Hi all,
My name is Maureen, but SophiaInTheChaos has been my email (and mantra) for 20 years. Sophia is the Goddess of wisdom, and when I created my email address in late summer, 2001, things felt very chaotic. I also find beauty and awe in chaos - often there is Divine Wisdom in it.
I have been a solitary witch for 30 years (which is bananas to write, actually). Scott Cunningham, Laurie Cabot, and Starhawk have been my primary influences. I spent a lot of time with their work in the mid-late 90s. I particularly enjoyed the overlap of the story of the Major Arcana and the path to self-actualization. But for all the time I’ve spent wandering around witchcraft, herbalism, philosophy, psychology, spiritual paths, and collective action I feel like I have mostly been a collector of knowledge rather than a practitioner. I have always felt like I needed more information before I start the lab portion of my training. 
I’m a better researcher than magician, I think. My hope is to shift that pattern and spend some time consciously with magic - which brings me to your lovely community. I have played with candle magic, food magic, magical intention setting, healing magic, and spent a lot of time with Tarot Cards. But, as a Libra with Aquarius Moon and Rising, I’m not sure I have ever had faith in my own will as much as I have a love of ideas (I have historically been drawn to Earth signs, unsurprisingly.) In my mid-40s, that is changing - I am seeking grounded, embodied strength, and action. Since 2001, I have been a devotee of Kuan Shih Yin, Bodhisattva of Compassion, Wisdom, and Unconditional Love ([She] who hears the cries of the world) and have been more drawn to Buddhism over the years. But I often find myself drawn back into the heartiness and grounding of ritual and community of witchcraft, especially from Lughnasadh to Imbolc. I particularly enjoy rituals of light in the darkness. I have recently made a more substantial acquaintance with the Goddess Brigid and am spending more time with her. I am looking forward to learning and, more importantly, practicing with the knowledge I find here. Thank you all for being here and for having me. I’m looking forward to my time in this community. Blessed be.
Welcome @SophiaInTheChaos! I’m Siofra_Strega, a moderator here in the forum. I love you name & how you have used it & connected with it over the years. For a long while, my “badge” that I wore in the forum was “Master of Chaos” for the same reasons. I had a very chaotic time for a while & things have seemed to settle down.
I also love to learn & spent a good deal of time reading, taking classes, etc… to do much of the same. There was a while that I didn’t necessarily “practice” magic because I felt the same way. However, I’m starting to feel my groove and get back to it. I do a lot of practicing magic in mundane because even though I am disabled & cannot work, I still have busy days with 3 children & a husband plus my pupper that is my shadow throughout the day.
I particularly am drawn to Samhain through Imbolc… and I also work with & meet with Brighid regularly. I also work with the Morrigan who are both Celtic Goddesses from the Tuatha de Danaan. 
I also Tend Her Flame within the forum, I do get help from time to time from the lovely @marsha & @MeganB…
I have taken classes & became an Advanced Crystal Practitioner & I’m currently in the process of taking courses with Biddy Tarot to be able to read the tarot intuitively, understand the cards, & also reconnect with my intuition. It’s going really well too! After I am finished with these courses, I want to take some courses that deal with herbs & such.
I do make my own incense & love to create simmer pots. I use essential oils for a multitude of reasons. I had made my daughter & her friends matching oils to wear for gifts & I am making a couple of others for her best friend’s mother who gave me a gift that I wasn’t expecting, but greatly appreciated! I practice varying divination methods & have done a couple of deep dives into subjects for the forum.
There is a lot of great information about so many things on the Spells8 site & within the forum. So if you have any questions at all, please feel free to ask. You can also share anything you may like with us, we all love to learn. Everyone here is very friendly & supportive of your own unique path, I look forward to chatting with you more! 
Welcome to the forum @SophiaInTheChaos 
My name is Megan and I’m one of the moderators here at Spells8 It’s nice to meet you!
I started with Scott Cunningham – he’s the author of one of the first books I ever read on Wicca!
