Challenge Entry-Magickal Traditions and Pagan Paths
@tracyS – haha yeah, you’re probably right. It’s interesting to think about, though!
@ Ostara @Shadeweaver – Oh geez 
I had forgotten all about the Flying Spaghetti Monster!
@Shadeweaver she meant that comment for you. I don’t know anything about the flying spaghetti monster, but it does sound interesting.
omg you’re totally right - I tagged the wrong person. Oops! 
I fixed it now lol
Weekly Challenge Entry
I wasn’t sure what I was going to do for the challenge, so I’m just going to tell my story of how I found Paganism.
I grew up in Texas in a Christian family, though we didn’t go to church very often. When I became an adult and had children we went to church and I taught children’s bible study, but I always felt out of place. I had beliefs that just didn’t jive with Christianity, but you don’t question the Baptist church. How can a loving God be so angry and toss you into hell fire for not being perfect? It just didn’t make sense. The Bible has been translated and re written so many times, I’m sure there were a lot of things lost in translation.
When I was in my early 20’s two ladies showed up at my door and wanted to teach me about the bible and God. They were Jehovah’s Witnesses and their beliefs were different from the Christian beliefs. They believed if you were a righteous person and lived by the bible (they had a different version then Christians), that someday you would be raised from the dead and live in paradise here on earth. If you didn’t live your life right, you would die and just be dead. They didn’t believe that a loving God would toss you into hell to suffer for eternity. Something else about Jehovah’s Witnesses’ is that they didn’t celebrate holidays. They knew the so called “Christian” holidays had Pagan roots. According to them, Pagan’s were horrible people that sacrificed children.
Fast forward 20 years later. I was working 12 hours shifts at night, and sometimes we had a lot of time on our hands. I had taken a little quiz online that said “What religion should you belong to”? I took the quiz and my answer was Wicca. Huh??? I had never heard of Wicca before, so I started reading up on it. The internet wasn’t like it is today, and there wasn’t much information. I purchased a book called Wicca for One by Raymond Buckland. I overwhelmed myself with all the things I wanted to learn and decided I would get back to it later in life when I had more time. I put my books and the few tools I had in a box and up in the attic it went.
Fast forward about 10 years and I was cleaning out the attic and found “the box”. Now I had the time to study and learn about Wicca and the Pagan religion. There was so much information online about it compared to 10 years ago. I was still confused about my Christian roots though, so I decided to be a Christian witch in the beginning. I had so many questions and there was no one to ask. While searching for answers, I kept coming to the Spells 8 website. I found out quickly that whatever my questions were someone would have the answer or point me in the direction to find it.
I am no longer a Christian witch. I have embraced the Pagan path. Everything feels right and I am no longer lost. Two years ago, I came to this sight as a Baby Witch and began talking to beautiful loving people who didn’t judge me and were patient with me and my many questions. I am no longer a Baby Witch and still learn new things every day.
Hmmm… 
this took some deep thought over a couple daya & at the moment(s) my brain is in a thick fog with less than a 1/4 mile of visibility
I was raised Very Catholic for quite some time… but ironically enough my mom was the person who started me on a witchy path. From zodiac signs to crystals. In high school… I knew church was a no. Well, before that but I refused to go just after my family had me be Confirmed in the church.
I dabbled & practiced with a couple of friends of mine I was very close with then & for a few years. Where I lived at the time, basically any witchcraft was interpreted as Wicca. I never really claimed to be Wiccan because I wasnt totally sure on that reasoning. (I was very… I have questions but also no really good resources… think pre-internet/cell phones)
Then… I was sent to live with another family member & for years my world was even more chaos than I started out with in the 1st place. I didn’t go to church but to appease my immediate family all 3 children were baptized. Sort of where it ended.
Later, when my boys were older I wanted to be me again. I started with what I could remember, then with the help of some internet & books on the subjects I had known & still had things from… started teaching myself. I had met a couple people here that are witches… but it was more of a do this not that or you’re not a witch type of things. Enter… Spells8…
I was totally enamored with the learning, information, & all the things. Since way back when I was under the impression of Wicca basically being another word for practicing witchcraft… Imagine my surprise 
& wow 
when I learned its actually a neo-pagan structured religion! WWHHHAAAATTT!!!
However, as I moved along I realized that I definitely was more Celtic 
leaning & continued on my learning journey. As I moved along… I don’t celebrate ALL the sabbats… more 4 of them… Imbolc, Beltaine, Lughnasadah, & Samhain… I more recognize the solstices & I definitely appreciate & do love 
them.
