Paganism is a broad term that encompasses various religious and spiritual beliefs and practices that are not part of the major world religions. It is an umbrella term that includes different traditions such as Wicca, Druidism, Heathenry, and many others. One of the key aspects of Paganism is a belief in the interconnectedness and sacredness of nature. Pagans often view the natural world as divine and seek to live in harmony with it. They may honor and worship specific deities, spirits, or forces of nature, and may participate in rituals and ceremonies to connect with these forces. Paganism is often characterized by a reverence for the cycles of nature, such as the changing seasons and the phases of the moon.
Pagan basics
Paganism is an umbrella term for a range of traditions, often rooted in ancient European sources. They are related to the landscape and climate of their origin and have been reconstructed or recreated for the modern world, using archaeological discoveries, folklore and any still existing contemporary texts. Paganisms are often polytheistic or pantheistic and frequently associated with encountering the sacred in nature, although not in all cases.
A convention has grown up to use Paganism with a capital P for contemporary ‘Western’ Paganism seen as a current religion, and paganism with a small p for the various traditions so labelled in the past. It is important to distinguish between Paganism as considered here and other uses of the word, such as the pejorative use found in Abrahamic traditions with overtones of idolatry, immorality and meaningless ritual. Sometimes ‘pagan’ is used to mean any religion other than Judaism, Christianity or Islam.
Paganisms include Druidry, Wicca, Goddess spirituality, as well as those traditions which seek to reconstruct ancient paganisms such as modern Heathenry and Asatru (Norse traditions), Religio-Romano (Roman), Helenismos (Greek), Kemeticism (Egyptian) and contemporary forms of animism and shamanism.
The following takes the view that Paganism, although drawing upon elements of what is known about ancient paganisms, is basically of recent, recreated or reconstructed origin rather than being ‘the old religion’, predating Christianity, as sometimes claimed. Historians, notably Ronald Hutton, have shown that the there is little or no evidence for the idea of a continuing tradition, surviving underground during the Christian centuries of Europe.
In addition, Paganism is typical of a new form of contemporary religiosity that is different from the format of traditional ‘religions’ that have existed for thousands of years, especially from the concept of ‘religion’ derived from Christianity. So Paganism is not centrally about ‘beliefs’ or ‘faith’ except in the case of some reconstructed Pagan traditions, but is based on personal experience and a general outlook on life. There are aspects of ancient European traditions that would now be rejected such as animal sacrifice.
With regard to Heathenry, Ancient Heathenry refers to the way of life of the pre-Christian Germanic-speaking peoples of much of North and Western Europe, from the Iron Age through until the conversion; such as the Anglo-Saxons, Franks, Goths, and Norse. These ancient Heathen cultures died out, so there are no ethnic Heathens today. The ways are slowly being reconstructed by small communities of enthusiasts from what can be known of the originals, and it may be that within a few generations there will be living Heathen communities again.
There is no list of doctrines that must be assented to, and Pagans may have a variety of beliefs. It is up to the individual. This new form of religiosity has been described by Paul Heelas and others as the ‘spiritual revolution’, a ‘subjective turn’ from organised religion, external authorities, a theistic deity ‘out there’ to a looser form of spirituality which is personal and undogmatic. The individual can take elements from a variety of traditions eclectically, and one does sometimes hear Pagans talk about, for example, ‘karma’. It could be described as ‘i-religion’, where ‘i’ stands for individual, interactive, information and internet. Having said that, there are generalisations that can be made about beliefs, and organisations that have meetings and websites. Paganisms are living traditions that are constantly evolving through the input and expression of the individuals following Pagan traditions, remembering the core of those traditions. It will be interesting to see if Paganism becomes more ‘organised’ as it develops or whether this is a permanent alteration to our concept of ‘religion’.
A fundamental tenet of much of Paganism is the sacredness of nature. Paganism has been jokingly described as ‘the Green Party at prayer’ and certainly the Pagan worldview generally fits very well with environmentalist and ecological concerns. The divine is often seen as immanent in nature, rather than transcendent. This may be expressed in a variety of ways – pantheistically as the creative life force or energy within all things, animistically as respecting all ‘other-than-human-lives’ as sacred, polytheistically as different deities being responsible for different aspects of life, or seeing the whole of nature as the Goddess. However expressed, it is an affirmation of the physical, often a denial of a spirit/matter dichotomy and a celebration of the interdependence of all things.
