"An it harm none, do as ye will."    

Merry Meet! Yes, I am a WAHM, military wife and college student but I am also a student of my own faith. For as long as I can remember I have been curious to the differences in religions. I was raised in what most people consider a good Christian home. The difference was that my parents wanted us to travel a spiritual path but they wanted to give us the freedom to choose our own path. Neither of my parents had the same beliefs. Though they both believed in God, they each had their own belief system. Yes, my dad did drag us kicking and screaming to church sometimes but I think that was more out of rebelling against being forced to go to anywhere than the actual experience of church itself. I am sure each of my siblings view those days differently but the relationship I had with my father was a close one. He used to tell me that I needed to find faith. Although the path I choose is definitly not what he had in mind, I am happy and that makes him happy.

When I left for college I moved to a town that was 3 hours away. Far enough away from the prying eyes of friends and family so that I could branch out and discover my own path in life. The city of Mt. Pleasant was a small community right outside of a large Indian Reservation. You can imagine the spiritual & cultural shock I had moving from a large suburban area outside of a major city that only had Judeo-Christian places of worship. LOL! :-) My first step in finding the path that was right for me actually began in Religion 101 if you can believe that! I remember getting my textbook and reading list before the class even started. This professor actually expected me to buy over 20 books! Thankfully I bought every one of them and showed up for the first day of class. The professor walked in with his long chestnut hair pulled back into a ponytail. He was wearing a loose white cotton shirt that resembled something from the Renaissance era and a pair of pants that appeared to be handmade from some animal hide. Around his neck was a medallion that was obviously of Asian origin and upon his feet was a pair of moccasins. (Boy, and I thought I was confused when it came to my faith but this guy was NUTS!) He opened his introduction with his name and credentials and then said... "No, I am not confused." He went on to explain that over a few decades he took the time to travel many paths, experiencing every one of them. He sat among the elders of many Indian Nations. He meditated with monks and other Buddists. He traveled to Egypt, Ireland, Scotland and many other countries where nature worship or the worship of many Gods in the norm. He continued on and on for the duration of the class discussing each religion he had the pleasure of studying while traveling his own winding path. He finished his first session with us by saying... I have walked in many shoes and found that Indian shoes fit comfortably upon my feet and Buddist beliefs are in my heart. I do not expect you to convert, conform or question your own faith in this class. My only purpose it to show you that there are other religions out there and no matter how outlandish them seem to you, they are Religions. The only thing I want you to learn from this class is religious tolerance and that only you can choose your path. That day this oddly dressed man sparked something within me to seek my own path with great vigor because what I believed in my heart did not match those beliefs taught to me through the few churches I attended at home. I had always felt out of place in most churches and I was so glad to finally feel that it was OK to feel that way, that there are other places out there...

Almost 8 years have gone by since I started my quest with that one college class. In that time I have wondered around (what most feel as aimlessly) attending churches or places of worship that would allow an outsider to get a taste of what they had to offer. None of them seemed "right" to me. So I searched books and the internet. I lurked in chat rooms and sought out people to talk to and wouldn't you know it I actually found people who believe the same views I do! Finally I am getting somewhere...which brings me to the present. I have been reading and researching and I think I have found my true path. I am walking my chosen path as a student. There are many things I need to learn, many things I need to practice and I am sure it will take me a lifetime of learning but I am proud to admit that I have found people just like me. I feel no need to explain myself to anyone unless they wish to know. I will tell you what I do believe in though.

I believe in...

FREEDOM-Freedom to believe in anything that you want to believe in. The freedom to have faith in anyone and anything. I don't believe my toaster talks to me but maybe there is someone out there that does. It is their right to. I don't claim to understand it but I will try to and I will always respect them for having the faith in something.

JUSTICE- I do not believe in revenge but I do believe in fate, karma, and reincarnation. I do believe that whatever energies you put out there will eventually come back to you. Maybe it's fate, maybe it's karma...eventually it will catch up to you, good or bad. And I do believe that we each have something to learn in life and that until you learn that lesson you will keep coming back until you do.

TOLERANCE-The greatest lesson to be learned in life is tolerance. Don't pretend to believe in something you don't but do not hate people who do believe, just respect their right to believe. The best quote I have heard thus far is... "Tolerance is the positive and cordial effort to understand another's beliefs, practices and habits without necessarily sharing or accepting them. Tolerance quickens our appreciation and increases our respect for a neighbor's point of view." ~Rabbi Joshua Leibman

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You may click on any of the titles below to read my personal writings or articles that I have written for various Pagan publishings! Please enjoy them but do not copy them for use anywhere without my express permission! Simply e-mail me if you wish to use any of my writings for something!

Lady Autumn Designs: Another one of my websites, featuring "Magickally Mundane" crafts handmade by me, Lady Autumn!
The Witch's Voice: The largest Pagan Website I have found so far!
The Military Pagan Network: A support network for pagan soldiers, sailors & airmen
Spiral Scouts: A Nature-based Scouting Orginization that I am a Hearth Leader for!
Willow Circle Coven: Willow Circle is a family style coven who celebrate by Natural Faith Wicca.
The Federation of Circles & Solitaries: FOCAS is open to all nature-based religons including Wiccan, Druid, Shaman, Celtic, Native American, Pagan, etc. Our goal is to raise enough money to purchase a land sanctuary for people of all nature based religions! I have been an active member for over a year now and I love it!
Pagan Pride: A very informative and international Pagan Pride website
Tempest Smith Online Pledge: An online pledge to end religious discrimination in our schools and in our lives. Please go sign and live this pledge everyday!

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