About your Webmistress

First of all, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting my site. I know how tough it can be, being a pagan/Wiccan, especially when you're only in your teens.

I have been on this path for almost four years now, since the summer going into highschool. Like many, it was the movie "The Craft" that started me on this path. However, to my suprise, a search on the 'Net for "witchcraft" or "the craft" turned up hundreds of thousands of sites on Wicca. Almost immediatly, this religion captivated me. It was everything I'd always believed, and then some. I began pursuing the Path activly, buying books and devouring any info I could get my hands on. Also like many Wiccans, I described it as a feeling of "coming home".

My pseudonym is Terra Autumnwynd; Terra is Latin for Earth, which is my element (I'm Virgo) And Autumn has long been my favourite season. Something in the air at that time in the year just...comforts me. I'm a 17 year old female eclectic Pagan, meaning I have a bit of everything, and incorporate my own beliefs, rituals and ideas into it. Wicca is a very creative religion, and this is another reason I find it so fascinating. My close friends know about my decision, however, even though I make no attempt to hide my religion from my parents, I've never come right out and told them.

I have many interests, from the "occult and new age" to computers and HTML programming. I like almost any kind of music, and will read any book that offers a different perspective on life (but no romances, please) I like to write poetry. I enjoy spending time with my wonderful friends. I'm a day dreamer, and always have been. I've aspired to be everything from a "mom" (hey, I was only little!) to a genetics counsellor (my current desire). I know a little bit about alot of things, I have a passion for school and learning about how things work. My room is filled with pictures of friends and family, and absolutly everything here (and theres alot) has a story to tell. I thrive on clutter, and I see dust as a protective coating, rather than something to be swept away.

So there you have it. A glimpse into my mind and my life. Once again, thank you for visiting my site. Please don't hesitate to sign my guestbook! I also encourage you to contact me personally with your thoughts, complaints, suggestions, or just to chat! E-mail spiralpath@hotmail.com

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My Tradition

I refer to my "tradition" simply as Eclectic Pagan. My path is a combination of basic Wiccan beliefs, the Greek Pantheon of Gods, a little of the Celtic tradition, what I call "sympathetic magick", and a whole lot of "whatever fits". : )

I believe that whatever we do, we must deal with the consequences, in this life. Be the actions good or bad, I believe and have seen, that the "reaction" occurs within a year. A major learning experience over the past few years has been to deal with those consequences, and to stop blaming my "bad luck" on others. I've found myself to be in a better balance since I've begun accepting my actions, and instead of complaining about my mistakes, learning from them and moving on.

Death and the afterlife has been something I've questioned for an incredibly long time now, and I'm almost positive that the explanation I have now will change within a year or two. I believe each and every living being possesses a soul, something that is a part of the Divine, something ageless and sexless, that (to contradict myself just a bit here) cannot be defined. This is what reincarnates, accumulating the experience of life after life, forming bonds that we experience as "deja-vu" and "soul-mates". However, I also believe that who we become in each life is almost seperate from the soul. Our personalties, our experiences, our relationships, create some other ethereal form of...matter, a projection of ourselves, and I believe this "projection" is what resides in the Summer Country for eternity.

I follow a loose "variation" of the Celtic cycle of holy days. While I do try to place equal importance on all 8 of the Sabbats, I tend to get a little more elaborate for Solstices and Equinoxes. The other Sabbats, mainly based on the Plantings and Harvests traditionally celebrated "back in the day" don't have as much meaning to me, simply because I live in the city. When I celebrate Sabbats, my ritual is fairly simple. Generally I just meditate on the shift in season. Its been a standing tradition for the past two years or so for me to walk downtown to my favourite pagan bookstore, and eat icecream, on Imbolc. I celebrate Sabbats during the daytime, and Esbats (obviously!) at night.

As far as magick goes, like I mentioned above, I practise "sympathetic" magick. My rituals are never elaborate, I hardly ever cast a circle. For magick I usually light a candle I feel corresponds to my need, and say a spontaneous prayer, and let the candle burn out. From time to time I'll make a talisman of some sort, carrying it with me. I'm very sponatneous in what I do. (can ya tell?)

Lastly, if I have a need to pray to a specific God or Goddess, I find myself always drawn to the Greek pantheon. Possibly because we studied it so indepth last year...but I have been attracted to Hera and have had powerful dreams relating to other Greek Gods, and always come back to them.