When it comes to deity or deities, Pagans differ. Some may use polytheistic language, referring to ancient deities such as Isis from Egypt, Diana from Rome, and Rhiannon from Wales. Some may prioritise ‘The Goddess’. Wiccans may speak of the God and the Goddess, but may also speak of the universal energy behind both, which is neither male nor female. Occasionally a Pagan might accept the concept of God, but a deity understood as immanent rather than the transcendent deity of Abrahamic traditions. There is a tendency, also found in Hinduism, of reconciling polytheism and pantheism through an idea of levels of truth – thus for example, followers of Goddess spirituality may name many goddesses, but at a deeper level all are aspects of the one Goddess with a capital G. ‘Hard’ polytheists would disagree, believing in a pantheon of deities, each with their own, individual existences. Kemetics, who are reconstructing Egyptian polytheism, may see deities as individuals that also merge together.
There is also something of a spectrum of belief as to how ‘real’ Deity or deities are. The spectrum is partly because Paganisms draw from a variety of ancient traditions, which varied in landscape and climate and therefore distinctiveness of deities, and also from a variety of factors in our contemporary culture. There is a growing number of Pagan atheists, for example.
Heathenry is a modern religion reconstructed from an ancient one. Reconstruction is a methodology, and varies in application. At root it simply involves looking at sources to learn about the ways of the heathens of old, and then implementing elements of that in the here and now. It may just mean learning the names of the gods from ancient poems and writings, such as the Edda, but in the main it means studying all relevant sources from which an underlying ancient worldview can be discerned (explaining *why* actions were taken), and then endeavouring to live that worldview in the most practical and effective sense in the here and now. Different Heathen communities will lay different emphasis on different elements of the ancient worldview, and live them differently, creating communities with recognisable similarities and variations, much as would have been found in pre-Christian Europe.
However ‘real’ the deities are perceived to be, there is a strong commitment to the power of myth to express truth, and many Pagans interpret the language of gods and goddesses, spirits and fairies as poetic, metaphorical, psychological or other non-realist ways of expressing important truths about life. Others may have a more realist approach, with various in-between or agnostic positions.
Paganism tends to focus on living this life rather than speculating about life after death. However, many Pagans believe in some form of reincarnation, as the ancient Druids did, according to Roman writers. Others have a more humanist approach, seeing death as our return to the earth, our physical body returning to the elements and any continuation being through the memories of those who loved us and the influence of our achievements. There is also the concept of the Summerlands as a destination after death in some traditions, which could be compared with an “Elysian fields” final destination as found in Greek mythology. There are a range of perspectives and beliefs about death and what comes next, varying from Pagan tradition to Pagan tradition.
One notable side of a Pagan outlook, especially animistic Paganism, is that humans take less of a central role in the universe, but are seen as equal partners in an interdependent ecology with other life-forms such as animals and plants.
Why Paganism? Let’s Talk About the Pagan Basics
There are a few topics that we’ve always been warned not to bring up in a public setting – topics like money/finances, politics and religion. However, today I’m going to throw that advice out the window long enough to answer some of YOUR questions. From emails to social media, I have received quite a few questions about Paganism and my decision to openly share my journey online. So, today I’d like to break it down a bit and discuss some of the Pagan basics…
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I want to preface this post by saying I am NOT trying to convert anyone.
Early in my journey to Paganism, I was digging into every book, blog and article that I could get my hands on. One statement that seriously resonated with me is that unlike many other religions, Pagans aren’t converted to Paganism. Instead, you’re always a Pagan deep down, on your own journey to discover where your beliefs are aligned. I don’t remember where I read that, I wish I did!
With that thought in mind, I am writing this post for anyone and everyone that is interested in learning about the spiritual beliefs of Paganism, whether you’re interested in living the lifestyle yourself or not.
So, if you’ve come across this simply because you’re curious and interested in learning more, please know you are not only welcome but encouraged to enjoy this. If this resonates with you, great. If not, also great – We are all on our own individual journeys and I have no interest in trying to pressure anyone into adopting something simply because it connects with me.
Let’s start right at the beginning… While there has been a rise in the popularity of some aspects of Paganism, in particular Wicca, Paganism itself is nothing new. Traditional Paganism, also known as the ‘Old Ways’, can be traced back in time to our ancient ancestors. It was a set of beliefs and traditions that were practiced in Europe prior to the rise of Christianity.
The definition of ‘Paganism’ provided by the Pagan Federation is:
A polytheistic or pantheistic nature-worshipping religion.
If that sounds incredibly vague, like it could encompass a wide variety of different beliefs and practices, that’s because it is! ‘Pagan’ is like an umbrella. Some will choose to identify with a specific label or a particular practice, like Wicca, Druidry or Heathenism. Others, meanwhile, will simply choose to identify as ‘Pagan’, not fully believing that their own personal beliefs will fall into one of these categories. As the Pagan belief system is based on the freedom to walk your own journey and choose your own beliefs, all of the above are accepted.
