Fears and paganism

[spiritmum]

Hi, everyone,

On the pagan interest thread every now and then someone mentions 'fears' and being nervous. So as not to hijack that thread I thought I'd start another one.

I come from a Christian background where the worse mistake you can make is standing up to sing the hymns at the wrong time. The tradition to which I belonged had long left the God of judgement and hellfire behind.

Now as a pagan (of sorts) I read books that tell me that I could be 'playing with forces I don't understand' or 'opening up to the dark side.'

I understand about grounding and protecting and the need for a circle when working, but I can't help but find it all a bit disconcerting.

I read a bit of Emma Restall Orr's book yesterday which is desperately sad - she sees dead people and I am so grateful that I can't, and I'd hate to start something that means that I do.

Part of me just wants to walk away, but I am continually drawn back to the craft. I work with angels so think I will try to combine the two like Cassandra Eason does.

But I just wondered if anyone else has similar worries? Or is there anything else about being a pagan that bothers you?

Hi sm, this is interesting as I have been reading and groaning in disbelief at the antics of Christine O'Donnell

She has in a very calculated way, conflated the Christian concept of Satanism with Wicca, the Earth and Nature-based spiritual path.

I acknowledge the Dark as much as the Light, there is balance in all things. However, as Scott Cunningham says, ....acknowledge the dark aspects as well as the bright, all nature is composed of opposites, the darkest as well as the brighest are locked in our unconcious. It is our ability to rise above these destructive urges, to channel our energy into positive choices and actions that makes us good and strong humans. Death, often seen as dark, is just a transition.

One of the most powerful experiences I have had was at the Goddess Temple when it was dressed for Samhaim, in darkness, shrouded in mystery. I was in a low place, struggling with my mother's death and all the contradictory feelings our relationship had evoked, with my transition to the elder, matriachal role in our family and all those implications for aging that contradictory to the worship of youth in our society.

I found such insight there in the dark, such peace and acceptance.

I can't really compose what I want to say coherently but I will think about it today and post later.

I guess I want to say there are some idiots out there who subvert anything they can to their own ends. You will recognise them and move away and move on.

Just remember, people have been warning us about the inherent dangers of believing in something other than Islam, Judaism and Christianity for a long time, but still here we are.

This is an intersting reaction to Ms O'Donnell.

paganwiccan.about.com/b/2010/09/20/christine-odonnell-and-dabbling-in-witchcraft.htm

Thanks, Earthymama. I subscribe to that blog too, I find it very interesting.

I don't have a problem with the darkness as such, dd1 and I were talking about this yesterday with regards to the Equinox, and how we are saying farewell to the light. We talked about how some people find this sad or frightening but actually it's a necessary part of life in order to have balance and health. I also pointed out that without darkness we'd have no idea of what light actually is. I also have an interest in Taoism and that is very firm in its teaching sthat the darkness is just as life-giving as the light.

I think what I am getting at rather is that I might unleash something evil, or at least mischevious. I don't believe in evil spirits or anything satanic, but I get bothered when respected authors such as Poppy Palin talk about the not so pleasant spirit beings that you meet as a witch. I may not believe but she does and as she has more experience of this than I do...

And I am very aware that I have children, and have a duty to keep them safe. A Christian priest once told me of a case of posession that they'd been involved with, in this case the teenage child of a woman who was about to be ordained - the priest I knew said she thought the posession had been some kind of effort to stop the ordination. Don't know what I'm saying really, esp. as demons don't feature in my beliefs - well, unless they are human ones - but the whole thing is making me a bit and this is definitely what holds me back from making a wholehearted commitment.

Hi spiritmum and earthymama.

I'm really just book marking this as haven't had chance to compose my thoughts. I know what you mean about the idea of unleashing forces etc spiritmum. It does feature in the few books i've read about such things and tbh i've always taken it with a pinch of salt. I'm sure some may think this naive, but i just don't quite believe that i'm capable of such a thing even if i wanted to. Not in a butter wouldn't melt way, in a wouldn't have the ability way. I guess my practice is more about honoring and enjoying nature etc. I don't really try to change things other than the normal day to day (cooking, gardening, making etc) and my inner self, not what people might call magic etc.

I think earthymama has it right about balance, and i generally trust nature to get this right. Imo it's normally when man interfers that things go tits up so to speak. Though obv that only works on a grand scale. As an individual nature can be terifying...maybe this is what we need to be aware of?

Any way i'll just ramble on with one more thing. Re clearing spaces etc, i did this a few times years ago and then just gave it up. It felt like a massive act of ego for me. Who am i to dictate the actions of natural or spiritual forces? Who am i to question and doubt them? I trust and work in harmony with them instead.

Bloomin eck, that was a long book mark

To be honest, the only fear I have with paganism, is other people's reactions to it.

Hi can I join in?

I dont know of other peoples experiences as i am fairly new to this but like some of you I accept there is a balance between good and evil.

I always try to remeber that my psychic energy is my own and the only way an evil energy can attach itself to that is if I let them find a way in to my circle of light.

Learing to dispel negative energies through meditation is a great way for me to practice putting up my psychic barriers for protection purposes.

On the subject of dark and light, I do not see either as good or bad but more of the process of life, the energy we get from the moon is celebrated as much as that from the sun.

I hope I make sense, as I said I haven't been practising for long.