Paganism:
The first and foremost cornerstone of pagan belief systems is what is
Often called " the magical worldview "
The magical worldview is more than a belief, it is an attitude toward
The world around us,
A fundametally different perspective than any of the other major
World religions.
We are highly individualistic people who prefer to think for
Ourselves, and we shun away from any prescribed dogma,
So again, one " unified field theory " of pagan belief system is
Probably non-existant.
Yet, there is some basic ideas that unite the many different paths of
Paganism through common principles.
1) everything is connected to everything else:
All our actions, them being conscious or not, have all an effect on
The world around us.
We choose through ritual, to make conscious the connection between
Self and enviroment, action and event.
2) everything is cyclic:
As the seasons repeat again and again, everything is seen as a spiral
Of cyclic energy.
Death is the rest and recuperation that precedes rebirth
And is a necessary stage for any movement or lifeform to continue
Indefinately.
3) nature knows best
We see the earth as a living deity,
A planetary being that is conscious, and self-regulating.
In all that we do, natural laws have the highest respect and provide
Us with the moral foundation for our personal and cultural behavior.
The animal kingdom is seen as part of the family of living creatures,
No less important than humans.
4) deity is immanent
This mean that deity exist in everything - within each one of us, the
Animals, rocks, the moon .....
What we do to ourselves, we do to the god and goddess.
If we abuse or pollute ourselves, each other, the earth, or the
Animals, we are abusing divinity itself.
5) paganism is polytheistic, presenting the ultimate power or being
In its duel gender.
The goddess represents the divine feminine, the moon and its cycles,
All material forms, and many non-material concepts.
She is the ultimate mystery, always inviting one to probe deeper,
Never to be fully revealed.
She is creatress by virtue of her ability to give birth;
Nurturer by her ability to sustain life, emotionally and physically;
And destroyer by her natural limits that brings us all, eventually to
Death.
But more about her later.
The god is seen as the influence that inspires the goddess to evolve
And change,
The god is the driving force that initiates, ignites, and catalyzes.
He is lover and protector, warrior and teacher, father and ruler.
He is the dancer while the goddess is the dance.
He is the flame and the goddess the fire.
Together the god and goddess form the inpenetrating dualty that is
The constant field of creation.
All aspects of our known universe are represented in the god and
Goddess. -- birth and death, dark and light, male and female.
Each is complete within itself, yet each completes the other.
The goddess exists within men aswell as woman, just as the god is
Within both woman and men.
6) pagan ethics are grounded in an ancient maxim: "if it harm none,
Do what you will"
It is believed that it only harms oneself to harm another
And all deeds react upon the doer threefold.
We do not believe in a concept of "sin and forgiveness",
But instead see things in terms of cause and effect, sometimes called
Karma.
7) we also believe in that indefi-nable experience that we call
Magic.
Magic can be defined as:
- the art of causing change in conformity with will.
- the art of causing change in consciousness as a result of
Intention.
- the art of coincidence control, or probability enhancement.
- the art of transformation.
We believe that everybody have the power to change the circumstances
Around them,
Whether it be a lack of job, healing
Or the gradual restoration of balance to the planet as a whole.
Along with personal empowerment comes personal responsibility to
Harm none.
8) we honor the four elements, earth, water, fire, air
And see them as the four building blocks of life.
9) pagans are non-hierarchical
Paganism is not administrated by a hierarchical bureaucracy.
The pagan movement is made up of individuals and small independent
Groups linked by common traditions.
We have no guru's, masters or leaders except in a coven situation
Where the priest and the priestess are there, more to regulate
Proceedings than anything else.
10) the circle
Pagan worship with participants and celebrants together in a
Magically cast circle.
The circularity allows all participants to interact within a format
Of basic equality it also enhances the energy and supplies protection
11) pagans have a positive attitude about their bodies and about
Sexuality.
It is a myth that pagans have secret orgies in their ritual.
Many holidays, such as beltaine feature sexuality between the god and
Goddess but in a symbolical way.
12) our worship and festivals occurs in conjunction with the cycles
Of the sun and the moon
And we have 8 major solar holidays in the pagan calender.
They occur at ther solstices and equinoxes and the cross-quarter days
Between them.
The holidays have specific significance in what is called the wheel
Of the year,
Or the cyclic journey of balance that we undergo in each year's trip
Around the sun.
The holidays form the foundation of what remains of ancient pagan
Traditions,
The symbols and meaning is commemorated in ritual year after year.
How these symbols are expressed, however
Is open to creative innovation and may vary from group to group.
These holidays are:
Samhain sow'in - [1st may] imbolc - [1st aug],
Beltane - [31st oct] lughnasadh loo-nassa - [2nd feb]
Spring equinox - [22nd sept] autumn equinox - [21st march]
Yule - [22nd june] summer solstice -[22nd dec]
Paganism comes in various forms
The following is the major influences and contemporary styles that
Make up the larger body of the pagan community.
It is by no means the least,
Pagans pride themselves on the diversity of their ways, and many
Groups are eclectic blends of several of the following traditions.
1. Witchcraft or wicca
2. Druidism
3. Hinduism
4. Tibetan buddism
5. Ceremonial magick
And 6. Shamanism
There are many more including the eco-movements and some
Feminist groups.