Who is Ishaia?
I am Ishaia, a sojourner on a spiritual path. I have made quite a study of many paths, over
many years, including the ways of the Shaman, Wicca and many other pagan traditions. I am
not what most would call "pagan." I follow no tradition but my own, which I create anew
with each inspiration. I prefer the term "animist-pantheist," or perhaps "pantheistic
animist."
Animism means that I believe in the spirit or consciousness in all things, from
animals, birds and fish, to trees, rocks and mountains, even the wind, rain, sun, moon
and stars. I also believe in the ability to communicate with the spirit in all things.
Everything we can see, feel or experience is filled with Spirit. The Creator has left Its
essence in every particle of creation. We humans are each a product of the Creator,
therefore we each carry the Divine within us.
Pantheism has two meanings: first, that of believing in all Gods; second, that
of believing that Deity is in all things. In my case, I think that both meanings are
applicable to my personal spirituality. I honor all aspects of Deity, and view
religion as a tool for humans to connect with "God," whatever that means to an individual.
It is my belief that organized religion was originally invented as a way of controlling
the masses. "If you don't follow these rules, your punishment will follow you beyond the
grave for all of eternity." This is not to say that religion is "bad." However, I believe
that organized religion does not hold all spiritual truth, since spiritual truth
is sometimes a very personal thing.
I believe that no single religion holds the whole truth about Deity. It is much too
grand a concept for any single religion. All true religions in their purest form teach
love and respect for fellow humans. Anything else, in my humble opinion, is human drivel
and political nonsense.
Yet, perhaps "punishment" does follow us beyond the grave. That is the basic premise of
karma. However, my view of karma is less "punishment and reward," and more of
"repeating a lesson" and "graduating to the next level." Once we have fully learned a
life lesson, we no longer need to repeat it, thereby avoiding the pain and suffering
which often accompanies such lessons. I use the word "lesson" here to indicate a struggle
to "remember" who we are at the soul or Spirit level, and to become who we want to be.
I think of Deity like a great jewel, with many beautiful facets. You can look at the
jewel from afar, admiring its beauty without actually touching it. Or, you can pick it
up, hold it in your hand, and gaze at the wonder of it, losing yourself to its
exquisiteness. Perhaps, while you are holding it, you can even turn it around and look at
its many sides. Yet it is still the same jewel. (Many thanks to Skye for putting this
into words.)
So, why did I build this Lodge? Many reasons, I suppose. First, I am in the process of
re-creating myself spiritually. This can be a daunting task, as anyone who has tried it
can verify. In trying to put my beliefs into words, I am defining myself for myself.
Also, I think about all the seekers out there who are looking for some bit of "Truth"
which makes their Spirit sing, "YES!" Perhaps a little bit of what I've written here will
do that for someone else. If not, well it doesn't really matter to me. This is just a
space for me to air my views and to offer encouragement to others.
I feel very strongly that the internet is a wonderful place for people from all
walks of life and all parts of the planet to come together to create a new world
where we can all exchange ideas and beliefs without the current levels of intolerance
which seem to plague most organized religions. Even among Pagans, there are
groups who stick to the forms of ritual which they are taught, and complain bitterly
about those of other faiths, especially Christians. While Christianity has a long and
bloody past regarding pagan spirituality, the Burning Times were long ago. Let us hope
for and work toward peaceful acceptance among all faiths.
Let me be clear here about one thing: I am NOT Native American by ancestry or adoption.
Many might accuse me of "cultural appropriation" in my prayers and rituals. These things
I have learned through reading books, and personal instruction by individuals of
Native American ancestry and my Spirit Guides and Totems. I have adopted these ways
because they feel right to me, not because I want to be Native American. My Spirit
has recently experienced life as a young Native woman, and it wasn't an easy life, ending
in pain and tragedy at an early age. (Yes, I believe in reincarnation.) It is this
awareness of what it is to live with the traditions of Native cultures, and the
way it has affected my Spirit, that brings me this love of Native traditions. And the
artwork and designs of the Southwest are especially appealing to me.
Speaking of artwork, I have been mugged recently by several Muses at once, so I am learning
to create graphics electronically. I'm not sure which Muse is in charge of electronic art,
JPEGs and GIFs, but whoever she is, she has a mean right hook. Hence, I have begun to learn
the art of producing web graphics, such as that found on this site.
In case you are interested, I also hand-coded all the HTML in these pages. While
some find that challenge too difficult or boring, I have quite enjoyed it. It gives my
brain a workout while I am not working, and allows me a public forum to
put forth my opinions and describe my experiences. I think it's fun!
Finally, for the curious, my name is pronounced (ee-SHY-ah).
Lodge
| Ishaia
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Library
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