Pagans and Wiccans which of the following beliefs and practices have you incorporated into your belief system? Are there any others that you practice that are not listed here.?
Monism: All that exists is derived from a single source of divine energy.
Pantheism: All that exists is God; God is all that exists. This leads naturally to the concept of the divinity of the individual, that we are all Gods. They do not seek God as revealed in a sacred text or as exists in a remote heaven; they seek God within the self and throughout the entire universe.
Panentheism: God is all that exists. God is at once the entire universe, and transcends the universe as well.
Polytheism: The Gods are real and separate entities. Groups of gods with a common mythology are worshiped and honored.
Arch Type: The Gods are not real and do not exist, they are simply symbols of energy pools that can aide in spiritual development and spell crafting.
Reincarnation: After death, we are reborn and live another life as a human. This cycle repeats itself many times. This belief is similar to the concept of transmigration of the soul in Hinduism.
Karma: The good and bad deeds that we do adds and subtracts from our accumulated record, our karma. At the end of our life, we are rewarded or punished according to our karma by being reincarnated into either a painful or good new life. This belief is linked to that of reincarnation and is also derived from Hinduism
An Aura is believed to be an energy field radiated by the body. Invisible to most people, it can be detected by some as a shimmering, multi-colored field surrounding the body. Those skilled in detecting and interpreting auras can diagnose an individual's state of mind, and their spiritual and physical health.
Ecological Responsibility: A belief in the importance of uniting to preserve the health of the earth, which is often looked upon as Gaia, (Mother Earth) a living entity.
Channeling A method similar to that used by Spiritists in which a spirit of a long dead individual is conjured up. However, while Spiritists generally believe that one's soul remains relatively unchanged after death, most channelers believe that the soul evolves to higher planes of existence. Chanelers usually try to make contact with a single, spiritually evolved being. That being's consciousness is channeled through the medium and relays guidance and information to the group, through the use of the medium's voice. Channeling has existed since the 1850's and many groups consider themselves independent of the New Age movement. Perhaps the most famous channeling event is the popular A Course in Miracles. It was channeled through a Columbia University psychologist, Dr. Helen Schucman, (1909-1981), over an 8 year period. She was an Atheist, and in no way regarded herself as a New Age believer. However, she took great care in recording accurately the words that she received.
Crystals Crystals are materials which have their molecules arranged in a specific, highly ordered internal pattern. This pattern is reflected in the crystal's external structure which typically has symmetrical planar surfaces. Many common substances, from salt to sugar, from diamonds to quartz form crystals. They can be shaped so that they will vibrate at a specific frequency and are widely used in radio communications and computing devices. New Agers believe that crystals possess healing energy.
Meditating A process of blanking out the mind and releasing oneself from conscious thinking. This is often aided by repetitive chanting of a mantra, or focusing on an object.
Divination The use of various techniques to foretell the future, including I Ching, Pendulum movements, Runes, Scrying, Tarot Cards.
Astrology The belief that the orientation of the planets at the time of one's birth, and the location of that birth predicts the individual's future and personality. Belief in astrology is common amongst New Agers, but definitely not limited to them.
Holistic Health This is a collection of healing techniques which have diverged from the traditional medical model. It attempts to cure disorders in mind, body and spirit and to promote wholeness and balance in the individual. Examples are acupuncture, crystal healing, homeopathy, iridology, massage, various meditation methods, polarity therapy, psychic healing, therapeutic touch, reflexology, etc.
Human Potential Movement (a.k.a. Emotional Growth Movement) This is a collection of therapeutic methods involving both individualized and group working, using both mental and physical techniques. The goal is to help individuals to advance spiritually. Examples are Esalen Growth Center programs, EST, Gestalt Therapy, Primal Scream Therapy, Transactional Analysis, Transcendental Meditation and Yoga. Sorry I'm oathbound. But I will say you're on the right track for the new age kiddies. ;-) Monism, pantheism, archetypes, reincarnation, ecological responsibility, divination, astrology (and numerology). Yikes. That's a lot to choose from.
