"Noobs" vs "Not Noobs" or The Green vs The Seasoned

Noob, Newbie, Newb.

We have all probably heard the slang words that describe someone who is new to something. Especially popular in the gamer crowd ( of which I am a member of ), it is frequently used in a derogatory manner, to imply they are too new and therefore not worth the more advanced person's time and effort.

Love thy newbie, for thy was also once a newb!

In the gamer world, you have your seasoned players, who have logged countless hours playing said game, and then here comes someone who started just last week, who is still learning, and they may make some grievous error out of ignorance, which pisses the advanced gamers off and causes them to have fits of rage, complete with scathing insults heaped upon the "noob's" head, making that person feel like crap, simply because they have not had enough experience to know any better.

Another place this happens frequently is in the world of Paganism. Not everyone is this way, of course, and there are plenty of Pagans who love to help people new to their paths, but for years I have seen those who are more advanced, who have been on their paths for many years, who act just like the veteran gamers do. They have no patience for the "noobs"  ( I prefer Newbs myself and will use this spelling from now on ) or anyone who has not been on their path for years. Gods forbid they get asked a question by these green pagans. I have seen and heard and in weaker moments, given some of the most terrible tirades, speeches, and lectures given by seasoned pagans to those who are new to the Craft. Granted, in this age of technology, a wealth of information is at your fingertips on the internet, but first hand knowledge can make a huge difference in a person's path, especially if they have deeper questions than a simple internet search can give them. I have been on my path for 21 years, mostly alone, mostly self taught, but the knowledge I have gained from a few kind souls who were willing to answer a few ( and sometimes a lot of  ) questions helped me in ways I cannot describe.

So I am writing a bit of an open letter, first to seasoned pagans, and then to the Newbs out there.

Dear Seasoned Pagans,

Stop being asshats to Newbies. You, yourself, were once just as green as they are, and we are in a great position to stop a lot of the fear and misconceptions about being a Pagan. Maybe you were rejected in the early days of walking  this path, and now you feel you are entitled to do the same. Maybe you were totally self taught, you put in all the research, legwork, trial and error, and everything in between to be where you are, and feel that every person should have to do that. Maybe you simply do not have the desire, or the patience to teach anyone something that, even for "Public Pagans" is still at it's core, a deeply personal experience.

I get it. I have been there, and I understand where you are coming from. NONE of those reasons, however, gives us the right to treat these newcomers like unruly children. Granted, some Newbs are asshats, and will not listen, or think they know it all, and I will get to them in a minute. There are still ways to not rain insults on them and make them doubt if this is the path they want to be on, if all pagans are such jerks. Ours is a path of supposed acceptance and knowledge. One of the reasons a lot of us are pagans is because Christianity left us with a bad taste in our mouths so to speak. One thing I can say is that I have never seen or read about a patriarchal religion turning down newcomers who want to learn about their path or religion. I am sure there are some out there, but usually you can't get them to shut up teaching about it, they don't insult you and tell you that you are a newb and make them feel they are not worth spending time and effort on.

I am not saying we have to answer every question, or take everyone under our wings and show them the ropes. Hell no. I can't do that  myself. I have very little patience or desire to teach anyone about it anymore, even my son, who is fresh on the path. I will answer his questions, because he is my son and I love him, but I also direct him to go look it up for himself. My point is, it takes less energy and blood pressure points to give a basic answer and direct them somewhere they can find out the information for themselves, if  you happen to know a few places in particular, or to simply say "Sorry, I am not a teacher in the least, but so and so is, or do a quick internet search and you will find lots of answers" than to spend ten minutes or more ranting and raving at the person and making them feel like crap. You can decline to be a teacher without being a total jerk. Think about how you would feel is someone did that to you.  ( And maybe they did, and how bad did it make you feel?? ) Be respectful.

No one likes a know-it-all jerk.

