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crazycatsiren · 1 year

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I know. It's far easier to just blame everything on the Christians, rather than acknowledge the historical fact that pagans were fighting and conquering each other way before Christianity even showed up on the face of the earth.

#religious ramblings #religions #pagan persecution complex #white persecution complex #white pagans on the internet #history #paganblr #witchblr

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upthewitchypunx · 1 year

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#snakes #quit retconning st Patrick's as pagans in your persecution complex

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pigeonflavouredcake · 1 year

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How to organise a grimoire

This is how I've decided to organise my grimoire now that I'm digitising it. I thought this may be of some benefit to other autistic/dyslexic practioners by sharing how my brain likes to formulate things. The trick is to categorise.

I have one large category I'm calling the chapter and every chapter has a number of categories within it and smaller sub categories underneath each one.

So my brain basically works like a russian nesting doll or like a very messy spider diagram. Organising it this way helps me to stay on track and stops me from getting overwhelmed. (I used this method in all my university essays and it helped push my grade up a lot).

I'm not writing it in any specific order but here's a list of what I've completed so far. Please feel free to take any of these. I hope this helps you with your own grimoire writing.

Theory 📚

Terminology

Paganism: historical context. Modern context. Core values.

New Age Spirituality: Development. Capitalism. Modern Example.

Cultural Appropriation: What it is. How it happens. How to avoid it. List of closed practices and red flags.

Wicca: What it is. How it's practiced. Gerald Gardner. Criticisms.

Thelema: Aleister Crowley. Development (egyptomania). Criticisms.

Conspiracy Theories: Development (root cause). Dangers. Examples. List of spiritual conspiracies. List of antisemitic stereotypes and propaganda.

Cults: What are they. How are they dangerous. How to recognise one (B.I.T.E model). List of religious/spiritual cults.

Satanic Panic: Historical development to our current satanic panic. The 1980's moral panic. Christian persecution complex.

KJV: Who was King James. The creation of the KJV. The KJO movement (evangelical and Christian fundamentalism. American Folk magic)

Witches in context: The modern witch. The post-modern witch. Historical context (England. Ancient Greece. Ireland).

Cats in context: Modern context. Familiars. Historical context (Egypt. Greece. China. England).

Transphobia: the idea behind terfism. How to recognise a terf. Examples of Terfism in spirituality (Lister). Dispelling myths and Misinformation.

Queerness: Erasure and queerphobia. Why queer people gravitate to witchcraft/paganism/Wicca. Examples (intersex. Gay relationships. Lesbian relationships. Asexuality).

Practical Basics 🔮

Terminology

Health and Safety: Fire. Smoke. Essential Oils. Toxicity. Wound Care. Biohazards.

How to make a magical space: What they are. Different types. Tools and their uses.

Grimoire/Book of Shadows: What they are. The differences. Different Formats. The Front cover.

Cleansing: What it is. What its used for. Examples.

Grounding: What it is. What its used for. Examples.

Protection: What it is. What its used for. Examples.

Intuition: What it is. What its used for. Developing it. Examples.

Discernment: What it is. What its used for. Steps of discernment (from a Christian perspective. From a secular perspective). Psychosis.

The Year and the holidays: Samhain. Yule. Wassailing. Imbolc. Spring Equinox. Beltaine. Summer Solstice. Lughnasadh. Autumn Equinox. (Historical development. How they're celebrated).

Deity Worship: Scientific Context (Neuroscience of Religiosity). Spiritual Context. Worship Vs working with. Finding a deity. Your religious rights. Critiquing your religious path. For example ↓

Hellenism: Historical context (Wars. Colonisation. Slavery. Citizenship. Pederasty). Modern Context (White washing. Transphobia).

Your Deities (if you choose to have any): Iconography. Mythology. Associations. Offerings.

Spirits: Ghosts. Shadow people. Demons (what they are. fear and labelling. History Vs pop culture). The Warrens (history. Criticisms). Other folklore.

Practical Magic ✨

I have a lot more planned for this section.

Terminology

Divination: What it is. What its used for. List of types and tools. For example ↓

Tarot: Structure of the tarot deck. Historical context. Modern Context. The fool and you.

Basic Astrology: What it is. Historical Context. Signs. Planets. Houses. Reading a natal chart.

Colour Magic: Basic colour theory. Symbolism. Practical application.

Correspondence 🌿

When there's a long list of items and spiritual meanings/applications I keep it in this section at the back of my grimoire.

