Revering nature does not make someone a pagan. There are, and have been, many pagan religions which do not focus on nature. Plenty have focused on humanity despite nature, not necessarily in cooperation with it.
So I'm curious: What about your path incorporates aspects of Wicca? You haven't mentioned anything specific in that regard. Did you study in a Wiccan coven before deciding to go your own way, so to speak, or did you read about that specific religion, and decide from there? If so, which branch did you start with?
started with white magic as a teenager. I later gave up all forms of religion. When I developed panic disorder in college, in addition to medication and therapy, I learned mindfulness, meditation, and visualization. I found if I could find mantras, especially if they rhymed, it would get my subconscious mind where my phobias live, to absorb ideas better. Lighting cancels and incense also helped, as well a repetitive or ritualistic movements. I use these aspects of Wiccan ritual to help conquer my anxieties.
Re: Any scientific Wiccans? By: Misanthropy Moderator / Adept
Post # 8 Apr 14, 2017
Aye, visualization, chanting, meditation, incense use, candle use, reverence of nature, etc are all fairly common among a lot of practitioners, regardless of path or practice. It's not exclusive to Wicca.
Your response didn't really answer the question asked, however, I believe, though I cannot say for certain since I did not ask the original question, what was being asked was:
What specifically drew you to Wicca? What aspects of the religion do you use specifically in your practices (belief, deity worship, etc) that make you feel you are practicing/following Wicca? What experiences along the way made you decide that it was the religion you wished to follow? Did you come across the relgion and research it and decide it was what was best suited your own personal beliefs?
While not everyone necessarily believes in the labels, there is nothing wrong with using them if that is what you feel best describes your practices and beliefs.
And while many believe magic has no real color, colors still tend to be used by many todifferentiate between the types of magic an individual is referring to.
I don't pick on your beliefs. Please don't pick on mine. I've been here for a month and this is exactly why I never came on the forums. Foolish of me to think I might make a friend.
The thing is that if you state that you practice a form of Wicca you should have clear what parts of that path you use.
Wicca and Witchcraft are not exactly the same, even when they have simmilarities, so affirming that you practice Wicca and stating things that are common to both practices, and even to many other paths, you should try to understand that they are curious about the specifics of your path relating to Wicca.
I feel like you came here with the feeling that someone was going to pick on you, if that is the case, don't be on the defensive, people is usually very open to different paths on here, if they ask is probably because they are interested in learning something new from you.
I'm sorry. From what I remembered from being a practicing Wiccan in high school, I thought the elements I'm borrowing were Wiccan. I can call it something else if that makes you more comfortable.
I simply wanted to state my belief in science and that studies have proven that many spells, rituals, and religion actually work and succeed in changing the brain and the way it operates. Some of it they can't explain, but it is my belief that there is nothing science can never explain, just things they haven't explained yet.
And being able to explain magic and prayer scientifically does not make it not magic. It's still magic. We would just know why it works. The existence of anything supernatural, makes it, by definition, natural.
Thank you for the clarification. Off topic: I'm not an atheist either. I'm firmly agnostic. I just feel that as a mere human, I cannot be sure there are gods, nor can I be sure that there is no god. I'll only find out when I'm dead. I do lead towards the idea that there is some kind of existence after death because of the first law of thermodynamics. "The total energy of an isolated system is constant; energy can be transformed from one form to another, but can be neither created nor destroyed."
Our bodies are powered by the electric energy traveling through our brains and bodies. This is what I would call a soul. And according to the first law, it has to go somewhere.
