Gigantic Pagan Quiz

How did you discover Paganism?
I don’t really know. I just had an interest in the Occult at a young age and it progressed into this.

How long have you been a practicing Pagan?
For the last twelve years.

Do you have a magical name?
Hawthorne. It’s not really a magical name. It’s more of an alias.

What is the meaning behind your magical name?
It was derived in a round about way from my regular name. It means “thorny hedge” but has multiple meanings to me.

What is your path or tradition?
I am an animist, a polytheist, and a Witch.

What is your favorite part of your path?
The silent knowing that comes from grasping the infinite web of magic in all of life.

Is your path a religion, a spiritual system, or something else?
It is a way of life.

Are you solitary or a group practitioner?
I meet up with some locals mainly to socialize, but I am mostly a solitary practitioner. I will occasionally work with others, but I generally find it counterintuitive to my regular praxis.

Were you self-taught or trained?
Self-taught through ancestral awareness, experience, and research.

Pagan Resources

I get asked all the time, “What books should I read? What are some good websites? Where do I start?” It is one of the first sets of questions any newcomer asks, and over the years I have collected many good resources for people who are just starting down their path. Whether you are looking for networking sites, a reading list, free texts on various subjects, or other basic information the various links below can provide you with an easy resource list to start with.

The Witches’ Voice – The Witches’ Voice is a proactive educational network providing news, information services and resources for and about Pagans, Heathens, Witches and Wiccans.

Solitary-Pagan.net – This is an educational site with two primary goals: (1) to provide information for those who are exploring Paganism, and particularly Wicca and Witchcraft, and (2) to serve as a catalyst in the spiritual development of those who practice alone.

Internet Sacred Text Archive – The largest freely available archive of online books about religion, mythology, folklore and the esoteric on the Internet. The site is dedicated to religious tolerance and scholarship, and has the largest readership of any similar site on the web.

Encyclopedia Mythica – Please enter the award-winning internet encyclopedia of mythology, folklore, and religion. Here you will find everything from A-gskw to Zveda Vechanyaya, with plenty in between.

Aeclectic Tarot - Aeclectic Tarot lists over 1000 rated and reviewed Tarot & Oracle decks, so you can see sample images of the art and read in-depth reviews before buying your own Tarot cards.

Astrology-Numerology.com – The contents of this site is truly the equivalent of several free astrology and numerology textbooks online. We hope to show you that astrology and numerology can be easy and fun. Write your own horoscope or numerology reading! The tools are certainly here. The site is provided for your personal use to gain insight into some of the elementary and essential elements of astrology, the horoscope, and numerology.

Recommended Neopagan Reading – This is my amazon listmania list that I put together a while back. It is focused on general paganism and wicca and includes many good references books on herbs, astrology, crystals, and such. While it is not on my list above, if you can only buy one book, try A Witch Alone by Marian Green.

Dreams of Blood Never Lie

I have this interesting habit of dreaming about starting my period a few days before I do. I did this time, but I figured it was wrong because I didn’t think I was pmsing. Of course with everything that has been going on the last few weeks it would be hard to differentiate pms from regular emotions.

Genesis

I really think that the Christian creation story (at least in part) and universal evolution (aka the big bang theory plus evolution) is very compatible. I was thinking about it one night, as I like to think about random things, and this is what I came up with.

“Day 1″

1: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2: And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4: And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5: And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

God = Elohim = pantheon of divine beings. (heaven = energy) + (earth = matter) = big bang (Earth Mother, Sky Father) All in darkness in the womb of creation (the deep, dark waters). The creation of energy and matter. The creation of the universe. The creation of light.

I am witch.

I’ve been asked many times how I became a witch, or why did I choose witchcraft. I never have been able to explain it. I just don’t have a nice, concise, cookie cutter answer. In fact I didn’t choose it, there was no becoming. I just was. To me being a witch wasn’t a choice, it is not a religion to me. It is just what I am. I am witch.

I’ve tried to explain by sharing pieces of my history with people. When I do, when I explain just a little of my background to Pagans, they are never surprised that I am now a witch.

So here it is, my complete witchy background. I warn you it is long, and I would love it if more people would explain their background. To me it is fascinating.

———————————–

In the beginning…

God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters…

Oh wait, I guess that is a little too far back…

What I really want to tell you about is my beginning; kinda of the story of my life with a strong emphasis on the magical.

Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale…

A tale of a fateful trip. That started from this tropic port. Aboard this tiny ship…

Oh wait, that’s the wrong story too.

I do have a story to tell, and this story begins with my grandparents.