Your Beleifs

[section8]

I know in paganism, everyone has different beleifs regarding gods/goddess', afterlife, etc. So explain.

This topic inspired me when I recently just realized what I actually beleive, instead of listening to just society which is not good at all.

My Beleifs: Each ocean, river, forest, storm, has a spirit, and is a god/goddess, although river gods/goddess' are much smaller than an ocean god/goddess etc. I beleive in reincarnation and basically every other aspect of wicca, except the god and goddess aspect.

So how about you?

[section8]

melody said:

I beleive in everything, and nothing at all. I mean, at one moment I will believe in 'the matrix', and then the next I'll believe in physical solidity. I think the changing of beliefs, from moment to moment, is very helpful in removing limitation. Some beliefs stay though, like, there are no limitations, such as beliefs. So, even though I have beleifs, it is more accurately said as a knowing that changes as the moment dictates.

I think gods and goddeses are very 'real', as anything is 'real'. I think these gods and goddeses are mortals who attained 'godhood'. For instance I would say a goddess 'Aphrodite', in my opinion, was a mortal who mastered the will, of love, and sexuality, among other things, yet that was 'her' strong point, and so she is remembered as such.

That is a very cool thought, I haven't met someone yet who believes as such. So your beliefs are ever changing. Very cool.

[Lena]

Thank you for starting such an interesting topic. I'm curious about what people believe. As for me, I struggled with this question, and then decided that it's not so important that I have to define it. I like paganism because of their earth spirituality, and very practical approach to life and magick. For a while, I was really into Russian Paganism, but I just didn't have strong passion for rituals and traditions, they didn't hold my interest for long. On my own, I believe in Great Spirit, that we are an extension of Him, and we are co-creators. I believe in divine guidance in the form of englightened beings, such as angels and spirit guides. Pretty basic I guess, but the most important thing for me is to experience everything first hand. Isn't that the only way to know for sure???

[existenceisadream]

My beliefs are always changing so instead of saying I "beieve" this or that I like to say I "think" this or that on a given subject. In one day i can go through many different views on the same subject and can change my "view" on it.
I'm not a religious person but if there's one that fits me the best it's Pantheism (the "belief" that everything is god, god is everything, and is equal to each other as in there is nothing that is "better" than another thing. A stone is equal to a cookie. Here's a link I radomly picked out.
plato.stanford.edu/entries/pantheism/
Please do not respond to this post as if I'm trying to debate other religions. This is just the closest to how I feel with lots of contradictions cause of my ever changing ways of viewing existence. I constantly go back and forth between the concept of life after death. But for me it's more of when I die my energy goes back into the collectiveness of the mass energy so infact my energy continues on. The real question is whether we keep our ego/awareness after death. This is a tricky subject that once again I go back and forth on my views. I don't believe in an entity being "better" than another. Here on Earth as humans we get caught up in all the human drama of what's right and what's wrong and so on that in reality we can't really know what's real and what's not. There's a million religions who all think they're right. A person that believes in one thing one day may believe in the opposite the next day. People change their beliefs after reading or seeing something on TV on any given subject just becuase it opens their mind to an alternative to how they percieved it.
Well I could go on and on but I dont' feel like writing a book right now
I guess we won't really know until we die and even then we may just find ourselves within another dream that we're sure is real.

[melody]

Right and wrong.. eliminating wrong and making it right, or merging the two, solidly.

Discovering what we think of as wrong, and discovering that everything can be right. Or, in 'better' words, allowing harmony, connection.

[Dancing Bear]

My Turn !!!

I beleive in absolutely lots of stuff form varying different religions and belief sytems.
Shamanism and Druidism are the 2 main beliefs I have, I feel they are so closely related I cannot destinquish them apart anymore, They both have blended together Within me to create the foundations of my beliefs.. , reincarnation definately, Spirits in everything, Guides and Angels.. I never thought i beleived in God as such from the bible but when we had the last cyclone .. I thanked God no-one was hurt badly, Which made me think about this God I thanked! What was my concept of God.. Great Spirit and the forces of nature were pretty much the high devine beings in my belief system until then.. So after a bit of thought I descovered who my God was who I thanked....It was the God who represented all things good, With Eternal Love.. What form this god has if any I havent thought on that one..
I believe Love is Infinate and all beings should be governed by it, ( I know in reality they are not though, But should be non the less) And LAst but not least I Beleive In ME


Thanks for letting me Ramble Section8 Cool Thread!!

