What do i class myself as. Answers on a postcard please.

I know that my beliefs are earth based, that's an absolute fact.
I thought I was a Naturalistic Pagan after reading this website
And yet there are aspects I don't follow.

I aslo lean towards Hedgewitchery and again there are aspects in this that I don't adhere to. And the Celtic Path speaks to me also.

Basically I don't personally believe in deities. I don't worship any or work with any and any "ritual" I perform has nothing to do with honouring any, etc. And yet I will never disrespect anyone who does beleive in a god/dess, because that is thier belief and right.

I see the earth and nature as living entities with energy. I work with this energy alot. I draw upon it and use it. I feel at my most powerful when I am near the coast and especially in a rugged place like Cornwall or Scotland where the elements are really intense.

I don't regard nature in the feminine or masculine. I don't say things like "nature in all her[B] beauty..." I have a profound and deep respect and love for nature and the earth.

When I need to use something from nature, let's say a plant or some greenwood from a tree, then I will ask the tree/plant if I can take some. This is because the plant/tree is a living, breathing creature, with a lifeforce and an energy and should be treated and repected as such. it's the same as thinking that you wouldn't just cut off a lock of someones hair without asking would you? I also wait for a response from the plant/tree. I sit and wait in quite meditation and if I feel positive "vibes" I know that it's ok to take what I need, and like wise if I feel negative energy after my meditation I know that it's not ok to use. I do perform rituals though they are simple and usually only involve a simple thank you with an offering.

I feel strong conncetions to the earth and all it's creatures, plant, animal and mineral.
I use crystals and believe they have strong healing abitlities.

I listen to nature and I know when the birds are fighting off a predetor in the garden or fighting off each other for territory.

I can usually tell when it's going to rain. like my nan use to say "I can feel it in mi water" I also know when we are going to have a thunder storm.

I have a strong affinity with all things Celtic. I seem to have a love of the iron age and pre iron age time in history. Any time period BCE.

I once owned a book by Andy Baggot called Celtic Wisdom and this is where it all strarted for me. I have since lost that book, I know it's got to be in the house somewhere but can I hell-as-like find it? Without sounding corny it's like my bible. everything in it made so much sense and I refered to it often in my youth until it went missing. Then I found it again and it woke me up inside again. Then I lost it again a few months ago. when will I learn to put things back where they belong?

So what am I? Someone enlighten me.
A Pagan, A Celt, A Hedgewitch (on the path and in the making, not fully there yet).
Non of the above, all of the above.???????

I have never been part of a Pagan community and have found it difficult to talk about my "spirituality" with family and friends. I am a solitary person as a result and have always found it difficult to make friends.

Claz

It sounds to me like you are 'You', but if you want a label just go with Pagan. It's as good as any other and saves many hours of tormenting yourself about it.

I second that.

I know some people find labels useful, perhaps if somebody asks something like what path do you follow, or what religion are you?

But labels are restrictive, too.

I respect that some people strictly adhere to a certain path or a certain religion, if that's good for them, then I have absolutely no right to speak badly of that.

But for me, I need more freedom.

I also believe that if we are born to be a one-path person, that path finds you, not the other way around.

So I would just give it time, and see what comes up, or not, as the case maybe.

‘Pagan’ is a broad enough term that whatever you believe you’ll find it in there somewhere.

As far as I can tell for your beliefs to be classified as ‘Pagan’ all they need to be are Nature/Earth based/worshipping/revering and that you want them to be classified as Pagan. When someone tells me they are Pagan I can assume two things: they are Nature/Earth based/worshipping/revering and they are probably polytheistic. For you the first assumption would be correct but the second assumption would be incorrect though not unfair (many Pagans are polytheists and many definitions of Paganism include polytheism). I think ‘Pagan-atheist’ describes to two most defining aspects of your religious beliefs. The ‘Pagan’ part tells us that the Earth/Nature has a prominent role in your beliefs, and ‘atheist’ tells us that you do not worship/believe in gods.



You may want to read this article:

http://whitedragon.org.uk/articles/crystals.htm

There are so many paths, religious and moral concepts that there isn't a specific name for every combination of beliefs out there, and that goes for any religion.

If you really want to have a sub classification to go by, do what everyone else seems to do, make one up and start your own religion.

Otherwise like everyone else seems to have said, stick with the word Pagan.

you sound very eclectic.

I was going to say you sound quite pantheistic to me. But you're unlikely to ever find one term to pigeonhole yourself into. I've tried to do that and it hasn't worked- I am studying druidry but don't consider myself a druid, for example. There are people who feel their beliefs fit neatly into one of the labelled categories- druid, hedgewitch, heathen, whatever. But for others it's not so clear. A bit of this a bit of that. I just call myself a pagan. Or a ME-ist (see my siggy!)

As has been said, you don't need to find a name for what you are. You seem quite clear on what you do and don't believe, that's more than most people manage!

Interesting what you said about the book. I'd say it sounds like even though you want to refer to it, you're better off flying solo for the time being. When you do need the book again, it'll show up.

