NON CHRISTIANS

[Mylinkay Asdara]

I think it's time to start a thread to discuss our non-christian faiths. Maybe people who are christian will read and maybe they won't. Just the same I'd love to hear about other faiths and I'd love to discuss mine with people who are willing to listen and be open minded.
This thread is for non-christians mainly to talk about our faiths with eachother, but if any christians have legitimate (non flaming) questions I'm sure we can make a quick detour to answer them.

Who wants to start?

 

[Smilin]

I walk The Red Road...

That is to say I am Tsalagi (Cherokee),
but only half-blood. Yet, I know
who I am now, what I stand for,
and what I believe to be truth.

Much of the ancient traditions, legends,
and beliefs have been polluted by
the invading Christians. Yet, after
the passing of my Grandfather (who
was a full blood), and going through
his chests, I discovered many things
that set me on a new path in life.

I presevere to rediscover the lost
ways in their pure form, and help
preserve them for future generations.

As we walk this path of light together, I shall not walk behind nor ahead of you. We shall walk together.
​

 

[Mylinkay Asdara]

That's awesome! I am part blood (not much) but I loved the time I spent on the reservation in South Dakota and I wish so much that I could have been on a more personal basis with the people there for a longer amount of time. They have so much vitality hidden inside and I think a large part of that is the ancestors that came before them and the echo of their communion with this land.
I sound sappy, but it's a powerful emotion and hard to put into words. I'm happy you have found your path. Now, one question- they taught us the even armed cross in a circle medicine wheel- I have (smack myself) forgotten the color symbology of that and I you would be so kind as to remind me what it was (there was yellow which was the sun I think, red, black and white - I think) I would be very much obliged.

 

[Havoc]

That's interesting Smilin, I also come from a tradition that was wiped out by religious imperialism. Your people are fortunate ( I really hesitate to use that word because it seems to trivilise the destruction of your culture, but I don't have a better word) that you still have some records and elders who remember.

Celtic reconstructionism has to depend on archeology, anthropology, and whatever stories have still survived in the corners out of Christian sight.

Yet to reconstruct and reclaim what was taken is an honourable and blessed duty and priviledge. May we both, and all others the world over, have success.

 

[Mylinkay Asdara]

Havoc you are so right. I am also part Scottish and Irish from my mother's side (is anybody catching on that I'm a complete mutt when it comes to bloodlines ?) and I have had the worst time trying to reconstruct anything from the era I'm shooting for... it's just so difficult sometimes that I just meditate and search myself hoping for pastlife memories or anything else that will clue me - usually I receive something and I trust it, but I would so like to have elders and wise ones who could share the mysteries and pass them down through the generations as it was always intended to be in the first place.
Ah well, we'll have to be the elders one day I suppose, thought that day is farther off for some of us than for others...

 

[Smilin]

Yet to reconstruct and reclaim what was taken is an honourable and blessed duty and priviledge. May we both, and all others the world over, have success.

Little did they know....we would survive!

Yes, I have found my spiritual calling...

Perhaps we'll both write books one day of our quests?

 

[Smilin]

Now, one question- they taught us the even armed cross in a circle medicine wheel- I have (smack myself) forgotten the color symbology of that and I you would be so kind as to remind me what it was (there was yellow which was the sun I think, red, black and white - I think) I would be very much obliged.

There are many circular medicine wheels throughout
the Native American cultures...

I'm assuming you're referring to the Sioux's symbology?

 

[Havoc]

Formal Celtic Reconstructionism usually refers to three different levels of knowledge when it comes to referencing the "old ways".

1. Things we "know", from acheology, and anthropology. This is academic knowledge that can easily be verified.

2. Things we "know", from tradition and legend and what has been handed down from our ancesters, this is theological knowledge. It is more difficult to verify the subject but still possible in most cases to verify or trace it's origin.

