What is Paganism

did I ever consider studying the Bible. When it comes to my beliefs, I have lived the way I do forever (it seems). I have studied many different things and have taken what I needed from these studies to develop my own set of religious beliefs. That is why I try very hard not to label myself, but again unfortunately there are times I need too, so I call myself Pagan.

When I was studying the Bible, I could see perfectly clear why some people can read something and formulate the verse to be one thing when it meant something totally different. So during my studying I had a bible Thesaurus and a couple of other books that I referenced too often. I have always asked questions, my poor grandmother would take me to Catholic Church every time the doors opened and even then I asked questions. Speaking of Catholic Church, did you know that some people refer to Catholics as Pagans because they have the Virgin Mary/Madonna? It was the same thing with Native American Beliefs. Because we honor "Life and the Earth" many of the ways are considered Paganism.

Here are a few different books in the Bible that are my favorites:

Proverbs 2:20-22

"So you may walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the paths of righteousness. For the upright will dwell in the land and the blameless will remain in it: But the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the unfaithful will be uprooted from it."

Proverbs 3:5-6

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

I have found some folk-lore myths where people would read things in the bible for healing purposes:

Ezekiel 16:6

"And when I passed by you and say you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, 'Live!' Yes, I said to you in your blood 'Live!' "

If you read this three times it is suppose to stop bleeding if you substitute "you" for person or animals name.

As many people one of my favorites is the book of John. I have so many passages highlighted in my Bible it is unbelievable. One of my favorite verses in John is:

John 15:1-4

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me."

My grandmother taught me as a baby about the trinity, the Father, the Son the Holy Ghost, so I do have and have always had a clear understanding about them. She taught me to do the sign of the cross before and after prayer, the list is endless of the things she tried to teach me. So yes, I do believe in God and I believe in his Son, and the Holy Ghost (Spirit.) I also believe in the female aspect of the trinity, the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone.

Every woman goes through changes in her life. The Maiden, the Mother and the Crone are the female aspects of the trinity. Do I believe and honor that, oh yes I do! Do I have representations of each of them displayed, yes I do. I honor that aspect of my life because it is who I have grown to be.

Being a young woman (The Maiden Stage) we dance through life's tribulations. Am I pretty enough? Am I this? Am I that? As we go through our awkward stage trying to figure out who we are, we stumble a lot, our hearts get fooled and broken and many times we lose ourselves in the awkwardness of our own souls. But yet we find a way to come back dancing, and make a lot of mistakes that forms us a little more as we grow into Motherhood.

When we enter into Motherhood, we are a little older now, a little bit smarter and little bit stronger. We still stumble and fall sometimes but not as much as we did when we were a Maiden. Our focus in life becomes family orientated and we develop a more compassionate manner towards others. We begin to formulate our lives in becoming stronger and independent.

By the time we reach Crone stage we are pretty much set in our ways, but remain open to learning more. Instead of turning our attention to what we want to become, we now know we are what we were meant to be. We honor each day and give thanks for what is front of us. Will we still stumble, oh yes we will, that is all part of life-it is through those experiences we have become who we are.

For me personally, I never really followed or looked for guidance from just one Maiden Goddess or Mother Goddess, but I do depend greatly on the guidance and teachings from Cerridwen the Crone Goddess. I wrote a lens called: Cerridwen that goes into detail about the guidance this Goddess offers. I have Cerridwen displayed in my kitchen in a few different places; she is keeper of the Cauldron and has great herbal knowledge. Which leads me to being a Kitchen Witchery-what is it

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I truly HATE labels, I really do. Unfortunately, there is no way around them sometimes. I have been called a Kitchen Witch for so many years that honestly that is one label I do not mind carrying. But why am I labeled like that? Is it because I love to cook? Is it because I make and work with potions that are used for healing or house cleaning? Is it because I work intensely with herbs creating different combinations to use for things such as cleansing, protection or healing?

