Contemporary Paganism as a religious movement is relatively modern - modern enough that many of us practicing were not born and raised Pagan. Those of us who stumbled upon the Moonlit Path and the Winding Road each have an interesting tale to tell about how that happened. In some cases, there might have been a specific moment where things came into focus and you realized your people were out there and that you weren't alone after all. There were others, like you, who heard the Voices-in-the-Wind and saw the Dwellers-in-Between. In other cases the realization may have come more gradually, with whispers and hints playing across the landscape of your life. Eventually, you found the Will within yourself to reach out and explore those threads dancing through that landscape. Then the rest was history.
Then, you might pause, look back, at the day when it was you embarked on a Pagan path. A Paganivesary, a Witchiversary, a Druiversary, what have you. Do you celebrate and honor that moment when you found the path?
I don't, usually.
But this year I just had to after realizing I've been doing this for two decades and the Full Moon timing was auspicious. As I did the ritual I thought to myself - wow, the tween Witch me from twenty years ago would have been seriously impressed and envious of how awesome I am today. I am the Witch I looked up to and wanted to be back then. I'm there. That's ME now. There I stood, holding up my Book of Shadows before Lady Luna's light knowing full well the metric tons of work (and literal blood) I put into it. Thousands upon thousands of hours of reading, writing, practicing. None of which will be acknowledged or appreciated by anyone other than myself. But that is the nature of these paths. We do them for us. Not because we were raised in it, or because someone told us it's the "true religion" or whatever - we do it because it is what we Willed for ourselves. And that's a darned special and awesome thing to have.
Cheers to two decades and possibly officially being a semi-crone/elder of a Witch and Druid. Here's aiming for another couple to go!
Then, you might pause, look back, at the day when it was you embarked on a Pagan path. A Paganivesary, a Witchiversary, a Druiversary, what have you. Do you celebrate and honor that moment when you found the path?
I don't, usually.
But this year I just had to after realizing I've been doing this for two decades and the Full Moon timing was auspicious. As I did the ritual I thought to myself - wow, the tween Witch me from twenty years ago would have been seriously impressed and envious of how awesome I am today. I am the Witch I looked up to and wanted to be back then. I'm there. That's ME now. There I stood, holding up my Book of Shadows before Lady Luna's light knowing full well the metric tons of work (and literal blood) I put into it. Thousands upon thousands of hours of reading, writing, practicing. None of which will be acknowledged or appreciated by anyone other than myself. But that is the nature of these paths. We do them for us. Not because we were raised in it, or because someone told us it's the "true religion" or whatever - we do it because it is what we Willed for ourselves. And that's a darned special and awesome thing to have.
Cheers to two decades and possibly officially being a semi-crone/elder of a Witch and Druid. Here's aiming for another couple to go!