A calling or a choice?

I've been perusing the posts in the "paganism" section of the TOTJO forum today, seeing some interesting topics but not posting until now as most of the discussions seem to be dated. And I'm having the strangest experience.

Over many, many years, I've been exposed intermittently to various forms of paganism - sometimes in a focused way, while at others in a way that mixes pagan perspectives with other traditions, both Eastern and Western. I've considered focusing on the pagan path from time to time, but usually withdrawn ... partly due to limits of time and energy, and also probably due in part to a very long journey trying to expunge the effects of a relatively fundamentalist upbringing from my psyche.

Reading the various pagan topics here, I once again feel an unspoken call, one that I've felt before when exposed to pagan ideas and practices. It's as if something or someone kindly but somewhat forcefully tugs at my heart, messaging me in a nonverbal way - "come home, this way, you belong here."

Now maybe that's just my imaginative nature at work. Or, maybe it's something real ... which is my leaning, since this has recurred over a long period more times than I could count. So I'm wondering, dear reader ... do you perceive that we are called to a particular path, that our destiny draws us to a certain way, or do you think it is purely a matter of intentional choice?

kekekek.


My "Calling" is....a thing. A thing that in some way defines who I am. Ask me what I am, or what I want to be, and I will tell you that thing.

But it is utter bollocks.

"we are what we repeatedly do" and whilst I might internally try to call myself something, or in some way believe that is the path I am on...


It looks to everyone else (and me, if I care to look) as though I am on a completely different path, as I keep doing things consistent with that path.


If paganism "calls" to you, who am I to argue?

but unless those beliefs are actively shaping and guiding the things you do every day....

Well, it's so many unread books on a bookshelf innit.

Try my friend , try. Kit is the special interest groups - Pegan type. Send her a pm here and see what y’all can do.

https://www.templeofthejediorder.org/community/14182-kit


As far as a calling : my hope here in this Temple is that we as modern day Jeddist use our label or identity to grow. GROW! TRY! You’ll never know until you try. Myself , I’m a bit of a Wlock myself with ties to nature and natural law - rede ready and wand as well.

My advise to anynome in question :Try - and learn then make your calling or your choice. Only you can make that desision , and who better to entrust that to than you !
May the Force be with you and may you continue to find it AS you seek it my friend !

For many years, I feel that my calling is Spirituality ... When I was at university, I wrote a diploma about attempts to unite the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. Then I read a lot about Christian theology. He wanted to enroll in a Catholic seminary. But, I realized that my parents would soon need my financial assistance. And the priests do not earn enough money to help their families. But, for self-education, I later studied at the Ukrainian Catholic University (this is for laymen, not priests).
In Jedaism, both at the very beginning and after, I was most interested in philosophy. Probably, precisely because this is my vocation, I finally returned to Jediism.

I think we realize we're all going to die, and that constitutes the ultimate sacrifice of self - and so we seek out some avenue of effort which might connect our worldly existence to that sacrifice, such that the service to it then becomes considered a calling just because its so much deeper then any other concept like rewards, morals, ethics etc! In short a calling can be anything which integrates death as a likely outcome of service IMO.

So those who receive a calling are perhaps those who feel a dutiable intention to a life long pursuit of this, until the very end (and perhaps beyond it!). To me that is an essence of what Jedi Knighthood also represents, and calling of the Force adherent to acknowledge their existing lifelong commitment to relating to it. In the same way I felt a calling to military service but given health circumstances was unable and so spirituality was the next thing in line.... and for me in another way Jediism blends those things as well sometimes.

To me though it is a choice, and all things are, its just rather that we don''t realize how powerful every little bit of environmental and conscious reinforcement of ideas and concepts can construct our worldview which shapes our choices across every facet of our experience of self in existence.

Omhu Cuspor wrote: Now maybe that's just my imaginative nature at work. Or, maybe it's something real ... which is my leaning, since this has recurred over a long period more times than I could count. So I'm wondering, dear reader ... do you perceive that we are called to a particular path, that our destiny draws us to a certain way, or do you think it is purely a matter of intentional choice?

Of course it's a calling. It is a calling based on belief called passion! And it's not based in any selfless nonsense like service. In fact it is the most selfish thing you will ever pursue, and that's ok. Your personal path is the most intimate thing you will ever pursue so dont ever tie that to a dogma or otherwise restrictive paradigm. Instead just let the wisdom flow naturally. Doing that will never leave you disillusioned.

