#Pagan Beliefs

[hymnsofheresy]

what are your thoughts on your religion stealing every single one of its holidays from pagans? xo

That in order to relieve themselves of guilt and discomfort, white people create and believe narratives that deprive their European ancestors of any autonomy whatsoever. Casting their ancestors as victims of the church rather than active participants.

[rantsofayoungadult]

the amazing devil singing “cause if we join our hands in prayer enough, to god i imagine it all starts to sound like applause” is something that has never been able to leave my mind

[high-priestess-house]

𝕬 𝕲𝖚𝖎𝖉𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝕾𝖍𝖆𝖉𝖔𝖜 𝖂𝖔𝖗𝖐

Shadow Work is a psychological and spiritual practice that involves exploring the unconscious or hidden parts of oneself, often referred to as the “shadow.” This concept, popularized by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, refers to the aspects of our personality that we reject, deny, or are unaware of. These can include repressed emotions, desires, and impulses that we consider unacceptable or undesirable.

The Purpose of Shadow Work

The goal of shadow work is to bring these hidden aspects into the light of consciousness. By acknowledging and integrating these parts, individuals can achieve greater self-awareness, healing, and personal growth. This process can lead to improved relationships, reduced emotional reactivity, and a more balanced, authentic self.

Steps to Begin Shadow Work

Self-Reflection: Start by setting aside time for introspection. Journaling is a powerful tool for this. Write about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, especially those that trigger strong emotional reactions.

Identify Triggers: Pay attention to situations and people that provoke intense emotions or reactions. These triggers often point to unresolved issues or aspects of your shadow self.

Meditation and Mindfulness: Practice mindfulness and meditation to observe your thoughts and feelings without judgment. This can help you become more aware of your inner landscape and the patterns that arise.

Inner Dialogue: Engage in a dialogue with your shadow self. This can be done through journaling or visualization techniques. Ask questions and listen to what your shadow has to say. This helps in understanding its origins and messages.

Seek Guidance: Working with a therapist, counselor, or spiritual guide can provide support and insight. They can help you navigate the deeper aspects of shadow work and offer techniques tailored to your needs.

Creative Expression: Use art, music, or other creative outlets to express and explore your shadow. Creativity can be a safe way to bring unconscious material to the surface.

Incorporating Shadow Work into Spirituality and Witchcraft

1. Rituals and Ceremonies:

Moon Phases: The waning moon is an excellent time for shadow work, as it symbolizes release and letting go. Create a ritual where you write down aspects of your shadow you wish to address and burn the paper as an act of transformation.

Samhain: This Sabbat festival, marks a time when the veil between worlds is thin. It’s an ideal period for introspection and shadow work. Set up an altar with symbols representing your shadow aspects and meditate on them.

2. Divination:

Tarot and Oracle Cards: Use these tools to gain insights into your shadow self. Draw cards with the intention of uncovering hidden aspects or issues that need attention.

Scrying: Practice scrying with a mirror or a bowl of water to tap into your subconscious mind. This can reveal images or messages related to your shadow.

3. Spellwork:

Protection and Grounding: Perform spells for protection and grounding before engaging in deep shadow work. This ensures you are energetically protected and stable.

Shadow Integration Spells: Create spells designed to help you integrate your shadow aspects. This can involve using herbs, crystals, and symbols associated with healing and balance.

4. Journaling and Grimoire:

Keep a dedicated shadow work journal or section in your grimoire. Document your experiences, insights, and progress. This not only tracks your journey but also provides a reference for future work.

5. Working with Deities and Spirits:

Dark Goddesses: Invoke goddesses such as Hecate, Lilith, or the Morrigan, who are associated with the shadow and transformation. Ask for their guidance and support in your shadow work.

Spirit Guides and Ancestors: Call upon your spirit guides or ancestors for assistance. They can offer wisdom and protection as you navigate your shadow.

Benefits of Shadow Work in Spiritual Practice

Enhanced Self-Awareness: Understanding your shadow leads to a deeper awareness of your true self, fostering spiritual growth.

Emotional Healing: By addressing repressed emotions and traumas, shadow work promotes healing and emotional well-being.

