Celtic Path - Sarah Marie Voices on The Path

Voices on the Path-

A Collection of Interviews

Celtic Path

Sarah Marie

Email: sarahmarie02@gmail.com
http://donethisbefore.com

First can you briefly tell us about yourself? What is your profession? Any special hobbies?

I am a 30 year old woman who grew up most of her life in the Pacific Northwest and felt a deep connection to nature.  A few years ago, I moved to the metro area of Minnesota and really fell in love with the area.  I currently work for a video game distributor as the lead of the data department while returning to college for a degree in business information systems.  As for hobbies, I read... A LOT.  I also garden, make jewelry, blog, cook, and any other number of things. 
When did you begin your path? What inspired you to walk this journey? 

I can't pinpoint an exact date that I began my path.  I always had a reverence for nature as I grew up and felt a connection to the natural world around me.  I was raised Christian but even through the Sunday school classes, Bible studies and various other church activities, I felt a disconnect with what I was being taught and trying to live religiously.  I felt that the things I was being taught didn't mesh with what I felt internally, even if I didn't have a way to identify what I believed at the time.  It wasn't until I was in my early 20's that I had a name for what I believed, and learned about paganism from a co worker.  At that point in my life, I felt a type of freedom that I'd never felt before in my life.  I began to research various pagan paths and kept an open mind as I began to research the various paths of paganism.  For the first time in my life, I felt physically and religiously whole. 
Can you tell us a little about your path? How would you describe yourself? 

At this point, I still don't affiliate with any one pagan path.  I find inspiration in my spiritual life in various pagan paths but tend to feel the most connect to Celtic traditions.  My altar takes inspiration from nature, the seasons of the year, and the different pagan paths that I find connections with. 
Does the path you've chosen affect your profession? If so, how? 

I don't find that at this point in time, my path affects my profession.  I am openly pagan in the workplace and find that the people I work with are very accepting and a little curious about my beliefs.  If anything, by being different, I would say that the respect people have for me is more encompassing.  I refuse to allow my beliefs to affect me in the workplace or be a source of conflict.  I also don't like the idea of using my personal beliefs as a way of getting further in the workplace.  The only real way it affects my profession is that I am a happier person and much easier to be around now that I don't feel so conflicted with my religious beliefs. 
Is community important to you, or do you prefer to express you beliefs as a solitary? 

Currently, I practice as a solitary.  I am not a crowd person and find that for where I am in life right now, it works for me.  Having a community is also important and just knowing there is a strong one where I live is comforting, should I ever feel the need to call upon community for anything. 
Are you associated with any organizations, volunteer work, or groups that support your spiritual beliefs? 

Not at this time.  Due to a busy work and college schedule, my time is already spread very thin. 
Would you say your path has been an easy or difficult journey? Any advice for someone new to this path? 

For me, the path has been difficult.  I think that much of that difficulty is of my own making however.  I tend to focus on what others think and as a result, I am still in the broom closet to much of my family.  One sister knows I am pagan and while much of my family knows that my fiance is pagan, I simply do not bring up my beliefs.  There is a lot to the reason I do this and choose to remain in the broom closet, but it is much to detailed to get into unless you wish more information.  I am slowly coming into my own, as I keep the door on the broom closet open a little more and don't fight to hide my beliefs so much.  I find that the peace I've had since the beginning only deepens and evolves as I do this and slowly allow people to discover my spiritual path and religious beliefs. 

My advice to anyone new to the path is to most importantly, remain true to yourself.  Don't let others tell you that the way you are doing something is wrong or that the path your following does something differently than the way you do it.  The glory about paganism in the modern world is that there are so many facets and niches that can be filled.  It is important to paganism and to yourself that you listen to the world around you and within your own heart and be true to what you hear. 


Finally, what three books would you say most influenced your path.

Out of the Broom Closet: 50 True Stories of Witches Who Found and Embraced the Craft by Arin Murphy-Hiscock  This book taught me a lot about accepting your beliefs before you can expect others to do so as well as about remaining true to myself.  

Pagan Ways: Finding Your Spirituality in Nature by Gwydion O'Hara

A Pagan Testament: The Literary Heritage of the World's Oldest New Religion byBrendan Cathbad Myers

I am openly pagan on my blog, donethisbefore.com and while its not all about paganism, it is about my daily life.  I do blog about my beliefs from time to time, as well as various other subject matter as I see fit and have the time to.