Hello all.

[ShawnaLeigh]

Hello.  I new to this section of the forum and have an immense curiosity about Wicca. 
I was born into a catholic family but it never spoke to me and as I grew I realized how much I did not care for any of the main stream religions.  
However I did not consider myself atheist either as I know in my heart there are higher beings out there.  
I am hoping to find what I am looking for here with Wicca.   
I have a tremendous feeling of connection to nature and for years I have told people “my church is in the woods”.  I have been a hunter most of my life but not a highly successful one however my time spent in nature has given me an appreciation of how beautiful nature truly is.  Walking through open fields by the moon light as I made my way to my tree stand and sitting in trees watching the sun rise and the world around me wake up is magical to me.  Where I am at peace.  I realized I also have a love of the beauty of rocks and stones.  Which was always weird to everyone else but I never cared what they think.  
 

However another aspect of myself is I am highly into the belief of science and technology as I work as a Biomedical Equipments Technician so I felt I would not fit well with some of the Wiccan beliefs.  
I am hoping I am wrong about that.  
So that’s where I am and I would love to know more and maybe with a little guidance I can learn if Wicca is what I hope it to be for me.  

[The Viv Element]

I think the word you might be looking for is Technopaganism, in other words, A Technopagan, I'm one myself too, Nature and Technology are my tools, But i'm also a huge fan of other pagan beliefs like every mythology there is available out there, Greek, Norse, Egyptian, Roman, Slavic & so many others including aztec & chinese. Each of those religions have their own version of gods but most of them all share similar gods. If you're interested in earthly gods i suggest looking up Gaia as she's the most common goddess I know of, I hope this helps you!

[Jackie C.]

The Wiccan belief you're most likely to run up against is their male/female duality. A lot of covens get hung up on male/female dichotomy and there's no room for anyone who might not fit in that role. That said, every coven is different and you might find one more willing to accept you.

I've considered the local Buddhist and Hindu temples but I haven't quite gotten around to it yet. There's a Hindi temple on the corner, but I just can't wrap my head around the idea that their guru is a white guy. I realize that that's on me and my own unthinking prejudice. but I haven't been able to push past it.

 

Hugs! 

[ShawnaLeigh]

10 hours ago, The Viv Element said:

I think the word you might be looking for is Technopaganism, in other words, A Technopagan, I'm one myself too, Nature and Technology are my tools, But i'm also a huge fan of other pagan beliefs like every mythology there is available out there, Greek, Norse, Egyptian, Roman, Slavic & so many others including aztec & chinese. Each of those religions have their own version of gods but most of them all share similar gods. If you're interested in earthly gods i suggest looking up Gaia as she's the most common goddess I know of, I hope this helps you!

I’ve never even heard of this before but does sound more like me.  I knew of Gaia too but not very much.  
I suppose there may be some things about Wicca thst attracts me but not an exact fit.  
 

8 hours ago, Jackie C. said:

The Wiccan belief you're most likely to run up against is their male/female duality. A lot of covens get hung up on male/female dichotomy and there's no room for anyone who might not fit in that role.

This would be an issue for me.  You snd I have spoken about this before and I feel a feminine goddess not the duality of beings but male and female.  I understand the stance of balance which I do like but I do not feel a male god in my beliefs.  Another point that Wicca may not be for me.
 

 Admittedly I do not subscribe to any of the basis for magic not that I think it’s wrong.  I just do seek to manipulate anything in any way.  

[Jackie C.]

That's kind of the basis for a lot of religious practice though. You pray to a higher power and the higher power manipulates events in your favor. That's been part of my particular struggle because I don't think the goddess of all creation has time, or comprehension, of my work environment to make sure I get that promotion. I don't think she's there to do more than guide or just be.

 

Hugs!

[ShawnaLeigh]

2 hours ago, Jackie C. said:

That's kind of the basis for a lot of religious practice though. You pray to a higher power and the higher power manipulates events in your favor. That's been part of my particular struggle because I don't think the goddess of all creation has time, or comprehension, of my work environment to make sure I get that promotion. I don't think she's there to do more than guide or just be.

 

Hugs!

I too do not feel it is a concern of hers to manipulate anything for my sole benefit or even the benefit of many.  Would I like her to relieve me of this financial burden.  Heck yes but I would not pray for such a thing as I feel things do happen for a reason and eventually that reason will make itself known to me.  Countless times of strife and trouble in my life can be looked back on and a positive aspect can be seen of that event or incident.  Even if it is to just simply learn to not do that anymore.

(I wish I had this mentality when deciding to get married four times)

[Mx.Drago]

Not all Wiccan are the same and vary in beliefs. I use stones to focus, meditate, apothecary and herbalism, once in a while using incense to relax. I don't make habit of praying to gods or goddess for help. To me in my opinion praying, is like for example calling your parents for money, not necessarily something I want to be doing.

For me, being Wiccan, is like being a lesser scientist, studying the world and it's invisible connections to predict, protect, and maintain a harmony with my earth that provides for me. Your studies are basically observing the world to understand and respect it, so it can continue flourishing and hopefully, to your benefit.

I grew up Catholic, but it doesn't take much to see, it's very dangerously manipulative in it's upbringing.

[Mia Marie]

Wicca is not only a religion to learn but is also a lifestyle to learn. What most people don't know or realize is that whether or not you follow Wicca, you already do. Christianity stole and renamed Wiccan holidays to conform them into its religion. It was a way of creating control and if anyone practiced to holidays spoken in the original Wiccan names they were prosecuted as criminals. Today. not so much. If I were to give you any advice it would be find you a metaphysics store in your area and talk to the people who run it. They can usually set you on the right path to knowing what you can do to learn all you can and maybe put you in contact with a local coven to teach you what it is to be Wiccan. 

[Rowan.]

I practice a form of inclusive paganism. I have been able to find a beautiful tapestry of existence in every faith, pantheon, and practice that I've been blessed to study. My advice to science-oriented people who are looking start their journey in Wicca/Paganism is to study comparative religion. A few good authors are Manly P. Hall, Joseph Campbell, and Carl Jung.

 

On 2/19/2020 at 9:54 PM, ShawnaLeigh said:

 

However another aspect of myself is I am highly into the belief of science and technology as I work as a Biomedical Equipments Technician so I felt I would not fit well with some of the Wiccan beliefs.  
I am hoping I am wrong about that.  

 

In my opinion sci/tech and Wicca can be compatible if you want them to be. At the core of my belief structure is the idea that we are nature. We are but a simple node at the end of a branch growing from a trunk forged from billions of years of chemical evolution.

 

Other species use tools just as we do. While there are a vast amount of difference between a beaver's damn and a particle accelerator they are both created by a being who chooses to appropriate external matter to solve one or more problems.

 

The gods use tools too. Asgard would be overrun by jötnar if Thor had not had his hammer. Would Poseidon still be Poseidon without his trident? What of Diana without her bow, or Asclepius without his rod? The old gods use technology regularly in their exploits. They seem to be limited to the tools available during the time when they were most relevant.

 

Hope this helps <3