The
Earthy Path
I
became interested in modern Paganism around 1998,
and it has been my primary spiritual orientation
ever since.
Modern
Paganism seeks to reclaim certain aspects of the
pre-Christian religions of Europe and the
Mediterranean, and similar indigenous religious and
spiritual traditions from other parts of the
world.
In
particular, we honor the Earth and the natural
world as sacred. Much of the crucial symbolism and
imagery of our practice comes from nature: the
cycles of the seasons and of the Moon, the everyday
magic of plants and animals, and the basic physical
elements of water, air, earth, and fire. Paganism
affirms that all this world is alive, and that we
are embedded in it and dependent on it.
We
also seek to reclaim a nonpatriarchal view of human
relationships and of deity. We relate to Spirit
through Goddess concepts as well as (or in
preference to) God concepts. This is not just
theological "political correctness", as it seeks to
go deeper and deconstruct patriarchal views of good
and evil, sexuality, and power in society and in
interpersonal relationships.
"Witchcraft" may
seem a dramatic or intimidating word, but what it
refers to is the folk practices that were used in
ancient times (and still are used in some places)
to heal and create change: herbalism, divination,
magic, and communion with the spirits of plants,
animals, and places. Such folk practices later
became a threat to religious and political
authorities, and were suppressed. Today, however, I
find they have much to teach us.
The
articles under this heading fall mostly in the
categories of ritual and magic, although that is a
somewhat arbitrary division. Everything on this
site is interwoven with my spiritual
practice.
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