Colours

Symbols

The Classic Elements

Astrology

Stones

Herbs and Spices (kitchen cupboard specific)

Common plants in your area (invasive and non invasive)

Seasonal fruit and vegetables

Miscellaneous laws and philosophies

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ididntorderthesoup · 7 months

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Spirituality is so complex with psychosis. I was raised loosely christian but by choice was pagan for roughly 14 years and buddhist for the last 2 (although I explored nondual hinduism a lot too).

I genuinely believe there are different kinds of beings that we cannot perceive and multiverses. Buddhism's cosmology is so vivid and answers a lot of questions other religions didn't for me.

But at the same time I get non-specific supernatural persecution delusions where I'm hunted by faceless people and this strange hybrid of part flesh part spirit entities that have followed me for years. No religion taught me this. It's an instinctual feeling with hallucinations and paranoia giving me the "proof" I need.

When I struggle to convince myself I'm safe from my delusion I start to question if I should believe in any religion or if it's a risk to my mental health. I start questioning if only the things I can directly know are real which is such a limited way to live. After all I can't see atoms but I trust they're there.

Idk I just struggle to strike a balance between my supernatural delusions and my spirituality.

#the soup talks #schizoaffective #actually schizospec #psychosis #schizophrenia #actually schizophrenic #delusions #spirituality

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qqueenofhades · 1 year

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One of the great tragedies of human history, in my humble opinion, is how Christianity was originally good before Constantine got ahold of it. In its early years of 33 CE-313 CE, it was a good and kind and just religion built around uplifting the marginalised peoples of the world and the New Testament is explicitly a socialist text. Yet I look at the Christian churches of today and see nothing about them any of the First Christians would even remotely recognise.

There are a lot of complex and delicate arguments to be had (and indeed, scholars have spent several literal millennia having them) about whether Christianity was totally good before the corrupting influence of those bad Romans aligned it with one of the largest and most culturally significant empires in history -- in which case, of course, its interests became about imposing and maintaining imperial control, often brutally, rather than any fidelity to founding precepts about love and care for others etc etc. In my opinion, this is a considerable oversimplification. From its founding, Christianity was subject to major internal crises and schisms, bitter arguments over what counted as "orthodox" (literally, "true") and what was describable as a heresy and for what reasons. The first few centuries of Christianity pre-Roman Catholicism are hardly a picture of peaceful coexistence, and Christianity was also unusual in the ancient world for its intolerance of competing theologies. The Romans were fairly lax about which local gods their subjects worshiped, as long as they also made sacrifices to Roma, Jupiter, and the other Roman pantheon, as that was felt to be an essential civic duty for the welfare of the Roman state. Thus, the Christians' refusal to honor any gods but their own was viewed not just as a religious defiance, but as a threat to public order and Homeland Security, and of course, it's always easy to scapegoat those kinds of people.

Even before the Romans, however, groups of Christians were viciously attacking other Christians, heretics, Jews, "pagans," Greeks or Hellenes (this was before medieval scholars such as Aquinas embarked on a valiant project to "Christianize" Aristotle and otherwise make the Greek philosophers acceptable to the Catholic canon) and definitely not constantly engaged in pure neighborly philanthropy. There are many options for how it could have developed, whether as a local sect in opposition to the Romans, a religion originally specific to a group of people and geographic region like Judaism, or just merely fractured into competing groups that all viewed each other as the enemy and eventually died out. However, it was additionally unusual in antiquity for its aggressive focus on conversion, and its spread beyond traditional tribal and ethnic groups. It was previously felt that each racial or national group of people had their own gods and those were the ones they were expected to stick with, but since the first few generations of Christians were all converts rather than being born into an established tradition, they were seen as "relinquishing" their previous gods, and this was unusual and possibly dangerous.

Constantine is often positioned as the establisher of Christianity in the Roman Empire, but this is also not quite true. He officially decriminalized Christianity after the increased persecutions of the late second and early third century CE, and may have personally been baptized on his deathbed, but this was also debated and he remained cagey about it during his lifetime. It was also not a straight line of uncontroversially Christian emperors from there; there was a guy named Julian the Apostate in the 360s, who rebuked institutional Christianity and tried to make a return to the Roman gods. However, the tide was generally moving toward Christianity, and in the 430s, the emperor Theodosius II issued the Theodosian Code, one of the original comprehensive legal-civic codes that mandated Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire and viewed non-Christians as the same kind of civic threat that Christians themselves had once been. Eventually, after the breakup of the western Roman Empire in 476, Rome -- while no longer the seat of major secular power -- was retained as the seat of religious authority, and became home to the Pope.

