I've been practising speaking to the/a Goddess and it seems to come too easily! I was brought up with the concept of prayer as a solution to problems, but it never seemed to "flow" for me, trying to talk to god/jesus. However I seemed to be able to burble away for ages to The Lady (my concept of her).
Obviously, being brought up a christian I have an in built nose for the hard path, nothing should come easily or even be fun Even Bhuddists say "take the hard path, the way will grow easier".
I've got little voices saying "no, no this can't be right! Pain and suffering and words wrenched out of your agonised soul is where it's at, not chatting hapily"
I realise it's probably not always going to be that easy, that sometimes spirits can seem distant and cold. Tell me the little voices are just a leftover, and that I can go after them with a flyswatter?
Badger's Moon
xx

I dont speak to Gods myself, but yaay for you that its coming so easily.

I wouldnt look the gift horse in the mouth if I were you. Take the gift that is being offered here at the moment and learn everything you can from it. Perhaps now is just your time.

Natters away ten to the dozen to the gods, Im sure they are sick of my babbling really but I've never found it hard to connect with them.
I struggled for a bit trying to talk to the Christian god but gave up as I came to believe he was hard of hearing either that or he was ignoring me. Eventually realised I had no connection with that god so maybe you just struck lucky and found a god you have clicked with. Its like meating new people sometimes it all just seems to work and you babbling like old mates within 10 mins and other times its like pulling teeth even after knowing someone for 10 years.

temps who as you can see likes to babble.

What - you're ENJOYING yourself? You will need to go STRAIGHT to Hell. Do NOT pass Go, and do NOT collect £200! You are obviously truly Evull and will burn in the firy pit fer all eternity too. (Giggles!)
Tas says, "Go with the flow...! (And it's not brimstone either!)

I have taken to writing in my book how I feel and talk aloud as I write it. It is not usually at all interesting, but I find it much easier than just talking.

Looking at a lit candle helps me too, I have one on my desl near my pc and I can just look into it and think.

bb
g
xxx

Yep. As an ex-Chrisitian of many years myself, I know where you're coming from, but just pick up that flyswatter!

I know a few forms of paganism but, certina forms of shamanism apart, most are not ascetic religions, so there's no reason to go looking for hardship...if it's gonna come, it'll come along soon enough.

It sounds good to me that you've found a way to connect that works for you. Safe to say life is never plain sailing, but when you meet challenges along the way isn't it good to be able to talk to deity easily? Who knows when it will come in useful!

Ye are beginning to SCARE me wumman! ( )! Not only do you rely on yer belly to give forewarnings, ye also talk to the words as ye spell them out, and have a candle on yer PC!!!

Jings! Ye are either an as yet uncatalogued species of Tas, or ye are well upon the road to becoming one. (Some people refer to this as "perdition! )
Tas rekindles another candle, and pours a largish example of The Dram. It IS Friday after all...

Yeah, I'd go for the little voices with a flyswatter. As for talking to the Gods, good for you that it comes easily, there may be times when it doesn't, but don't worry about it take it as it comes. We have some of our best chats on long car journeys ......

Frey

Thank you people, thats all reaassuring. Particular thanks to Tas, I can feel the little red horns and tail growing already...
Guess I'll just take it as it comes and deal with difficult times as they arise. No need to go looking for them.
Badger's Moon
xx

Heh. You, too?

Though sometimes those journeys can get quite hair raising...

I've felt the same - too easy. I talk to my god, get answers back (not always the one's I'd like to hear). And I'd think, but surely it cannot be that easy.

I ask my god about this and he said that it's as easy or hard as you want it to be. He then added that no matter how easy or hard it is, there are always sacrifices to be made - some small and trivial other large and difficult. He then told me what I'd have to sacrifice over the years - cheered me up no end, I don't think.

Yeah, I once jumped two red lights on the trot going round the Meadowhall roundabout on the M1 by Sheffield. A policeman pulled me over. I did think (just for a couple of seconds) of saying something like "well I was having this conversation with Njord about a problem I've got, when I realised that he wanted me to light some green candles, so i was just going going to Meadowhall...." Umm, decided to go with, "I've got a lot on my mind, sorry officer." Njord did nothing to help me with the fine or the penalty points, he thought it was very funny....

