Undefined Pagan here!
Much more elemental than godess based here too…
I’ve not yet thought about combining my knitting with my craft (yes, I get the pun)… But will definitely look at it more, once I get to a place where I can take time to get back into my pagan ‘stuff’… 
Lil’ Huskies~~ …out of the broom closet~!:passedout:
that’s what my witchy friends on a religious forum call it… it’s fun, they’re a bunch of nut balls (in the good way)…
Nothing wrong with being pagan in my book. A lot of people distrust what they don’t understand, and unfortunately most of the english speaking world is Christianity, but then it’s only because at one point Christianity was forced onto people, and over time became the “normal” thing. Much like Windows, but that’s a whole other topic and I won’t get into it here.
Truthfully, I can’t say that I’m wholly pagan, or wholly Christian, but let’s just say that over my years of study, I’ve seen a whole lot of things older than Christianity being practiced. So for the most part I’m a big believer in a higher consciousness, but won’t actually give that consciousness a name. To say that you’re Pagan, or Christian, or anything else for that matter changes nothing. The fact that you are all knitters and tolerant of each other is really the only thing that matters.
I must admit i’m really enjoying this thread! I myself am Jewish, though i’m not practicing any of the rituals (except for our wedding, but in Israel you hardly have a choice, because the religious institute has almost a monopol on the life rituals - weddings, burials etc.). I know my way through the Bible and i’m not taking it literally, i always like to compare it with the region’s mythology and look at it that way. I do try to live my way by the commandments, like all of us - just trying to be a good person. I don’t know much about Paganism, could any of you give some links to informative sites? It seems to me as a very natural thing - to be in touch with nature… And i’d love to know more :teehee: When i think of it, it’s more comfortable for me to be just a person who believes in some higher power, be it God or Nature…
http://www.witchvox.org
http://www.religioustolerance.org
HTH.
and Aaron, i take it you upgraded to vista too 
hehe, Heck no, I’m running on Ubuntu Linux myself. But at one point I was supporting Vista.
we have vista on 4 of the 7 computers here in the house… the one i use primarily still has xp.
so to keep this on topic…
Anyone know of some good software i could buy so that I can turn the image for our tribe into a graph so i could make Mi Lord and Mi Lady a really nice afghan or of some sweedish/finnish/norman traditional knitting patterns?
I discovered Wicca over 25 years ago. At that time there were something like five whole books on the subject (Janet & Stewart Farrar’s, Spiral Dance, Drawing Down the Moon, Gardner’s book, etc.) I was heavily involved in what was a very large community in San Diego that included many notable members who ultimately become authors; Ray Buckland, Don Michael Kraig, and the late Scott Cunningham. I was a media witch in that on Halloween, I was a special guest on the radio station, 91X - trying to dispel the myths that we were Satan worshippers. I got a lot of grief and death threats (“Suffer not the witch to live.”). I also ultimately lost my civil servant’s job when someone I worked with recognized my voice and reported me to my “Christian” supervisor. Yes, lawsuits ensued and I actually received a settlement for the discrimination. Remember, this was over 25 years ago.
In the intervening years, I continued studying various traditions, getting a Master’s degree in art which utilized the study of occult Kabbalah. I went “to the dark side” in studying the writings of Aleister Crowley and ritual magick and was estranged from my family for years in their mis-understanding of my beliefs.
I’m still a blacksheep and no longer participate with any groups. But I took up knitting as part of my meditative spiritual practices and am pleased that others have brought this topic to the forefront.
again… as I have said before… I TOO am really enjoying this thread b/c it is very interesting to understand how other think/ believe/ interpret the world around them… like someone else said… we really do FEAR what we don’t understand… thanks pagans for dispelling a lot of fallacies and confusion~:thumbsup:
Well there are several ways to go about that. you could get a program designed for that, or just as easy, Use Photoshop or The Gimp to overlay a graph on your image, 1 stitch equals 1 block on the graph, generally. btw, The Gimp is free open source software, where if you decide to go the photoshop route, it will cost some bucks to get it.