As I have written about many times, the legacy of medieval Christianity and medieval Catholicism is very complicated, and takes that reduce it to "the all-powerful church brainwashed everyone everywhere and they always did what it said" are wildly incorrect. It is a deeply flawed institution embedded into deeply flawed human society, and its control was never universal or complete. Indeed, the Catholics would love you to think it was, but the Great Schism of 1054 formalized the split between Greek Eastern Orthodox and Latin Western Catholic rites after centuries of acrimony, and the thirteenth century in particular was a hotbed for challenging and questioning the church (and the growth of new "heresies") in a way not really seen since the original first few centuries. Even in Europe, conversion was slow and patchwork and happened in different regions at different rates, and was always syncretic with local beliefs and magic/folklore traditions. So yes, even as one of the major inheritances of Rome, as Chris Wickham would put it, Christianity was not automatically or unquestioningly superior in medieval Europe. Though of course, it did become so, and allied itself with projects of institutional and generational religious warfare such as the crusades.

Anyway, the minutiae of the early church notwithstanding, it's true that almost invariably, the institutional Catholic church has found itself on the wrong side of history for the past 1700 years or so, and like all religions whose claim to universal and permanent truth means that any attempt to change or modulate its teaching is an existential threat, it has resisted any attempts to scrutinize, analyze, or acknowledge that. Because of Christianity's eventual permanent supremacy in European legal and religious worlds, and its violent exportation to the rest of the world via colonialism and imperialism, its truth-claims have been used to inflict immense systemic and individual suffering. The archconservative elements in the church (of which the recently late Benedict XVI was one), have doubled down on those claims and taken their refusal to modernize as a point of pride, and this is only in regard to Catholics. The churches that I suspect you're talking about, i.e. American evangelical/fundamental churches, owe their intellectual genealogy to Protestantism, and that is a whole OTHER can of worms.

#blackcur-rants #ask #history #ancient history #medieval history #history of religion

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thepastisalreadywritten · 4 months

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Modern Digital Reconstruction of Constantine the Great.

Constantine the Great, born in 272 AD, rose to prominence as a Roman Emperor.

His reign, beginning in 306 AD, marked a transformative period in Roman history.

Constantine is renowned for embracing Christianity, a shift that played a role in ending the persecution of Christians with the Edict of Milan in 313 AD.

While Constantine did not specifically establish Christmas, his influence on Christianization of the Roman Empire laid the groundwork.

The exact origins of Christmas on December 25th are complex and not directly attributed to Constantine.

The date may have been chosen to coincide with existing pagan festivals or to integrate Christian celebrations with the Roman solar festival of Sol Invictus.

Constantine's role in promoting Christianity, however, contributed to the broader cultural shift that influenced the eventual establishment of Christmas as a Christian holiday, emphasizing the significance of his reign in the development of Christian traditions.

📷: ©King Chronicles

#Constantine the Great #Christianity #Christmas #Ancient Rome #Roman Empire #digital reconstruction

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brightgnosis · 2 months

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Hey there! I actually was able to think of a good one for you :D

I'm sure that over the years, you've developed communities of other practitioners--some large, some small, some online, some offline, etc.

In these spaces, what would you say is the biggest blessing of these communities, and what is the biggest bane? Are these unique to magical spaces, in your experience?

It'd probably surprise a whole lot of y'all to find out that I've been pretty much cut off from any kind of Pagan / Occult / Witchcraft community for ... Basically my whole life.

Aside from a roughly 6 month stint in Fort Walton Beach, Florida (when I wasn't there long enough to settle down, let alone try to connect to locals); and a 3 year stint in Tulsa (when I experienced nearly every kind of abuse from my partner, and it probably would've endangered me to try- if I'd even had a vehicle to do so in the first place)? I've literally lived in the same small agricultural town in the middle of nowhere since I was 6. And there is nothing here.

I knew a handful of people involved in the craft growing up. I can count their names on both hands and still have fingers left; 4 of them were my own friends, and the rest were my Aunt's coven; I've never had contact with any kind of a broader "Pagan Community". Hell, I've only ever been to one Pagan Pride event in my entire life- and I've only ever stepped foot into maybe 5 Metaphysical Shops total ... I just never had the opportunity to.

