Witchway-How is it important to you?

[Citrine_Imix]

Blessings everyone, I wanted to find out what brought you to witchway and when, and what path you follow in the craft, and what your chosen name here means to you? Hopefully this gets a sticky so all you wonderful people can reply!

Ill start!

I am Fire Phoenix- It means that i am beborn from the ashes everytime, I am adaptable, strong and resilient.

I discovered the occult when i was 15. Since that age (i am 23 now) i have been taken through so many topics, from the dark, to the arcane, to the spiritually uplifting, to the deeply philisophical. I have a  completely unblinkered few and i signed up for NO religious contracts, but read them ALL ;-) My niche in paganism is Healing.

I came across this site in August 2005, and promptly registered, over that time i have met so many amazing people! It really is a great family, lots of great heated debates, balanced by thought provoking insights, imagery laiden poems, clever musings on the pagan world, and general fun and laughter in between!

Big big kudos to MagickSprite and all the moderators who tirelessly keep this place ticking like a very fine clock!

Blessed Be and love and light and peace to all!!!!!!

xx

[Talyn178]

Nice topic Matthew

My username is Talyn178, to be honest this name has little meaning, I chose Talyn about 7 years ago just because I'd found it on a name generator and liked the name. It would actually be really nice to change it to something else if that is at all possible...maybe I'll ask the mods.

I first heard of Wicca about 6 years ago during college when I met a group of new friends who all studied together, they were very welcoming and taught me a lot. I've been in love with the craft ever since. I was always one of those weird kids who walks around talking to myself :p But now I'm one of those weird guys who still walks around talking, but it's usually directed at the Goddess and the God now hehe.

Witchway.net was THE first website I ever came across about wicca but I'd never joined a forum so I used the information on the main site as reference until 2006 when I joined the forum. I came on every so often to read other peoples posts then about 4/5 months ago I began posting myself.

This website is deffinitely a place to feel at home and everyone is so wonderful. I've read so many wise words from so many amazing people. All of us are from all over the world yet the energies and happiness I feel every time I turn on the computer and go straight to this forum is immense.

I can say with total honesty that this very forum has changed my life for the better, seriously. And certain peoples words have made a big difference to my life as well.

I second what Fire Phoenix says. WELL DONE and a huuuuuge THANK YOU to MagickSprite and all of the moderators. *hugs* And an extra thank you to Cleaner for being an excellent mod and helping me understand the rules and feel more welcomed. That's not to say that the other mods are bad :p I just wanted to thank him personally.

Peace & Love to everyone here.

Keith

[breeze]

Hi!
I think this is a great idea! I think anything that helps us understand other people is beneficial to all. There are so many different personalities here, and that is a beautiful thing in itself.

I decided on using "breeze" because on the day I was registering I sat at the computer trying to think of a name as I stared out of the window. I noticed that it was a beautiful day, I could see a gentle breeze flowing in and around everything, it seemed so perfect and natural, hence.....breeze! I like the idea of it also, too be gentle in touch but move everything you come across, even if it's just a whisper.

I was lurking around here for quite a while also. It took a little time, but I believe I read most of the posts. Eventually, I caved and decided to post myself, which is amazing for me because I am extremely self-conscious and shy. I had only visited one other forum before this one, and it is very small, so this is all a new thing for me. I still haven't gotten completely used to how the written word can come across as very abrasive when there aren't facial expresions and such, but I am learning    I enjoy the people here, and there are some that I truly have a great amount of respect and admiration for and I look forward to their posts. I also have the up most respect for  MagickSprite and the mods, they keep everything flowing quite nicely. This really is a beautiful place, with so much to offer, I love it more and more the longer I stick around.

I have studied the Path for about 15 years I guess, but I didn't accept it as my own path until about 19 years ago. As far as how I  worship, I am a very eclectic mix of Gaelic and American Indian (Cherokee), as these are my bloodlines.  I feel like I am constantly growing and learning new things, and I hope I always feel that way. As far as my magic, I very rarely cast spells, and only in the most dire of situations. It is hard for me to effectively handle, or manipulate energy, so I'm not great at casting spells, but that is OK, I am happy with simply communing with the God/dess and nature, and worshipping them both (as I see them as being very much the same.)

Wow, when I started to respond to this post I didn't know I would end up with a full autobiography    Now everyone knows more than they ever cared to about me! LOL

Once again great idea fire_phoenix !

[Wiccawise]

Oh my god here goes the Essay! lol

My name on here is Wiccawise. And I picked it for 2 reasons. One a friend of mine had it on her hotmail address and I took a fansy to it it....I also picked it because it seems such a strong name. Wicca is a peaceful but powerful religion.....I am a peaceful person, but in certain cirmcumstances I am powerful enough to stand up for who I am and what I believe. And Wise because well...makes me sound clever lol :p Narrr....I knew some infomation about Wicca before I joined.....I think it was last year. I wanted to help others who were just starting out and to learn as much as I could.