Dear Green Pagans,

Don't be an asshat either. I know a whole world is opening up before you, and you want to cram as much info into your cranium as possible, but it took a lot of work to be where we seasoned pagans are today. I know you are probably reading everything you can get your hands on, and that is great, but there is a HUGE difference in book knowledge and practical experience. Don't be afraid to get out there and just do it. Be cautious, but do it. There is nothing anyone can tell you that will make up for good old fashioned experience. Even though there are very well known and respected public pagans, that does not mean that everyone you know who follows an alternative religion or path wants to pull up a chair with you and tell you everything they know. Even those who are willing to answer your questions still consider their practice a deeply personal thing. Do not act like because you read a few books, cast a spell or two, or conducted a ritual, that you are on even ground with someone who has been on the path for a decade or more. Don't be a know-it-all jerk to them either. Trying to lecture a seasoned pagan is a sure fire way to not get taken seriously, and make it to where no one wants to help you with anything. Some people will be happy to share with you. Many  people will not, and that is their choice. Keep searching, be respectful, and never stop learning. ( That goes for us seasoned pagans as well...things change all the time, new information is always being presented, and even though you may not practice it or adopt it into your path, keeping up with the times is always a good thing,  and can help you to understand the next generation of pagans.) This is not always an easy path, but it can be a very rewarding one.

So in conclusion, there is no reason that new and more advanced pagans can't find common ground, as long as a little mutual respect and a bit of patience is present on both parts. No one wants to be treated like an asshat, no matter how long you have been on a path.

I hope you will take that into consideration the next time you ask a question, or have the urge to blast someone to bits because they do not know as much as you do about something.

Have any thoughts about this? Tell me in the comments!

If you like this post, please share it!

Ten Things Thursday: Blogs I love!

I am a little late tonight, I know, but after a hectic week, I took today just do pretty much nothing. It was nice to not have to do much of anything. I deep cleaned yesterday, well, the living room, kitchen, and office area, so there was nothing nagging in the back of my mind to get up and do something. I almost did not blog today, but I did mention on the fan page last night that I would post today, so here we go.

Today I am going to be brief, because the blogs I am going to direct you to will speak for themselves. I love reading other people's blogs, and these are just ten of those. These are in no particular order, and do not feel left out if your blog is not listed here, as I intend to do this list once a month this year. So without further ado, here is the first installment of Blogs I Love! ( Click the title of each blog to be taken to that blog, it will open in a new window! )

1. Aoibheal's Lair

I know I add Vickie to all most every list I make for these types of things, but she is seriously one of my favorite people on this Earth and I love her blog very much, and I would even if we were not good friends. She writes about all kinds of things. Magic, and recipes, and life in general, both the light and the dark side. She and I are very much alike *in my opinion* and I just love her. Go check her out, and you might love her blog too!

2. The Secret Life of the American Working Witch

As I am  sure most people know, this is Kallan Kennedy's blog. She lights a fire in me, to learn, to stand up for what I believe in, for justice, and many other things. Her weekly "Sunday Stew" is something I look forward to all week!  The more I get to know her, the more I love her.

3. Down to Earth

This blog is amazing. It is all about living simply, and having practical skills like cooking, knitting, soap making, gardening, sustainable living, budgeting, the works. It gives the feeling that you are reading your grandmother's blog. ( I mean this in the best way possible! )

4. Airing My Dirty Laundry, One Sock At A Time

I love the way Amber writes. She is hysterically funny, realistic and down to earth, and she is one of my  all time favorite blogs to read. She also has some the most adorable kids I have ever seen.

5. The Oddly Normal Life of a Pagan Mom

This is a new find for me, but it has quickly become one of my favorites. I enjoy the way she writes ( Long and detailed posts, which I love to read and write. The fact that social networking has reduced a lot of people's attention spans to gnats, which results in a lot of two-short-paragraph blog posts irks me. ) When I read  her posts, it feels like I am listening to a dear friend tell me about their day or what is happening in their life. It feels natural. I enjoy it immensely!

6. Merlin's Magical Mistress

This blog has a little bit of everything. Magic, recipes, tips, music, great pictures, and a lot more!

7. Daddy Doin' Work

I guess you would classify this as a "Daddy Blog," but I consider it so much more. He is funny, intelligent, kind and loving, adores his family, and is one of the most upbeat and positive bloggers out there in my opinion. I love this blog!

8. Pray to the Moon

This is also a recent find for me, but I am enamored with this blog already. Magical, with lots of images and various "Moon" related things,  it is a blog that will engage the senses.

9. The Country Cook

Y'all know I had to throw a foodie blog in there at some point, right? Great recipes and gorgeous pictures make this a very yummy blog!