I tried to get involved with my local community now that it's larger and there are easier ways to connect with others ... Only to immediately run into a group of stuckup, power hungry assholes who've apparently decided they run the entire joint because they put on a Pagan Pride "for us" twice; a group who can't even remotely handle anyone questioning them- but especially not a disabled person; they removed me from our local pagan FaceBook group for asking legitimate safety questions about their last event. So I washed my hands of them. I'd rather be solitary, then.

I've tried to be involved in (and even tried to create a couple) online communities, too ... But I keep seeing them fail (or get outright napalmed) over and over and over again due to the same problems; power games, infighting and backbiting, purity culture, personality cults, severe inexperience, poor organization, and no idea what community organization actually means- let alone no clear cut idea of what they want to provide as a community. So I wash my hands and step away.

I've been involved in a lot of discussions both online and off, too, with several types of practitioners, about what community means; what it needs; how to form one; how to make it self-sustaining; etc. But they never go anywhere. Nothing ever gets done. Things fizzle and fall apart for one reason or another (infighting, power games, lack of funds, disinterest, flakiness, etc) and things never get off the ground.

Community can be lovely, and wonderful, and helpful, and formative ... We need community ... I desperately want community ... But I haven't been impressed with a single thing I've seen so far in what attempts I've made online and off. If anything, my limited experience and attempts have shown me that (current) Pagans simply aren't capable of creating good, solid, well developed community. And I feel like there's a lot of reasons for that which hearken back to Pagan Persecution Complex, and a number of other issues I've griped about over the years.

And honestly? At this point I'm just kind of tired of trying to find my place in communities I never even had access to until recently. I'll still put people in their place when they whine about "not having community" while doing all the things that destroy community- or not actually bothering to take any of the steps to create it ... But ultimately, at this point we seem to have gotten on just fine without one another for 20+ years. I feel like we can probably get on fine without one another for another 20+ more unless something actually changes for the better finally.

I've made peace with that.

#fenderblender #Answered Asks #Witchcraft Asks #2024 Asks #2024 #Religion & Magic #Something Something 'You Can't Continue To Poison The Well And Then Wonder Why No One Drinks' In Regards To Community Survival

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themori-witch · 1 year

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The Burning Times" weren't a thing. Or, they were, but not in the way you think. Witches weren't being specifically targeted, and nor were pagans. The influx in persecution and subsequent executions of men and women of the time arose from complex socio-political atmospheres, and religious conflicts that, for the most part, did not include witches or pagans.

Not only this, but a lot of practises and traditions that we would today consider to fall under the witchcraft umbrella, would not have been considered such during these periods. And that little bit of context is important.

The Mori Witch on TikTok.

#witch #witches #the mori witch #witchcraft #tiktok #witchtok #tiktok video #video

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kemetic-dreams · 5 months

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What did Roman Empire pagan soldiers think of fighting under Constantine and Christianity?

Probably not very much.

The Roman military was a world of its own. More than today, soldiers had their very identity shaped by the institution and people they served. Upon enlisting, they swore allegiance to the emperor and received new names as his servants — Valerius during the tetrarchy and Flavius under Constantine. Those who didn’t speak Latin were pushed to acquire a basic grasp of it, pretty much like the French Foreign Legion of today. Starting from the late republican period, Roman soldiers were accustomed to receiving salaries, booty and pensions from their commanders, not the state in an abstract sense. Under the empire, loyalty often lay with the emperor, as long as he was perceived as strong.

In that frame, Constantine never lost the faith of his men thanks to his talents, accomplishments and image. It surely helped that he was Constantius Chlorus’ son, but dynastic feelings were not so strong in the 4th c. What really mattered was that he was a victorious imperator, with plenty of experience both before and after his ascension. His CV included wars against, and victories over, foreigners (Franks, Goths, Alamanni) and rival emperors (Maxentius, Licinius) alike. That kept soldiers satisfied and himself secure on the throne. Besides, Constantine took care to associate his military exploits with the Christian God. On the contrary, his sons failed to live up to his legacy and had to face claims by men like Magnus Magnentius and Julian.

Another thing to consider is the role of religion in the then Roman military. In general, early Christianity wasn’t unanimously for or against military service, hence a decent minority of soliders were Christians even before Constantine. In the late 3rd c., you could find Christians like St. Marcellus holding even the rank of centurion. The statesman Cassius Dio is reported to have spoken of Christians in the comitatus of all four original tetrarchs. Cases of individual disobedience cannot be excluded, of course, but the military was, above all, a state mechanism. Under Diocletian, they persecuted Christians; under Constantine, they fought the Donatists and may have even destroyed the Asclepieion at Aegae, Cilicia.

