Tag Archive | religion

If You Missed The Ænigma Project 04/30 Show: Hauntings and Religion

Religion and the Paranormal Investigation

In an exercise of right time, right place I was fortunate to be a surprise fill-in guest on The Ænigma Project this past Monday.

It was a lively discussion about Paranormal Investigations, hauntings, ghosts and spirits. The Pros/Cons and what if’s of bringing Religion into someone’s home for an investigation, clearing and/or cleansing. It was a great dynamic discussion that covered a variety of facets about religion, spirituality, psychic senses and more. Don’t miss out on the archive of the show on The Ænigma Project’s blog.

Beltaine: The Fire Festival May 1st/May 6th

Apr30

The Festival of Bel’s Fire
By Springwolf, D.D., Ph.D. 🐾

“Arctic Wolf Fire”
By Tom-in-Silence

Tonight at Sunset marks the beginning of a Pagan Metaphysical Sabbat (holiday) called Beltaine. By the Solar Calendar, the holiday is celebrated on May 1st. But by the Lunar Calendar it’s honored on May 6th. Many modern pagans prefer celebrating the holiday by the lunar calendar as this was probably more accurate to the original festivals of the ancient pagans. In some circles, the Sabbat is honored through out the week beginning on May 1st and ending at sunset on May 7th.

The Sabbat was practiced throughout the Celtic lands. Bel is well known from Italy (Cis-Alpine Gaul), Gaul, Britain, Ireland and into northern Spain. Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of the Gaulish language (an early variety of Celtic) native to Gaul. Continue reading →

Sunday’s Homily: Getting Started On Your Spiritual Path

Apr29

Starting Your Own Spiritual Journey

Many people feel overwhelmed and inundated with so much information on the bookshelves and online. It’s hard to know which way to go or where to start your own spiritual journey. Getting started isn’t as hard as you might think, and there are many places to begin for accurate and safe information. Here is my suggestion and a little information for those with an interest and desire to begin their spiritual journey.

To start the search into your own spiritual interests, define what you currently believe. Whither you’re interested in Pagan Metaphysics or some other spiritual path, you should have an idea of what you believe now. Putting your beliefs into writing instead of just talking about them, helps you define the connection between your beliefs, understand what you believe, and identify what you might not understand or where there are gaps in your beliefs. Learn more about Defining Your Beliefs.

Next, do your own research. Read everything! The more you read, the more you’ll be able to distinguish what is good source material from what is not. Look for material that cite the sources of their information. Continue reading →

The Seven Point Guide to Self Fulfillment

Apr26

Wisdom From The Dalai Lama

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso

Last night (4/25/2012) on Piers Morgan Tonight, Piers interviewed the Dalai Lama. Just because I’m pagan doesn’t mean I can’t learn from and appreciate teachings and wisdom from those of other faiths. And everyone can learn much from the Dalai Lama. It was an excellent and fascinating interview, perhaps the best interview of the Dalai Lama I’ve ever seen.

His honesty is so refreshing in this time of “spin” and out right lies from political leaders, celebrities, and yes even from the spiritual community itself. His optimism is inspiring and by itself can give one hope for a better world. What struck me the most was that he isn’t so optimistic as to be delusional about what can be attainable. He’s much more of a realist than I had ever thought someone in his position could be. And that impressed the heck out of me!

At the end of the show, Piers tells his viewers that here in America we spend $11 billion on the self help and self improvement industry. We spend so much time looking outside ourselves to find happiness, that we forget to look within our own selves, in our actions and our practices. But the Dalai Lama has a cheaper way of finding happiness.

Here are the Dalai Lama’s words of wisdom in his 7 Point Guide to Self Fulfillment: Continue reading →

A Short Description of Pagan Metaphysics

Apr19

I’ve received several emails and FB messages from people asking for a brief description of Pagan Metaphysics. A couple of these emails have indicated they’re writing papers for school. So I thought it might be helpful to simply post my short definition for those searching for the words to define the beliefs.

Pagan Metaphysics Is…
Physics is the study of the observed world. It is the study of what we can see, observe and determine from watching the reaction or interaction of tangible things. Metaphysics is the study beyond physics into the unseen world. That which we believe, but cannot see, still exists. Pagan Metaphysics is a balance of physics through the observation of the natural world and the natural laws of the Divine Universe. It is a balance of both physics and metaphysics applied through observation and personal experience of the unseen spiritual Universe.

Now for the more detailed look, I suggest reading the following:

What Is Pagan Metaphysics?
What Is Paganism? A Basic Description of Paganism & Pagan Metaphysics

The History of Friday The 13th – A Good Day For Pagans

Apr13

“Black Friday” or “Black Cat Day”

Fear of Friday the 13th is known as triskaidekaphobes.

When fear of the day started is up for debate. Some suggest little can be found about the day being negative or filled with bad luck prior to the late 1800s. But others link the phobia to older historical events and occurrences which symbolize the link between the number thirteen and Friday to disastrous events.

