1. Name (optional): C. Lee Vermeers

2. Age: 38

3. Nationality: USAian

4. Gender: male

5. How would you explain your path to someone else with no knowledge of it?

  The name is Ildiachas Atógtha, which is Irish for "Reconstructed Polytheism". It is a reconstructionist religion based in Irish Gaelic culture and religious/cosmological/theological structure.

6. How is your path expressed in practice?

  Through daily ritual action, intensive study, and cultural activity.

7. How do you know if your practice is successful?

  Through intuitive understanding. I'd probably answer more fully if I knew in what sense you meant "success".

8. Why have you chosen the particular path you are following?

  The general and specific features of the cosmology, theology, and so forth seem to closely resemble my experience of life.

9. What is your experience of otherworld beings?  Could you give some examples.

  Usually, it is through a feeling of presence. On rare occasion, I have seen figures which I interpret as otherworld beings.

10. How do you see your relationship with them?

  As one of reciprocity.

11. How does your path relate to other areas of your life?

  I find aspects of traditional wisdom and mystic insight to be of value in nearly every area of my life.

12. How do you see the relationship of life and death?

  Two sides of a coin.

13. How do you see time?

  As a generally degenerating cycle.

14. How do you handle ideas of good and evil?

  That is "evil" which is antithetical to humanity, that is "good" which is of benefit.

15. How do you view different spaces and objects in your practice or experience?

  Some places are, indeed, more sacred than others, as are some objects. Some materials have more practical value than others for making some objects (metal makes a better knife than paper does, for instance), and some materials have inherent properties of value (rowan foliage makes a good purificatory smoke, for instance). As implied by that last parenthetical comment, places or objects can be profaned or made more sacred.

However, that said, there is an element of sacredness in everything.

16. How do you feel about other religions?

  Most don't match my experience of life.

17. How do you feel about science?

  It's an excellent tool for observing and discussing physical quantities. It's not so good for qualities.

18. How do you feel modern Paganisms relate to ancient paganisms?

  Depends on the particular paganism. Reconstructionist religions are typically more similar to their ancient sources than eclectic ones are.