Official Pagan Thread!

[ebwy]

to me, communal prayer is just another way of sending "energy" by ritual, kind of like chanting. When my brain decided to spring a leak 5 years ago I had lost touch with my only pagan friends so I couldn't contact them for help (couldn't communicate anyway) but my family and friends between them attended erm.... 5 (might have been 6) churches of various denominations AND an entire catholic training academy, all of whom had meetings around the same time on a sunday evening, and all of those churches were praying for me to be healed. At that time on the Sunday, I was in my hospital bed staring at the ceiling and I saw white energy surrounding me. (I normally feel rather than see, so it must have been very powerful)

All those people getting together and ritually asking for me to be healed ("Amen" said together is as effective as a chant, it's the communal ritual aspect of it to me) produced that. I thought I was halucinating at first, but then I worked out what day it was and asked the time...

3 weeks after I was rushed to hospital and had been told I'd never walk again and that my communication would always be "rather bad", I walked out (slowly and struggling, but on my own feet with no walking aids) and as soon as I got home I popped on my computer to tell people I was home - typing one handed as my right hand was still not working at all, but coherently...

I have had pagans deny that to me before, saying that if it's christians it's different and saying I'm "still too close" to them, whatever they meant by that! But to me it's just denying that PEOPLE getting together to concentrate on one aim and then releasing it by communal consent, no matter what deity they are using as their focus, is a powerful force. And most churches etc will have at least one "natural witch" with strong gifts in them (by my experience) even if they wouldn't admit it. It's belief that drives it.

Having churches wiling to do that kind of thing can be a powerful force, but the counter side of that goodness is what some of us have experienced - all that power can be used against you (not that they intend it to be such, they think they're doing good)

just my messianic pagan perspective on it all...

I have WHAT in my yard?, I hope your friend does ok on her chemo

 

[CoopCrazy]

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I agree 100% Ebwy .. When I was attending the Pentacostal church , I was truly amazed at the energy in the room, anytime a large group of people get together and focus on one thing their HAS to be Power....

 

[ebwy]

the really good thing is that most churches (don't know enough about other religions to comment) are willing to take prayer requests from anyone so you can phone anonymously and ask for healing etc. I don't agree with everything I heard in church, and I definitely disagree with a lot, but that's one thing they get right. I miss the communal aspect of it, but I can't be a hypocrite and keep attending a religious ceremony of ANY religion any more. So now I go my own way and am grateful for you lot for helping me with it

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Ebwy, there are some really good studies on prayer. If you get the ingredients together: some sort of posturing, rhythmic chanting, personal belief and often beads and/or groups people can alter their mind state as perceivable on MRI. The areas of your brain that include your awareness of where you are in space and time become quiescent and the area that has been referred to as the god spot but could as easily be called the allah spot becomes very active. This area is the area that is hyperactive in schizophrenics who think god talks to them.

Additionally, it has been studied that when people are in the hospital - even if they are unaware of it - if some group is praying for them they seem to heal more rapidly. They have twisted out the religions of the ill and the prayers and had some ill people who knew and some who did not. The outcome was the same.

I believe our brain is designed to reconnect us to the universal oneness. Some people insist that this is a named being outside of ourselves, I just see it differently. I think humans as a group can raise tremendous energy. People at concerts etc say you can just feel the energy in the air. Well sure you can!

People attend these events to get that rush. What many refuse to realize is that it is not the religious construct that gives it to them - it is the humans and their connection to each other. So yes, I believe that some one praying for me to stop being psychic will interfere with that and people who are Buddhist, and Christian and Pagan can all pray for my friend to help her......





BTW Copp that thing your mom did was SO a spell! LOL!!!

 

[saddina]

"The prayers of all good people, are good."
~Willa Cather

 

[ebwy]

I have WHAT in my yard?, I didn't know about the studies etc, but it's nice to know that there are things to back up my opinion

as humans are a group/herd/pack animal, it makes sense that we would have some eas to connect even if most of the species don't use it any more

sorry for diminishing coherency, feeling crappy with this cold now.

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

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Yes, but they must be truly good and mean what is good for the recipient, not to change the recipient to their point of view.... For healing purposes I think it is all good.

 

[deb1]

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No, you are making perfect sense. I love the direction this conversation is taking. I just don't have much to add. LOL

 

[Organics North]

I have WHAT in my yard? :

ON you're a tree. A big wise - I keep getting Oak?

Just have 10 min before I need to pick up the kids,,
Guess what! I spent the morning working with Oak! As you wrote this my hands were on Oak... I was working the wood I was admiring its qualities, as I always do..

Spectacular!

You are right on too with the old soul.. I have felt that way since young on...(I feel very ready to leave this plane any time.)

My thoughts energy have been to your friend today..

ON​

 

[Dust Bunny]

about the hummingbird, we had a hummingbird hit our window, it fell to the ground in the middle of my chickens, well you know they were after it, fighting over it, i screamed and ran to save the poor guy from the chickens but he must have broke his neck

he died in my hands