My intro + questions

[Guest guest]

Dear Everyone,

 

This is my first post here. I have been an eclectic solitary pagan/witch

for over 10 years. Then suddenly my life has been turned around by Lord

Ganesha a few days ago.

 

I was very concerned about how things were/are going for a large group of

folks here in my country (the U.S.A.), needed to find a god that I felt I

could really pray to for help for all of us. I called upon Ganesh (whom I

had known a little about in the past), and his presence, his love was

overwhelming in the most positive, loving way.

 

I feel so drawn to him, so overcome with love for him. I have no idea what

is going to become of my pagan practices, as I cannot see myself

"incorporating him" into rituals when He is pre-eminent of all gods to me

now. He is first, He is all.

 

I have been reading some about Hinduism, but I don't know that I will be

forsaking my pagan path in favour of that.

 

Is there a way to blend? But how to keep Lord Ganesha foremost in all

things? And to be respectful to Hinduism and Hindus who love Lord Ganesha

dearly? This is a mostly-happy dilemma.

 

If anyone else has a path similar, I would love to hear what you have

done/do/etc.

 

Thank you all for listening.

 

With respect,

 

Joanna, who is CountryMouse, who is, yes, a mouse, quite willing to be Lord

Ganesha's conveyance

[Guest guest]

Namaste Joanna,

 

>This is my first post here. I have been an eclectic solitary

pagan/witch

for over 10 years. Then suddenly my life has been turned around by Lord

Ganesha a few days ago.>

 

Welcome to this little Ganesh group. I hope you find it a most useful

and positive experience.

 

>I was very concerned about how things were/are going for a large group

of

folks here in my country (the U.S.A.), needed to find a god that I felt

I

could really pray to for help for all of us. I called upon Ganesh (whom

I

had known a little about in the past), and his presence, his love was

overwhelming in the most positive, loving way.>

 

I am delighted that you have had such a strong and loving experience of

Lord Ganesh. : ) Hope this is the first of a million more!

 

>I feel so drawn to him, so overcome with love for him. I have no idea

what

is going to become of my pagan practices, as I cannot see myself

"incorporating him" into rituals when He is pre-eminent of all gods to

me

now. He is first, He is all.>

 

Don't worry about your Pagan practices. One's spiritual practices

should change as we do. Best not to hang onto practices that you have

out grown. Though that is not to make the assumption that you have

necessarily out grown your Pagan practices. Practices, disciplines,

sadhana is to help us elevate our self. We eventually out grow them and

embrace the next necessary level of practice. It is a good thing, even

if it is a little scary and bewildering. Give it a bit of time and I am

sure it will all sort itself out.

 

>I have been reading some about Hinduism, but I don't know that I will

be

forsaking my pagan path in favour of that.>

 

I have walked a not so different path Joanna. From what life has

managed to get through this thick head I would say follow your heart.

Each person's path takes many unexpected twists and turns, yet it is

best not to worry about where you have been or where you are going, but

only where you are right now. The only thing you are forsaking is your

spiritual growth if you do not follow your heart and your intuition.

Don't listen too much to what the mind is saying, what with all its

unnecessary fears and worries. Follow what you feel to be true.

 

>Is there a way to blend? But how to keep Lord Ganesha foremost in all

things? And to be respectful to Hinduism and Hindus who love Lord

Ganesha

dearly? This is a mostly-happy dilemma. If anyone else has a path

similar, I would love to hear what you have done/do/etc.>

 

In the past I used to be simultaneously involved with 1. Ceremonial

magickal practices (mainly Enochian) and then Paganism, and over the

same period also 2. Advaita Vedanta and other aspects of Hinduism.

Through Paganism I developed a strong interest in Lord Shiva and this

lead me into the different schools of Shaivism. Since I was already

reasonably acquainted with Advaita I readily took to Trika or Kashmir

Shaivism. For quite a while I was working on blending aspects of

Hinduism into a Pagan system. I have an old website on the topic from a

few years ago that might interest you

http://www.geocities.com/indianpaganism/ Right click and press select

all to view the text on the front page (this is necessary because the

back ground isn't present - don't know why). During my working on this

I was heavily drawing on the Trika system and the more I learned the

more I couldn't help but think (IMHO) that it was the most complete

system I have ever came across and also the most penetrating and

esoteric. All in all I suspect I could probably relate to much of your

situation.