You're part of a pagan community now, given time you may find you're even among friends. Many of us have been lucky enough to make firm, real friendships (and more) with those who were once simply other members.

Everyone follows a different path, a path of their own choosing. It is the individualism of "paganism" that is most appealing (to me at least.) I think that any attempt to catagorise is doomed to failure.

If I am asked my religion I just tend to nod and tap my nose, indicating "mind your own business!" For people who know I am "pagan" and want to know what kind of pagan, I give them a different answer each time they ask!

I once told my daughters that I would like them to follow my religion, just as soon as they could work out what it is. They are both now priestesses, as different as chalk and cheese, and I would be hard put to name their beliefs in any sensible fashion.

Names are irrelivent, it is what you feel that matters!

You are eclectic and pragmatic. Welcome to the club!

i agree with you about the book,i bought this from Amazon last month (used) and i loved it, i know the ideas in it are the beliefs of the author but there was something about it that made lots of sense to me

One of my pet hates has always been the need to classify myself. I'm not just talking within paganism but in life itself. Am I "fashionable", "sporty", "a socialite" well no actualy I'm me! I'll get off my soap box don't worry.
In pagan terms it worried me for a long time, I've asked that question myself many times among other things what should I call myself? Does it matter that I rarely practice? I don't do it the way he or she does ....
At the end of the day I realised it doesn't matter, a long as we are doing what feels right for us as individuals then that is the right thing to do. As much as some might disagree with me I don't feel the need to follow a particular path, that's why I dont go along with other belief systems.
So what am I ... I'm Pagan!!
Thats good enough for me!!

I also think this is a fab post . I am terrible at doing this... I like X and Y so I must be a Z kind of person. I think it comes from a phase in my life where I'd lost my sense of who I was, so I was looking for things that would help me work it out. These days I am determined just to be me- to like, care about and believe in the things I genuinely do and not the things I think "someone like me" should .

I think for me this desire of needing a "lable" also stems from the time I lost my sense of direction. From 15 to 21 I didn't know I was Pagan but I didn't need to know. I had my beliefs and that was it for me. Then I went through a time, which is only just ending, when I truly wasn't me. Now I am getting my backside into gear and rediscovering myself I think I'm just looking for classification, a pigeon hole to help explain who I am to other people. I just think I am trying to hard to be accepted.

Judging by the replies here, you ARE accepted. BB Liz XXX

I had a little bimble around your blogspot after reading this thread .From what I've seen your very much blessed and settleing into who and what you are and after your new addition to your family seems only reasonable and natural you are takeing stock of things and seeking more answers to guide you onwards. You are amazing and unique ,as we all are ,in my opinion .And as for finding a label ,brings to mind the phase " Those that mind ,dont matter -those that matter dont mind " Just my two cents worth - Carry on shining

You are 'You'!

Don't worry about popping a little label on your head, just do and be what you want to! It's no one's business but yours!

As others have said, basically you are you - if you can't find a path that fits blaze a trail down your own - I'm a great believer that spirituality is always evolving - and just because you've created your own path doesn't make it any less valid than any traditional path.

The fact that you don't believe in deity however, would seem to point towards Animism.

But really the only person that can answer that question is you.

I think for a long time I was in the same situation, in that I wanted a label for ease of talking to other people about my beliefs. I thought that to connect with other people, it would be easier if we shared the same beliefs, almost as if waiting for a group of people to come up to me and say 'yeah, sounds like you're one of us'. Over the years I've realised that it just ain't gonna happen lol. What I have realised though is that because my beliefs are so individual, I have a lot to offer the people around me. And because the people around me have different beliefs they have a lot to offer right back. It might be more comfortable, and seem easier to find a tradition, but if you're not finding anything that 'fits' maybe it's easier to view those with other beliefs as people to bounce your ideas off, to challenge your ideas, and not forgetting you theirs - this is how we grow, something much more valid for many than discussing things with others in order to be 'taught' by them. If the tradition is there, you will find it, but when the time is right, and when you're ready for it.

Rejoice in being an individual cog in the machine of the community! lol

Nicely put

A very interesting artical. And one that I share the view of. I got my first crystals when I was 15. when I was 19 I read an artical on fair trade food and clothes and suddenly wondered if it applied to crystals, as well as a load of other things I had. So I started looking into where and how crystals got to us. It put a stop to me buying any more, and I only use them occassionally.

I do use the words and phrase "I work with crystals", however it is really misleading as I don't use the type of crystals that most people think of, I guess I should stop saying it, but I tried telling someone once that I use pebbles to meditate and heal with. I just got a strange look, and from an old crystal wearing hippy too.

I have several beach pebbles and other interesting rocks and stones that I have collected, one is from Rhosneigr, Anglesey and I find it very good for meditating, I drilled a hole in it and wear it most of the time. Most of my other "crystals" are pebbles from around Cornwall. These are what I have used for the past 10 years.