Paganism

The pagans of the past followed the ancient gods and goddesses of the land. Paganism was the religion of the Ancestors and the reverence of nature. “Nature” provided the necessities of life: warmth, shelter, food, and water. It is, however, much more than an Earth religion. Way back in the day, mankind was struggling to survive. Of course, the natural world was the only world that most understood. This belief system could have stopped with that, but spirituality added a new element to the mix. Stories and myths were told and retold to explain every question mankind had up to that point. Today, paganism has either continued or has experienced a revival. Most everyone has heard the term Neopagan, which means new pagan. So Neopaganism is the new pagan movement following old ideas and practices, much older than most modern religions such as Judaism, Christianity, or Islam.

Sacred places are recognized either as a personified natural feature like a mountain or lake, or as a fully articulated guardian spirit, entity, or deity such as Athena, the goddess of Athens or Poseidon, the God of the Oceans. The cycle of the natural year is seen by most Pagans as a model of spiritual growth and renewal. This is most commonly known as the Wheel of the Year. The Wheel’s eight spokes are marked by festivals according to the seasons. The earth is sacred; the Wheel marks the movement of the earth through the seasons.

Each culture had its own set of beliefs and their own set of gods and goddesses. Also, the number of gods and goddesses within each culture were considerable. The funny thing about all this is that the gods and goddesses were recognized as being the same between cultures; only the names changed. The Goddess of Love was known as Venus in Rome but was called Aphrodite in Greece. Similarly, the God of Magick in Greece was Hermes; he was known as Thoth in Egypt. All Pagan religion was not public religion; much of it was domestic. This was religion that pervaded the whole of everyday life. Followers lived, breathed, and died revering the earth and their Gods. This was not a religion where you could put on a suit or dress on a Sunday morning and just give an hour of your time away. This was living Life. Magic was an acceptable activity in Pagan societies since the two worlds were thought to be in constant communication with one another. In ancient Rome, a new bride would anoint the doorposts of her new home with wolf’s fat to keep famine from the household. A new-born would receive a consecrated amulet to wear as a protection against harmful spirits. Specialist magicians, such as horse-whisperers and healers, were common throughout pagan societies.

In the present day, Paganism manifests both as communities reclaiming their ancient sites and ceremonies, and as individuals pursuing a personal spiritual path alone or in a small group. Many modern Pagans live joyfully and without shame. Modern Pagans tend to be at ease with themselves and others. Pagan women have a dignity which is not always found outside Pagan circles. Modern Pagans are often creative, playful and individualistic, affirming the importance of the individual psyche as it interfaces with a greater power. There is a respect for all of life and usually a desire to participate with rather than to dominate other beings. This is mostly true, but there are dark pagans that follow the darker aspects of the gods. These pagans are NOT evil, as such, but recognize and work with these darker energies.