raising pagans

Raising Pagans- Part 3

Following on from my post Raising Pagans-Part 2

Well I was left in limbo for a bit.I had already met one of my WAP friends, S.Then there was C, from COA.I met another lady, D from COA who also lived in my town.I met her just before Cat was born but we never really discussed Paganism/Witchcraft when we got together.S moved around a few times so he was unable to visit as much and then both me and Carlie became pregnant around the same time.So we didn’t see each other until our babies were born,(August2005, a week apart) at the local breastfeeding group.I was still reading and studying and by now I had found that I had a great ability to recognise and remember facts about herbs.I had starting reading about them when I was a chef many years before I came to Paganism.I can’t divine, I don’t have any psychic gift, but herbs I have got to grips with.

So, I was left wondering where to go from here, and then it happened.I saw a lovely lady in the bank one day.She had dyed red hair, fab bright make-up, wearing an Ankh and Pagan tattoos on both arms.

By the gods! I thought.

So I tried to muster the courage to say something to her, when I saw a post on one of the COA forums.And sure enough it was by X, the lady in the bank.I sent a PM and waited eagerly for a reply.Which she did, but my PC back then was on dial up and things went from bad to worse and I had to get rid of it.So once again I was left in limbo because I was no longer going to the bank as I had an accident and The Husband was now doing the banking.I forgot her email addy and getting on PC at the library wasn’t easy anymore as they were always booked or Cat was awake which isn’t easy when you are in a public place.

So I was now concentrating on other aspects as well as being a mum to two children, I now had been working from home for 9 months and I was healing from the accident (I slipped on some milk in a supermarket).I started reading about channeling, working on the astral plane, angels, and more about the Celtic festivals than actually performing rituals or spells.I had no success with channeling, working on astral I was great at and I still work there for private Sabbats and Esbats or when I want to send healing energy to someone.

Then things picked up on the networking front, a lot.I got a brand new PC for my birthday a couple of years ago.I can’t remember how I got in contact with her, whether it was through COA, but I found Xowie.I found her and joined Facebook and then I was offered to join her Coven.Well, you could imagine my surprise and excitement, only thing was at this point I was now pregnant with baby number 3, Mouse.But I was accepted, and I met the members (but due to untimely circumstances it hasn’t taken off, yet) and I went along to several Bath Moots with them.
Then X and A took over the local Moot.Now, I had no idea that there was a Pagan community where I lived, let alone one where they held Moots.A Moot is what is known as a Pagan meeting.A subject is chosen either beforehand or on the night.A talking stick is presented, and those who want to speak are passed the stick, where you can talk on the given subject without any interruptions.Any one wanting to speak must put up there hand and wait to the speaking person has finished before commenting.So whilst I began to widened my circle of Pagan friends I stopped buying any Pagan related books.I subscribed to the Pagan Federation’s magazine Pagan Dawn.I keep meaning to subscribe to The Pentacle, but I feel I will ask for this as a Christmas present.Sadly, A and X moved away to Devon.I used to see them at the Avebury Gorsedd’s (they actually come over and pick me and Mouse up).and chat via Facebook.X does run a Pagan forum, which is very different from other forums because I know everyone on there so it has a much more homely and friendlier feel.
I started going to the Gorsedd’s at Avebury when I was 33 weeks pregnant with Mouse.I felt so welcomed and I attended my second open ritual.My first had been a Samhain one back in 2005, when Cat was 13 weeks old.Held at night it was a very spiritual experience.During 2008,I have been to several Moots in my town (now moved to another local town), Bath and attended the Gorsedd’s.So with this huge network of people behind me you would have thought I’d be pretty sorted by now.

Wrong!

Like most people at some time I had started to question my faith.Now, I think I must watch too much T.V., but after the whole Creationist theory decided to be taught in some schools and after seeing a science program about how the Earth and the Moon were created ,which was bloody brilliant actually,I began to re-think the whole Goddess/God thing.

Now, I have always even from an early age been interested in wild life and saving endangered species, I have had many pets and I have always been a keen environmentalist.So, for now I’m not giving thanks to any Goddess/God.I do not refer to the Lady and Lord when sending healing or working on the astral plain.Now, I can hear people say,

“But then you’re not a Pagan then”.

Well, that depends on your definition of a Pagan I guess, and I do understand people’s reaction, but my thinking is why label me, I chose this spiritual path and isn’t it up to me what I say what I am.I have a lot more in common with my Pagan friends and I do not see any conflict of interest as my friends are my friends because they like me for who I am, it just happens that I share they love for nature, in all forms just decided not to put a Godhead in the fore front of my spiritual practice.