Aina
Some amazing stories here, to be sure. Mine is quite pedestrian by comparison.
When I was a child my family would drive to a public library each fortnight where I would find interest in lots of different things but at one stage ended up in the mythology section where I borrowed lots of Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Celtic... I felt most drawn to the Celtic I suppose because I have Welsh heritage on both sides of my ancestry plus a bit of Scots and English - typical British mixed breed.
In my teens, a friend's mum had interests in the Theosophical Society and astrology and another friend a bit later showed me his Tarot deck. As I posted elsewhere:
My 22nd year was big looking back. I also began casting astrology charts, read the Tibetan Book of the Dead starting my path in Tibetan Buddhism and read the Magic of Findhorn beginning my interest in New Age philosophies.
In all the years since I have used the Thoth and Voyager decks intermittently along with I Ching and Astrology and recently have become more inspired to broaden and deepen my knowledge in many areas after a period of oppression.
If I'm out and about and my decks aren't handy I'll go on the net to LLewelyn and get a Celtic Cross with the Witches' Tarot. By some standards that deck may appear a little lightweight, even self-indulgent when you read its compiler's story but I like the messages in the interpretations even though I have my own take on the place assignations.
And, of course, the resources here from beginner to magister templi are tremendously helpful in so many ways.
Hey thanks for this story! It wasn't boring at all! I heard a lot about Helena Blavatsky and the Theosophical Society and want to read their books only now (about 15 years after I heard their name). I have never read anything astrology yet but would like to know some for my Minchiate readings and in general...By the way, what do you mean by "a period of oppression"?