They all do.

heck, I talk to something - not even sure what it is (I'm kind of an agnostic thingy) that I communicate to . nice you know its a something.

So whatever bugs you just swat.

hee hee.

fizzy

I looked like a mad woman walking up the road this morning, chatting away to "whoever" as my son had been having a few problems with some boy. It just felt good talking without anyone butting in and trying to give their tuppence worth and making me feel like a nagging old bag. Came home expecting the worst and he walked in all smiles, said the boy had apologised and that everything was hunky dorey Oooh and my daughter was made Mentor today , so will light a little candle tonight to say "thanks"

g
xx

I usually have most of my chats with my goddess while lying in my bed pondering. She has been very helpful in difficult times, esepcially dealing with family things.I dont find chats with her difficult at all. She can get a bit stroppy if I ignore her or dont say thanks properly tho! lol I once forgot to light a candle for her as promised...and that night my date cancelled! Wont forget again!!!
My God helps with more spiritual things and more base things (ahem). Hes slightly harder to talk to, but tahts because he's a bloke and gets bored I think with my yammering! lol

Tree

And for anyone who doesn't yet speak to the Gods/Goddesses, just keep speaking to yourself - that way you always get a sensible answer! )Or at the very least, one you can understand!)

Tas trundles off to discuss quantum mechanics with herself...
(She leaves the REALLY difficult stuff for the Gods & Goddesses!)

Might be a silly question, but how do you know when the gods are talking back, cos I always talk to myself and answer in my head, so I always think its just your conscience that is answering back???....

Thats a very good question. For me, its because they sound completely different and its not always in a clear voice like your own is in your head. Its sometimes fuzzy at first then gets sharper. They dont always "speak" as such either. Sometimes things happen.candle blows out etc

tree x

Like Treehugger, they sound completely different to my internal voice (especially the female voices!). They also say things that surprise me and are totally different to what I think. They give information I have no knowledge about and have to go and look up.

Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chogyam Trungpa. I can't remember the exact passage, but something about the benefits of ordinariness lol When we attach expectation to things we put them on an unobtainable pedestal: gods, relationships, rituals - so we can never be satisfied with them or 'do' them. This is the problem not just with neo-paganism but with most of today's religions and the people following them. We strive, through ego, to make things other than normality when we can only live normality (he puts it far more eloquently). For something to be easy and to suspect that it is wrong because of that is often the ego's way of pushing something away in order to preserve it's perceived value. Like Trungpa says about death - death is the most normal, unadulterated, natural thing in the world and the value/significance of it is hugely affecting. We become so used to building up this distance between what is and what we think it should be that when something does break through that barrier and we are confronted with normality, it is, on occasions, shattering and therefore perceived as 'extraordinary'.

Anyway, I'm not doing the guy justice. It's a fantastic read but you need to put the same amount of time aside as it takes to read it, just to think about what he's saying.

There's some excerpts here.

Best wishes,

Marion

I hear a different "voice" as it were and it doesnt come as easily to me as Badger. So i take my time with it. She is always there when i need her though - despite me asking her to attend when nothing is wrong - she prefers to turn up when theres somethning going on.

E x

I tend to think it's my own conscience or inner thoughts replying. But hey - if it's a helpful answer, does it really matter where it comes from?

I was at a Mind, Body, Spirit Festival last w/e with my mate who runs yoga classes for babies with special needs.
I really fancied having my angel cards done cos I've never had anything like that done before.
I hung around for ages waiting for the woman to finish with the previous seeker, and just as she finished, this other woman just barged past me and sat down. I was so angry I had to go outside and cool my head. In fact I was disproportionately angry. I sat outside fuming and muttering vague curses, until suddenly a voice came in my head, clear as anything, "Hey, get over it. What can she tell you you don't know already!"
Harrumph...
Badger's Moon
xx