What resourses help you clarify and understand your faith?

[Meiri]

And I mean for this to be open to All.

The book that really got my brain moving in different paths has little to do with religion. Seven Arrows by Hyemeyohsts Storm. This and The Little Prince would be two I could live with on a desert island, maybe. Limiting myself to two books would be almost like dying though.

More recently Pagans & Christians: The Personal Religious Experience by Gus DiZerega educated me even more, on how the two families of religions differ and are similar Both at the same time.

I'm reading and studying more in Celtic rather than Wiccan traditions now.

IMBAS. org is an excellent website, as is Clannada.org. The essay "Why Wicca is not Celtic" (I think at IMBAS) was an education in itself.

Alexie Kondratiev's Celtic Ritual... (formerly titled The Apple Branch) is interesting insight into the Celtic cultural worldview.

Right now I'm reading Fire In the Head: Shamanism and the Celtic Spirit by Tom Cowan.

I also find inspiration in some odd places. Terry Pratchett has become a favorite author. Most think of, and dismiss, his books as fantasy, but when you read them attentively you realize the satire, and wisdom, inside. Witches Abroad got me hooked. I want to be Granny Weatherwax when I grow up.:LOL .{except I have married and have kids}

[ladylee]

I have to say my biggest resource is existence. I find the more I read the more I intellectualize, and that's not how I want to approach my spirituality. I do draw on a number of sources of inspiration, but always feel like I'm walking a fine line.

Edited to add: some of my sources of inspiration have been Meister Eckhart, Catherine of Sienna, the Tao, Krishnamurti, and most of all, nature.

[Arduinna]

I have to agree with Lee on this one. I've found that I already had a core of spirituality as a child and that the work I have done since has been to unlearn other peoples version of religion.

Most of my spiritual reading is just because I love philosophy. So I have shelves of books on lots of religious and spiritual paths. But they aren't more important than the spiritual that I've experienced myself.

edited beucase part of post was off topic

[khrisday]

For me, it's probably just nature. (Just HA!) All of life's mysteries rolled up in a seed, the wonder of the changing seasons, the miracle of life in plants and animals, the beauty of the sunrise or sunset.

[DiaperDiva]

For the past 5 Sundays. our Pastor has been the biggest influence and clarifying presence for us.

He speaks in laymens turns, promotes truthful worship and DOESN'T use the word Christian!!

I have found my faith to be so deeply enriched, and mym soul is fortified each Sunday. It ROCKS!

Books I enjoy...The LEft Behind Series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, God Came Near by Max Lucado, More than a Carpenter, the Life of Jesus.

[DaryLLL]

I did a slapdash paper on witchcraft in senior yr of high school. Don't know what my resources were, probably Encyclopedia Britannica! LOL Also I don't recall why I chose the subject, inspiration from god? One of the first times I realized witches were real life flesh and blood people, not green with warts, as in the wicked Witch of the West, and paper Halloween witches you hang on your front door.

Then, first yr of college, took a course whose required reading was a book on the Hindu religion. Opened my eyes again. Wow, another religion as complicated, and even more ancient than Christianity? Got me thinking...

Since then, have been inspired and educated by Joseph Campbell and Karl Jung.

Spiral Dance by Starhawk.

Lately, that Biblical Errancy website that I recced ad nauseum on the devil thread!

[Meiri]

I think I've been nudged by the posts reminding me of Nature's inspirational value.

Books provide grist for the mill between my ears, which hardly ever seems to stop grinding.LOL

Joseph Campbell is another of my favorites. He was indeed a genious.

Nice to see you here DiaperDiva, I had some good pastors along the way back in the day. There's nothing like a good grounding in caring for others.

[Bekka]

Meiri,
you did say this was open to all. I find inspiration from the Bible and Book of Mormon, as well as revelation given to our prophets in the last 170 years (I'm Mormon).

I also find inspiration from the stars--I have always had a connection with the expanse above, and often find myself outside after kids to bed, just to gain a little peace.

Another surprising resource is actually my daughter. I think my elder daughter has a special spiritual gift of spirituality. I know that children have a special relationship with God and a special place in Jesus' heart, but I've interacted with lots of kids and don't remember one so young (just barely 4) grappling with such advanced spiritual concepts. She comes to me EVERY DAY with questions about God, existence, death, the earth, and how it all fits together. So I am required to define my beliefs and values in basic, basic terms, and I find myself understanding things in such different ways ...

Speaking of such things, it's time for my scripture study ...

[JessicaS]

I use the Bible. I love my Cd of the Bible as I have quick access to many topics and it it great when one gets in the middle of a scripture war over topics like circumcision.

I tend to take Bible errancy people with a grain of salt. While some bring up interesting topics and ideas. A lot of them tend to manipulate passages to suit their needs or are just innaccurate.

[marymom]

what GREAT answers , My first answer would have been,
N A T U R E
but then I read ladylee? existance, very nice
and ofcourse this board, with interaction being the word
and Bekkas answer, her daughter YES YES YES
and all of the above from bible to celtic/Druid web sites for me, Dianic, christian, you name it its ALL so inspiring,
I think much is to be said for the eyes of the beholder.

[Meiri]

Bekka, when I say "all" I mean all.

I can relate to the way children inspire. And I can relate to the ways they make us have to think about our answers and our actions. Right now our son is more challenge and our daughter more joy, but both are both.