30 days of paganism [Day 1 - Beliefs: why paganism?]

As many Wiccans say: I was born as a witch and will always be one.  I had always been fascinated by the dark, morbid and weird since I was a child who's always adored animals and felt a strong connection between Mother Earth and Father Sky.  When I was little I had my own tree out of the back of the house where I could perch myself and soak up the favourite part of my day: the gloaming.  Why paganism then?  It has always been in me, I have always felt a connection to ‘something stronger’ and have been playing with magick since I was 8 years old, taking on Wicca when I was 14 which I’ve been practising on and off for 12 years.  When I was 8 I took my best friend Louise out into nature during playtime where we were witches: talking to trees, making elixirs, seeing faeries and shooting bolts of lightning out of our fingers.  Our imaginations were constantly alive and exploring.

Having gone to several private schools, Christianity was pushed upon me and I never really gelled with it.  The messages that the Bible taught me were not applicable to my approach to life.  I found that the messages of the Goddess helped to ground me so that I could accept myself as a woman rather than the ‘girl’ image that the media pushes.   In fact, I adore paganism because it encourages a healthy and natural lifestyle and view on the world.  Every time that I perform a ritual it is cleansing and pushes me to new levels of consciousness where I’m constantly learning about the world and her mysteries.  Paganism as a generally term for old pre-Christian religions allow for us to inspect many of the old ways – which Wicca encourages and harnesses in ritual.

I try to be a good Pagan by balancing my energies: no drink, no drugs or smoke.  I also follow Scott Cunningham’s list of regular practices to keep you in tune:

1. Know yourself

2. Know your craft

3. Learn

4. Apply knowledge with wisdom

5. Achieve balance

6. Keep your words in good order

7. Keep your thoughts in good order

8. Celebrate life

9. Attune with the cycles of the earth

10. Breathe and eat correctly

11. Exercise the body

12. Meditate

13. Honor the Goddess and God

I feel like I could explain more, but there are a whole 30 days...

)O( Elspeth