Greater Empathy and Compassion: Integrating your shadow helps you become more empathetic and compassionate towards others, as you recognize similar struggles in them.

Empowerment and Authenticity: Embracing all parts of yourself, including the shadow, empowers you to live more authentically and confidently.

Shadow work is a profound journey of self-discovery and healing. By courageously facing and integrating the hidden aspects of yourself, you can achieve greater harmony and balance in your life. Incorporating shadow work into your spiritual and witchcraft practices can deepen your connection to yourself and the spiritual realm, fostering a richer, more authentic experience.

[acids-and-basses]

To give the gods and deities offerings, do they see us as we see crows bringing them shiny things?

[maythestormsnevertakefromme]

The world when pagans, wiccans and witches acknowledge that divine feminine is literally just repackaged tradwife propaganda and dark feminine is oversexualisation of pagan women and their bodies:

[rue-with-the-tarot]

I’m sick of having to censor my language and beliefs in order to save face in my community. I am polytheistic. I am pagan. I believe in many gods. I worship many gods. I speak to the gods and they speak back. I can hear them. I can see them. I have conversations with them. I believe in faeries. I have faeries that are my friends and live in my house. I give them offerings and they help with the chores. They also take my things and play other practical pranks, just like the old stories said. I know their names. I speak to them and they speak back. I believe in ghosts and spirits. I grew up in a haunted house. I’m psychic. I can speak to the dead. I have spoken to both living and dead animals. I’m superstitious. I find comfort in old wives tales. I am spiritually powerful. I will speak my truth, even if it makes me yet another witch on the outskirts. So be it. That is my destiny.

Khairete.

[thesilicontribesman]

A Dedication Plaque Naming Two Scandinavian Benefactors For The Construction Of A Church In York, (Grim and Aese), 900 to 1100CE, The Yorkshire Museum, York

[xerxeswitch]

Unpopular Belief about "Deities"

Please take this with a grain of salt. I know there's going to be some hurt feelings about this. Just block me and save your time because I do not answer to hateful replies. They will be blocked immediately.

Ahead of time, I'm NOT telling you to NOT worship them. If you feel that intimacy with the "gods" you worship, then go on ahead. If you find fulfillment with them, please continue and move on.

I just want to state my mind on what I find is a sinister trend with pagan "gods." (I'm well aware that it's unintentional for the most part)

.......

No.

Not all "gods" love you.

Not all "gods" unconditionally love you.

Not all "gods" even know you exist.

Not all "gods" care about your wellbeing.

Not all "gods" are accepting when you worship someone else.

Not all "gods" act like animated characters that I've seen people make them out to be.

Not all "gods" will change your life for the better. (At least all the time)

Not all "gods" want to be a different gender as you idealistically depicted them as...as some strictly stayed where they were known for.

--

Some "gods" are misogynistic.

Some "gods" are misandrists.

Some "gods" are predatory.

Some "gods" are manipulative.

Some "gods" see you as replaceable pawn.

Some "gods" are toxic and controlling.

Some "gods" are genocidal.

Some "gods" will look at you and ruin your life if you don't know what you're dealing with. Some "gods" are not the paragons of morality.

These beings have different personalities, traits, stories, and capacities for certain things or for certain people.

JUST because they are deemed as "gods," that doesn't mean they all have this one dimensional, demanded expectation of what makes them "gods."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

HUGE PLUS HERE; HUGE, HUGE RED FLAG:

Someone claiming the stories/myths about these "deities" are not to be acknowledged or that these "gods" shouldn't be questioned and unquestionably revered because they're "gods" -- are people I don't trust at all.

That could be potentially dangerous to new people getting into this.

What is a legend without the stories to know what happened?

...Or how they came to be along with their personalities, capabilities, and how they react?

The myths are absolutely something worth reading up on. You can't just will it away because they ruin YOUR desired vision of who they are/who you want them to be.

It's disrespectful to even the culture surrounding their flaws.

A lot of pagans/ex-Christians here are evangelizing them.

It's ironically painting them as all one and the same kind of being, and it makes the "gods" lose some form of identity and uniqueness.

Good or bad.

The myths exists. Without them, the concept of these "gods" wouldn't logically exist to us. It's a part of the culture too, good or bad. It's like history -- you can't erase history but know it and learn from it.

