What follows is an account of my own thoughts at a time in the past. Things have changed, and I have found a path that satisfies, though like all paths there are my own little divergences along the way.
Seeker is Pagan slang (I’ve only seen it used in this sense by Pagans, at least) for someone that’s looking for a religion for themselves. Seeker usually means someone doing it actively, poring through books and asking questions, though it is occasionally used to refer to someone that is unhappy with their current religion but hasn’t been willing to begin looking elsewhere.
Most seekers are looking for a perfect fit, and when (if) this perfect fit is found, Instant Witch Syndrome is all too common. When they finally return to earth, they may be either happy or disappointed in their choice. It is often useful to remember the phrases “Beware of finding a Jesus entirely congenial to you,” and “If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.”
Though pagans, particularly Wiccans, are loathe to proselytize, there are scores of articles and references about on, essentially, “How not to scare seekers away.” This is because quite a bit of what is considered normal and run-of-the-mill among Pagans might scare people off at first.
If I knew, I’d tell you. There are some things I’ve latched onto; Totemism would be one of them. Recently (as of the time I wrote this) Wren Walker of The Witches’ Voice commented on the difference between a dabbler and one that knows what works. Being a seeker resembles being a dabbler, but I’m looking for what works. I have enough acquaintance with Wicca to know it’s not for me, so I continue to explore other options. I’ve been looking at Druidism, but haven’t yet figured out if it appeals to me or if it’s the word Druid that appeals to me. My wife prefers fairly private practice, while I am more outgoing (especially considering I’m an engineer), so I also wonder if I want a religious community or more of an ability to talk about these things.
Of course, I’m also investigating various facets of magical practice; the hard part is, of course, figuring out whether something leaves a bad taste because of the particular person’s view or because of the system itself. I’ve found that figuring out the magical jargon is a big part of this; I might actually put up a glossary for some of the terms much beloved by followers of the western esoteric tradition.
Oh, and one more thing from a seeker: if you have a path that you’re describing, don’t hype it up. The more hype I hear, the more I reach for my wallet — and not in a good way. The worst way is to beat down others; I’ve read some wonderful pages that seem to be constantly sneering at other paths and seem to feel that they know what the One True Path is.