Monday 20 June 2011

Reply

Thank you for your reply to my last post, Sophia Catherine.  Have had so many problems replying to comments on here that this time I'm just doing it as a fresh blog post, and not even TRYING to do it the other way - too frustrating!!! 

I read your blog post and I totally relate to what you are saying.  I just did a "share on Twitter" (which should also end up on my Facebook page) - hope that is okay - as I thought that it would be good for my friends, family and contacts to read it.

I will email you on PaganSpace at some point.  It would be good to chat some more.  Take care! x

Sunday 19 June 2011

Other blog

Just updated my other blog: http://www.paulap.blog.com/.  I'll come back to this one soon!

New images on www.flickr.com/photos/paulabirds and Facebook (for those of you who are linked to me on FB). 

I'm struggling with health issues right now, so bear with me.

Peace and blessings to you all! x

Saturday 11 June 2011

Rhiannon

I don't know if I did this "right", but I made my first contact with Rhiannon.  It feels right and I needed help, for myself and on behalf of friends.

It feels right.  I feel that she understands.

I asked the moon goddess to help with something specific before, and I felt her presence.  I feel and truly believe that she helped.  It wasn't for me.  It was for someone else.  But, well, I suppose it was kind of for me, too.  Definitely, yes, it was.

Anyway, a friend told me something today, and I have asked Rhiannon to help and bless her.  I have never understood before about the worship of specific deities, not in my heart.  I have believed in both God and Goddess for a long time.  That is why I couldn't continue with the Christian churches, after a certain point.  But this...I don't know...I can't even fully explain the: "Why Rhiannon?" question.  Maybe I shouldn't try.

Blessed be. x

Friday 10 June 2011

Hi, Sophia Catherine!

Sorry to keep replying in this way, but I can't seem to get it to work the other way.  Your last reply made me laugh, about the water, smoke alarms and church carpets.  I guess that you need to find understanding people to worship with - Pagan and Christian - he, he!!! :-)

Thank you for replying to my PaganSpace email, too.  I think that I sent that before eventually managing to post a reply - albeit as a new post!  I did used to be able to do comments and reply to comments on here, although I don't get that many comments.  Oh well, never mind...Hopefully we'll chat some more.  We seem to have quite a lot in common.

Blessed be. x

So, let me see...

Time for another blog post.  I must admit that I'm becoming increasingly frustrated with some of the practical aspects of having my blogs here on Blogger/Blogspot.  I can't seem to reply to blog posts at the moment, for example...Oh well, we'll see how it goes.  I really don't want to have to give up this blog and start again elsewhere, and I'm not sure that any of the blog providers are ideal.  At least on Blogger/Blogspot, I can share poetry, and the software seems to understand the concept of stanza breaks!!!  And it has the added advantage that most other people who blog seem to be "over here", as it were. 

Anyway, I started "online researching" Rhiannon, the Welsh moon goddess, yesterday.  I feel drawn to her and so that's the direction I've started to go in - just seeing what the search engines find on her...Yes, and I can see aspects of her that I definitely relate to, and in that way, I understand why I am feeling the need to connect with her, on some level.

Blessed be.  Love and peace to you all.  xxx

Wednesday 8 June 2011

Reply to comment on my last post...

This is for Sophia Catherine.  Thank you for your comment on my last post.  Blogger won't let me reply.  It keeps making me log in again and...I'm just going around in circles and getting stressed.  I copied/pasted my reply, so I'll try to include it here, as a fresh blog post!!!


Hi Sophia Catherine,
Blogger finally let me sign up to your blog - phew! It is great to connect with you. As I said on PaganSpace, I haven't heard the term "Christopagan" since my Beliefnet days!!! I kind of started out identifying as Christopagan myself. You're dyspraxic, as well? Yeah, honestly, I'd be dangerous with all those candles that most Wiccans and Witches seem to use every five minutes!!! I have a problem with Christianity in many respects, but especially the denial of the female Divine. I wasn't any good with Christian rituals, either. LDS church wasn't too bad in that way, but I used to avoid Communion at C. of E. Church, and I'd be hopeless at Catholicism (just practically)...x
 

Wednesday 1 June 2011

Defining question

First of all, I know that a lot of people are confused about Quaganism, or Quaker/Paganism.  Quakerism does have its roots in Christianity, and Orthodox, Conservative Quakers would be traditionally Christian in terms of beliefs, including faith in The Trinity.  There is certainly much emphasis in Quaker literature on the teachings of Jesus.  It would tend to be the style of worship and the interpretation of the teachings of Jesus that would be very different for Christian Quakers, as compared to, say, Roman Catholics, Anglicans or Methodists - or any other mainstream Christian church.  Liberal Quakers are much more diverse in terms of beliefs, but would still relate to the same Quaker approach and appreciate the simplicity of the Quaker style of worship.  Pacifism is a core value of Quakerism, although some Quakers have even moved away from this - and it is the shared values which unite Quakers with very different views on many issues.  Within Liberal Quakerism, Pagan and Buddhist values and beliefs actually fit beautifully.  And, for people with Pagan or Buddhist (or other) beliefs, but who find the rituals difficult or don't relate to them for some reason, there can be a place - a spiritual home - with The Quakers.  There are many more reasons why people relate to Quakerism though, and it is such a big subject that it is difficult to know where to start.

Now, I am going to talk more about where I am at personally, right now.  The defining question is: To what extent do I feel Quagan, as opposed to Wiccan, based upon my beliefs and emotions, who I am inside and my relationship with The Divine?  And to what extent am I simply unable to cope with the rituals of the Wiccan religion due to factors ranging from dyspraxia, agoraphobia and OCD, to my psychological "hang-ups" (if they are to be viewed as such) regarding aspects of Wicca, and Paganism generally, such as "sky-clad worship"?

On the one hand, I have this obsession with, and need for, a spiritual identity, and the need/desire to "belong" somewhere - to have a religion, a specific, recognised spiritual path.  I am torn between this and a resistance to conformity of any kind, to being labelled or labelling myself - a need for individuality.  I am searching, ultimately, for an entirely authentic relationship with The Divine. 

I don't know if I am expressing myself clearly or not, but I want to keep trying.  It helps.  If reading this helps anyone else too, then that's even better.

I am still not technically a Quaker and haven't been to Meeting for some time now, but that is mainly due to health and practical reasons.  I do want to go back again, at some point.  My late grandparents (dad's side) were actively involved in The Quakers.  (They were Christian Quakers, though.)  My dad and his brother and sister were all birthright Quakers (a practice which has since been discontinued), but only my uncle ever became active within The Quakers, and he has since ceased to be involved in Quakerism.  I was Christened in the Anglican Church, but not raised "in the church", as it were - although my primary school did teach from a C. of E./Methodist Christian perspective.  I only really got involved in Quakerism personally after my intense experiences with the LDS/Mormon and Anglican churches, and Beliefnet.com etc, in 2007/08.

Anyway, I'll leave it there for now.  I could ramble endlessly about all of this, but I think that this, as a blog post, is starting to lose direction and focus.  Thank you to anyone who takes the time and trouble to read my words.  Blessed be.  xxx