Quick update before bedtime...
My father, the flaming southern Baptist...
My father called today, kind of randomly. He's generally gotta get pretty damn depressed or bored to call me. We haven't spoken in over a month.
We got to talking about my classes and things and how I'm auditing women and religion. I told him about the field trip we're taking to the Walters Museum tomorrow and how we've had practitioners come in from different religious groups, including the Wiccan HP last week.
"You're not gonna become a witch, now are you?"
See. My father and I are taking the long, slow path in dealing with my religious beliefs. Last time, we had "You're not gonna become a pagan now, are you?" in which he stated that Pagans were demon worshippers who will all go to hell and we had to start at square one of defining what Paganism actually is.
So. Tonight, I had to define witchcraft. I used the standard Crowley version because it's fairly simple to understand, and used it to liken prayer, something he's comfortable with, to witchcraft. Prayer is basically directing your will/desire towards a conduit (ie-God/higher power/the universe/etc), to change a facet of reality. So by that, I was able to explain that prayer is a kind of witchcraft, and just because it has a scary name doesn't mean it's evil.
I don't think he got it, but he didn't argue like I expected him to.
Next step: introducing the pentacle as a sign of protection. I just have to figure out when. We don't see each other very often, so if I did it at Christmas, he'd likely take it as an insult and not hear a word I have to say. For me, it's not so much a fear of "coming out of the broom closet" as it is wanting him to understand it so it's not this scary, unholy evil. If we work step by step, maybe it'll seem logical, if not acceptable to him.
Meme
Anyway.
sunflwgal posted an interesting meme in her journal.
Rules
1. Leave a comment saying you want to be interviewed.
2. I'll reply and give you five questions to answer.
3. You'll update your LJ with the five questions answered.
4. You'll include this explanation.
5. You ask other people five questions when they want to be interviewed. And it just keeps going, and going, and going (hopefully!).
1. How old were your when you found your spiritual path and what made you take that direction?
Um. I kind of always knew that I believed in God/Something bigger than me. I just didn't know what to call it, and my Southern Baptist upbringing left me completely at odds with what I'd been able to figure out. I've never believed in a "fire and brimstone" kinda god. It makes no sense to me that a God who created a fundamentally flawed human race would condemn them to hell for being imperfect. That people would go to hell for sins much less serious than, oh, completely destroying the world and burning towns to the ground and causing death, destruction, famine and plagues. Even the New Testament is riddled with inconsistencies.
So when I wa 14-15, I started to research other religions in a completely objective way. I read the Bhagavad Gita and the religious mythology of Native American and Norse cultures. I read about the Buddha. It was closer to my idea of divinity, but nothing really clicked until I found Neo-Paganism and modern Wicca.
I'd neglected the feminine divine for so long that the Goddess and I kind of had to ease into a relationship, but the more I felt like the path was right, the more she just became "mama." This of course required a massive rethinking of my concept of a male God. The God and I aren't as tight as the Goddess and I are, but that's because I had to iron out my patriarchical issues first. I think I'm getting to the point where the balance isn't just merely symbolic.
2. You and Mike are going on two years right? Do you feel that this relationship has definitely changed and molded you two together or feel it's just the same ole same ole?
Well. Mike will probably add his two cents to this, but this is how I see it. I definitely went through a very intense first year where as it is when you fall immediately in love with someone, you want to spend every waking minute curled up in bed with them. To some extent, going to college and only getting once-a-week visits definitely weans you off the intensity a bit, so the summer after my first year and all through last year, we had problems because the sugar coating had worn off and we had to deal with issues day to day, and there was a lot of arguing.
Last year was emotionally tough because Mike and I generally don't see eye to eye. We have a lot in common, but in many ways (especially spiritually and philosophically), we're exact opposites. I'd say we definitely went through a period of, "Is love enough?" and it was scary because fighting a lot took the focus off that love. I was definitely dealing with loving someone desperately but having to deal with a lot of negativity that a)had no exact pinpoint and b)was no one's fault.
This year, though we do fight occasionally, we're much better. I feel like I'm breathing a sigh of relief because we worked through it, and to be terribly cliche, we're that much more bonded together because of it. We've been through our share of metaphorical fires, and though I had doubted wether or not the relationship would work, I never doubted that I loved him. So. I'd say it's the exact opposite of "same 'ol, same 'ol" because I feel like I'm experiencing that first year all over again with a more mature perpective.
Damn, I'm long-winded tonight.
3. Where do you see yourself in 5 years, or where do you wish to be in 5 years?
Hopefully, I'll be finishing grad school about then or have finished grad school and be on my way towards finding a good job. See? Simple answer. I can do those.