I do really connect with ancestors & things related to family lines & heritage. I especially connect with my Italian & Irish heritage but I was also raised by my Italian & Irish father with my Italian grandmother close by & a major influence in my life. As I learned more about my genealogy & found out some things related to my birth mother’s side, I honestly can’t relate or connect with that side of my ancestry or their beliefs or practices. There are some amazing finds though from that side historically & things that happened & I’ve been able to go back to to very early in recorded time on that side.
Still moving along… it was kind of a Celtic Irish Paganism practice. As I continued learning… & I’ve done some deep dives throughout my.y time & tried quite a few different things to see how they fit, but have since let go of in my practice. I have taken courses, read source materials, & history… all kinds of books 
Now, it’s more Irish Paganism. There is some crossover with Celtic, so more Irish Celtic… I work with my ancestors, mainly use tarot/oracle cards for divination but also Lithomancy with crystals & Witches Runes at times. I use my pendulum when I want to reach out to someone or someone’s with a mat set up for that use. Crystals 
Yes!!! I do work with energy & love my new connection with intuition… Astrology is another thing I like to use within my practice & a bit of astronomy with it. Smells/aromatherapy, music, reading, a lot of different things. Continually learning though & evolving in my own practice.
Elements & different realms. Meditation 
& journeying… my connections with them have gotten much better. I have a much better understanding of the Otherworld & the Fae.
I continue to learn & work with 2 deities. Specifically Brighid 
& the Morrigan 
… I will ask for assistance work with others from the Tuatha de Danaan because they are who I connect with & continually learn more that connects me with Brighid & the Morrigan including how the entire make up of the Tuatha de Danaan can work together & are all connected in 1 way or another.
I’ve really obtained a better understanding of witchcraft, paganism practices & know where my beliefs lie. I know what I do connect with & what fits into my beliefs. I don’t necessarily mix & match all that much anymore, but I do practice things differently than others. Strong on the Irish Celtic Paganism side & some things sprinkled in from the outside that are not necessarily a requirement or a solid all encomapssing practice in Irish Paganism.
I also learned that I am not Wiccan in practice & do follow more of my own path but not in a structured religion way. My connection with nature is much more solid & has been a big part of who I am & my own healing. Using natural remedies over manmade chemical compounds are now my go to, unless its a necessity for my health & well being. Since that became a part of my life & using what is provided to me naturally, I’ve lessened my prescriptions quite a bit to either no longer needing to use them or the lowest effective dose. Finding other ways to move things & my own self awareness, coping, & using from my area or what I have available rather than sending away for some things has helped a lot too. I try make use of what I have & will buy things I need to if its not something local to me.
All of you are an inspiration for everyone. I read all your entries with such awe.
Witches in this forum are truly amazing. I respect you all, and I am sending you love and care from the bottom of my heart. 
Awwww, thank you Eva. Sending you love and care to. 
Challenge Entry
My first encounter a (former) Christian Witch was back at my Catholic high school. We had a student from another school who had plans to become a priest someday and the purpose of his visit was to highlight the dangers of witchcraft.
I remember his saying that he was a member of a coven of Christian witches who also worked with/worshipped the Greek pantheon. “At first, everything was fine,” he said. “They’d seemed harmless.” But gradually, he became more and more depressed and anxious. Spells and rituals had failed to lift his mood. He eventually left when his coven was planning a ritual that involved animal sacrifice to free the soul of the father of one of the leaders from Hell.
He concluded his story by warning is that magic and witchcraft is the work of the devil and needs to be avoided at all costs.
I frustrated him and my teacher by asking that if magic could come from the Devil and demons, couldn’t magic come from God and the angels too?
One thing my religion teacher drilled into our heads when we were learning about Christianity was “it’s not magic. God hates magic. And none of God’s works are magic.”
Really?
If you wear The Scapular of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel when you die, you will not go to Hell because of Mary’s promise.
Sounds like a talisman or an amulet.
Pray the rosary. Carry a rosary. Wear a cross or crucifix and The Devil will have a harder time tempting you.
Sounds like a talisman or an amulet.
Mary is not a goddess. We are not worshipping her and we are not praying to her. We are asking her to pray for us and we are honoring her.
Okay then, why do we have what looks like an altar for her with lit candles and offerings of fresh flowers?
Why do we pray the Hail Mary if we’re not praying to her?
Eucharistic adoration is a time when everyone can sit in the pews, either praying or relaxing in front of a transubstantiated host.
Looking back on it, it wasn’t much different from the mediations I do now on a weekly basis with the Dragons, for me.
I think that’s why I never had a problem with magick growing up because I could see how similar Christian rituals and practices were to pagan rituals and practices.
The Jehovah’s witnesses were really big at putting the Catholic Religion down. Basically everything about it was taken from the Pagans. It’s so funny because I always loved the Catholic Religion. The rituals and lighting candles always appealed to me. My grandmother was Catholic, but I was raised Baptist. I remember when my daughter was little she told me she wanted to be Catholic. Like mother like daughter. The next time Jehovah’s witnesses showed up at my door, I told them I was Catholic. They left! Lol!