I believe that gods are symbolic, and I believe in ecological responsibility. I don't do spellwork.
. To one extent or another, all of them except monism. Polytheist and some in my path use divination and seidth, which is communication with the dead for divination purposes.
Not into the other stuff
Yeah Labgrrl apparently we heathens are simple too. hehe Polytheism and Meditating.
I suppose it's good to be Wiccan, far less to list. Wow that's quite a list. Ok for me:
Polytheism, Reincarnation, Karma but in a very different sense than described, Ecological Responsbility, Meditation, Divination.
I have some interest in astrology, but the jury's still out as far as I'm concerned.
Holistic health and human potential movement - not entirely as described there. I believe in the use of natural healing techniques (such as herbs) where possible and I believe in the connection of the mind and the body. I also believe how we think and feel can have an impact on our bodies. Yoga and meditation are beneficial...but really have no interest in the other "therapies" listed. All of the above!
Spirituality is born from a personal occurrence with a divine, psychic or mystical experience of one form or another which inevitably connects a person to All that Is/God/Goddess/Allah/Great Spirit /whatever you want to call it.
Religion is second hand opinion of someone else鈥檚 divine experience. I think you will find that religions, and especially fanatical religions, tend to separate and divide people, while spirituality brings people together.
Thank God that Spirituality in all its seemingly paranormal forms is on the increase! http://www.psychic-junkie.com polytheism
divination (although the runes can be used for much more than just divination, and are themselves a complete magical system)
Meditiation
Astrology- although it is not common for heathens to use astrology, this is a throwback to my former studies. I don't use it much anymore, but I haven't the folly to deny my own senses, when it comes to the accuracy of astrological predictitons, and the effect that the planets have on us. Hmm. Quite a list. I'll list what I believe in.
Monism
Polytheism
Reincarnation
Karma (questionable belief in it)
Aura (I can see them)
Ecological Responsibility (We belong to the Earth, not the other way around)
Channeling (I can do this)
Crystals
Meditation (Can do this)
Divination (can do this)
Astrology
Holistic Health Frankly none of the terms, such as Monism, Pantheism, Panentheism, and Polytheism, are adequate to describe ancient Hellenic Polytheism. I believe Emanationism (not listed) is the best and most accurate, but even that is lacking. Your description of karma is a westernized version and does not accurately describe the original concept. Spirit communication and divination are a given for me. As is Shamanistic Healing and Reincarnation (more Transmigration of the Soul). Perception of the Gods as mere archetypes is seen as impiety and hubris by most within Hellenismos. Polytheism, reincarnation, karma, auras, ecological responsibility, meditating, divination, astrology, holistic health, and human potential movement. As far as how each of these are practiced day-to-day... some are less important to me than others. I'd say polytheism, reincarnation, and karma are the ones that are most important, and the rest are not incredibly essential to my practices.
The ones that I didn't list (minus the different types of theisms)... I do believe somewhat in them, but I've never practiced them. Wow, what a list. Okay, I incorporate into my belief system.. Polytheism, Reincarnation ( but doesn't have to do with this dimension), Ecological Responsibility, Crystals ( some have their uses), Meditating, Divination, though it never tells me anything I don't already know, and just a couple of holistic health things, not all of them.
oops, I missed auras. Polytheism, Reincarnation, Karma, Aura, Ecological Responsibility, Holistic & Herbal Healing, Meditation, and Divination. Errrr . . . well, polytheism. Archetypes, too, I'd say, as long as it's understood that I believe my godhs *predate* their archetypes . . . that the godhs existed *first.*
That's about it. Not much for New Age fluffery. Damn that's a long question. I don't feel like attaching "in my opinion" to all my opinions, so if I state something that is obviously my opinion I meant it as one. (so basically everything stated:)
monism:
My short answer is: no.
The longer one sounds more like a yes, but not the same concept.
Pantheism:
I believe that all things either have energy or a divine "spark". I believe a plant has energy, but not nessessarily a divine spark. I believe humans do have a degree if divinity within us, but way less than that of the Gods.
