23 replies to this topic

[psychoblonde]

Well, if you have read any of my other posts, you know that I am quite annoyed with the "ghost hunting groups" in my area.

One of the things that annoys me can best be summed up in the following encounter that I had with a "Wiccan".

This was my first time out with a "group" and we were investigating a local cemetary.  I was more or less stumbling around because I had no clue what we were doing.  When we got to the site, we were told to "do our thing"...well, I have no idea what my "thing" is.

During my stumbles, I happened upon a girl using a Ouija board.  Now my experience with the board has alway been courtesy of "Hasbro"(or whoever it is that makes the game board) and I really had never thought to use this as an actual tool.

So after the investigation, I was curious as to how this worked and I struck up a conversation with this individual....asking her how she learned to use the board?  Why she felt it worked? and so forth.  She gave me the basic answers.  That was all fine. She asked how I liked this group and I told her I was still feeling the waters as I was new.  She then went on to tell me that she hated the group, but stayed with them because they were the only group in the area that "did" anything.  I asked her why she hated the group(expecting to get an answer that was similar to my reason for not being interested in the group) and she told me she hated the group because she was the only Wiccan in the group and that there wasn't even another Pagan in the group.  She then got up on her soapbox and proceeded to tell me that only Wiccans and Pagans have any real connection with the spirit world and that the rest of us just "imagine" it.

Needless to say, this was another eye opening experience for me (and I am old enough to have had many of these, but this one knocked my socks off!).

So I would like to hear from the Wiccans and Pagans of these boards, do you have an advantage or connection with the Spiritual world?  And if so, Why?  

Thanks for helping me in my quest to figure this out!

PB

[Persia]

Hey PB.
I can tell you that from my experience, I'd say you'd have to be a sensitive. Just cause you are Wiccan or Pagan doesn't mean much. I mean I go to cemeteries and it's my friend who's a sensitive that feels stuff or my sister who happens to be Wiccan as well and i'm left standing there like a lump.

[bobzoency]

I don't really think you have to be Wiccan or Pagan to be able to contact spirits.  Some people are naturally better at it and some need to work a lot harder at it (like me!).  I definitely don't think religious preference has a factor in it at all even though some religions try to repress intuition and psychic abilities in their followers while others encourage it.  I have never seen a spirit or spoken to one, but sometimes I get the feeling that someone I can't see is there with me.  My brother and cousin have been able to see and contact spirits quite often.  I don't really have a religion, I prefer to call them spiritual beliefs, but if you have to call me something, it would be a Gnostic, or seeker of truth.

[psychoblonde]

Ahhh, thanks gang.  Appreciate the feedback.  I think this person might just have had an attitude problem!

[MoonChild]

Pals, recently in a web site I came across different forms of Wicca! What is the major difference between all these? Is it only in practises? Or is the base belief itself different? Does the term Witch applies to Wicca only? Are all Wiccans Witches? or ar all Withces Wiccans? Enlighten plz...... :

[Willow]

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Sounds like someone who really doesn't have a clue about Pagans or Wicca. I don't believe that being an empath has anything to do with what a persons faith/religious beliefs happen to be. Having lived 29 of my 43 yrs as a Pagan, it has been my experience that there are fanatics in every faith/religion. Sorry you ran into a wacko,JMO .

Couldn't of said it any better (except i'm younger at 27,lol) but you really have met the wrong person to speak on behalf of Pagan/Wiccans, trust me, we aren't all like that hun!

[Moose]

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Pals, recently in a web site I came across different forms of Wicca! What is the major difference between all these? Is it only in practises? Or is the base belief itself different? Does the term Witch applies to Wicca only? Are all Wiccans Witches? or ar all Withces Wiccans? Enlighten plz...... :

Hear that?  It's the sound of a can of worms opening.  There are many types of paganism and wicca, and the people that practice them.  One of my favorites is the IRAB (I Read A Book!).  This is the person that reads one book and becomes an instant Priest/Priestess.  They have the inside track on all manner of hidden knowledge, and can tell for a fact that you're doing it wrong.
There are others who claim that they belong to a tradition that has been handed down in an unbroken line since about a month after humans came down from the trees.
However, the majority are people, regardless of age, who have a desire to study the Craft and all it entails.  Some have more of a spiritual connection than others.  Some have that connection awakened or heightened through study.  Some never have it.  I don't think that being part of a particular religion makes one more sensitive, but people may be drawn to a particular religion because of their sensitivities.

Does that help, or just confuse things further?

Moose

[MoonChild]

Hi Villagers, I found this to be fascinating, and perhaps for a new comer like me, informative. Perhaps it could help you all! Check it out

http://www.julen.net...ative_Theories/
(this is a portal)

http://www.sacred-te...m/bos/index.htm
(a good portal that was refered to from the previous mentioned)

http://www.homestead...ites/index.html
(yet another one from the above mentioned portal - but found to be good)

[Acacia]

To answer further the question of the different forms of Wicca:
The different branches of Wicca typically deal with different deity systems.  Wicca itelf has only a few "hard set" rules (such as the Rede), the rest comes from personal belief.  People of different Traditions (types of Wicca) follow the belief structures/deity systems of a particular pagan people (such as Egyptian Wicca, Hermetic Wicca, Fairy Wicca, etc).  That's the main difference, in a nutshell (of course, this makes no two Wiccans the same).

Now, as for the "witch" question: All Wiccans can* (according to preference...some, like me don't like the term "witch") be considered witches, but not all witches are Wiccan.  There are witches of other pagan beliefs.  Again, it's all determined by belief structure.  Not all witches follow the Wiccan "rules", but all Wiccan Witches do (or are supposed to...all but those dratted IRAB's and Witchy In The Nights and the like, but I don't really consider them Wiccan...just like they likely wouldn't consider me Wiccan, lol).

As for the original question on this thread, I DON'T think that the "wee-jee" girl knew what she was talking about.  Likely she was an IRAB Wiccan and thought she could enlighten someone.  I mean, Wicca's only technically been around for 50 or so years (though it's roots are in paganism), and there were mediums long before that.  I mean, I can see where being a pagan could teach you some of the essential skills to heighten your abilities more than, say, Christianity could, but that doesn't mean that a Christian can't see ghosts.  
Many Blessings,
Acacia

[crazyjaney]

That's about right, coming across this idiot. Sorry you had to deal with that junk - some really just need to get off that power/ego boost thinking they're better than others for one reason or another.

Believe me when I say not all of us are that way - at least not this heathen woman.  

[whispers_of_fire]

Hmmm...interesting encounter you had, Psychoblonde.

I've known both Pagan Sensitives and Christian Sensitives, so I don't really think theological/spiritual beliefs have anything to do with the ability to see/interact with spirits
at all...its in your approach and how they view you. I have also known people of different belief systems who felt that no good whatsoever could come of talking with the dead, that
spirits/ghosts were demons. I don't happen to agree, but they are entitled to their views

[bennubaby]

you dont have to be wiccan or pagan to see spirits. a true wiccan or pagan will have the advantage because they are naturally peacefull and very receptive.  however judging from her response, she is not a true wiccan/pagan.  the main reason why people like the ancients and wicans and pagans today are more in tune with the spirit world is in their understanding. the see the effects of their beliefs and respect them. they are not like some hardcore religionists who worship books or human words and symbols. they wish to learn from life and seek nothing from this path but knowledge and oneness. thats the theory behind it anyway.

[yawn]

I don't think there are any advantages to being wiccan or pagan to see or communicate with spirits...I happen to be a Christian who is able to connect with spirits.