Walking your Path

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[Juniper]

Here on TC, many refer to their religion as their path. For instance, I see the words 'my path' just as often as I see the words 'my faith'.

So I ask those of you that do; why do you refer to your religion as a path?

Is your path linear? Ie; does it have a starting point, and a destination? Or would you say that you are on more of a spiral path? One where there is no beginning, nor end?

Whether or not my path has a destination or not is something that I regularly wonder to myself. Yet I always think that if it does, or if it doesn't, I'm really enjoying the view along the way!

How about you?

[Syrbal]

Here on TC, many refer to their religion as their path. For instance, I see the words 'my path' just as often as I see the words 'my faith'.

I refer to it as my path and not my "faith" because I dislike the connotations of the word faith.  I don't believe in "faith" as it is often used, to denote holding to a belief in spite of contrary evidence or no evidence whatsoever.  I don't have ANY faith in anything except experience and my own UPG.

Is your path linear? Ie; does it have a starting point, and a destination? Or would you say that you are on more of a spiral path? One where there is no beginning, nor end?

Linear in terms of a starting point, yes.  As to destination....well, that is less certain.  I get a bit Zen at that point in the discussion: it is the journey itself that counts more than where I am going.  Whether it spirals or not, lol, well, I admit to sometimes feeling as if I am going in circles even when not literally upon the Labyrinth, but I don't think that is what you mean.

[dragonfly_high]

So I ask those of you that do; why do you refer to your religion as a path?

Is your path linear? Ie; does it have a starting point, and a destination? Or would you say that you are on more of a spiral path? One where there is no beginning, nor end?

Whether or not my path has a destination or not is something that I regularly wonder to myself. Yet I always think that if it does, or if it doesn't, I'm really enjoying the view along the way!

How about you?

I refer to my religion as a path.  Faith is, IMO, believing and never questioning.  My path is continually changing and growing.  It did have a starting point, but it's not linear or spiral.  I think it wanders everywhere, kinda like a path through a woods or garden.  Not straight and not necessarily spiral.  It wanders here and there.  As for the destination, no clue where I'll end up and what happens after I leave this life? No clue, part of the fun.    The discovering and learning.

And yes, I AM enjoying the journey.

[skybyrd]

Here on TC, many refer to their religion as their path. For instance, I see the words 'my path' just as often as I see the words 'my faith'.

So I ask those of you that do; why do you refer to your religion as a path?

Is your path linear? Ie; does it have a starting point, and a destination? Or would you say that you are on more of a spiral path? One where there is no beginning, nor end?

Whether or not my path has a destination or not is something that I regularly wonder to myself. Yet I always think that if it does, or if it doesn't, I'm really enjoying the view along the way!

How about you?

When I use the term "path", I use it mostly out of habit.  The first pagan internet group I joined was a mailing list named "Finding the Path".  It was a small group of about 10 women (including me) who discussed beliefs, faiths, ideas, ideologies, divinity, the meaning of life and all that good stuff.  Their support really helped me accept my inner pagan.  

Thinking about it metaphorically, I think that "path" doesn't apply to my spiritual growth, more like "Off road hike, with minimal knowledge of the terrain, and only my sense of purpose to guide me."  Though I think I may continue to use "path" as it's alot shorter to type.  

[Kasmira]

Here on TC, many refer to their religion as their path. For instance, I see the words 'my path' just as often as I see the words 'my faith'.

So I ask those of you that do; why do you refer to your religion as a path?

Is your path linear? Ie; does it have a starting point, and a destination? Or would you say that you are on more of a spiral path? One where there is no beginning, nor end?

Whether or not my path has a destination or not is something that I regularly wonder to myself. Yet I always think that if it does, or if it doesn't, I'm really enjoying the view along the way!

How about you?

My path is a path precisely because it is a journey and not a destination. It is all about learning and moving forward, not about coming to some final and glorious conclusion. As far as what kind of path, I guess it is kind of like walking around on the British public path system. The different routes you can take branch of every which way and are sometimes in the most unlikely of places, and you never know quite what your path is until you see a turning and your foot comes down going in a new direction. It really is a path, not just a place. It is where I have been, where I am, and where I am going all at once. Does this make any sense?