[section8]

Lol. It seems as if we have a couple that have very changing beliefs. I lean towards shamanism myself as well. We sure have alot of good posts here.

[dman]

section8 said:

Lol. It seems as if we have a couple that have very changing beliefs.

Well hey..

The possibilities ARE endless!

[Dancing Bear]

Yes i think with our changing beleifs shows we are learning and growing, I certainly do not beleive in some stuff, like i did when i was younger. And am sure some beleifs will be added and taken away before the end of my days.

Way to go Section8 Shamanism is just such spiritual & grounding belief system.

[ladybleu]

I do believe in God but I also believe he gave us the Holy Spirit which is the earth, encompassing nature and the elements. These things were given to us to use, in good ways and to help us grow spiritually and to understand Him better. I believe smaller deities are here for us also. they are here to help us focus in the ways we need at the time. Rituals are the same, for focusing. I pray and ask for guidance or help and I might pray to God or to one of the natural things I need at the time. I don't follow a religion that is why I am solitary, but I am very open minded to different aspects of spirituality and use what I feel comfortable with. So I guess I am every changing also.

[section8]

Yes, I am ever changing too, but I suppose we all have our core beliefs.

Yeah dancing bear! It's such a rejuvanating religion, I love it!

[bezjak]

"I" believe that all life is interconnected....that the stars/black holes/ quasar/dark matter are the manna for "us" to feed on. That the "gods" are not "gods" but beings that are "older" and more learned then "we" are feeding off of our praise and worship, forcing "us" to return to this plane over, and over, in a cycle of "untruths" for as long that "we" believe these things they are truth for "us". I believe I can shatter this cycle.....releasing the souls bound to this plane. I believe I know the way "home" for I have been shown the way. I believe the keys to the universe are buried within each living being on this planet, this is why we should preserve our temporary home "earth" until the exodus time is right. Each "human" life is as important as each star in the universe, and time is nothing but a measure of mind. That our children "see" the truth but we beat it "out" of them with the "ways" of this world.....

[daphne]

Interesting.. what is my belief..
Hard presses to answer that. I spent a long time in mapping and negating my beliefs. I see beliefs as limitations, no judgement there, just that beliefs do tend to have a creative hand in creating my world, my own beliefs and the beliefs I share collectively with others.
Of course.. i still hold beliefs.. i see them manifesting every day, the sun rises, the sun sets..
Beliefs are very powerful, when i am aware, i use them.. any.. most of the time i would like to be more aware though..
I have personal 'myths' - I suppose though in a way these are my beliefs.. but they are so all tangled and connected to so much that it is difficult to see the different threads.. they do keep weaving different pictures..

I do though kinda go along with what Bezjak is saying.. though its not really a 'belief' as such.. not sure what to call it..

[elvinlady]

I am not really sure. I believe in a higher power that watches over us and helps us when we need it. I don't know much about the different religions. My son is pagan. I believe my daughter is either wiccan or pagan. I don't have a particular religion. I don't know enough about them to decide. All I know is I don't trust organized religion.

[Ejoty]

My beliefs, eh?

… Let’s see… I have been metamorphing through several religious beliefs the last few years. I grew up with futile attempts at being turned into a Mormon, but it didn’t work and my parents weren’t as pushy to it as my Grandparents. So I ended up growing up calling myself Atheist and Agnostic, depending on what crossed my path.
I do believe that there are “supernatural creatures and powers” out in the world. I just couldn’t see the spiritual side of the phenomenon. I also had a wide interest in various mythologies of the world. Which helped me to follow some religions with a bit of understanding, but not enough to really follow.
Several years ago, I was “directed” to trying to follow Paganism. I started to see and understand more of my understanding of spirituality and was then “directed” to Buddhism. And through that, I began to gain even more of an understanding of my beliefs. And recently, I have been “directed” into studying Hinduism.
I now believe that the world that we see is an illusion. We can and do reincarnate and that we can eventually free ourselves from even doing that. I also believe that just because I see and understand my faith different then others, it doesn’t make theirs wrong, just a different path to the same goal. I am not sure as to where I am going to end, but I am happy to see and understand bits of the Universe.

[~¤LilacSky¤~]

my belief is me..haha, lol yep just myself..I think as a kid getting turned off by religion and just observing life and people, I choose nothing and I will probably always choose nothing because it is hard to say something is set in stone for me.
I am always changing my thoughts and my beleifs change as I grow, but one thing I know is that following myself is the only truth for me.
I just try to stay open minded as much as possible..I do not want to get stuck on plans/beleif systems that do not serve me...I just want to be free..no limits..lol perhaps that is my major beleif, that reallly there are no limits. and man chooses to create boundaries to feel safe.

