I’m a big fan of originality; there are too many copycats out there. I follow my own path, regardless of what other Pagans or Heathens say I should be doing. I started this path without knowing of any others like me, so I wasn’t influenced by for example Wicca.
I’ve seen lots of people who carbon copy what others have done, and don’t even think of creating their own rituals and other things. In my opinion, that’s wrong. I’m not trying to tell people how to live their life, but it must feel better to do your own thing, and not just copy others.
I believe it also helps you forward while copying keeps you stuck in one place. I believe this also applies to other areas in life than our spiritual path.
How about you? Do you follow your own path, or do you go by what others have written? Are you an original, or a carbon copy?
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This post is part of the Pagan Blog Project, created by Rowan Pendragon.
Hm. I guess the combination of my practices is very much original, although parts of it are taken over from others (like certain invocations that Starhawk wrote so very beautifully – I don’t think they can be improved upon!).
I don’t see anything wrong with following an established tradition, though, as long as people do it because it resonates with them. There’s no use in pressurising oneself into creating something new, just so it’s new, when something that already exists suits them 🙂
Copying for laziness’s sake is being a true copycat though, and I completely agree that’s not what paganism should be about!
I have nothing against borrowing parts, or keeping with traditions, as long as people really feel that it’s for them. I’ve done so myself many times. But it’s the straight off copycats I’m after; People who copy out of laziness or ignorance.
I agree it’s always better to write your own rituals, that way you fully understand what you’re doing and why! )O(
One of several good reasons 🙂
I totally agree – rituals I create myself always feel more powerful than anything I’ve tried from a book. I tend to make them up as I go along – they don’t always go perfectly, but I think the Gods have a sense of humor and that’s half the fun of it.
I’m still figuring out my path but usually say I’m “Egyptian Wiccan” as I follow mostly Wiccan practices working with the Egyptian Gods and mix in some Kemetic and High Magickal workings here and there. I don’t feel the need to really formalize my practice – the journey is the important part and flubs and all, I always learn something.
They do have a sense of humor, as do the other entities. The problem with strict labels, which some people seem to like, is that we’re constantly evolving 🙂