Being Pagan in the Modern World

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Being Pagan in the Modern World

• Presented by Kate Granville
• Minister to the Circle of the Crystal Gove

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Legal Disclaimer?

• The views held by this Pagan may not
  necessarily reflect the opinions and views of the
  Pagan community or this Unitarian Universalist
  congregation. While we will be discussing both
  Pagan and UU concepts and principles, these
  statements should not be considered the truth but
  only suggestions of truth for your own
  consideration. These statements are also not to
  be considered a contract or agreement for eternal
  salvation or the promise of wealth or power. The
  views expressed are strictly presented as
  possibilities and reflect only one persons
  experiences.

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Discovery Plan

• First session
• Definition of terms
• How I Got Here
• Basic Pagan Beliefs
• Tools of the Trade
• Rituals
• Discussion

• Second session
• Meditation
• Reincarnation
• Magick or Science?
• Divination
• What Paganism is NOT
• Discussion

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What is a Pagan?

• Here is what the Merriam-Webster dictionary says
  about pagans
• Etymology Middle English, from Late Latin
  paganus, from Latin, civilian, country dweller,
  from pagus country district akin to Latin
  pangere to fix 1 HEATHEN 1 especially a
  follower of a polytheistic religion OR someone
  who lives on the heath, aka country dweller2
  one who has little or no religion and who
  delights in sensual pleasures and material goods
  an irreligious or hedonistic person3
  NEO-PAGAN

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Pagans with a capital P

• NOT Christian, Jewish or Moslem
• Uni-, poly- OR pan- theistic OR Atheistic!
• Nature-based
• Knowledgeable about personal beliefs
• Has some type of energy work
• Dissatisfied with tradition religions

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So Whos a Pagan?
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Pagan Names for the Journey

• Neo-Pagan
• Wicca (Witchcraft)
• Gardnerian / Alexandrian
• Dianic
• Kitchen Witch
• Coven or Circle?
• Druidic / Celtic
• Nordic
• Native American or Shamanistic
• Buddhist
• Zen
• Tibetan

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My Spiritual Journey

• Baptized in the Southern Baptist Church, age 7
• Attended Methodist Church, age 10-11
• Lived in Viet Nam, Thailand and Iraq (Buddhism
  and Islam)
• Attended Presbyterian Church, age 15-18
• Joined the AF and pretty much stopped attending
  ANY church until after I married and had children
• Converted to Catholicism, age 29
• Got divorced, lost my religion and moved to VA,
  age 38
• Had a Gardernian High Priest housemate for 18
  months and
• Realized I was BORN a Pagan and finally had the
  words for it and could explain MY beliefs, age 40
• Continue to verify my truths and test my beliefs
  against the reality of my life and my actions,
  age NOW

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Common Pagan Beliefs

• Any concept of a Supreme Being usually
  acknowledges the feminine as well as the
  masculine
• An intensely personal relationship WITH their
  concept of Divinity (immanent, not transcendant!)
• Harmony with Nature
• Personal responsibility for actions
• Reincarnation
• Magick (vs. magic) AKA Energy Work

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For example

• I believe in
• A Supreme Being, Creator as well as Participant
  in the Universe
• Reincarnation
• Meditation
• Magick (visualize to actualize)
• Choices and consequences
• The inherent sacredness of all life and I have
  a BROAD view of what constitutes life
• Learning this lifes lesson, whatever it may be

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Wicca / Witch Craft

• Im not a witch, Im your wife!

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Charge of the Goddess

• Whenever you have need of anything, once in
  the month, when the moon is full, gather then in
  secret and give worship to She who is the Queen
  of all witches. Gather into the sacred circle,
  and secrets that are as yet unknown shall be
  revealed to you. And you shall be free in mind,
  body, and spirit. And as a sign that you are
  truly free, you shall be naked in your rites.
  Then shall you sing, dance, feast, and make music
  and love. For such pleasures are the rituals of
  the Goddess.

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Wiccan Rede and Threefold Law

• ?An it harm none, do as thou wilt.
• ? Whatever you do will return to you at
  least threefold.

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Wheel of the Year
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Pagan Altars
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Pagan Power Tools

• Use of meaningful symbols
• Appropriate to your particular group
• Provides a vehicle for the ritual
• Enhances the energy you are directing

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• Athame
• Wand
• Chalice
• Candles
• Cloaks
• Rocks
• Music
• Any other object which you deem sacred

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Athame / Boline

• Athame
• Black handle
• Double edge
• DULL

• Boline
• White handle
• Single edge, usually curved
• SHARP

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Wand

• Wooden, metal or crystal
• Plain or adorned

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Chalice
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Candles
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Cloaks
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Rocks / Nature Items
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Music
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Rituals

• Cleanse, consecrate and cast the circle
• Call the Quarters
• Invoke Deity
• Main purpose of ritual (energy working,
  meditation, etc)
• Cakes and Ale
• Thanking the guests
• Dismissing the Quarters
• Opening the Circle

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Discussion and Questions
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Second session

• Recap from first session
• Meditation
• Reincarnation
• Magick or Science?
• Rituals
• What Paganism is NOT
• Discussion

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Pagan Factoids

• Within the US
• ¾ million PUBLICLY acknowledge their path
• 46 have college degrees and 31 have some
  college
• 94 are registered to vote
• 74 are female and 25 are male
• 6 have military records
• Patriotic Pagans
• MPN estimates over 4300 active duty Pagans
• Wicca is the 3rd largest non-Christian religion
  in the AF behind Judaism and Buddhism
• More than 1800 active-duty identify as Wiccan

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Meditate or Medicate?

• Altering your consciousness
• Many types of meditation
• Zen
• Transcendental
• Guided
• Sweat Lodges/Runners High
• Using (natural) chemicals
• Peyote
• Mescaline

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• If you can live without caffeine or nicotine
• If you can be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains
• If you can resist complaining
• If you can understand when loved ones are too
  busy to give you any time
• If you can take criticism and blame without
  resentment
• If you can ignore friends' limited educations and
  never correct them

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• If you can treat the rich and poor alike
• If you can face the world without lies or deceit
• If you can conquer tension without medical help
• If you can relax without liquor
• If you can sleep without the aid of drugs
• If you can have no prejudice against creed,
  color, religion, gender, sexual preference, or
  politics -

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• then you have almost reached the
• same level of spiritual development
• as your dog.

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Guided meditation
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Reincarnation OR Being Born Againand Againand
Again

• Past lives are usually not remembered
• Soul mates
• Old souls
• You think human is the only incarnation?
• Tabula rasa

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Magick

• Universal energy (electricity)
• Visualization leads to actualization
• Prayer is a form of magick
• What works for you, works.

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Divination

• Many types
• Tarot cards
• Runes
• Crystals or mirrors
• Fire or water scrying
• Foretelling or illuminating

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What Paganism is NOT

• Satanism (which is a Christian religion)
• A license for lasciviousness
• Harry Potter
• Excuse for bad behavior
• Anti-Christianity or Goddess Christianity
• A replacement for appropriate therapy for your
  problems

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Discussion and Questions
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