On his part, Constantine didn’t adopt Christianity the way most people after his time imagine(d). There was a long, gradual process, for the most part inscribed into the norms of late antiquity. Nomenclature and visual language were preserved to a considerable extent. Separate Christian and non-Christian prayers are reported to have been taking place at the same time. At some point in the 320s, a group of veterans greeted Constantine with the traditional “May the gods preserve you for us” salute. Two elite army units, Diocletian’s Jovians and Maximian’s Herculians, were not rebranded, although their names recalled the gods Jupiter and Hercules whom the late tetrarchs associated themselves with.

With the benefit of hindsight, we now know that the dynamics of that complex situation ended up favouring Christianity — if anything, all of Constantine’s successors were Christians except for Julian. That, however, should not be taken out of context. Few have a panoramic view of their time or the acumen to predict the future, and the provincials who made up the bulk of the late Roman military were not among them. Even if they were, though, they may not have had particularly strong feelings about any potential outcome. At the same time, various (quasi-)henotheistic traditions like the cult of Sol Invictus and Mithraism were around. The period was transitional, hence quite fluid.

#kemetic dreams #european #europeans #western europe #christianity #roman military #henotheistic traditions #cult of sol invictus #mithraism #christians #constantine

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crazycatsiren · 6 months

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At least half of the world was never and has never been pagan ever and good fucking gods will white pagans and witches please start understanding this 2023 is almost over now.

#witches of color #religious people of color #witchblr #paganblr #white supremacy #racism #pagan persecution complex #white victim complex #witches of the world

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eternal-echoes · 1 year

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“The history of relations between the Jewish and Christian communities has been complex and often painful. There were blessed times when the two lived together peacefully, but there was also the expulsion of the Jews from Cologne in the year 1424.

And in the 20th century, in the darkest period of German and European history, an insane racist ideology, born of neo-paganism, gave rise to the attempt, planned and systematically carried out by the regime, to exterminate European Jewry. The result has passed into history as the Shoah.

The victims of this unspeakable and previously unimaginable crime amounted to 11,000 named individuals in Cologne alone; the real figure was surely much higher. The holiness of God was no longer recognized, and consequently, contempt was shown for the sacredness of human life.

This year, 2005, marks the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps, in which millions of Jews - men, women and children - were put to death in the gas chambers and ovens.

I make my own the words written by my venerable Predecessor on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and I too say: "I bow my head before all those who experienced this manifestation of the mysterium iniquitatis. " The terrible events of that time must "never cease to rouse consciences, to resolve conflicts, to inspire the building of peace" (Message for the Liberation of Auschwitz, 15 January 2005).

…

This year also marks the 40th anniversary of the promulgation of the Second Vatican Council's Declaration Nostra Aetate, which opened up new prospects for Jewish-Christian relations in terms of dialogue and solidarity. This Declaration, in the fourth chapter, recalls the common roots and the immensely rich spiritual heritage that Jews and Christians share.

Both Jews and Christians recognize in Abraham their father in faith (cf. Gal 3: 7; Rom 4: 11ff.), and they look to the teachings of Moses and the prophets. Jewish spirituality, like its Christian counterpart, draws nourishment from the psalms. With St Paul, Christians are convinced that "the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable" (Rom 11: 29; cf. 9: 6, 11; 11: 1ff.). In considering the Jewish roots of Christianity (cf. Rom 11: 16-24), my venerable Predecessor, quoting a statement by the German Bishops, affirmed that "whoever meets Jesus Christ meets Judaism" (Insegnamenti, Vol. III/2, 1980, p. 1272).

The conciliar Declaration Nostra Aetate therefore "deplores feelings of hatred, persecutions and demonstrations of anti-Semitism directed against the Jews at whatever time and by whomsoever" (n. 4). God created us all "in his image" (cf. Gn 1: 27) and thus honoured us with a transcendent dignity. Before God, all men and women have the same dignity, whatever their nation, culture or religion.

…

On the basis of our shared human dignity the Catholic Church "condemns as foreign to the mind of Christ any kind of discrimination whatsoever between people, or harassment of them, done by reason of race or colour, class or religion" (n. 5).”

- Pope Benedict XVI, VISIT TO THE SYNAGOGUE OF COLOGNE, 19 August 2005

#Catholic #Christianity #quotes #Pope Benedict

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pigeonflavouredcake · 1 year

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HELLENIC TERFS MAKE NO DAMM SENSE HERE'S WHY

My references: I live on terf island. Currently transitioning.

