A New Spiritual Community... and Tears for a Homeland

[goatoverlord42]

I know I've been bad about updating this place, though I guess 2 times a month is an improvement. Also not sure how many of my friends are still active, got alot of friend's paging to read around here. :P I may start a blogger journal too, probably cross post everything. I'll update people once I set it up.

Comments

[jagienka]

Could I come with you to church in salem sometime? it seems interesting and my own beliefs are definitely swaying towards the pagan now.

[goatoverlord42]

Sure, I'm sure you'd be most welcome. Its about a half hour by train, I'm 99% sure I'm going to their 6 pm more spiritual/experimental service this week (drop me an email and we can work out details?). We're about to start exploring spiritual gifts from a Christian perspective, given my experience of this church thus far I expect it to be unique. He's planning to make the Sunday evenings more experiential/experimental (they tend to be smaller/more spirituality focused), the mornings are the more basic church service, with Celtic, folk and contemporary elements

[goatoverlord42]

Just as an update, I'm definately going this Sunday evening, and might meet another friend for the train ride too. Let me know, you're most welcome this or any other time in the future. :)

[squeektoy42]

Perhaps next time I can manage a visit I could come with? Your church sounds amazing...I love this concept, and I applaud them so much for the work they are attempting to do. Reading through the links you provided...I want to send some other people to read through this who I know who are like me, have moved down a different path in their lives but would love a way to reconcile that with their formerly (devoutly, I've told you about me in high school) Christian lives

[physicsninja]

Hey man, haven't talked to you in forever and a day, just wanted to say hi and that I am glad things seem to be going really well for you!

[physicsninja]

Dangit, meant to reply to the main post

[goatoverlord42]

*Chuckles* Its all good- thanks for the reply. It has been ages, I'd love to catch up at some point if you're still in the NY/NJ area (or near Boston, for that matter :P).

[goatoverlord42]

I assume you're referring to the more reconstructionist groups like Hellenismous? (are you still involved there, by the way?) I just popped an email to Pastor Phil, and sent him my blog in case he'd like to jump in the discussion. He has done some research on Salem on various neo-pagan/pagan strands (I've been saying reconstructionist pagan for your movement, figured its more in line with your preferences).

My understanding from our many talks, (for those who don't know) is that your strand sees itself as more focused on reconstructing genuine historical practices, and overall less focused on magic. It would be great if you could post some links too Dan, my pastor might be dropping by and I'm sure he'd be interested.

If you'd like to join our email list, your perspective would also be a wonderful addition, bring some of the diversity in the pagan world into it.

[goatoverlord42]

Thanks for the links bro, I'll look into them and pass them on too. I didn't mean to imply you were trying to do everything exactly as in the past, but always had the impression there was more a of a historical spirit to it (whereas many Wiccans admit Gardiner probably made up at least a fair amount, for them the fact magic works is more important, though there are still often attempts to research history too).

I would be curious to know how magic works out in your circles too. I've been doing some reading on magical practices both in the ancient Greco-Roman and Israelite worlds, interesting stuff.

I suppose my big question is where you would see the differences that made you "wince" at neo-pagan or how you differ from groups like Wicca. I tried to express my understanding from past discussions, but always have much to learn. ;)

[susannah]

You look around yo from the mountain top, at range after range of mountains and wild country. And you wonder: "What does ownership mean?"

No-one can "own" the wild country.

It "owns" you, if you let it... if you open your heart to it... it flows within you, and lets you become part of it, part of its beauty, part of its flow.

These places are like a deep spiritual backdrop to all of our lives.

We desperately need to try to protect the wild places.

[goatoverlord42]

Can't say much more than Amen. Or Eternal Amen, for that matter. :)

Thanks, my friend. While the local struggle can be discouraging at times (esspecially given how close my own spirit feels to it), its encouraging to know there are other wild places being preserved, including in my own Celtic homelands. I'm hoping to possibly sneak out to Stonehenge and some other sacred sites before long.

[susannah]

Feel free to get in touch if you come over to UK, Kieran! You should plan a trip to Scotland too!

[goatoverlord42]

Oh, I certainly intend to... I really need to see Wales, Ireland and Scotland to touch my whole heritage (I may actually have 2 Scottish connection, we're trying to figure out if my supposedly noble "Gower" was a Welsh intermarriage with a Sutherland family- alas this lady was doing research @ Oxford 40 years ago, and we just learned of it :P

[goatoverlord42]

Ok, thanks Dan... I didn't know if anyone still lurked there, admit its sorta been inactive for some time. :)

[goatoverlord42]

Cool, well its nice to know Pilgrimsolace isn't completely dead. :) Maybe I can find a way to ressucitate it, my new blog is going to draw very much on those old themes of pilgrimage as a means of lived dialog, so we'll see what happens.