“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
- Aristotle
So who is it that I really am? In truth, I'm a spiritual nomad. I don't belong to any groups, I walk my path completely alone. I'm not a practicing witch but I'm a witch at heart who sometimes indulges in Buddhist literature. One day I feel like a witch, one day I feel mindful like a monk and others I feel like both. There are also days when I feel like none of the above. To some people this might not make any sense but to me, it's light as a day.
I was born and raised as Roman Catholic but I've always had questions about my religion that nobody could satisfyingly answer. Half way through my thirties I realized that Christianity was no longer serving me. It was time to let it go. Leaving religion behind was probably the hardest and scariest thing I have ever done. My parents, devout Catholics, understood and I thank them for that with all my heart. Being able to be myself in front of my loved ones and be open about who I really am means a world to me.
Today I'm not part of any religion but I'm also not an atheist. I'm comfortable knowing that I simply do not know who we are, why we are here and what happens to us when we leave this mortal coil. I'm okay with that. I'm open to all possibilities although I don't hold any firm beliefs. Deep down inside, I'm very spiritual and I draw this spirituality from the very world around me. I feel connection with the Universe and every living thing in it, be it an animal or a plant. When I celebrate, I celebrate Nature. Summer Solstice, Winter Solstice, Spring Equinox, Fall Equinox, Samhain as well as every full moon are very important to me but I do not perform any specific rituals (I do dress up as a witch during Samhain though). My celebration is acknowledging what's taking place and my ritual is simply being out there drawing on Mother Earth's energy. Easter and Christmas to me are family traditions rather than religious celebrations and I enjoy them both very much.
I live my life by one commandment only: Live and Let Live. I believe that everyone is entitled to freedom and should be able to do what they want to do as long as they don't knowingly hurt anyone. Once you hurt someone, all bets are off and you deserve the karmic lesson that will come your way. My life is full of such lessons and I respect that. Nobody is perfect.
Although I'm not religious, I respect those that are. I believe that every religion holds some pieces to the great puzzle that our Universe is. If only spirituality and science could come together for good, then maybe we could have a better understanding of who we really are and what the world around us is really made out of.
Namaste