You could try this. Or, there’s a knitty article about making your own charts in photoshop or something.
thanks to both of you
I already have the full versions of adobe photoshop and paint shop pro… I use PSP to make the letter graphs for the weasley sweaters (i had to go download the font called “All Star”… i just use the center of the letters)
I spent time with The Book of Lies for a while, but I didn’t get it. I really enjoy his tarot deck though. I see lots with it, and it changes over the years. I don’t practice, but I’ve taken it up and played with it a bit here and there, and I prefer his deck over any others.
I also have read Gurdjieff but, like with Buddhism, I can’t divorce myself from my body like that. I can’t renounce fantasy or the power of sexuality.
I don’t have any real belief system, although what a relief to be able to find one, I imagine. I want that. It’s just hard for me because my first precept in my own system is that everyone is right within themselves if they are following their path. And much religion forces you to believe that only your path is acceptable.
I think it’s the Buddhists who have a saying `there are many ways to the top of the mountain’. The mountain being enlightenment or being one with the creator, whatever your belief. They’re right, I believe.
Okay, after reading this thread for a few days I’ll just jump in. I admit it, I’m something of a neo-pagan. I started learning about Pganism/Wicca about 15 years ago. I came to it by looking for the feminine influence in religion and specifically reading the Chalace and the Blade. I read a lot, I like history, Religious study/analysis. About 12 years ago I took a few classes based on the Reclaiming tradition. Read a lot of Starhawk. I’ve been to some great community rituals. But when we moved to my current location some of that changed a bit. I know there are many people of pagan and alternative beleifs in my area- I’ve just never fouund anything organized. I do not have any personal daily or seasonal practice. But I have little goddesses on my shelf in my room. I get real excited about Halloween. I tell my daughter mythical goddess stories and present bible based stories-if she hears of them in the same light- as a way of explaining lessons and ideas. To me the daily act of recycling is a spiritual practice.
As time passes I have evolved a bit- as this is a path and now, as my schedule and whim permits attend a Unitarian Universalist fellowship. UU’s honer all faiths, including earth based paths. They have services and rituals specific to the wheel of the year and I have attened a few of those. The Sunday services really vary from week to week but every so often there is a really earth based theme and I am always so happy and moved.There is always an element about caring for the earth and the environment. And actually since I started attending I have learned more about Christianity than I ever did as a child and can see it’s merits a bit better. So it certainly is a place of learning and acceptance. At this point my personal out look is more of a secular humanist. I don’t really beleive in higher power female or male looking down on us but I do beleive that the earth is sacred and alive that we can learn to be aware of our connection which is really a huge sacred thing-if people would just stop and think about it. I beleive that unless we change our ways and practices in regards to earth we are all in big toruble. I think each person is sacred and far too often people don’t see that in themselves they make poor choices. And if I am in a mind set, so to speak, to want to call on a higher power- who might actually be there afterall- it is always female.
Have I figured out how to incorporate all this into knitting? Not really, but a general preference for natural fibers when possible and the desire to knit for charity are spiritually motivated. The act of creating is just generally a way to tap into our sacredness. We are all co-creators in this world whether we know it or not.
They also believe that suffering is attachment. If you don’t account for the four noble truths, you are not buddhist. I don’t. And am not. And depending on the sect of Buddhism, they are more or less forgiving of other paths.
What an interesting and informative thread. THANKS!!
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkorchid]Isn’t every group? Only individuals, IMO, can be tolerant. Groups are judged, generally, on the few that make the most noise.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#9932cc]My local pagan group that “represents” the pagan community to the larger community spends an enormous amount of time at the informal monthly meetings bashing Christians. Needless to say, I don’t support them. I much prefer solitary practice. Me, Myself and I… :teehee:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
On a slightly different note - is anyone else having problems posting to the KH Mindful Knitters group? I’ve tried sending a message three times and it doesn’t seem to be registering… has anyone got the messages or is something really wrong with the group mechanics?
And I agree, Yarnlady, unfortunately it’s the ones who act stupid who get the press and make people think we’re all mental. I’m very much of the opinion that I’ve experienced being judged for my religion, I won’t do it to anyone else. While I have my own, personal issues with certain paths and the way people treat other people, I won’t judge a whole group of people based on the actions of a few.