Challenge Entry:
When I first started down what I call my spiritual path awakening, I felt that I identified more as an eclectic Pagan. I didn’t feel like I connected with one specific practice. I worked with and had success in taking general knowledge from a host of practices and funneling it down to something that worked for me. Spells8.com definitely helped me in this experience (and even helped me identify with the phrase “eclectic Pagan”). The Infinite Roots coven sharing their experiences and practices also helped me understand what was available to me and how to work with different tools.
Over the last year I have explored and connected with rootwork/conjure or Hoodoo. It was not something that I was exposed to within my family. And I admit that I didn’t know much about it or what it really meant. I know a little bit about Voodoo. I’m New Orleans native and Voodoo practitioners have been in my family in the past. However, nothing is ever openly talked about when it comes to that practice. Everything is in a whisper or dismissed. I have never met any of those family members and to my knowledge, most have either passed on or have limited or any communication with my family. And since I don’t have that connection to Voodoo, I don’t feel right delving into that closed practice. I have great respect for it and since it has also been so closely affiliated with the area I grew up in, I read about it a lot. Through reading about Voodoo recently, I learned more about rootwork/conjure/Hoodoo. I started to make connections with a lot of the lore, practice and work I was reading about and how it aligned with a lot of things that have been and are still done within the family. As with Voodoo, Hoodoo practice had been demonized and labeled evil in the past, which is probably why none of my very strong catholic and Pentecostal family members ever has claimed to work with Hoodoo in the past. I did learn that it is a practice that is not closed but is so very intertwined with the culture of the deep south. I’ve always been so tethered to New Orleans even though I am not currently living there. The culture there is so steeped with both Voodoo and Hoodoo that I can say with certainty that it is part of familial traditions.
So with what I’ve read about, I started working more with my ancestors - known and unknown - and it really helped me grow in my practice. I invite ancestors and entities that want what is best for me into my practice when doing spellwork, ritual or some meditations. It has truly made a big difference!
Recently, it made me wonder, am I still an eclectic Pagan? Is Hoodoo part of the various paths under Paganism or is it something separate? From what I’ve researched I would say that yes, it should be included under the Paganism term or at least have a dotted line horizontally connected to it. And here is why:
Ancestral Veneration: Honoring ancestors is a key part of Hoodoo practice. Many Pagan traditions also include ancestral veneration with similar acknowledgment within rituals or even altars.
Use of Candles, Herbs and Oils in Magic: Hoodoo practitioners as well as Pagan practitioners work with herbs, oils, candles, and other natural elements to create spells and rituals for various purposes, such as protection, healing, and prosperity. The way they are used and the properties for use are almost identical as well.
Nature Reverence: Both Hoodoo and Paganism emphasize a profound connection with nature. Incorporating elements like herbs and roots into their spells and practices while also celebrating the changing seasons and honoring the Earth’s cycles are shared aspects.
Syncretism: - This is a term I had never heard of before. But I learned that syncretism is the blending of different spiritual and cultural influences. Both Paganism and Hoodoo align with the eclectic nature of a variety of paths. Both traditions can incorporate elements from various sources to create a personalized spiritual practice.
In conclusion, I found that what may have pulled me to Paganism initially and then to Hoodoo/conjure work is that both practices have adaptability and are open to a variety of tools and traditions. It makes me feel like it is a natural thing for me, especially when learning more about my ancestors, who have come from all areas of the world with a variety of beliefs but that share a lot of similarities. My ancestors have been African, African American, Native American, French, and Spanish - all of these ancestors have made me. Traces and hints of their different cultures and practices live on through my family as well. Almost like recognizing that they are all here with me through bloodlines. I believe that the shared connection to nature, the reverence for ancestors, and the use of magic are all available to me to explore, learn with and grow in.
CHALLENGE ENTRY
I expienced what I’d call a spiritual awakening recently, which has led me here.
For the past 7 years my family has experienced some seriously life changing events, none of them “good”. It seemed like bad things just kept happening and nothing was getting better.
In April, I was diagnosed with ALS, a fatal disease with a prognosis of 2-5 years. That day my husband was phsychatrically hospitalized. After a slew of tests and eliminating a lot of other diseases, my neurologist told us she thought it might be ALS. My husband went into a deep depression and shut down completely which resulted in hospitalization. That’s when i noticed a heavy energy weighing me down and i felt it in the whole house and realized it affected my husband and kids too.
After my husband came back home, a friend who I hadn’t seen in a long time came over. She told me we needed to sage our house. I said sure, what do i have to lose, after all nothing else had been working. I really didnt think a whole lot of it, but it was in the back of my mind.