Polytheism:
Yup, yup. One God is no more another God as I am my aunt.
I tend to leave this answer as I have just now stated it, but I am a bit mis-leading with seperating them so. I believe all that exists is connected and part of a whole. Yes, me and my aunt (as well as any two Gods) are different entities, but can never be entirely seperate.
Arch Type:
My Gods are Gods, not symbolic energy pools, thank you very much. Though if you heard my story on how Gods came to be you may wonder how I can make such a distinction. Basically, how I see it, the Gods were seen as Gods, like we see people as people. If they were seen as Gods for so long then they are so because that is how they have been percieved.
Reincarnation:
Yes.. But like all my prior answers this one is a bit complicated as well. I'll explain myself with an analogy. Get a glass of water. The water represents all that is. Now take a drop out of the water. This is a person. When this drop returns to the glass the person dies and fuses again with all that is. This same drop cannot be taken out of the glass again (well, maybe with enough repetiton) but parts of it will return as more drops leave this glass to live. (whole analogy includes multiple glasses of water, so this is not Monism)
Karma:
I believe karma only exists durring life: like doing good brings good, bad brings bad. I believe we all go back to that "glass of water" when we die and all is equal.
An Aura:
Short answer: yes
Long answer: resembles how the Egyptians viewed this with the Khat, Ka, and Ba.
Ecological Responsibility:
Yes, very much so. Nerthus should be respected and cared for. We belong to her, not her to us.
Channeling:
I'm of the mind that spirits stay around until all thoes that directly loved them have passed on as well. I do believe channeling can be done, but that our loved ones should also be respected. Calling on them for things should be kept to a minimal. If they want to contact us they will do so.
Crystals:
Not just crystals, but all things have energy. Herbs, colours, symbols, thoughts, and more, all hold specific energy.
Meditating:
Is fun, helpful, and something I should do more often.
Divination:
I have never been drawn to the Tarrot, nor do I think I ever will. However, I do love Runes and the ocasional Scrying. All the "-mancy's" are interesting to atleast learn about, though there are some one may not wish to be eating while reading about.
Astrology:
I've not really cared. Yes, I believe this can have bearing on almost everything, but I often think we humans assume too much and place way too much faith in our own inventions.
Holistic Health:
Short answer: yes
Longer answer: these things are just avenues, like traditional medicine, to tap into the energy to heal things. Some tap this energy better than others.
Human Potential Movement:
Only thing I recognized from the list was Yoga. I do not know Yoga, or the rest, in depth enough to answer.
Others:
Yes. I won't bore you with what else I believe in though. This answer is long enough as it is. Pantheism- sort of... Panentheism- sort of but it's limited to Gaia. Other planets would have their own Gods
Polytheism, yes, hard polytheism
I'm Neohellenic, and none of that really defines Neohellenic Polytheism... so whatever.
Divination- yes, but it's not really important- more of a fun thing than a religious thing
I guess the Human Potential Movement... I dunno, I'm into TM and Yoga....
Astrology- Sort of, not real seriously, just kinda fun
Meditation is very important.
Karma- sort of, but not the way it's usually defined, I just don't have a better word for it
Ecological responsibility - very important
The aura- yes, but it's not that important and not really how you define it there either
Archetypes, sort of, but not how you defined it. Another thing I don't have a better word for. The Gods DO exist, and they are symbols and directed energy (because everything that exists is). And it's rude to just draw upon them for spellcasting.
Reincarnation- sort of, but not the way most people define it.
Channeling- sort of... we call it Invocation... we don't do it for fun and we don't do it often.
Holistic Health- well, I believe in taking really good care of your body, because it's a gift and I work out and am careful about what I eat. But I don't do all the rest of that stuff you've got listed under there, though I suppose I wouldn't rule it out, I wouldn't consider it a part of my religion. The idea is to have a healthy, strong body so you don't get sick in the first place. Well, I meditate... |
