually default to "magical" or "divine" solutions to my problems.

Of course there have been also times that I try to speak to or connect with some deities and don't feel like I get any response at all. If my every thought or question were answered or paid attention to, I would be very suspicious that these were just personal delusions. I don't assume that they could be bothered by every request or entreaty.

If you're looking for a full circle system such as the likes of the scientific method, I don't have something like that. I try to offer things that are similar to what they would have been offered long ago, such as incense, water, bread, whatever. I've gotten very loud demands for naan bread whenever I eat Indian food, for example. It wasn't me thinking, hm, I wonder if they would like some bread, but more of "HEY. WE WANT BREAD NOW. NOW!" being said into my ear with no audible sound. And if course when they got what they wanted, they were very pleased, and a welling up of joy in my heart was their gift to me.

TeaDidikai

What about it is gnosis as opposed to potential delusion or simple answers based on personal taste?

You know, one of the things I really like about the Kemetic religion is that there was never any simple answer. There was always up to three or four, and there would be a common thread within all of them that was understood as true. My mind also works like this, which might be why I appreciate the multiple layers of meaning in poetry. So in that case when I say my interest in Kemet and my religious desires meshed well, I felt that my earnest research reaped great rewards, and as of yet I'm still learning.

Ah...I really don't feel like I answered these questions to my liking, but they are difficult to answer succinctly.  

[TeaDidikai]

Sophist

Those are good questions.

I try. wink

Quote:

I think the reason I feel this is the right way is that I've tried reaching out to other gods before, or tried other religions, and received no response. Granted my studies into those religions weren't very deep, but I didn't feel a need to continue studying something that did not fit well into my way of being.

Whereas I've made only a small handful of specific requests to specific Kemetic deities, ended up getting a very favorable outcome, and then thanked them with more offerings. These experiences were very important events in my life that I feel like the gods I spoke to really came through for me. It is because of this personal connection, and that they listened and responded that I think I owe them great honor and gratitude. Otherwise I may never have graduated from amateur Egyptologist to religious student because I don't usually default to "magical" or "divine" solutions to my problems.

Of course there have been also times that I try to speak to or connect with some deities and don't feel like I get any response at all. If my every thought or question were answered or paid attention to, I would be very suspicious that these were just personal delusions. I don't assume that they could be bothered by every request or entreaty.

If you're looking for a full circle system such as the likes of the scientific method, I don't have something like that. I try to offer things that are similar to what they would have been offered long ago, such as incense, water, bread, whatever. I've gotten very loud demands for naan bread whenever I eat Indian food, for example. It wasn't me thinking, hm, I wonder if they would like some bread, but more of "HEY. WE WANT BREAD NOW. NOW!" being said into my ear with no audible sound. And if course when they got what they wanted, they were very pleased, and a welling up of joy in my heart was their gift to me.

This is perhaps one of the best responses I have ever seen to the question. It is honest, thoughtful and even if I see some issues or places of challenge, I have to say I respect your position.

Critical evaluation of different experiences may help further your understanding in the future.

Quote:

You know, one of the things I really like about the Kemetic religion is that there was never any simple answer. There was always up to three or four, and there would be a common thread within all of them that was understood as true. My mind also works like this, which might be why I appreciate the multiple layers of meaning in poetry. So in that case when I say my interest in Kemet and my religious desires meshed well, I felt that my earnest research reaped great rewards, and as of yet I'm still learning.

Ah...I really don't feel like I answered these questions to my liking, but they are difficult to answer succinctly.

They are difficult to answer. I'm impressed myself. Props.

With luck, further contemplation may yield more fulfillment as well.  

[Bastemhet]

TeaDidikai

This is perhaps one of the best responses I have ever seen to the question. It is honest, thoughtful and even if I see some issues or places of challenge, I have to say I respect your position.

Critical evaluation of different experiences may help further your understanding in the future.

Thanks. To be fair, I can't say I have had too many experiences with them, but when I did ask, there was no way I could deny that they responded. There was a certain point where coincidence upon coincidence could not be coincidence anymore. But I still have my doubts. I'm open to more. And I do hope they continue to let me be a part of their world.

TeaDidikai

Quote:

You know, one of the things I really like about the Kemetic religion is that there was never any simple answer. There was always up to three or four, and there would be a common thread within all of them that was understood as true. My mind also works like this, which might be why I appreciate the multiple layers of meaning in poetry. So in that case when I say my interest in Kemet and my religious desires meshed well, I felt that my earnest research reaped great rewards, and as of yet I'm still learning.

Ah...I really don't feel like I answered these questions to my liking, but they are difficult to answer succinctly.

They are difficult to answer. I'm impressed myself. Props.

With luck, further contemplation may yield more fulfillment as well.

Thanks. Trying to give a concrete answer to something I didn't realize I was responding very intuitively to was a real challenge- especially since I tend to be very critical and abstract. But I'm glad I had the opportunity to examine it. I hope this conversation gave whipporwhil-o a good idea of how to approach it.  

[whiporwill-o]

Sophist

I hope this conversation gave whipporwhil-o a good idea of how to approach it.

it did indeed and i am very grateful that the conversation transpired. 3nodding

Tea, you always know the right questions to ask smile

Sophist, your reply was most helpful and was stated in a way that i could actualy understand, lol, thank you.

heart  

[TeaDidikai]

whiporwill-o

Tea, you always know the right questions to ask smile

For what it is worth, they are the questions I ask myself.  

[whiporwill-o]

TeaDidikai

whiporwill-o

Tea, you always know the right questions to ask smile

For what it is worth, they are the questions I ask myself.

do you often find it difficult to answer the questions when you ask yourself?  

[TeaDidikai]

whiporwill-o

TeaDidikai

whiporwill-o

Tea, you always know the right questions to ask smile

For what it is worth, they are the questions I ask myself.

do you often find it difficult to answer the questions when you ask yourself?

No, but that's because I speak fluent Teaees.

If I had to translate for someone who doesn't speak Teaees, that would be difficult. I'd have better luck translating for Collowrath or Cu over say, Nuri or Deo.

At least one of them speaks Teaees, and has enough in the way of cultural equivalents that I can convey a concept.  

[Bastemhet]

whiporwill-o

Sophist, your reply was most helpful and was stated in a way that i could actualy understand, lol, thank you.

heart

I'm very glad that it was. smile  

[whiporwill-o]

TeaDidikai

whiporwill-o

TeaDidikai

whiporwill-o

Tea, you always know the right questions to ask smile

For what it is worth, they are the questions I ask myself.

do you often find it difficult to answer the questions when you ask yourself?

No, but that's because I speak fluent Teaees.

If I had to translate for someone who doesn't speak Teaees, that would be difficult. I'd have better luck translating for Collowrath or Cu over say, Nuri or Deo.

At least one of them speaks Teaees, and has enough in the way of cultural equivalents that I can convey a concept.

clearly i do not speak teaees, i'm not sure i understood what you just said. xd