Pagan Practices 101

[White Crane Feather]

Carbon cycle. All organic materials goes in the chicken coup. They make eggs eat what they want and constantly turn the soil. Then in a year I take all the soil out and replace it with soil from the garden. The new compost is rich and everything grows in it. I leave the wild foods that grow in my garden and eat them as vegetables. Plantains, prickly lettuce, thistles, chickeweds, and others. In edible weeds go in the chicken coup.

I have fat and happy chickens.that get to be working members and producers in my little permaculture set up.

There is no better composter than a chicken coup, and you get eggs out of it, and if you rotate topsoil in your chickens get rid of pests.

Edited November 3, 2012 by Seeker79

[White Crane Feather]

I compost ,recycle ,feed the animals outside .I reuse any plastics I end up with in the house ,in numerous ways . I actually am trying to figure a way to use plastic bags,for something useful . I have a few ideas ,as plastic bags are the bane of the earth .

Cut them into strips, use a reverse twist cordage makeing and use them for rope. Just an idea. I made a bow string from plastic bags once.

[rashore]

I compost ,recycle ,feed the animals outside .I reuse any plastics I end up with in the house ,in numerous ways . I actually am trying to figure a way to use plastic bags,for something useful . I have a few ideas ,as plastic bags are the bane of the earth .

If you are crafty, you could try your hand at plastic bag fusing... You can make material by ironing layers of plastic together, and make pretty much anything out of the stuff that you can dream up. Depending on how many layers you fuse, you can sew it like fabric, or if you are handy with an iron, do fused seams on everything.

Or you can make plastic yarn, useful to crochet into pot scrubbers. Or kind of anything else you could make with yarn I guess.

[redhen]

I have a question. Where do you get your religious authority or validation from? I've read through some neo-Greek reconstructionist websites and many of their foundational documents are dubious. There certainly are some extant ancient Greek and Roman texts that detail some of the rituals but I don't think it's enough to weave a whole religion out of.

The case for historically correct pagan teachings and practices is weak. There is still much debate over established religious teachings and ritual, i.e. Christianity, Buddhism, etc. And this is with copious amounts of ancient texts.

I guess what I am asking is, what are your authentic scriptures, and how do you know they are authentic?

As far as I know, European pagan practices died out in the early 15h century (Lithuania being the last holdout). Do you have access to some hitherto unknown ancient documents from 500 years ago, or do you simply make up your rituals to suit your tastes?

[White Crane Feather]

I have a question. Where do you get your religious authority or validation from? I've read through some neo-Greek reconstructionist websites and many of their foundational documents are dubious. There certainly are some extant ancient Greek and Roman texts that detail some of the rituals but I don't think it's enough to weave a whole religion out of.

The case for historically correct pagan teachings and practices is weak. There is still much debate over established religious teachings and ritual, i.e. Christianity, Buddhism, etc. And this is with copious amounts of ancient texts.

I guess what I am asking is, what are your authentic scriptures, and how do you know they are authentic?

As far as I know, European pagan practices died out in the early 15h century (Lithuania being the last holdout). Do you have access to some hitherto unknown ancient documents from 500 years ago, or do you simply make up your rituals to suit your tastes?

What's wrong with makeing up your own rituals?

[White Crane Feather]

If you are crafty, you could try your hand at plastic bag fusing... You can make material by ironing layers of plastic together, and make pretty much anything out of the stuff that you can dream up. Depending on how many layers you fuse, you can sew it like fabric, or if you are handy with an iron, do fused seams on everything.

Or you can make plastic yarn, useful to crochet into pot scrubbers. Or kind of anything else you could make with yarn I guess.

Very interesting... Thanks.

[redhen]

What's wrong with makeing up your own rituals?

Well if that's what people are doing, it's not authentic. You may as well be worshiping the "The Force" from Star Wars or studying your own "Klingon theology". Or dare I say it, make up your own new religion like Scientology.

Whatever it is, it is not genuine Paganism.

[White Crane Feather]

Well if that's what people are doing, it's not authentic. You may as well be worshiping the "The Force" from Star Wars or studying your own "Klingon theology". Or dare I say it, make up your own new religion like Scientology.

Whatever it is, it is not genuine Paganism.

