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Being this is the Terrestrial forum, this should be appropriate, right?

Just as a bit of background, I have a deep interest in Earth based religious practices, and other forms of indigenous religions, lovingly referred by many as paganism, although it is undeniably a poor blanket term. I am curious if anyone here also has an interest in such, and if so, what POSITIVE experiences or enlightenment has come from such study. Also, how did this experience compare/contrast with aspects of the LDS faith as you understand it?

Thanks!

~dulci

Dulcinea wrote:Being this is the Terrestrial forum, this should be appropriate, right?

Just as a bit of background, I have a deep interest in Earth based religious practices, and other forms of indigenous religions, lovingly referred by many as paganism, although it is undeniably a poor blanket term. I am curious if anyone here also has an interest in such, and if so, what POSITIVE experiences or enlightenment has come from such study. Also, how did this experience compare/contrast with aspects of the LDS faith as you understand it?

Thanks!

~dulci

Hi dulci, I worship and revere nature and quite often feel the divine when enveloped in earth's bounty. I feel peace and comfort within these realms. I've dabbled with magic quite a bit in the past (skeptically) and found nothing other than some interesting encounters with those of the opposite sex... not very divine?

Anyway, interesting question. I can't imagine there are many parallels.

The LDS (as for most structured religions) seems to take nature out of the equation of God, as though it is not part of what God is, and that is rather sad. I can say that the LDS seem to have a better understanding that ritual is an important part of spirituality, and they embrace it whole heartedly in the temple. However, there is a soar missing of nature within the religion. I honestly wish there would be some way to incorporate it moreso. The hesitation comes from that word "paganism" and a fear of idol worship.

Personally, I learned a great deal from nature based religions, and gatherings, in particular, but (as you and I agree) gatherings are full of spirituality that is not concentrated nor directed well. However, even on a more basic level, gatherings teach acceptance, love, and self-worth much better than most religions can grasp. It will be a grand day when the benefits of structured religions and the benefits of natural religions can merge together as one.

Are you two sitting at the same computer taking turns?



;P

No. We have two separate laptops. :P

Too cute. ;P

barrelomonkeys wrote:

Dulcinea wrote:Being this is the Terrestrial forum, this should be appropriate, right?

Hi dulci, I worship and revere nature and quite often feel the divine when enveloped in earth's bounty. I feel peace and comfort within these realms. I've dabbled with magic quite a bit in the past (skeptically) and found nothing other than some interesting encounters with those of the opposite sex... not very divine?

Anyway, interesting question. I can't imagine there are many parallels.

Where you ever able to work within a group or a coven? Thanks :D

Dulcinea wrote:

barrelomonkeys wrote:
Hi dulci, I worship and revere nature and quite often feel the divine when enveloped in earth's bounty. I feel peace and comfort within these realms. I've dabbled with magic quite a bit in the past (skeptically) and found nothing other than some interesting encounters with those of the opposite sex... not very divine?

Anyway, interesting question. I can't imagine there are many parallels.

Where you ever able to work within a group or a coven? Thanks :D

Umhum. Briefly. To be perfectly honest it was all I could do not to laugh. Did get the giggles a bit and some looks. Or I'd just slowly cock a brow with an otherwise blank look on my face. It wasn't my cup of tea. :)

My ex-husband was very interested in the occult. A bit of Wicca as well as Satanism. It was all a bit absurd to me. One of my roommates and I fooled about with it too.

Although during these early (I was a young woman) experiences I came to understand that the idea that Satan did not really exist also suggested that God didn't. The ability to look at those about me (and think WHAT?? YOU BELIEVE IN THIS SHIZZUT?) and wonder about their ability to reason really brought out the skeptic in me.

barrelomonkeys wrote:

Dulcinea wrote:

barrelomonkeys wrote:
Although during these early (I was a young woman) experiences I came to understand that the idea that Satan did not really exist also suggested that God didn't. The ability to look at those about me (and think WHAT?? YOU BELIEVE IN THIS SHIZZUT?) and wonder about their ability to reason really brought out the skeptic in me.

Not to sound flippant, but Dr.'s used to not believe in bacteria, for various reasons. They thought people were nuts that suggested that they should wash their hands between patients because they could be spreading around little bits of whatnot that were too small to see that could make people deathly ill.