My friend’s daughter started working at a new crystal shop (there’s none in my area) and they were having a grand opening so i went to support her and a new local business. I bought sage and some crystals not knowing what to do with them. I started doing research, which led me to witchcraft.
I do not have any specific path/traditions yet. This all came to head this year. I am a Christian, but idk if I’d categorize myself as a Christian witch. I do believe there are similarities in Christianity and witchcraft whether the church ever admits it or not. Im struggling with the concept that as a Christian you can only worship one God, as I have the desire to work with other gods/goddesses and deities. Someone else alluded to praying to Mary and some praying to saints. I was raised in an extremely liberal methodist church, so I feel it’s ok to practice witchcraft. My youth group had a sleepover at the church and there was a group playing with a ouija board, which i was too freaked to be in that room, and I’m not sure any adults knew.
Anyway, I’m so interested in learning about different relgions, different practices. I haven’t decided what my path is, but I’m learning so much from this coven and i can see a path starting to shape.
Looking back now, there have been many synchronicities that I’ve discovered. As a teenager I was interested in witchcraft, tarot and dreams. It never went beyond that. But, after all these years and all the books I’ve had, i only keep the dream dictionary, a book on Wicca, a book on tarot and tarot cards. Synchronicity! I found a mentor in the owner of the crystal shop and she has witchy and spiritual events that I love! Synchronicity?
I found out my friend that suggested the sage is a witch. My sister in law is a witch. My hair dresser is a witch and a mom from basketball is a witch! Synchronicity?! Lol
I wanted to thank everyone in this coven being extremely kind and helpful. You are all so welcoming and inspirational to the lost soul that I am! 
It’s time for a friendly reminder:
This challenge will soon close
If you would like to participate and haven’t done so already, please post about your challenge experience(s) by the deadline:
→ Tuesday, Sep 19th at 7:00 AM EDT (Eastern US Time)
No matter what path you walk- whether it goes by a shared name or is purely your own- it is wonderfully sacred and something very special. Thank you so much to all those who took the time to reflect on and share about their magickal journeys- it has been both humbling and inspirational to hear about your personal path and traditions! 
If you haven’t already shared an entry but would like to join in, this is your friendly reminder that you still have a bit of time left to do so!
Blessed Be! 
CHALLENGE ENTRY
WARNING – THIS IS A LONG POST!
I do think that this is probably the most thought provoking of the challenges that I have taken part in as a member of the coven. It has encouraged me to look deep within and has posed several questions that perhaps I had never considered nor knew the answer to. After pondering and thinking for the past week, I think I am now in a better position to answer them.
I have never written or said these words until now but…I am a Pagan. I do not conform to the beliefs and traditions of the main Abrahamic Religions, but I do worship based on nature, its cycles and the ideas that life is joyous, not sinful. When I first had inklings of this notion, I was naturally drawn to Wicca; had already been using the Moon for magickal purposes (admittedly without fully realising it) and its basis in nature, along with the idea embodied in the rede, really stood out and resonated. What perhaps didn’t was the duotheism that it entailed, the idea of the horned God and Triple Goddess. But what if I could embed other deities that resonated more? Some of you will know that Ancient Egypt is very much a part of who I am so it was natural for me to find ways of incorporating these into my practice. The triad of Abydos (Osiris, Isis and Horus) became part of my practice.
Upon reflecting this week though, this then posed further questions. Am I a Kemetic Pagan? Am I a Kemetic reconstructionist? Do I follow Kemetic Orthodox? Let me start with the later. Kemetic Orthodox is not who I am. They are strict in their ritualistic paths and daily lives. They even have a “pharaoh” (the lady who founded the organisation). Personally I do not agree with this take on things and believe that the last true Pharaoh was Cleopatra VII. I believe that the deities of Ancient Egypt then took over this role themselves. As for being a reconstructionist, I do not think it is possible to completely reconstruct a true image of what worship and ritual was like in Ancient Egypt due to two reasons; lack of hard evidence to answer many questions and the fact that today’s society is very different and perhaps too incompatible to allow a true reflection of the “old ways”. A Kemetic Pagan would focus very much on Ancient Egyptian deities and traditions. This is not me either as I embrace the Sabbats and Esbats of the Wiccan calendar. This lead me to think further; Am I a Kemetic/Tameran Wiccan? I decided to dive further into this…
I believe in a range of deities, thus making me Polytheistic. I have already mentioned the Triad of Abydos but other deities that I feel a connection to are Anubis, Thoth, Ra and Bast. I call to them and work with them for different purposes. I am a believer that these deities reflect aspects of the natural world around them and their understanding of these aspects ensures their care and protection over them:
Osiris is lord of the underworld and can provides protection to those who travel to the Duat but is also lord of the grain and provides abundance through his wisdom.