10. Bohemian Valhalla

An art blog of sorts, Bohemian Valhalla is a photo heavy experience in beautiful chaos. Making art from found treasure, there is always something new and wonderful to be seen. I can spend hours there!

There you have it folks! Ten  blogs that I love to read and spend time at. Do you have any favorites that you want to share with me? Leave them in the comments!

Pagan Blog Project 2013 Week 1: A is for Anticipation

Anticipation is not exactly a Pagan word, but for me it is a good summary word of how I feel about the coming year for this project and many other things in my spiritual life. Things are changing so much, in all realms of my life. I find myself in a constant state of anticipation.

I admit I almost forgot today was the start of Pagan Blog Project and I also admit I was not prepared for today. Yesterday was an odd one for me, watching someone else's small child, and I still feel like I am recovering lol. I will be better prepared next week.

I am excited, as this is not something I have ever done before, and as it is not daily, but weekly, I feel it will be easier to manage for me.

This year will be one in which I try to deepen my sense of spirituality. I have learned about a new path recently, one that most of the world considers taboo and evil, but it is not, and while there are similarities, it is not exactly for me. Especially if the people in that path all mostly act like one of the two people I know who follow that path. I do not care what your belief system is, but if all you can do is ridicule others about their choices and beliefs, then I do not want you in my life.

There is no path that I know of that fully describes how I feel and what I believe in. I am still very much eclectic and I do not fit in a cute little box tied up with a pretty ribbon.

Last year, I let my sense of spirituality fall by the wayside, in a time I probably needed it most. Since that year is over, I feel a heightened sense of anticipation to open myself back up to it. I am not sure if I will write about my journey, as it is a deeply private one, but I might from time to time. I am not sure yet.

I am going to close, for this first post.

I am very much anticipating continuing to work on the Pagan Blog Project, and seeing what the rest of the year brings!

Who Am I? Who Are You? Who Are We?

This post has been a long time coming. I have been thinking about this for months. Over the course of the last few weeks, I have seen other bloggers, and people I know in "real life" go through a sort of spiritual identity crisis. I have gone through one myself many times over the last few years.

Being Pagan is a struggle at times, because even in Paganism, there is that need to define yourself, to adhere to a tradition, or a pantheon, a sect, solitary, coven based, eclectic, Native American, Celtic, Egyptian, Norse, Green Witch, Hedge Witch, Kitchen Witch, and a myriad of other choices. Do you consider yourself religious, or do you just practice the Craft? Is it an everyday thing, or is it only for special occasions and holidays? Do you perform complex rituals with tools and all the bells and whistles, or do you just go about your day, fitting in things as you can? Are you Dark, or are you Light? Do you Hex, or Do Ye Harm None? These are just a few of the choices and questions that we as Pagans have asked ourselves.

When I first started, I considered myself Wiccan, because...well....quite frankly I did not know any better lol. I did not realize that other than the major alternative religions like Druidism, Buddhism, and things like that, that all other Pagans were NOT Wiccan. In my defense, I was only 13 or 14, and did not know much about it all. Later I learned that Wicca itself was a religion, and to be quite honest, I am NOT religious, in basically every way. I learned that you can use the craft independently from being Wiccan, and that appealed to me much more.

Then came the Traditional Witches. The snooty witches who think if you cannot trace your bloodline back to someone who was in the Salem Witch Trials, then you were not a real witch. Well, I have no idea if I have any ancestors that were in the Trials, but I DO know that my ancestors were medicine women and men of my Native American heritage, and let me tell you, that makes me just as much of a Traditional Witch as anyone who has ties to the Trials.

Then came the question of what deities do you relate to, or follow? Well for me, sometimes I felt a strong kinship to a few, Morrigan and Brigid and Lugh specifically, but other times I did not. Sometimes I felt a kinship with ALL of then, and sometimes NONE of them. Sometimes I feel they are separate entities,  and sometimes I feel as though they are simply different aspects of the self. Sometimes I feel as if they are all part of the whole, the many faces of a Godhead figure. Sometimes I feel they are just something Man gave name and face to, in order to relieve themselves of responsibility for their human qualities and then the more unsavory qualities. To disassociate their failings from themselves. it is far easier to say " The devil made me do it" than to admit your a twisted individual who revels in such things. Or maybe your not twisted at all, you are just drawn to the shadows of life, rather than bathe in the blinding light....

