#paleopagan

[acer--saccharum]

If you’re interested in “pagan survivals” - pre-Abrahamic religions, or scraps thereof, still being practiced today - I highly recommend Gerard Russell’s Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms. It’d be a fascinating book on its own - there is more religious diversity in the Middle East than most of us probably realize - but of particular interest to Pagans are the ideas and practices that appear to have survived from the very ancient past. The Druze are modern-day Pythagoreans; the Mandaeans still use Babylonian astrology, still venerate the same planets, and some of their liturgy may date back to Babylon as well; the Kalasha of Pakistan are likely practicing a religion that shares ancestry with Hinduism and the Pagan religions of Europe; The Yazidis may have been religious cousins to the Mithraists (and if you’re familiar with the Feri tradition, you are probably already familiar with the Yazidis’ principal deity, the peacock angel Melek Taoos); the Zoroastrians, well, if you’re not already familiar with the ways Zoroastrianism influenced both Hellenic and Abrahamic theology (yes, including Judaism) and the ceremonial magick of medieval Europe, I highly recommend learning about them ASAP. The book is written as a travelogue; the author is not an academic, but a British diplomat who has spent his career in the Arabic-speaking world, and was lucky enough (and respectful enough) to be granted direct access to the communities he’s discussing - some of which have not been visited by European scholars for a couple hundred years. Definitely would recommend.

[eswynn]

The beautiful bounty of Mother Elder. Thank you for your wonderful gifts. ❤❤❤ #pagan #heathen #asatru #vanatru #paganism #urglaawe #elderberry #wildcrafting #primalcraft #primalwitchcraft #paleopagan https://www.instagram.com/p/B0cddg-nsng/?igshid=1ssnw6avq36fy

[siancore]

Painting I'm working on. Pilyara, my WaRnka (totem). Slowly getting there.

[musicinthebranchesoftheveins]

Legends indicate that on Samhain, all the hearth fires in Ireland were doused and then lit again from a central fire maintained by the Druids at Tlachtga, twelve miles from the royal hill of Tara. A central fire of this nature is called a need-fire. The Celts believed Samhain and Beltainne represented mystical fissures in time that allowed the living access to the land of the dead, called Tir na n’Og. To the Celtic peoples, there was death in life, and life in death—a concept no religion has shaken in the past 3,000 years. We must remember that the ancient view of time was cyclical, not linear, and in this framework New Year’s Eve as Samhain represents a point outside of time, when the natural order of the universe dissolves back into primordial chaos, preparatory to reestablishing itself in a new order. Thus, Samhain is a night that exists outside of time, and hence it may be used to view any other point in time. ~Silver RavenWolf

[pyroookinesis]

what being pagan means

the term “pagan” comes from the latin word paganus, which refers to those who lived in the country.

this term was assigned to them because, when christianity started to grow in the roman empire, it was primarily in cities, so those who lived outside of the cities kept believing in “the old ways” and were known as people who believed in things outside “mainstream” religions, like christianity or judaism.

they are known, primarily, for not having any official doctrine and believing in a divine presence in nature, and they mostly live by the wheel of the year rather than the roman calendar of months.

different types of paganism

historical paganism

paleopaganism

civilopaganism

mesopaganism

syncretopaganism

neopaganism

secular paganism

modern paganism

naturalistic paganism

humanistic paganism

paleopaganism is the standard of paganism. it’s a pagan culture that hasn’t been disrupted by “civilization” by another culture. for example: druidism (ancient celtic religion), the religions of the pre-patriarchal cultures of old europe, norse religion, pre-columbian native u.s. religions, etc.

civilopaganism is the beliefs of “civilized” communities which evolved in paleopagan cultures, such as: classical greco-roman religion, egyptian religion, middle-eastern paganism, aztec religion, etc.

mesopaganism consists of a group, which may or may not still constitute a separate culture, that has been influenced by a conquering culture, but has been able to maintain an independence of religious practice.

syncretopaganism, while similar to mesopaganism, had to tosubmerge itself into the dominant culture, and adopt the external practices and symbols of the other religion. for example, the various afro-diasporic traditions (voodoo, santeria, etc.), culdee christianity, etc.

