What is the underworld?

It's one version of the afterlife. Think Hades and Hell in Greek mythology (and please don't confuse it with the Christian concept of hell) where everybody goes where they die.

What do you believe happens when one dies?

I personally believe in reincarnation, though there is no one universal belief of the afterlife amongst Wiccans.

Have you seen your magick work in a powerful way (i.e., akin to someone praying for and feeling they received a miracle)? Does one's magick become more powerful the more you engage, or practice?

Certainly. I focus more on smaller spells. One recent example of this is a simple insight spell I cast for a friend who was having difficulty making an important decision. She was completely torn, but the day after I performed the ritual she was able to make a decision and felt completely at peace with her decision.

I don't think that magick becomes more powerful the more you practice, similarly to how your prayers won't be more powerful the more you pray. Your spells could become more articulate, better focused, or more streamlined as you practice more but that comes more from experience than true power.

Who responds to (answers?) your spells?

The Creator or the divine deities, or their spirits or essence.
It's not so much that they respond to my spells, but that their energy and power flows through me as I cast them.

Do you educate yourself mainly through reading/research? Or is information primarily passed down through meetings?

I personally do a lot of reading. There are a lot of blogs that I follow and because I'm academically inclined, I stay up to date on theological articles and publications.

Other Wiccans may get their information at official ritual meetings, informal gatherings of like-minded people, or magickal shops.

Are you a registered Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, (or attached to any other political party?).

I'm independent and am not registered for any party. I most strongly affiliate with the Green party but recognize that voting for more mainstream candidates who I can support is a better usage of my vote.

Interesting thread OP and I commend you on keeping the tone positive while clearly answering the questions!

Thank you! I hope I've been able to teach you something.

Do you consider yourself a witch? Are you aware of pantheism (nature is like God) and if so, how does Wicca compare or contrast to pantheism?

A relative close to me had a bout with a mental illness, and then turned Wiccan. Any insight into why?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could you tell us more about the Wiccan male goat god? While I find the communion with nature very attractive, I have a hard time getting past some aspects.

He's the lord of life, death, and the underworld. He comes in many forms, just as the Goddess comes in many forms. My favorite facet of him is the Green Man or Pan, where he represents vegetation. He's the god of the hunt and of masculine fertility.

What is the underworld?

What do you believe happens when one dies?

Have you seen your magick work in a powerful way (i.e., akin to someone praying for and feeling they received a miracle)? Does one's magick become more powerful the more you engage, or practice?

Who responds to (answers?) your spells?

Do you educate yourself mainly through reading/research? Or is information primarily passed down through meetings?

Are you a registered Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, (or attached to any other political party?).

Interesting thread OP and I commend you on keeping the tone positive while clearly answering the questions!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could you tell us more about the Wiccan male goat god? While I find the communion with nature very attractive, I have a hard time getting past some aspects.

He's the lord of life, death, and the underworld. He comes in many forms, just as the Goddess comes in many forms. My favorite facet of him is the Green Man or Pan, where he represents vegetation. He's the god of the hunt and of masculine fertility.

So when first considering Wicca, what brought you to the conclusion that the goat God is in fact a real entity?

The same way that I imagine most religious people come to the conclusion that their deity is real: faith.

So you seem to be saying that Wiccans believe in the gods/goddesses as distinct, separate, entities? I assumed that Wiccans viewed them as separate faces or personalities of the same source.

No, you're correct. There's one overarching source of power (I sometimes call this the Creator) with two distinct facets, the Goddess and the God.

I have heard this compared to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit aspect of Christianity in that they are all all divine and one and the same, but different and distinct.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could you tell us more about the Wiccan male goat god? While I find the communion with nature very attractive, I have a hard time getting past some aspects.

He's the lord of life, death, and the underworld. He comes in many forms, just as the Goddess comes in many forms. My favorite facet of him is the Green Man or Pan, where he represents vegetation. He's the god of the hunt and of masculine fertility.

So when first considering Wicca, what brought you to the conclusion that the goat God is in fact a real entity?

The same way that I imagine most religious people come to the conclusion that their deity is real: faith.

So you seem to be saying that Wiccans believe in the gods/goddesses as distinct, separate, entities? I assumed that Wiccans viewed them as separate faces or personalities of the same source.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

A world where everybody lived like me and defined for ourselves what is right and what is wrong would be beautiful. There would be harmony as we would all realize that treating each other poorly is wrong. We would live side by side, hand by hand, helping each other to grow and thrive. We would revere and take care of our planet and all of its inhabitants.

