1. So who do
you worship and what are your beliefs?
a. Paganism is an earth based religion dating back to the
ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Celts, etc. I believe that god has no gender so we
say Lord and Lady, but in paganism we honor the goddess more because women give
life. The goddess has three stages: maiden mother and crone, and each pagan
woman goes through those stages as well. I just started a new book of shadows
(basically a book that I write my beliefs and rituals in that will be passed
down to my children) because I just entered a new stage of life by entering
motherhood. We do not believe in a he'll or a devil, and my belief is that there
is a "heaven" but it's different than the Christian view of it. I
believe it is a waiting place for your soul and that when your soul has met up
with the other souls it needs to be complete that you are reincarnated. The
faith is a lot about energy and how to use it.
2. Do
you guys have a church and how does one enter into the religion. I love the
fact that you worship a god that does not have a gender and doesn't preach
about hell. If you are reincarnated do you ever reach heaven? Do you ever get
to see dead love ones?
a. All
pagans believe different things, there is no book or church. But I believe
there is a waiting place for your soul. And after you have waited in that place
for those you loved then you are sent back to earth. During Samhain the veil
between the living and dead is the thinnest and I speak to those who have
passed. My best friend was killed in a gun accident and I know he sees me
because I feel him then.
3. What
sort of holidays do you have? How exactly do you celebrate?
a. Basically,
for each sabbat we have a circle/ritual. These can be done either alone at your
own personal altar or with others in a larger circle. The rituals are to honor
the gods and goddesses that the ritual is for (like Ostara is a fertility
ritual, so you’d honor the goddess of fertility). My friend K. honors the
Egyptian gods, while I stick to Greek and Norse typically. It’s just a
preference thing
·
YULE: Dec. 21
·
IMBOLC: February 2
·
OSTARA: March 20
·
BELTANE: May 1
·
LITHA: June 21
·
LUGHNASSADH: August 1
·
MABON: Sept. 21
·
SAMHAIN: October 31- November 1
4. In
order to "be" Pagan I guess by birth... is it your mom or your dad
who needs to be? I mean like for Muslims, and the dad technically has to be...
in the Jewish faith, it's the mom. Is there anything like that with you? Did
you make the decision to be Pagan on your own without your family having those
specific beliefs?
a. There's
nothing like that in Paganism, it's either what you chose to believe (like I
converted) or something your family believes. I had a friend who's mom was
Pagan and so therefor she was, but with me I was raised Catholic and converted
when I was 14.
5. How
did your family take it at first? And what all is involved with the conversion
process? Is there a ritual/ceremony type deal, or just certain words you have
to say and believe?
a. My
family thought I was worshipping the devil at first. Then they asked me if I
sacrificed animals. Then they made it a joke. And now they accept it as my
spirituality and will attend some ceremonies (my very Christian father and step
mother even came to my handfasting, which was awesome to have that kind of
support). My mother is agnostic so she comes to rituals sometimes too. AS for
converting, I did a ritual that was a dedication to the Goddess (much like confirmation
in Catholicism).
6. How
do you cast a circle?
a. Everyone
casts their circles different, but for me I use salt around the perimeter of
the circle to banish negativity, say something about how we are no longer a
part of the outside world, and then call the quarters (while touching the corresponding
elements on my altar)
7. Do
you connect with any deities?
Hestia is my patron
goddess. I usually use the Greek deities. Hestia is goddess of the hearth
(home) and now as a mother I feel even more connected t