the term neopaganism, a.k.a. contemporary paganism or modern paganism, was coined in the 19th century, when paganism resurfaces as a topic of fascination in romanticism. particularly in the context of the literary celtic and viking revivalism that portrayed historical celtic and germanic polytheists as noble savages.

revivalism, in architecture, is the use of visual styles that consciously echo the style of a previous architectural era.

by the mid-1930s it was used to refer to new religious movements, and by 1964 and 1965, it was used as self-designation in publications related to witchcraft. at the time it was used by revivalist witches in the u.s. and the u.k.

contemporary paganism attempts to reconnect with nature, using imagery and forms from other types of pagans but adjusting them to the needs of modern people. their practices and beliefs are said to be a collection of modern, religious, spiritual and magical traditions that are self-consciously inspired by the pre-judaic, pre-christian, and pre-islamic belief systems of europe, north africa, and the near east. some examples are:

wicca, in its many forms

neoshamanism

neodruidism

asatru and other forms of norse neopaganism

neonative u.s. practices

the range of practices labeled “women’s spirituality”

secular paganism is a form of neopaganism in which pagan deities are viewed as archetypes instead of real beings, but pagan virtues and principles are upheld. this means that secular pagans do not have a formal religion — they do not believe in any form of goddess or god. however, they remain pagan to its truest form.

notes:

historical paganism is passed down generation to generation, while neopaganism is self taught and closely related to historical paganism beliefs.

secular paganism is not atheist paganism, as secular pagans believe in energy —or chi— while atheists simply do not believe in anything. although secular means non-religious by definition, secular witches still believe in energy. religion is not the same as the belief in the supernatural. religion is also not synonymous with theism because there are non-theistic forms of religion, like buddhism and taoism.

the fifteen guiding principles of secular paganism, according to abby willoroot:

ethical behaviour does not require a religion

all living things have a unique spirit or soul

the equality of genders, races, and all humans

care must be taken in using nature’s resources

all Earth’s life is connected and inter-dependant

the Gaia Principle is an important, basic, truth

the cycles of Nature teach us what is important

balance must be maintained for all life to flourish

our health depends on the the environment’s health

our individual actions can and do have consequences

evolution is an ongoing process that occurs in all species

birth, living and death are natural cycles shared by all life

respect for ourselves requires respect for the Earth

all human cultures have value and can teach us

goddesses and gods can be seen as metaphors

“secular paganism is not a religion — it is an ethical view of the world, based on the belief that nature is sacred and must be respected and treasured. secular pagans hold many of the same views about nature that religious pagans and many people of other religions do. secular pagans believe that we are a part of nature, not her master. there are no particular religious views connected with secular paganism.”

—Abby Willowroot

naturalistic paganism is a form of philosophical naturalism, which seeks to explain the universe without resort to supernatural causes. for naturalistic pagans, “naturalistic” is synonymous with “scientific.” in general, they adopt the most current explanations of science and are skeptical of claims not supported by science.

naturalistic pagans are also skeptical about things like magic(k), psychic abilities or communication with spirit entities, attributing intention to inanimate nature to the extent that, when they speak about “magic(k)” or “gods,” they tend to use these words differently than their common usage. naturalistic pagans may understand “gods” as metaphors for natural phenomena.

in short, naturalistic paganism integrates mythic, editative, and ritual practices with a worldview based on the most compelling scientific evidence.

as well as naturalistic paganism, humanistic paganism describes the pagan path for those who are uncomfortable with or skeptical of the supernatural or metaphysical elements of contemporary paganism. they are pagans who are firmly rooted in the physical world. humanistic paganism “is a naturalistic path rooted in ancient paganism and contemporary science.” it is a form of religious or spiritual humanism.

religious humanism can describe any religion that takes a human-centered ethical perspective as contrasted with a deity-centered ethical perspective. what is good is defined in terms of human experience rather than the will of any goddess or god. religious humanists tend to be atheistic or non-theistic. for religious humanists, human experience and reason provide a more than sufficient basis for ethical action without supernatural revelation. humanistic paganism can embrace the notion that we humans are part of a much larger community of beings to whom we have ethical obligations. the adjective “humanistic” is intended to contrast with “theistic;” it excludes goddesses and gods, but not other living beings.

