{"id":1425,"date":"2009-03-01T01:10:24","date_gmt":"2009-03-01T06:10:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/content\/?p=1422"},"modified":"2009-02-27T16:24:26","modified_gmt":"2009-02-27T21:24:26","slug":"pagans-where-to-find-like-minded-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2009\/03\/01\/pagans-where-to-find-like-minded-people\/","title":{"rendered":"Pagans Where to Find Like Minded People"},"content":{"rendered":"

Learning<\/strong><\/p>\n

Spring Equinox is traditionally a time for new beginnings.\u00a0 This is my first column, which I welcomed as an opportunity to teach, learn and give back to the community.<\/p>\n

Each of us came to this path in our own way and it has been my pleasure to hear many different stories.\u00a0 Now that you are here, the big question is where to turn to learn.\u00a0 There are a variety of ways to accomplish this, each with its own pros and cons, but the best is from other Pagans.<\/p>\n

There is nothing that can compare to learning from another person face to face and I hope that each of you has this experience.\u00a0 It has been my pleasure to meet several other Pagans performing my job of delivering the mail.\u00a0 There is a popular saying, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.\u00a0\u00a0 My experience was that I met a seasoned Witch who took me under her wing as my mentor.\u00a0 She never taught me in the conventional sense, but she was always available to talk with, answer questions, and offer advice at a time when I was becoming more serious on my path and needed the reassurance that I was not the only one.\u00a0 The advantages are that you are learning from someone who has been there, done that, who can demonstrate, answer questions and offer advice and usually has an impressive library.\u00a0 The disadvantages are finding such a person or group and then finding the time to meet with them.\u00a0 While the great majority of people you meet are ethical and sincere, there is the occasional big ego or person who expects you to go against your moral compass.\u00a0 Use common sense and trust your gut feelings.<\/p>\n

Finding other Pagans to meet in person can be frustrating, but is well worth the effort.\u00a0 You may be asking yourself, \u201cwhere are the local Pagans?\u201d\u00a0 You may see the occasional person dressed all in black with lots of jewelry and makeup, but in my experience, they are either Goths (a lifestyle in its own right) or those who dress that way for shock value.\u00a0 Every Pagan I have met is a regular person whose actions and appearance do not scream out for attention.\u00a0 Among my Pagan friends have been: clothing store saleslady, truck driver, convenience store cashier, students, stay at home moms, artists, Avon representative and newspaper staffer.<\/p>\n

Once you have found other Pagans, the challenge in our daily lives is how to find the time to learn from them.\u00a0 Being able to sit down with them and join them in ritual is ideal, but many of us, myself included, do not have the time.\u00a0 I usually work 50 to 60 hours six days a week, so by the time I would get home from work, shower and drive the hour or so to one of the two area groups that I have been in contact with, the ritual, class or meeting would be over.\u00a0 I attended one meeting of a local group, but it soon fizzled out as unfortunately many small groups do.\u00a0 Almost a year ago, I participated in an open ritual at a shop in Indianapolis and found it a worthwhile experience.\u00a0 There are Pagan festivals, especially in the summer, which are advertised online and in Pagan magazines and Pagan Pride Day activities, which have become more common every year and are traditionally held in September.<\/p>\n

You can find other Pagans to chat or exchange emails with online at www.witchvox.com<\/a>, www.paganspace.com<\/a>, www.celticcauldron.com<\/a> or other sites if you look around.\u00a0 I\u2019ve found quite a few on www.myspace.com<\/a>.\u00a0 Most of my conversations with other Pagans have been about 10 or 15 minutes here and there, but it has been richly rewarding and often I\u2019ve learned more in these chats than from an hour or more of reading.\u00a0 In person learning is not always a mentor or teacher.\u00a0 While working on this column, I met another Pagan delivering her mail and we struck up a conversation.\u00a0 Through friendships like this, I have both learned and taught and my path has been the richer because of each person who has crossed it.<\/p>\n