Well wait a minute? What makes it authentic? Somone had to make it up? By authentic do you mean old? Nothing about the age of a ritual makes it more "authentic" than a newer ritual. This is the stuff of movies. I think you are failing to understand what rituals are for. Infact, I would be willing to bet most of the pagens on here would tell you that the more personal the ritual the better. You cannot view a completely different way of thinking with your own set of goggles.

Edited November 3, 2012 by Seeker79

[Grandpa Greenman]

You're right it is not the Paganism of our ancestors.Which is why I call myself a Neo Pagan. Believe me, we don't want to go back to some of those old rituals. They could be rather bloody and in the modern world you would be put in prison for life for some of that stuff our ancestors did. I don't want to go to a Samhain ritual were the Wicker Man has people in it. When I meet up with reconstructionist I usually say good luck with it, because the much of the history is gone, kind of like what happen with many the Native American religions.

Everything changes, Christians don't practice the same way they did a thousand years ago. A lot of the old Christian holidays come from old Pagan holidays, so all is not lost and I met a Lithuanian who told me pretty much of what we do is what they are doing. Where he actually got it I don't know. Maybe Gardner did a better job of research than I thought. Much of what Pagans do comes from the 19th century when there was a revival of spiritualism.

Our sacred text is the Earth and what we learn from each other. I have found the rituals flow in an almost instinctive way. When I first started doing Pagan rituals with other Pagan I found what I had been doing on my own was very close to what others were doing. Just because, Redhen, we don't all do it the same and we can't do as the ancestors did doesn't mean what we do is not legitimate. North, east, south, west, center, Gods and Goddesses, what more do you need. It works for us.

[White Crane Feather]

Our sacred text is the Earth and what we learn from each other.

I am going to blog this right now as seekers truth #15

[Simbi Laveau]

Well if that's what people are doing, it's not authentic. You may as well be worshiping the "The Force" from Star Wars or studying your own "Klingon theology". Or dare I say it, make up your own new religion like Scientology.

Whatever it is, it is not genuine Paganism.

Many people make up their own rituals ,but they are usually experienced ,and use known deities .

[Simbi Laveau]

Carbon cycle. All organic materials goes in the chicken coup. They make eggs eat what they want and constantly turn the soil. Then in a year I take all the soil out and replace it with soil from the garden. The new compost is rich and everything grows in it. I leave the wild foods that grow in my garden and eat them as vegetables. Plantains, prickly lettuce, thistles, chickeweds, and others. In edible weeds go in the chicken coup.

I have fat and happy chickens.that get to be working members and producers in my little permaculture set up.

There is no better composter than a chicken coup, and you get eggs out of it, and if you rotate topsoil in your chickens get rid of pests.

I use a big resealable bag for kitchen scraps to be composted . When its full ,I bury it in my backyard under my fig tree,or grape vines .

[White Crane Feather]

I use a big resealable bag for kitchen scraps to be composted . When its full ,I bury it in my backyard under my fig tree,or grape vines .

You know what is weird... My chickens don't stop producing when it gets cold. A black one died in the summer heat this year being black and fat in 100 degrees is tough... I know they are over fed with our scraps... But they never stop producing. I'll take .... fed... Super happy... Highly productive animals with a slightly lower life span than perfect chickens than the crap we get our eggs and compost from these days in the stores. Not to mention that the chicken spirit is p***ed off. I have never met it, but I don't want to either ;)

[karmakazi]

I compost ,recycle ,feed the animals outside .I reuse any plastics I end up with in the house ,in numerous ways . I actually am trying to figure a way to use plastic bags,for something useful . I have a few ideas ,as plastic bags are the bane of the earth .

My local grocery store has a bin for people to drop off their used plastic bags, and from there they are turned into park benches. I think it takes 10,000 or some ridiculous quantity of bags to make one bench.

As for the plastic bag crochet, I've seen a lot of it but it's kind of interesting, it almost comes out like a plasticky wicker..... I'd love to see a chair or something made from it lol. Do be careful though, I know some people have used old VHS and cassette tapes to crochet but that's quite dangerous as many of them have cobalt in the metal coating which flakes off easily with age. Thats very toxic, particularly to the person doing the crocheting.

[coolguy]

I was curios about paganism. How and where do i start do pagans worship the earth and trees moon stuff like that.if not somebody point me in the right place..

[SpiritWriter]

Well most definitions of paganism mean non organized religions .

That would exclude things like Muslim,Christian,Jewish,Buddhist ....