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A Pagan's Poetry

Following is some of my poetry. Like I've said, I write best when I'm in a "less than happy" mood, and so it may seem a bit dark to you. Most of it is fairly old (I've been too happy lately to write any :)) I feel that poetry is a way to express many different feelings and emotions. It is the creative outlet I use to calm myself down, to sort through things, and often, to tap into things I wasn't aware of feeling. Please read with an open mind, and I'll just mention now that some of these are inspired by my studies as a Pagan. Enjoy!

Untitled	Eternity
A flower unfurls its delicate leaves as warm raindrops kiss the quivering upturned face. Time slows as this moment quickens and something so innocent drinks deeply. Soon sweet nectars flow within a center where only skilled tongues of a bumbling bee may reach. Time picks up the pace as the days slow and somthing so innocent drinks deeply. Winters come, once bright plumage turns as limp petals fall to the Earth, waiting rebirth. Time stops as this life is closed and something so innocent drinks deeply. 07/22/98	Wheel to wheel we jump, we feel, we die. Pain on this turn, joy on the next. Ever spinning, ever learning, Yearning, reaching for the truth. Perfect love, perfect trust, and we drop from the final wheel. Into Eternity. 10/13/98
Faith	Untitled
Drowning in the mainstream, clutching to my faith like a life jacket. The sea of conformity, of empty unity tries to claim me, tries to maim me but I hold strong to my truth. The winds of change have stilled their breath, I've lost count of the fallen, stopped helping the weak. Only I can save me now... 10/14/98	Soaring gliding high on columns of heat, wings spread out, catching, holding, riding the air. Birds eye view ants....people small and insignificant Spiraling, slowly, down. 03/17/00
Wanting To Be	Neon Moonlight
Reaching forward across the years like a child in her mother's heels. Wobbling, falling, trying to catch up, hurry...hurry... grow older faster slipping away from me the years I hold so furtively to my breast. 05/11/00	Neon moonlight cast still around an invisible moon. illuminates the streets as they unfold beneath me. Neon moonlight pulsating halo around a false moon. human hands shaped it reflecting human energy. Neon moonlight reaching to the farthest cornors of reality Reaching unseen, starry fingers begging to finger my reality in the unreal buzzing neon light. 07/13/2000
Dawn	Untitled
Reaching out to the dream, the smooth, glabrous memory tip-toeing by with the fading night, both making way for reality 09/21/00	Night air, tensed with rain yet.... ....to.... ....fall.... 09/21/00

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About this Site

This site began two years ago. The idea came to me during meditation. The site is a way to not only test my HTML knowledge, but to test the knowledge of my Path. All the information you find on these pages comes staight from me. The only time I turned to books was to check the dates of the Sabbats. It's one thing to know all of the facts, but it's another to understand them, to be able to write about them and to live them. This site has been a learning experience for me as much as I hope it is for my readers.

My goal was to create a site that would be useful to the pagan teen. I tried to make sure there was something here for everyone, and in the future hope to incorporate your thoughts, opinions and practises right into my pages. These pages are mainly for the Pagan Teen, because I know how difficult it can be. Aside from that, I wanted a site that would cater to the total stranger to the path. Perhaps your friend or family memeber is following this path. This site is for you, too.

The site you are viewing now is the result of a total "re-vamping", which began in July. It started with a background, which I made myself, and evolved from there. I am much more satisfied with this "newer edition", but I'm sure it will grow and change as rapidly as the Pagan Teen's needs will. Enjoy my site, read with an open mind, and please don't forget to sign the guestbook and let me know what you think!

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Credits and Inspiration

This is the part where I babble on like someone at an awards show. I truly do have a list of people to thank, both for their help and their inspirations. And, like most award recipients, I must start with the God and Goddess. Without Them I would not be on this path, and I would not be creating this site. I think that is enough said.

Credit is due to Angelfire, one of the best free editors on the Web. Their Basic editor got me started three years ago on the HTML path, and now their Advanced editor allows me to express myself more creativly. Credit is also due to Elizabeth Castro's HTML For The World Wide Web, which helped me through the tough spots. The background used on my Current Sabbat Page is from Windy Web Designs. Her work is beautiful, and free, so check it out! The Scroll and Pentacle image used on my pages is from Jinx's Pagan Pages. My Counter is courtesy of The Counter.com, and my guestbook from The Guestbook.com, both free services. I'd also like to thank my good friend, Evening Rain, for helping me to put some of my thoughts into text (and caught a few embarassing spelling mistakes, too!)

Inspirationally speaking, I'd like to thank all of the webcrafters out there who have made their sites as wonderful as they are. Without these, I would not have pushed myself to make this site what it is. I'd also like to thank all of the writers who's work has inspired me, informed me, and touched me.

Lastly, I would like to thank those who read my pages, and who continue to encourage me. Thank you, and brightest blessings to all of you!