Lehnah
Master of the Mystic Arts
Firstly, let me appologise for this lengthy post. Secondly, I don't claim to have huge amounts of knowledge, so bare with me.
For the last two to two and a half years I've been practicing pagansim. After a lot of research and reading it felt 'right' to me. However, over the last few months I've been able to experience the physical aspects of pagansim as it wasn't possible for me previously due to where I live. Although I experianced several proper rituals and have done many more on my own at home, I have to be honest and say that it just doesn't ring true for me. It doesn't feel honest or meaningful at all. To be bluntly honest it feels like a lot of prancing and carrying on just to make a show. I'm not trying to belittle these things for those whom it DOES work for, it's simply for me personaly it doesn't do anything.
And this is where I hit the crux of my problem. A lot of the beliefs of paganism I do agree with. That a greater power be it gods or simply universal powe, I haven't yet decided created existance and that this power is balanced (eg; female/ male). However, traditional ritual doesn't work for me.
Personaly, when it comes to ritual, I much prefer to simply sit and meditate rather than set up an alter and cast circle etc. I guess, in a sense, I myself am the alter and everything comes from the self with no external tools being needed. I feel that tools get in the way and a more direct connection is something I prefer. I don't feel the need to chant or cast circle. I raise energy and feel the energy of the world around me, but I don't feel that I need an athame or an alter. I do light candles and incence, but that's about all.
So, my question is, by discarding all the tools, not circle casting, etc, is this act of ritual still a pagan ritual? This is something I've been wondering for some time. It's been playing heavily on me as to if paganism is indeed the right path for me, but if it isn't I've no idea where to turn or even where to start to look for the right path. I appologise if this sounds like a very fluffy bunny question, but I'm out of ideas of where to look so I thought I'd ask here as there are some very knowledgable people on these forums.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
For the last two to two and a half years I've been practicing pagansim. After a lot of research and reading it felt 'right' to me. However, over the last few months I've been able to experience the physical aspects of pagansim as it wasn't possible for me previously due to where I live. Although I experianced several proper rituals and have done many more on my own at home, I have to be honest and say that it just doesn't ring true for me. It doesn't feel honest or meaningful at all. To be bluntly honest it feels like a lot of prancing and carrying on just to make a show. I'm not trying to belittle these things for those whom it DOES work for, it's simply for me personaly it doesn't do anything.
And this is where I hit the crux of my problem. A lot of the beliefs of paganism I do agree with. That a greater power be it gods or simply universal powe, I haven't yet decided created existance and that this power is balanced (eg; female/ male). However, traditional ritual doesn't work for me.
Personaly, when it comes to ritual, I much prefer to simply sit and meditate rather than set up an alter and cast circle etc. I guess, in a sense, I myself am the alter and everything comes from the self with no external tools being needed. I feel that tools get in the way and a more direct connection is something I prefer. I don't feel the need to chant or cast circle. I raise energy and feel the energy of the world around me, but I don't feel that I need an athame or an alter. I do light candles and incence, but that's about all.
So, my question is, by discarding all the tools, not circle casting, etc, is this act of ritual still a pagan ritual? This is something I've been wondering for some time. It's been playing heavily on me as to if paganism is indeed the right path for me, but if it isn't I've no idea where to turn or even where to start to look for the right path. I appologise if this sounds like a very fluffy bunny question, but I'm out of ideas of where to look so I thought I'd ask here as there are some very knowledgable people on these forums.
Thanks in advance for any replies.