A Dummies guide to paganism by Patricia Starkey

This article is good for genral information and history of pagans,

So if you are wanting to find out information about pagan's, or you know nothing about pagans and want to know what one is.

here is your chance to find out the infomation.

A starters guide to paganism.

Pagan literally means ‘rural’, from the country or ‘rustic’ from the Latin root word ‘pagus’. The word signifies any non-monotheistic faith, devotee of that faith or someone who resists Christianity (with the exception of Jews and Muslim whom the church classified as infidels).

Ancient people did not refer to themselves as pagan. They called themselves by what ever name was used for there specific tradition, an or community, such as ‘picktish’ or ‘Celt’.

Christians identified other people as pagans because of their resistance to Christianity thus pagan identified what you are not rather than what you are.

Modern spiritual devotees now sometimes classify themselves with pride as pagans. Pagan in this sense does not specify a faith or path but encompasses non-Christian or non-monotheistic traditions such as Wicca, druids, hedge witches etc.

There are many pagan paths and traditions with devotees the world over, from native American shaman to voodoo and lots in between!

Most western pagan paths tend to overlap and thus have similar traditions such as ‘the wheel of they year’ and the use of lunar cycles for rituals/festivals. Also most pagan paths use planetary aspects,. Colours have significant meanings as well as animals and plants.

Pagans are close to nature and recycled long before it became the thing to do!

Magic and witchcraft do play a large part in most pagan faiths although not all pagans use this, neo-pagans for instance. This is a non-magical path.

Paganism is a very individual thing and beliefs and traditions tend to change from devotee to devotee ( a bit like pick and mix).

The majority though do follow the ‘Rede’ which is as follows:-

Bide ye the rede pagan laws ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust.Ye must live and let live, fairly take and fairly give.Cast the circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out.To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be spoken in rhyme.Soft of eye and light of touch, speak ye little and listen much.Deosil go by waxing moon chanting out the pagan runes.Widdershins go by the waning moon, chanting out the baneful tune.When the lady’s moon is new, kiss the hand to her times two.When the moon rides at her peak, then the hearts desire seek.Heed the north wind’s mighty gale: lock the door and trim the sail.When the wind comes form the south, love will kiss thee on the mouth.When the moor wind blows fro the west, departed spirits have no rest.When the wind blows form the east, expect the new and set the feast.Nine woods in the cauldron go, burn them quick and burn them slow.Elder is the lady’s tree, burn it not or cures ye’ll be.When the wheel begins to turn, let the Beltane fires burn.When the wheel has turned to Yule. Light the log and the horned one rules.Heed the flower, bush and tree, by the lady, blessed be.Where the rippling waters go, cast a stone, the truth to know.When ye have and hold a need, hearken not to others greed.With a fool no seasons spend, or be counted as his friend.Merry meet and merry part, bright of cheeks and warm of heart.Mind the three fold law ye should, three times bad and three times good.When misfortune is enow, wear the blue star on thy brow.True in love ye must ever be, least thy love be false to thee.

These words the pagan rede fulfil: An harm ye none, do as ye will.

Most pagan’s know this off by hart and tend to quote it a lot, it is also used a lot by wiccans who have slightly changed the words. The most important parts of this are the three fold laws and the most quoted is ‘harm ye none do as ye will’.

This is just a rough guide and there is much much more to paganism. With the internet etc information is very easily found. Most people who follow the pagan path will be happy to explain any part of it to the curious just ask!!!

But remember not all pagans are witches and not all witches are pagans.