How I became to believe the way I do.

It was an interesting set of circumstances really.
I had always believed in something greater, that the dead weren't really dead and that the environment held something for us.  But I didn't know what I believed was paganism until just over a year ago.  My family had always been into psychics and my mum has had some great experiences with spirits, that I loved to hear the stories of.  But I still didn't really know what it meant.
So I had found myself in the Christian church for a number of years, and although the spirituality of being a church was nourishing me for what I needed, I hated their attitude.  I hated the fact that we were taught, people who are gay are substandard, people who didn't believe like us have no place in where we are headed.  I knew that I didn't feel this way.
When we moved to Portland, I met a lady who counsels in Reiki and held meditation classes.  I began to look into it further. I went along and had my first Reiki session, which I had heard about being evil.  So I was a little nervous because I was conditioned to be that way.  But as I lay on the bed, and she guided me into a deep sense of relaxation, I realised that how can something that make you so at peace with yourself truly be evil?
I started going to her meditation classes and there I learnt to begin to like who I was.  I started getting books upon books about paganism, and Wicca. I talked to people, I met people online.  And soon I realised that this is what I was seeking all along.
I have always felt most at home with nature, being outdoors, and this is part of Paganism is the worship of the environment.
So this is what has brought me on this journey. I am still learning, and I love to talk and learn from others who have been on the journey longer than I have.  The problem with Portland is, that it is a very heavily Christian town, so finding people in Portland, who share your beliefs isn't so easy!! I would love to!