Special Topic: FlameKeeping

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[HeartShadow - Cutethulhu]

I would actually love to hear about how it came to be that you started writing your own religion, was there a catalyst, or was it an organic development from you trying to find your own path. Did you ever invisage that others would choose to follow the same path? Or has it all come as a bit of a surprise? Do you ever feel inadequate and that you have bitten off more than you can chew?Also what do you hope to get from flamekeeping (or not get), what your thoughts for the future develoment of the faith are, if any?

Lol a lot of questions I know but I have actually been considering doing something similar for a while, making my spiritual and in my case magical system a cogent tangible whole, that others could take and use. So I am very interested in hearing about your experiences

Well, it started with me trying to find a religion that fit me.  And I looked and I looked and I bent other religions in ways they just weren't meant to go, and nothing really fit.  So I started writing.

I actually never intended to *share* those writings, but I got godbothered into sharing them.  Basic idea is that it's a mindset that's important.  When you use this mindset to view the world, it can change things.

I never really expected to find other people on the same path, though .. part of me hoped, and part of me feared.  But they exist.

It's a LOT of work!

[gayars]

Cool!  This fits in with what I call my "code of honor".  It is very simple.  My goal in life is to leave the world a better place than I found it, to do more good than harm in my life.  I live by a set of rules, and try not to go against them, although if I do mess up, I can always tell it! My entire life is about service to others, being a nurturer, a caregiver.  I am a healer, and that is MY path.

Gina

What is FlameKeeping?

FlameKeeping is a religion that I am writing.  It is a pantheistic faith: the Universe is Divine, and It is more than the sum of Its parts.  It is also polytheistic: there are gods that are intermediaries between ourselves and the Divine.  Being closer to the Divine nature, They can see more clearly what's going on and what needs to be done.  Being individual, though, They can act in ways that appear to conflict with each other.

What is FlameKeeping to the individual?  It is a calling to improve the Universe, both by improving oneself and by improving the world around us.  Because we are of the Divine, improving ourselves improves the whole.  But we're only a small part of that Divine.  We must also reach out and improve the world around us, or we are neglecting our abilities.

To be a FlameKeeper is to be aware of our inner Divine Flames.  There is the Bright Flame, that which is what we show to the world around us and which guides us to others.  And there is the Dark Flame, the inner darkness that renews and heals us.

Joining FlameKeeping is a two-step process.  The first one is deciding FlameKeeping makes sense and studying it.  The second, and the one that makes you a "full" FlameKeeper, is adding to the religion.  This can be with another essay (as it has been so far), with artwork, with action, or anything else that shows that the ideas have been incorporated and added to.  If it adds and shows understanding, then that too is added to FlameKeeping and the person is considered a full member.

I'm more than willing to answer questions.  Also, everything is at my website, www.flamekeeping.org

[KatAutumn]

I'm more than willing to answer questions.  Also, everything is at my website, www.flamekeeping.org

First of all, major kudos to you and the other FlameKeepers for devising and expanding your own religion. Your website is very insightful, but I have a few questions for you:

1. Is FlameKeeping an offshoot of any particular path or tradition within Paganism, or is it its own separate, completely autonomous entity?

2. Is magic and spell craft involved as an integral part of your faith, or is the focus more on working on one's self and relationships with the Divine and those around you? Are magical practices compatible with FlameKeeping?

3. Are there any particular traditions/paths/religions that FlameKeeping is completely compatible with? Not compatible at all?

[HeartShadow - Cutethulhu]

First of all, major kudos to you and the other FlameKeepers for devising and expanding your own religion. Your website is very insightful, but I have a few questions for you:

1. Is FlameKeeping an offshoot of any particular path or tradition within Paganism, or is it its own separate, completely autonomous entity?

2. Is magic and spell craft involved as an integral part of your faith, or is the focus more on working on one's self and relationships with the Divine and those around you? Are magical practices compatible with FlameKeeping?

3. Are there any particular traditions/paths/religions that FlameKeeping is completely compatible with? Not compatible at all?

1. it's completely autonomous.  I looked around at a lot of different things, and I never found anything that *fit*.  There are bits and pieces which were inspired by other religions, but I cobbled it together into its own thing.

2. Magic is compatible with FlameKeeping, but it's not integral by any stretch.  It's more a personal choice.  I, personally, don't do magic at all.  I'm fairly certain some other FlameKeepers do use magic.  I think I wrote an essay about it somewhere ..... http://www.flamekeeping.org/?p=210  (man, I've GOT to update the table of contents!)

3. FlameKeeping is compatible with anything that allows for pantheism, and non-compatible with anything that doesn't.  So I've noticed a lot of overlap with, say, Kemeticism, and that could probably work together as I understand it.  It could probably overlap with at least some versions of Wicca.  It probably wouldn't work well with Christianity, and in many ways it's anti-Buddhism.  (and in other ways it's very similar to Buddhism.  nothing if not a paradox! )

I'm glad you're enjoying the website!  It's a lot of work, but a labor of love.

[Ocelot]

1. Is FlameKeeping an offshoot of any particular path or tradition within Paganism, or is it its own separate, completely autonomous entity?

Shadow's answer speaks for itself.

