Hielsa, My name is Kelda(well not really,thats my Viking name) I'm Asatru, i have 3 kids that are grown and 4 grandsons that are quite a handful. I have been Asatru for 2 yrs and i enjoy it very much.

 

 

Kelda

hmmm.. methinks that Pheonix will punish me for being so lax in responding to this thread (especially since we're having coffee on Friday). Please! No Arsenic!

 

Anyhow, my religious history is pretty mixed up.. I started out worshipping in a French Catholic Church ('cause that's what you did in Montreal at that time) and eventually moved to the RC when we moved out of Quebec. My parents liked the High Mass, whereas I got exposed to the Folk Mass movement at the local university though I was only a teen at the time. When I left home and went to university I ran into a number of others that were calling themselves pagan - we discussed life, the universe etc and I figured that I might be a pagan too. Two years later, I took the title pagan as my own.

 

Since my dedication rite, (and no, I don't mean the one that Starhawk <or was it Margo Adler?> used for self-dedication) I have explored several different traditions. My first exposure to paganism (other than the tolerance of some of the folks from the SCA) was weekly public rituals and classes held by the Wiccan Church of Canada and thier Odyssean Tradition. Over the years of my involvement with the WCC, I was a neophyte (Clergy in training) as well as the Handmaiden for the Public temple in Ottawa for a period of over a year.  I was trained for some time by an Alexandrian coven in the area, and from them was trained to 1st - but we realized that the Alexandrian trad would be a bad fit for me, especially when I found Asatru folk and started that whole talking about life the universe and everything again. LOL

 

Anyhow, about a year into the Asatru stuff, I was initiated as priesthood within Asatru. (for those of you who also know that this isn't all that normal, the group that I worked with had been influenced heavily by the Wiccan groups surrounding us, and initiation rites were the norm! - but that's beside the point  ) With my (now) ex hubby and some friends, we formed several kindreds (not at the same time). As groups are wont to do, they dissolved for various reasons, some amicably, some not.

 

I had students over the years, was the editor for an Asatru newsletter, was part of the Ring of Troth, and then I got pregnant. Amazing how one year can change your life. In one year, I buried my mother, gave birth to my son (He's turning 8 this weekend) and my ex hubby left us both to fend for ourselves. To say that my life changed considerably is putting it mildly.

 

This past year (or so) has also been a very dramatic one. I met this guy online. We talked and talked and talked and talked. After looking at our phone bills, we figured out it would be easier if he just came to see me. So he did. He came to visit me. We got married, and we now have a 9 month old daughter.

 

What I would call my path now... hmmm.. hard to say.. I still relate to the Norse gods and goddesses (though some more than others) and yet I can see the commonalities of many of the faiths. I have heard the term "Culdee" and while I am reading and learning, what I know now about it sounds much like what I understand - sometimes anyhow. LOL

 

So, there you go.. my bio (the short version!)

 

Well, I suppose that now that my wife has posted, I have to... LOL

 

I was raised in the Episcopalian Church (closely akin to the Anglican Church), and it is from this experience that I have gained a love and fascination with ritual.  When I left home for University, I began my spiritual trek into a wide diversity of world religions.  I spent time in Wicca, but an poor relationship with the "HPS" as well as many of the tenets not speaking to me, it left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth.  I tried Buddhism, Judaism, and even back to the "Christian" front with the Quakers and a few Baptist Black gospel churches.

 

I think my own journey began to make sense as I found Joseph Campell and Karl Jung.  Their writings made sense to me, and ultimately helped me to shape my own understandings of spirituality.  To this day, I feel that I can claim no one "faith" as my own, and yet I am a part of ALL faiths.  Even to day, when others ask me what faith I follow, I cannot fully say.

 

I currently work as a Music Director for an Anglican Church here in Canada (I came to Canada from the U.S. because of my wife, who most of you know ).  I am studying the Bardic Grade in OBOD, as is Runreg (who forgot to mention that in her own bio). Druidry as well as the Culdee hold an interest to both of us.  I am a 32nd degree Mason and Shriner.  My wife's own focus in Asatru has led both of us to a realization how much the Northern Spiritualities play a part in our lives.  I have experienced many visitations from the Fey, as well as Thor and Loki, of all people .  Of course, I still listen to Gospel music, and can't help but be energized and uplifted by it!

 

So, I guess my own path boils down to a belief in the interconnectedness of ALL cultural faiths, and the presence of deity as an inseparable part of all things.  My own personal faith path?.... I guess the best word would be... Mystic.

 

I am currently living in Canada with Runreg, a wild puppy, a beautiful 9 month old daughter, and my stepson.  When not dealing with church matters, I write for Echoed Voices as the Christian Mysticism Contibuter, work with Runreg on our craft business, The Dragon's Lair, and desparately search for down-time .

