A photo of my pagan/wiccan "altar"
In this article, I’m going to write something not quite in keeping with my usual mainstream type of articles and something a “tad” more biographical; it has to do with my “spiritual” beliefs and path in life, and it has been quite a “journey” to say the least.
I thought I would relate something here about my present spiritual beliefs which is the pagan/wicca path. For starters, I didn't start following the pagan/wicca path until about seventeen years ago back in the year 2,000. Prior to that year, here is what my upbringing was: I was baptized Catholic, confirmed Episcopalian, I also grew up with the concepts of Unity and Science of Mind. Later on during my college years, I was to study a bit of Buddhism and Hinduism, and then in the 1980s I also studied the mystery schools such as The Rosicrucian Order.
However, there was what might be called a rather "strange" incident that occurred when I was only 16 years old.
It was back then in 1971 that there was a "psychic" type "day" at of all places Fifth Avenue's Lord & Taylor's where my mother used to love to shop. At that psychic day, they had tarot card readers, astrologers, etc. For some reason, I decided to go to the palm reader that was available. So the palmist began reading my palm and was rattling off all kinds of things about me based on what she could “read” on my palm. To put it mildly, she was dead on accurate as she told me the various aspects of who and what I was. The whole time, I didn't say a word, instead I just let her talk. At one point she said she sensed I was a very spiritual type person, but on a “mystical” realm, and then out of the blue, she asked me a question. She said she "saw" something else and asked me if I ever had studied witchcraft or was I a witch?
To be honest, I was looking at her as if she were daft. I didn't say yes or no to her question, I just stared at her. You see, like most people I had the same erroneous misconceptions of what a “witch” was; not so much due to the negativity due to religious views of “witchcraft”, but more I think due to good old “Hollywood” which has always has had movies about witches and of them being portrayed as being “evil”. In other words, when one tends to think of witches, one will think of the “evil” witch in the Wizard of Oz rather then “Glenda” the “good witch”. One thing I need to relate here is that I can say that ever since I can remember, even as a child, I was into the metaphysical, mystical and paranormal realms myself, and that was due to my great grandmother, who was into those realms herself, but no, it wasn't until around the year 2,000 that I began my "journey" in the pagan/wiccan realm.
However...Odd though, no? That so many years ago, that palmist back in 1971 when I was only 16 years old somehow picked up on it and what would be my path much later in life. Another thought though...about my great grandmother, who as I said was into the metaphysical, mystical and paranormal realms. I always somehow had a very strong bond with her, more so than either my grandmother or mother. I had even sensed the exact moment my great grandmother passed on in 1970 and I was at that particular time on vacation with my grandmother and mother and hundreds of miles away from my great grandmother. Is it just possible my great grandmother was of the “old religion” herself? Yes, “technically” speaking, she was “Catholic”, but she may have actually been pagan/wiccan herself. In her day, one naturally couldn’t come right out and say one believed or followed such a path. So perhaps, due to that strong bond I had with her, I “inherited” my pagan/wiccan personality.
Okay, now to relate just HOW I became involved with the pagan/wiccan path. There was a woman I knew in the neighborhood who, whenever I bumped into her while I was out on errands, we would strike up a conversation and talk about this and that. Well one day, I haven’t a clue how it came up in conversation, but suddenly she blurted out that she was a “witch”. I sure hope I had a “blank” expression on my face when she said that. I mean how would YOU react? I think most people would perhaps make the sign of the cross? Preach to them to convert from their “wicked ways”?? Well in a nutshell, she didn’t look “evil” and piqued my curiosity and since I like to think of myself as being open-minded, I decided to read up on the pagan and wicca path. I began making frequent trips to my local libraries and taking books out about the subject. Reflecting back, I can almost laugh, as I can’t imagine what the librarians must have thought with this “customer” coming to check out stacks and stacks about books on paganism, wicca and witchcraft. Who knows? Maybe they would give the sign of the cross as I left.
One of the first books I remember reading about the pagan/wicca path was Phyllis Curott’s Book of Shadows, which describes her own journey in effect of how she herself got into the ‘path”. Another book was Eileen Holland’s The Wicca Handbook. What can I say? The more I read about the pagan/wiccan path, the more I loved it. First, I loved the idea of the recognition of both the feminine AND masculine of the “Divine”, ergo a Goddess and God concept, not just a male God. To me, somehow I can’t help think that is why perhaps the world is “out of balance”. The three big major religions only view a male god. It’s almost like yin without yang, black without white, positive without negative, as I said, “out of balance”. The pagan/wicca path also has a deep abiding love and respect for all life...we’re the “tree huggers” in essence, and ever since childhood I’ve had a deep love for all nature and life on Earth. All in all, as I had continued my journey and studies of my new path, I felt I had “come home”.
It was to be on my birthday in the year 2000, I then decided to make it official and dedicated myself to the pagan/wicca path. I couldn’t think of a better time to do so than on my birthday of that year. And each year following, on my birthday, I re-dedicate myself to my chosen path. Oh and just need to mention, that when I “announced” to my mother of my choice to follow my “path”, she didn’t bat an eye; in other words, she didn’t try to talk me out of it, but seemed to accept it.
I do have to mention one thing. If ever a person were to come into my home, they sure would be confused. Over my front door, I have a beautiful painting of Christ which belonged to my great grandmother, I also have her statue of the Virgin Mary. Yes, I’m primarily pagan/wiccan, but do still believe in Christian concepts. Then, I have statues of Buddha; one of the statues belonged to...yes, my great grandmother. Then, since I’ve had a deep love for the Ancient Egyptian culture since childhood, I have statues of the ancient Egyptian feline goddess Bast. And THEN....yup, my “pagan/wiccan” things, which includes a 3-1/1 foot encircled painted pentagram on my bedroom floor. For a bit of "whimsy" since I do have a sense of humor, hanging right over that pentagram and hanging from my ceiling, I have a "witches" black hat. Like I said, I do have a sense of humor.
I’d just like to say something now in closing here. Keep an open mind and perhaps enlighten and educate yourself. No matter what your own religious or spiritual beliefs are, perhaps start reading just what the pagan wicca path really does mean.
Blesséd Be )0(
