As an agnostic by nature, despite being raised Protestant, I've found I'm much more compatible with "heathen" or "pagan" beliefs than Christian dogma. (Ssssh, don't tell my mom!) Eternal hellfire and damnation never sounded like a good plan to me, nor did Biblical Salvation. The sky was my cathedral, not the church with its steeple and stilted talk of original sin and redemption. I didn't want Jesus to suffer any punishment for my sins, didn't want anyone dying for me on a Cross; I wanted to take my own lumps, and I didn't figure anyone in the world had ever been so awful as to warrant unending pain and remorse. I loved fairy tales, miracles, and supernatural wonders, but science as well as religion kept me from embracing a world of magic. I could have used a book like this:
Paganism for Beginners: The Complete Guide to Nature-Based Spirituality for Every New Seeker
My world is filled with children and magick, highlighted by barefoot walks through the forest, herb basket in hand, gathering treasures as they reveal themselves to me… by late night conversations with trees, the Wind whispering secrets through my hair…
... I am fortunate to have grown up in the country, on a small farm, surrounded by animals, trees, and more space than I could ever need… Life was tied to the Land, pulled from the Land, and I understood keenly, at a young age, that the cycle of Life is complicated, filled with loss and gain, and always birth and death. But death is not something to be feared, it is as natural as breath, inescapable, and only one step in a long and winding path…
...Perhaps I’m a bit of an idealist, and perhaps many would take offense to my choosing to raise my children not only Pagan but within witchcraft, too, but I contend that a life filled with values and traditions brings wholeness to a person. This has been the way of humanity for far longer than we’ve written proof of it: why now should we stop passing on our ways? A light in the darkness, no matter how small, is better than no light at all.
Read more at Lady Althaea's blog
More than a million Americans identify as Wiccan or Pagan,
and the actual number is probably much higher. Add to that number those who identify as Druid, Pantheist, Heathen, Witch, Shaman, Animist, Occultist, Reconstructionist, Thelemite, and even "non-religious." What do these terms mean? Althea Sebastiani offers a swift overview of the many, many variations on Paganism, along with a questionnaire to see if you share any of these beliefs.
There's more to this book than "Real Advice for Real Witches." Our connection to the Land unites "pagans" with ecologists and a whole new wave of people who think "green" - save the Earth! Respect Mother Nature! Western religion with Biblical origins holds that the world was created for humans, who were created in God's image, and "man" has "dominion" over all the flora and fauna. Pagan religions have no set dogma, no rigid rules, and no patriarchal "Men rule" hierarchies. Diversity, unity, oneness with nature: couldn't other religions that dominate the world get with the program here?
Today's witchcraft may be confused with Tarot cards, gemstones, herbal remedies, and its own form of consumerism. This book promises an authentic look at witchcraft based on "efficacy, practicality, and common sense."
Diversity, freedom, individuality, and respect for other viewpoints is the hallmark of this world view.
A "lack of proselytizing" is a distinct feature of Paganism and all its forms. No need to win converts to this religion. No pressure to get others to share your beliefs (or someone else's truth). "Pagans recognize that everyone's spiritual journey is unique to them--and what works for one of us most certainly cannot work for all of us, as everyone has their own spiritual needs and predispositions."
One of the most common misconceptions about Pagans is the notion they worship the devil, Satan, a Christian conception of evil personified. "You won't find Pagan rituals calling on Satan, just as you won't find Pagans calling the Christian God into their rites," Sebastiani explains in Chapter 3. The dichotomy of good vs evil is not part of Paganism; instead, "nature is both creative and destructive, ordered and chaotic," and each person can choose to do great good or great harm. "Pagans see this as a matter of personal choice, not inherent quality" (think "original sin"), and "the consequences of those actions may be played out in this lifetime and/or in a future incarnation." Aka, reincarnation. "That we will be born, live, and die only to be reborn again and again is incompatible with the existence of an evil being bent on tempting us to sin so we spend the afterlife in punishment." Satan "remains incompatible with Pagan perceptions of the nature of the self and the afterlife."
"Freedom of choice and the right to exercise that choice" are intrinsic to Paganism. You're free to love whomever your heart chooses regardless of race, religious beliefs, or gender. This is not to suggest Pagans are self-indulgent or amoral. Trusting others to honor and affirm sacredness is "not a perfect system, but does much to encourage the ethical treatment of others" and "implies that as we hold ourselves accountable, so, too, will others be held accountable for their actions."
Rites of passage, ceremonies, and rituals also differ markedly from Christian traditions. "Baby welcoming ceremonies," for example, are not like christenings or baptisms. Blessings and protections may be called for the child, but without obligations or expectations that the child will carry on the faith of the fathers. "While many Pagans do raise their children within their religion," Sebastiani writes, "ultimately we are each responsible for our religious choices and are free to determine our level of involvement--this includes children."
Historically, Christianity has denounced paganism, and this book makes me think of St. Paul of the Epistles, and all his trouble keeping converts from going back to their pagan ways. Ultimately, many pagan traditions were incorporated into Christian holidays and traditions (which would be another book to read). The Vikings, who allegedly were converted to Christianity, continued to practice their own religion in secret while professing to be Christian.
"Paganism for Beginners" may or may not be The Complete Guide to Nature-Based Spirituality for Every New Seeker, but it's a good start, with more information in the Resources, Glossary, Reference, and Index.
I love this book and will buy copies for my nieces (Ssssh, don't tell their grandma, my mom).
And I'm recommending her blog as well-- ladyalthaea.com
I have an article appearing in Issue 1 of Stone, Root, and Bone, a magazine focused on earth-spirituality and magick, which will be released around Samhain. This will be the first I’ve been published in a magazine and, not going to lie, I may have submitted the maximum allowed word count (because of course I did.)
Thank you for reading!
Keangaroo
because Kean sounds like Kane (not keen, hint, hint)
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