Isis is lady of magic but also provides healing to the sick as well as nurture and care to those who need it.
Horus, lord of the sky but provides strength, resilience and the ability to overcome problems.
Do the 7 values of Wicca fit into my practice with the deities of Ancient Egypt? I believe they do:
Duality of the Divine – Ancient Egyptians had both male and female deities who embody the masculine and feminine energies we associate with today e.g. Ra showed power, assertiveness and strength while Hathor showed nurturing, empathy and healing qualities.
Magic is Real – The Egyptians very much believed this, using their own form (called Heka) as a means of protection.
Nature is Sacred – the Egyptian way of life was based on the cycles of nature. The flooding and receding of the Nile provided the fertile soils needed to cultivate the land and thus ensure their prosperity and abundance. The year was based around these cycles and deities were worshiped for making it happen.
All paths are blessed – The Egyptians did not worship a single God, they worshiped many and thus showed that they rejected any idea of their being only a single or correct God to worship. Infact, patron deities even varied in different areas of Egypt and there is also evidence showing that even deities from Cannon (now Isreal) were incorporated into some practices.
Personal Connection to the Divine – clearly evident in the building or shrines and leaving offerings to deities.
The Wiccan Rede – this is like the confessions of Ma’at which forbode seeking to cause harm to others.
Rule of Three – Kemetic belief was that actions and intentions have consequences that influence or path and our experiences.
I believe that 7 Principles of Wicca can clearly be adapted from a Kemetic Perspective because so many of the beliefs follow a similar path.
What about the Sabbats and Esbats? I wanted to consider how much they could really link to fit with Egyptian Feasts and Festivals as there are some that I prefer to acknowledge more than others:
Samhain – Ancient Egyptians placed great importance on their ancestor spirits, called Akhu. This links to the key themes of Samhain. Also, the Egyptians had a festival called the Mysteries of Osiris which falls late October/early November and marks his death and resurrection. It is also a time for acknowledging the spirits of passed loved ones.
Yule – The Feast Victory marks the defeat of Set to his nephew Horus. It marks the idea of good over bad and of light over dark, Horus being a solar deity. It is celebrated in mid-December so can be tied in with Yule celebrations.
Imbolc -this is more difficult to find a link with but in all honesty, it is not a sabbat that I have greatly celebrated.
Ostara – While this festival marks the blooming of Spring for us, for the Egyptians, it was the beginning of harvest. However, both mark a new period in a cycle and new life. The feast of Min celebrates the deities role providing crops, abundance and therefore the continuation of life while Ostara marks the renewal of the world after winter. The feast of Min is celebrated later though (beginning of April).
Beltane – The festival of the beautiful reunion was a time of celebration and joy. It represented the establishment of new life and reunion through the marriage and commitment of Horus and Hathor through offerings of flowers and a Nile procession.
Litha – The festival of Great Heat was celebrated at the hottest point of the year. The sun god was honoured through ritual and offerings – this could be done by incorporating bonfires.
Lammas – this festival falls roughly around the same time as Egyptian New Year, which marked the beginning of the flood season. While we give thanks for the bounty of the land, they would give thanks for the new fertile soil to grow their crops. I see this as a time to take stock of the year so far, be thankful for what I have and be grateful for the abundance that I have received while also working on ways to bring further abundance.
Mabon – can be linked to the feat of Opet which falls in mid-September. Mabon can be a time of self-reflection and gratitude. Similarly, Opet was a time of introspection and seeking blessings from the Gods. Both marked a change in natures cycle – Mabon marks the beginning of Autumn while Opet marks the flooding of the Nile. Both mark a change in the physical environment.
In terms of ritual, I do begin by casting a circle, which was not something that was done by the Egyptians. However, I have incorporated the 4 sons of Horus into creating my circle, which the Egyptians did do. An offering of incense is made to the deities on my altar (same as Ancient Egypt) and a prayer is given to invoke them. (same as Ancient Egypt). I also make offerings specific to the deities I am working with. These are consumed at the end, much like the cakes and ale of some Wiccan traditions. Candles are used to represent each member of the triad on my altar – The Egyptians didn’t have coloured candles but I have incorporated colour correspondences to have a Green candle for Osiris, red for Isis and blue for Horus. The Egyptians also wrapped their statues in a piece of fabric to clothe them. This is something that I am now building into my practice. The Egyptians didn’t have tarot cards, but I have incorporated a method from Ancient Egypt in order to use them. During festivals, people would ask questions of the gods by recording them on cards and placing them at the statue. A movement of the statue, flicker of flame or smoke from incense could give the answer; when asking my questions, I ask the deities to give the answer through my tarot cards instead. Scrying, use of herbs and oils were all Egyptian techniques which I am gradually building into my practice too.