Some people feel Buddhism is pagan,but non organized,is the literal definition of paganism .

I assume people will want to know about things like Wicca,OTO and golden dawn,voodoo,Santeria ,native American practices ,,,like that .

We are doing this as more of an information exchange ,and not for debating what's better ,etc etc.

Well just for the record, I am Christian, and if I feel lead to post anything on this thread I will feel at liberty to do so. I know the OP said any experiences in "paganism" and the theory is "It is not Christian." go hand in hand - but do know that Christianity is Spirituality as well - and Christians do have fair input. I have not read much. I am on the first page, but this topic interests me, and so I hope to make it through the whole thread. More than probably I will be lead to say something.

Peace TTYS

*edits

Edited November 5, 2012 by SpiritWriter

[SpiritWriter]

Technically Hindus would be considered pagan, because paganism technically includes any polytheistic (or atheistic, I feel) religion.

Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller", "rustic"^[1]) is a blanket term, typically used to refer to religious traditions which are polytheistic or indigenous.

It's pretty loose on definition, and I think it's one that a lot of people don't really understand.

I have to go to work now but later perhaps I'll work on a bit of a glossary for this thread, may be helpful

hey, did you really start the glossary, is there a separate link??

[SpiritWriter]

I saw "..from the tax man?" and that just made my day! No, more like from demons. I have an open aura and I'm an empath and I just attract a lot of negative energy. I've seen shadows since I was four. The spells are mainly from a demon I started getting visits from about 5 years ago. He's very physically, sexually and mentally violent towards me. He told me that in a past life I killed him and he won't stop until I'm dead.

Oh Lord Camochick, how are you doing now? This is bad news...

[SpiritWriter]

*nods*

If a Christian ,has a leaning in this direction,they understand that God,could not give a crap about a book,written a millenia after the death of his alleged son,where they stories were mutated and bastardize ,to the point 3/4s of it ,may not even be correct anymore.

The church has all this power,and wants control . So they pound the book into your head.

It's irrelevant .

The way I look at it,and this is personal to me,and I took a huge flaming for this on LiveJournal years ago,in a non wiccan community..

But,it all comes from one place.

Who knows how old the story really is .

God couldn't care less how you say "hello",to him,as long as you say hello .

If you understand this,that's more than half the battle.

So,people who combine the two,see no issue with it .

Any one religion ,that claims to be the best,or the "correct" one,is so arrogant ,that there is bound to be hypocrisy at every turn .

Some people become disillusioned with their own faith,and look elsewhere for answers.

I believe that a Christian can have firm faith in their religion and see the bible as something totally different than what you described, but in earnest try to analyze what aspect of your 'religions' give glory to God. Can you imagine a true, God Fearing Christian - also be a witch? What would that constitute?

I believe there is a certain understanding the both could arrive to and merge. But she would know that it is just a label "witch"...

*continued on next page

Edited November 5, 2012 by SpiritWriter

[SpiritWriter]

just like paganism is generic, it really seems like witch is generic as well. My assumption is that it is someone that uses the elements for powers, and Christians consistently do that through God, or attempt to at least in our lame understanding - I think Christianity just points to the one true ultimate God, rather than through all these different entities. Although, overtime, it has always taken form in these various entities. All we have left are different names on pieces of paper with different descriptions about him/her*, what they like etc and try to appease them. This is the same for Jehova, as far as the offerings are concerned.

*I am not saying they are not real, or do not exist - I have not met them. If they exist, I agree and think they are getting pleasure from your spiritual attention. I also think that any sort of that sort of thing is a filter of worship of the ultimate divine, and that ultimate is divided in two : evil and good - If I understand anything about Karma, is that you pretty much want to be gearing your spiritual energy toward the good.

As I read I'm sure I will hear more. But I don't agree with working with devils, to commit bad magic... I think that in all of your 'work' you should bless the world. I know some see themselves as 'the bringers of destruction' > or some such similar term, in the language of however they talk. But that these acts, invariably would land on your own head, no matter what or who you serve...

who should we serve? The people of the earth...

Anyway, yeah I think I got to page three or four. I'll be back to read some more.

***********************

**I come in peace.***

Edited November 5, 2012 by SpiritWriter

[karmakazi]

hey, did you really start the glossary, is there a separate link??

I did, it's post # 20 in this thread.

