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    Pagan Polytheism I practice a hard polytheistic path.  I believe in the individuality of different deities; that they are, in fact, different beings.  I didn’t start out this way.  Like many aspects of my path my beliefs evolved as I learned and experienced new things.   Before Paganism I thought I had a pretty good idea about how things worked.  I had an understanding of the role of a God in life and had been raised with a specific version of what that God was like.  There was a “take it or leave it” view; you either believed in the God of Abraham or you were an atheist.  There were…

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    Choosing a Path My first introduction to Paganism was Wicca. And why not – information and books on Wicca, or paths derived from it, dominate the Pagan literary landscape. Many of the people I originally met either practiced it or had at some point studied it. As I learned more about Paganism, however, I quickly found other Pagan paths, each with their own focuses, pantheons of Gods and Goddesses, and interpretations of our past and future. I wanted to learn more about them to find which way was right for me. I knew I would need to both study and practice. I wanted to do it in a way, however,…

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    The Samhain Season I love Samhain. Like most kids Halloween was one of my favorite times of the year. Growing up in Texas it was especially nice because it usually meant a much needed change in the weather was coming – cooler days and longer nights rode in on the wings of costumes, trick-or-treating and free candy. I didn’t know about the spiritual side, however; I was raised in a very Christian household. I honestly don’t think my family knew much about it either based on what they ignorantly said about “Devil’s Night” and such. In hindsight, I’m surprised we were allowed to trick-or-treat at all. Since I’ve become Pagan,…

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    Pagans and Labels I’ve met many people from several different paths in the short time I’ve called myself Pagan. While some have been from groups of people practicing the same or similar path, most have been eclectic gatherings of Pagans from different beliefs for a meetup or to celebrate a Sabbat. At some point, if I haven’t met them before, we talk about our paths, and our beliefs, and how we got there. Generally speaking, most Pagans I’ve met seem to have at least a basic knowledge of some of the more common belief systems such as Wicca, Druidry, or Asatru. Even if some of that knowledge is wrong much…

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    Lulls in my PracticeThere are times I go through lulls in my practice.  During these lulls I don’t feel as connected to the Divine or the deities I work with and can’t feel the energy around me as I normally do.  It’s never a conscious decision I make and it doesn’t happen right away – it starts out small and grows over time until I am almost completely out of touch.  Suddenly I’ll realize I haven’t actually practiced my path for what seems like a long time.Although my initial instinct tells me to jump right back in, this usually isn’t a good idea.   The things in my life that move my practice…

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    My First Pagan Pages AnniversaryLike most Pagans, I journal quite a bit.  My private journal is a transcription of my thoughts, my dreams, and the lessons I want to remember, written to myself as the sole audience in a form and media that works for me.  Writing for an audience, like something of a public journal, is different.  Although I had an idea of what it would be like to have a column – I’ve had a public blog for several years – there were aspects I didn’t expect.When I first started this column I knew it would help me grow in my practice and it truly has.  My intention…

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    Signposts:  My First Look at Druidry Being Pagan means we are always learning.  As soon as I think I grasp something that I feel comfortable with I learn about something new.  Although I’m not as green as I was when I started this path I’m also certainly no expert in any part of it.  The amount of information and the number of paths to choose from is frankly overwhelming yet somehow still exhilarating.  There is always more to learn. A friend of mine recommended a book on Druidry to me – The Druidry Handbook: Spiritual Practice Rooted in the Living Earth by John Michael Greer, a Druid in the Ancient…

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    Mixed Marriages I’ve been on a Pagan path for almost four years.  It has truly been an amazing experience so far – I’ve learned so much that I would not have studied and met people that I would not have met otherwise.  I’ve had experiences that have reshaped my outlook on life, my relationships, and the world in general.  I’ve gone through a lot and I’ve changed because of it. This is all fine and well for me, but, for my wife, and our relationship, it has been a real challenge.  My wife is Christian (one of the good ones).  This has honestly been the hardest part of becoming Pagan.…

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    Melting POT: Pagans of Texas Gathering   This past January I had a chance to participate in a very cool gathering of Pagans in my part of Texas at an event called “The Melting P.O.T. – Pagans in the Park”. There were workshops and events hosted by several different groups from the surrounding area, including belly dancing lessons, a song and chant workshop, a Pagan swap, talks by Pagans of different paths, Spiral Scouts, and, of course, lots of food.   My group participated as well, bringing a table with some items members have made over the last couple of years as well as some pictures from our events.  …

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    Imbolc and New Beginnings Following the Sabbats is one of my favorite parts of being Pagan.   I like marking the change of the seasons.  I like the different ways we welcome the changes, whether simply updating the colors around our house or just focusing on something different in our lives. As cold as this winter has been, I’m really looking forward to Imbolc. While nothing beats the picturesque views of snow falling outside while a fire roars in the fireplace, my home is in Texas.  I like warmer temperatures.   Like may not be the right word – I need the warmth.  For me Imbolc is the first sign that warmer…