3. Things we "know", from Divine revelation. These are things revealed to us by God and Goddess, from spirit guides and from spiritual journeys. Thes are not verifiable nor should they be. These are articles of faith. This is where we recover the essence of what was taken, if not the substance. This is the bridge between knowledge and belief.

 

[Heathen Dawn]

I’m a monotheistic spiritualist. I believe in: one Creator-God, Who is both transcendent and immanent, Lord of the universe and all that in it is, All-Loving, All-Wise Father; 15 billion year old universe; theistic evolution; life after death by mechanism of a duplicate, spiritual body for all conscious living organisms; varying degrees of heaven; varying degrees of hell, which is temporary and the sinner gets out of there after true repentance; the ability to communicate with the hidden realms; efficacy of prayer as long as it does not contradict the natural laws of God; judgement of each person by God according to their actions towards other creatures.

 

[Smilin]

Havoc,

Are you a descendent of the Celts?

 

[Smilin]

Celtic reconstructionism has to depend on archeology, anthropology, and whatever stories have still survived in the corners out of Christian sight.

Did any portion of the Celtic culture survive?

Small portions of the Cherokee survived the genocide/
forced migration, and that is where those of us who
are traditionalists started with the reconstruction
of our culture.

 

[SqueezetheShaman]

Great idea mylinkay I am lookin forward to hearing the responses. I don't have really have a religion to share. About 10 years ago I began to notice some strange events in my life. I noticed if I needed anything, I would get it by expecting it. I was always happy, as I realized that there wasn't anything to worry about. When I would have a dilemma in my life, I would ask to be shown the right avenue to pick, and it would appear. I was just super, spiritually....I began to play around with my ability to communicate with whatever the heck it was guiding me, and found that books, music, art, would speak to me......for example, I could put a question out there, and get the answer after opening a page in a book and seeing it there eerily accurate in relation to what I needed. I thought I was nuts, and I probably am I searched like MAD for a church or religion to join, and pretty soon after that, it all ended. I realized I didn't need an organized faith to tell me anything when I was getting everything i needed already. I was moving backwards lol I have recently been able to get back on track so to speak, and it has begun again. Plugged into the universal conciousness so to speak is the only way I can describe it. A truly logical, cynical person would somehow write off everything but I can not. It is too fantastic.

 

[SqueezetheShaman]

Oh and smilin, my grandmother was a genuine Cherokee Princess!!

lol j/k couldn't resist. There truly is native blood, just like many americans. Great great grandmother belonged to a tribe in North Carolina. I have tried like mad to do some family research, but I can't even figure out the tribe. My relatives back then were extremely poor, and didn't show up on the census charts I have searched. Not sure how to find any more info, it is disheartening. I thought it would have been a lot of fun to learn about them. I honestly didn't try that hard, looking back. Think I will try again, thanks to this thread for reminding me

 

[Smilin]

Oh and smilin, my grandmother was a genuine Cherokee Princess!!

BAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA.... we find
humor in that claim.... This is a running joke
among the circles I commune with...

lol j/k couldn't resist. There truly is native blood, just like many americans. Great great grandmother belonged to a tribe in North Carolina.

Most likely Cherokee....

I have tried like mad to do some family research, but I can't even figure out the tribe. My relatives back then were extremely poor, and didn't show up on the census charts I have searched. Not sure how to find any more info, it is disheartening.

Click on my website link... there is a fee, but you
might get lucky and find a name from the past
in our database...let me know!

I thought it would have been a lot of fun to learn about them. I honestly didn't try that hard, looking back. Think I will try again, thanks to this thread for reminding me

Seek..and ye shall find...

 

[Arikay]

Very interesting idea.

Lets see, im an atheist taoistic druid, or more complicated im an agnostic/weak atheist, philosophical taoist, reformed druid.

Im an atheist, because, well, I dont believe in god. Mainly because I dont see a reason too, and thus a simpler, although if god does exist, and understands/follows my views, this would be a compliment to him/her.