I did a dedication ritual when I was 16 but my love of the craft went on for years before that!  Mum and dad were always a lil iffy about it but when they saw I was learning and studying and not just a phase they accepted it a little more.

Ok so not as much as an essay I thought it would be
Blessings everyone!
Erica
xxxx

[Cole]

Let's see....

I actually started meeting people at this forum through the chat room, back when the chat was open to the public. Since my name is Nichole, it got shortened to Cole in the chat. So thats why I choose this name, its simply what my friends here knew me by already. I've been lurking around The Inner Sactum for a few years now, and still haven't read all the posts.

I've been a pagan my entire life. Helping my grandmother with various things, drying herbs and such. She started teaching me basic ideals and such at a young age but I personally did not start studying seriously until I was about 12. My "sanctioned" initation took place when I was 19. (Even though I had preformed a Self dedication when I was 16) About a 6 months later I moved and have been solitary ever since. I study many different paths in pagansim from wiccan traditions to early druidic, germanic, etc. I'd love to go on about my choosen path, but it would turn into a book.

I choose to stay at The Inner Sanctum because I really felt as if I belonged here. Everyone was so nice, and had such informative conversations/debates. Though I've been gone a while, I feel as if I truely don't know anyone here anymore, I look forward to finding out more about all of you.

[Citrine_Imix]

Cole, its really really good to have to back, stick around my dear as it is a very close-knit family at the moment and there are so many people here who would benefit from your wise knowledge on both paganism and life in general. Big blessings to you

xx

[breeze]

Hi!
I have studied the Path for about 15 years I guess, but I didn't accept it as my own path until about 19 years ago.

I meant to say that I have practiced for 10 years, I must have accidentally hit the "9", sorry!! 

[Silaria]

I'm perhaps one of the oldest members of the forums - not necessarily in age but in time.

I discovered Wicca back in 2000 and shortly thereafter Witchway.net and the forums. At the time they looked completely different than they do today but the family feeling was always there. The level of knowledge and willingness to pass that information along kept me here. I tried other forums in those 'early days' but they all felt too cliquish.

My name, Silaria, is based on the word 'silver'. She started out as an Elven AD&D mage I played in College. When I found my way to the internet in 1989 (at the time it was only mailing lists and usenet newsgroups) I decided to use it as my Screen Name; and I've been using it ever since. Chances are pretty good if you see a "Silaria" somewhere, it's probably me.

Some, like Silaria, I've actually had the joy of meeting in person.

It was a joy and pleasure to meet you and your husband as well. We'll have to try and do this again the next time you come north or I head south.

[Finduilas]

Well I'd better get the explanation of my name out of the way to start...It's long, but a nice story I guess.

Okay, so there was this Tolkien book right?  Well it was called 'The Children of Hurin' and the main character was uniquely named Turin, obviously a child of Hurin.  So Turin went around and had a lot of adventures and got himself captured by orcs.  An elf named Gwindor rescued him and took him to this elven fort thingy called Nargothrond where the king Orodreth let him live.  Gwindor had a special lady elf friend named Finduilas, the daughter of Orodreth.  Turin met Finduilas because she was usually with Gwindor whenever Turin went to talk to him.  Soon Finduilas began to seek Turin out herself, and well...you can guess what kinds of feelings grew between them.  Gwindor found out and got really mad.  He and Turin fought so badly that Turin left Nargorthrond, planning to never return.
       So Turin hadn't got far when he got word that Nargothrond was being attacked by a huge army of orcs, led by Glaurung the dragon.  He turned back and rushed as fast as he could to help.  By the time he got there, Nargothrond was overthrown.  Orodreth, Gwindor, and almost all the other elves were dead.  Turin saw orcs leading out the prisoners from the ruined gates, and Finduilas was amoung them.  He ran forwards, in full mind to take on all the orcs himself but was stopped in his tracks as Glaurung the dragon loomed over him and caught him in his hypnotic gaze.  Finduilas saw Turin and called to him but he couldn't respond, much less hear her.  The dragon hypnotized Turin and made him leave, telling him to go somewhere else and forget about FInduilas.  Turin had to obey. 
      Turin travlelled a long ways away before suddenly the dragon's spell was broken and he realized what the dragon had done.  He turned around and went quickly to the trail of the orcs and prisoners.  He followed them northwards for a long ways.  The orcs moved quickly.  One night a raiding party of men from a nearby wood attacked the orcs.  They scattered.  In the confusion, Finduilas tried escaping.  Although mortally wounded, she did manage to run into the woods.  There the men found her.  She said "Tell the Mormegil (another name for Turin) that Finduilas is here."  Then she died.  Bleh.

So yeah, the elf was pretty cool and not a major character so if I took her name it wouldn't seem too cliche.  Sorry about the length...

I've only been here since July 2008, but I tell you that this is definietly the best witch forum I've ever visited.  Love it.

