Drekfletch
New Member
Hellenic-ish polytheist in NH
Posts: 10
|
Post by Drekfletch on Sept 26, 2013 21:26:32 GMT -8
(No, that isn't the Panhandle region. If you thought it is I'll mail your yankee certification shortly) Why would I think the panhandle region is northern Texas? That's over in Florida. :b As to my introduction: - I'm Derek, Drekfletch usually (if you see a drekfletch, it's me).
- My polytheism is mostly Hellenic-ish but I've snippets of other stuff, mostly Kemetic and Hindu.
- Another non-mystic here, though I'm not completely head-blind.
- I live in central New Hampshire.
- I'm almost 31, and I'm still not used to not being the 'young one.'
- In keeping with the PwoB-seed, I have no religious needs currently; and I plan things. Execution is not my strong point, but I love planning.
|
|
|
|
Post by imbrium on Sept 26, 2013 21:50:41 GMT -8
I see some familiar names, which is really cool. My name is Imbrium and I may one day actually type out my full name. Don't count on it. I also abuse the word cool. I live in Southern Maryland, currently work as campus law enforcement and spend most of my free time either absorbing materials magical or working on my folks' mini farm and sustainability project. I also write chants and read Tarot. My household pantheon consists of Ares and Aphrodite, Heron, Owl and the Reaper, along with a host of other spirits either entrenched or passing through. Despite the presence of Hellenic deities Ihave developed a strong interest in Norse culture and value systems. I consider myself an aspiring Druid. Here there be dragons. In the original spirit of this project, while my finances preclude all but the most trifling of material assistance at present, I am quite willing to offer divination, chant writing, poetry, and possibly calligraphy if the desired item is small enough to ship. This project is amazing to me and I want it to go far  |
|
Gandillon
New Member
This Halloween: to costume or not to costume?
Posts: 15
|
Post by Gandillon on Sept 27, 2013 5:38:39 GMT -8
I'm Gandillon. I live in southern Kentucky with my husband and my two kids (although I'm pregnant and due again in January, which means I'll have three kids under the age of five, which means I'm totally insane).
I consider myself a Pagan polytheist: I worship a mix of Hellenic and Hindu gods (Ganesha, Hestia, Krishna, and Parvati are our household gods) but Dionysos has my heart and is my greatest focus. I've been a Pagan of some kind for fourteen years, but I've only been a polytheist for about eight or nine years, starting with the worship of Dionysos. I read runes and, to a lesser extent, Tarot. I love shrine- and altar-building. I blog occasionally, when I have something to share.
Currently, I'm planning for the Oskophoria in a couple of weeks, which I'm really looking forward to!
|
|
|
|
Post by captainspellingerror on Sept 27, 2013 6:14:49 GMT -8
(No, that isn't the Panhandle region. If you thought it is I'll mail your yankee certification shortly) Why would I think the panhandle region is northern Texas? That's over in Florida. :b Well Texas has a region called the panhandle (like Florida) that some people (who aren't Texans) call North Texas. North Texas is actually the region consisting of the area North of the DFW Metroplex. |
|
|
|
Post by AriadneInExile on Sept 27, 2013 6:42:05 GMT -8
Greetings...
My name is Aridela (though oftentimes I simply go by AriadneInExile on forums and such -- same name as the blog I maintain). I'm in my early 30's and have lived in the Phoenix, Arizona area my whole life. I am devoted to Dionysos and Ariadne.
I'm drawn to ecstatic ritual, shamanism, and mysticism, and passionate about herbalism, music and dancing.
