Just for the Helluvit

A few of the Pagan blogs that I read have been doing this Pagan questionnaire which is pretty cheesy in some parts. I do have a fondness for cheesy questionnaires, so I thought I would have a got at it too. Feel free to join in the fun! :D

B A S I C S

Do you have a magical/Pagan name?

Nope, and if I did I wouldn't share it.

What does it mean?
N/A
How did you find Paganism?
Through a couple of friends.

How long have you been practicing?
Practicing what, exactly? I have identified myself as a Pagan since I was about 16 or 17. I am a tad older than that now.

Solitary or group practitioner?
Both I suppose.

What is your path?
Irish Polytheist would probably be the most accurate description. Oh, and an animist.
Are you out of the broom closet?
At the moment I am. I am in my office.

D E I T Y

Who is your patron Deity?
Got four "household" deities: Macha, Airmid, Brigid & Flidais.

What Gods do you worship?
The Irish Pantheon

Do you fear darkly aspected Gods/Goddess, or rather respect them?
I don't see the gods as one-dimensional "dark or light aspects". I see them as full, rounded individuals just as people are. That said, I have at the very least a minimal respect for all gods of all pantheons and I wouldn't want to piss any of them off. I have a fondness for others, and I love and admire the gods of the pantheon that I worship.
Do you worship the Christian God?
No. We had a falling out a long time ago and haven't been on speaking terms since.

Do you ever worship animals?
I pay homage to and work with some animals.

Or plants?
The same as animals.

N A T U R E

Do you regularly commune with nature?
All the time. I hope that this is something that everyone does, whether they are Pagan or not.

Ever walked barefoot in the woods?
Yes, when the snow is not on the ground.

Taken a camping trip just to talk to nature?
Fortunately now I do not need to! But I still do enjoy camping.

Describe the moment you felt closest to Mother Earth?
Oh wouldn't you like to know. :p

Do you have a familiar?
Three.

Have you ever called upon the powers of an animal in ritual?
Yes.

Or a plant?
Yes.

Do you hug trees?
What hippie doesn't?

Give them gifts?
Often.

What is your favourite herb/flower to work with?
It depends what I am working with them for. The ones I most often work with are probably sweet woodruff, herb robert, tansy, monkshood, irish moss, henbane, lady's mantle, dandelions, woad, meadowsweet, juniper, wormwood, mistletoe, various ferns, valerian, mugwort, nightshade, wild roses, lemonbalm, mullein, sweet william, vipers bugloss, and foxglove.

What is your favourite tree to work with?
The rowan is definitely my favourite tree. I also often work with hawthorn, cedar, birch, witch hazel, oak, blackthorn, elder, and yew.

W H E E L O F T H E Y E A R

What is your favourite holiday?
I love all four of our festivals.
What is your least favourite holiday?
See above.
Have you ever held a ritual on a holiday?
Yep.
Ever taken a day off work to celebrate a Pagan holiday?
I work from home so that is not an issue. Previously I never asked for time off work for one. I organize around it.

Do you celebrate Yule on the 21 rather than the 25?
It is not one of my feast days, so I will celebrate it whenever friends and family are available.

Have you ever felt the veil thin?
Yes.

Ever danced the Maypole?
Once and I almost got tangled up.
Know what the Maypole symbolizes?
Something naughty, yet oh-so-nice.

How do you usually celebrate the Pagan holidays?
Feasting, offerings, rituals and feasting. Did I mention feasting?

D I V I N A T I O N

Do you use Tarot?
Yep.

Do you use runes?
Yep.

Do you use a pendulum?
Not anymore.

Do you use dowsing rods?
Never tried that, but it is interesting!

Do you use astrology?
Not really.

Any other form of divination?
Ogham, tealeaves, nature omens, and scrying. Oh and sometimes dreams if I can actually remember them.

S P E L L S

What was the first spell you did?
A very simple candle spell for success.

What was the latest?
A protection spell for someone else.

Ever done a love spell?
Yep.

A job spell?
Yep.

A healing spell?
Yep.

What was the most powerful spell you’ve ever performed?
That I am not divulging.

What deities do you usually call on?
For divination, ancestral workings, fertility and agriculture: Macha; working with herbs and healing: Airmid; lust, and workings involving the wild: Flidais; for household protection and domestic workings and issues: Brigid.

C R Y P T O Z O O L O G Y

Do you believe in Vampires?
The emotional and psychic variety, yes.

Werewolves?
I believe that there is a history of folks shapeshifting into wolves.

Shapeshifters?
See above.

Elves?
Yep.

Faeries?
Aren't Elves supposed to be in the Faery family? I believe that land spirits/spirits of a place exist.

Dragons?
Do komodo dragons count?

Nymphs?
Again, aren't they in the Faery family?

Sprites?
*ehem*
Mermaids?
*grrrr*
Satyrs?
*sigh*

Ever “seen” any of the above?
Even though we don't have it in Canada, I plead the fifth.

Ever talked to any of the above?
Ditto.

Ever used any of the above in magic?
Anyone who thinks that they can "use" them deserves whatever nastiness that comes with that idiotic line of thinking.

Do you have one of them as a personal guardian?
I have a few garden gnome statues. I am sure that they would make pretty decent weapons if an idiot decided to break into my home.

R A N D O M

Do you see a rabbit, a man or a woman in the moon?
There are all sorts of funky patterns on the face of the Moon.

Own a cat?
Technically he owns me.

When you meditate, what does your happy place look like?
Ever seen the original Wickerman?

Do you work with Chakras?
Nope.

Do you believe in past lives?
Yep.

If so, describe a few briefly:
Birth. Life. Death. Repeat.
Do you believe in soul mates?
I have spent the last decade or so thinking that I have found mine. With that kinda love it is hard not to believe.

Do you have a spirit guide?
Isn't this just another way of saying familiars or gods?

Is it always love and light?
What about the sparkles? I am a moody creature, so you figure that one out.
Well, it looks like my diversion from housework has come to an end. ;)
Sláinte!
Laurel