Pagan Rituals
Paganism sets itself apart from Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
Through archaeology resurrected how things were done before Christianity (connection to indigenous people)
The Illusi and mysteries --> are all greek people
Asatru --> are Norse
People following Celtic Pantheon (what the Willow Dragonstone people follow
Connection to Earth
Paganism is trying to commune with the divinity and many people believe the Earth is the divinity
Paganism is a nature based religion
Most pagans are interested in conservation, recycling, and trying to fight for the rights of the Earth (connection to activism)
Earth Day --> very significant day for people who are Pagan
Eight Sabbats or Holy Days that follow cycle of Agriculture
Between Imbolc and Ostara --> everything has to do with the fertilizing of the field
During Ostara one will write wishes on easter eggs and then plant them in the field or garden, which helps in fertilizing it
Between Ostara and Beltane: Planting occurs
Wheel of the Year: Cycle of seasonal festivals
Halloween, the Earth mother, reflects her cronehood in the changing face of vegetation (plants dying), silent suppers reflect the thin veil (ritual done to connect with ancestors)
On Lydia's Wheel of the Year, it says --> Day is equal to night, the days are longer than nights, the light wax is full the longest day, then goes around and tells you where the sun is in the sky and what it is doing
Shows what is in the spring, summer, fall, and winter
Yule --> Winter solstice --> celebrated on December 21 which is the longest night of the year
Can be a time of rebirth and reflection
Imbolc: Creation of light --> preparing hearth and getting read for planting
Ostara is a ritual involving creative arts with a deeper meaning
Shadow bunnies --> eat negative aspects of ourselves and our ways of thinking to help achieve our desires and goals
Beltane: Longest day of the Year and characterized as a time of fertility --> God and Goddess marry
Celebrated because people want their crops and plants to grow
Celebrating the ultimate marriage --> creates life itself
Litha occurs after Beltane --> beginning to harvest first crops
Herbs are typically the first to be harvested along with flowers and medicinal plants
Time of agriculture and continuing to do the work/waiting for the harvest (first harvest - Lughnasadh - harvest of grain)
After Litha is Mabon which is considered the Witch's Thanksgiving (height of harvest season)
Thankful for the blessings that agriculture is producing
Samhain occurs next along with Halloween
Plants are dying and harvest season is over, land is no longer fertile
Also considered celebration of our ancestors
The yule starts again, which means it is the rebirth of the sun (cycle starts over again)
Four Main Sabbats: Longest day and night and then the equinoxes which represents the cross (solar reflection) - cross quarter days are how 8 sabbats are created
Ritual Objects
Most Pagans celebrate the 8 sabbats along with the aspects which are full moons
The new moons (dark moons) are also celebrated
How moons are named and what meanings they hold are contributed to the people who originally inhabited America (Native Americans)
The full moon represents a time of healing work
Spells for healing (health or achievement of goals)
Represents a personal time to go before your own gods and spend time in your meditations
Spells are like prayers
A besom or a broom is used to sweep away negative energy
The ideas of the besom comes from the folk dance that was performed before and after the planting of wheat
Meaning: The dance consisted of jumping in the air which contributed to how high the wheat would grow
Cauldron: Womb of Earth or Womb of the Goddess
Stirring Cauldron: stirring fertility of life
Drinking from Cauldron: Drinking from primal nature of inspiration
Bowling (Curved shape knife) used to cut herbs for the purpose of spell working or gift to gods
The Four Elements
Bell/Incense Holder - AIR
Bowl and Water - WATER
Red candle - FIRE
Bowl and Salt - EARTH
Also represented in a Pentacle
Top point of pentacle - man's connection to the divinity and the elements
Creates or directs energy and focus
Chalice: Womb of Mother in miniature form
Chalice + Blade: Union of maleness and femaleness in an energetic sense
Athame: can be made from metal, obsidian, and deer
Dull double bladed knife used to create energy in a mystical place