What is Paganism?
Paganism is an umbrella term for a number of different nature based spiritualities and religions.
At the core of paganism lies the belief that nature is sacred and hence worthy of reverence and respect. Nature includes hills and rivers, trees, plants and wildlife, the built environment and human communities.
The majority of pagan paths celebrate the Wheel of the Year; the cycles of the sun and moon, the passage of the seasons and indivdual festivals such as the solstices and equinoxes, Beltane and Yule. Some also set aside special days dedicated to deities or ancestors.
Beliefs about deity vary widely. Types of belief include animism, polytheism, henotheism, duotheism, pantheism and panentheism. Some pagans give reverence to nature without any belief in deity.
Theist pagans venerate the gods and spirits of nature. Many also worship deities from a wide variety of cultures such as Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, Norse, Greek, Egyptian and African. Choice of deities (or which deities choose who!) usually depends on a combination of location, ancestry and personal calling.
Most pagans venerate their ancestors. These include ancestors of blood - one's family, ancestors of the land - those who have lived on and shaped the local landscape, and ancestors of spirit - people who are sources of inspiration and guidance.
Many pagans also believe in some form of Otherworld, which exists alongside and in relationship with our world. This is usually where the ancestors reside. It is also the home of some of the gods and other beings such as fairies, elves and dwarves.
Pagan practices include walking the land, meditation, ritual, trance and journeying to the Otherworld for wisdom and inspiration. Love of nature often leads pagans to care for their local environment. This may be through gardening at home, being part of a community garden, litter picking, tree planting or being involved in the management of woodlands or meadows. Many pagans are creative and use a combination of art, crafts, spoken word, dance and theatre to honour their land, gods and ancestors.
Pagan Paths include Druidry, Heathenry, Wicca, Solitary Witchcraft, Animism, Shamanism, Kemeticism and Goddess worship. These are examples of just a small few!
At the core of paganism lies the belief that nature is sacred and hence worthy of reverence and respect. Nature includes hills and rivers, trees, plants and wildlife, the built environment and human communities.
The majority of pagan paths celebrate the Wheel of the Year; the cycles of the sun and moon, the passage of the seasons and indivdual festivals such as the solstices and equinoxes, Beltane and Yule. Some also set aside special days dedicated to deities or ancestors.
Beliefs about deity vary widely. Types of belief include animism, polytheism, henotheism, duotheism, pantheism and panentheism. Some pagans give reverence to nature without any belief in deity.
Theist pagans venerate the gods and spirits of nature. Many also worship deities from a wide variety of cultures such as Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, Norse, Greek, Egyptian and African. Choice of deities (or which deities choose who!) usually depends on a combination of location, ancestry and personal calling.
Most pagans venerate their ancestors. These include ancestors of blood - one's family, ancestors of the land - those who have lived on and shaped the local landscape, and ancestors of spirit - people who are sources of inspiration and guidance.
Many pagans also believe in some form of Otherworld, which exists alongside and in relationship with our world. This is usually where the ancestors reside. It is also the home of some of the gods and other beings such as fairies, elves and dwarves.
Pagan practices include walking the land, meditation, ritual, trance and journeying to the Otherworld for wisdom and inspiration. Love of nature often leads pagans to care for their local environment. This may be through gardening at home, being part of a community garden, litter picking, tree planting or being involved in the management of woodlands or meadows. Many pagans are creative and use a combination of art, crafts, spoken word, dance and theatre to honour their land, gods and ancestors.
Pagan Paths include Druidry, Heathenry, Wicca, Solitary Witchcraft, Animism, Shamanism, Kemeticism and Goddess worship. These are examples of just a small few!