From my experience, ritual is a symbolic act that is used to stimulate meditation. Each person's meditation will produce different results, because we all associate the symbols with other different symbols, and attribute to them different meanings. Not all things make sense in life, yet still serve a purpose. When you watch a movie, you know that it isn't necessarily real in even the most mundane sense of the word, and yet it is still possible to come away from it with a good feeling and things to meditate upon. Ritual is the same way. You get out of it what you put into it. It is very much like Classical Greek Drama in that way. However, if the symbols hold no meaning or association for a person (or if the person does not use the tool of thinking symbolically) then the experience would indeed be unsatisfying.

You mentioned that you worship nature . . . would you describe this as an activity or as more of a state of mind?

Thanks :D

Dulcinea wrote:Not to sound flippant, but Dr.'s used to not believe in bacteria, for various reasons. They thought people were nuts that suggested that they should wash their hands between patients because they could be spreading around little bits of whatnot that were too small to see that could make people deathly ill.

Yet there was science that could verify that bacteria (some) is harmful and that proper hygiene was important to stop the spread of infection. I don't really see science supporting mumbo jumbo leaping around the bonfires as something that can be measured. Perhaps I'm wrong!?!? What would be measured? That some people enjoy it? Sure. Okay, enjoy it. But what would science measure when examining any of Paganism's claims? Of course there are so many different branches where would one begin? How about the Goddesses? Is science an appropriate tool to measure anything in the sphere of spiritualism? Probably a few things... can you think of any? I can certainly see how science can discover bacteria, virus, and many biological areas that really can not be applied to the spiritual. Of course neuropsychology (neurotheology) tries to do this and is a very interesting thing to read about.

From my experience, ritual is a symbolic act that is used to stimulate meditation.

I use ritual in meditation. I go outside and assume my favorite position. Yep, I'm such a slave to that ritual! :)

Each person's meditation will produce different results, because we all associate the symbols with other different symbols, and attribute to them different meanings.

What symbols? I don't use any symbols when I meditate. You mean in Wicca?

Not all things make sense in life, yet still serve a purpose.

Umkay.

When you watch a movie, you know that it isn't necessarily real in even the most mundane sense of the word, and yet it is still possible to come away from it with a good feeling and things to meditate upon.

Well I watched Vacancy last night and came away from that movie with the strident desire to ensure that all my windows and doors were tightly latched. :)

Ritual is the same way. You get out of it what you put into it. It is very much like Classical Greek Drama in that way. However, if the symbols hold no meaning or association for a person (or if the person does not use the tool of thinking symbolically) then the experience would indeed be unsatisfying.

Well I put very little into ritual. I need to be outside in quiet when I meditate. Yet I get quite a bit out of it. I'll have to try some mood music and candles next time to amp the experience. ;P

Not following you on the Classical Greek Drama (Medea is one of my favs by the way). Well I have quite a few satisfying experiences in my life with no ritual involved at all. Or symbols?!

You mentioned that you worship nature . . . would you describe this as an activity or as more of a state of mind?

Thanks :D

I'll let Rousseau do the talking for me:

A deep and sweet revery seizes your senses, and you lose yourself with a delicious drunkenness in the immensity of this beatiful system with which you identify yourself. Then all particular objects fall away; you see nothing and feel nothing except in the whole. . . I never meditate or dream more delightfully than when I forget my self. I feel indescribable ecstasy, delirium in melting, as it were, into the system of beings, in identifying myself with the whole of nature. [Seventh promenade]

Everything on earth is in a continual flux - nothing stays constant or fixed. Our attachments to external things pass and change as things do. But there is one state where the soul finds a solid enough seat to rest and gather in all its being, with no need to recall the past or to press on to the future; a state where time is nothing, where the present lasts forever, with no mark of duration or trace of succession; a state where there is no feeling of deprivation or enjoyment, pleasure or pain, desire or fear - only that of our simple existence, which fills our soul entirely.
As long as this state lasts the person in it can call themselves happy, not with an imperfect, impoverished and relative happiness . . but with an adequate, perfect and full happiness, which leaves in the soul no emptiness which it feels the need to fill. This is the state in which I often found myself on the Isle de Saint-Pierre.
What is it that one is enjoying in such a situation? Nothing exterior to oneself, nothing but onself and one's own existence. As long as this state lasts one is self-sufficient like God. [Fifth promenade]