Question Series - r/paganism

Question series - r/paganism

image: 1998, Bridger and Hergest

Greetings! Each week for 10 weeks posts a simple question to allow us the opportunity to share your interpretation of your pagan path. The idea is to organically explore the breadth of self-identified pagans. Clearly reddit is not the best cross-section of the entire pagan world, but I hope we will see enough diversity here to demonstrate our similarities and differences.

The intent is not to debate, to elevate your path above others, or to oppress paths. Stating your opinion, or the stance of your tradition or doctrine, is fair game but it should be understood as your own perspective. It is my personal belief that there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ path, but some followers of a particular tradition may believe their tradition is the most complete answer. Avoid dissuading or convincing, but state your belief on the subject. I’ve been told enough times that my path “is not paganism” or is “garbage, hippy new-age bullshit”. My path is not validated by history and I invent it as I go using my intuition and connection to my interpretation of the divine. Truly, this can best be described as the path of the Druid, which falls under the ‘umbrella’ of paganism (as most interpret it).

Call me selfish, but I am continually motivated by the practices of others. I like to adopt new practices and discard that do not fulfill me. Some things that I am newly introduced to I will take to extremes and read everything I can on the subject, but admitting I might adopt others with little to no context from which that practice arose. I ALWAYS pay credence to the source of the knowledge, either from the individual or their source. In other words, I would like to learn of your practices or beliefs and have my own free-will to pursue to my own spiritual desire. To perform Tarot, must one know the entire history and origins of the method? To cultivate a relationship with Ninmah, must you read all of the accessible archaeological and historical records of her? To use your use your wand, walk that circle, or chant those words… rate the importance of knowing the history behind the act. (This is the primary question of Week 2 – “How important is knowledge of history and pre-history in your path?”). Please excuse me if this seems rude, pretentious, presumptive to you. I just have questions and interests and value input from many sources. I’m clearly not well versed any much of the large world of paganism, except for that which has entered the ebbs and flows of life in the last two-decades as an adult. You, a person wherever, seems important enough to me to solicit for an opinion.

Couple of definitions (these are, of course, debatable, but are defined here as they are intended in the questions):

• Use of “path” a spiritual belief system or practice that lacks a specific tradition, or is not followed, or is eclectic.
• Use of “tradition” to describe to a type of pagan path (religion) that is re-constructionist (Celtic Polytheism) in nature OR has a clear, published way of practicing (e.g. Wicca, Divine Feminism, Triple Deist, etc.).
• Use of “pagan” to refer to a person that would be described by a monotheist third-party as such OR a person that self-identifies as such AND is not a pure monotheist. Drawing from broad sources like:  (1998, Bridger and Hergest), (2014, Beckett) and (2018, AHA).
• Use of “paganism” in reference to the spiritual belief system or practice of an above described “pagan”
• Use of “pure monotheist” as a person with the specific belief that one and only-one god exists and is to be worshipped, in reference to but not exclusively Islam, Christianity, Judaism.
• Use of “divine” to refer to anything supernatural or natural that can be revered (by anyone)
• “Deities”, “Goddesses and Gods”, and “pantheon” are used somewhat interchangeably in reference to the readers “pagan” view of the “divine”.

For a look forward, the 10-week content is already up on my blog and website. I’ll also cross-post this to other subs and social media, but my suggestion is to funnel the discussion to r/paganism. Every time you feel like ‘upvoting’ someone’s comment, instead type few words.

1. What is your tradition or path?

a.       Give a short synopsis of the pagan path you follow:

                                                               i.      E.g. Does it have a name? How did you discover the path and what drew you? What is the most important aspect separating this path from others?

                                                             ii.      If you are a Babylonian Reconstructionist, can you give us a brief description of your pantheon (as you have researched)? If you are eclectic, which sources do you draw from and why?

b.       I know, there is flair to communicate this on the sub, but I’d like this to be an opportunity to share your interpretation of your path.

