Hello, my name is Ana.

[Ubuntu]

Hello, username Ubuntu here.

A traveler through our country would stop at a village, and he didn't have to ask for food or for water. Once he stops, the people give him food, entertain him. That is one aspect of Ubuntu but Ubuntu has various aspects. Ubuntu does not mean that people should not enrich themselves. The question therefore is: Are you going to do so in order to enable the community around you to improve?

My name is Ana and I am a first year college student. A 'hippie' my nature and an artist by trade.
I am a Psychology major, a lover of grace, etiquette. I am an eclectic pagan and a vegetarian. I love fun and having a good time, my friends, learning. I'm a strange enough person without the addition of the fact that I have a non-denominal sexual orientation (as I don't identify as bisexual, because even that is restricting and is prone to stereotyping) and I am very active in the GLBT community on my school's campus.

As strange a girl as I am, I feel like any other person because I -am- just like any other person. I am caring, supportive, loving, and I also have needs, can be greedy, demanding and clingy.
I love music, and playing the part of a fool-- just to make people smile. I love my deity, and am soothed by feeling that there is a divine force acting directly on the world and on my life, but also knowing the power and natural strength in myself.

Before going to school I would never have known such beauty as clearly and without shame as I do now. Before going to college I lived in a small conservative Christian community who shunned the very idea of me even before I cam out, even before I decided that their idea of Christianity did not suit me personally, that I felt incomplete by it-- respectful of the faith of others.
I was seen as nothing more than the black sheep, and here at school I can join in with the flock of fellow black sheep. I am no longer alone, I feel more a part of a family and community than I ever did at home.

That said, I joined SoulForce as a way to continue my faith quest and be open about who and what I am.
Besides, Robert (Unmasked), told me to.

[Ubuntu]

Depends on the height of the bridge, the water depth below and if I happened to have bungee equipment on hand. Besides, I'm pretty sure everything he says is in my best interest. ^+^

Anyway, thank you very much for the welcome, and I will join in the conversations that are going on as soon as a moment permits me.

[Gennee]

Hi Ana and welcome to Soulforce.

Gennee
:wave::love:

[Jennifer5]

Welcome! :)

[scott snedeker]

Ana you are so beautiful! I love your spirtual affirmation of self! It shows the shining being that you are! :good::dove::flower::flower2:

Eclectic Paganism! what an elegant term! I love it! May I borrow it? What are some of the highlights of pagan spirituality that activate vibrations within you? I am eager to learn from someone so young yet so intuitive!:love::earth::cookie::D

[Vanessa White]

My younger sister attended Orono, but only for a semester, but loved it there. what are you studying? We are an eclectic, diverse bunch around these parts, and looking forward to reading some of your posts. I really like the meaning of your user name as well. Peace, Vanessa :love:

[paul]

Welcome Ana:wave:,

Glad you're here, and a friend of Roberts too (were happy he found his way here as well). If you're different, you'll fit right in...everyone here seems to be different-even u-dog (trust me, he's not your stereotypical dad type, he's much better). Look forward to getting to know you.
paul

[BruceChris]

Read, post, and tell us all about the beautiful things in your life.

We hear so often here about young people, living in small, isolated communities, with just one or two very conservative churches, places where people can often be very xenophobic, and distrustful of outside people, and ideas.

And then the teen begins to understand that s/he is gay, and that this is NOT O.K. - We reach out to those that we can, but we know that many never find resources until much later in their lives.

It sounds like you are well on your way to being you. :wave: :agree: :weee: Congratulations, for now.

Peace and Love, Bruce Chris

[antiochian]

Welcome!!!

[Ubuntu]

Ana you are so beautiful! I love your spirtual affirmation of self! It shows the shining being that you are! :good::dove::flower::flower2:

Eclectic Paganism! what an elegant term! I love it! May I borrow it? What are some of the highlights of pagan spirituality that activate vibrations within you? I am eager to learn from someone so young yet so intuitive!:love::earth::cookie::D

Why thank you so much!
That is about the greatest compliment I've ever received, hands down. I want to be seen as a ray of sun; someone to put light in just about any form into people's lives. So your wording there was very touching. Thank you.

And since the term 'eclectic paganism' was never mine, feel free to use it. I have no claim over it. I read the phrase once in my travels and it struck me and therefore stuck.

And as far as what of pagan spirituality that touches me; this is difficult to say. But I will attempt.
The extreme focus on the idea of interconnected life, or, in other terms, a sort of 'web' that weaves through everything and everyone showing that one thing effects the next without fail. The idea that I'm breathing in more than just particles of 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen with traces of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and various other components.
I'm breathing life.
The earth has always been something that has touched me to the core, and a faith based on the belovedness of the earth that houses us is a beautiful thing, and something that I could not resist.
And I have yet to meet, perhaps I am just lucky though, a radical pagan who was not accepting and open to differences in opinion, ideas and 'lifestyles'. The warmth with which I have been greeted in this basic faith structure has been outstanding.

That said, I'm a strong believer in the idea that individuals need to form a faith around their souls and spirits rather than allow their souls to be formed around a faith.

[dsdrane]

Most folks at UMO are...but you never know.

I hail from Auburn, myself...then migrated to Brunswick for college before leaving Vacationland for good (except for my annual summer pilgrimage to my family's camp on Bear Pond in Turner).

:D:):cool::cookie:

[Ubuntu]

Maniac? Oh but of course. ^_^

Bear Pond is a beautiful place, though I've only ever been a couple of times; I climbed up on of the mountain sides there and got a beautiful downward shot of the pond.

[dsdrane]

Bear Pond is a beautiful place, though I've only ever been a couple of times; I climbed up on of the mountain sides there and got a beautiful downward shot of the pond.

Well, you got one up on me.

I've been going to Bear Pond since I was an infant -- hell, it's more than a little possible I was conceived there -- and I've never been up that damn mountain!

I suppose there's always next year....

:D

[antonyh]

Welcome to Soulforce. I loved reading your quote from Nelson Mandela. He is one of my heros. I was raised in South Africa and am very proud of what happened there through his resistance to Apartheid.