[minnesotadruids]

British Druid Order (BDO) Analysis

Year founded: 1979

Location Founded: Hastings, Sussex, UK

Origins, inspirations, or parent org: Inspirations - various metaphysical resources, occultism, paleopagan ‘European shamanism.’

Founders: Philip Shallcrass

Official Symbols: Three rays of Awen with three drops of knowledge above and overlapping a slightly smaller blue circular background.

Theological compatibility: Polytheism (hard and soft), eclectic neopaganism, animism, European shamanism, ancestor veneration, pantheism/panentheism.

Founder prior involvements: Alexandrian Wicca, other metaphysical endeavors.

Active, Hiatus, or Defunct, & Rebootability: Currently active.

Centrally organized: Yes

Governing body: Grove of Elders

Study Program or Mentorship: Study Program

Member degrees, ranks, or levels of achievement: Bard, Ovate, and Druid.

Membership fees and recurrence: Free basic membership, but courses are £150 each, or 12 monthly installments of £25 per course, meaning you’ll end up paying £300 over the year if you don’t pay in a lump-sum. Membership is for life.

Estimated membership: Unknown. Philip Shallcrass declined to answer this question in an interview but offered the statement “lies, damn lies and statistics.”

Estimated number of Groves or study groups: 4 have opted-in to being listed publicly. All Groves are autonomous.

Current grand poobah & title: Philip Shallcrass AKA “Greywolf,” Chief of BDO.

Cult danger (A. B. C. D. E. F. version 2.7) estimated rating: NULL

Alleged cult criteria: NULL

If anything needs to be rectified, please contact me with proof for correction.

Return to Druid Order List

[pagansquare]

The Original People

We are the Pagans.

We are the Firstborn.

Read more...

[siancore]

As an Australian Aboriginal, I might be able to offer some advice here since we've had similar experiences with colonisation and religion. A lot of our peoples were forced to convert to Christianity, namely Catholicism. My parents had experience with a Catholic upbringing (because of missionaries), however, there was still a lot Indigenous spirituality they practiced in spite of having Christianity forced onto them. This is true for a lot of Indigenous peoples, regardless of if they have converted either forcibly or by choice. For example, even though there was always Catholic iconography in my house growing up, my parents still used smoke cleansing to ward off bad spirits; my mother had a connection to the spirit world; they still followed our kinship systems (i.e. waRnka and moiety); they used natural medicines for healing; they observed native ritual such as song and dance; and still maintained a spiritual connection to the land through being On Country and through Dreaming stories.

Look to the practices your family still maintains. It may not be obvious right away, but there will be things they still do. Songs and prayers they still know; stories that have been passed down. Medicines and ritual that are so ingrained in their day-to-day practice that they don't give it any thought, or view it as paleopagan. Think about some of the spiritual things that have always occurred. The clothing and adornments they have always worn. Maybe something your grandparents carried with them that could be explained away as superstition, but is really a connection to a belief system you thought was gone. Find the things that have survived and endured, and embrace them. That's how you begin to rekindle that connection.

Just while I am thinking of it, my cousin wanted to learn about witchcraft a few years ago, and went to the library to get some books. That's a good place to start - research. Her stepfather (non-Indigenous) was a devout Christian who found her books and had a complete meltdown. That's something that might happen, so please be prepared. She had to hide her research later to keep the peace, but she found her way. Feed your curiosity, but be careful with where it may lead (especially when you're still a minor and living with your family). Hopefully, they will respect your choices in the long run.

Drawing comparisons to your own old belief systems and their new ones can help. Knowledge is the key to it all, so take time to study. Learn about the history of Christianity and the role it played in colonisation - it can absolutely help you to resist and reject it (or embrace aspects that speak to your spirit as everyone is individual and religion can be very personal). Knowledge is power; knowledge informs your personal power. Go into everything prepared and you will be okay.