[Grandpa Greenman]

I was curios about paganism. How and where do i start do pagans worship the earth and trees moon stuff like that.if not somebody point me in the right place..

There is lot of different kinds of Paganism like there are many kinds of Christianity. I started in the library. I was called to it and was looking for answers and found them with a Pagan path. A good book to get started with is Drawing Down the Moon, by Margot Adler.

[Simbi Laveau]

just like paganism is generic, it really seems like witch is generic as well. My assumption is that it is someone that uses the elements for powers, and Christians consistently do that through God, or attempt to at least in our lame understanding - I think Christianity just points to the one true ultimate God, rather than through all these different entities. Although, overtime, it has always taken form in these various entities. All we have left are different names on pieces of paper with different descriptions about him/her*, what they like etc and try to appease them. This is the same for Jehova, as far as the offerings are concerned.

*I am not saying they are not real, or do not exist - I have not met them. If they exist, I agree and think they are getting pleasure from your spiritual attention. I also think that any sort of that sort of thing is a filter of worship of the ultimate divine, and that ultimate is divided in two : evil and good - If I understand anything about Karma, is that you pretty much want to be gearing your spiritual energy toward the good.

As I read I'm sure I will hear more. But I don't agree with working with devils, to commit bad magic... I think that in all of your 'work' you should bless the world. I know some see themselves as 'the bringers of destruction' > or some such similar term, in the language of however they talk. But that these acts, invariably would land on your own head, no matter what or who you serve...

who should we serve? The people of the earth...

Anyway, yeah I think I got to page three or four. I'll be back to read some more.

***********************

**I come in peace.***

Many many years ago,a friend of mine was going to Peru on business. For reasons she could not explain,she was terrified. She actually said she thought she had been sacrificed there ,in another life.

I was a novice at the time,and felt the need to try to protect her .

I took a cross,and did a ritual of protection over it .

I felt as if it was a weak effort,but my intentions were very pure.

She had actually been raised Jewish ,but was not religious at all. I was pretty much pulling away from organized religion ,but I felt a cross would convey an added layer of protection ,despite my infusing it with a wiccan protection spell .

This friend,works in the clothing design field.Many of her designs are used by major designers,like Anna Sui and Betsy Johnson.

She's very eccentric in her manners and dress. She's always been this way.

When CDs first came out,she started wearing one around her neck . This is llllooonnng,as in years before anyone else did it.

It was probably in the 80s . I will ask her ,but its at least 25 years ago,but might be closer to thirty.

She wore numerous charms,strands of beads,CDs and other items ,on no less than 20 things,all around her neck.

The first time she went to Peru,she was fine . Then,a year later,she went again . On this trip,she met a shaman .

He looked at everything on her neck ,and of the dozens of charms,she said he reached out and touched the cross I had given her.

He said to her,"a witch gave this to you ,and it does protect you ".

Knowing what I do now,I know he must have been an experienced bokor.

At the time ,it amazed me ,and made me feel more confident about my magick works.

But its true,witch is also generic ,and we appear to recognise eachother,despite differences in what we practice.

Edited November 6, 2012 by Simbi Laveau

[Grandpa Greenman]

My assumption is that it is someone that uses the elements for powers, and Christians consistently do that through God, or attempt to at least in our lame understanding - I think Christianity just points to the one true ultimate God, rather than through all these different entities.

I think the difference between the perception of god in most Neo Pagan thought and god in the Abrahamic thought is god in Abrahamic thought is god is separate from nature, in Pagan thought nature is god. All the Gods and Goddesses Pagans work with are different aspects of the natural Universe. Which is the meaning of the phase "As above, so below." This why a lot of Pagans look to eastern religions for inspiration. The ultimate god is the Universe which we are just another aspect of, we are the gods and goddesses, so is the dog, the cat and the tree.This is the concept that seems to get the Baptists running off the porch screaming blasphemy. This is the fundamental basis of magic, which is why it appears to be generic and we recognize each other work. All we are doing is using our energy (which is vibration) to manipulate the energy of the Universe to make outcomes. The crystals, candles and amulets are away of focusing energy. An experienced witch or shaman will feel the energy from them.

[redhen]

All we are doing is using our energy (which is vibration) to manipulate the energy of the Universe to make outcomes.

What kind of energy is it that you manipulate? Is it demonstrable?