Recently, modern society has shown an increased interest in the practice of Wicca and Witchcraft. However, in understanding the umbrella concept that I just described, not all Pagans are Wiccan. That is arguably one of the biggest misconceptions that I have come across along my journey. In fact, there are many Pagans who would be insulted to be referred to as a ‘witch’ while others embrace the term.
One commonality that underlies all paths is the recognition of the Earth as sacred. The way that this is practiced and incorporated into our daily lives can vary from person to person, belief system to belief system.
With this in mind, everything that I am sharing from this part forward will be exclusive to my own personal journey and practices. If you’ve come this far and do find yourself interested in learning more about Paganism and how it may connect with your own personal beliefs, I highly recommend digging into some research, reading up about the different belief systems. Find what resonates with you.
If you’ve been around Alternatively Speaking for any length of time, then you know that I have been quite open in recent months with the fact that I identify as Pagan. More specifically, I identify as an Eclectic Pagan. Eclectic Paganism, also known as ‘Non-Denominational Paganism,’ is the idea that one can follow a pagan path without subscribing solely to any one specific set of beliefs.
While I am personally drawn quite heavily to Celtic Paganism, I am not tied solely to their traditions, practices and beliefs. As with many Pagans, I follow the ‘Wheel of the Year’, an annual cycle of festivals and events based largely on the year’s solar events and the changing of the seasons. While each of these dates holds a spiritual meaning, they can also be tied to something bigger than my own practice.
For example, later this month we will be celebrating Ostara. Looking at the phases of the sun, Ostara coincides with the Spring Equinox, the time in which light and dark are once again perfectly balanced, with the amount of light that we are experiencing on the rise. From a spiritual belief, this is tied to new growth, newborn animals, fertility and new beginnings.
One thing that you will notice quite quickly is that many of the traditional Pagan festivals and events coincide with the practices of other religions. Many historians believe that as Christians began to take over Europe, they adopted many of these concepts in an attempt to convert the Pagans that were living there at the time to Christianity. This helps to explain some of the beliefs associated with Christian holidays that stray from what we are told are the ‘Christian roots’.
Ostara is a great example of this in practice. The connection between Ostara and fertility is often associated with 2 specific symbols – the egg and the rabbit. Symbols that are seen regularly associated with our modern Easter celebrations.
For other examples of the tie between traditional Pagan festivals and modern holidays, check out my posts about Yule and it’s associations with Christmas as well as Samhain and it’s associations with Halloween.
For me personally, I have always felt a deep connection with nature and the Earth. It is for this reason, I believe, that I am drawn to spend so much of my time outdoors, camping and hiking. I am much happier in the forest with no one else in sight, sleeping in a tent than spending the night at a 5-star hotel. There is a peace, tranquillity and serenity that this connection to the Earth provides. The more I read up about the nature-worshipping religions, the more my thoughts and feelings began to make sense to me.
I believe in the presence of a higher power, although many Pagans (myself included) don’t necessarily attribute this to a single God. While some recognize a number of Gods and Goddesses, each with their own strengths and attributes, others (particularly modern Wicca) see all of these combined as a single God and Goddess working in harmony with one another.
One concept that really stood out for me early on in my Pagan journey that set Paganism apart from most other religions that I had studied (curiosity had me reading up on a wide variety) was the fact that Paganism is not built on the premise that we are ultimately flawed, seeking salvation. Instead, most Pagans subscribe to the idea that we have a duty to honour the Gods/Goddesses/higher power with our actions each day, not that we are trying to live up to specific laws (and that following short of these laws would constitute as a sin). We are all capable of great good as well as capable of making mistakes and are ultimately responsible for our own actions.
It puts more of an onus on each of us individually – In order to honour the gods by upholding my own values, ethics and morals, I must first identify what these are. That kind of soul searching was both overwhelming and unbelievably freeing. I wasn’t blindly following someone else’s created doctrine. Instead, I had to take the time to define and understand each concept for myself.
Even if you do follow a set religion, I challenge yourself to dig into this concept while continuing to honour your own belief system. For example, if you are Christian, sit down for a moment and consider what about each sin makes it a sin…. Going with an extreme, why is murder inherently wrong? Then break down into smaller portions.
I have always been a firm believer that asking questions like this is important! Do you truly believe and follow your faith if you can’t question it and dig into it? Anytime a religion or a specific religious leader encourages blind following, I see that as a huge red flag! Some of the most devout Christians that I have met achieved their strong faith by questioning and finding answers that directed them back to their own spiritual beliefs.
As there is no one single belief system under the umbrella of Paganism, there is no one specific set of rules to abide by. However, many of the rules or redes that are accepted and embraced can boil down to a similar meaning. Examples include:
Wiccan Rede: “An’ it harm none, dos as you will.”
