WolfWhoSings
June 8th, 2008, 09:03 PM
Or at least Simply Puzzled did anyway...
*Ahem* Um, my path and my story.
As I've said elsewhere, I sort of fell into these leanings at an early age. I felt more comfortable with animals, plants and "places" than I did with people and found myself drawn to them. A history of spiritual sensitivity and talent also seems to run through both sides of my family.
So, even as a kid I found myself checking out books on witchcraft and magic from the library (you can just imagine the sorts of things that were available in the mid 70's). But it was all sort of "off" - about 15 degrees from what I was looking for, as if I knew what that was.
Anyhoo.
Eventually, after trying out "traditional" Wicca and finding it still off, I started noticing myself leaning more and more to a Native American direction, then exploring other native traditions. It seemed to "flow" more easily for me.
I was lucky enough to encounter the man who would become my teacher for a year at that time. He led a group of us in learning a lot of principles in neo-shamanism, as well as general metaphysics. There is a lot more I could have learned from him, but his guides were telling him it was time to move on.
Since then, it's been work on my own. I have made some casual study of Zen in addition.
So, I wind up with an amalgam of my experiences - I still use some practices and tools of "traditional" witchcraft, and I keep my hózhó going with the help of Zen, but it all gets shot through a shamanic lens. I relate to the land and sky, to the animals and plants in that way. What few formal "ceremonies" I conduct are done in that manner, even if they incorporate elements from elsewhere.
I journey, I pay respects to the animals that help and guide me, I make sacred fires, but I use runes and tarot cards and keep an altar.
Uh, is that what you were asking?
*Looks around furtively*
If not, is the answer "The Beatles"?
"Pork?"
*Ahem* Um, my path and my story.
As I've said elsewhere, I sort of fell into these leanings at an early age. I felt more comfortable with animals, plants and "places" than I did with people and found myself drawn to them. A history of spiritual sensitivity and talent also seems to run through both sides of my family.
So, even as a kid I found myself checking out books on witchcraft and magic from the library (you can just imagine the sorts of things that were available in the mid 70's). But it was all sort of "off" - about 15 degrees from what I was looking for, as if I knew what that was.
Anyhoo.
Eventually, after trying out "traditional" Wicca and finding it still off, I started noticing myself leaning more and more to a Native American direction, then exploring other native traditions. It seemed to "flow" more easily for me.
I was lucky enough to encounter the man who would become my teacher for a year at that time. He led a group of us in learning a lot of principles in neo-shamanism, as well as general metaphysics. There is a lot more I could have learned from him, but his guides were telling him it was time to move on.
Since then, it's been work on my own. I have made some casual study of Zen in addition.
So, I wind up with an amalgam of my experiences - I still use some practices and tools of "traditional" witchcraft, and I keep my hózhó going with the help of Zen, but it all gets shot through a shamanic lens. I relate to the land and sky, to the animals and plants in that way. What few formal "ceremonies" I conduct are done in that manner, even if they incorporate elements from elsewhere.
I journey, I pay respects to the animals that help and guide me, I make sacred fires, but I use runes and tarot cards and keep an altar.
Uh, is that what you were asking?
*Looks around furtively*
If not, is the answer "The Beatles"?
"Pork?"