Ya know, I’ve felt like this before, too. I try to remind myself that sometimes a witch needs to collect that information. I’ve often felt like I’m not “witch” enough because I don’t practice every day or cast spells as often as I’d like. That’s not true, though, and that’s my constant reminder!
Amazing! Another person that venerates Brigid! There are a few of us around here, actually. Brigid is one of the first deities I ever worked with and we have a long-term relationship built up. I’m glad to know you’re working with her as well!
Anyway, I’m happy you’re hear and I look forward to seeing you around!
Hi @SophiaInTheChaos! I’m Amethyst from Southern West Virginia. Welcome to the forum! 
I love your name! Very original.
I used to read more than anything else too until I came here and joined in on the Weekly Challenges and the Group Rituals. So this is a perfect place for you to join in on the Activities and get some practice in!
If you have any questions, ask and someone will pop up and help you. I look forward to getting to know you better!
@SophiaInTheChaos Hi I’m Christeena, and I’m 42, a mother of 2 adult sons. One is a paramedic/firefighter, and the other is a Marine. I live in a very very small town in Central North Carolina with my hubby of 21 yrs, our 2 dogs and 3 cats. I was raised Pentacostal and was always told that my gifts were evil, so they were suppressed til just a few yrs ago when i finally accepted all of myself. It has been an amazing journey with alot of bumps along the way. But it’s all worth it bc for the 1st time in 42 yrs i feel whole.
I have a HUGE affinity for herbs, I commune with spirits, and my guides. I’m a daughter of Hekate, The Morrigan, and Thor. I will help anyone, usually to my own detriment. But I’m still just gonna do me. If you ask me a question please be prepared for an honest answer. Sometimes brutally honest, as I am blunt. I don’t sugar coat things. Here you will find so many like minded brothers and sisters who will welcome and accept all of you with open arms without condescension. If you have questions all you have to do is ask. We are all here to help each other. You will find people from all walks of life and paths. Again, welcome!!!
Merry meet @SophiaInTheChaos,
I have to say that I absolutely love your username! Chaos magick is fun 
Anyways, I’m Bry- another moderator here in the forum. Just wanted to pop in and wish you a very warm welcome! 
As someone who studied religions as part of my international program in university, I was really drawn to the freedom of Eclectic witchcraft. I’m a proud Eclectic Witch now, and in a very eclectic fashion , I would also urge you to include and honor any paths and traditions that are meaningful to you. If both Buddhism and witchcraft feel “right”, then I don’t see why you couldn’t incorporate both into your practice- you do you!
Please make yourself at home here and know that all the resources of both the main Spells8 site as well as here in the forum are at your fingertips. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out- your coven is a very friendly one!
Hope to talk with you more soon- blessed be! 
Hello 
and welcome home @SophiaInTheChaos
It’s nice to meet you, Maureen, I’m Marsha, an Eclectic Solitary Witch, from Colorado.
I’m also a Libra, but you are triple 
Air with a Libra 
Sun 
and Aquarius 
Moon 
and Ascendant! No wonder you are attracted to Earth 
signs!
You have had a very interesting life of exploration of many different subjects, I am so happy your path has led you here to Spells 8! Welcome to the family. 
I am looking forward to getting to know you better!
With love and magick 
always
The Other Marsha
@marsha I’m thinking on it now… I’m a Scorpio 
Virgo 
& Capricorn 
I do have 2 children… 1 a Pisces & 1 a Cancer 
Heavily drawn to water the Fire & then Earth was easier to connect to than I thought, but the latter 2 are Earth signs. Interesting… i have to get back to my astrology workings… not that i haven’t connected, but for a little bit I had been placing a back seat to some things. I miss working with astrology though… maybe I’ll go through my courses again as a refresher My brain is a bit… cloudy though right now, so we’ll wait until I’m back on the upswing 
I am always kind of in a liminal space & not that I enjoy the darkness I do learn to find the light through the lessons in the dark & by finding my way through. Facing the shadows & the dark to come back to the light was a recurring theme & at times it pops back in… but I have acquired quite the toolbox to get through them & evolve.
This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.