While learning from another is best, it is not the only way.\u00a0 Books are popular and have several advantages.\u00a0 You can learn at your own pace and keep them for reference.\u00a0 They often have tables of correspondences, glossaries, diagrams and recommended reading lists.\u00a0 You may even find books that are not specifically Pagan that will help your studies, such as herbalism, mythology or fantasy art.\u00a0 On the downside, cost can add up, especially if you buy dozens of them as I and most of the other Pagans I have known well have.\u00a0 Many stores that sell books and some bookstores will not carry Pagan titles.\u00a0 Although, you can now find a nice selection of pagan reading material at most Barnes and Nobles bookstores, as well as, your local Metaphysical shops. If cost is a concern, some public libraries carry Pagan books, although they are stolen more often than most titles.\u00a0 Perhaps a friend can loan you books, but please return them.\u00a0 While I have never seen used ones at a yard sale, I have seen and bought them online and even found out of print books that way.\u00a0 Judging from Pagans I have known, this is the most popular method of learning, but don\u2019t jump to the conclusion that reading a book or two makes you an expert.\u00a0 In a similar vein, there are Pagan magazines.\u00a0 You can find magazines with different approaches and I have found most of them to be quite helpful and entertaining, while some did not take their subject seriously enough.\u00a0 Like books, they can be hard to find and are generally not for beginners, although you may find ads for Pagan festivals in your area and personal ads from those looking for pen pals.\u00a0 There are both in print and online magazines available.<\/p>\n

Online resources have bloomed in recent years.\u00a0 It is possible to find a seemingly endless variety of articles, opinions, research, networking and how to articles.\u00a0 The main advantages are ease of use; nothing to buy if you already have a computer and the ability to find others with whom to interact while you can protect your identity.\u00a0 The disadvantage is that some of the material out there is plagiarized or just plain bad.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I have seen a lot of well written, informative sites presenting a lot of different views, but also a few sites with book excerpts and poetry not credited to the author or things that are not a part of Paganism or historical inaccuracies presented as fact.<\/p>\n

