Tuesday, September 13, 2005

The religion/spirituality meme

This meme appeared at TurtleHeart's, too. It was started at A Pagan Sojourn. Sojourner has links to those who have responded so far.
1. Why do you choose the religion you embrace?

It makes sense to me that the universal divine creative force is female, is Goddess. Wicca teaches me to love myself as a woman, as queer, as a sexual being, as an animal. ("You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles in the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves." - Mary Oliver) Wicca, like yoga, permits an embodied spirituality; we meet spirit through, not in spite of, our bodies. Wicca reveals to me an enchanted world. It teaches me to look beyond and behind my rationality, which I have overvalued to the point of fetishism. Wicca makes sense to me psychologically; here I am influenced by the Faery Tradition of Victor and Cora Anderson, Starhawk, and Thorn Coyle. Wicca honors the Younger Self. It honors poetry and the mystery at the heart of existence. Nakedness of all kinds is holy.

2. How religious are you? How often do you practice your religion?

I study often. I practice ritual frequently but sporadically. I observe the wheel of the year, the solar and lunar holy days. I pray. I acknowledge the presence of the divine daily.

3.Why is this religion the right one for you?

It's a gut feeling more than anything. Wicca feels right. It makes me happy. Many Witches believe that we were Witches in past lives, too. I'll drink to that.

4. How does the practice of this religion improve your life or what benefit do you recieve from its practice?

I am more grounded. I have a strong sense of myself on a path, a journey, and I'm learning to trust the signposts. I have more compassion for myself and others. I am more likely to trust my intuition. I am more open to the movement of energy and the way that affects our dense bodies. Wicca permits me synchronicity. It helps me understand myself and others better.

5. Are you spiritual as well as religious? Or is one more prevalent then the other?

I don't distinguish between spirituality and religion.

3 comments:

S. Nichole said...

Thanks for posting your answers! Don't forget to tag a few people to keep it going.

Thanks again.

Turtleheart said...

Love the quote by Mary Oliver.

I'm glad you brought up the connection between sexuality and paganism/wicca/witchcraft. I forgot about mentioning that... and thats something I do like about the Craft...

S. Nichole said...

You do bring up a good point - I have forgotten about that connection as well.