Intro post, taken from my intro on my blog

[wide_worlds_joy]

Well, as you might guess my name is Daven. That's not my real life name, that's my online handle.

If you do a search for that name, you will find a gentleman named DaveN. That's not me. He is Dave N something. I'm Daven. Rhymes with cavern.

I'm not the cartoon character off of Something*Positive. That's Randy Millhouse's character and I was using this name years before he started drawing.

No, I am Daven of Daven's Journal. It's a smallish metaphysical site that I put up back in 2000 or so, dealing with topics of metaphysics and Wicca, Druidism and Witchcraft. I've somehow managed to keep it going for all this time and even added to it. Somewhere along the line I collected fans (go figure).

I'm an author. I write articles for my site, for an online magazine called Rending the Veil, for other places as well. I used to make the pages for "Cats of the Craft" over at The Witches Voice.

I am a self proclaimed Druid, Witch and a Seax-Wican High Priest. I'm ordained through the Universal Life Church and I do take that seriously. I read Tarot. I review books. I think. I was a member of the Ord Draiocht na Usinech, a Druid order that splintered off from the Henge of Keltria. It eventually closed down, but I still practice their ways.

I'm a Theiran. That means that while I am a human person, I feel that there is a part of myself that resonates with my cat-side, so much so that I tend to take on cat like qualities from time to time. I purr. I get high from Catnip. I like to be touched and stroked. I tend to curl up in balls or to stretch out to impossible sizes.

I'm a magickian. Yes, that spelling is deliberate. I got used to spelling it magick a long time ago, to put some distance between what I do and what David Copperfield does. My magick isn't illusions and misdirection, my magick is about manipulating reality in direct ways. I tend to work for the best of mankind first and then work for myself second. Sounds stupid, but there you are.

I am what is called Dragon-Kin. I started working and learning from some dragons I met while on the Astral plane, and because of some really major things I did for them, with them and to them, I was rewarded by being adopted into a clan of Dragons as a reward (and probably punishment). It brings a lot of burdens and rewards.

I astrally project regularly and I have a lot of interaction with beings on other planes. I write about it somewhat.

There's lots more, but that is what is relevant to this community.

Thanks for letting me here.

Greetings, all

[sunfell]

I've been around a while- both metaphysically (30+ years) and online (15+). I've been through ages and stages, from fiery Zealot (Never again the burining times!), well-meaning HPS (Ground and center! Ground and center!), Born-again Atheist (I'm not listening! La, la, la!), and into my current iteration, Skeptical Philosopher-Geek, and Curmudgeonly TechMage. I do not proclaim or claim any rank, title or degree- I pitched those when I hit the Abyss, and have gone through the Crucible and come out... OK, I guess. In my Journey, I've gained a pretty good grasp of The Current, Synchrodipity and Small Gods. For me, "magic" is a carefully crafted alignment of Current, Synchrodipity, Will, and whatever helpful Small God might be in the vicinity. Any one of these things will be helpful and get results (including nothing, which is also a result!), but if you manage to get the whole stack, wonderful things can happen, or not, depending on what's up. Sometimes "Will" flips polarity to "Won't", and there isn't anything you can do about it. That's life. No one is immune.

My Rede and motto is a simple, practical one: Keep what works, Fix what's broke, Ditch the Rest. I'll probably lurk and comment far more than I will originate posts. Also, I am in the start-up stages of a new Dreamwidth community which might be of interest to some here: 2012. I see it as complementary to this one- lots of spiritual discussion will probably take place there.

Anyway, it's good to meet y'all. Hope to have some interesting discussions!