what is the core of your tradition?

[bgruagach]

As an eclectic Wiccan who doesn't follow an established tradition, I consider the following things to be the core of my spiritual path. Everything else is just elaboration or interpretation.

- the Wiccan Rede: "An it harm none, do what you will."
- the Charge of the Goddess.
- the Principles of Wiccan Belief document.

What do others consider the core of their specific traditions? I'm curious to see specifically what other Wiccans, non-Wiccan Witches, and other types of Pagans say so we can see how they compare. It would also be interested to see what some non-Pagans consider to be the core of their beliefs too.

[Vajradhara]

Namaste all,


the basic "core" of my tradition is called the 4 Noble Truths, which are:

1. Suffering exists.

2. Suffering has an identifiable cause: Desire to be and to have.

3. That cause may be terminated.

4. The means by which that cause may be terminated is the Noble Eightfold Path.

[Sisetekh]

- Hard Polytheism, although many other Kemetics are Monolatrous (sp?)
- Ma'at and Heka, as the untranslatable concepts and the Goddesses (Ma'at mostly described as "truth and order" and heka being translated as "magic" or "power of speech."
- Senut/Daily Rite
- Ancestor reverence
- I don't have a word for this, but one thing I make sure to do is keep the Gods and other beings in my mind constantly. When an event happens, I automatically connect it with a God or Goddess.

[Susma Rio Sep]

Three replies so far.

For me, the best and most instructive or man-in-the-street response is the one of Vajradhara, because anyone with a knowledge of basic English can understand what he says about the core of his tradition.

I suggest that people wishing to reply here abstain from expressing their ideas with more unknown ideas or words. And those who have already sent their replies, please read them again and send more man-in-the-street redactions of your replies.

Thanks for your help in my education.

Susma Rio Sep

Originally Posted by Vajradhara

Namaste all,


the basic "core" of my tradition is called the 4 Noble Truths, which are:

1. Suffering exists.

2. Suffering has an identifiable cause: Desire to be and to have.

3. That cause may be terminated.

4. The means by which that cause may be terminated is the Noble Eightfold Path.

[PersonaNonGrata]

what is your reply Susma, sir?



there's a paradox in here.. hmmmm

[Susma Rio Sep]

My present attitude about my own religious tradition is described by myself as Postgraduate Catholicism.

I understand Postgraduate Catholicism as the regard in my heart and mind for my religion as similar to my regard for a particular hairdo, meaning: hair is not absolutely necessary to stay alive, but it is better to have it than not; but more important, this or that hairdo is a completley faddish matter.

So, knowing as I claim to know more than others about my erstwhile faith, I now consider practically all of them as not absolutely necessary for life here and here-after, and each particular of them as completely a matter of personal luxury or at most convenience: social, cultural, psychological, personal, or even material.

I guess that's not saying what is my tradition in regard of what I consider to be its core.

The Apostles' Creed plus the Vatican, I think would describe very core-wise the core of my erstwhile tradition.

If you don't know about the Apostles' Creed, here is the shortest and maybe earliest official version.

(If my memory serves me right.)

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;

He descended into hell, the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
From thence He shall come back to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
The communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.

Fellow Christians here with a knowledge of early Christianity, did I recite that creed correctly?

Susma Rio Sep

[Erynn]

I would say that the core of my personal tradition, which is a Celtic Reconstructionist path, consists of nine basic ethical concepts:

honor
justice
loyalty
courage
community
hospitality
gentleness
wisdom
eloquence

Above these nine stand the three virtues that sustained Fionn and the Fianna, quoted from The Colloquy of the Ancients; truth, strength and fulfillment, and the Gaulish exhortation to worship the Gods.

[PersonaNonGrata]

I and myself consider the following things to be the core of my spiritual path.

* respect (in every sense of understanding of it)
* curiosity, questioning
* courage
* honesty
* meek(ity)
* knowing yourself, your capabilities and every single molecule that is inside you
* saluting the One's every single living creature
* thankfulness
* following the natural path that guides you





going to athens for olympics, catch you around..