My husband/soul-mate passed away very suddenly 4 1/2 months ago. It's still difficult not to frame myself in that grief and loss, because it has changed so much in so little time, and I'm sure it will continue to define my spiritual life as well. I'm somewhere between being a wreck and positively foreseeing a path that includes my beloved as a spirit ally and presence in my life. It's a work in progress.
|
|
|
|
Post by David Dashifen Kees on Sept 27, 2013 10:19:18 GMT -8
Hi all! My name is David Dashifen Kees. You can call me Dash. I've never had an experience of the gods. I choose to believe in them because of the experiences that I know many of my trusted friends have (and probably many of you all have had as well) and because of the similarities between those experiences and numinous moments throughout history. I'm not opposed to the skeptic's choice to decide it's all brain chemistry, I just choose not to act in my life based on that choice. I've chosen to work with identities within the Hellenic pantheon because it is their mythology that I am most familiar with. Grade school courses in myth focused on Greece and, to a much lesser extent, Rome and collegiate courses in Greek and Roman history gave me a taste of the culture that formed these myths. However, I'm not a member of any of the larger Hellenic recon or revivalist traditions (e.g. Hellenismos). The idea of reconstruction has always escaped me to some extent; our world is not the world of the ancestors and so I try to adapt my practices to fit with what I have at my finger tips. To that end, I'm a techno-witch and a seeking polytheist self identifying simply as "Pagan." You can find me sort of all over. I blog at Patheos.com and at PaganActivist.com. I help out with the Pagan Values Project every June and I also have a much neglected blog of my own at technowitch.org which is due for a shot in the arm at some point. I also run a twice-monthly get together, simply called Pagan Night Out, in southeastern Massachusetts so if you're in the area, hit me up for details if you want to get together. |
|
Grace
New Member
Posts: 8
|
Post by Grace on Sept 27, 2013 11:51:53 GMT -8
My name is Grace and I'm a (mainly) Gaelic polytheist. I live in southern Louisiana, but was until recently in Oregon. I'm devoted to the Irish gods, with Lug having recently claimed the champion's portion of my attention.
I'm an aspiring mystic, poet, singer, and artist, with an interest in ecstatic ritual, dance in particular. I started out twenty years ago as an eclectic pagan trying to find my place between my fascination with all things Irish and my love of the Greek myths and British and Irish fairy tales I'd grown up with. I gradually moved toward Gaelic polytheism using a reconstructionist methodology, in that I look to archaeology, folklore, and the early Gaelic literature to inform my practice.
As far as the original project, the only thing I'm in need of at the moment is people to talk to about all of this (wish granted!). What I can offer? An ear to listen, a voice to pray or sing, and as a former librarian with current access to an academic library, I may be able to help with specific research inquiries.
|
|
|
|
Post by aclockworkireland on Sept 27, 2013 19:02:05 GMT -8
Hi all Im AclockworkIreland or James  I came here from tumblr but Im from Ireland. Im big into Irish folk tradition and some Irish paganism. Im currently sharing digs with Nuadhu in Maynooth. Maigh Nuad the Plain of Nuadhu in Kildare. Its called that because its the mensal lands of the kings of the province of leinster and Nuadhu was the ancestral deity that gave atleast the early dynasties their right to rule and the Firenne/semi divine quality that allowed them to interact with deities on their peoples behalf. Anyway, thats me. Im pleased to meet you all. Cheers, James |
|
|
|
Post by tekalynn on Sept 27, 2013 19:20:05 GMT -8
Greetings...
My name is Aridela (though oftentimes I simply go by AriadneInExile on forums and such -- same name as the blog I maintain). I'm in my early 30's and have lived in the Phoenix, Arizona area my whole life. I am devoted to Dionysos and Ariadne.
I'm drawn to ecstatic ritual, shamanism, and mysticism, and passionate about herbalism, music and dancing.
My husband/soul-mate passed away very suddenly 4 1/2 months ago. It's still difficult not to frame myself in that grief and loss, because it has changed so much in so little time, and I'm sure it will continue to define my spiritual life as well. I'm somewhere between being a wreck and positively foreseeing a path that includes my beloved as a spirit ally and presence in my life. It's a work in progress. I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. |
|
|
|
Post by Indigo on Sept 27, 2013 21:54:51 GMT -8
I'm Indigo Glitterlust (or just Indigo), and I'm a 25 year old drag queen from Houston, TX.