Ritual. How many books have we read full of rituals so complex your brain gets lost halfway through reading it, much less trying to practice it? Again, there are those people who say you MUST do this ritual for this situation, with these particular tools, with this particular incense, with this particular visualization. Then there are those who say " Nah, just use what you have, substitutions are much better than nothing at all.." I have issues with people telling me how to live my everyday life, I will be damned if someone is going to tell me how to live my spiritual life.

I am not a fixed and inanimate object. I move, I breathe, I change, I LIVE. If I am always changing, why would I want my spirituality to remain fixed and unmovable? Why do I have to trap myself within a rigid and structured way of life that goes against who I am as a person, just to make the "Elders" happy, and to make people accept me as a real Witch? What makes you better than me, to decide how I should live my spiritual life? That is something that should be so deeply personal, so individual. No one can tell me that whatever it is that I am doing is not good enough, that I am wrong, unless I am initiated by Lady Pixie Farting Fairy Dust of the Lady of the Moon Pretentious Witches Coven.

In my weaker moments, I have thought others path was a bit ridiculous, to the point of getting frustrated at what I perceived to be illogical crap. It still takes effort even for me to realize that other people's paths are not wrong, they are just different, even if it makes no sense to me. It is far easier to not care what others think of my path. I have my weaknesses, I am human, like it or not.

So in the face of all these choices, all the questions, just who AM I as a spiritual person?

I am a Spiritual being, made from star stuff, dancing my way down my path while here on Earth. I do not do rituals. I do spells sometimes. I love Nature, and feel a deep kinship with Mother Nature. I am a healer. I am a destroyer. I cross the Hedge and walk the line. I see dead people and hear things no one else hears. I am so intuitive it can be a fault at times. I get frustrated when people blow me off when I try to tell them something, and when it happens, they come back saying they will never doubt me again, only to have them do just that the next time it happens. I do very little for my own gain. I have tools, but I seldom use them. The are in cabinets and on my altar. They are pretty to look at, but are simply symbolic to me. My greatest tool is my mind, and it is far sharper than any diamond honed blade. I can visualize very well, but it is not how I prefer to do such things. I taste, I smell, I feel, as well as see, as well as imagine. I read the tarot. I have problems doing readings for people I do not respect fully, who do not listen to what things are trying to tell them.

I see the magic in everything, I LIVE inside that magic, I do not have to consciously practice magic to be magical. I do not have to read 400 pagan books a year and do 5 rituals a week and 20 spells a month to be magical. I do not have to "do something spiritual" every day to BE spiritual. The fact I even exist is magical, and spiritual. The fact that I am alive after all that has happened in my life is proof of miracles. I am kind and loving, and I am wrathful and vengeful. I have an altar, but it is a part of my house, my house is magical, my yard is magical, my world is magical. My life has been hard at times, easy at times, and almost lethal at times. I have loved every second of it. I am a Mother, a Daughter, a Sister, a Friend, a Lover, a Witch.

I am a creation of the Universe.


Who are you?

Am I a Bad Witch?

The month of October, the highlight of most Witch's Year, is well underway. The Halloween decorations have been in the stores since late August, houses are decorated already, the internet sites I frequent and the games I play are all decked out in their spooky finery. Everyone is in a state of anticipation and creamy goodness.

Except me.

Am I a bad Witch for wishing October were just done and over already? The contests and 31 days of....( and no I am not calling anyone out in blog land, because all that stuff is awesome fun lol ) is all over the internet..and it is all great fun, I have entered a jillion of them myself, but this is not what Samhain is about!

Maybe it is because so many Witches live in places they can only truly express themselves and come out of the Broom Closet for a single month out of the year. I get that. Maybe I have a hard time because even living in a place where the God Fearing and Gun Toting  people abound, ( And yes I am a gun toter too lol ) I have not been in the Broom Closet since I was like 15, I have a harder time relating.

Maybe it is because historically, the month of October sucks for me, with the exception of my babygirl's birth, even though she was born at 28 weeks, she survived and never suffered any health problems or delayed development over it.

I feel the same way about Yule/Xmas. Everyone is so worried about the commercial aspect of it, no one talks about or pays much attention to the real "reason for the season", no matter what religion they are.

Or maybe it is because the decor in my house is "Halloweeny" year round, so it desensitizes me to a degree.

