As a Wiccan and a writer myself, I'd be interested to hear how your religion affects your writing.

Back when you asked about the nude photos my first thought was "I'd really like to see those" and my second was "but she'd be risking all sorts of horrible troll attention" so I voted no.

This time my first thought was "these are topics in which I'm personally interested and I'm sure she has interesting things to say about them" and my second was "but she'd be risking all sorts of horrible troll attention." Having learned my lesson, I voted yes.

i personally would love to hear your views and ideas on the subject:)

So, should I talk about Wicca and shamanism in the journal, or is that TMI?

Like anything else: if you're comfortable and you want to, you should. I am particularly curious to hear how it's converging with your writing, but that's me.

I kind of didn't want to fill out the poll because I don't believe your concerns are coming from the right place.

Damn, does that sound as pompous to you as it does to me? Not intended.

It's very sweet of you to think of our feelings, but I think you should look to your own more. Putting the religious stuff out there will more than likely leave you open to criticism and mockery from some people. Not that you don't strike me as pretty fearless, but be careful, m'kay?

Your choice, as far as I'm concerned. Talk about such things out in the open, put them behind LJ cuts, lock them so only those people who ask to be put on the right Friends sub-list will see them, or be silent.

Or talk about them in one of the various communities which have shamanism listed as an interest.

As someone who regularly visits the Toolband website to read pages of magickal related writings from Blair Blake, I voted a resounding 'yes'.

Wow. I have to say I am suprised you are asking. I don't think it is healthy for a writer to even consider censoring themselves. I voted yes, but it shouldn't matter. What matters is that you express yourself fully and honestly, and everyone else can go frell themselves.

Go for it...

But don't feel obligated because of your readers. If you have something interesting that you'd like to share with us, great...it you want to keep it for your pen & paper journal you most certainly are not required to post it for all to read.

Not only would it be an interesting read in-and-of-itself, you mentioned that is part of your writing...which you also mentioned that this blog is at least partially about. So, they go hand-in-hand it seems...

I think that would be awesome. I used to delve into both of those things a lot (more general paganism than Wicca), and I think hearing someone else talk about it would help me get my spirituality back into line. In undergrad I tried to join a pagan group, but I couldn't take any of them seriously. I have a lot of respect for you, so it could be very beneficial.

I would be interested, I've been researching magick and its applications for a bit now, so any other views on the subject would be great.

I think I've said I'm mainly interested in consciousness and the altering of it, hopefully in the right direction (whatever that is), so yes. I'd like to think God can work with what is inside every one of us.

That's cool. I've always wondered how your possible religious beliefs fit with your non-intelligent design beliefs. I have a few ideas but...

Also, I wondered about your shamanistic ways, like where do you get information about it? Is there any books you recommend or don't? I always liked and agreed with the research done in Silk before the Peyote trip.

In case you are wondering, probally not, starting Murder of Angels and I am already excited, pretty sure this book will blow by quickly. And is there a way to change the cursor color from grey.

I voted yes, too, but again, if it's not comfortable to blog about, then maybe you shouldn't. Would there really be a whole lot of trolling if you start talking about this?

Certainly. It is something that is important to your life, and to your art, so why not bring it up in your blog? I can't go ten days without talking about something transhumanist, because that's something rather important to my existence, so...go for it, I say!

I belong to various Druidic orders and I'm also a writer - the novels that are coming out with Macmillan in the UK reflect my own druidic practice, even though they're SF. I discuss it on my own LJ but not in detail, as it involves other people's practice and that has to remain private to them. But my own work, sure...

I'd be very interested to read about your take on this.

I;d never ask anyone who didn't offer, because I know that silence is part of the deal for some people. But as an agnostic with comparatively little spirituality aside from aestheticism, I always welcome insight into this side of people I respect and admire, because it is useful to know what I am not getting.

Purely selfishly, I'd welcome these posts.

Actually, I voted "no" on this.

I don't mean to suggest that it wouldn't be captivating and engaging to read about, but that I figured that such discussions might lead to some serious friction in the LJ that was unwanted (or, really, undeserved). The nakedness issue was not really that big of a deal, were weren't talking about photography that belonged more in an issue of Club, and there was a general consensus that one should simply not comment if any offense was taken to it (and I don't think there was). However, if recent discussions of contemporary writers enmeshed in popular culture were any hint, then you may wish to dodge the piglard-coated bullet of addressing your magickal philosophy and practice on a public forum unless you really want the public to begin commenting and debating with you about it.

Or, alternatively, you should turn off comments for any post in which you are focusing on your philosophical/magickal/spiritual beliefs. While I and others might wish to question or discuss such topics, that's probably not what you want to bomb your journal with. That might be a decent topic over at the species of one community, or some other community normally associated with such esoteric topics.

Of course, I've taken no offense to any of the hints or minor discussions which have taken place so far in the journal and wouldn't object to them in the future. I just feel that given what I have seen as your "usual" reaction to offensive (as in both "derogatory" and "on-the-offensive") comments/posts and badgering on the part of the general public, I think you may set yourself up for some hurt feelings. And that would be the poop.

I won't vote but I'll comment because I've been same way with my journal. I've always felt my spirituality was a very personal thing, something between me and my beliefs that I didn't feel right "putting out there." Putting it out there opens it up to criticism, comment and public judgement, personally I don't want that in the spritual aspect of my life (that would work against any personal growth I'm achieving through study and practice - let's face it, people have a hard time respecting others spiritual beliefs, especially when they are non-traditional). So for me the decision to keep it out my blog wasn't that hard.

I think you need to ask yourself if it's a) something you feel comfortable with and b) how posting about it might change it for you personally. Only you can decide how much you are comfortable discussing in a public forum such as LJ. Good luck on a tough choice.