I've been, variously since about 16: animist, Wiccan, general pagan eclectic, Heathen, and now Hellenic. My primary deity is Dionysus, and I'm also devoted to Kybele. Because I follow Gods who are very closely associated with madness and breaking down of barriers, my personal practice has evolved into that of the sacred clown. Basically, if we meet, expect things to become really weird.
In college, I majored in history, and minored in religious studies, and I love reading. I'm also a makeup artist and costumer (well, duh ).
|
|
|
|
Post by holdasown on Sept 28, 2013 4:03:24 GMT -8
Hello, my name is Gretchen. I am from WV and have lived her my whole life. I am a Northern Traditionalist and came to my practice through Frau Holda. I also practice traditional witchcraft. I have only come to my current path in the last five years.
|
|
|
|
Post by lyradora on Sept 28, 2013 8:57:51 GMT -8
theinfinitebattle: have you read "Wholly: A Devotional for Hela" by Dagian Madir? It's the only book I know solely about Hel, and I found it quite interesting.
|
|
|
|
Post by papagena on Sept 28, 2013 17:41:36 GMT -8
What ho, all!
My name is Rosalind (well, it isn't actually, but...), I am seventeen years old and live in the southwardly regions of Maryland. I am currently a student and artist, and I look forward to going off to university next fall (!!) where I plan to study philosophy, literature, or Environmental Studies (better still, all three! One can only hope).
Religiously, I think I could best be described as an animist and a local-focus polytheist, cosmologically and aesthetically inspired by Indo-European traditions and folklore. I was raised Catholic and confirmed under the auspices of Saint Francis of Assisi, and I still do retain an admiration for the man and his way of life. But the more I learn of the Church, its history, and its doctrines, the less and less I am inclined to its simplistic and intolerant dogmas (above all the wickedness that is "human exceptionalism"). It was probably around three years ago that I was attracted to revival Paganism- first to Heathenry, and then going through brief phases of interest in almost every European tradition available (notably Roman, Finnish, Gaulish, and Gaelic). I was very inspired by the aesthetic of Traditional Witchcraft, but was disinclined to actual magical practice.
After all this, I found myself discouraged, because nothing seemed quite right- and yet, I could feel the bone-deep, enigmatic power that all these traditions held, and it took me some time to discover that it does not necessarily lie in the particulars of pantheon and practice and symbol, but in their fundamental worldviews and paradigms. This was the realisation that I could take this beautiful, deeply inspiring animistic worldview and apply it to the time and space and land where I live. I understood then that the reason the Gods had seemed so distant and abstract was because I did not know how to ground my practice in locality, which I have come to believe is a fundamental aspect of the Old Way.
And, well, that's essentially where I am at this moment. I am still trying to work out a cosmology for my region and how to perhaps integrate some bits of my ancestral Celtic and Germanic traditions. I must admit to being very jealous of the people who have formed close bonds with a particular God or Goddess. But then, I suppose I'm young, and this may come about some day, fate willing!
I hope we shall all have some interesting and fruitful discussions!
|
|
|
|
Post by Fjothr on Sept 28, 2013 18:24:17 GMT -8
I'm a Norse polytheist, or Northern Tradition pagan/polytheist, or something along those lines, and an animist. I don't identify as a heathen. My practice is something like recon-derived derived. I'm a Lokean, and I have altars to . . . a whole bunch of other deities (one of Them not Norse, and most of Them not my idea), a bunch of land spirits, and an ancestor altar.
I was brought up in a non-religious household and stayed atheist/agnostic up until about 15 months ago, so I'm pretty new to most of this.