Maybe it is because I have had 4 hours of sleep and I am grumpy and feel like "listening" to myself bitch, who knows lol.  I take that back, I am not grumpy, just tired...and when I am tired I tend to be more open with things that bother me.

In blog land, of the umpteen dozen blogs I follow ( and love, or I would not follow you lol ) very few have posted anything about Samhain, what it is, what it means to them, things they do for Samhain, things like that. Most of it is "Click here and here, and here..oh and here and here, to maybe win a shrunken head on a stick" (Please Goddess don't let any of the blogs I read actually be giving away a shrunken head on a stick or I am dead meat, oh please oh please) Of which I have done more than once this month *winks*

I guess I just expected Pagan blogs to be more...Pagan. Now don't get me wrong. I do not mean one of those stiff and formal types who have a 48 page ritual to honor the Dead. Those bore the shit out of me. I am eclectic and informal for a reason. It is who I am.

I don't know, maybe I am just rambling again. I do that a lot lol. I guess I just expected more from the Pagan Community at large this time of year. One of our local Pagan Pride festivals is this time of year, and I remember when it used to be about Pagans, and what we are, and what we do, and what it means to us. Now, it is about selling T-Shirts and buttons and posters that say " I survived the  Pagan Pride Festival of 2009", complete with little hordes of people with torches and pitchforks. No, I am not kidding. I know a few of the vendors this year, and have seen the template with my own two eyes. Funny? Yes. The point of a Pride festival? No lol. Not to me anyway.

I just feel like a bad witch at times because I do not buy in to all the other stuff everyone else seems to go apeshit for this time of year. I guess it has to do with my underlying issues with commercialism.

Well hopefully ya'll are not saying " Oh no that bitch did NOT just make a reference to me!" because I was not doing that. This is something I have had issues with for years, and I have only been a blogger for a few months lol. Like..3 of them..it is something I have wanted to give a voice to for a long long time.

Maybe there are others like me, who feel the way I do, or maybe it is just me and everyone will come down on my head for this. I don't know. Either way is okay, because regardless of what anyone says, I will have their answers and will know if I am alone in my thoughts or if others maybe wish it were a little more that what it has been as well...

Thanks for reading my ramblings lol..

Music of the Moment: Little Earth Quakes by Tori Amos*

The Dark Of The Moon

The Dark Of The Moon -- A Natural Time Of Magic And Creation

The Dark of the Moon is considered an especially mysterious, fruitful, and
flexible time of "molding" the creative experiences that will come forth in the
weeks immediately ahead. It is said that wishes made as the last sliver of the
Moon's light fades on the left, and affirmed through the Dark of the Moon period
until the first sliver of new light appears again on the right, have special
support -- special empowerment -- to come true. Affirming them again at the
moment of the New Moon itself gives extra push to their nourishment and
initiative.

The Dark of the Moon is time of legendary power for creation. The Dark of the
Moon is always best used to rest, recuperate, become quiet, invite calm and
serenity into your world, and spend some time in personal reflection looking
back over your life and personal history -- as far as you want to go into the
past -- and playing with new intentions, new desires, new directions. It's a
time to stay "at home" -- both physically and psychologically -- and tend to
your private world and its circumstances.

Create the conditions that will replenish your spirit ... and indulge them
fully, whether this means meditation, reading, contemplation, cleaning, clearing
away emotional and psychological debris that hinders you, listening to music,
writing in your personal journal, talking quietly with intimate, trusted
associates, listening to the whispered words of your deepest intuitions, working
on personal healing therapies and rituals ... or some combination of all these
things.

Play with ideas and think of things you might like to create over the next
several weeks, realizing this is a time to brainstorm, daydream, and fantasize,
not a time to take action. All things begin in mind. Everything in the world
originated in the nebulous intellectual energy of an idea, a dream, a desire. To
work with the especially potent energy available during the Dark of the Moon,
plan for some serious personal down-time every month starting about 2 1/2 days
before each New Moon ... and lasting for 1 - 1 1/2 days after ... and focus your
inner work, thoughts, and attention on the matters I just described.

