Kim

Hello Again Everyone,
I apologize for the lateness of this post, but was having computer troubles. Anyway, we're back on track and have our second participant! Her name is Kim and she is a practicing Wiccan. I knew very little regarding this religion so I asked Kim a couple extra questions. I hope Kim's post will help alleviate some of the myths and misunderstandings that surround the Wicca religion.

Here is Kim M.'s Introduction:

I am a 41 year old married lady that has two beautiful sons that have blessed my life. I currently work in Municipal Government as an administrative assistant but am working my way up to be a Development Officer after a little bit more studies at university, and some local government programs. I also am a spiritual reader with a gift that has been passed down through the years. I am a very content and happy person who feels that my greatest riches in life is my famiy and my friends.


1) What religion do you practice?
Wiccan
-------------what is your journey, how did you discover Wicca and when did you realize it worked for you?
I feel that I was initially interested in Wicca even though I did not know what that was as
a teenager, I Remember going to the library and reading about witches and mystical studies. I truly was introduced to it when I was around 27 years old. I realized immediately by talking to the people that were interested in it and practicing that it just suited me because it made me feel like I was at home.

2) Did you convert or were you born into this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
Converted, Read a lot of books and practiced some of the rituals with it.

--------------could you share what books you read and what the rituals were/entailed that you practised?
I started by reading "To Ride a Silver Broomstick" By RavenWolf as well as "Bucklands Complete Book of Witchcraft" as well as other books in libraries and bookstores as I was drawn to them. The rituals that I practiced were honoring the Gods/Goddesses and to be kind to the Earth as well as other rituals that were for prosperity and health. On the full moons, I especially did a ritual to bring forth good things to my life.

3) Would you consider yourself a moderate, conservative or other.
moderate

4) In your opinion, what makes you moderate/conservative/other?
I do not follow as closely as I should.

5) In your opinion, what makes someone conservative? What makes someone moderate?
Moderate is someone that does not follow the religion to the full extent. Conservative I believe is someone that follows their religion to the utmost in practice but is not one to put it down someone elses' throat

----------would you consider someone who 'puts their religion down someone elses' throat' to be fanatical?
I am not sure that I would say that they are fanatical as much as devoted to their
religion that calls for that, but in some ways I do think that it is a form of "fanatical". But more so I think that it is being so devout that they can not see any other way, and I think that some
people become fanatical with it because they can not bear to think that someone would not want or need the same belief as they have been taught.

6) What's your heaven/paradise like?
Summerland is like a wide open field where I will meet up with my loved ones, and it will be warm and sunny.
---------------is Summerland a Wiccan's name for Heaven/Paradise?
It is referenced as that.

7) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
I do believe that everyone has the opportunity to make it into this paradise/heaven. I believe that as long as we try to be a good person then we will find absolution in things.

8) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
It is hard to explain but it just fits, I like that I am still allowed to have my beliefs in Jesus (from my Catholic upbringing) should I wish,
there is a lot that just makes sense to me with it because it is very earth based and it is more of a spirituality life than a religion.

-------------could you explain a little more on why it's considered Earth based and more a spirituality than a religion?
I do believe that it is a religion, I feel that I have adopted more of a spirituality
with it than a religion because I do not practice and am consistent with it as I should be. Wiccan comes from the old Paganism beliefs. My interpretation of it is that it is earth based because
it is a lot about caring for the earth and honoring the earth, skies, animals etc that belong on Earth. I do believe though that Wicca is becoming more and more known and people are becoming
less and less afraid to come out of the broom closet, so to speak, and so I do believe that I have heard that it is now known as a religious group.

9) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
there are many in the wiccan religion that parallel the Christian holidays, and I celebrate them all along with
Christmas, or the Yule Solstice. I celebrate them by giving thanks to the Gods and Goddesses and by lighting my candles and performing some sort of a blessing ritual.
--------------how many Gods and Goddesses are there and do you light the candles and perform a ritual blessing only at Christmas time or at other times during the year as well?
There are too many Gods and Goddesses to list. There is a God or Goddess that almost covers everything, and because I am more into the spirituality I have recently begun to do some work with the angels and Archangels, so that just increases the number of deities that can be called upon. I light candles and perform a ritual blessing on almost every full moon, as well at New Years, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Halloween (Our New Years), as well as the changing of the seasons. But really when I do any kind of ritual or spellcasting than I always give thanks and blessings beforehand.

10) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Of course

11) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Yes, religion interests me and I think that it is honoring the person to
participate in their celebration of a holy day.

12) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I don't know anything about them.

13) What are your thoughts on women not being allowed to become priests?
I think this is unfair, I think that all of God's disciples have been put here to do the Lord's work
and that it is unfair that a woman can not lead a congregation, to me it feels like they are being not kept equal to the man.

14) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
not at all.

15) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
I practice my religion every day in some shape or form, I think that it affects me a lot when I am making a decision, because every decision that we make effects us and others and
it will come back to us threefold a powerful thing if you are thinking about doing something that is not moral or decent. I think that it makes me more open to others decisions on abortion, gay marriage, etc. I think
we are all entitled to our freedom for these decisions.

16) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
I would be fine with that as both my children were baptised Catholic, but we have not practiced
as I feel that in some forms they should be able to make some decisions about the faith they would like to follow.

17) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
Absolutely, not. Though I think it is a good idea for everyone to have a belief/faith of some sort.

18) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
I am unsure.
------------are there any Wiccan 'ministers/imams/rabbis', is there no one who 'leads the masses/groups'? Is there anyone to turn to for advice?
It depends if you are a part of a coven or if you are
a solitary practicioner, I myself am a solitary so most of my advice comes from books, websites, and the friends that I have that practice Wicca, because there are so many branches of it
you really have to search sometimes for the answer, but I also believe that the answers are given to you if you ask aloud to the Gods and Goddesses and listen to your intuition that you are
shown to the answers you need. In a coven there is a high priestess that would perform the rituals and you would go to for advice.

19) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Not myself personally no. but I do keep it quiet. I found that when I was wearing my pentagram ring, that I was
often judged unfairly. One time at work, a man told a coworker that I was a devil worshiper because of my ring.

------------how did that make you feel?
Initially, it made me angry that someone could be so close-minded that they would instantly jump to that conclusion, just by a symbol. I still shake my head
about it from time to time. It also made me feel like I had to hide my "symbol" because it was not accepted, where if a cross is worn and I do wear those as well because I think they are a beautiful
symbol of love, than that is ok, and so that is a very judgemental thing, and that is I guess in a nutshell, is how I felt, was very judged.

-----and what does the pentagram ring signify for you?
For me the pentagram signifies protection. The five points of the pentagram signify The Four Elements and Spirit (Earth, Air, Water, Fire and
Spirit or God if you will) Also when you are doing a ritual you would call upon the four corners which is symbolized by the Four Elements and than of course your Spirit/God/Goddess of your
choosing

20) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
not at all.

21) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Very much so.

22) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I do believe in reincarnation. I believe that our souls come back to learn lessons or to pay for karmic actions that we committed in previous lifetimes. I believe that our soul will reincarnate until we have learnt the lessons that we were meant to. I also believe that we plan some of our lessons before we come back to Earth. That to me is déjà vu is almost like a check in point with our souls to know we are along the right path.