Hello Everyone,
I figured I’d write in and introduce myself. I’m “Cheryl” and I started watching Jessi’s channel in August and got completely hooked. So I started with Wise Ones and then upgraded almost 3 weeks ago. And I’m excited to be in the community.
Why I joined up?
This hang feels incredibly honest and inspiring. I love the approach.
Background:
I grew up in an eclectic household. We were like a microcosm of Unitarian Universalists -- atheists, agnostics, Christian, Eastern religions combined. So I started out Christian. But by 14, I was a devout atheist. Still, I wasn’t a nihilist atheist. I was a seeker. I wanted to know the TRUTH. I did Transcendental Meditation, studied Yoga (with a capital Y), studied Buddhism and Taoism for decades. But in the past 3-4 years, I realize I’m Pagan. (I used to jokingly say for the past 15 years, “I’m a Buddhist, Yogi, Pagan.” Kind of interesting that if you say that, people hear “Buddhist” or “Yoga” and not so much the Pagan part.)
But for decades, I have paid attention to (and have reverence for) cycles, nature, the wheel of existence. All things are in eternal, constant flux. The temporary state of being, ever shifting, is the nature of the universe.
But I’m also a non-dualist. Under the Pagan umbrella, I’m one of those who sees the ONE (the all, the OM, the Awen) as ONE... things exist in relation to other things. Yin/Yang is a lovely symbol for it, that inter-relation and inter-relationship. (I could wax poetic for a hundred hours on Yogic versus Buddhist versus Tao versus Pagan philosophies. I’ll just leave it here for now. 🙃 )
On Practice
I started (like sooooo many) reading books on Wicca and Paganism in general. And so, naturally, I had the usual tools for the Wiccan altar. But this has morphed into my own thing pretty quickly. I’m not big on saying things aloud or having some kind of ritual for everything. When I do a ritual, it’s going to be for a S’abat or a new moon/full moon spell. That’s because I think the act of a ritual (in it’s recipe and organization) makes it mean something more than the day-to-day, practice. It sets it apart in intention, energy and action.
For divination, I have tarot and oracle decks (a LOT of them). I do a daily tarot card, plus a weekly reading, plus a monthly reading, plus a new moon reading and a full moon reading and, and, and... I ♥️ tarot and oracles. I haven’t started reading for others yet. I’m still working on my own understanding of the cards. But I sense that I can be of help to others in the Tarot sooner rather than later.
Meanwhile, I’m an eternal student of how to weave safe, effective Hatha Yoga into pagan practice. I’ve been a yoga student since I was 14 (or so). That’s been about 4 decades.
But really what I am is a musical alchemist. I was born with music on the brain. And, though I’ve tried what feels like a million other hobbies, I always head home to music. I write music for all different occasions. I’m mainly a singer/songwriter. But I was also a classical musician (trained for decades to be one). Given this, I also write instrumentals. If you’re curious, I’m online at www.cherylfosteronline.com. (Note: I don’t write music to sell it. I donate any sales to animal rescue groups. I just write to support others and share in the human experience.)
May your spells be fruitful and your dreams realized,
)O(