As you can see, I have highlighted how some of my practice links to Wicca and how some links to Kemetic Paganism. Other eclectic practices have worked their way in there too so I suppose I could class myself as an eclectic Kemetic Wiccan, an eclectic Kemetic pagan or just an Eclectic Pagan! Who needs a label anyway!
Blessed be
Alan
Challenge Entry
Hmmm, I have no “Magickal Traditions” up until I joined this wonderful coven 6 months ago. I have crammed so much information into this already packed brain, I sometimes amaze myself it hasn’t exploded.
As for a “Pagan Path,” my whole life has led me to that. My father instilled in me a Love for learning. Which led me to question everything. He showed me philosophy, where you read a book in one hand and a dictionary in the other. Of course I created my “premise” on the lies we are all taught as we grow up. So I became somewhat cynical, and grew a dislike for authority. Thereby becoming a contrary. Always looking for the path less traveled, against the status quo. Always looking for “My” path.
Looking for the old religion, because non of the new ones worked for me. Animism kept popping up, but there was so little information on it. It is my current path, but I seem to change with the wind. Sooo… I follow the seasons, but don’t necessarily the wheel or the Wiccan Calendar, many of my observances are simply done in my head. I have studied to varying degrees Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, the Upanishads, the Yogic traditions, First Nation beliefs, as well as many of the pantheons, Greek, Roman, Norse, Celtic, etc. Myths are wonderful stories in my opinion and humans are wonderful storytellers. And though there are many truths in the stories told, many are just explanations for things we don’t understand, or things we fear.
Now please don’t misunderstand me, I feel there are energies/forces out there greater than I. And some of those would support us when invoked. Many of the "Gods/Goddesses seem to be the same, across pantheons and have the same (or worse) character flaws as we humans that are supposed to be lesser entities.
We are mere vibrations of differing frequencies of energies that never die, traveling through time that doesn’t exist in worlds made up in our minds, so of course there is magick, but it is within us.
So I am a crooked man, with a crooked stick, traveling a crooked path. I am confused. Am I a witch? I don’t know. Do I have Magick? I don’t know. I will continue down this path, talking to an Loving my plants and animals. Doing what I feel is the best and most Loving I can do. May I find the answers I seek and if there are dieties other than Our Great Mother out there that need my devotion, let them come forth. Until that time, the powers and energies of the elements and I will continue on, stumbling down the crooked path I follow.
Love and Light 
I’ve been thinking about how to do this challenge for a while now. I had an idea to talk about syncretism first, but that just doesn’t feel right. I guess I can talk a little bit about my internal struggle with witchy identification at the moment.
I’ve always identified as an eclectic witch. Well, besides when I was Wiccan, but that hasn’t been for a long time. The term “eclectic witch” just means that I use what works from different sources of inspiration, taking care not to misappropriate or steal what I don’t have any right to. The beauty of eclectic witchcraft is that if I see something or try something that works, it doesn’t matter that I don’t have a specific tradition to follow. I can incorporate it into my practice as long as it follows my beliefs. Being who I am, following my beliefs is pretty easy.
Here lately, though, I’ve been looking more at the term “folk witch”. I have been on the fence about identifying as a folk witch. Sometimes, the label of eclectic witch seems… icky to me. Something doesn’t feel right about it (for me personally) but I can’t quite put my finger on it. I think it has something to do with wanting to be more localized in my practice. I still have my Gods and beliefs there, but I’m also a person interested in more local practices and spirits. Of course, as a person with no ties to the Native Americans who were here when my ancestors came from across the ocean, I have to tread this part very carefully. I don’t want to be insensitive to the practices of people who weren’t allowed to practice their religion until the 70s, but I’m also looking for more of a connection to the land I live on.
Another part of this folk witch journey is finding a connection to the practices of my ancestors. I don’t really connect much with my ancestors from England, but I heavily connect with my Celtic ancestors from Ireland and Scotland. Finding those folk practices that have been lost to me through time is difficult, especially considering that these practices are still alive and well in those countries in many different ways. I’m not connected to that land by any stretch of the word - my ancestors came over more than 200 years ago. I’m trying to toe the line between being respectful of the living culture of Ireland and Scotland while also trying to connect back to the roots of my heart.
A folk witch is a witch that practices witchcraft in relation to their culture and the land they live on. I have neither of those connections currently, and so I’m still using the label of eclectic witch. Maybe one day it will be appropriate for me to drop that label in favor of folk witch. Maybe one day I will feel more “folk witch” than “eclectic witch”, but today isn’t that day.