Lastly, speak to your Ancestors; they walk with you, always. Let their voices guide you. Send out prayers to them.

Good luck with it all! May your Ancestors bless you on your journey.

@nativewitches if this is inappropriate or out-of-line, please let me know. Keep up the great work!

my family was converted to christianity through residential schools and I want to reconnect with native spirituality as well as learn about witchcraft but I do not know how to do so when they don’t approve, do you have any advice? I’m a minor & currently live in a city without many people from my tribe so I don’t know where to turn.

I can’t give a lot of advice, because I just…have no idea, but I would suggest just starting to read what you can. Online is better, as long as they don’t monitor it.

I’m sorry for the lack of a better answer— my family had a firm “whatever, do what you want” attitude with me, particularly as a teenager. So I just kind of did whatever.

But the best thing you can do is to study. Knowledge is something you’ll be able to carry with you into your adult years.

[eswynn]

This is amazing! Thank you, @natgeo ! National Geographic: Prehistoric female hunter discovery upends gender role assumptions. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/11/prehistoric-female-hunter-discovery-upends-gender-role-assumptions/ #paleolithic #iceage #ancestorwork #oldeurope #pagansofinstagram #heathenry #pagan #paganism #paleopagan #stoneage https://www.instagram.com/p/CHNyVQhnHoQ/?igshid=1usfan9jf47fj

[siancore]

Study for a piece in a series I’m going to begin. Interested in ‘objects of ethnography’ depicting women, especially Indigenous women. I want to explore how depictions, and actual parts of our bodies are studied and collected, but our voices are rarely heard.

[paganrenewal]

One Branch, Many Blossoms

One Branch, Many Blossoms #onceandfuturefaith

Reform Pagans often illustrate our place within Paganism through the metaphor of the “Great Tree of Paganism”: We speak of the Paleopagan roots, Mesopagan trunk, and Neopagan branches, and we distinguish our Neopagan branch of Reformism from the coequal branches of Traditionalism (generally including all forms of Pagan Reconstructionism, together with many varieties of Pagan Eclecticism) and…

[paganconnection-blog]

Pagan Religions and Their Categories

Pagan Religions and Their Categories

  Pagan Religion and Their Categories ~

The Pagan Religions have been divided into three categories by modern pagan researchers to make things a little bit easier to discern when trying to figure out what time period a pagan religion is based on. Not all pagan religions are based on the same time frame of pagan beliefs and in history. Some pagan religions are actually completely modern, but…

[thegreenwolf]

Sardis dig yields enigmatic trove: Ritual egg in a pot

The ruins of Sardis, in what is now Turkey, have been a rich source of knowledge about classical antiquity from the 7th century B.C., when the city was the capital of Lydia, through later Greek and Roman occupations.

Now, however, Sardis has given up another treasure in the form of two enigmatic ritual deposits, which are proving more difficult to fathom than the coins for which the city was famous.

"The two deposits each consist of a small pot with a lid, a coin, a group of sharp metal implements and an egg, one of which is intact except for a hole carefully punched in it in antiquity," explains Will Bruce, a classics graduate student a the University of Wisconsin-Madison who has been digging at Sardis for the past six years. Bruce made the finds last summer.

Read the rest here.

[siancore]

This painting is my representation of Paakantyi Ancestor Being, Yuku. At the dawn of time, when Mother Earth was shrouded in darkness, a woman named Yuku shared life-sustaining light and heat with the world. It is said that Yuku would wake up, adorn herself in ceremonial paint, light her fire stick, and then dance across the sky. She would provide light and warmth as she danced. Plants thrived in her wake, and other Ancestors were brought out of their perpetual slumber. Yuku danced and gifted the world with light each day. When her ceremony ended, she remained in the sky as the Sun Goddess. The Paakantyi word for sun is Yuku. When we think of her, we are reminded of the sharing nature of the feminine aspect; life-giving, caring, and powerful beyond measure.

@bcuz-y 😊

[siancore]

I’m almost finished this piece.

Check out my Patreon for more.