Hi all, just found this thread and decided to contribute, even though the thread's a little old now. Consider this a bump
Like Sharon, I'm Pagan, but not in exactly the same way. Pagan is a term that really brings together a whole range of earth-based spiritualities. Basically, Wicca, Asatru, Shamanism, all of these spiritualities that worship the earth, nature, and give equal reverence to the male and female aspects, can be called Pagan.
My own kind of Paganism is kind of undefined. I see the divine in nature, in everything around me, and everyone. I don't have altars in my home, but I have what I call 'special places' where I can go and feel particularly close to the divine. In Asatru (which is also called the Northern Tradition, basically the old Norse religion of the Vikings of Scandinavia) there is the concept of land spirits, and this is something which has helped define my beliefs. There are places where I can feel 'spirits' or the divine..it's just a sense of wonderment, something bigger than myself. I suppose the same kind of feeling the Christians or Muslims or Buddhists, etc, have when going to church, or praying or worshipping, and feeling close to the divine being of their faith. For me, this feeling is the spirits of the place. They may be friendly or unfriendly, recent or ancient, human, animal, etc.
When I lived in the UK, Dh and I went to Stonehenge, and for me this was a disappointing experience. It felt 'dead'. It could have been because of the walkway now built around it, or the amount of people there, or the general disrespect shown by most visitors, but it felt as though no spirits were there. Perhaps it got too busy for them and they left. But it felt dead to me, and Dh said the same kind of thing.
The places I most feel a closeness with the divine is a particular place at the river running behind our house (we had a small ritual there on the due date of the first baby I m/ced), and a lot of the area around the Scottish Highlands and northern England. Not too sure why, the feeling was just there. It's kind of hard to explain, lol. Sorry if this is not making much sense.
Essentially, the earth is what is divine to me, and the special days I follow are the 8 sabbats on the wheel of the year. These are Yule (Christmastime, generally Dec 21st), this was the midwinter feast, to cheer oneself up and get the family together, and in the Norse Tradition, mention is made of Odin (the 'head god') travelling through the cold winter night in disguise, and calling on people to let him in, give him shelter and food. He would leave rewards for those who were welcoming and kind (Santa Claus anyone?). Another of significance to non-Pagans is Ostara. This is held in spring, and is a celebration of the new fertility of the earth, and the return of life after the winter. It is celebrated with eggs, planting of new crops and is named after the Celtic fertility goddess Eostre. Sound familiar? A third of interest is Samhein. This occurs at the end of October/start of November as the cold northern hemisphere winter is beginning to close in, and is the time when the 'barrier' between the living world and the 'other' is thinnest. It is a time to kill off the old stock animals, or others who won't survive the winter, and make stores of food and supplies in preparation for winter. it is also the time when we remember our ancestors and loved ones who have passed on. It was adopted by the Christian faith as halloween, and the tradition of remembering the dead at this time is the reason behind the ghostly and ghoulish connotations of modern Halloween.
There are five others, and all 8 are evenly spaced through the year. Generally they celebrate and recognise the natural cycles of the earth. I've been a little lax in my celebrations of late -_- I still celebrate Christmas and Easter with my family, as they coincide with my pagan version of these special days. Dh and I both identify as Pagan in the census, and when we have kids (which is hopefully soon) we intend to raise our kids with an awareness of all the religions on offer, and will encourage them to choose whatever they feel suits them best. From our own religion we will hopefully be able to instill two things in them. Firstly, to do whatever makes them happy, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. Secondly, a deep respect for the earth and nature. Hopefully this way we can raise them to be ecologically aware and proactive, as well as being kind, thoughtful and respectful members of society.
I'm always happy to answer any questions people have, as I know Pagans aren't always that easy to find I do not claim that my spiritiuality is the same as all Pagans, and would not try to speak for all Pagans, but I can offer some insight into this form of Paganism. If I had to choose one 'strand' of Paganism to identify with, it would be the Northern Tradition. In it, Samhein is the new year, the gods exist in a different realm to our earth, and are unable to have much bearing on our lives. After death, we go to hall of the god or goddess we have been closest to, there is no real idea of heaven or hell. Interestingly though, there is a goddess called Hel, and her Hall is said to be a very dull and humourless afterlife. My own hope is to go to the Hall of Freya - Sessrunner Hall, full of golden fields and families.
Would love to enter into any further discussion, and answer questions
A third of interest is Samhein. This occurs at the end of October/start of November as the cold northern hemisphere winter is beginning to close in, and is the time when the 'barrier' between the living world and the 'other' is thinnest. It is a time to kill off the old stock animals, or others who won't survive the winter, and make stores of food and supplies in preparation for winter. it is also the time when we remember our ancestors and loved ones who have passed on. It was adopted by the Christian faith as halloween, and the tradition of remembering the dead at this time is the reason behind the ghostly and ghoulish connotations of modern Halloween.
I do not claim that my spiritiuality is the same as all Pagans, and would not try to speak for all Pagans, but I can offer some insight into this form of Paganism. If I had to choose one 'strand' of Paganism to identify with, it would be the Northern Tradition. In it, Samhein is the new year, the gods exist in a different realm to our earth, and are unable to have much bearing on our lives. After death, we go to hall of the god or goddess we have been closest to, there is no real idea of heaven or hell. Interestingly though, there is a goddess called Hel, and her Hall is said to be a very dull and humourless afterlife. My own hope is to go to the Hall of Freya - Sessrunner Hall, full of golden fields and families.
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