Okay, here goes 
My practice is definitely eclectic, with influence from wicca, nature and eastern traditions such as Buddhism and Taoism (a smattering of stoicism as well). I hope this hits the mark as a challenge entry. For anyone interested in Taoism, I would suggest the ‘Tao Te Ching’ in one or many of its translations (I like Ursula Guin and Stephen Mitchell). For anyone interested in the core of Buddhist thought, I suggest ‘The Heart Sutra’. Both of these works are short, but packed full of meaning. I also think that religion and spirituality in general are fluid and not fixed, one of the things I like most about Wicca is the acceptance given to the many ways to practice, and the ability to craft a unique path. I believe we share more in common in our myths and rituals than we realize, and this is a part of a group narrative that should bring us closer together.
Meditation, journaling, and mindfulness are transformative.
My notion of reincarnation is that we transform, rather than necessarily being reborn. The analogy of the cloud that becomes rain, which nourishes our plants or become our tea resonates with me. When I die, I’d like to compost my remains in a forest with a seedling. Spiritually I believe we continue to exist as memories in the hearts of those who are living, and ancestor homage (worship), is an important part of my life. We are only truly gone when everyone has forgotten us.
I feel affinity toward the goddess Guanyin. She is the epitome of compassion and wisdom. She appears in both genders, in male form she is called Avalokiteshvara. Some Buddhists believe the living Dalai Lama is a reincarnation of her. But her Chinese history is very rich, very feminine, and rings strongly with me. I feel affinity toward Guangong, who began life as a mortal and became a god with the attributes of strength and courage; he protected the military but tried to avoid conflict whenever possible. Guangong in my experience has a connection to Santa Muerte, the patron saint for the unpriveleged, and destitute in Mexico and prevalent on my altar when I lived there. When I invoke Guanyin and Guangong, I ask for their compassion, wisdom, strength and courage to guide me. And I have affinity for Mazu, who protects travellers from harm (and I see the relationship with Saint Christopher, whose statuette lived on my parents dashboard when I was a child).
My thoughts about karma is that it is akin to a field in which we plant and nurture seeds based on skillful and unskillful actions. For example, killing is (usually) unskillful and compassion is (usually) skillful. The seeds are like flowers and weeds. Too many weeds and our karmic debt becomes heavier. We can’t eliminate the weeds, but we can plant more seeds of flowers, giving them more space to bloom and flourish. Karmic deed is payable on demand, whether in this life, or in another transformation. This aligns well with my understanding of the Wiccan Rede which is to do no harm, or to act in a skillful manner.
I believe in the Taoist concept of ‘Wu Wei’ or effortless doing; or being in the zone. When we are in the zone, we apply just the right amount of effort to the task at hand, no more, no less, and it looks effortless to others. When we struggle against ourself is when we become stuck.
I believe we are a part of nature and that all things vibrate with energy in the universe. Everything is interconnected. We interact in accordance with nature and realize harmony, or we act as if we are not apart or above nature, and wreak havoc. I’m not worried about global warming, the earth will take care of itself, though humanity may perish as the outcome—but we can change, we are amazing creatures.
We are in tune with the universe around us when we follow the cycle of the wheel of the year, the sun and the moon, the harvest, growth and decay, rebirth. It is cyclical, and reminds me of the duality that is in everything we look at; one can’t be ugly without comparing to something pretty, small without comparing to big. Recognizing this allows us to see the duality in everything and cherishing the goddess and god is one way to remember this.
Things happens due to cause and effect or cause and condition. Sometimes this feels random, but leaves us with a sense of deja vu. Sometimes it is planned. This applies to magic. Magic is a focused intent to bring change aided by right will, right actions and right energy.
Energy is an internal life force that exists in every (living) thing and we can cultivate it through internal training, mental focus, and we can direct it with external ritual; yoga, qigong, tai chi, and other systems are well developed methods available to us.
I believe we are born enlightened, perfect beings. We learn quickly to discriminate; the sound of our mother’s voice over others, warmth over cold, this type of person over that, this country over that, and so on until we become conditioned by our discriminations, and then spend the rest of our lives trying to achieve something we’ve always had.
There is purity in simple magic, simple kindness, tolerance and mutual respect that make humans capable of the greatest of things. We are all so fortunate to be in a position in our lives where we can think about and discuss these sorts of things in relative peace.
May you all be blessed.
CHALLENGE ENTRY
I’m still not sure how to approach this so I’m going to start from the top and just wing it.
Roots
I suspect that my grandmother had gifts but unfortunately I didn’t realize until long after she had passed. I wasn’t allowed to spend much time with her so I don’t have a whole lot to go on.
My Reasoning
I have gifts and at last count 4 of my 7 kids have gifts.
I’m thinking that chances are, that many is not a coincidence and it probably didn’t start with me. Although to be fair my husband has gifts and our 2 common children do as well.
For the record I do not think that only people with witches or someone with gifts in their family can be the same.