[Eagle]

Yeah, for starters, same as you Lylac, I believe in myself, I believe that my other beliefs may or may not change in time, but one thing is for sure, change will happen.
A good solid belief is very important in life, This life is like building a house, you need a strong foundation (beliefs) in order to build a strong house (you) that can withstand the elements of time.
We all direct and redirect our beliefs to suit our own purpose at one stage or another. the bible and other religions have been doing this since day dot, we're no different in that regard.
I believe at this point in time that, people that have mental break downs (generally speaking) do show that their foundations were not strong enough, and their house came crumbling down. those who resurrected their lives, reconstructed their own foundations and so on.
Some people can do this without a mental break down, and others just try to live in a life in a broken down, condemnable house for years and sometimes their entire lives, metaphorically speaking.
Lylac I too sit back and watch .
If any of my beliefs are to be wrong, it does not bother me as I my beliefs are all with good intentions, I don't mean to harm anyone, just keep in mind that no-ones perfect and we all make mistakes as we stumble through this life in order to better our selfs and our surroundings, this is done by understanding it, I Believe.
A lot of my beliefs are at differents levels, the most important are very basic, KISS belief system ;D (Keep It Simple Stupid), but I do select a lot of differents beliefs not only from other religons around the world but my own. Things like, When darkness clouds my vision, my heart will shine and light the way - Eagle, among many others.
Question that comes to mind what's the difference between phylosophy and belief ?
I did mentioned to a pastor one day that religon is a belief, he disagreed, and before I got a chance to ask him to elaborate he was distracted by a more pressing engagement, and one thing lead to another, yarda, yarda, yarda. no elaboration. typical
Back to the subject.
Being a male my beliefs are more common sense and symbolically orientated that drives my wife batty at times, come to think of it, most of the time
To mention all my believes would be a 500 page book, with sequels. LOL Harry Potter look out. LOL
Good subject this !

Keep Smiling
Eagle

[Dancing Bear]

Yes you do drive her Batty at times

[osiris]

Cool topic....This is hard...I will post what i know will not change.
I believe in God...But to me God is everything......So he is all. Jesus im not quite sure of but i believe that Jesus is a prophet that was totally pure and thus gave his life as explained...But i also believe he is one of the most powerful mystics to have ever lived as well as was noah and moses. He knew all the "deep majic". Because he was an incarnation of god....But so are we. We are as god we have the seed of god or the "mustard seed" residing in us. We create our reality as i see it. The differance is that we all have ego/demons that reside in us. And Jesus made the choice to live with no sin. Do demons exist..Sure as does the devil. As i said we make our reality...And a huge majority of the world lives in sin and does not even see themself enough to relize or they just dont care. The manifestation of demons is through us and our powerful beliefs in terrible things. I believe the antichrist could reside in any of us and it would just need the push of complete impurity to become aware. Angels and demons walk amongst us in this day now.
In one post here i explained how i dislike the use of SO much revelations/end times theories in evangelical preaching and tv and movies. Why because to have just one human mind believe this is very powerful...But to have millions believe this makes it a reality. Alas we are the future our kind has the ability to change things, to forsee, and to use history to help figure future events. In some way we will shape the future i just dont know how yet...later.

[Silver MoonWolf]

I may not follow the straight and narrow path of what some may term "authentic" Wicca but I do believe in the core foundation of God/Goddess and that however you so choose to honor the creators and the 'Spirit' that runs through everything is the correct way. S8, if I am reading your first post right you do not believe in the God/Goddess aspects? If so which part do you not believe in? The God, Goddess, or both?

Personally I look at everyday life and believe in both. If you even go by the Christian bible and the part about "man being made in their image" then it follows to reason that both Man and Woman were created to represent both the Male and Female aspects of Spirit. Most life on earth reproduces with a male and female of the species so I assume the earth and all it's life was created by both a God and Goddess aspect, for me at least it just makes sense.

I also believe that all gods that have existed and been worshipped are simply one of the many faces or aspects of the God and Goddess. that no matter which one you are worshipping whether it be Zeus, Odin, God, Allah, Buddah, Hera, Frigga, or so on you are still worshipping the God and Goddess.

Overall my beliefs are still in their formation stage as I am fairly new to Wicca and religion in general but those are my thoughts as of now.