[FireSong]

Great idea here, Fire!  It's wonderful to see all the posts.

I'm Meg, short for Meagan as in my screenname.  Why Meaganwas?  Well, that will be the question one day, won't it?  I've been a studying Witch/Wiccan for almost nine years and a practicing one for roughly eight.  I'm solitary most of the time and eclectic.  I like musical theatre, reading, being outside and animals.

I found the Inner Sanctum in Mayish of 2007, lurked for a little while, and decided to join in July last year.  At that time, I was pretty lonely and looking for a place where I could talk to nice people about faith and life - really, just wanting a place to belong.  I found that here.  It's my internet home!

I will join the chorus of praises for Sprite and the other fantastic mods here - thank you guys!

[Atropos]

 Great idea for a thread!

 I'm Atropos, and she is the oldest of the Fates (and the one who cuts the thread of life.) It's a pseudonym from way back when.

 I was raised Catholic but was an odd kid who prayed to Athena, formed a strange sort of Virgin Mary sisterhood/cult when I was 10, and performed magic by drawing symbols in talcum powder. I quit being a Catholic about 30 seconds after my confirmation in 1983. Over the next couple of years I discovered the concept of a feminine deity, and in 1985 I borrowed some Scott Cunningham books from a friend's mom. They clicked with me immediately so I embarked on this path and never looked back. I went to college in 1987 and soon found like-minded friends, a women's spirituality group, and a coven (in a tradition from The Pagan Way Gardnerians of the 1970's.)

 Currently I am not practicing with a Wiccan group, just a grove of ADF druids. I miss my coven and my tradition, and while I have gone to a number of open circles in my (new) town I don't particularly like the way people do ritual around here. :-(

 I stumbled across this site via Lark in another on-line group, joined in October of 2007, lurked a while and then dove in! Great site, great discussions and some great people! I'll chime in with thanks to Sprite and all the mods for their hard work in making this place wonderful! Kudos to you all!

[SingingBear]

Some years ago probably 15 or so I was associated with a number of erstwhile solitaries who wanted to have a Midsummer feast. We did so and in the midst of the ritual feast a discussion about Totems came up, I never gave it much thought and at the time didn't know what mine was. I started Scratching my back on a tree in the circle and stated " I have no Idea what my Totem animal is." Much to the delight of those assembled and my chagrin I have been Called Bear ever since. since I play music and the like SingingBear fits me.

I discovered Witchway last August or September. Considering I only have internet access at work I have logged an inordinate amount of time here and posted quite a bit.
I am an opinionated Curmudgeon and am sometimes considered abrupt and intolerant on-line, that is a function of the keyboard more than actual personality though. If you get to know me, I'm more acerbic and satirical, than snide and sarcastic. It is really easy to type with your tongue in your cheek, it is much more difficult to speak that way, more importantly it is difficult for the reader to determine if you are serious or not.
I am grateful for the wealth of experience I find here and look forward to a long and pleasurable interchange with all of you.

[TheMagickSprite]

...Hopefully this gets a sticky so all you wonderful people can reply!

Wow.  I'm speechless.  Its worth dealing with troll after troll to find out all of you fine people are what remain at the bottom of our bucket (lol).  This is a wonderful thread, thank you Citrine for posting it, and thanks all for personally moving me, every single response did that quite well. 

My hat is off to Cleaner, Tina and the rest of the mods however, they work hard for this place.  It's nice to see the results in a thread like this, I'm speechless.

*STICKIED*

BB Sprite

[Miss Rose]

Hi!

Ok so I am a little new (a lot new) to Wicca. It was introduced to me about a year ago by an ex lover. The more he told me, and the more I read, the more I felt at home in the religion. Still I feel like I have so much to learn, I have a lot of things that I want to know, but no idea where to start.

I guess I could start by saying that I have a strong aura, or so I have been told. According to a friend of mine, that is also Wiccan, I tend to draw people into my emotions with me. I don't actually know what that means, or how I do it, or how I can stop it. I've tried reading up on it however I can't seem to find any information on it.

I want to learn more about stones and herbs, I am not really big into casting yet, right now I want to know more before I get myself into something I can't handle. So if anyone wants to take me under their wing and fill me in on lots of things that I don't understand, I am all up for all the information you can give me.

Blessed Be

Miss Rose

[Citrine_Imix]

So if anyone wants to take me under their wing and fill me in on lots of things that I don't understand, I am all up for all the information you can give me.

Blessings to you Miss Rose, i hope you find what you are looking for here at the Forum, however i feel it wouldn't be right for anyone here to be self-assuming enough to take you under your wing, we are all a family, each of us with different areas of knowledge and seperate skills and most of all individial perspectives, you would do well to draw from this immense source-pool of collective knowledge my friend. We are help eachother here, thats the beauty of it.

Go your pace with the caft, remember that there are NO obligations and no stipulations concerning learning curves, or anything remotely expected.

I look forward to reading your posts and sharing with you.

BB