Beginnings

Beginnings
by Rowann

I've been asked, repeatedly, to explain what it is that we believe and how we go about living those beliefs. Wicca and Paganism, like any religion, can be difficult to explain. There are lots of ins and outs. In some ways though, Wicca and Paganism is very simple. Be a good person, live a good life, love one another, honor the earth, be nice to people, honor your elders, tell the truth, and live what you believe. Simple, eh?

I'm lumping Wicca and Paganism into one explanation because in our household we have meshed the two. I am an Eclectic Pagan, Laney is a Wiccan High Priestess, and Beren has his own beliefs that for lack of an official title we call Pagan. I know that there are a lot of people that won't think we are “doing it right”. That's ok, we really don’t believe that there is only one way. They can do it their way and we'll do it ours.

With Wicca and Paganism we honor the Great Mother, Gaia. To do this, we take care of the Earth, we recycle, we plant, we don’t pollute and we thank her. On Sabbats and Solstice's we thank the Great Mother and ask her to take care of us and to aid us in our endeavors. Sabbats and Solstices have other meanings too. Winter Solstice is a time to give thanks for surviving through the barren times. It was once believed that we had to help the sun to return in time for spring. Now we know about gravity and orbits and such, but it is still a tradition to ask the Sun to return and to thank the Gods for helping us through the first part of winter. Summer Solstice is a time of rejoicing and thanking the Gods for the growing season. (You can read about the other Sabbats and Solstices in our site.)

To me living the Pagan life is what’s important. The more people that meet me and see how I live, the more people will accept Paganism. They may not become Pagan, but they won't condemn us. So I try to live a good life. I help everyone I can, I rescue animals, I honor the Earth Mother, I give my thanks to the different gods/powers and I practice acceptance, patience and love.

Well, I guess it was pretty simple to explain after all.

Blessed Be,
Rowann

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