YT Pagan Challenge
So I been thinking a lot about my blog. I wanted to find a way to make it just a bit more personal than just posting random knowledge. For that I’m doing the YouTube Pagan Challenge in blog format cuz, you know, a lot of us do witching through tumblr because no no no cameras please. Doesn’t mean we have to miss out on the challenge.
1. How did you find your path? Well, ever since I was little I always wanted to be a witch. Just before my teens was when the TV show Charmed came around and introduced me to Wiccan ideas. But for a few years I believed witches weren’t real. Then we got dial up internet, lol, and I remember looking up witches which lead me to find Wicca. 2. Are you in or out of the broom closet? Both. Family has no idea, and really I don’t think I would ever tell them. Them knowing would not change anything but upset them. I don’t need to tell them just so I can feel self-righteous. Friends know. People I don’t know or just met, I would tell them if they asked. 3. Do you have an altar shining or sacred space? Yes, my bedroom/altar room. The entire room is a sacred space. As for altars, I currently have 3. A working altar, Hecate’s altar, and a prosperity altar. If it calls for it I have some space to create more. 4. Your take on the wheel of the year? I like to do the sabbats as close to traditional as possible. I’m the kind of person who likes a little bit of structure. As wonderful and free as witchcraft can be, there’s very little structure. I’m currently reading how the Vampyre subculture works with the sabbats, and so far I really like how they see the Wheel. 5. What does this time of year mean to you? Well, this question is about the 5th week after Jan 1st, and to be honest, this is a stressful time of the year for me. Don’t really want to go into detail, just know it’s not fun. 6. What are your cultural influences? ALL. It’s important to me to relate to any culture. Been doing Celtic for a while. Been studying Shaman, African, and Vodou. I noticed that a lot of themes from these cultures can be seen in how I practice now. I want to continue these cultures for a while, then I plan to look into Chinese, Japanese, Hawaiian, Hispanic, Icelandic, Norse, Kabbala, etc. I have big study plans. ^^ 7. How do you view sacred texts or mythology? I believe that some of it can be taken quite literally, while most is seeped in allegory. 8. Do you have / how did you find a Matron/Patron? Yes, Hecate. When I really began to dive into the Craft, She was just everywhere; the sites I searched, the books I read, things I would see in nature, etc. It was very obvious that She wanted me to be one of Her witches. 9. Do you keep a journal or diary of your experiences? Yes, a small journal I keep separate from my Grimoire. If it’s notable, I will make an entry there. 10. What do the Moon phases mean to you? The ultimate form of femininity. It’s cycle just like that of a woman’s period, but also the perfect representation of the maiden, mother, and crone. I’m currently 24 y.o, and during a meditation, it came to me that woman constantly change in their lives just like the moon. Our Maiden stage, or at least for me, was about seeking loves, friendships, and play. Now at this age, I can feel Mother stage coming in. I put away ridiculous things, toys, ideas, and look forward to being adult. I’m not yet old enough to know how Crone stage will be, but I know that’s a time I’ll be done with bullshit. I also realized that this may be a contributing factor married people can fall apart, the feminine can change drastically. Unfortunately, this can hinder relationships. Women are the moon. 11. What does this sun mean to you? Just like my thoughts on the moon, the sun is the ultimate form of masculinity. I’m not a man, so my thoughts could be wrong, how could I truly know right? But from an outside female perspective, it seems like the sun and man can change like the moon, but they stay constant at their core. 12. What does this time of year mean to you? This question is referring to the first week of March. This is mostly a time I begin thinking about and preparing for Ostara/Easter. It is my personal belief that Hecate is Ishtar, (Easter was first all about Ishtar) so this time revolves heavy around my Goddess. 13. Do you use divination what type? Yes, I’ve gotten decent at working with the tarot. Sometimes I’ll scry in a black mirror, tea leaves, clouds, or leaves on trees to divine. 14. What does magic/k mean to you? Well, everything. When I hear someone say, ‘this isn’t really witchy’ I believe there is no such thing. Everything is of the Earth and its Mother, therefore all things are witchy and magick. 15. Do you perform spells on a regular basis? I do something witchy everyday. I perform spells and rituals when there is a call. I know some magicks are stronger at certain times, but I’m not going to wait to do my magick. The only patterns in my spells or rituals are moon rituals or sabbat rituals. 16. What city ritual practice do you do most often? Wat. 17. What does this time of year mean to you? Aprilish. time to honor the Maiden and spring. 