One thing many seem to agree to is that both the number thirteen and the sixth day of the week (Friday) have been associated with negative connotations from patriarchal societies and most definitely western cultures. Where as matriarchal societies associate both these objects with positive aspects and connotations.

Pagans Honor The 13th
We should begin with a short explanation for the layman about who and what are Pagans.

By academic definition, Pagans are any religion or spiritual path that does not follow Abrahamic doctrine. It’s a category of religions that would include Buddhism, Hinduism, Shamanism and Pagan Metaphysics (Witchcraft). It’s these last two that are largely associated with modern Paganism. Continue reading →

Divination & Spirit Communication

Apr12

How Do Spirits Connect To You For Communication

This article assumes a person who is attempting divination knows how to clear energy and shield themselves and the area they’re working in. Anyone who doesn’t know how to do that is inviting any type of entity into their divination session.

Recently I have been asked about how spirits connect with a psychic or channel for purposes of communication. Not just for divination, but also for guidance and attaining insight into ones spiritual path and enlightenment.

To answer that question I decided to provide my understanding of the “technical” explanation of how spirit energy can connect to our higher consciousness and how spirit communication occurs once that connection is made.

The first thing I’d say here is that everyone is psychic to some degree and everyone has the potential to communicate with spirit. Some call it intuition, others call it gut feeling, but whatever label you’re assigning to the instinct, it’s an ability we all have. Being psychic doesn’t make you special, or unique. It’s a natural sixth sense that we all have. Some of us simply are more aware of it and have tapped into that sense to use it in our daily lives. But it’s something that can be learned. With routine meditation, study, practice and experience anyone can communicate with their own higher spiritual consciousness and with their own connection to the higher Universal Divine Consciousness. Continue reading →

Soul Talk & Soul Permission

Apr5

Spiritual Communication
Spiritual communication comes in many forms and for many different reasons. Most people think about spiritual communication as something between themselves and whatever their Divine force is in their life. Others see that and the ability to communicate between themselves and spiritual beings, such as spirit guides, teachers, angels and a like. Still others attach to all that the ability to speak with past loved ones and other spirits who travel the heavens sharing knowledge and spiritual understanding fiT the concept.

Not many will add to all these types of spiritual communication the connection between incarnated beings, from you to me or vice versa, on a spiritual level. Many of us on a spiritual path believe we are all connected through spiritual energy and interconnected through the Divine consciousness. But for some reason, we forget that means we’re connected to each other through spiritual energy. And just like we can connect through that energy to those souls on the spiritual ethereal plane, we can also connect to those who are here with us on this physical plane.

Some call this soul connection, soul communication, or something catchy like Soul Talk. In Reiki, we call this the Sei hei ki spiritual communication connection, where its used as a link for healing. And just as there are many reasons to connect to spirits on the ethereal, there can be many reasons and intentions for connecting to another soul here on the physical plane as well. Continue reading →

Today’s Tarot Meditation Drawing: Justice – Inverted

Mar29

Mystic Faery Tarot by Linda Ravenscroft

Let your balloons soar today. The balance you’ve brought forth will take you to new heights and accolades. Those who are blinded by anger will be left behind. Leave them with their stake in the ground. Even though you want to help, they will not listen. So let them go and float away to in peace, knowing you’ve done all you can.

Additional Insight:

Sometimes going with the flow and allowing the Divine Spirit take you where it may, brings you to the place you’re supposed to be. Others are trying to keep you anchored in the past with their anger and refusal to move on. You can no longer help them, so let them go. It maybe hard to do, but they’ve made their choices and you can’t fix things for them. Consider your own path and what you need to accomplish. You’re worth the effort and the time, so focus on you.

Meditation, Energy & Action

Mar23

Note: This article was originally published on Pagan’s Path (paganspath.com) on February 27, 2008.

When you put patterns into your life to live your beliefs, they become part of you, part of who you are and what you are. Many people talk the talk of being a spiritual being. Some put their beliefs into practice once a week, or only when they’re conducting rituals. Many forget that walking a spiritual path means walking it every moment of your life. It’s not enough to give it lip service to impress your friends, or give yourself a false sense of “living right”. It means “Walking Your Talk”.

We do a lot of talking around here about the Divine, working with the GreatSpirits, God or a Goddess, but how often do you remember that these terms are not restricted to your spiritual practices, but rather part of your very being and life? Here in this article we’re going to talk about the Divine in a more practical sense of how you and the Divine are connected. How you practice your beliefs on a daily basis and why this is important for any spiritual being. Continue reading →

"Believe In Yourself, Even When No One Else Does."
~ Harvey McKay ~
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“Take a chance on faith. Not religion, but faith.
Not hope, but faith.
I don’t believe in hope. Hope is a beggar.
Hope walks through the fire and Faith leaps over it.”
~ Jim Carrey ☆ 2014
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“I describe myself as a simple Buddhist monk. No more, no less. And I am one of the seven billion human being. Basically we are the same… your emotion, my emotion, your mind, my mind.., same physical. So I always look [at it] that way. We are the same.”
~ Dalai Lama 2012 ~
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"Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”
~ Bruce Lee 1971