Oh I'll bite, as nonsense is everywhere... but service need not be selfless, and selfless service need not be nonsense, though I'm sure both can be

I think concepts like destiny are examples of superficial vantage and that a calling is in its essence a pursuit of a 'penetrating wisdom' into that space the calling emerges from, to overcome that initial vantage point. When I say superficial I don't mean to be negative, but rather that is of appearances more then of essence.... and that appearances can be either genuine natures of the interaction of essence with circumstance, or conceptual constructs from cogitating about circumstance. In contrast to penetrating insight which is more about the generation of wisdom and higher experience (and therefore capability), probably.

Adder wrote: Oh I'll bite, as nonsense is everywhere... but service need not be selfless, and selfless service need not be nonsense, though I'm sure both can be

Sure, but I did not say either of those things. I said the calling is based on passion. That passion may be service but the calling is not.

Everything is a calling, calling to you.

It's your choice to pursue it or not.

Omhu Cuspor wrote: So I'm wondering, dear reader ... do you perceive that we are called to a particular path, that our destiny draws us to a certain way, or do you think it is purely a matter of intentional choice?

When you walk, do your feet move forward on the ground, or does the ground below you gets shifted while you remain in the same place? Does it matter?

It's both!

I could have chosen something different. But I chose to heed the call as I didn't fancy the potential consequences.

Imagine your mother is calling to you from across the house. Sure, you have the option to ignore it, but you will most likely face consequences if you do.

Coming originally from a Christian background and finding solace and meaning in pagan practice, I have found that the unconscious will guide you to where you belong. That being said the unconscious also gets it wrong too.

If you feel drawn to paganism, give it a try. It's not always for everyone but, it's your choice in the end. There is nothing say, "No!!! YOU BELONG TO US NOW AND THERE IS NO ESCAPE!! RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!!" I have known people who have taken a hiatus from the pagan tradition for years then came back.

Tealth wrote: Coming originally from a Christian background and finding solace and meaning in pagan practice, I have found that the unconscious will guide you to where you belong. That being said the unconscious also gets it wrong too.

If you feel drawn to paganism, give it a try. It's not always for everyone but, it's your choice in the end. There is nothing say, "No!!! YOU BELONG TO US NOW AND THERE IS NO ESCAPE!! RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!!" I have known people who have taken a hiatus from the pagan tradition for years then came back.

This! Soooo this! If your instincts are screaming at you, give your interest a chance. If it's not for you, you can always continue your way along another path It's not like Gods are going to smite you for choosing the 'wrong' faith, LOL.

For those who have been called things often look like " that song or that calling."

To those who choose, things look like options.

Some one with a hammer often sees things like a nail head...

I think its as important to make a choice in ones faith and practices so... they can grow even more.


Just my own opinion.

I agree with Lykeios but only somewhat. I would say that the calling part urges you toward paths that will get you to where you need to be. The choice comes in when you try different paths and then find one that resonates with you. This could be years in each path or just an afternoon with a group of like-minded individuals but the choice part is the conscious part and the calling is the unconscious part.

I have always felt that I had some sort of spiritual calling. I have tried a few different approaches, some more than once. I have never really been happy with any one particular path or even ideology until coming across Jediism. I am choosing to pursue this because it makes sense to me and it resonates with how I feel Divine Energy works. I have believed for as long as I can remember that any one of the major religions were lacking in some respect or were off to me in some way. I could never put my finger on it. All of the urging I felt that led me to yet another doorstep were preparing me to get here.

My choice is to be a Jediist because I want to deepen my connection with the Force, God, or whatever you want to call it. I know this divine energy, I can feel it. As far as the dogmatic doctrine goes, I look at that as just not being a jerk. That doctrine is basically a list of things that everybody should already be doing, myself included. Who wouldn't want to be able to say that they follow that. It's inspirational. If everyone would just do one or two things out of the doctrine the world would indeed be transformed.

In other words yes, I think it is both. The calling says "Hey, you are supposed to be something more than you are. Here are some options, go check them out." The choice is you understanding that and finding what makes you happy. It is a lifelong journey but it is supposed to be. You are led by this calling learning, seeking and yearning for something you can call your own. Something that makes you want to live, something magical. When you realize this you can begin to choose.