Witchvox Article

Author: Taliesin Spiritvoice
Posted: March 15th. 2002
Times Viewed: 3,698

Merry Meet one and all. I suppose that my conversion to Paganism came at the end of a very long journey to me that started in a little Pentecostal church in East Texas. I had grown up in a Christian home and attended church whenever it was humanly possible to make it through the doors. I was taught to use my singing voice there. (One of the few things that I am still grateful to them for helping me do.) As a child, I remember being told by my pastor that I was too intelligent for my own good. I had faith issues because I could not just accept what they told me was truth. I constantly questioned and wanted answers that they never seemed capable of giving me.

The one thing that the church did seem to want me to do was sing and be heard in the respect as something of a prophet. I had always known things that others did not and I could feel things that others could not feel. They would often pray with me and pray with me until I would go into almost a trance state and I would prophesy to the congregation. This happened with me and a couple other youngsters in the church. Everyone wants a prophet, after all.

As I matured, however, I came upon the thing that would ultimately cause the end of my Christian life. I came to terms with my homosexuality and it was something that my family and church were not prepared to deal with at the time. I sat through many sermons as my pastor taught against homosexuality and told me that I was going to hell for loving someone. My pastor also knew that I had shown an interest in psychology and that seemed to get worked into the sermons, as well. It became an environment where I felt that I was the only one in the congregation that was supposed to be listening to the sermon. I knew that I could not live in this environment anymore.

Soon, I decided that I was not going back to the church ever again. I was old enough to work at the time and I made sure that I was scheduled to work on "church days." I wanted nothing to do with them, but I still felt a need for a spiritual connection somewhere. I knew that I would not find it with the Christian church and so I began to study other religions. I read about Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and as many other "-isms" that I could find, but nothing seemed to fit.

One day a friend of mine loaned me a tattered, dog-eared copy of Silver RavenWolf's book To Ride a Silver Broomstick. I began to read and I was suddenly drawn into this wonderful world of Wicca and its teachings. Here was a religion that made sense to me. It gave me the connection to the world of Spirit that I knew was out there. I began to question my friend for other books and asked if she could teach me about the things that I was finding in the books. She said that she could not. She had not practiced in a long time, and had just converted back to Christianity, herself.

Where could I learn? Well, she gave me every Craft book she owned. I read all of those and then began to shop the bookstores for more. I learned about ways to use my gifts of Sight to help others. I learned what it was like to truly touch Spirit and commune with the world around me. I came in contact, for the first time in an intelligent light, with the concept of reincarnation. I had always been told that this was an evil belief that would surely send me straight to hell without a second chance. However, that part of me that annoyed my Christian family so much had questioned. I just could not believe that we only got one chance to get this thing called life right. It's not easy and if we had only one chance to do things right, most of us would probably fail. Wicca explained that there are many lives and as the Great Wheel turns, we come back and try new aspects of the physical world and life to make us more complete beings.

I had always been drawn to the culture of the Celts. I found books about Celtic Myth and Magick and worked from there. Soon, I knew that it was time for me to dedicate my life to this religion. I wrote my own dedication ritual and on the 11th of December in the year 1999, I performed the ceremony and my life has been changing for the better ever since then. I read the cards for people when they need help and I do my best to help my fellow travelers in this world to find peace within themselves.

I have found a place in the world where I fit. I have found a religion that makes sense to me. I have found where I belong. I found out it was never that I was too intelligent to have faith. I was simply asking too much explanation from a relatively young religion that they could not explain. I do have faith now in the Lord and the Lady. I feel them all around me in the most simple and complex ways in my life.

Most importantly, I am happy, now. I have found important ways to help other people around me. I have a wonderful man who loves me, and we were handfasted this past Summer. Most importantly, I am no longer ashamed of who I am. I can proudly say, "My name is Taliesin SpiritVoice. I am a Celtic Witch and a diviner for my fellow man. I am proud of to be a practitioner of the Craft, and, though I haven't done everything right, I am trying to work toward what I was sent here to complete."

Daily, I take that proverbial one step at a time toward the enlightenment that Wicca has offered to me. In my long term goals I want to teach others who wish to learn the Mysteries, as I vowed to the God and Goddess that I would do when I dedicated my life to this path. Perhaps, I can help another like myself who was lost and needed a light to guide them.

Taliesin SpiritVoice

ABOUT...

Taliesin Spiritvoice

Location: Commerce, Texas

Author's Profile: To learn more about Taliesin Spiritvoice - Click HERE

Bio: My name is Waylon aka Taliesin SpiritVoice. I am a 24 year old college senior studying Literature in East Texas. I am working toward graduate studies in Folklore and Mythology with emphasis on the Celts. I am a piano player and vocalist and if you want to find me, all you have to do is find the guy who will not stop singing at the local Wal-Mart. I want to thank Felinas for starting me on this journey and my Sohel is always there when I need support and love.

Other Listings: To view ALL of my listings: Click HERE

Email Taliesin Spiritvoice... (Yes! I have opted to receive invites to Pagan events, groups, and commercial sales)

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