Traditional Family Wicca vs Self-Discovery Wicca - A Response

As part of the PBP I have been reading a lot about a variety of subjects. Most of which I get and agree with, others I don't get at all and others I find narrow minded and perhaps a little judgemental...

One such (which I won't name...) was basically saying that people who claim to be part of a family of witches... Well I'm not sure what it was saying really... The post seemed to be full of jealous rage at the fact that others get born into a pagan family, with all the secrets us 'plebs' are fighting to uncover. I definitely get the jealous part, I would love to have an inherited belief system from which to base my current studies on! (although I am well aware of the pitfalls such a life would undoubtedly bring with it... so my jealousy is only in part...) How much time could be saved if I already had the basics under control!! Which herb should be used for which spell, what charm is needed for what situation, what chant or incantation is best and how to write a good one - the mind boggles!! I would be able to really think about the big issues!! That would be nice...

But the truth is, I wasn't born with such a heritage, as far as I know I am the only decidedly pagan person in my family. Sure, my Aunty is great with plants and uses herbs in her cooking all the time and has heaps of crystals that she instinctively knows what to do with, but she would never come out and claim she is pagan nor do the leg work involved!! And I am completely aware that there is a reason for my current family status, if I ever find out what it is, I'll let you know for sure! Just as I am sure there is a reason these people are born into a position of 15th generation witch who survived the inquisition, or the witch trials, or the reformation, or whichever narrow minded event caused persecution to witch and non-witch alike! There is a reason they have access to this level of knowledge and who are we to judge it or rage at it? Be jealous, fine - one can't help that emotion sometimes - but acting upon this emotion and raging about it will only make you look a fool!! So get over it! Or perhaps, befriend them and share your knowledge... If they are not sworn to secrecy that is!!!

The other point I remember this particular blogger making was about the person 'born to the family by luck'. I am sorry, but luck had nothing to so with it... Pagans, Wicca and Witches believe in a thing called reincarnation right? As part of this, my belief is that we choose the family we will be born into. This choice is based on a particular need or lesson the individual soul needs at that time. Then there is no luck at all, only the need of the individual soul to be a part of such a heritage! I would now love to be have been born as a 15th generation witch, but I wasn't and I have to trust that this is for a reason... It's probably cause my Mum is the coolest Mum on the planet, and I wouldn't exchange her for anything... (secret brownie points!! lol)

Anyway, the inevitable digression out of the way, I just think that if someone wants to claim such a heritage, and boast about it, then it's their lessons that need learning and we should let them, encourage them and aid them perhaps? Not judge them...

I also think the other thing the blogger had issues with is the ridiculous nature of the names given to some of the traditions... If a family wants to base their faith on unicorns, then who are we to judge? Especially those of us who have never seen one and dispute their existence! I have never seen an alien, but I don't believe they can't exist somewhere... Unicorns are the same. And quite frankly a world with unicorns would be cool, right? So if these people live in such a world, then who am I to argue? Whether their tradition is 1, 5 or 15 generations in the making, it's based on a person's truth and no one knows their truth better than the person believing in it right?? If we start (or continue in some cases) judging people for their beliefs then we become like those people this community professes not to be. We are here to find our truth, not THE truth after all... Besides, the historian in me is well aware there is no such thing as THE truth, as there are always perceptions clouding our view of events... I could list examples, but I am sure you are smart or experienced enough to come up with your own...

The point is, if a person claims heritage to a tradition, follows it faithfully and with love and trust, and is doing harm to none, then who are we to criticise?? Everyone's path is their own, feelings of jealousy, rage, shame, ridicule or whatever negativity you have towards them are all well and good - we are human after all! - but it is what you do with these feelings that causes problems...

This world needs less judgement and intolerance and more love and compassion... Just saying... xx

Thoughts about Karma and Reincarnation

Someone wrote a post on Facebook the other day about karma, I can't remember who it was. It said basically that karma may not ever arrive to a person who has done wrong by you as they may never have actually done anything wrong.

