Spiritual Doldrums

NeilJ

Bit of a personal question so if no-one answers I won't be offended but Yule3's mention in their post about getting out of touch had me thinking. When I was "practising" wicca about 3 years I went through a patch where I found it really difficult to focus spirituality and my connection to Spirit seemed at times to be partically gone. After a period of time this changed and I reconnected with Spirit and with my practices and beliefs. But the point of this post (I knew I'd get there eventually) is that pagan friends of mine have also said they experienced this kind of spiritual doldrum and it tended to be around the 2 half/3 year mark from when they started to explore pagan beliefs. So I was wondering is this something that a lot of young pagans have experienced or just some?

Neil

Nevyn

It can and does happen.
Happened to me a few times,
usually when there are other things in my life that need my focus
and my engry for me to move forward with my life and my path.

I always took it as a time to re asses and wittle away what was and wasnt
working for me personally in many aspects of my life.

We do have free will and there are points along the way that we are given
oppertunites to get off the Path as it were.

The afterwards I always found there was a renewning of faith or spirit.

sugardaddy

Off Topic.
Sugardaddy I only have so much patience,
if you cant contribute to the topic of a thread
do not post other matters in it.
Persisting with this will get you banned.

Thaed

Suaimhneach

Like we've all said Sugardaddy, we can't answer all of your questions for you, you need to find the answers yourself.

It's slightly impolite to ask something on every thread that is posted. I know you have a keen interest, but if you could focus your energy on reading books and learning rather than reading Boards.ie and posting here, maybe that'd answer your own question and also feed the hunger you have for knowledge.

Suaimhneach

NeilJ wrote:

Bit of a personal question so if no-one answers I won't be offended but Yule3's mention in their post about getting out of touch had me thinking. When I was "practising" wicca about 3 years I went through a patch where I found it really difficult to focus spirituality and my connection to Spirit seemed at times to be partically gone. After a period of time this changed and I reconnected with Spirit and with my practices and beliefs. But the point of this post (I knew I'd get there eventually) is that pagan friends of mine have also said they experienced this kind of spiritual doldrum and it tended to be around the 2 half/3 year mark from when they started to explore pagan beliefs. So I was wondering is this something that a lot of young pagans have experienced or just some?

Neil

I find it very easy to get distracted, as Thead said, with life in general. I live a very hectic life that requires my full attention, all of the time. So sometimes chilling out and slowing down enough is relatively difficult.

I have learnt though, to do so, because otherwise I would be totally disconnected all of the time.

I amn't and haven't practised anything, as such. So, the time line wouldn't be relavent to me I guess.

After the last An Fáinne Moot, wasn't there a discussion on how, once a Witch/Wiccan has "come out" to their friends and family, their lives generally do a reajusting period. Or is this topic entirely seperate to the concept here?

sugardaddy

ok i apologise for asking so many questions on another post,sorry about that.i wont let it happen again

NeilJ

Jesjes wrote:

After the last An Fáinne Moot, wasn't there a discussion on how, once a Witch/Wiccan has "come out" to their friends and family, their lives generally do a reajusting period. Or is this topic entirely seperate to the concept here?

For me that readjustment period was a bit different. Once my parents found out I was pagan I had to get used to the fact that I could now practice more openly as opposed to sneaking off to do ritual :rolleyes: I had been completely open about my beliefs when I started college so the friends issue was not a problem. Also I found I didn't have to be worried about being interupted in my room if doing ritual once my parents found out I was pagan which was kinda funny. They tended to leave me alone if they saw me going to the lighter fuel in the kitchen to fill my lighter (very pretty alchemy gothic zippo style lighter with a pentacle on the side, BD present from girlfriend ) and start lighting incense in my room. The only intrusion now was when I recently done a ritual in the shed at the end of my garden and my Mam came up to ask what I was up to in a more specific sense than the usual tree-hugging hippie pagan weird stuff. But that's really just cause as she's coming to accept my beliefs more she's actually becoming more curious about the specifics practises that I use. Was still funny however explaining in the most general sense what I was doing without giving her too much detail and also whilst stainding in the gap of the door so as not to let her see past me to the very crowed altar I had laid out on a collapsable workbence. There are someings that no matter how curious parents may be, they just are not ready to hear :rolleyes: In terms of spiritual displacement, just as yourself and Thaed both said I also find that it has generally happened during a couple of instances of great to-doing in my life. But each time I've refocused after I find I have a very definite, much stronger connection to Spirit afterwards also. I just found it interesting because the first time it happened I assumed that it was just a personal thing to me and never considered that it might be something that could happen to others.

Neil

Oryx

NeilJ wrote:

In terms of spiritual displacement, just as yourself and Thaed both said I also find that it has generally happened during a couple of instances of great to-doing in my life. But each time I've refocused after I find I have a very definite, much stronger connection to Spirit afterwards also. I just found it interesting because the first time it happened I assumed that it was just a personal thing to me and never considered that it might be something that could happen to others.

Neil

Not a pagan or wiccan, but something similar has happened and again it has to do with life stuff thats going on and where you need to focus your energy. And also when it comes back it is purer/stronger/better.

rcunning03

NeilJ wrote:

Bit of a personal question so if no-one answers I won't be offended but Yule3's mention in their post about getting out of touch had me thinking. When I was "practising" wicca about 3 years I went through a patch where I found it really difficult to focus spirituality and my connection to Spirit seemed at times to be partically gone. After a period of time this changed and I reconnected with Spirit and with my practices and beliefs. But the point of this post (I knew I'd get there eventually) is that pagan friends of mine have also said they experienced this kind of spiritual doldrum and it tended to be around the 2 half/3 year mark from when they started to explore pagan beliefs. So I was wondering is this something that a lot of young pagans have experienced or just some?

Neil

It's good to keep things balanced and not to be fixated constantly about spirituality, Sometimes it's good to put spirituality to one side and concetrate on your material happiness, then when your ready to focus again on your beliefs, they're still there just as strong as when you left them.