I do find it interesting when there is a long line of abilities in a family. For example, I have seen a small child place appropriate crystals on an ailing pet before they learned anything specific about crystals. I’ve seen a 3 year old strategically place crystals around the house with no exposure to anything about them but the placement was spot on. The first 4 or 5 could be coincidence or reading too much into it but after a year or so of consistently doing it, I think coincidence is out the window.
I do believe that some things can be passed down. I believe that everyone has the potential to develop anything. I am absolutely fascinated by the fact that these things can be both inherent and learned as well as the amazing things that one can do without any of that
Traditions
As far as Pantheons, I have gone from vague to specific to a vague-specific hybrid and back and around again.
We do have a few Holiday/ Sabbat traditions though, with more being mixed in.
We celebrate most Christian and typical American Holidays and have a few quirky traditions
October 31 is a whirlwind. My Daughter’s Birthday, taking the kids out, I’m trying restart family theme costumes. Most years it was typically Witches, bats, Ghosts, that type of thing. I used to tell a tale I read by a Wiccan author about the start of costumes and gourds and such that I can’t remember.
This year I will be doing my first, I think, Ancestor Altar. It in itself is going to be rather Eclectic as I don’t have many pictures or items so I’m going to have to get creative.
Starting the day after American Thanksgiving and continuing through December there are lots of tales and lore and this year there are a few bits of Pagan lore that I will be adding that will fit in nicely.
I’ve been trying to incorporate some Yule traditions and will be building more into that.
We also wear Santa hats throughout December. I have continued my grandmother’s tradition of putting a Cardinal in the Christmas tree. She said it was very good luck if we found a bird’s nest in the tree, I haven’t had that but once, I think, it’s the only thing I recall my Grandmother getting truly excited. We did bring a mouse home a few years ago though. And I hide a , currently not glass, pickle ornament in the tree and whoever finds it gets a “Pickle Prize” and good luck for the coming year.
Most others have fallen away but I plan to restart and add to them.
My Journey
Many years I was wandering around a bookstore, probably something I did regularly, and had a stereotypical finding a book they didn’t notice before and it leads them on a journey experience.
It seems like my first Tarot deck was before that but I don’t know.
I think there was another stretch of time before I started practicing.
I really don’t remember a lot. I do remember a store that I walked by many times that in it’s title sold a variety of things. I remember there being two signs in the window. One stating that they had a Seamstress and another that they had a cobbler. Mind this was early 2000s
One of the things they had was medical clothing and a small selection of Stethoscopes and such.
I was shopping with my bio-mother and we went in because she needed a new Stethoscope. She has an amazing ability to make looking at a handful of items take an excruciatingly long time.
I wandered around the tiny shop in circles, and on maybe my 3rd pass I noticed a little corner right by the window that I hadn’t noticed. I don’t remember all of what there was but there was a varied selection of Witchy items and books and I’m sure more. And that’s where it began. I couldn’t afford to buy anything that day but some time later, the shop owner helped my bio-mother pick out a few things for me.
Interestingly, leaving that first day I noticed that there were actually 3 signs in the window. The 3rd saying that there were Tarot readings available.
Even with that little shop, for many years the introduction and teaching material available was strictly Wiccan, to the point that I didn’t know there was any other way. There was information on Pantheons presented as how to incorporate into your Wiccan practice.
There was information on Crystals, Tarot and Pendulums and limited information about herbs but it was many years before I learned of identifying as Crystal Witch, Green Witch and so on
My Path
My path as I started to relearn was learning about the different kinds of Witches and areas of practice and I morphed to identifying as Eclectic with a bit of many things ranging from Crystals to Dragons, Herbal to Cat Magic, and a variety of Divination techniques.
My path recently took a sharp turn and is again starting to morph into in not sure what but I am thoroughly enjoying the hills, twists, turns and corners and I am excited to see where it leads to next.
And there is my rambling Eclectic type take on the subject
Thank you so much to everyone who took to the podium to share about their beautiful magickal traditions and personal paths this week! It has been such an honor to hear about your journeys, and see each of the influences that help to make up the beautiful path you walk. I’ve really loved reading the entries and have a lot more to say about it all, but forgive me- my brain is a covid pile of mush right now. So please accept my gratitude and appreciation for all of the wonderful entries!
A Props and Presents post will soon appear with shout-outs and prize details for everyone who submitted an entry. Please keep an eye on the main page of the forums.
Note : To avoid confusion, this discussion will be locked until the Props and Presents post appears. At that time, this thread will reopen for discussion for a few more days- comments are welcome during this time, but please note that no additional prizes will be given.
Thanks again for joining in the challenge! 
Blessed be!
The challenge deadline has passed- thank you to everyone who joined in!