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I think the word "paganism" is too broad. I clicked on "paganism", hoping to see different sorts of paganism, but people seemed to be most interested in Druidism and Wicca or Odinism. And I was like, "Okay... no Native American religions? No African religions? No Confucianism? No Taoism? No Shintoism? No Hinduism?" Then, I came to the sudden revelation -- Eureka! -- that this paganism was really referring to neo-paganism. Or maybe, the subforum is referring to paganism in general, but most people here just happen to be White and thus interested in neo-paganism. I recently learned on Wikipedia that this neo-paganism is very diverse and de-centralized, so it's hard to pinpoint what neo-pagans believe, but a couple of key points have been included.
You hit the nail on the head. This board consists of mainly Europeans and people of European descent. Thus the commentary here tends to dwell on Synthetic/Syncretic practices like Wicca and neo-Druidism, plus a tiny handful of reconstructionists such as reconstructionist Celtic and Germanic beliefs.
But in its broadest definition, the term 'pagan' encompasses all non-Abrahamic religions, belief systems/worldviews. If you would like to discuss non-European paganism, please do, this board can use something other than another "What's Wicca?" thread.
Oh, and for what it's worth, the term 'Odinism' is generally defined as a subset of a modern interpretation of a synthetic revival of worship of Norse gods, often with a controversial racial component, that does not neccesarily place a great deal of importance on pre-Christian Germanic worldview, but rather brings elements of pre-Christian ideas into modern politics and culture.
As a free form pagan- I would love to hear from those who have not chosen a 'specific' pagan path, but those who have come to what they are in an organic fashion.
I'm not fond of any organized religion, even Wicca. I do however have interest and appreciation in the primal religions, but those are mostly extinct and are 'hereditary', so not something I feel I could 'join'. Even if I could- I'm such a non-conformist and free spirit, I probably would not do well. I don't do regular rituals and my magic work is not from any book or tradition. My magic is put together in the moment.
My pagan approach and foundation is one of perception, experience, interest and intuition.
I may 'take' things from other religions, but these things tend to be found in most religions and philosophies anyway- so they are just basically human ideals.
As a free form pagan- I would love to hear from those who have not chosen a 'specific' pagan path, but those who have come to what they are in an organic fashion.
I'm not fond of any organized religion, even Wicca. I do however have interest and appreciation in the primal religions, but those are mostly extinct and are 'hereditary', so not something I feel I could 'join'. Even if I could- I'm such a non-conformist and free spirit, I probably would not do well. I don't do regular rituals and my magic work is not from any book or tradition. My magic is put together in the moment.
My pagan approach and foundation is one of perception, experience, interest and intuition.
I may 'take' things from other religions, but these things tend to be found in most religions and philosophies anyway- so they are just basically human ideals.
Hi Owlkamyst.. Hope all is well with you..
I suppose if you have to put me in a box with a label... "free form" or "eclectic" would work. Like you I have little fondness for organized religion of any sort. I feel most of the "old ways", were rightfully undocumented, because if they were documented, then it would have been nothing more than doctrine and dogma, which tends to create followers instead of encouraging the exploration of ones individual path.
To me the whole point is self exploration to internalize the experiences one has to create your own path on the journey of life not to follow the paths of others...
My "approach" is like yours, perception, experience, interest, intuition. Actually, I really do not even consciously have an approach..! ha.. Nothing I do purposefully other than try to observe with as open of a mind as possible.
Sorta... "Magic Happens" instead of "Sh-t happens"........lol..
I would say my foundation is sorta a "Ying/Yang"ish kind of thing... "empowerment/humbility" or "I am everything, yet I am nothing"
Totally content with my minuscule role in the "big show".
Particularly enamored with how fluid and flux the vast fabric of life is.
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(We almost made the Mendo coast our home...We were real close, but ended up on the Olympic Peninsula instead.)
That's awesome TT. Always a pleasure to 'meet' someone who 'drives their own bus'. And yes! Magic does happen!
I once made a little reminder stone with those exact words for a friend who kept 'stubbing her spiritual toe' on things in life.
Once she had the stone, things drastically changed for the better. Nothing much within the stone other than it was a simple token to keep things in perspective.
If I have someone who is looking for more of a difinitve label, I will say that I am a bit witchy with pantheistic tendencies. I can't be totally pantheistic because that 'group' does not believe in ghosts or psychic ability- as a rule, but some lesser groups who claim this label do. But pantheism is much like what you say 'I am everything, yet I am nothing'. We each are creators/gods and the whole of the universe is 'god', so we are just a small part of the All.