[Aisling]

So I ask those of you that do; why do you refer to your religion as a path?

Is your path linear? Ie; does it have a starting point, and a destination? Or would you say that you are on more of a spiral path? One where there is no beginning, nor end?

At this point, "path" works for me because religion for me is a spiritual journey, rather than a doctrine of beliefs. There really isn't a beginning or end that I can see to it. Spiral probably isn't quiet the right description; it's more of a never-ending road. As far as I can tell, the journey will go on as long as I'm a sentient being.

[Altair]

Here on TC, many refer to their religion as their path. For instance, I see the words 'my path' just as often as I see the words 'my faith'.

So I ask those of you that do; why do you refer to your religion as a path?

Others have already described how path better describes a journey without any intended destination, rather than faith, with its connotations for many of blind obedience to dogma.

The only thing I'll add is what another pagan, who like me practices a nature-based religion, once said to me: Faith implies that you believe things that aren't tangible. For those of us who believe in a manifest deity--the earth, the whole damn universe, as a living goddess--the tenets of your belief are in every breeze, in the ground beneath your feet, in the sun and the rain...entirely tangible and real. So faith is the wrong word.

[Jenett]

Here on TC, many refer to their religion as their path. For instance, I see the words 'my path' just as often as I see the words 'my faith'.

So I ask those of you that do; why do you refer to your religion as a path?

I try not to - but I use both words. Here's why.

My religion is what I share with my tradition mates (a small number) and more broadly than that (depends on how you define, but I'd roughly define it as 'religious mystery focused initiatory traditions involving witchcraft and polytheism' though there's certainly a number of other religions close enough to produce great conversation and discussion.)

My path? It's got all of that in it. But it also includes what I do on my own. It's about commitments to the Great Library, and to the music of the spheres. It's about my duties to M'Lady, and my conversations with Himself [1]. It's about why I read which forums and books and websites I do, and why I've got a particular playlist on at the moment, and about my quote deck. It's about playing the harp, and singing, and thinking of learning more about herbalism. No one else has this exact same combo.

In other words - there's no one else on *my path*. There are other people in my religion. Keeping the two words distinct in my head helps me talk about a bunch of stuff more clearly.  I try to keep the phrasing separate, though I admit I don't always manage it.

[1] The names I use in public for the deities I work with personally, as the names I have for them are not-very-descriptive use-names, one of which looks really weird in sentences without context.)

[Melamphoros]

So I ask those of you that do; why do you refer to your religion as a path?

I don't use the word faith because it essentially means to follow something without question.  I think it's dangerous to not question things even a little bit.  I don't consider my path to be spiral because it does have a starting point.  It's not linear because it twists and turns.  Where it goes is a mystery and to tell truth, I think it is more about the journey than the destination.

[Hyacinth Belle]

Here on TC, many refer to their religion as their path. For instance, I see the words 'my path' just as often as I see the words 'my faith'.

So I ask those of you that do; why do you refer to your religion as a path?

Is your path linear? Ie; does it have a starting point, and a destination? Or would you say that you are on more of a spiral path? One where there is no beginning, nor end?

Whether or not my path has a destination or not is something that I regularly wonder to myself. Yet I always think that if it does, or if it doesn't, I'm really enjoying the view along the way!

How about you?

You know, I was just thinking about this whole "path" business a little bit ago. I agree with everything people have said so far; I think this is a really nice thread.

I think the other reason I identify with the term is that I am quite eclectic in nature. The term "faith" seems too limiting to me; I almost connotate it with "religion" in that I see it as more of a... cohesive term. Whereas my "faith" can be all over the place, so Path feels more right. It also seems like a bit of connection to identifying as Pagan, and I like that as well.

For me, I see my path as curvy, but not really a spiral. I might loop back occasionally, but even then I'm coming to the same thing in all different directions. And the main movement overall is forward. "Ever upward and on" is a bit of a personal mantra!