Rule of Three: Anything you do comes back to you more three times more intensely. If good attracts good, so do does bad attract bad.
As a Pagan, we don’t judge those around us. We have a very open and accepting view of the world, welcoming those whose lifestyles may differ from our own. At the end of the day, we hold ourselves to one principle – that we do not bring harm to others.
If you find yourself intrigued by the concepts of Paganism (for whatever reason) and are interested in learning more, I highly recommend you read the book ‘Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions’ by Joyce & River Higginbotham. This is a book that I have read multiple times, each time learning something new or discovering a new way to look at the world.
Do you have any questions about the Pagan basics and the concept of Paganism? Feel free to ask in the comments below!
For those who are also practicing Pagans, please feel free to leave your own thoughts/journeys/discoveries in the comments as well!
Pagan basics
Since witchcraft and paganism are two of the fastest growing religions in modern times, maybe you’re wondering what do Pagans believe? We hope to breakdown the basic paganism beliefs in this article for those who are confused or searching for answers. Please keep in mind that every Pagan is different and will have variations in their beliefs or believe in something else entirely different than the next Pagan. If you’d specifically like to know what witches believe, you can refer to an article on witchcraft basics.
Paganism is often characterized by a reverence for the cycles of nature, such as the changing seasons and the phases of the moon. Many Pagans celebrate holidays and festivals that mark these natural cycles, such as the summer solstice or the harvest festival. Another important element of Paganism is the concept of personal autonomy and individual spiritual exploration.
First, What Is a Pagan?
The word Pagan has had different meaning over the centuries. First, it was used by the rich who had converted to Christianity in the Middle Ages to label country-dwellers who had not yet converted faiths. Now, in the twenty first century, the term Pagan refers to anyone who follows a faith outside of the 3 Abrahamic Religions (which are Christianity, Islam and Judaism). As you might guess, there are hundreds of kinds of Pagans. Some types of paganism include Heathens, Hellenic reconstructionists, Norse pagans, Celtic pagans, Druids, Kemetic Pagans, Wiccans, and even African diasporic, Hinduism and far eastern religions are considered pagan since they are outside of the realm of Abrahamic religion. These are just a few…there are seriously hundreds and new branches popping up all the time.
Pagans often emphasize personal experience and intuition in their spiritual practice, rather than relying solely on established religious texts or authorities. This means that there is a great diversity of beliefs and practices within Paganism, as individuals are encouraged to follow their own spiritual path. Rituals and ceremonies play a central role in Paganism, and may involve chanting, dancing, singing, and the use of symbolic tools or objects. These rituals are often seen as a way to connect with divine energies and to bring about personal transformation or spiritual healing. Paganism also emphasizes the importance of ethics and living in harmony with others. Many Pagans follow a belief system known as the Wiccan Rede, which states "An it harm none, do what ye will." This means that individuals are encouraged to act in a way that does not harm themselves or others. In recent years, Paganism has experienced a resurgence of interest and popularity, as more people seek alternative spiritual paths outside of traditional religions. The internet has also played a significant role in this resurgence, as it has allowed Pagans from all over the world to connect, share information, and explore their beliefs together. Overall, Paganism is a diverse and multifaceted spiritual path that celebrates the sacredness of nature and encourages personal exploration and growth. It is a rich and vibrant tradition that continues to evolve and adapt to the needs and beliefs of its practitioners..
Reviews for "The Ethics of Paganism: Living in Harmony with the Universe"
1. John - 1-star rating - I found "Pagan basics" to be extremely disappointing. The content was shallow and lacked any real substance. It felt like the author was simply regurgitating information that could easily be found with a simple internet search. The book failed to provide any unique insights or helpful tips for someone looking to explore paganism. Overall, I would not recommend wasting your time or money on this book.
2. Sarah - 2-star rating - "Pagan basics" was an underwhelming read for me. While I appreciate the attempt to cover various aspects of paganism, I found the information to be too basic and lacking in depth. The author skimmed over important topics without providing any meaningful explanations or examples. Additionally, the writing style was dry and uninspiring, making it difficult for me to stay engaged. For individuals who are new to paganism, this book might provide a brief introduction, but it falls short in providing any substantial knowledge or guidance.
3. Emma - 2-star rating - I had high hopes for "Pagan basics" but was ultimately let down. The author's perspective seemed limited and biased, failing to capture the diverse nature of paganism. The book also seemed outdated, with references and examples that felt out of touch with modern practices. I was hoping for a more inclusive and comprehensive guide, but instead, I was left feeling like I hadn't gained much from reading it. There are certainly better resources out there for those interested in exploring paganism.