What Pagan Am I?

Many people just starting ask this very question. What am I? Where do I belong? Well, first you should decide what you want out of this.

1. How did you find out about Paganism? Was it because of a movie you saw, or was it because your friend(s) got involved with with? 
2. Are you wanting to learn more because you are truly interested or because you think it is cool? If it lost its "cool" charm, would you be willing to stick with it?
3. Are you willing to put in the amount of work it takes to be a serious pagan or Wiccan? That means, are you willing to read endlessly, study for the rest of your life, continue to learn and grow, and practice, practice, practice, even when you think you are "done with the basics"?
4. Are you in it for the perceived fame or to scare others into respect?
5. Do you believe that magick/paganism/Wicca is the answer to all your problems? Do you think that magick is the "Solve All"?

In short, are you doing this because that is the fad now, or are you really looking for a nature-centered spiritual path? There are many teenagers and young adults who seek out this path simply for fame or recognition, but there are a lot more who are truly looking for something different in their lives, who are looking for that missing piece of themselves, who feel a connection with nature or a certain God/ddess, or who wander to several places and just want to know more.

Now, if you want some places to start looking into, try some of these:

Astaru/Norse Paganism (a noble warrior tradition)
The Sisterhood of Avalon (if you are a woman)
Celtic Paganism/Traditions
Druidry
Wicca trads like Dianic, Gardnerian, Alexandrian, and Eclectic
Witchcraft of course!

This is a great starting point, but there are hundreds of different sects and traditions within the umbrella of "Paganism". As I said before, this path is a continuous one. Learning never stops. For more reading, check here.

Blessings.

Young, and certainly Restless

You know, I have noticed quite a lot of our Elders commenting on issues and having blogs, but no one is really representing us young pagans. You know, the ones who are in high school and college, the ones who were raised pagans or the ones who found early that this was the path for them.

Im looking to document my own experiences as a young pagan as well as give advice to those who I have been in their place before. Recipes, spells, observations, meditations, circles, and holidays are a given! Maybe news and personal comments will sneak their way into this too, but mostly it will be about spirituality.

I am looking forward to how this will evolve.

Simple Healing Spell

Take a small green candle and go sit somewhere quiet. Take a deep breathe in, and slowly let it out. Now light the candle and place your left hand over the flame, close enough you can feel the warmth but not close enough to burn yourself. Take that warmth and pull it into your body, from your toes... to the top of your head. Burn the candle for as long as you need it or snuff it after you are done.

If you need to heal a specific place, after you have brought the warmth all over your body, pull all of the warmth wherever you need it, like a leg, a wound, or an organ. This can also help with blood borne things, just let the warmth flow through your veins.