4. What was your favorite place to travel to, why?
Even though I love Mike & my annual trip to the ocean, I'm gonna answer this with places I want to travel. I want to see Glastonbury Tor. I want to see the Temple of Athena in Greece, and Mykonos (sp?) too. I want to see Sterling in Scotland and the old stomping grounds of Druids in Ireland. I want to see the Italian countryside. I want to see New Orleans in all its smarmy glory. I want to travel!
5. What is the most important piece in your altar? Why?
I want to say my chalice, because it's so versatile. It can be an offering cup, or the vessel to drink from in tribute. I can scry with my chalice, and celebrate the symbolic Great Rite. On the other hand, I'm partial to my athame, too. Since I couldn't bring a metal-blade dagger with me to college, a good friend of mine carved me an athame out of wood, bound th handle in leather, and carved three of my personal runes (Dagaz, Perthro, and Nauthiz) into the handle. For the love that was put into it, it is very special to me.
Also,kuh is in a comm that I am a part of. Today, she gave me a "faceology" reading.
Your eyes have a slight downward angle, but I think that is moreso due to the angle of the picture, so I am going to call it no angle. (Let me know if that is wrong because if it is, the following will be wrong as a result.) You have a balanced view of life and tend to be pragmatic and objective. You are not easily discouraged and possess resilience under stress. You are concerned with fairness and justice.
Judging from the last picture, your iris seems to fill the eye. You connect with your feelings and have an open, emotional response to life. You have a visual and experiential approach and need to see the information you receive. You listen best when you can observe the person talking to you or see what they are talking about.
Your bottom lids are curved. You are positive, receptive, and open to people and new ideas. You are willing to take in and want to consider all the facts and information. If your lids become more curved as you listen to someone, you are truly listening to what they are saying.
There is a slight crease in on the flange of your nose. You are independent and have an easier time giving than receiving.
Your ears slant backwards and stick out away from your head. You have a unique perspective and outlook on life. You march to the sound of a different drummer. You are a non-conformist who tends to charge ahead, Your challenge is to let others know you can consider their opinions.
Pretty cool.
Anyway, the apartment is quiet... everyone else is seeing Matrix Revolutions, which I'm seeing with Mike this weekend. I've got to scamper to bed early, because I have to get up tomorrow morning and study for a big scary grammar test. Eep.
On the plus side... the results of big scary science test? 88. Not bad for a science 'tard. :)
My father called today, kind of randomly. He's generally gotta get pretty damn depressed or bored to call me. We haven't spoken in over a month.
We got to talking about my classes and things and how I'm auditing women and religion. I told him about the field trip we're taking to the Walters Museum tomorrow and how we've had practitioners come in from different religious groups, including the Wiccan HP last week.
"You're not gonna become a witch, now are you?"
See. My father and I are taking the long, slow path in dealing with my religious beliefs. Last time, we had "You're not gonna become a pagan now, are you?" in which he stated that Pagans were demon worshippers who will all go to hell and we had to start at square one of defining what Paganism actually is.
So. Tonight, I had to define witchcraft. I used the standard Crowley version because it's fairly simple to understand, and used it to liken prayer, something he's comfortable with, to witchcraft. Prayer is basically directing your will/desire towards a conduit (ie-God/higher power/the universe/etc), to change a facet of reality. So by that, I was able to explain that prayer is a kind of witchcraft, and just because it has a scary name doesn't mean it's evil.
I don't think he got it, but he didn't argue like I expected him to.
Next step: introducing the pentacle as a sign of protection. I just have to figure out when. We don't see each other very often, so if I did it at Christmas, he'd likely take it as an insult and not hear a word I have to say. For me, it's not so much a fear of "coming out of the broom closet" as it is wanting him to understand it so it's not this scary, unholy evil. If we work step by step, maybe it'll seem logical, if not acceptable to him.
Meme
Anyway.
sunflwgal posted an interesting meme in her journal. Rules
1. Leave a comment saying you want to be interviewed.
2. I'll reply and give you five questions to answer.
3. You'll update your LJ with the five questions answered.
4. You'll include this explanation.
5. You ask other people five questions when they want to be interviewed. And it just keeps going, and going, and going (hopefully!).
1. How old were your when you found your spiritual path and what made you take that direction?
Um. I kind of always knew that I believed in God/Something bigger than me. I just didn't know what to call it, and my Southern Baptist upbringing left me completely at odds with what I'd been able to figure out. I've never believed in a "fire and brimstone" kinda god. It makes no sense to me that a God who created a fundamentally flawed human race would condemn them to hell for being imperfect. That people would go to hell for sins much less serious than, oh, completely destroying the world and burning towns to the ground and causing death, destruction, famine and plagues. Even the New Testament is riddled with inconsistencies.