2. Is magic and spell craft involved as an integral part of your faith, or is the focus more on working on one's self and relationships with the Divine and those around you? Are magical practices compatible with FlameKeeping?

I think Magic, while not necessarily a part of FlameKeeping, is perfectly compatible. FlameKeeping teaches that the Divine is everything, and everything is interconnected and part of the Divine. Through that interconnection, I believe magic becomes possible by reaching out and interacting with other parts of the whole.

I believe that this interconnection is also what makes things like divination possible. The majority of magic that I participate in is fairly basic. Although I have an interest in ceremonial magic, I haven't really studied it enough. Most of what I do involves things like focusing energy, candle magic, repetitive  Authoritative speech, etc.

3. Are there any particular traditions/paths/religions that FlameKeeping is completely compatible with? Not compatible at all?

Like Shadow, I see a lot of overlap with Kemeticism, but that's mostly based on conversations with Kemetics and not from a real working knowledge of that path. FlameKeeping is a mindset dealing with our interaction with the divine both inwardly and outwardly. 

[Aster Breo]

3. FlameKeeping is compatible with anything that allows for pantheism, and non-compatible with anything that doesn't.  So I've noticed a lot of overlap with, say, Kemeticism, and that could probably work together as I understand it.  It could probably overlap with at least some versions of Wicca.

FWIW, FlameKeeping also seems to be compatible with what I'm currently (half jokingly, but half seriously) calling "Feral Brighideach".

As Shadow says, it's a *mindset*.

***

Edited because there is no "p" in "half".

[HeartShadow - Cutethulhu]

FWIW, FlameKeeping also seems to be compatible with what I'm currently (half jokingly, but half seriously) calling "Feral Brighideach".

As Shadow says, it's a *mindset*.

So, when am I getting your contributory essay?

*runs very fast*

[Aster Breo]

So, when am I getting your contributory essay?

*runs very fast*

What, you mean my essay on Brighid and Her relationship and similarity to other Celtic and non-Celtic goddesses, and my theory that Brighid was *one* name for an older primordial goddess who was worshipped under different names by different groups of people?

Sure.  How long does it have to be? 

[HeartShadow - Cutethulhu]

What, you mean my essay on Brighid and Her relationship and similarity to other Celtic and non-Celtic goddesses, and my theory that Brighid was *one* name for an older primordial goddess who was worshipped under different names by different groups of people?

Sure.  How long does it have to be? 

*ponders* I'm not sure how exactly that works with FlameKeeping, but hey, if you wanna add it to our body of knowledge .....

somewhere around the length of my other essays.  preferably with study questions.

*is all about the study questions*

[Purplewitch]

*is all about the study questions*

She was a teacher in a former life

[HeartShadow - Cutethulhu]

She was a teacher in a former life

former life, hell!

BOTH my parents are college profs!

[serpentrose]

former life, hell!

BOTH my parents are college profs!

My father's parents are retired professors, and once I learned this it explained some of his behavioral quirks.

Anywho I'm interested in joining flamekeeping. I've got an image in my mind that I hope to do justice to, and if i can do a decent job of it I'll send it to you. however since i'm very harsh about my own work I'll allow someone else to tell me if it's any good.

I've also posted some stuff on my LJ http://serpentrose.livejournal.com/134961.html which may or may not qualify. I wrote it a while ago and it kinda sorta maybe fits.

Also when I was wondering about the flamekeeping site I found that a number of the links were broken

[HeartShadow - Cutethulhu]

My father's parents are retired professors, and once I learned this it explained some of his behavioral quirks.

Anywho I'm interested in joining flamekeeping. I've got an image in my mind that I hope to do justice to, and if i can do a decent job of it I'll send it to you. however since i'm very harsh about my own work I'll allow someone else to tell me if it's any good.

I've also posted some stuff on my LJ http://serpentrose.livejournal.com/134961.html which may or may not qualify. I wrote it a while ago and it kinda sorta maybe fits.

Also when I was wondering about the flamekeeping site I found that a number of the links were broken

oooh, another person! 

I really like your post-bits.  Especially the second one and the last one, though I like the analogy, too.  (FlameKeeping is agnostic on the idea of reincarnation - I personally don't believe in it).  I think they'd make great essays.  And I like where you're going with it.

As far as broken links - I don't know where they are.  Could you email me with them or something, so I can take a look and a hammer to it?

[Lusiphelia]

  It probably wouldn't work well with Christianity, and in many ways it's anti-Buddhism.  (and in other ways it's very similar to Buddhism.  nothing if not a paradox! )

I'm curious to know what makes it anti-Buddhist.

[HeartShadow - Cutethulhu]

I'm curious to know what makes it anti-Buddhist.

Buddhism says that attachment is bad and should be avoided.  As I understand it (and I may well be wrong, in which case, I'd like to know more!) there's a certain anti-this-world aspect to it.

FlameKeeping is VERY specifically this-world.  There is no goal of getting off the reincarnation wheel or discarding karmic attachments or anything like that.  There is this world and it is GOOD.  We are individuals and it is GOOD.  We are part of a greater whole, yes, and that's important - but we're also individuals and that's important too.

I hope this makes sense.  If not, please, ask more questions.  I like questions.

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