 

Stay close to Lord Ganesha, he'll keep you right Joanna ; )

 

 

Om Shanti

Neil

[Guest guest]

Welcome and Blessings Joanna,

 

Don't worry about what may become of your pagan practices. Hinduism is afterall

a "pagan" belief system.

 

My partner and I are also pagans and Wiccan High Priestesses. Our personal

patron deities have come to be Lord Ganesha and Sri Lakshmi. We have managed

to "incorporate" our devotion to them into our already established belief

system quite easily. If you are of an eclectic background in regard to your

wiccan/pagan beliefs there really should be no issue with honoring Ganesha

above others and before all endeavors. If, however you practiced the Craft

utilizing one specific pantheon or one specific pair of deities I could

understand it might take some adjusting. Give yourself time with Ganesha, He

will help show the way which is right for you.

 

While Ganesha is All and All is Him, from a wiccan/pagan perspective He is one

of many, many faces of the God. Just as Lakshmi is one of many, many faces of

the Goddess.

 

I've attached for you a picture of my personal altar. You'll see that Ganesha

and Lakshmi have the most prominent position but that it is a very wiccan/pagan

sacred space. Also notice the smaller wooden image of Lord Ganesha front and

center. I have smaller altars beside my bed for Ganesha and Lakshmi.

Throughout our home there is also an altar to the Dark Goddess and Kali Ma; an

altar to Bast and an altar to Kwan Yin.

 

I hope this helps some. Welcome again and may Lord Ganesha protect you always

and bless you for your devotion to Him.

 

Blessings,

Libuesz

Attachment: (image/jpeg) MJ's Altar 3-14.JPG [not stored]

[Guest guest]

Pleased to meet Ganesha's mouse! (I have been Durga's lion for several

years, now.)

 

(More below...)

 

On Wed, 28 Apr 2004 12:22:34 -0400 "J. M. Phillips" <fleur

writes:

>

>

> This is my first post here. I have been an eclectic solitary

> pagan/witch

> for over 10 years. Then suddenly my life has been turned around by

> Lord

> Ganesha a few days ago.

>

> I was very concerned about how things were/are going for a large

> group of

> folks here in my country (the U.S.A.), needed to find a god that I

> felt I

> could really pray to for help for all of us. I called upon Ganesh

> (whom I

> had known a little about in the past), and his presence, his love

> was

> overwhelming in the most positive, loving way.

>

> I feel so drawn to him, so overcome with love for him. I have no

> idea what

> is going to become of my pagan practices, as I cannot see myself

> "incorporating him" into rituals when He is pre-eminent of all gods

> to me

> now. He is first, He is all.

>

 

He is first, and he is all, but he shares quite nicely. :-)

 

I know many Neo-Pagans who work with various pantheons -- Wiccan, Greek,

Norse, Celtic, Eqyptian, and others... and yet who keep a special place

in their hearts (on on their altars!) for Ganesha. Ganesha is the Lord

of Categories. That means that any time you find a group (a pantheon, a

tradition), Ganesha will naturally arise to lead it. (He may disguise

his elephant face, but you'll recognise him!)

 

 

> I have been reading some about Hinduism, but I don't know that I

> will be

> forsaking my pagan path in favour of that.

>

> Is there a way to blend? But how to keep Lord Ganesha foremost in

> all

> things? And to be respectful to Hinduism and Hindus who love Lord

> Ganesha

> dearly? This is a mostly-happy dilemma.

>

> If anyone else has a path similar, I would love to hear what you

> have

> done/do/etc.

 

I have a daily Hindu <sadhana> (practice), and I also lead a Wiccan

coven. Although our deities worshipped are usually Greek or Celtic, I

begin each ritual with an invocation of Ganesha to remove obstacles, and

have a small image of him somewhere on the altar.

 

The <shloka> (verse) I was told to use by a Vedic astrologer is as

follows:

 

<vakratunda mahakaya/

surya koti samaprabha/

nirvighnam kuru me deva/

sarva karyeshu sarvada/>

 

(With your twisted trunk and a large body/

effulgeant with the light of a million suns,/

let there be no obstacles, O God,/

to all I attempt, to all I give./)

 

Ganesha is hard-wired into the human nervous system. Just rap your

knuckles at your head's temples, cross your arms and tug your earlobes,

say <Jai Ganesha!> (Hail, Ganesha!), and He's listening.

 

Welcome to our group.

 

-- Len/ Black Lotus

 

 

 

 

 

______________

The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!

Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!

Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!

[Guest guest]

Jai! Jai! Ganesha

 

Libuesz