Lost in Religion

Am I slowly becoming an Atheist?

I have done so much research into so many religions, and still need to do more of course, and thought I found Wicca to be mine, but it's not really.  I hardly follow any of the holidays of esbats and my alter is in complete shambles.

Perhaps it is from pure laziness, but I think structured religion of any sort isn't for me.  I can feel the spirituality of the earth and plants, but I feel like I waste too much energy trying to connect.  I rather focus on my art and make it my religious experience.

by Purnima Koli

With this lack of motivation in keeping a traditional Wiccan calendar I think I need to stop wasting my energy looking for spirituality and just let it happen naturally though my art.  This could be a newfound magick for me, perhaps I just need to stop neglecting it.

I know there are witches out there who have no religious connection, perhaps this is the path for me, considering there is nothing invalid about perusing your art and making a soulful connection to the world, I find a special solace rather than panic in evolving my perspective on the many paths people take spiritually.

Honestly, the words, the practice, the calendar never sat well with me, but I tried and explored, however I feel hallow when I shallowly try and have decided to let my heart take me where I should be.

I will not stop posting, but the journey has changed.

Skeptoid Energy Work

I heard this on Skpetoid about how energy is a measurement of work, not just a label for anything unexplained.


Although he is very critical of New Age practices and many other spiritual findings, I do see how the Pagan community and people in general misuse the word energy.  He uses a great example as to how to test using the word energy appropriately:


"Here's a good test. When you hear the word "energy" used in a spiritual or paranormal sense, substitute the phrase "measurable work capability." Does the usage still make sense? Are you actually being given any information that supports the claim being made? Remember, energy itself is not the thing being measured: energy is the measurement of work performed or of potential"


My question is what can the Pagan community call this "energy" we work with so often to meditate, create spells, make wands, communicate desires and so much more?  I have a few ideas: will, spirit, higher self can be just a few samples to what the "energy" you work with is.


Even in his own commentary about his friend:


"A friend told me of her ability to perform minor healings, and her best explanation was that she drew energy from another dimension. "


If we just replace the word "energy" the word "dimensional spirit" it makes more sense and ignores the misuse of the word energy.  If the Pagan community wants to be taken seriously in our practices we have to use proper terms for what we are working with, energy just doesn't cut it for explaining what we do.


I personally believe I draw on the spirits of the earth, wind, water and fire when I call a circle.  Perhaps when I open my chakras I am connecting with my higher self to attune with my body.  While casting a spell I will it to happen.  Moving beyond the word energy is one of the steps to leading a scientific eye to our practices.


At this moment science may not be able to explain god, goddess or all the universe but if we don't open our doors to our thoughts they may never find out. 


  

Tarot: Hearing Voices

Last night around midnight I heard a distinct 'boo' in my dreams and woke up.  I could feel the breath on my face and my boyfriend woke up too.


After waking up from lack of sleep I decided to ask my Heart of Faerie Oracle deck if there was something in my room.

The first card I drew was:

The Faerie of Youth


How I interpreted this card was yes there was something in my room because I used to see things in my youth.  I remember about 2 years ago I heard another voice at my parents house and it scared the goddess out of me.  I don't know what it said, but it didn't sound nice.


This 'boo' sounded playful but malicious at the same time, like it didn't want me to sleep that night.


The second card I drew was:

 The Prince of Shadows


This card told me it was a negative entity and potentially dangerous.  I didn't feel any danger at the moment, but it's better to error on the side of caution.


The last card I drew was:

The Blessing


Since my boyfriend and I moved in to this small cottage I haven't preformed a cleansing or spread any salt around the property to keep the negative entities out.  This voice may be a warning for things to come if I don't take care of the cleansing soon.


This reminds me of the time I tried to help my sister with something hanging around our parents house. After salting, preparing stones like granite and such, she finally used her tarot cards to communicate with it.


I like tarot cards personally because they can be very detailed about your situation in particular.  The pendulum doesn't work too well for me, even though they are great for quick answers.  Which form of divination works best for you?

Ouija Board Safety

Three people seem to be the magic number in using an ouija board.  Perhaps it is just the syncing of energy between my boyfriend Mike and me.  He says he has an anti-paranormal field around him.

Mike does want to experience something, but I don't know if he would believe or understand the experience.  I could help him and maybe guide him, but he needs to find his own spirituality.

I truly believe people psych themselves into seeing things however, especially with games like Mother May I? or Bloody Mary.  I do not like looking into mirrors at night, I do think they are portals to realms and if you call on something it will respond.

If you want something bad to come, it will come to your ouija session.  I can handle mischievous fairies, but as for anything too aggressive or negative I firmly tell them I'm in control and say goodbye.  I don't do the ouija board to find negativity, but to generate fun.