2.   How important is knowledge of history and pre-history in your path?

a.       Do you find it personally important to read the ancient texts of your path?

b.       Do you find it personally important to understand the cultural history of how the path/tradition was derived?

3.       Is your path nature-focused?

a.       A common misunderstanding is that all pagan paths are nature-focal.

b.       What are the goddesses and gods in your pantheon that are not “based in nature”?

c.       Personally, it is my reverence for natural phenomenon that forms the core of my pagan practice and beliefs.

4.       Are your Goddesses and Gods separate from nature?

a.       First of all, what is your interpretation of the word “nature”?

b.       Are the deities “of nature” or specifically different?

c.       Is any part of your pantheon specifically separated from said “nature”?

5.       Do you use any form of “magick” in your practice?

a.       First of all, what is your interpretation of the word magic, magik, magick, etc.?

b.       What type of magick do you use?

c.       Divination?

6.       Do the deities have morphology?

a.       Is there a ‘shape’ or ‘form’ to your deity? Material, nonmaterial? Does it change?

b.       Do you draw or imitate deities? Do you like thinking of the ‘shape’ or ‘form’ you described?

c.       Are they more abstract? Exist in a completely non-rational and non-material space?

d.       What is the power of your mind with your connection to deities? Is your imagination of said ‘form’ more important, their ‘light’, their guidance, your telepathic connection?

7.       What is the relationship between your path and the “modern scientific paradigm”?

a.       The cultural meme suggests Religion and Science are in a ‘battle’ of philosophy. Not only is this not true, it is only promoted by the arrogance on either side of the issue. I’m sure we have all been subject to “defending our beliefs against atheists”, “defend our beliefs to the monotheists”, and even occasionally have the need to defend yourself from pagan-gatekeepers that let you know your not doing it right “like my garbage, hippy dippy new-age shit” and their theirs is more 1) historically accurate, 2) culturally accurate, 3) scientifically accurate, and even 4) moral superiority.

b.       This is really touchy one that rings all kids of “atheism” bells for people, trying to apply material rationalism to the spiritual plane. There have been many ‘discussions’ on this at this sub, but the point here is to be proud of your own gradient and how you respond to external stimuli.

8.       Do your deities evolve?

a.       This question can be interpreted in several ways, but what I am interested in the cultural evolution of the Greek Pantheon into the Roman Pantheon.

b.       What is your interpretation of the relationship between these entities?

c.       For example, as Hermes culturally transitioned to Mercury, did the actual god change? Was there a new god born out of this (Mercury)? Or do Mercury and Hermes represent the same god (to you)?

d.       These are fuzzy personal relationships. E.g. Historically, the Roman pantheon was born out of the Greek. But some pagans specifically choose to stay exclusive to certain pantheons and not place importance on the evolution ‘to’ or ‘out-of’ that deification.

e.       The question can also be interpreted in a more biologic sense. Have the gods evolved as human though has evolved? Are some of todays American Gods (Neil Gaiman) the SAME as some of the past? Or are they completely different entities?

9.       What is the role of the ‘mystical experience’ in your path?

a.       A mystical experience can also be described as a ‘religious’ or ‘spiritual’ experience

b.       Do you or have you ever sought a ‘mystical experience’ state of consciousness to enhance your spirituality? How important is this (or not) to you?

c.       Ritual? Chanting? Dancing? Trans? TaiChi? Psilocybin? Fasting? Do you perform magick?

10.   How many deities do you recognize?

a.       Do you follow a very specific pantheon? Have you a classical set of deities you worship? Is there a finite number? Infinite? Cross-cultural?

b.       Have you ever ‘deified’ anything? As in, ‘created’ a goddess to worship? If not, how do you feel about this?

c.       In Week 8, evolution of the gods was on the discussion… if Gods do not evolve, to they appear when a new situation, emotion, object arises?

END   To what degree is your path related to others that have been discussed?

a.       Do you share similarities in belief with other paths and traditions presented in the last 10 weeks? Is this important to you?

b.       Do you identify with any connection to other religious paths, Buddhism, Christianity, Atheism?