18. What does deity/guide/divine mean to you? Well, my Goddess is Hecate, and for me, She is all things. All things are born from Her, and all things will return to Her. She gave birth to all deity, spirit, and corporeal life, and our world and others is the web of Her magick. 19. How do you feel about group work or worship? I’m down with it. Many benefits in working with a group. Stronger energies, new perspectives, and learning opportunities. 20. What does initiation mean to you? When I think of initiation, I think of becoming a part of a coven or group. Something to take all the time you need to consider, that’s an important step to me. 21. Do you have a Grimoire or Book of Shadows? Yessshh. 22. Do you create your own correspondences? Yes. 23. How important is your diet or magical use of food? So so. I sometimes practice food magick, but here in ‘Merica, it’s a little difficult to be healthy all the time. 24. How does spirituality relate to your mundane life? 25. What does this time of year mean to you? It’s FUCKING HOT. UGH. 26. Do you or how do you meditate? Learning to meditate was a struggle for me. I found that taking a bath and as I’m drifting off to sleep is the best time to meditate. I learned that in order to do it, I must be completely comfortable. These are the best times for me to receive messages, astral project, and create new magick theory. 27. Do you use chants/mantras/affirmations? Chants, yes. 28. Do you have a spirit/power/familiar animal? My animal guide is the butterfly. The butterfly tells of change, and it appeared right before some major changes happened in my life. I have a familiar, a cat named Ninja, we’re inseparable. 29. Do you use crystals? Why? How? Yesssrr. Like all things of Earth they have energy. A witch can take their energy, give them energy, feel their energy, or neutralize their energy. A real blessing for any energy user. I’ll use them for spells, energy centers, boosts, chakra balancing, grounding, anyway possible. 30. What does this time of year mean to you? IT’S STILL FUCKING HOT. 31. How important are alter “tools” to you? Not critically important, nice to have and use, but not entirely necessary. 32. What is your favorite pagan artwork? Aint got one. 33. What is your favorite pagan music? Aint got one. 34. What is your favorite place to visit? Any kind of wilderness. 35. Do you believe in ley lines, places of energy? Absolutely. 36. Do you believe in chakras/auras/etheric field? Yeps. 37. What does light/enlightenment mean to you? Finding how things relate, in the non obvious ways. 38. What does this time of year mean to you? It’s still hot, where dafuq are you Autumn? 39. What does shadow/darkness mean to you? The necessary contrast to light. One can not exist without the other. No shadow without the light, no light without the darkness. It is crucial in my path to know the darkness as much as the light, then we truly are balanced. 40. Do you believe in angels/demons/fairies? Yep, all of them. 41. Do you believe in an afterlife/reincarnation? Yes, both. 42. Do you work with ancestors/the deceased? Currently no. The reason for this is all my ancestors were Christian, and I don’t think they down with the Craft. 43. What does this time of year mean to you? Hot on Samhain? Fuck me. Even before I was a witch, Halloween was my favorite time of year. I prefer to bless and honor spirits during this time. 44. What has been most influential on your path? Finding balance in my light and my dark. 45. What are your favorite pagan/spiritual books? My Grimoire ‘tis NO.1!!! Animal Speak by Ted Andrews, my dream dictionary which I use quite often. 46. How do you talk to non-pagans about paganism? Well, I explain what it is and what I do without all the titles like, ‘witch, witchcraft, pagan, etc. When people hear these terms it’s usually a negative reaction. 47. Have you experienced spiritual doubt/hesitation? Yes, early in my path. It took great work to overcome. 48. What is most appealing/fulfilling in paganism? Having a deity I can truly love and have reverence for. Appealing to me is the psychic side of the Craft, something I always wanted to be. 49. How do you avoid stagnation/spiritual slumps? I don’t give myself unrealistic goals. If I’m not feeling witchy today, that’s fine. I strive to not go against what is natural or what my Goddess has inspired me to do, regardless if it involves the Craft. 50. What advice can you give to a new pagan? This is where true freedom begins. You may practice how ever you wish, nothing is set in stone. Take what calls to you, change or ignore what doesn’t, you don’t have to follow anyone’s idealism, beliefs, or methods. 51. What does this time of year mean to you? YAY! It’s FINALLY cold. The chill air on my skin, so cleansing and refreshing. The warmth found standing in the sunlight is welcomed. Most magickal time of year for me. 52. What have you learned this year? What are your spiritual/pagan goals for next year? Ew, can’t answer just yet.