Welcome! We are an interfaith family with ties to Wicca, Celtic Paganism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Native American religious beliefs. Couggar is the founder of a Wiccan tradition known as the Church of Woodland Celtic Wicca. Ancient Oak began as the web site for a Woodland Celtic study circle of this tradition but evolved into a educational project for the wider Earth Based Religions community.
Here you will find details on our Celtic Wiccan practices from A Book of Shadows for Woodland Celtic Wicca by Couggar (please follow new link below to www.woodlandceltic.com) and writings on Hinduism and Yoga by Radha. Hinduism, more correctly know as Sanatana Dharma ,is the world’s largest Pagan faith. As people who found the many similarities between Wicca and Hinduism through an interfaith marriage we feel it is especially appropriate for us to educate others about these topics. Yoga is a collection of techniques for self-realization that evolved in Hindu religion. One need not be Hindu to practice Yoga for Yoga techniques are common to many world faiths and cultures and transcend mere religious boundaries.
Hinduism is a term used by Westerners describe the religious, cultural, social, political and philosophical beliefs which make up the totality of the Hindu way of life. It is also a term of geographical origin, which was used to describe anyone living in India that followed a spiritual system other than Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. The correct term for this spiritual path is Eternal Sacred Duty or Sanatana Dharma. Hindus believe in reincarnation, reverence for nature, the law of karma, and avoidance of harm and injury to all beings (ahimsa). They also believe that divine beings, called Devas, exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, and meditation can develop harmony, communication, and interaction with these beings.
“Over the past century and a half various spiritual teachers
have come to the western world from India. Many of the teachings of the
Indian spiritual tradition have also become available. They have made their
imprint on our culture and on our language. This influence is one of the
main factors, if not the most important, in the New Age culture emerging
today and has become one of the primary forces of conscious change in the
world. Such terms as guru and avatar, ideas as karma and reincarnation,
Self-realization and God-realization, such practices as yoga, meditation,
vegetarianism and non-violence, all arise from the spiritual matrix of
India.”--Dr.David Frawley (Vamadeva Shastri), From the River of Heaven.
"I follow the religion of love. I am a true Mussalman, a true Hindu, a true Buddhist, a true Sikh and a true Parsi. True religion does not consist in ritualistic observances, baths and pilgrimages but in loving all. Cosmic love is all embracing and all inclusive. In pure love, no one is shut out from is warm embrace. It is wide enough to include the humblest of us all, from the tiny ant to the mighty elephant, from the condemn prisonner to the mighty emperor, from the worst scoundrel to the most reputed saint on the surface of this earth. It is hatred that separate man from man, nation from nation, and country from country. It is pride and egoism that divide a man from another man. Hatred, pride and egoism are mental creations. They are product of ignorance only. They cannot stand before pure Love". - Swami Sivananda - Bliss Divine
We felt we would be very much at home here in a section that is dedicated to ecology and world/planet conscious topics. We are both Wiccan and Hindu, so a deep reverence for nature and all life is a basic part of our most cherished beliefs. While we realize that Wicca and Hinduism may not have any direct link to Native American religions, Couggar was raised more Native American than otherwise, so he wanted to use his favorite quote from Chief Seattle to make our feelings about our Mother the Earth perfectly clear. It follows this section. We hope it stirs your hearts as much as it does ours!