There are many theories to who or what contacts through an ouija board.  One theory is ghosts or spiritual entities, another is dependent on who is there and their energy and maybe one of the people is just moving it.

I will say though if it is just people manipulating the ouija board why would they spell out gibberish?  Perhaps their aura is out of balance and they have no control over their psychic thoughts, but if someone was intentionally messing I would hope they would make some sense and fun out of the ouija experience.

I also have a theory about how nighttime and turning off electronic devices helps enhance the ouija experience.  The energy of people during the daytime can be overwhelming and cause messages on the board to be muted.  Basically energy, of any kind, can interfere with the messages and because people are usually asleep at night it becomes easier to communicate through the ouija board.

Before I start most sessions I cast a circle and ask for protection from negativity.  If you don't know how to cast a circle or feel uncomfortable you can pray or just use salt to purify the area, a very traditional way to purify.   I also, never ask the entity to move anything in the real world or poke it too much.  If I do feel threatened I say goodbye immediately.  I think this has protected me somewhat and there isn't any harm for being super cautious.

I cannot understand why people show such disrespect when attempting to contact an entity.  Maybe it's the lack of respect or understanding about the spiritual realm causing dark energy to manifest and scare people into fits of fear.  The ouija board isn't a way to make a prank call into the spiritual real and if you are using it as such how do you know the entity doesn't have caller ID?

I'm not saying do not have fun, but one grain of respect can alter a bad experience.  To go even further, if you are not comfortable with using tarot, ouija boards, tea leaves, or any other divination device, don't do it.  Your own fear and guilt can completely change how you perceive the tool.

I know there are many superstitious rules about ouija boards and thousands of horror stories, but if you use respect, protect yourself and have fun there shouldn't be an issue unless you make it an issue.

Oh Ouija

I'm fascinated with spirits and ghostly entities, I used to see a man, like a cowboy, in my house as a child. I was never scared, but I did think it was my dad. I didn't use a Ouija board until recently, I made it myself and convinced some friends to try it. We made a circle, but the board would not work in my friend's apartment, it was too well protected, but when we moved it outside it worked.

The strongest entity we encountered was a slender-man type of creature, my friend said it was probably a fairy and had a mischievous smile. Nothing happened, they were experienced with protections circles and spells, I leaned some basics from them and I have a very strong will. This will was tested in one of the most engaging sessions I had.

My niece and other sister joined me and the board was very strong that night in my childhood home. The most malicious entity there was my mother and her negativity, so I was sure to cleanse the house beforehand and told anything with ill intent to get out. I created a salt circle and firmly said nothing evil will enter and around midnight, we set up the board and it was quick to pick up spirits.

There were three who told us they were our guardian angels. I throughly said bullshit. This agitated them and I didn't back down because they kept insisting they were our guardian angels. I called them liars and said for them to go and never come back or they would have to face me. They have never come back and nobody else there was ever bothered by them either.

I'm not scared of spirits, except when they speak in my ear, that scared the hell out of me and I try not to let them manipulate me. Using a board is fun, but I don't mess around when it come to keeping the spirits I don't want out.

Shadow People

-Response to a Post on Paganspace.net

I used to see one down my hallway at night, they have never appeared in my room, to me anyway, but my sister said she saw a shadow in my room once. I think I feel them mostly, my hairs stand up. One time I think they tried to talk to me, but I was so scared, so I just curled under my covers and went to bed.

I've never felt anything bad, but since I do not understand them, I fear them. But as a child I used to think they were just my dad. I don't know why they are here and I'm wondering if they were a sign that I would follow a Pagan path.

My mother also sees them. She doesn't fear them, but just says, "Oh it's you." and goes back to bed. Now I'm wondering if they are the cause for my fear of seeing trees through a window. Sometimes I see them randomly on the road or from the corner of my eye. I wish they didn't look so dark and scary.

My sister also feels one, outside my house, she says it's feminine and it just watches her. She says I have a male one who watches me. But I wonder why? She also said they got pissed when I salted and smudged our rooms and house. So I'm wondering if they are a good thing.

Shadow People and a Spooky Rock

So my sister went to our local metaphysical store and was informed that one of my granite rocks was heavy with negativity. I cleansed the rock in the sun, saltwater and under the full moon, so there is no reason why it should be bound in negativity and yet is is apparently. She advised we bury the rock and say a prayer. So I have to toss the rock, but I'm curious as to how it could have been infected so intensely.

The woman also said that I have called a spirit. I don't recall ever calling one, I used to see shadow people in my house when I was a child, but I haven't seen them in years, so I guess I must have called one to me as a child and instead of me being able to interact my sister has been felling the presence. Also I ticked it off when I salted my room and my sisters. Anyway, I really don't know what to do because I'm actually a little frightened to interact with the dead.