It got me thinking that life is truly all about perception. One person's idea of 'bad' is different to another's. In a situation where there is an argument of some kind, inevitably both parties feel as if they have been wronged and wait for karma to exact revenge or rectify the situation in some way. But the truth may be that neither is in the wrong or that both are and karma should be 'dealing' with them both!

If this is the case, then who decides what karma does? Who decides who should receive punishment or reward? What if both have done wrong and are deserving of punishment? What is the truth about a situation is that it was you who did the wrong and the other person was in the right, would you accept your 'punishment'? Would you forgive them and let them off the proverbial hook?

Maybe their is no right and wrong really, just choices and consequences... if you make a mistake and own up to it and learn from it, then fine, all is well with the world. But if you make a mistake and don't own up to it or learn from it then you are doomed to make the same mistake/s over and over again. Or is this what karma is all about, living negatively until you realise your lessons and learn them? Is this what karma actually is? There is no external force or deity or angel or guide or ascended master deciding who gets punished or rewarded like St Peter at the Gate, it's all based upon your own choices and actions? If you stuff up, realise, apologise and learn, your reward is simply that you don't have to go through that situation again, you have learnt and can move on to the next lesson. If you don't learn then it'll keep happening until you do, thus creating what people would term negative karma.

So then, if you keep blaming others for what happens to you, then your karma is to always be affected by the actions of others until you realise your own power in the situation. It's more of a 'law of attraction' thing then really, isn't it? Some people have just termed this karma and personified it to the point that it gets blamed for everything, people began to use it as an excuse to get out of their own personal growth. "I don't have to deal with this situation directly, as karma will teach them!" Kinda gives people a 'get out of gaol free' card in relation to their personal growth I think......

So, I guess to the point of this whole blog - the need for me to finally come to terms with K/karma. This has definitely been a long time coming. I have had many conversations about this subject and still not discovered my truth. But here it is - to me karma is:

1. not an indiscriminate force or being punishing and rewarding for behaviours,
2. not a separate entity, with it's own code of conduct and laws, but a part of the law of attraction, if not completely bound up in it. 


3. not an excuse to get out of dealing with situations you need to personally, for your own growth and maturation. 
4. entirely based upon the morals and values of the individual.

this got me thinking about reincarnation and stuff, who is in charge of the big issues? After consideration, I have conclude that karma is:

1. inseparable from the soul/spirit.
2. not in charge of reincarnation
3. based upon our own ability to learn from our mistakes and forgive others.

But this brings me to another interesting point. Who decides what you do in each life, the lessons you will need to learn and who you will need to meet etc etc? 

Well, my simple truth is - YOU DO! You choose which family you will be born in to, what lessons you will learn from which sacrifices and losses you'll experience, what your life purpose will be and so on and so on...... And even who your children will be!! (Well, this you decide together. As for your grandchildren, there is also a level of discussion about this, but I feel that the ultimate choice lies within the soul themselves as they have to be born to your child in order to be your grandchild and whether they want to do that is up to them!!) Before you are reincarnated you make this 'soul contract' based upon your own needs as a soul in order to evolve. This is what drives circumstances, events and situations in your life, this innate need to experience in order to grow and evolve, not some separate entity doling out punishment and reward indiscriminately! It is entirely up to you whether you honour your own contract and fulfill your life purpose. You can opt out at any time, and this is what people who live negatively have chosen to do - they have decided it is all in fact too hard and they can never overcome their current situation. There is no judgement here, as I have done the same on occasion. Besides, it is their life to live and their choices are their own. As are mine. 

So I guess what I am saying really (and please, don't hang me for this!) is that there is no such thing as karma. It is merely your willingness to learn your 'contracted' lessons and evolve past your current circumstances. You have chosen these circumstances for yourself, now are you going to whinge and lay blame or are you going to take responsibility for your life and move on with love????