Throughout my time spent in Hellenic spaces I was not able to avoid transphobia. There are an uncomfortable number of transphobic practitioners who claim authority as high priestesses and powerful sorcerers who line their TikToks and Tumblr posts with the cultural appropriation and gender essentialist rhetoric. In Hellenic spaces many of them also claim to worship goddesses like Artemis and Aphrodite. Like all of TERFism it doesn’t make sense.

Artemis I can somewhat understand. If a TERF wanted a “women only” space, Artemis would be an appropriate option. Artemis was a goddess of chastity and was very protective of it much like how many of us were taught to protect our virginity as children and teens, she was also very supportive to women, particularly to midwives and those who were pregnant but even in her mythology Artemis also had men as followers including Daphnis and Scamandrius. The hero Siporites of Crete was even turned into a woman by Artemis which can be interpreted idyllically as the hero transitioning with the help of Artemis. If Artemis in her mythology wasn’t exclusive to women then it shouldn’t be now.��

Aphrodite is a bit of a different case. Aphrodite is worshipped more as an archetype of beauty or “divine femininity”. TERFS believe Aphrodite to be the “perfect woman” “so how can anyone understand but women?” This ignores the fact that Aphrodite herself had a male presenting form Aphroditus. In whatever form Aphrodite takes, she is a deity of beauty and love. Ancient Greece had many different words for love: Agape (love for all), Eros (romantic/sexual), Philia (deep friendship), Ludus (playful love), Pragma (longstanding love/devotion), Philautia (self love), Storge (familial love), and Mania (obsession). Aphrodite today represents an all-encompassing love including all of these possibilities. It's just common sense to know that love in it’s many forms is not exclusive to cisgender women so neither is Aphrodite. Using her likeness to promote premeditated hate goes against who Aphrodite is at her core.

Many pagan TERFs have their own version of a persecution complex. They recognise how they themselves are a part of a marginalised community both religious and gender based and that history and personal experience fuels their overly defensive behaviour. When other marginalised communities mix with theirs it feels like an attack on their safe spaces. They use their personal experiences and community history to justify their bigoted attacks on other marginalised people. All the while pushing up a facade of spiritual authority so their ideals can’t be questioned.

It makes zero sense and I mean who is surprised?

Grow up and do better. Your NLOG phase was over a decade ago.

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thewriteadviceforwriters · 11 months

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Unleashing Your Inner Witch: What Is Wicca?

What is Wicca?

Have you ever heard of Wicca? Perhaps you have, but you're not quite sure what it's all about. Let me explain it to you all, Wicca is a modern pagan religion that has gained popularity in recent years, but it still remains misunderstood by many. In this post, I'll help you explore the basics of Wicca, its origins, beliefs, and practices. Let's also dispel some common misconceptions and provide tips for those interested in practicing Wicca on their own.

Understanding the Basics of Wicca

Wicca is a modern pagan religion that originated in England in the early 20th century. It is a peaceful and nature-based religion that values harmony and balance.

Wiccans worship a goddess and a god, who are associated with the feminine and masculine aspects of nature, respectively. They believe that all living beings, including animals and plants, possess a divine spark, and that the elements of nature (earth, air, fire, water) contain powerful energies that can be harnessed through magic.

Wiccans also believe in the interconnectivity of all things, and the importance of respecting and caring for the environment. They celebrate seasonal cycles, such as the solstices and equinoxes, and honor their deities through ritual and prayer.

Exploring the Roots of Wicca and Witchcraft

Wicca draws its inspiration from ancient pagan beliefs and practices, most notably witchcraft. Witchcraft itself has a long and complex history and has been misunderstood and persecuted throughout the centuries, with its origins lost in the mists of time.

Early European pagans believed in and revered a multitude of gods and goddesses associated with various aspects of life. With the spread of Christianity in the Middle Ages, these polytheistic beliefs were suppressed and replaced by monotheistic worship, and those who practiced witchcraft were often seen as heretics and evil-doers.

In the mid-twentieth century, a civil servant named Gerald Gardner brought witchcraft back into public awareness with the creation of Wicca. Although Gardner claimed that Wicca had been passed down through generations of witches, there is little evidence to support this, and most modern Wiccans view Gardner as the father of their tradition.

Wicca draws upon a variety of pagan beliefs and traditions from around the world, emphasizing the importance of nature, balance, and magic. While there are many different branches of Wicca and neopaganism, all are united in their reverence for the earth and for the gods and goddesses who embody its power.

