General Chat

I think that's the correct term..... apologies if I am wrong......however........Laura (I think it was) mentioned this on a thread earlier and it really caught my interest. Does anyone else on here practise this or have any further insights?xx

I go to psychic awareness classes(some pagan rituals),so there's always protection in place,the Pagan practice is a very early religion relating to our natural surroundings,a non-commercial belief system.It's all down to personal choice?

Yes it was me Muffy.

I've been a practicing pagan since I was about 17, so almost 8 years.

More of a druid, but some witchy tendencies.

Good websites if you're interested :-

Google the following
Pagan Federation
Pagan Network
Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids
Druid Order of Tamaris
The Druid Network

Any questions, let me know

Laura

We celebrate 8 festivals throughout the year, and it's surprising how many coincide with Christian festivals.

For example, we have just celebrated the spring/vernal equinox, also known as Ostara...

Laura

Thank you Laura and Carla.

I'll look into that...... I am very interested in the Druids from books that I have been reading.....it seems like such a beautiful way of looking at things......at one with nature.......thanks again.xx

Can i ask which books Muffy?

x

Yes I'd read that most Christian festivals coincide.

Are there any specific no no's for you...by that I mean is there anything specific you have to do or not do? xx

Mainly fiction so far Laura.......but they have fired my interest as they are written by a historian and are broadly historically accurate xx

Muffles,


I strongly believe in God but am also attracted to the earthiness and nature loving of paganism,


Would love to know more,


Cazzles xxx

Not really, it's pretty open. The word Pagan covers a LOT of branches!
One thing I would point out is that most pagans would not class Satanists to be Pagan.

Joan - I as a pagan would not feel comfortable being a christian godparent. In pagan families there are 'naming' ceremonies and such like where you may ask friends to be like guides for your children, but it's not quite the same as christenings.

Was she a godparent before she realised she was pagan?

Mostly it's that we honour the earth and ALL it's inhabitants, try not to do harm to others, work with the earth, many believe in god and goddess, the balance of female and male rather than a male God only. Others believe in 'spirit' (a more druidic thing I think), some are pantheists and believe in many gods and goddesses (like the ancient celts/greeks etc)

Laura

Paganism is definitelyt OUTSIDE the Christian church

I think most Christian festivals were set to coincide with existing pagan and celt festivals, mostly to make it easier to incorporate a Christian life into the communities they had converted.

It's a fascinating subject I must admit, and I especially like the idea of total respect and cohesion with all of nature, something amiss within most Christian beliefs, in that it is widely felt that we are superior to all other living things.

Caz - you do get people who call themselves Christian Witch or Christian Druid, though I struggle with this concept personally.

Part of the attractiveness of this path though, is that you can almost create your own path and beliefs within a certain structure.

Some would say Roman Catholicism is VERY close to paganism. You may see Mary as the Goddess etc

Laura

Teresa you've hit the nail on the head!

ONE OF MINE
LIVING WICCA BY SCOTT CUNNIMGHAM

I have no problems with it being outside the Christian church whatsoever as am not a follower of any religion or philosophy.

Also don't like the idea of Satanism so that all sits well with me.xx

I would like to know more about paganism, I've noted those sites you've mentioned Laura. It's just finding time at the moment with all the reading I have to do for my degree, plus the big pile of books I have for my own personal pleasure.

Laura as well as the websites you've mentioned are there any books that you could recommend?

Isn't Wicca relatively new, invented in the states, and not real pagansism at all?

Pagan festivals are much older than christian ones the christians used the original festival , and adopted them as christian

Wicca was 'created' by Gerald Gardiner in 1950s but there are roots that go further back, though how much further back is disputed. He was here in Britain, but Raymond Buckland was more in the states.

It is paganism, most definitely, but not for everyone.

Living Wicca is one of the first books I read, along with Cunningham's Wicca for the Solitary Practicioner.

Depends which side of the path you're into.

'Wicca' would be looking for authors like Janet and Stewart Farrar. Not my path though, so may be more appropriate things.

Authors I have books by and enjoy - Emma Restall Orr, Phillip Carr Gomm, Phillip Shallcrass, Scott Cunningham, Vivianne Crowley, Ralph Harvey, will have a look on my bookshelf for some more :)

I can completely understand time contraints with uni etc, I got into paganism just before starting my degree. What is useful though is meeting up with local people at a 'moot' (gathering). MOst areas have one a month, and you can find details on those websites- Pagan Federation is a good one to start.

Laura i am not a Pagan, I am a catholic, They are two seperate enterties.