Furthermore the woman decided to advise me to take a class because I'm probably doing more harm than good. To be honest I haven't done anything without advice and guidance from more experienced people. I admit I'm new and I will probably ask her some questions of my own, but I'm wondering if you have any advice for me?

Ghosts, Past Lives and Moving Out....Probably Never

I haven’t been dreaming, well that’s impossible, so I haven’t been remembering my dreams, probably because I’m up too late and I laze about my bed, before I get up. It kind of hurts me, because I know my dreams hold the key to my past and future, so I feel lost sometimes. However, when I do remember my dreams they are stunning and important, so maybe I haven’t had any dreams of note lately.

I wonder sometimes if I’m just a new soul model, mundane, without any prior experience to guide myself though life, I would hate that fate, but I have no control over it. Why are new sols necessary anyway? If there are literally billions to choose from why are blank slates being created? Have that many souls decided to live in a permanent paradise? How many souls are blank slates at this very moment?

From the dreams I can remember I’ve never had any sort of past life dream, unless if it was on another planet, yes they were weird. So, as of right now, I can assume I’m a blank slate too. To be honest I lead a boring life so I would hate to dream about my life, it would be like watching a foreign film with bad actors.

So, my sister finally spoke to the entity and she laid down some ground rules, thank goodness, I don’t have to banish it. Phew, I just don’t need the responsibility at the moment. I didn’t need the thought of it wanting revenge hanging over my head until the day I die.

As a child I believe I used to see spirits, but after fear invaded my mind my powers became almost non-existent. I have to stop doubting myself and accept my once-gift with a passion. It’s going to take a long time and it’s probably best not to explore it too much in this house because it’s filled with negativity.

Assumedly my home was build in about 1909, the foundation at least, more was added in the 1940s and the 1980s. I can still remember pushing my tricycle through the halls of construction. The people who lived in the house before us seemed nice, but I think most of the energies are from us, especially my mother. In fact I sleep in my parents old bedroom.

My mother has deep issues involving her health, family, sexual assault and general anger. She radiates hatred, pain and she is an absolute control freak. For example, she is serving dinner and I told her ‘I can serve myself, I’m not five, so sit down and relax.’ It’s painful for her to stand with her loosing half her foot to diabetes, but, she yells, ‘Five to forty-five I’m going to serve if I want to serve!’

WTF?

I left her to her servitude. So you can see how my mother is the center for any negative impact in this house. I need to move out…

Blessed Be.

The Spirit Around My House

Well I salted my sister’s room and gave her a pendent bag with obsidian, quartz and granite. It should help her feel protected and keep the entity at bay. Angel and I did some tarot and it seemed to point out Hillary’s, my sister, rejection of her powers and how she needs to deal with this female spirit who is watching her.

Obviously, she is there for a reason, I can only hope we can find out why and she will leave peacefully. If it doesn’t go well I have Angel and Sherman here to back me up if it gets too ugly.

I wonder if I’m ready for my powers to come back, I used to see entities too and they didn’t really scare me until I started to watch horror movies like The Ring and stuff. I also believe I used to be able to have prophetic dreams of some sort. All I can do now is hope I can use my abilities for good, whatever they maybe.

Ouija Anyone?

Yesterday I and my friends, went to San Francisco and Santa Cruz and bought a bunch of supplies. At the end of the day I showed my friends my garden and a spot where we think an “entity” hangs out.

She reveals herself to be a she and follows my sister from the street. Sherman, one of my friends, stated that it might be trapped somehow because of all the cracks in the street. Angel, my other friend, could feel something and suggested we have an ouija session at the nearby park. My sister also came because she seemed to be able to sense the entity.

At the park we called for a guide, but it was short lived and out totems came out to protect us. We moved the session to a bench and decided to call on the entity itself. We think it came, but who knows with ouija boards.

It seemed to have a short attention span and it said it was an nature spirit of some kind. It wants something, but didn’t tell us what. After many short sessions with this entity, a man, Steve, was walking is dogs and asked what we were doing, we told him an ouija board and asked to join.

Steve was very funny and his dogs were nice. We had one another spirit call him a douche-bag and we were laughing so hard. After he left we decided to pack up and I took Angel and Sherman home.

At home I couldn’t sleep that well and tried to imagine a force around me, but every noise kept me awake. I don’t think this entity wants to harm anyone, but I want it gone, because it won’t talk to us and it’s just creepy. Sherman suggested a XXX sign in brick dust and a statement of banishment with no loopholes, because it would make us pay later.

I don’t know if I’m ready to deal with ghosts, spirits or anything else right now, but I think my third eye is trying to break out because my head seems to hurt all the time, so maybe it is time for me to realize my full potential. But I’m scared and I don’t think there is weakness in that, it shows caution.

All I can do is look for the support of my friends and burn some frankincense, cedar and call on the goddess. Nothing can enter into my home without my permission, I just need to remember that and I should get some sleep tonight.