The Beliefs and Practices of Modern Wiccans

Wicca is a religion that values harmony and balance, and Wiccans believe in the concept of ‘harm none’. This means Wiccans strive to avoid causing harm to themselves or others. Here are some of the beliefs and practices of modern Wiccans:

Connecting with Nature and Honoring Deities

Wiccans perform rituals to connect with nature and honor their deities. These rituals can be performed alone or with others. Wiccans believe that everything in nature has a spirit, and they often work with the energies of the natural world to help bring about positive change.

Celebrating Seasonal Cycles

Wiccans celebrate eight solar holidays, also known as Sabbats, throughout the year. These holidays mark the changing of the seasons and are a time to celebrate the cycles of life. The four major Sabbats are the Summer Solstice, Winter Solstice, Spring Equinox, and Fall Equinox, while the four minor Sabbats are Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas, and Samhain.

Using Divination Tools

Wiccans also use divination tools such as tarot cards, runes, and crystals to gain insight and guidance. Divination can help Wiccans better understand themselves and the world around them, as well as receive guidance from their deities and ancestors.

Working with Magic

Wiccans believe in the power of magic, and they use spells to create change in their lives and in the world. Magic in Wicca is often seen as a way to work with natural energies and to bring about positive change. Wiccans understand that magic is not a guarantee, and that it is still important to take action towards their goals.

Overall, Wicca is a religion that values the natural world and seeks to live in harmony with it. Wiccans believe in respecting all living things and strive to bring about positive change in their lives and communities.

Dispelling Misconceptions About Wicca

Despite the increased visibility of Wicca and other neo-pagan religions in recent years, misconceptions about these spiritual practices still persist. Here are a few common misconceptions about Wicca:

Wiccans worship Satan or practice black magic. This is not true. Wiccans do not believe in Satan, a figure that comes from Christianity, they rather worship a goddess and a god. Also, Wiccans believe in the concept of “harm none” and do not practice black magic.

Wicca is not a recognized religion. Actually, Wicca is recognized as a legitimate religion in many countries, including the United States and Canada.

Wicca is associated with evil or negative energy. This is a result of misconceptions and stereotypes about witchcraft. Wicca is a peaceful and nature-based religion that emphasizes balance and harmony above all else.

It's important to educate yourself and others about the true nature of Wicca, and to dispel these myths and misconceptions once and for all.

How to Begin Practicing Wicca on Your Own

If you're interested in practicing Wicca on your own, there are several steps you can take to get started:

(Also if you're interested in adding Wicca in your novel/story)

Step 1: Learn About Wicca

Before you begin practicing Wicca, it's important to learn about its beliefs, practices, and history. You can read books, visit websites, and attend workshops to gain a better understanding of the religion.

Step 2: Connect with Nature

Wiccan practices are closely tied to nature, so it's important to spend time outdoors and connect with the natural world. You can try hiking, camping, or gardening to deepen your connection with nature.

Step 3: Meditate and Develop Your Intuition

Meditation is an important part of Wiccan practice, as it helps to clear the mind and develop intuition. You can try guided meditations or simply find a quiet place to sit and focus on your breath.

Step 4: Create Your Altar

An altar is a sacred space where you can perform rituals and connect with your deities. You can choose items that represent the elements, such as candles, crystals, and feathers, and arrange them on a table or shelf.

Step 5: Practice Simple Rituals

You can start by performing simple rituals to honor the elements, gods, and goddesses. For example, you can light a candle and say a prayer to the goddess of love and fertility, or arrange stones and leaves on your altar to symbolize the four elements.

Remember, there is no right or wrong way to practice Wicca. It's a personal and individual journey, and you can adapt the practices to suit your own beliefs and needs.

Connecting With the Wiccan Community Near You

If you're interested in practicing Wicca but don't know where to start, connecting with the Wiccan community can offer support, guidance, and mentorship. Here are some tips on how to do so:

1. Use Social Media and Online Forums

Search for Wiccan groups or covens in your area on social media platforms like Facebook or on online forums like Reddit. These groups can provide a virtual community of like-minded individuals with whom you can connect.

2. Attend Public Rituals, Events, or Festivals

Many Wiccan groups or covens hold public rituals, events or festivals that are open to the public. Attending one of these can give you the opportunity to meet and connect with others practicing Wicca in your area.