This automatic "natural" 4 day vacation can help bring fabulous results --
emotionally, psychologically, physically, spiritually and even financially to
your life. It's easy to find information about the New Moon every month ... by
searching online, certainly, but many calendars (and certainly all astrological
calendars!!) have this information clearly marked in the appropriate day / date
box. The Dark of the Moon days that surround the New Moon's arrival each month
are the time to set new intentions and plans into motion in your life ... in the
realm of thought where all creation happens.

You can learn lots more about working with Moon energy on our website ... and
get plenty of Moon energy information and tactics delivered right to your inbox
by joining our Premium Members website. However you choose to do it, learning to
work in flow with the natural progression of energy marked by the phases of the
Moon could be one of the most productive things you do for your life and your
success ... ever!! And one of the easiest to use, too!
----
(c) 2007 Rebecca Brents, All rights reserved.


Will any of you be doing anything for the New Moon?

Memoirs of a Crazy Witch

Last year I submitted some things I wrote to a site called Authspot.com and was published on the web. I wanted to share a few of them here..since they are my writing and I have been thinking about them the last few days. Hope you enjoy!

*FYI: I am a few months PAST my 30th now lol*

The Beginning

"A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step" some one once said to me. Never in a million years did I think I would ever travel on the roads that have brought me to this point.

I became a Witch when I was 13 years old. Religion never played a part in my life until I was about 5 years old, and my tyrant of a father went through a "What does it all mean?" phase. I was then drug to every type of church there was in my county in Northern Florida. He eventually decided that he wanted to be a Jehovah’s Witness for a while. I am not sure why, as he did not follow half of the things they "required" you to, like not smoking for one. He and my mother both were chain smokers.

We attended services there for the next 6 years, 3 times a week. I never embraced the religion. First of all I was a child, and had little concept of a God, and second of all, what I was learning did not feel right to me somehow.

I finally regained my freedom when I turned 13. My Dad decided none of the churches we attended were correct in their teaching, and that I was free to make my own choices in that aspect. I felt as though a 2 ton weight had been lifted off of my shoulders!

About a month after that, my Mom and I were shopping in Barnes and Nobles (which was a rare thing. I lived way out in the woods, and we did not get to go to the mall very often) and I ended up in the New Age section. I shuffled along the isle, scanning the titles on the book spines, when suddenly my eyes landed on a book and I stopped in my tracks. I picked it up, and it seemed warm to my hands. It was the book Green Witchcraft by Ann Moura. My life has never been the same since.

I took the book home and locked myself in my room. I sat there for a while, just staring at the picture on the glossy black and green cover. There was a picture of trees deep in a forest somewhere, with moss hanging down, and it brought to mind a path winding through a dark forest. I devoured the first half of the book in about an hour. Before I read that book, I had only a passing knowledge of things like magic and spirits and things of that nature. Most of what I knew was from movies and fantasy books. Imagine my surprise to find out that a lot of it was real! Well, sort of.

I quickly learned it was not as it was in my favorite books and movies. I had heard the word "Metaphysical" before but at the time I had no idea what it meant. As I read, I learned about energy in a totally different way than what I was taught in school. The concept of raising energy and sending it away from me with a specific intent blew my mind. When I thought of Witches and magic in the past, I thought of The Wicked Witch of the West, Hansel and Gretel, Halloween, my great grandmother, and all kinds of commercial type deals.

I stayed up until long after midnight reading the book from cover to cover, then starting back at page one when I was finished. I had to hide the book from my parents, since I was not sure if they would freak out about it, so I played it safe. Not long after that I ended up buying a book called Wicca A to Z: A Complete Guide to the Magical World by Gerina Dunwich. This was also a very interesting book, kind of like a dictionary of the magical realm. I have acquired many more books on Witchcraft and Paganism in general, but I still have those two after all these years.

After that I ended up straying from my "path" because of some stupid life choices. I ran away from home at 15 to get away from my father, got into a car wreck a week later that almost took my life, got married at 16, pregnant with my first child at 17, divorced at 18, pregnant with my second child at 19, and then I finally woke up when I was 24 and got my life straight. I ended up meeting a Pagan man, and we got married and had a beautiful daughter. With him I was finally able to be my true self, and have grown in leaps and bounds, intellectually and spiritually. I am now a few months shy of my 30th birthday, and as I look back on who I was back then, and who I am now, I shake my head and think to myself, "If only I had listened to the Goddess when she called to me so long ago, maybe things would have turned out a lot different…"