That's awesome TT. Always a pleasure to 'meet' someone who 'drives their own bus'. And yes! Magic does happen!
I once made a little reminder stone with those exact words for a friend who kept 'stubbing her spiritual toe' on things in life.
Once she had the stone, things drastically changed for the better. Nothing much within the stone other than it was a simple token to keep things in perspective.
If I have someone who is looking for more of a difinitve label, I will say that I am a bit witchy with pantheistic tendencies. I can't be totally pantheistic because that 'group' does not believe in ghosts or psychic ability- as a rule, but some lesser groups who claim this label do. But pantheism is much like what you say 'I am everything, yet I am nothing'. We each are creators/gods and the whole of the universe is 'god', so we are just a small part of the All.
Yep... I was born and raised a bus driver... Blessed with it.
I had to look up pantheistic to see what it was. No I can not completely fit in that box for the same reasons as you... Funny, I deleted an entire paragraph or two on my thoughts on that subject in my original post.. Interesting, you still picked that up quite clearly.
Witchy/psychic/ghosty stuff is sometimes on the "back burner" for me during different phases of life, usually does not take much catalyst to bring it to the "front burner".. Pictures, text, rooms, spaces and places are easiest for me. I tend to be too shielded/protective to have vivid senses when in direct contact with people...
When someone is looking to put me in a box... My canned answer is: "My church is in the woods". That usually is enough so they do not ask anymore...
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I personally have recently started to refrain from using the word "universe", because so many interpret that to mean "everything". The probability of it being at least a multiverse we exist in seems quite high. Interesting that science is leading to the theory that our entire physical universe (Big Bang) is possibly born from a tiny infinitesimal spec of super condensed matter in a black hole. If this is true then indeed the known universe is actually a very small thing in something much larger..
Good thing I suspect the need to understand size and scale really does not matter much...
It does not make our existence any less important if our entire universe is nothing but a shed cell in a poop job, on some cosmic compost pile, because it is all still part of "IT".. Plenty of "magic" right in front of us all to partake in. Its the little stuff that counts anyway..
(Sorry, farmer here, could not help but use a compost analogy.....))
I think the word "paganism" is too broad. I clicked on "paganism", hoping to see different sorts of paganism, but people seemed to be most interested in Druidism and Wicca or Odinism. And I was like, "Okay... no Native American religions? No African religions? No Confucianism? No Taoism? No Shintoism? No Hinduism?" Then, I came to the sudden revelation -- Eureka! -- that this paganism was really referring to neo-paganism. Or maybe, the subforum is referring to paganism in general, but most people here just happen to be White and thus interested in neo-paganism. I recently learned on Wikipedia that this neo-paganism is very diverse and de-centralized, so it's hard to pinpoint what neo-pagans believe, but a couple of key points have been included.
Personally, I am more interested in older and more established forms of paganism, forms of paganism that have sunken deep into a person's or tribe's way of life for many generations. These types of paganism are closely related to tribe and ethnicity. I find tribal religions very interesting, because the so-called "religion" is really a person's ethnicity, and members are normally born into it and learn the ways from their ancestors. I am quite envious of this, because it feels like the religion gives you a sense of belonging. It's not just about your personal beliefs. Personal beliefs don't matter. As long as you pass down the religious-cultural traditions, which define your people, to the next generation, the religion continues down the line.
I come from Hindu religious background and Hinduism informs much of the way I view the world and Hindu traditions, culture, art and rituals are an important part of my life. So in that respect, I am a pagan. But I consider myself a rationalist and am a scientist, so pretty much I don't believe in the supernaturalist aspects of that worldview.
As for the Inuit religion question, I happen to be a Canadian and know an Inuit family, as well as lots about the north since several people I've known have lived in Iqaluit at some point and I am a big nerd. I can tell you that Inuit are not nomadic people in this era and pretty much every single one of the about 100 thousand that live in the north from Greenland to Alaska live in settled villages and have some access to the internet from those villages, if not their own personal computers since poverty is a serious issue for that population. Also, the vast, vast majority of them are Christians. Shamanism was very stigmatized in the past and most were converted, although Shamanic beliefs are still common and tend to exist alongside Christianity and in the way people think about stuff. It's kind of under the surface and a part of the culture, but there are few that would consider themselves completely "pagan" in that way. I'd say in the same way many Japanese consider themselves Shinto and Buddhist simultaneously, most Inuit would probably count as both Shamanic and Christian simultaneously. Like how some white Canadian people believe in Jesus and such but also believe in totally unchristian things like ghosts and astrology and see no contradiction.
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