3. Join a Wiccan Community

Consider joining a local Wiccan community or coven. This can provide a more structured and personal experience and allow you to learn from experienced Wiccans. You can start by attending public events or doing research to find a Wiccan community near you.

No matter how you choose to do it, connecting with other Wiccans can help you grow spiritually and develop your practice in a supportive and encouraging environment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Wicca is a nature-based and peaceful religion that worships a goddess and god, and believes in the power of magic. Although its roots can be traced back to ancient pagan beliefs and witchcraft, Wicca was officially founded in the 1950s by Gerald Gardner. Modern Wiccans follow the concept of 'harm none' and perform rituals to connect with nature and honor their deities. It's important to dispel the misconceptions about Wicca and understand that it is a recognized religion with protected rights. If you wish to start your spiritual practice, you can begin by learning more about Wicca, connecting with nature, and finding a Wiccan community near you.

TheWriteAdviceForWriters 2023

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tychodorian · 3 days

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Originally outsiders to Starkovia, the Mortreans, led by Darius' brother, emerged as influential figures who forever altered the landscape and culture of the kingdom.

Historically persecuted for their nomadic lifestyle and adherence to pagan traditions, the Mortreans found a new beginning when they gained power under the Starbán rule. With their arrival came a wave of change, as the Mortreans brought strength to Starkovia's defenses and injected wealth into its economy. The kingdom seemed poised for a promising era of prosperity and coexistence as Mortreans and native Ebians shared the land under the Starbán reign.

However, this harmony proved short-lived. Darius, driven by reckless actions and an insatiable desire to reclaim his lost love, set in motion a series of events that plunged Starkovia into chaos. His decisions undid the progress made by the Mortreans and native inhabitants, leaving devastation in his wake.

As you journey through the pages of "King of Dust," you'll uncover the full extent of Darius' impact on Starkovia and the far-reaching repercussions that echo through its history. The narrative invites exploration into themes of power, consequence, and the complexities of human desires.

Excited to embark on this adventure? Dive into the world of Starkovia today by checking out the Kickstarter campaign for "King of Dust." Secure your copy and unlock exclusive rewards as you prepare to immerse yourself in a tale of intrigue, darkness, and redemption.

There's only a few days left! Head to my pinned post, click the Linktree link, and you can reach the Kickstarter from there. Happy reading!

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remy-the-rat-official · 1 year

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As a pagan myself, so many pagans need to stop appropriating history to ft the narrative that paganism is somehow a superior religion.

And I mean this for like... ignoring that queer people were NOT accepted in Ancient Greece, relationships between grown men and boys were. So the love stories about how Achilles and Patroclus were in love, sure they were together, but one of them was a kid, they would not have been together with both as adults.

The superiority complex really sucks ass, because you don't need it, it causes the pipeline from paganism to alt right behaviour and beliefs. The superiority complex is inherently problematic and this isn't about being a reconstructionist or whatever, but we need to listen to history to avoid making statements that support some sort of moral superiority that straight up doesn't exist.

Another thing thats useful to accept, a lot of the songs we say were initially pagan were not. Because pagan was a slur used initially by the romans to insult and persecute those who believed in multiple deities, no pagan from the times where paganism was culturally accepted would be calling themselves pagan, the word is a modern reclamation.

Pagans are not better or worse than any other religious group.

(To clarify, yes of course pagans were prosecuted by Christians, thats not the debate, the problem is the superiority complex because it just leads to the alt right pipelone)

#hot pagan takes #paganism #pagan #hellenistic #hellenic reconstructionism #reconstructionism #celtic #celtic pagan #kemetic pagan #norse pagan #witchcraft #roman polytheism #polytheism #germanic polytheism #norse polytheism

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ryan-shepard-writes · 1 year

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"People like you have such a persecution complex! Neither the christians nor the Nazis have ever actually done anything to people like you, so stop worrying about it!"

"People like me": is queer/gay-ace/transgender, grew up under divorcee parents and below the poverty line, is ethnically of Jewish descent, is Native American, was partially raised in a pagan household while living in the bible belt, lives in a rural area/red state, is on the Autism spectrum with comorbid ADHD and suicidal depression, isn't technically right handed, has "off-color" eyes.

Me: ... Hmm.

#like yeah 'other people have it worse' whatever.#but can we stop fucking acting like there are only 2 states: being oppresser and being oppressed?#genuinely I've seen 4 messages about this type of shit on my dash today.#it's not a goddamn competition guys so stop trying to downplay the pains of other people.#discourse

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