The difference with learning this religion and things related to it is that it is not a school subject, but rather a philosophy and way of life.\u00a0 It\u2019s like the difference between learning the words of a foreign language and immersing yourself in its culture.\u00a0 Since we are a nature centered religion, spend time in nature being quiet, paying attention and learning in ways you will not get from a book or website.\u00a0 Mother Nature and everyday experiences will teach anyone who is willing and patient enough. A big help to finding other Pagans is to keep your eyes open, notice the hints and realize that they may be just around the corner.\u00a0 Rather than delve into this now, I will be addressing this in my new column \u201cPagandar\u201d starting next month.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Learning Spring Equinox is traditionally a time for new beginnings.\u00a0 This is my first column, which I welcomed as an opportunity to teach, learn and give back to the community. Each of us came to this path in our own way and it has been my pleasure to hear many different stories.\u00a0 Now that you are here, the big question is where to turn to learn.\u00a0 There are a variety of ways to accomplish this, each with its own pros and cons, but the best is from other Pagans. There is nothing that can compare to learning from another person face to face and I hope that each of you has this experience.\u00a0 It has been my pleasure to meet several other Pagans performing my job of delivering the mail.\u00a0 There is a popular saying, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.\u00a0\u00a0 My experience was that I met a seasoned Witch who took me under her wing as my mentor.\u00a0 She never taught me in the conventional sense, but she was always available to talk with, answer questions, and offer advice at a time when I was becoming more serious on my path and needed the reassurance that I was not the only one.\u00a0 The advantages are that you are learning from someone who has been there, done that, who can demonstrate, answer questions and offer advice and usually has an impressive library.\u00a0 The disadvantages are finding such a person or group and then finding the time to meet with them.\u00a0 While the great majority of people you meet are ethical and sincere, there is the occasional big ego or person who expects you to go against your moral compass.\u00a0 Use common sense and trust your gut feelings. Finding other Pagans to meet in person can be frustrating, but is well worth the effort.\u00a0 You may be asking yourself, \u201cwhere are the local Pagans?\u201d\u00a0 You may see the occasional person dressed all in black with lots of jewelry and makeup, but in my experience, they are either Goths (a lifestyle in its own right) or those who dress that way for shock value.\u00a0 Every Pagan I have met is a regular person whose actions and appearance do not scream out for attention.\u00a0 Among my Pagan friends have been: clothing store saleslady, truck driver, convenience store cashier, students, stay at home moms, artists, Avon representative and newspaper staffer. Once you have found other Pagans, the challenge in our daily lives is how to find the time to learn from them.\u00a0 Being able to sit down with them and join them in ritual is ideal, but many of us, myself included, do not have the time.\u00a0 I usually work 50 to 60 hours six days a week, so by the time I would get home from work, shower and drive the hour or so to one of the two area groups that I have been in contact with, the ritual, class or meeting would be over.\u00a0 I attended one meeting of a local group, but it soon fizzled out as unfortunately many small groups do.\u00a0 Almost a year ago, I participated in an open ritual at a shop in Indianapolis and found it a worthwhile experience.\u00a0 There are Pagan festivals, especially in the summer, which are advertised online and in Pagan magazines and Pagan Pride Day activities, which have become more common every year and are traditionally held in September. You can find other Pagans to chat or exchange emails with online at www.witchvox.com, www.paganspace.com, www.celticcauldron.com or other sites if you look around.\u00a0 I\u2019ve found quite a few on www.myspace.com.\u00a0 Most of my conversations with other Pagans have been about 10 or 15 minutes here and there, but it has been richly rewarding and often I\u2019ve learned more in these chats than from an hour or more of reading.\u00a0 In person learning is not always a mentor or teacher.\u00a0 While working on this column, I met another Pagan delivering her mail and we struck up a conversation.\u00a0 Through friendships like this, I have both learned and taught and my path has been the richer because of each person who has crossed it. While learning from another is best, it is not the only way.\u00a0 Books are popular and have several advantages.\u00a0 You can learn at your own pace and keep them for reference.\u00a0 They often have tables of correspondences, glossaries, diagrams and recommended reading lists.\u00a0 You may even find books that are not specifically Pagan that will help your studies, such as herbalism, mythology or fantasy art.\u00a0 On the downside, cost can add up, especially if you buy dozens of them as I and most of the other Pagans I have known well have.\u00a0 Many stores that sell books and some bookstores will not carry Pagan titles.\u00a0 Although, you can now find a nice selection of pagan reading material at most Barnes and Nobles bookstores, as well as, your local Metaphysical shops. If cost is a concern, some public libraries carry Pagan books, although they are stolen more often than most titles.\u00a0 Perhaps a friend can loan you books, but please return them.\u00a0 While I have never seen used ones at a yard sale, I have seen and bought them online and even found out of print books that way.\u00a0 Judging from Pagans I have known, this is the most popular method of learning, but don\u2019t jump to the conclusion that reading a book or two makes you an expert.\u00a0 In a similar vein, there are Pagan magazines.\u00a0 You can find magazines with different approaches and I have found most of them to be quite helpful and entertaining, while some did not take their subject seriously enough.\u00a0 Like books, they can be hard to find and are generally not for beginners, although you may find ads for Pagan festivals in your area and personal ads from those looking for pen pals.\u00a0 There are both in print and online magazines available. Online resources have bloomed in recent years.\u00a0 It is possible to find a seemingly endless variety of articles, opinions, research, networking and how to articles.\u00a0 The main advantages are ease of use; nothing to buy if you already have a computer and the ability to find others with whom to interact while you can protect your identity.\u00a0 The disadvantage is that some of the material out there is plagiarized or just plain bad.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I have seen a lot of well written, informative sites presenting a lot of different views, but also a few sites with book excerpts and poetry not credited to the author or things that are not a part of Paganism or historical inaccuracies presented as fact. The difference with learning this religion and things related to it is that it is not a school subject, but rather a philosophy and way of life.\u00a0 It\u2019s like the difference between learning the words of a foreign language and immersing yourself in its culture.\u00a0 Since we are a nature centered religion, spend time in nature being quiet, paying attention and learning in ways you will not get from a book or website.\u00a0 Mother Nature and everyday experiences will teach anyone who is willing and patient enough. A big help to finding other Pagans is to keep your eyes open, notice the hints and realize that they may be just around the corner.\u00a0 Rather than delve into this now, I will be addressing this in my new column \u201cPagandar\u201d starting next month.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1425","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1425","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1425"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1425\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1425"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}