Nature is not always about harmony, love, and helping each other growth and thrive. Nature is sometimes "red in tooth and claw," as Tennyson said, with animals that fight each other to the death over territory and mating grounds. As, unfortunately, are the human beings who are very much a part of nature. How does that darker side, without a devil/evil, fit into your faith?

On a related theme, you have said you don't believe in organized religion, but you think everybody should decide for themselves what is right and wrong. Do you envisage a sort of utopia of better humans, or do you see a continuing role for government and laws in this?

Of course those things happen. They're part of the life cycle. I may be optimistic and idealistic, but I'm not unaware. I realize that the darker side of life exists, but their actions are their choices and how I respond to them are mine. I choose to respond by offering positive energy to either change their mind or simply to try and balance out the negativity that they produce.

I think that in an ideal world, the government and the people in it share the same goal in doing all they can to better the world. I think, and this is solely my opinion and not that of others who practice my religion, government should exist to help its citizens thrive. It shouldn't control them and should share the same views of its citizens. I have no idea how we as a world can get there and am definitely not an expert on politics.

OP here again, and I realize now that that line came across as mean-spirited. I apologize for that; I'm just very passionate about responding!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

A world where everybody lived like me and defined for ourselves what is right and what is wrong would be beautiful. There would be harmony as we would all realize that treating each other poorly is wrong. We would live side by side, hand by hand, helping each other to grow and thrive. We would revere and take care of our planet and all of its inhabitants.

Nature is not always about harmony, love, and helping each other growth and thrive. Nature is sometimes "red in tooth and claw," as Tennyson said, with animals that fight each other to the death over territory and mating grounds. As, unfortunately, are the human beings who are very much a part of nature. How does that darker side, without a devil/evil, fit into your faith?

On a related theme, you have said you don't believe in organized religion, but you think everybody should decide for themselves what is right and wrong. Do you envisage a sort of utopia of better humans, or do you see a continuing role for government and laws in this?

Of course those things happen. They're part of the life cycle. I may be optimistic and idealistic, but I'm not unaware. I realize that the darker side of life exists, but their actions are their choices and how I respond to them are mine. I choose to respond by offering positive energy to either change their mind or simply to try and balance out the negativity that they produce.

I think that in an ideal world, the government and the people in it share the same goal in doing all they can to better the world. I think, and this is solely my opinion and not that of others who practice my religion, government should exist to help its citizens thrive. It shouldn't control them and should share the same views of its citizens. I have no idea how we as a world can get there and am definitely not an expert on politics.

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

A world where everybody lived like me and defined for ourselves what is right and what is wrong would be beautiful. There would be harmony as we would all realize that treating each other poorly is wrong. We would live side by side, hand by hand, helping each other to grow and thrive. We would revere and take care of our planet and all of its inhabitants.

Nature is not always about harmony, love, and helping each other growth and thrive. Nature is sometimes "red in tooth and claw," as Tennyson said, with animals that fight each other to the death over territory and mating grounds. As, unfortunately, are the human beings who are very much a part of nature. How does that darker side, without a devil/evil, fit into your faith?

On a related theme, you have said you don't believe in organized religion, but you think everybody should decide for themselves what is right and wrong. Do you envisage a sort of utopia of better humans, or do you see a continuing role for government and laws in this?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could you tell us more about the Wiccan male goat god? While I find the communion with nature very attractive, I have a hard time getting past some aspects.

He's the lord of life, death, and the underworld. He comes in many forms, just as the Goddess comes in many forms. My favorite facet of him is the Green Man or Pan, where he represents vegetation. He's the god of the hunt and of masculine fertility.

So when first considering Wicca, what brought you to the conclusion that the goat God is in fact a real entity?

The same way that I imagine most religious people come to the conclusion that their deity is real: faith.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could you tell us more about the Wiccan male goat god? While I find the communion with nature very attractive, I have a hard time getting past some aspects.

He's the lord of life, death, and the underworld. He comes in many forms, just as the Goddess comes in many forms. My favorite facet of him is the Green Man or Pan, where he represents vegetation. He's the god of the hunt and of masculine fertility.

So when first considering Wicca, what brought you to the conclusion that the goat God is in fact a real entity?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is clearly being very selective in the posts she is commenting on.

As is her right to not engage BelieverTroll.

Oh please. Anybody who does organized religion is a troll and their questions are automatically illegitimate? You sound like a troll yourself....

Anonymous wrote:OP is clearly being very selective in the posts she is commenting on.

Please bump any posts that I haven't responded to. I probably simply missed them.

Anonymous wrote:OP is clearly being very selective in the posts she is commenting on.

As is her right to not engage BelieverTroll.

OP is clearly being very selective in the posts she is commenting on.