A crash course in looking for a Pagan religion (original) (raw)

"Paganism" is a catch phrase of numerous religions, but in and of itself, Paganism is not a religion. Many people who are new to the religion do not know where to begin looking for a group to belong to, or what it is they should be looking for.

Since this is a common question, I thought I would post some of the information I teach this to our local community and to my students. If you do not agree with the way I present the material, that is fine. We all have our own views of things. However, this is after 20 years of training and research that I have come to these conclusions.

There are only three Pagan religions that are recognized by the American federal government as religions. These are: Wicca, Druidism, and Asatru. The criteria set forth by the government for a religion to be recognized falls under the following stipulations: it must have training of clergy, it must have a Holy Days with a set date that remains unchanged each year, and that are observed with the same traditions each time. It must have a well-defined theology of Deity, and must have a set code of ethics and principles. If a belief system does not meet these criteria, it is actually not recognized as a religion.

Solitaries are not going to be recognized by the government (and therefore are not going to be allowed the rights of belonging to a religion under the 1st Amendment) because they do not belong to a church that has training for clergy. Having a personal practice is fine and you have the freedom to do that, but if you want to force an issue at work, like your right to take an Esbat or Sabbat off, your job is not required to honor that right unless you belong to a church, which are called Covens by Wiccans, Groves by Druids, and Kindreds by Asatru. However, most places will not deny you such a right because the 1st Amendment is such a touchy issue. And there are organizations for Pagans that will help a Solitary if you run into such a problem.

I then divide the Pagan reliigions into different categories: Traditional, Eclectic (pretty much interchangable with NeoPaganism), Hereditary, and Reconstructionalist (who are reconstucting the religious practices of a specific Pagan culture.)

Issac Bonewits has a different method of dividing the Pagan religions into Paleo, Meso, and Neo Paganism. You can learn more about this at www.neopagan.net

With Wicca it is pretty much divided between British Traditional Wica (note the one "c" and also known as BTW) and Eclectics. There are only four traditions recognized by the BTW and you MUST be Initiated and belong to a legitimate lineage to be considered Wiccan. It also requires Oaths of Secrecy. Some of the BTW believe they are the ONLY Wica and are very critical of Eclectics. Issac Bonewits considers them to be MesoPagan, not NeoPagan.

The other category is the Eclectic Wicca - this is anything that is not BTW and what you mainly will read about in the books at the bookstores and on the internet. Eclectic Wicca, I think, is a completely different religion from the BTW in so many ways that the two shouldn't really be in conflict with one another because they are different. Eclectic Wicca has a lot to say for it, for it has allowed for Wicca to be given legal recognition by the federal government (including the military), by the international religious council, and by the VA. I feel strongly that American Eclectic Wicca has legitamacy as a religion because it IS recognized by the federal government (as long as the coven meets the criteria to have it recognized as such), and because it is through the efforts of those being public it has made Wicca so well known today. As BTW requires its Initiates to keep an Oath of Secrecy (although there are a few who are public, it is rare) it is not so much into advocating for their religious rights. Traditionalists have survived the times of persecution, and have managed to survive by being secretative, and believe that since persecution could happen again, it is best to remain "in the broom closet" about their religion. But just because they are "secret" and hidden does not mean they do not exist! The Tradition binds them together into a unity that is very much like family, and I believe in many ways it makes it more cohesive than Eclectics, who do not understand the need for secrecy and adhering to a specific tradition and way of doing things.

Although both will consider being called "Wicca" to be the same, it is not. The BTW spell it Wica, and do not refer to themselves as "Wiccans." They are "the Wica." And it is not pronounced as "wikka," either. It is just some BTW have an emotional attachment to the word of their religion and claim it as "mine not yours," which I disagree with. As Wicca is federally recognized, there is no need to keep "bone picking" the etymology or definiton of the word. Homonyms are acceptable in the English language, afterall. :)

Yet it can be confusing to a beginner.

Druidism is similar to Wicca in that there is the Druidism of the British Isles and the North American Druidism. They are nothing alike! LOL But they both use the word "Druid" to define themselves.

Druidism is not Wicca, though they are from the same culture and are similar...and then it gets even more confusing when there are those who combine the two religions and will call it one or the other. (Any form of combining religions, beliefs, and practices together is Eclectic, for that is what eclectic means.) :)

Asatru is a Pagan religion that has its origins in Scandinavia/Northern Europe or the Germanic cultual roots. Asatru is mainly reconstructionalist or it is eclectic. For some it is also ethnic, where it is required for you to be of the Germanic heritage to be even considered to be Asatru. As this ethnic requirment has had problems of leading into rascism, there has been attempts to keep those who are tolerant seperate from the ethnic beliefs.

Reconstructionalist Pagan religions take a Pagan culture, which are found world-wide, and seek to reconstruct the religion as closely as it was in the time it existed. These can be very intent on being scholarly with as much respect to historical evidence as possible. There are many, many reconstructionalist Pagan religions with varying degrees of how strict they are in adherence to the historial facts, from very academic to more eclectic. In this it is just a matter of choosing an ancient Pre-Christian culture from anywhere in the world and devoting yourself to that culture and religion. It can be the Kemetic of the Egyptians, or Hellenic of the Greeks, Shintu of Japan, etc. As there are numerous Pagan cultures, there are numerous reconstructional Pagan religions. This is also more than just praying to the gods of that culture. Culture is very in depth of what is required, from learning the language, to the art, to the costumes, to music, to philosophy, etc. Most people choose these Pagan traditions because they have ancestral ethnic roots to that culture in their family tree.

So educating yourself is the key! It is best to define on paper what it is exactly you are looking for. Do you want it strict or laid back? Do you want to be Initiated or just belong? How serious do you take religion? Do you wish to be a Priest/ess or just hang out with people once in a while? The possiblities are limitless!

My Wiccan teachers always told me: "If you don't know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else." :)

So just start with defining what you believe and finding a religion that fits your beliefs, instead of trying to mold yourself into a preconceived idea. And allow for these beliefs and needs to changeas you learn more about yourself and what it is you believe and what you are looking for. It is a life-long journey. Just remember: "To thine own self be true." Listen to your Inner Voice, because Pagan religions are not "one size fits all." And do not jump into anything quickly. Test the waters first, and be willing to be as scrutinzing of your potential teachers and leaders as they should be of you. In other words, don't just accept the first offer that comes along. Compare and shop around.

Keep in mind that you may be limited to what is offered in your local area, so use the internet to network. And if necessary, be prepared to travel to the right group - the effort is worth it if it is group you harmonize with! I used to have to drive an hour or more for my training, and I have students that have to do the same. And remember that a teacher or Priest/ess serves the GODS, not you! Don't expect to be hand-held and baby fed. Be prepared to have to study, practice, do homework, etc. If you take it seriously, it should be as challenging and demanding as going to college, so keep that in mind. You will be required to learn history, languages, mythology, literature, art, music, anthropology, communication, psychology, etc. That's if you want to be a Priest/ess. If you just want a social group, just try looking into meetups. :) It is all up to you and what it is you want!