Kitchen Witch, Hedge Witch, Witchery Women, all mean the same thing, just referred to and called different words by different people. I wrote an article for a newsletter one time talking about Old Witchery Women and I will post of the inserts from it a little later.

Back in time women use to have gather together late at night to meet, share and create different healing potions. They would gather together to harvest certain herbs during certain moon cycles. They would create a magickal bond bringing their energies together, very much like prayer groups.

Of course they had to keep everything secret because their ways were outside of traditional Christianity. They respected the Earth, giving it offerings when they got permission from trees to take some of its bark, or when they were given permission to harvest a plant that could be used for medicine.

Everything that is done in a nature based religion is done out of great respect for the Mother Earth. Attending Church for many pagans is stepping outside in Nature and mediating giving thanks for all of the beauty and all of the gifts the Earth provides. We celebrate Sabbat's and Esbat's.

The Sabbat's celebrated are: Yule (12-21) Imbolc (2-02) Ostara (3-21) Beltane (5-01) Litha (6-21) Lammas or Lughnassadh (8-01) Mabon (9-21) Samhain (10-31) Esbat's-pronounced (Is-Bot) are celebrations of the moon cycles. You can read more on Sabbat's at Green Magick

If you notice the dates on the Sabbat's Yule, Ostara, Litha, Mabon are days celebrating the New Seasons, Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. The in between dates or Cross-Quarter Sabbat's- Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnassadh are Sabbat's preparing for the Sabbat approaching. All of these days are very special because it is a celebration of the Natures Cycle and Season Change.

Most every person I know who walks a pagan path has an altar. It is a place that holds many items that are sacred to us, and a place where most magickal work is done. It is usually decorated to represent what Sabbat we are celebrating and it also has a representation of God and Goddess. The biggest difference between a "Pagan Altar" and having different Christian statues spread throughout our homes is on a Pagan Altar there are many "tools" displayed (a cauldron, candle holders, crystals, athame, just to mention a few items)

I have learned throughout the years wording is the main difference between beliefs. I call myself Pagan because my Spiritual Path or Religious Beliefs is multi-faceted. Pagans think I am confused, Christians think I am confused and for me, I know exactly what I am doing. In all of my years of walking the path I do, I have never felt uncomfortable until I tried to be "One Certain Way-Walk One Certain Path". I felt like I was going to explode and disappear. My heart ached, my mind felt twisted and my spirit felt trapped! I honor the Earth for all of her beauty and for everything she gives us, and I honor the Divine Force because without it; we would not be able to have an Earth to honor.

It comes down to choices we make in our lives. Am I afraid to stand up and say I am a Pagan? No, although I do not go around with a sign taped to my forehead that I am. My beliefs are very sacred to me and very private. I do not like confrontation and will avoid it when possible, but I will not be ridiculed because my beliefs are multi-faceted either.

Trying to find an ending for this lens is becoming very hard because there is so much to talk about. I think perhaps I will have to write another lens as a back up or something so I can more information. Here is the bottom line, no matter what faith, or belief you have, it needs to be a part of you not separate. It has to be what feels absolutely right for you without hesitation or question. It is as important to be open- minded and understand that our Beliefs are formulated within our spirits and are very personal and will not always seem right for other people. We walk our path a lone, our choices are made alone, and it is our own responsibility to answer for our actions.

Life is one of the most precious gifts we are given. Life is filled with so many options and directions that we may or may not feel like exploring. But it is our choice and our right to grow and be everything we want to be. Do I believe in Fairies? YES! Do I believe in God? YES! Do I believe in Angels? YES! Do I believe in Greenman? YES! Do I believe I have several Animal Spirit Totems? YES! I believe in so much I could write a full lens about!!

One last mention that is very important to most altars, most of them has a pentacle on it. The meaning of a pentacle is this: each point represents a direction Earth, Air, Fire and Water and the fifth point represents "Spirit." Many people fear this symbol and that saddens me because many people do not understand what it stands for.

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the moon