| I was raised Christian, but during a very difficult time | | | | male-dominant religion. |
| in my life, I questioned my rigid belief system and | | | | After honoring the sabbats, full moon, and new moon |
| found that a different path was more appealing to | | | | cycles for several years now, I feel closer to my |
| me. During my study to learn more about other | | | | Creator than ever in my life. The rules and dogma of |
| religions, I came across a book by Scott Cunningham | | | | organized religion actually kept me from living a |
| titled Wicca A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. | | | | truthful life of honoring my authentic self. I felt like a |
| At the time, I didn't even know what a solitary | | | | fake because I was taught to be more concerned |
| practitioner was, much less that I fit the description! I | | | | with appearances than with being real. The Christian |
| have been a closet prayer warrior all my life. I | | | | path served me well for a while, and it serves a |
| participated in and lead several prayer and worship | | | | purpose in the lives of many people, but the |
| groups, but most of my prayer work was alone and | | | | evangelistic nature of needing to believe a certain |
| usually with candles, gestures, written prayers, | | | | way in order to avoid hell or judgement, really seems |
| meditation, and incense. I danced with flags and | | | | manipulative now that I'm removed from it. |
| banners, and used instruments and homemade tools | | | | Additionally, the teachings of separateness from the |
| to make dancing more fun and meaningful. My | | | | Divine conflicts with the teachings of the Bible. And, |
| granddaughter calls it 'fairy dancing.' Yes, I danced, | | | | the Bible, while it may have been inspired, as many |
| sang, and moved in circles while making verbal | | | | scared texts are, has a proven record of alteration |
| petition. No wonder I felt like an outcast in churches | | | | due to governmental influence. These 'adjustments' |
| that did not honor such activity! Little did I realize | | | | have caused the text to be misaligned with the |
| how similar my practice of moving of energy is to | | | | character and very nature of Jesus. |
| performing Pagan rituals. | | | | Now, I better understand and daily practice a mindful |
| Once I left the Church, I intended to never again | | | | awareness of my connection to God/Goddess, |
| have a religious label, but there are enough | | | | people, animals, the Earth, the spirit realm, and all |
| commonalities with Native American beliefs, | | | | things great and small. The Goddess is within me is |
| Earth-based religions, and feminine-honoring practices | | | | creating and birthing new ideas to be implemented |
| that I feel comfortable being associated with these | | | | with insight from my higher connection. The God is |
| systems. | | | | my conscious giving me clarity and intuitive guidance. |
| Unfortunately, there is a stigma within American | | | | My garden is a circle of life with clearly marked gates |
| society that shuns anything that seems | | | | for the four directional corners. There's an altar in the |
| anti-Christian--probably due to fear of the unknown, | | | | middle where I offer herbs, flowers, wine, and bread |
| or a misunderstanding in terminology. While I was in | | | | as gifts to thank spiritual beings for assisting me in |
| Christian circles, I was taught things about Paganism | | | | manifesting my desires. The rituals themselves are |
| that are just not true. History clearly indicates how | | | | fun, but endowed with extremely powerful beings of |
| Christianity has adopted many of the practices of | | | | light who deserve to be honored and respected. I'm |
| Paganism and camouflaged Pagan sabats and touted | | | | seeing things aligning and manifesting quicker than |
| them as Christian holidays--especially Ostara (Easter) | | | | ever. Synchronicity is a regular occurrence since I've |
| and Yule (Christmas). | | | | learned to direct my prayers with positive intent and |
| I should have known my roots were more aligned | | | | without interfering with the will of another person. I |
| with earth-centered worship when I gave birth to | | | | am aware that each of us makes choices to assist |
| two children who were born on sabats or traditional | | | | our souls with spiritual development. There's more |
| days of Wiccan celebration. My son was born on | | | | love and less judgement in my life and I've seen |
| Mabon and my daughter was born almost four years | | | | miracles: healing, conception, spiritual awakening, and |
| later on Lughnasadh. My brother was born on Beltane. | | | | obvious changes as a result of my rituals. |
| My son married his Wiccan wife on Samhain. I have | | | | Life is an ever-changing and growing experience filled |
| always loved gardening--especially growing vegetables | | | | with joy and freedom that I never experienced while |
| and herbs. My grandmother planted by the 'signs' in | | | | chained to the dogma and doctrine of organized |
| the almanac and had a gift of seeing in the spirit | | | | religion. I realize that Paganism is a legitimate religion, |
| realm--a gift she probably doesn't realize she HAS | | | | but for me it is a way of life that brings me ever |
| much less that she passed on to me. None of these | | | | closer to my true self with awareness and |
| were by accident, I'm sure. The Goddess was trying | | | | appreciation for the oneness I have with other |
| to get my attention even while I was part of a | | | | people and all creatures. As in Heaven, so on Earth. |