Strega for life might sound final and mind closing, but it (to me) means the opposite. I find myself questioning all of the teaching that I have ever had, this was initiated by a former teacher who succeeded in deceiving me and many other people into believing in HIM and the teachings that he had to offer. It was for the most part not the teachings that I questioned, but more of whom to believe.
I set out on a path to find the truth and this DID entail questioning the teachings (which was scary to say the least). Speaking with an Elder in the strega community and showing my notes, I was relieved to find out that the teachings were good, basic, but good. So this allowed me to continue in my chosen path, (or was it chosen for me? now thats a question for another time.) My former teacher had forbade us from reading material on other Traditions so the split with him allowed me to explore other teachings. Most of the teachings from other paths bear a strong resemblance to my Strega teachings, and I soon came to the conclusion that all information is relevant, some more than others though. I assimilated this "new" information into my version of Strega, a version that I could follow with no problems or issues. "My version of Strega" may sound pompous or arrogant, but it is not. I looked into Strega from many peoples perspectives and discovered that there is not one true path in Strega. If I asked 10 teachers what Strega was, I would get 10 different answers. So I follow the Strega deities and the tenets of Strega (or what I believe are the tenets) follow the general Rede, and take my teachings wherever I can get them.
The bottom line is this: Strega (La Vecchia Religione) is the one and only path or tradition there is FOR ME.
May the blessings of Aradia be upon you
Monday, December 21, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Happy Holidays
I was surfing the web today to my usual pagan sites and looking at the pagan emails that I receive on a daily basis, (at my request, I might add) and I was struck by the overwhelming amount of hatred spewing out. The intolerance for other Religions, paths, and faiths coming from a "religion" that itself decries intolerance, the mantra from the pagan community is "Why can't they leave us alone to follow whatever God or Gods we please". If this is what we truely believe, then should we not stop ridiculing others for their beliefs. I am refering in this instance to the holidays, christmas, hannaka, Kwanza and maybe others that I am not familiar with. When you get down to brass tacks each one of these holidays was and is made up by us, Yule pre-dates all of the others, but does that make it any more important? Why should anyone be left out at this time of year? No holiday should take precedence over another, let all celebrate in whatever manner they wish without being laughed at and mocked.
It is ignorance which leads to profanation. Men ridicule what they do not properly understand.
It is ignorance which leads to profanation. Men ridicule what they do not properly understand.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
West Virginia
10 Months today that I have been living in West Virginia. What started as a two week "seminar" on currency trading has turned into an odysey, an odysey of learning and introspection.
The lessons and the learning have been interesting, the currency trading was the easy part (although 10 months later I am still learning). The hardest part of this journey thus far has been learning about myself, learning about the things that I do to myself, things that I do to others and things that I allow people to do to me, this is for the most part not physical but mental. This is a journey into my soul, into my eyes. "Look into the eyes of the Dragon and dispair" is the example that a teacher of mine used, the Dragon being the inner you, the inner you that you can not lie to. What I saw was not good, not horrible but not good. West Virginia and my good friend Wil have given me the ideal location and atmosphere to do the inner work that I needed to do, living half way up a mountain in the woods with no one around is about as close to ideal as you can get. (lonely, but ideal)
I have found that my life has been a series of little steps (in terms of development), a series of conscience decisions over many, many years. Being an abused child, and the conscience decision to not hit my children, being insecure and horribly shy, and the conscience decision to work in a public environment (although in retrospect a pub was probaly not the best place,) being afraid of heights, and the conscience decision to take up mountain climbing. And now I find myself at another moment in my life when I must make conscience decisions that will impact me and those around me and I believe that I am in a place that I can and will make those decisions, small or large, easy or hard they will be made. When in doubt, look into a mirror and the truth will be TOLD and at some point the truth will be UNDERSTOOD and then the fun stuff starts. With that understanding, the crutches (excuses) fall away and you are left to be responsible for yourself, not what anyone else did or taught, just you and you will be amazed at the inner power we all have, that divine spark that will conquer all.
West Virginia is one of the most Beautiful states that I have visited, and has done it's part in my evolution. Back to nature and all your questions will be answered and of course a mirror.
The lessons and the learning have been interesting, the currency trading was the easy part (although 10 months later I am still learning). The hardest part of this journey thus far has been learning about myself, learning about the things that I do to myself, things that I do to others and things that I allow people to do to me, this is for the most part not physical but mental. This is a journey into my soul, into my eyes. "Look into the eyes of the Dragon and dispair" is the example that a teacher of mine used, the Dragon being the inner you, the inner you that you can not lie to. What I saw was not good, not horrible but not good. West Virginia and my good friend Wil have given me the ideal location and atmosphere to do the inner work that I needed to do, living half way up a mountain in the woods with no one around is about as close to ideal as you can get. (lonely, but ideal)
I have found that my life has been a series of little steps (in terms of development), a series of conscience decisions over many, many years. Being an abused child, and the conscience decision to not hit my children, being insecure and horribly shy, and the conscience decision to work in a public environment (although in retrospect a pub was probaly not the best place,) being afraid of heights, and the conscience decision to take up mountain climbing. And now I find myself at another moment in my life when I must make conscience decisions that will impact me and those around me and I believe that I am in a place that I can and will make those decisions, small or large, easy or hard they will be made. When in doubt, look into a mirror and the truth will be TOLD and at some point the truth will be UNDERSTOOD and then the fun stuff starts. With that understanding, the crutches (excuses) fall away and you are left to be responsible for yourself, not what anyone else did or taught, just you and you will be amazed at the inner power we all have, that divine spark that will conquer all.
West Virginia is one of the most Beautiful states that I have visited, and has done it's part in my evolution. Back to nature and all your questions will be answered and of course a mirror.
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