Welcome to UK Pagan

'And Joy is Everywhere;

It is in the Earth's green covering of grass;

In the blue serenity of the Sky;

In the reckless exuberance of Spring;

In the severe abstinence of grey Winter;

In the Living flesh that animates our bodily frame;

In the perfect poise of the Human figure, noble and upright;

In Living;

In the exercise of all our powers;

In the acquisition of Knowledge;

in fighting evils...

Joy is there

Everywhere.'

Ravindranath Tagore 

 

Entirely up to you, as those above have indicated.  It is likely I will do nothing - as is up to me...!

On 2/4/2007 at 8:08 PM, Guest straw-berry-blonde said:

Hey there!

 

I have been reading 'Wicca: a guide for the solitary practitioner' (Cunningham) and the whole 'harm none' bit got me thinking.

 

I have to admit I have been on another (UNNAMED) pagan website. Due to this guideline, they took a very dim view of my mental illness and the way in which I cope with the overwhelming feelings I have to live every day with. They believed I was making excuses. I have morals and I know that by cutting myself I will have alot of guilt, but I know that withholding this punishment would cause a bigger problem in the near future. I know the god and goddess will still love me despite my flaws. Because I am part of them, they are part of me and they are also flawed. I am fighting and I have been for all the years I should have been forming an adult identity. And I am not sorry for continuing to survive in this way. Perhaps this is my path, but as much as we want to, when it comes to illness, other people's actions, these outside influences, they are not in our control. We shouldn't try to control everything, it's how we deal with such events that shape us.

 

Am I a bad person for knowing in my self that, in spite of free will, there are other forces at work? No one is entirely in control and no one is entirely swept along. That is how I feel. I respect the earth and am trying to be more in tune with her and the spirits here with us. I consider myself a student in such matters. I live and I learn and I try to treat others the way I would like to be.

 

Is this pagan, or do I not qualify due to my experiences? The other board seem to think I do not. I have left there and I need to know that not everyone feels the same! Any thoughts? xx

Hello Straw berry blonde,

Firstly, you are brave in your honesty to tell of your personal background. I believe that any god or goddess being pagan or divine will love you for who you are not what you are and if someone does have a form of illness than that does not define you. Everyone has it in their DSM. We all have potential illness or the link to anything, be it a mental thing or Adhd or whatever, the most important thing is to accept every part of your being. I think empathy is the key word to paganism though I have seen cases of certain groups enlightening only themselves. true divinity includes being humane besides being human.

Light to you

Anne

One thing that Beltane entails ia having a fire and a good knees up 😁 

My advice as to doing something more formal, well the energies of Spring have come of age so try speaking out to them in any way that feels good and from your heart. 

Edited Friday at 09:30 PM by Earthdragon

All the best.

You are the world’s leading expert on The Wolf Moonism.

 Don’t worry about what the rest of us do.

 Just go to wherever you think speaks to you about the Beltane message. That message is just for you.  It isn’t the same one that I or anyone else receives.

 Sit or stand under a tree, in the middle of a grassy patch, on a tarmac car park if that is all that’s available.  Wherever you feel that the season is talking to you.

 Then:  Listen. Quiet your mind and let thoughts and impressions arrive.

 After you’ve listened and if you want to say something then say it.

 If you want to sing something song it. (No matter what)

 Of you want to recite something recite it.

 All this can be going on inside your head.  No one except yourself needs to hear anything.

 When you think you’ve finished say something that suggests to you and the spirit of where you are standing/sitting/propped up that you are grateful (if you are grateful ) and are leaving. “Bye” is perfectly reasonable.

 Formal or traditional formula is really only necessary when a number of people want to say things together.  Were you to join a group then you would find ways of coordinating your conversation with the spirit of Beltane.

 Above all..... be wholehearted, don’t hold back, enjoy it.

(Oh and sex is a perfectly traditional preparation or follow on but not in the car park.)

Edited Thursday at 01:58 PM by Moonsmith
To make sure that you didn’t feel the need to embarrass yourself by singing etc in public.

Hey , beltane is coming up soon and i was wondering what kind of ritual should i do  we cant go to the one in Edinburgh due to lockdown

and i wanted to do something for it , i have no clue where to start or what it involves  i have very limited knoledge of this kinda thing i did go to the beltane fire ritual in Edinburgh a number of years ago before i met my partner  and that must have been 20 years ago or more

23 hours ago, TheWolfMoon said:

i am pagan and i dont see  being mentally ill as a problem to do with what ever  religion / spirtiuality

 

May your paganism help you to gain some strength and balance amidst the issues that you describe, Wolfmoon.