 

Slainte,

 

 

guess its me turn then. I'm 19, and a student still. trying to learn everything i can while still working on my body (the source of most of my magick). no path can really describe what i am, though i have affinities for Thelema and Chaos Magick. Martial Arts are a very important part of my life since i am very much a Warrior in its purest sence (i'll put up some posts about the path of the Warrior when i get the chance). All i am and do is just a peice of the puzzle that i'm constantly connecting. I love to hear everyone's views upon spirituality and nature in general. hope to see everyone for 10 minutes sometime

 

-Me-

Hello everyone,
I am from a southern evangelistic background.I enjoy theoretical physics,herbal studies,and a love of nature. I have no firm spiritual views.They constantly change and evolve.I have been a member of this board for awhile. I read it constantly ,but seldom post.I enjoy the diversity I see here,and will become more active. I leave it up to my significant other for now.Most of the time we see eye to eye on things. I can't beat him in chess either.It is an excellent meeting ground , and I wish to express my thanks to its creators.
Lacedra

Hmmmm, we just stumbled across this intro page. Mostly because, I wasn't a member back in June when the last post was. I prefer intros to be face to face but as most of you appear to be cartoon characters (your signatures, not you personally, respectfully joking), I suppose the written word may have to do.  So, I come from a celtic/roman somewhat lax Catholic upbringing in rural Virginia. I soon as I was given the choice, I stopped attending formal services, except for as holiday family occasions. I spent most of my youth as far back as I can remember playing in the woods. It is in forests that I feel most comfortable. I got into music early and have been playing guitar now for over 30 years. Music is one main column in my temple. I have always been interested in the paranormal. I began experimenting in my teens with esp and dream analzing with encouragement from my mother who also had an interest in these things. I decided to try my hand in the military and spent 4 years in the Marines, mostly all the time being spent in the very strange local of Beaufort SC. Beaufort is well known as a voodoo hotspot, and the base library there had one of the best paranormal collection of books that I have ever seen in any library. I also ran across and against what was called witchcraft from the Savannah and Beaufort area. (not the nature based religion that most call witchcraft now) Many experiences with ghosts, hot spots, local legends etc. Leaving there, I came to the Boston area for software work and have spent the remainder in this area. My belief has always been anchored by the statement that when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. I have experimented with many things since. My celtic studies took me to the Sophia pagan study site, where I met Lacedra who is an incredible find. I learned much there and became initiated in this bulletin board method of sharing information. I first met Red Phoenix's writings on that site, and crossed over to this site when Sophia was brought done by DrakNet hackers. We have an extensive library, growing by 2-3 books a month. Everything from Crowley to Quantum Physics. I generally will not post on a subject unless I have done research on it. Would love to meet some of you sometime, or at least know what you look like! Until then, don't believe everything you read......and nothing you are told, without checking the facts!

 

 

 

I will probably first come off as shy, and over time, I am sure, many of you will find disdain in me. I am highly opinionated, and if I insult you, please dont take it to heart, my intention isn't to cause harm. I know that in the future, there will be some friction and I hope that to those who will be involved can be mature (because I probably wont be) and just leave it be. I do know that most of the friction will be caused by simple misunderstandings, the meanings which lie behind would be smothered by the indifference of technology.

 

I'm still growing and learning, and at a rather "youngish" age of 17 (though this pales into comparison with my age spent as a human), I'm in my prime as a boisterous, opinionated, arrogant, more often than not, rude individual. But dont let this fool you, most other men my age (if men would be the appropriate term to use) are very much like me. I do, on the other hand, have a wonderful, gentle, caring side. As far as I know, only one person on this site has seen this side of me, but I'm really not all that bad. But a pet peeve that really gets on my nerves (a real teeth-grinding pet peeve of mine), is people who give themselves a title that is greater than they merit/deserve.

 

Now, I suppose most people include their religious beliefs somewhere in these intros. Well... I have none. I do not believe in religions and have no religious beliefs. I do however, have an adamant faith. I do my best to follow the Old Ways, since truly following these ways isimpossible, as too much has been lost from the memories of the mind.

 

I dont really like openly explaining myself because each person sees me differently (and people tend to find personal untruths in my words) and I much prefer people, if they so wish, judge my person for themselves, instead of being fed my biases (did I mention I am opinionated?)

 

Yours,

Tadrith, the Griffin

 

 

I have a reason.....ya see, everything gains importance by virtue of it's size, ie. cities, bank accounts, businesses.....so....the more threads and messageboards you have the bigger (and more important) Betwixt will be, until one day, eclipsing ALL OTHER MSN BOARDS IT WILL BE KNOWN ALL OVER THE WORLD AND

 

(I said it was a reason, not a good reason.....)