Facts About Modern Pagan Religions
Modern Pagan Religions have retained most of the essence of ancient Shamanistic beliefs such as Universal love and the absolute belief in our ability to create our future. Rituals are, then and now, a way to connect with the Divine which is believed to be the sum total of the spirits in the entire Universe.
The earlier pagans were healers, teachers and medicine people who were held in high regard for their powers which created magick and communed with spirits of nature. They had high positions in society and were considered especially powerful. Modern pagans, however, have a more equality based practice where only the strength of the mind matters.
Witchcraft has come a long way since the horrors of the middle ages. There is less persecution of magickal practitioners in the world than at any time since the rise of Christianity.
In earlier times, the book of shadows had to be written in code (hence the intriguing names of botanicals) and the book itself had to be kept hidden away from the prying eyes of the fanatic religious zealots.
Although Wicca is a modern pagan way of life that has achieved the status of a "religion", it still retains most of the old ways of living through purposeful creation. With the invention of the internet and instant communication, people can easily access the information about rituals, spells, celebrations, etc.
The practitioners of Modern Pagan religions have many things in common:
1. Practitioners experience less persecution and are able to openly practice their rituals in most countries.
2. The Book has come out of the shadows and is even being published on the internet and in books. See "Wicca-A guide for the solitary practitioner" to read author Scott Cunningham's Book of Shadows".
3. Occult stores are sprouting up and enabling people to buy tools, candles and other items required by pagan practitioners. Witchcraft stores are also popping up all over the internet and information on rituals, spells and celebrations are being spread to the rest of the world.
4. Tools such as Athame, Chalice, Wand, Censer, Cauldron, etc are easily available and may be used in public during celebrations and gatherings.
5. Botanicals from all over the world are available so that the cultures blend together to form one cohesive entity.
6. Rituals from various pagan traditions are combined to create more powerful invocations.
7. Many of the modern pagan practices believe in multiple deities. New ones are added and subtracted daily depending on the powers believed to be inherent in these deities. However, most of the modern pagan religions believe that all deities are forms of the One true essence of the Universe.
The earlier pagans were healers, teachers and medicine people who were held in high regard for their powers which created magick and communed with spirits of nature. They had high positions in society and were considered especially powerful. Modern pagans, however, have a more equality based practice where only the strength of the mind matters.
Witchcraft has come a long way since the horrors of the middle ages. There is less persecution of magickal practitioners in the world than at any time since the rise of Christianity.
In earlier times, the book of shadows had to be written in code (hence the intriguing names of botanicals) and the book itself had to be kept hidden away from the prying eyes of the fanatic religious zealots.
Although Wicca is a modern pagan way of life that has achieved the status of a "religion", it still retains most of the old ways of living through purposeful creation. With the invention of the internet and instant communication, people can easily access the information about rituals, spells, celebrations, etc.
The practitioners of Modern Pagan religions have many things in common:
1. Practitioners experience less persecution and are able to openly practice their rituals in most countries.
2. The Book has come out of the shadows and is even being published on the internet and in books. See "Wicca-A guide for the solitary practitioner" to read author Scott Cunningham's Book of Shadows".
3. Occult stores are sprouting up and enabling people to buy tools, candles and other items required by pagan practitioners. Witchcraft stores are also popping up all over the internet and information on rituals, spells and celebrations are being spread to the rest of the world.
4. Tools such as Athame, Chalice, Wand, Censer, Cauldron, etc are easily available and may be used in public during celebrations and gatherings.
5. Botanicals from all over the world are available so that the cultures blend together to form one cohesive entity.
6. Rituals from various pagan traditions are combined to create more powerful invocations.
7. Many of the modern pagan practices believe in multiple deities. New ones are added and subtracted daily depending on the powers believed to be inherent in these deities. However, most of the modern pagan religions believe that all deities are forms of the One true essence of the Universe.
