Saturday 27 October 2007

Samhain

Samhain is approaching, and this is my most favourite festival. I love this Sabbat and doing my own little celebration. This is the time when the veil is the thinnest, and when we can invite our loved ones who have passed over to join us. This is the time when I really give my thanks to spirit, it is a time of reflection and also renewal. It's a time to celebrate those who have passed over.
It is the start of the Witches New year.

On 31st October, which most people who know this day as Halloween, but for pagans it's Samhain. My main focus is Divination. This is the only time I get my crystal ball out. I will also do a tarot reading for myself and reflect and think of my loved ones past. I also like to write poems dedicated to those past and also the God and the Goddess.

For this festival I will also be working up to clearing out some of my old, to make way for the new things that will be entering my life.


Blessed Samhain.

Friday 19 October 2007

What it means to be a pagan.

As most people know I'm a pagan. I've been pagan since about 2002. It wasn't a decision I just made on the spot, it happened over time and I have been so happy ever since. It wasn't until I went through a real tough period of my life trying to figure out, what life was 'really' about and trying to figure out certain religious beliefs I was brought up to believe.

I thought in this post I would write what it means to be pagan to me.

For me it is all about Mother Earth, caring for her and the environment. It's about Recycling everything. From paper, to plastic pots to clothes... just about everything you can.

Looking after our insect and animal Kingdom. Gone are the days where I used to kill a spider, or a beetle. Now I look after them and will even pick snails up in the street and put them in safety. Some people will argue that you must let nature take it's course, but we receive help through means of people in our lives, guides and for some, even angels. So that's why I help the insects etc. I'm being their guide.

I believe in Karma, and so believe that what goes around comes around. So I try to think before I act. I don't like confrontation and so prefer to just walk away if someones being difficult, if they want to be angry etc then let them. It's how I react that's important to me. However, I do have my days where I bitch, or may do something that afterwards I regret. That's part of life and I know that that's where the balance comes in. If I get angry I try to put it into positive use, like using it to make myself to something I have little confidence in. But then there's those times I lose it, but hey we're human right?

Being pagan, we understand there is a balance to everything. Ying and yang, light and dark, good and bad, right and wrong, male and female.... I believe things happen for a reason, and sometimes I know certain things that come into my life which may cause me stress, are here to teach me a lesson and are also bringing things to a balance.

I believe I'm a student here on earth, and my lesson is to achieve all I can and to pay back any karma that needs to be healed. I'm here to learn, to teach and to guide. It's my belief we're all here for the same reason. We're all students making our way and each little problem, each thing that gives us stress is a lesson that needs to be learned, so we can grow and move forward.

I believe in the spirit world, which I believe is home. Once we have lived out life and our body dies, our spirit steps over into the spirit world, where we reflect on our life we just left, see our mistakes and our achievements until we feel ready to move on to another life. I'm very open minded and I could go on about this subject, but I think I'll leave it for another post.

I celebrate the seasons in the Sabbats that take place. Even though I am not a winter lover, and hate being cold, winter seems to bring out the student in me that wants to learn and give thanks to the God and the Goddess. I love Samhain, it is my most favourite sabbat and is the beginning of the Wheel of the Year us pagans celebrate. It's the same as new year for everyone else, but ours starts with Samhain.

I'm not too keen on the term Witch and rarely use it. Society, the media and religion has made this name seem, dirty unkind and cruel. Witches are none of these. Of course there are good people and bad people, it doesn't matter what religion you follow or where you come from, there are good and bad in every religion, culture etc etc etc.......
Some Witches will hex, they believe that this helps with the balance of things. However, hexing is not for me. If I was to hex then I would know that my karma would come back and bite me on the ass 3 times stronger. What you give out is what you get back!!!

OK so that's a little about me being a pagan, but there's so much more. If anyone would like to comment, feel free to. If you want to discuss it in more depth, I'm happy to give out my email to those who want to discuss further.

There's also a great spiritual forum that covers subjects like these. Postive Slant

And also Crazy About Forums

And The Cult Following




Maggie.

Saturday 13 October 2007

October chat

I've not written in here for a while, well I can say life is dandy. :)

I'm really enjoying my job, and after being a floater for the past six weeks, I am finally getting my own set at work. I've passed my BICS 1 and am taking my BICS 2 soon. These are recognised qualifications and so could help me to find another job in the near future.

I've been to the pub with hubby a few times, but we'll have to curb that to save up for xmas. I can't believe it's only 11 weeks to go!

I'm finally getting back into reading, but I don't read half as much as I used to. Also I don't get on the internet as much as I used to either. Some things I have stopped doing for a little while, but will get back to them as soon as I am ready.

My son Joe, loves his new school. He seems to be doing well and seems to have gained an attitude since going to secondary school. Hmmmmm....

Alex my eldest is doing well in Uni, and he's enjoying it. He's taking a four year course. Jim my middle son, is back at college and has dropped Biology and has taken up Geography instead, as he really likes the teacher. So hopefully he will do well in this subject. He's doing another two years in college.

I'm just waiting for a book I ordered to be delivered to WHSmith, it's Jean Plaidy's Katharine, The Virgin Widow. I love Tudor fiction and Katharine of Aragon is my most favourite queen. Can't say much about the current Tudor TV series on BB2 though, it seems to be rushed and a load of rubbish atm! I hope it gets better!

That's it I think! :)