When discussing or learning about the myriad of spiritual beliefs in our world, the term Pagan or Paganism will often be brought up. But just exactly what is a Pagan? In actuality, the term Pagan can have many different meanings such as a person who doesn't follow an Abrahamic religion, one who follows a nature-based belief, a polytheist belief or one who has no belief in deity. Even many in the Pagan community cannot always agree on the exact meaning of the word Pagan. But it is generally agreed that this is an umbrella term, covering any person who follows a spiritual tradition that doesn't fall within the five major world religions of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism or Islam.
The word Pagan is taken from the Latin word paganus, the meaning of which is not exactly certain but which is believed to have meant country dweller or rustic. At times the term of Pagan can be used in a derogatory way toward someone who doesn't follow an Abrahamic religion. However, as mentioned earlier, it is a broad term that generally applies to a person who follows a spiritual tradition outside the main world religions; this can include a wide variety of beliefs whose roots go back to ancient times.
One of the common misconceptions by those unfamiliar with Paganism is that all Pagans are Wiccan, perhaps because Wicca is such a well known Pagan religion. But Wicca, which was formed by Gerald Gardner in the 1950's is a distinct Pagan religion. To say that all Pagans are Wiccan would be the same as saying that all Christians are Lutheran. Besides Wicca, some of the other Pagan beliefs include Druidism, Asatru, Celtic Reconstructionism, the indigenous beliefs of many different world cultures and a wide variety of eclectic beliefs that are based on several spiritual traditions.
Common Pagan Beliefs
Despite the myriad of different Pagan spiritual traditions, there are some beliefs and practices that are common within them all. One of these is beliefs is a reverence for the Earth we live on. Most Pagans have a deep concern for the environment and feel a close connection to the various seasons and cycles of the earth. One reason is that the Earth is often viewed as representative of the Mother Goddess and her resources and beauties should be conserved and preserved out of respect for her and for our own survival. Another reason is because many Pagans believe in the sacredness of all life forms and the fact that all life forms, both on the earth and in the universe are connected, thus they must be treated with respect. Some Pagan beliefs also believe that certain aspects of nature are representative of various deities or spiritual guides.
Another common part of many Pagan beliefs is the practice of magic. Some Pagans don't accept or believe in the concept of magic and will instead have rituals or ceremonies that are more in tune with their own personal belief system. Although magic may sound like some kind of special effects show, it's nothing of the kind. Essentially, magic sometimes referred to as magick, is the use of various techniques and rituals to draw on the energies of the earth and the universe in order to bring about a positive result. Some forms of magic may be simple, such as a folk-magic spell of burning a green candle to help bring about prosperity, while other forms of magic may be more elaborate and highly ritualized. In essence, the practice of spells and magic are ways in which to help bring about desired results, mark milestones in life such as birth and marriage, or a way to communicate with deity. In some ways it is similar to prayer or other forms of mainstream religious rituals.
There are many ways in which Pagans will view or interpret Deity or the Divine, depending upon which tradition they follow. Many, but not all, of the Pagan traditions recognize a balance between feminine and masculine divinity which is seen in the concepts of Mother Earth and Father Sky or the many gods and goddesses that are representative of polytheist beliefs. While many Pagan beliefs are polytheist, some are not and in these traditions a person may refer to deity as Great Mother, Great Father, the Source or the All Knowing. One of the things that differentiates Paganism from other mainstream religions is that deity is not typically viewed as a separate patriarch, instead there is a more personal relationship involved in which each individual must figure out what deity means to them, how to work with this Divinity and what lessons they need to learn from it. Put simply, there is more of a partnership involved rather than a separateness.
Common Misconceptions
Here are a few other common misconceptions concerning Pagan beliefs.
Neo-Paganism is the same as New Age beliefs
Pagan beliefs are often referred to today as Neo-Pagan or Neo-Paganism, meaning that the beliefs are a revival or new interpretation of ancient spiritual beliefs. However Neo-Pagan is not the same as New Age. The New Age was a variety of interests that grew in popularity during the 1960's and 70's. New Age spirituality draws on many different sources and esoteric practices, and these practices are often layered on top of whatever religion that a person typically follows. In contrast, Neo-Pagans almost exclusively follow a distinct tradition or a combination of two or more traditions, in which case they are referred to as an Eclectic Pagan.
