McColman - The Complete Idiots Guide to Paganism

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ISBN: 9780028642666
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Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2007939745

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To Don and Julie

If you think its easier to find God in nature than in a building or a book, you may be a pagan without realizing it.

Mother Earth plays a central role in the pagan world.

As the worlds oldest spiritual path, shamanism is the direct ancestor of modern pagan ways.

The most popular form of paganism, Wicca is a beautiful system of magic and devotion.

They didnt build Stonehenge, but the druids did preserve the wisdom of the ancient Celts.

From Eastern mysticism to science fiction, many sources contribute to the pagan path.

Just as a circle has an inside and an outside, the universe has a material realm and a spiritual realm.

Shes a sensuous maiden, a nurturing mother, and a wise croneand the most ancient way humankind has under-stood the Spirit.

Instead of an almighty bachelor, pagans prefer to see God as a loving partner to the life-giving Goddess.

From guides to faeries to devas to power animals, pagans have many ways of understanding the beings on the other side.

Earth, air, fire, and water embody magical principles central to nature spirituality.

We live in a cyclical, rhythmic universe, so pagan spirituality reflects this fundamental truth.

Learn about the eight holy days in the pagan year and the phases of the moon.

No object is necessary for pagan spirituality, but these optional items can add life and color to your ceremonies.

You can honor the Goddess and the God using these step-by-step instructions.

From welcoming a newborn to remembering a loved one who has died, pagans have ceremonial ways to honor the transitions of life.

The art of inner listening plays an essential role in magical spirituality.

Magic involves far more than casting a spell to get what you want.

Harness the energies of cycles and chance to access your own inner guidance.

To be a pagan means to be a healerof yourself, your loved ones, and the earth as well.

Love, trust, freedom, and authentic power shape the pagan understanding of right and wrong.

You can walk the pagan path all by yourself, or you can connect with others in a variety of ways.

Many books, films, and musical titles feature pagan or pagan-friendly themes.

Learn to weave nature mysticism into the ordinary rhythms of your life.

These books can help you along the pagan path.

These online tools can help you explore paganism further.

How fortunate we are to live in an age when so many pagans are not only out of the broomcloset but are also writing books like this one. Twenty-five years ago, this book would not have been published. Twenty-five years ago, the majority seemed to believe that

Pagans were wild men who hugged trees and indulged in polymorphously perverse orgies with wild women

Witches were evil, wicked, mean, bad, and nasty, and they had green skin, too

Druids were kooks who worshipped trees and big, tall rocks and dressed like shepherds

Shamans were con artists who sold weekend enlightenment for a high price.

Today we know better. Today most people understand that paganism is a genuine religion. Although its based on the elder wisdom of the pre-Christian tribes of Europe, it is a new religion that we recreate every time we cast a circle or invoke a goddess or a god.

And this new religion is growing. Because theres no pagan census bureau, we dont know precisely how many of us there are, but just look at the Webat www.witchvox.com, for exampleor at the shelves at your local bookstores. Youll see pages and pages of pagan writing. Someones got to be reading all those pages.