OccultForum.org

I guess I really should do this.
(Oh, and Vineland is what the Vikings called the new world, 500 years before Columbus set eyes on it.)

Hi. I'm a budding traditional witch, not Wiccan; though I admit for whatever reason, I am still not entirely comfortable with the term "witch". It still holds a strong feminine connotation to me, and so doesn't feel entirely appropriate, not to mention the etymology of the word. I would maybe prefer Wizard or Mage, Warlock, or even maybe Cunningman, I'm just not sure yet. Whatever.
I won't tangent off into a huge discussion of the etymology of the word "witch" here of course, but it might make for a good post later on.
I'm also a huge fan of Runes, and Tarot; I'll soon be tackling Astrology and learning how to draw natal charts.

Anyway, hello all!

Hi Grimdycche (I like the name), Welcome to the Forum. I dont know if its the moderators job to welcomr new comers, but in case it aint, "HI!".This forum is an excelllent place to be.I hope you'll enjoy it.
PB

Hello.....

I understand the name scheme plight- my first teacher claimed we were mages, the next person I met like the term energy worker, and yet another seemed to like shaman. I've used a lot of different terms and the real bitch is that some people will take offense, no matter which term you choose.

I don't like witch either- I do like shaman quite a bit though. Has a nice ring to it.

I am an occultist who also practices pagan magics. If you want to find out what the appropriate terminology for the practioner of each path is then consult the original sources.Personally I dont really give a damn what anybody calls themselves.If you are comfortable with it and can handle the responsibilities that go with the job title, then go for it and good luck old bean.There are of course other magical titles that one hears little of these days, like Attiba,Finn & Thule (the latter two are not just derivatives of place names, but actual terms that later became synonymous with that of a magician/shaman).Attiba seems to be another term for Druid.

Thanks everyone.

BTW Philoneus, "Grymdycche" is Middle English spelling for my mom's maiden name, so it really is my name in a sense - as much as my paternal surname is, anyway, IMO. It translates roughly as the "Wall of Odin", most likely in reference to a locale near Nottingham and by the settling Vikings/Danes in that area.


Yah, I'm not too worried about what I want others to call me, (well, maybe a little) but mostly I just want to be comfortable with myself.

Oddly,but synchronistically enough,I was visiting at the western end of a 'Grim's Dyke' today.[See excerpt below].I was picking up my kid from a friend's party.

I never knew it had this name,but I was checking out the entry on the wall,as part of other research and found this out.Cool.Dyke is a byword for wall up here,as it is in parts of England too.


"Grim's Dyke"

From Wikipedia: Antonine wall

In medieval histories, such as the chronicles of John of Fordun, the Antonine wall is called Gryme's dyke. Fordun says that the name came from the grandfather of the imaginary king Eugenius son of Farquahar. This was corrupted into Graham's dyke – a name still found in Bo'ness at the wall's eastern end – and then linked with Clan Graham. Of note is that Graeme in some parts of Scotland is a nickname for the devil, and Gryme's Dyke would thus be the Devil's Dyke, mirroring the name of the Roman Limes in Southern Germany often called 'Teufelsmauer'. Grímr and Grim are bynames for Odin or Wodan, who might be credited with the wish to build earthworks in unreasonably short periods of time. This name is the same one found as Grim's Ditch several times in England in connection with early ramparts: for example, near Wallingford, Oxfordshire or between Berkhamsted (Herts) and Bradenham (Bucks). Other names used by antiquarians include the Wall of Pius and the Antonine Vallum, after Antoninus Pius.

Nahemah wrote:Oddly,but synchronistically enough,I was visiting at the western end of a 'Grim's Dyke' today.[See excerpt below].I was picking up my kid from a friend's party.

I never knew it had this name,but I was checking out the entry on the wall,as part of other research and found this out.Cool.Dyke is a byword for wall up here,as it is in parts of England too.

"Grim's Dyke"

From Wikipedia: Antonine wall

In medieval histories, such as the chronicles of John of Fordun, the Antonine wall is called Gryme's dyke. Fordun says that the name came from the grandfather of the imaginary king Eugenius son of Farquahar. This was corrupted into Graham's dyke – a name still found in Bo'ness at the wall's eastern end – and then linked with Clan Graham. Of note is that Graeme in some parts of Scotland is a nickname for the devil, and Gryme's Dyke would thus be the Devil's Dyke, mirroring the name of the Roman Limes in Southern Germany often called 'Teufelsmauer'. Grímr and Grim are bynames for Odin or Wodan, who might be credited with the wish to build earthworks in unreasonably short periods of time. This name is the same one found as Grim's Ditch several times in England in connection with early ramparts: for example, near Wallingford, Oxfordshire or between Berkhamsted (Herts) and Bradenham (Bucks). Other names used by antiquarians include the Wall of Pius and the Antonine Vallum, after Antoninus Pius.

Wow! Thank you so much for this extra info, Nahemah! That tallies perfectly with what I knew so far.
I'm going to go look this up now.
(And I'm big on synchronicity too, BTW)

Rocking.Synchronictiy rules!

I have a journey to go on,myself.Your post and the later synchronous events for me,lead me to sometimng personally important.I have a sitting out to do soon.


Keep us up to date on your travels please.

Welcome to Occultforum I hope you will like it here. There are so many names for magic user that there should not be a problem finding one you like. Not everyone like the word witch. Hell just calling oneself occultist or magick user do fine, or not use a term at all, that work as well.

Thanks, V. As long as we stay away from political discussions, I'll be fine. :/
I like "Occultist" too. Sometimes I'll just tell people I'm "into the occult". Have been since I was 13 -on and off. It's like quicksand, I just keep getting deeper and deeper into it.

I tend to vary the way I present myself depending on the person I am talking with, there is so many words for it anyway, and the right word can keep pepole from just locking up and consider you a psycho. I use occultist allot, sometimes I use magician or witch. I sometimes also just say I practice magick or say I am into alternative religion.

Yes it seams politics do not work for us to discuss.