Most of my devotional life is focused on Loki (my daily routines are), but I also do things for Hela as necessary, have been maintaining a regular practice oriented towards Ran and the Undines, and have/have had lesser degrees of interaction with the Others. I try to maintain a regular weekly devotional routine that includes Everyone in the household, but my mundane life just got hideously busy, and the schedule has slipped a bit, which I don't care for.
I also this summer started building a relationship with a community of land spirits a couple hours away on the coast. I . . . have no idea where that's going; I've only been getting out there once a month, so it's slow, and I feel like the few hours I get there are barely enough.
I live in Portland, Oregon, and only moved (back) here about 6 months ago. I also live with a parrot, a ficus tree, and a couple of housemates, though I'm hoping to move in the relatively near future to make my commute shorter and have a less exhausting life.
The other major spiritual focus of my life - which long predates all the spirits being present in my life - is around issues of ecology/sustainability/etc., and I'm slowly working towards a mundane career that is strongly focused on that. I'm active with some different non-profits who do interesting work in that area. This all seems to weave very neatly into all the spirit-oriented things going on, so much that I really can't easily say where my "mundane" life ends and the "religious" or "spiritual" life begins.
I blog on wordpress (fjothr.wordpress.com) and hang out on Tumblr as theemperorsfeather.
|
|
|
|
Post by turningtides on Sept 28, 2013 20:27:29 GMT -8
Hi to everyone, I'm Turningtides, living just north of Seattle, WA. I have come to the conclusion that I am polytheist over the last year. I grew up in Catholicism, yet my first understanding of Deity as a distinct persons was through the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. I've been different flavors of Wicca, Christian witchcraft (The Blessed Mother, the rosary and the Archangels), a little Filipino paganism (my family heritage this life around) and am now taking up practices and devotion to the Canaanite gods. I'm more revivalist than reconstructionist; I've got too much anxiety issues about perfection in my regular life, and it has near-strangled me in my devotion more than once. Most of my practice has been solitary, even when I was mostly Christian (I seriously did not like worshipping with other Christians). I stay in the polytheist closet for now, the family climate barely allows room for any non-Abrahamic religions as it is.
I've sat in on pagan classes in the last year through OLOTEAS in Seattle, and hope to meet up sometime with other pagans around the Seattle area. Meanwhile, I get a lot of my pagan community fix through forums and blogs. I struggle with following a consistent devotion cycle. What I do know is that a lot of my spirituality is informed by actions, not creeds. And I feel it keenly when I don't act with right action/right intent.
I came to the Canaanite pantheon on accident. In a meditation years ago, I asked Whom I was speaking to, and received a name I hadn't heard before. Afraid, because Christian teaching had taught me that "whatever isn't recognizably of Christianity is evil!", I withdrew and avoided any kind of spirituality for awhile. Eventually, another pagan friend encouraged me to at least research what/Who I so feared. I did and discovered She was part of the Canaanite pantheon. Since then I bought books related to modern Canaanite worship (Tess Dawson's books are a great start) and academic sources when possible. It has been exciting to see the parallels of Canaanite/Ugaritic writing and the Old Testament/Jewish Scriptures. And it has been a journey to meet the Divine Assembly as well, in my often-stumbling way. I realize that a lot of my separation from Christianity has to do with the dogma, not with the Deities themselves.
In keeping with the Polytheism Without Borders aim:
-Things I need? An ear to listen when I'm confused, which is all the time. Some encouragement and examples of re/creating a revivalist/reconstructionist devotion for the Deities. Help in building and understanding my relationship with the land upon which I'm borrowing for the time being; needing help with my confusion on being closer to some gods than the gods I'm 'supposed' to be following (ethnicity-wise. I know it's silly, but I still wonder).
-Things I can offer: I make prayer beads, and wouldn't mind making it for others. I also write prayers, though I would need to know more of a deity in order to write a good one. I also crochet! I would love to make a prayer shawl for other pagans or Deities if needed, or simpler stuff like altar/shrine cloths. (Finances affecting a lot of it, but I always try.)
|
|
