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Pagan, spiritualist, rationalist, atheist, witch, Buddhist, Gnostic Which am I? All of the above, and none of the above. To try and fit my beliefs into one neat, little category just simply isn't possible. I take and learn from all schools and traditions wherein the spirit is concerned.

No one religion can encompass all that I am, believe in, and practice. I do not have a "religion". I have my set of beliefs - call them Eclectic, if you must call them something. I am Shanna; nothing more and nothing less.

I feel that how you live your life is the true sign of your beliefs. You may call yourself something, but act in complete opposition to the things you claim to stand for. The test of one's devotion to their beliefs is how they live their life.

I was never one that could be pigeonholed into any type of pre-set ideals or labels. I've always fallen somewhere in the middle - or had enough aspects of each to be able to claim both. My mother always said I was a walking contradiction - the only person she knew who was both the original and the opposite of many things. It can get confusing to live such a life, believe me.

Yet, the thing that has always driven and interested me the most deeply was the mysteries of the esoteric sides of life and beyond. I have always been fascinated by the things most people would just as soon not think about. My goal is enlightenment. To me, nothing is more important. When I am dead, it is the only thing that will have mattered - the advancement of my soul for the betterment of all.

I believe that all religions are basically the same. At their very core, each and every one revolves around the same thing - love. I love studying ancient belief systems, and my personal beliefs encompass many varied ones.

I was raised Christian; baptized Methodist as a babe and confirmed Methodist at the age of 12. My interests in astrology go back as far as I can remember - though I was fearful of "going to hell" and that did stop my earliest attempts at learning more of this ancient art. When I was around 15 or 16 I read Linda Goodman's "Sun Signs" and hence was born my unquenchable astrological thirst. I've been casting charts for more than 9 years now - wanting to prove to and for myself that this stuff really worked. It has never been wrong, or even slightly off. Around this time I met a young woman, close to my age, who was a Witch. She taught me a great deal of what I know now about Tarot Cards. I currently have two decks (Palladini and Sacred Circle), yet rarely do readings - even though my friends often beg me to. Around the age of 21 I found Witchcraft and Paganism and finally found a home - a belief system and way of life that was in tune with Nature, and even accepted and practiced the arts I'd been doing for years - astrology and Tarot! Since then, my studies - various readings and much deep thought - have led me even beyond my beloved Pagan ways of life. Today I am heavily interested in Buddhism. I jokingly call myself a Buddhist Pagan - but the fact remains that in a few years, I will probably have moved on to studying something else.

I believe in reincarnation and study often, also, ancient Egyptian magic and beliefs. I am currently learning more about the Chakras and Kundalini, have delved into Astral Travel, the supernatural, communication with the dead, gypsy magic, the lost Atlantis, and aliens (though not in the traditional sense of the word). As I said, my beliefs are wide and varied - taken from many belief systems. I am my own religion. There is nothing more noble than to sit and seek your own Truth. What speaks to your soul will speak to no other - "religion" is a personal thing.

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