So when I wa 14-15, I started to research other religions in a completely objective way. I read the Bhagavad Gita and the religious mythology of Native American and Norse cultures. I read about the Buddha. It was closer to my idea of divinity, but nothing really clicked until I found Neo-Paganism and modern Wicca.
I'd neglected the feminine divine for so long that the Goddess and I kind of had to ease into a relationship, but the more I felt like the path was right, the more she just became "mama." This of course required a massive rethinking of my concept of a male God. The God and I aren't as tight as the Goddess and I are, but that's because I had to iron out my patriarchical issues first. I think I'm getting to the point where the balance isn't just merely symbolic.
2. You and Mike are going on two years right? Do you feel that this relationship has definitely changed and molded you two together or feel it's just the same ole same ole?
Well. Mike will probably add his two cents to this, but this is how I see it. I definitely went through a very intense first year where as it is when you fall immediately in love with someone, you want to spend every waking minute curled up in bed with them. To some extent, going to college and only getting once-a-week visits definitely weans you off the intensity a bit, so the summer after my first year and all through last year, we had problems because the sugar coating had worn off and we had to deal with issues day to day, and there was a lot of arguing.
Last year was emotionally tough because Mike and I generally don't see eye to eye. We have a lot in common, but in many ways (especially spiritually and philosophically), we're exact opposites. I'd say we definitely went through a period of, "Is love enough?" and it was scary because fighting a lot took the focus off that love. I was definitely dealing with loving someone desperately but having to deal with a lot of negativity that a)had no exact pinpoint and b)was no one's fault.
This year, though we do fight occasionally, we're much better. I feel like I'm breathing a sigh of relief because we worked through it, and to be terribly cliche, we're that much more bonded together because of it. We've been through our share of metaphorical fires, and though I had doubted wether or not the relationship would work, I never doubted that I loved him. So. I'd say it's the exact opposite of "same 'ol, same 'ol" because I feel like I'm experiencing that first year all over again with a more mature perpective.
Damn, I'm long-winded tonight.
3. Where do you see yourself in 5 years, or where do you wish to be in 5 years?
Hopefully, I'll be finishing grad school about then or have finished grad school and be on my way towards finding a good job. See? Simple answer. I can do those.
4. What was your favorite place to travel to, why?
Even though I love Mike & my annual trip to the ocean, I'm gonna answer this with places I want to travel. I want to see Glastonbury Tor. I want to see the Temple of Athena in Greece, and Mykonos (sp?) too. I want to see Sterling in Scotland and the old stomping grounds of Druids in Ireland. I want to see the Italian countryside. I want to see New Orleans in all its smarmy glory. I want to travel!
5. What is the most important piece in your altar? Why?
I want to say my chalice, because it's so versatile. It can be an offering cup, or the vessel to drink from in tribute. I can scry with my chalice, and celebrate the symbolic Great Rite. On the other hand, I'm partial to my athame, too. Since I couldn't bring a metal-blade dagger with me to college, a good friend of mine carved me an athame out of wood, bound th handle in leather, and carved three of my personal runes (Dagaz, Perthro, and Nauthiz) into the handle. For the love that was put into it, it is very special to me.
Also,
kuh is in a comm that I am a part of. Today, she gave me a "faceology" reading.Your eyes have a slight downward angle, but I think that is moreso due to the angle of the picture, so I am going to call it no angle. (Let me know if that is wrong because if it is, the following will be wrong as a result.) You have a balanced view of life and tend to be pragmatic and objective. You are not easily discouraged and possess resilience under stress. You are concerned with fairness and justice.
Judging from the last picture, your iris seems to fill the eye. You connect with your feelings and have an open, emotional response to life. You have a visual and experiential approach and need to see the information you receive. You listen best when you can observe the person talking to you or see what they are talking about.
Your bottom lids are curved. You are positive, receptive, and open to people and new ideas. You are willing to take in and want to consider all the facts and information. If your lids become more curved as you listen to someone, you are truly listening to what they are saying.
There is a slight crease in on the flange of your nose. You are independent and have an easier time giving than receiving.
Your ears slant backwards and stick out away from your head. You have a unique perspective and outlook on life. You march to the sound of a different drummer. You are a non-conformist who tends to charge ahead, Your challenge is to let others know you can consider their opinions.
Pretty cool.
Anyway, the apartment is quiet... everyone else is seeing Matrix Revolutions, which I'm seeing with Mike this weekend. I've got to scamper to bed early, because I have to get up tomorrow morning and study for a big scary grammar test. Eep.
On the plus side... the results of big scary science test? 88. Not bad for a science 'tard. :)