So,I've been pagan a few years now (an eclectic)...but I'll be doing my first ritual (with the guidance of a much more experienced practioner,of course) this saturday. ...Unfortunately,I can't find a single acorn or oak leaf to help me out. ...and while I've not asked the other girl involved in this,I can't seem to find any -good- substitutions for the 'male' side of the whole bit (Goddess I've got down,all three faces,even). We've got pinecones by the thousands... even magnolia seed pods,but there's not an acorn or -real- oak leaf to be seen. Help would be fantastic.
Any 'bashers'? Feel free to tell me I'm going to hell or whatever you like. ^^ I long ago learned how to forgive your descrepancies against me and the others that follow a different path from you.
2007-02-27 10:58:26 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Oops. I probably should've said what I was doing.
A ('simple enough') protection/courage ritual for my husband (yep,have permission,he's even willing to be involved in it despite his being agnostic ^^) who's due to get shipped off to Iraq soon. I'll have mint,a white rose and a daisy for the female side and as you can probably guess,most of this is herbal work. Since this is the last full moon before Spring hits us... well,I thought this would be the best time. ^^' Feel free to correct me or suggest other things.
2007-02-27 11:09:26 · update #1
When you can't find exactly what you're looking for, substitutes work. Other folks have made some really good suggestions (fake leaves, pine cones, etc.) The exact symbol isn't that important--if you use a pine cone instead of an acorn, it still represents the God. That's the thing with magic in general--it's not the exact details that matter--it's whether the symbolism is meaningful to you. All a spell or ritual is, is a way for you to trigger the parts of your mind that make the magic work, and that help the spirits and deities that are working with you have a connection to your magical work. If an acorn and a pine cone both symbolize male deity to you, then you can pretty much use them interchangably.
My suggestion, for future reference, is make lists of what symbols are important to you. For example, make one for the Goddess and one for the God, one for protection, one for healing, etc. The lists can include herbs, colors, stones, animals--any sort of correspondences. You can use books to help, but what's important are the symbols that stand out the most in your mind--those will be the ones that work best.
Good luck!
2007-02-28 07:01:03 · answer #1 · answered by Lupa 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nudity may attract some human attention, but to the Goddess how you are dressed makes little or no difference. Nudity is neither required nor is it prohibitied in my religion. It's up to you, and if it makes you feel more open, more natural, I don't have the least problem with it... however I do not see it actually happening very often. After the ritual, I do see a lot of nudity and sexual activity of course. That's a way of celebrating life, and as such, it's a beautiful thing.
2016-03-29 03:37:48 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I should think you'd be able to use any kind of nut. why not a walnut or a hazelnut? Hazelnuts look somewhat acron-like. Pinecones are also pretty much the same metaphorical family as acorns and can be used much the same way.
2007-03-02 07:29:07 · answer #3 · answered by kaplah 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In lieu of the actual item, you may be able to find a plastic symbolic substitute at a craft store or hobby shop. Maybe you can get a piece of oak wood from Home Depot or something. In any case it's all about the symbol.
2007-02-27 11:03:51 · answer #4 · answered by KC 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
That's the wonderful thing about our religion: it's practical. substitutions are definately an option. Of-course a white-candle is an all around substitution, you can always carve symbols of the God into it and anoint it.
Or, if you have any type of new age store in your area, 90% of them carry candles shaped like men and women. If not, Ebay is a wonderful pagan resource!
2007-02-28 09:37:04 · answer #5 · answered by Raine Knight 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ask people in your community where you can find oak trees,if that is what you really need.
I am a Christian,but I have read about such rituals. Good luck with your first!
2007-02-27 11:06:17 · answer #6 · answered by Myaloo 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
as i am unfamiliar with using such specific representations for the male, perhaps i could better help if i knew what kind of ritual, or even what you have for the female? must it be an acorn for your specific ritual? usually anything symbolizing the masculine would work.
2007-02-27 11:02:50 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://www.paganlibrary.com/rituals_spells/index.php
since u did not say what type of ritual look at the above site. why dont u ask her what to do or if she knows where u can get a few. Have u gotten the encylopedia of magick ingredients yet?
2007-02-27 11:18:45 · answer #8 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pinecones are also used. You can also place a small one on the end of a "wand".
2007-02-27 11:40:17 · answer #9 · answered by Kithy 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Have you been o your local park? all the parks around here are loaded with oak trees. check on Golf courses too.
2007-02-27 11:02:30 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