[dragonfly_high]

For me, I see my path as curvy, but not really a spiral. I might loop back occasionally, but even then I'm coming to the same thing in all different directions. And the main movement overall is forward. "Ever upward and on" is a bit of a personal mantra!

That's what I meant. You said way better then me.

[Juniper]

The only thing I'll add is what another pagan, who like me practices a nature-based religion, once said to me: Faith implies that you believe things that aren't tangible. For those of us who believe in a manifest deity--the earth, the whole damn universe, as a living goddess--the tenets of your belief are in every breeze, in the ground beneath your feet, in the sun and the rain...entirely tangible and real. So faith is the wrong word.

That strikes a chord with me, so I think I'll jot that down in my journal somewhere. What a lovely way of putting it.

[Star]

Here on TC, many refer to their religion as their path. For instance, I see the words 'my path' just as often as I see the words 'my faith'.

So I ask those of you that do; why do you refer to your religion as a path?

I use the word "path" in discussions here not because I apply it to my own religious choices a lot, but because I know some people have issues with the word "religion" and I don't want those issues to get in the way of the conversation.  (Same reason you'll seldom see me talk about worshipping here; it's a baggage-free word for me and I honestly think it describes my practice best, but I know that others find the idea of "worship" repulsive, so I tend toward "honor" or "follow" or occasionally "work with".)

In the privacy of my own mind, I think of my religion as "my religion" because...  that's what it is.  I don't often think of it as "my faith", but not for the same reasons others have given here.  Again, I just don't see the word the same way other people seem to.  I don't see it as a negative thing or a word that indicates blind obedience.  However, I also don't see it as a word interchangeable with "religion" (or "path"); to me, it describes a kind of belief and trust--I'm not saying this right, but at 5:30am I can't quite find the words.  At any rate, not what I'd call a religion.  So I don't use it that way.

[Waldfrau]

I use the word "path" in discussions here not because I apply it to my own religious choices a lot, but because I know some people have issues with the word "religion" and I don't want those issues to get in the way of the conversation.  (Same reason you'll seldom see me talk about worshipping here; it's a baggage-free word for me and I honestly think it describes my practice best, but I know that others find the idea of "worship" repulsive, so I tend toward "honor" or "follow" or occasionally "work with".)

Oh my, isn't there a glossary somewhere of 'words that could be difficult in the Pagan community'? I find it often difficult to know what which word implies and may be offensive to whom. 

When I use 'religion' or 'religiousity' I often use it in the wider sense of following a way of life, having an idea about the universe and your place in it, having a specific worldview on the sacred, divine or deity, etc. I know a lot of people associate 'religious' with 'organized religions', but I didn't know Pagans do too.

I like the idea of path as something you might have to search and even when you've found a path you don't always know exactly were it will lead to. I see a path as something that doesn't need a destiny, it could just end into another path or have several destinies which are just like resting points or points where something ends and something new begins. I like the idea of personal discovery and development in the idea of a personal path.

I don't talk of having a 'path' at the moment, because I feel like standing at a crossroad and thinking about where to go, but maybe that crossroad is part of my path...

This thread gave me a lot of food for thoughts, thank you.

[FallenSaynte]

Here on TC, many refer to their religion as their path. For instance, I see the words 'my path' just as often as I see the words 'my faith'.

So I ask those of you that do; why do you refer to your religion as a path?

Is your path linear? Ie; does it have a starting point, and a destination? Or would you say that you are on more of a spiral path? One where there is no beginning, nor end?

Whether or not my path has a destination or not is something that I regularly wonder to myself. Yet I always think that if it does, or if it doesn't, I'm really enjoying the view along the way!

How about you?

I call it a path because its like exploring a part of the forest one has never been in before. There is a destination I'm sure but I have no idea what it is so I am going to walk on the path and while seeing where it leads me I am going to experience and be one with the scenery along the way. Then when I get to the end no matter what it is I will not be dissapointed cause the walk was so damned full of things.

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