Im a taoist, which is the main core of my beliefs. I believe in the tao, or the way, although indescribable, its often compared to a flowing river. One of the important concepts I have in my sig, Wei Wu Wei, literally meaning "do not do" The idea is that by non doing, everything can get done. Now this doesn't mean doing nothing, but not trying to force things, since the harder you push, the harder they push back, by not doing but letting things flow along, something can happen with what seems like no effort on your part. Another is pu, or the uncarved block, although I like to think of it more as the can of playdoh. Able to be or do anything or nothing, and be perfectly happy and have fun with it (and sometimes glow under black light if its the right kind of playdoh )

Anyways, the Reformed Druid (RDNA) comes in as more of a nature side, as taoism is sometimes too philosophical. The Reformed druids are an odd little group, originally started as a college rebelion in the 60's (I believe it was the 60's) and have grown much bigger since then. Its basically all above loving and apreciating nature.


Speaking of bloodlines, I have found smilins information always great, as I have some cheroke blood in me as well. I think I have a thing for fighting blood, I have saxon and norman roots, french and english roots, Scottish and english roots, and european and native american roots. either that or people used to like to do a lot of fighting.

I think it's time to start a thread to discuss our non-christian faiths. Maybe people who are christian will read and maybe they won't. Just the same I'd love to hear about other faiths and I'd love to discuss mine with people who are willing to listen and be open minded.
This thread is for non-christians mainly to talk about our faiths with eachother, but if any christians have legitimate (non flaming) questions I'm sure we can make a quick detour to answer them.

Who wants to start?

 

[Smilin]

Plugged into the universal conciousness so to speak is the only way I can describe it. A truly logical, cynical person would somehow write off everything but I can not. It is too fantastic.

Questions:

Any experiences with specific animals?... unusual experiences....

Any visions?

I agree what 'most' people would think. I've never
shared some of my experiences with this crowd (and
doubt I ever would) given what I know on how they
would respond.

 

[SqueezetheShaman]

[/i]

BAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA.... we find
humor in that claim.... This is a running joke
among the circles I commune with...

i know, it is why i said it

were there sioux in NC? the grandmother in questioned was renamed bonnie sue, (don't know her real name), and it is believed she was named that because of the tribe

 

[Nathan David]

I call myself an atheist, but in some ways I'm an agnostic deist - I think a conscious creator entity is a possibility, but if it exists it doesn't care about us at all.

I am interested in Norse mythology because it was the tradition of my Scandinavian and Germanic ancestors before the Christians converted them at swordpoint. And I'm interested in Native American beliefs because I'm living on their land.

 

[SqueezetheShaman]

Questions:

Any experiences with specific animals?... unusual experiences....

Any visions?

I agree what 'most' people would think. I've never
shared some of my experiences with this crowd (and
doubt I ever would) given what I know on how they
would respond.

i havent' had any animal visions, but haven't asked for an animal specifically during the sessions. soft spot for dolphins, dream about them, dream about water often. extremely drawn to water, and need to be around it all the time. had to live close to the ocean, had to buy a house with pool, etc. the only visions i get are moons and stars all the time. during an automatic writing session my hubby and i did one night, we were laughing at each other, almost embarrassed at trying something so silly, until we looked down. my picture was incredible. i swore it would have looked like nothing except scribble, but it was fantastic. it was very strange. but I don't think they go past a typical interest, i dont know if there is anything there, they are simple images that half the world has interest in, ya know?? but it is the only repeated pattern with me. and yes, i know some people think we are nuts. thank god it's a faceless forum where we won't be outed as total wackjobs.

 

[Smilin]

i know, it is why i said it

were there sioux in NC? the grandmother in questioned was renamed bonnie sue, (don't know her real name), and it is believed she was named that because of the tribe

She was a descendent of either the Cherokee, the Occaneechi, or the Lumbee tribes.

It would depend upon the year and location she lived
in before I could give you a 'most probable' tribe
to search through.

If she was Cherokee, and you have any other family
names, you may find them in the registry within
our database. Click my website reference for more
info.