I know that since yesterday words have been spread like lightning on this subject - they will never be enough - but watching my son today I was thinking...
What's the best religion? Which is the right faith? Of course, there is no absolute truth about one's spiritual path - although the recent events tried to prove it wrong. For me, the best religion, the right faith, is the one you feel at home with. The faith you feel comforted, where you find, if not all the answers to this crazy world and how it works, at least some of them. The best religion is the one that makes yo put your head on your pillow at night, and feel covered by a mantle of inner peace, strenght and serenity face all the nonsense that is thrown at our faces everyday, no matter if you're Christian, Muslin, Jew, Hindu, Pagan... If it makes sense to you, it's your spiritual home, and if it's the right one for you, I'm happy for that.
I'm absolutely cozy and comfortable being pagan and I'm proud of raising my little son on my path - while teaching him about other faiths, and making sure he knows he's free to change his mind and go find another path that better suits his soul, if in the future he feels that paganism is not for him. I know that many parents choose to keep their kids on a neutral field, not wanting to influence them on their spirituality, but I think it's just natural that my son, while a kid, follows my religion. He's used to the scent of incenses and to the light of candle flames since he was in my belly. If I was Catholic, he would probably attend the Sunday mass with me. If I was a Jew, he would read the Torah with me, etc.
I never force him to celebrate sabbaths or to perform rituals/spells. He simply shows such interest and joy that it's a pleasure for me to answer his priceless, never-ending questions and to how him my point of view. He's such a precious little thing who's constantly challenging me to debate - almost like a grown-up - the many sides and possibilities of the spiritual world. He loves reading to me about deities' stories when I'm creating my Goddesses & Gods. He loves making his own potions and amulets, and performing his own rituals at his altar. He honors and respects the eldelry as they are the symbols of his ancestrals. He's taught to be graciously strong on his opinions, and to never bow down to anyone. "Question", I tell him, not to have a blind faith, and to understand that it's important to check facts before assuming.
Nature is sacred to us and he would never hurt or kill a living creature, because that's how I taught him, and he feels it's right. I try to keep my little witch's eyes open to the beauty surrounding him. To watch the lovely cloud patterns that are constantly changing in the sky, specially during these cold weather days. To enjoy watching and feeling the beautiful ancient trees along the streets and to pay attention to the little things that will make a difference in his mood when he's a grown-up man and hard days come and he'll need to feel centered somehow.
He reads about herbs, and is starting to be really interested on their magickal properties. He naturally worships the Goddess & the God, seeing them in every aspect of Nature, and in every aspect of himself.
One thing I tell him since tender ages is "Always respect others, to be respected as well." He even wrote about it in one of his school's compositions, so much I repeat it to him on a daily basis. Obviously we all know this is not so simple, but he will learn to deal with the complexities of my quote in the right time. If he truly understands and keeps it in his mind and heart for the future, I'm happy.
Never mock on anyone, never be arrogant to think your faith or your ideas are better than anyone else's, I tell him. Diversity is something to honor and respect. H's coming to an age that being different may have an extra weight on his or his little friends' shoulders, and I want to be sure he'll be prepared to stand up for what he think it's right without needing to be aggressive or mean. So far he's doing alright on his walk.
On a nutshell (a loooong nutshell, lol), this is how I how I share my spirituality with my son, and how I would really love to see him sharing his own chosen spirituality with his kids, someday. I hope to blessed enough to live to that day.
PS: Blame on my verborragy a super-late hours when I posted this. I forgot the most important! Let's keep voting for Kris and all the pagan blogs at Circle of Moms!! :)
I'm absolutely cozy and comfortable being pagan and I'm proud of raising my little son on my path - while teaching him about other faiths, and making sure he knows he's free to change his mind and go find another path that better suits his soul, if in the future he feels that paganism is not for him. I know that many parents choose to keep their kids on a neutral field, not wanting to influence them on their spirituality, but I think it's just natural that my son, while a kid, follows my religion. He's used to the scent of incenses and to the light of candle flames since he was in my belly. If I was Catholic, he would probably attend the Sunday mass with me. If I was a Jew, he would read the Torah with me, etc.
I never force him to celebrate sabbaths or to perform rituals/spells. He simply shows such interest and joy that it's a pleasure for me to answer his priceless, never-ending questions and to how him my point of view. He's such a precious little thing who's constantly challenging me to debate - almost like a grown-up - the many sides and possibilities of the spiritual world. He loves reading to me about deities' stories when I'm creating my Goddesses & Gods. He loves making his own potions and amulets, and performing his own rituals at his altar. He honors and respects the eldelry as they are the symbols of his ancestrals. He's taught to be graciously strong on his opinions, and to never bow down to anyone. "Question", I tell him, not to have a blind faith, and to understand that it's important to check facts before assuming.
Nature is sacred to us and he would never hurt or kill a living creature, because that's how I taught him, and he feels it's right. I try to keep my little witch's eyes open to the beauty surrounding him. To watch the lovely cloud patterns that are constantly changing in the sky, specially during these cold weather days. To enjoy watching and feeling the beautiful ancient trees along the streets and to pay attention to the little things that will make a difference in his mood when he's a grown-up man and hard days come and he'll need to feel centered somehow.
He reads about herbs, and is starting to be really interested on their magickal properties. He naturally worships the Goddess & the God, seeing them in every aspect of Nature, and in every aspect of himself.
One thing I tell him since tender ages is "Always respect others, to be respected as well." He even wrote about it in one of his school's compositions, so much I repeat it to him on a daily basis. Obviously we all know this is not so simple, but he will learn to deal with the complexities of my quote in the right time. If he truly understands and keeps it in his mind and heart for the future, I'm happy.
Never mock on anyone, never be arrogant to think your faith or your ideas are better than anyone else's, I tell him. Diversity is something to honor and respect. H's coming to an age that being different may have an extra weight on his or his little friends' shoulders, and I want to be sure he'll be prepared to stand up for what he think it's right without needing to be aggressive or mean. So far he's doing alright on his walk.
On a nutshell (a loooong nutshell, lol), this is how I how I share my spirituality with my son, and how I would really love to see him sharing his own chosen spirituality with his kids, someday. I hope to blessed enough to live to that day.
PS: Blame on my verborragy a super-late hours when I posted this. I forgot the most important! Let's keep voting for Kris and all the pagan blogs at Circle of Moms!! :)
