Who here is learning or speak a Celtic language? Do you think as a Celtic Pagan you should at least learn to speak some of a Celtic Language. I am in the process of learning Welsh, I find the language very beautiful, but also challenging.
I've been talking with people a lot lately about my practice and how I go about it. However, someone recently mentioned that they keep quiet about whom they serve for good reason: in effect, in knowing the entity that you serve, they are more likely to be able to work bad magic with the aid of said patron. This really has gotten me thinking a lot lately about silence and faith.
Do you think it is wise to keep your faith/practices quiet?
Do you think it is wise to keep the names of your patron(s) quiet?
Why or why not?
Does anyone know of any good resources out there that draw connections between the Oghams and Futhark Runes?
To be more specific, something that looks at meanings and significances of the individual runes and "fews" and sees how their meanings compare or correlate. Basically I am looking to see what associations can be made to add another layer to the understanding of either set of characters, or if not applicable to an entire set of characters, than to individuals within the set.
It would be nice if the resources would be quasi-reputable, but I am not expecting to find anything like "proof that they are fundamentally the same thing," or that oghams are a "cipher" for the runes. I have come across those ideas. They sound interesting, but unlikely based on what I have seen do far. Nothing I have found on the internet so far gives me anything at all helpful.
I've been studying paganism for nearly a year now and actively "believing" (for lack of a better word) for nearly as long. My current living situation makes it difficult and impractical to practice in any significant way but for quite some time I made do with small, simple things to help maintain a feeling of connectivity and, again for lack of a better word, reality of my beliefs. However, lately I've found it becoming difficult to keep it a real part of my life. More and more often I go for several days without giving thought to my deities.
I realize this is a fairly nebulous topic, but I would like some advice on how to make my beliefs and deities more a part of my daily life and to make it more present in my mind considering the fact that I'm currently unable to practice in a traditional sense (altars, candles, etc.). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
[url=http://www.ecauldron.com/forum/showthread.php?2333-How-to-maintain]How to maintain?[/url]
Almost every author from every magickal book I've picked up, from Scott Cunningham to Silver Ravenwolf, has mentioned something along the lines of "dark magick" being something you very rarely come across, but that it is possible and though highly frowned upon, quite dangerous. And of course, I'm sure we all know plenty of protective spells, talismans, teas, crystals, potions, prayers, etc etc etc to keep all curses and negativity at bay.
With that said, of course I acknowledge negativity in the Universe, which can manifest anywhere from one's own personal thoughts, the "evil-eye", and yes, even negative thoughts from others. (I believe the term is called "astral attack"?)
But as far as "dark magick" is concerned...is it something that I need to be heavily defensive upon and on the alert for, like some Vigilant Witch of Divine Order? Or is it just simply something that needs to be acknowledge and dealt with according if I somehow un-miraculously find myself as the target of a "curse"? And are witches that actively participate, study, and use black magick as common as perceived? Surely not...but do share your thoughts.
I'm very attracted to Sumerian polytheism right now, and I was wondering if anyone else is influenced by any of the Mesopotamian (Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, and Assyrian) civilizations. I had always found Inanna-Ishtar an appealing deity, but ever since I took a course on Mesopotamian religion in university last year, I've found the subject as a whole really fascinating. I just wondered if anyone out there follows a Mesopotamian pantheon or religious tradition.
I'm thinking about making a more formal book of shadows. I have a small spiral bound journal that I've been using, with only 5 sections, that I'm hand writing information in that I really like and that resonates for me. And I've been printing out pictures from the internet and taping them throughout the little book, so it's kind of like a scrapbook! But, this cannot hold much, and the pages are fixed, and I don't like that I can't add pages in between ones I've already written. Fearing that when trying to space things out within a section, I'll run out of room and I run into the next topic in that section.
So, I've been watching YouTube videos on making a three-ring binder BOS so I can move pages around and add and remove them easily. I've been planning out how I want to decorate the outside and inside covers, the sections and how to make tabs for each section, and information I want to put inside, etc. I've got a detailed plan to make this beautiful BOS! (And my thoughts are years from now, when I feel my book may be mostly finished and I'm happy with where everything is placed, I'll make a bound BOS with permanent pages and then pass this book down to my children and grandchildren.. even if they don't follow Wicca, they'll have a piece of me and know about what I believed.)
But I'm torn between handwriting and typing it out. What do you think about this subject?
I really want a decorative book that has pictures, borders, colors, etc.. and fancy font. I want it beautiful and legible. I have fantastic ideas for creating pages on my computer and printing them out. This is a type of art/craft I enjoy!
But, I've heard how special it is to hand write the pages of your BOS. Infusing with your own energy... being made with direct contact of your hand and pen to paper. And this is the traditional way. But I have horrible hand writing. And I'm an even more awful drawer!
But then I think about printing the pages from the computer, and as I create each page and print it out, aren't I still infusing it with my own energy because I'm putting all my thoughts and feelings into creating a beautiful page .. pages that I envision is a piece of art?
I've pretty much made up my mind that I'll be creating the pages on the computer, printing them out, placing into page protectors, and putting them in the book.... but I thought this would be a great topic to discuss given the computer age we are in....
To hand write your BOS or use the computer, that is the question! Now, what are your thoughts???
I'm curious as to what one describes as charging people for The Craft. Most witches and pagans that I have met have come to look down upon anyone casting a spell or doing anything magickal for a fee, but I also know that many of us live near metaphysical and occult stores that will also sell psychic reading and other services for a fee.
In the case of charging people for the Craft, would you count psychic, tarot readers, mediums, and that sort as falling into this category, and how do you personally feel towards it?
I just remember going to a "New Earth" festive a couple months back, and the room was filled to the brim with all sorts of psychic healers, mediums, fortunes tellers, and the works. I was honestly a little put back by it. After all, as witches and pagans, we should be able to do all of that for ourselves. I feel like those people are preying on the people going into festivals or stores like that and not really understanding that they have the power themselves to do what they're doing...either that or maybe their customers simply can't be bothered to learn what it takes to know in order to become more psychically aware.
In my personal opinion, I think it's a shame to want to use something as pure and sacred as our Craft for monetary gain.
So I'm going into the 9th month of my Seeker/Initiation ceremony (a year and a day of study) and here recently I've been paying more attention to the stars, constellations, horoscopes, and planetary alignments. It's not that I disbelieve horoscopes that are found in virtually every newspaper and email-based website, it's just that I would feel more comfortable gaining knowledge with how the solar system moves, and how to act in those situations, you know if, say, Mars decides to get in the way of Jupiter's energy.
I have a handful of knowledge about the personality and views of the planets' respective deities, but I guess what I'm trying to ask now is if there is a chart or a way to map out the cosmos in the way they do in all of those horoscope articles?
Any books, articles, or suggestions on syncing with the flow of the galaxy?
How can you tell if a stone or crystal that you bought from your local metaphysical shop is genuine? I understand that most rocks you buy will guy through some sort of processing to be aesthetic to the consumer eye, but I literally saw a "Made in China" sticker stuck to a beautiful rose quartz-wand cut stone. It's been making me feel anxious and doubtful of the green calcite I wear around my neck. How can one tell if the stones are real, is there a book (you know, that one by Scott Cunningham?) That could give me an idea to the authenticity of my stones, or is there just something I'm being foolish and naive about?