It'll be like saying, "I worship wendigos but don't listen to Native Americans about the part where they are known to eat people. These beings love and care about you. Remember that! They understand the time you put into them."

...I can't help but think this whole thing stinks of "I can fix him" intentions.

[sillimoff]

atheists correcting our beliefs 💀💀

on YouTube I saw a pagan video and just put a funny, respectful comment and some atheist replied with “may Zeus strike you furry down”….. POOKIE I WORSHIP AND GIVE GIFTS TO HIS DAUGHTER AND GRANDSON.

I said that and he replied with “you clearly know NOTHING about Greek mythology”

…..I saw this kids videos, it was reposted anime edits without credits-

Eros give me strength.

[crossroads-moth]

Loki understands rage about injustices. They understand the grief that comes, too. They understand that the Chaos that comes before the healing hurts. They know. They understand.

They will sit with you while you grieve. They will hold you while you heal.

[curious-chaosmagiic]

i want to ask other witches or anyone really who works with magics opinions on this!

i feel a more personal connection with the concept that the sun and moon are rules by one entity, maybe this entity controls the earth and allows us to see these celestial bodies? i don't know how to explain it- but i feel as tho the sun and moon are very connected sort of how cats and dogs can have one owner sort of thing?

i've never really heard of a deity or divine being that rules over both the sun and moon, it's usually two deities, and i do understand why that is! and it does make sense to me! but i feel like there is also a deity that controls the way the sun and moon are perceived? does any of this make sense

point is i just wanted to get that out there to the world :)

i'd love to hear others thoughts about the moon and sun, your beliefs around it and such!!

[creature-wizard]

Hey folks, it's a massive red flag when somebody starts mashing up gods and/or divinities from different belief systems into a single mythos and basically presents it as the Absolute Spiritual Truth Ever. They're basically pushing a cult, so beware.

[khaire-traveler]

Hey, I’m so sorry about that person being an asshole about your faith. My sister is pagan (works with a different group of deities) and people can absolutely be pricks and/or find it “funny” to mock faiths. Again, I’m sorry you’ve had to experience that.

It's ok, I appreciate you reaching out. Honestly, I think they're just not willing to have a reasonable conversation about it, so my last reply to them will be the last thing I say. It really seemed like they were trying to mock my faith, but they claimed it was meant as a joke. I think it's difficult for some to understand that what's funny to them isn't always funny to others, and it's not a bad thing to just apologize and move on. People tend to have a difficult time apologizing when they're caught making an unfunny joke; I suppose they just take it really personally.

Anywho, I appreciate the support. I wish you and your sister well, and I'm sorry that she's experienced the same. People can be really weird sometimes. Typically, those kinds of people (who purposely make fun of another faith) are also the same people who get angry when you refer to Christian lore as Christian mythology (even though that's what it is lol). Very silly, but what can you do, I suppose.

[buriedpentacles]

can I hear more about your personal beliefs?

Of course! My personal beliefs probably sit somewhere between Pantheism and Pluriform Monotheism, but I don't really care for labels.

I believe that their is a powerful energy permeating throughout the entire universe, I believe that it is within everything and beyond everything. This energy is the universe, life, time, death: everything. It is not a god per say, it is something beyond our comprehension and understanding.

This energy is what makes witchcraft work, it is this energy we manipulate or ask to be manipulated. This energy is what connects us to everything and everything to us. I believe that this energy is conscious? Aware? It knows us, because it is us. It is not necessarily all-loving, but isn't uncaring or cruel either.

As for deities, I believe that they were formed are facets of this energy. I believe that ancient (and modern) religions came to believe in their deities, created their myths and from that the deities became real. They were formed because humans believed so deeply in them that this Energy made them real, because this Energy is all about connection and these deities helped build that connection. This is why deities can change so much over time and between practitioners - because the deities were crafted for humans, by humans, facilited by this greater Energy.

I believe Mother Nature is one of these facets, she is a way that the Universe/Energy can communicate with us, a form it can take that is closer to our understanding - and even then, we are bound by the limits of our humanity. I believe Mother Nature is real, she is a powerful deity, but she is also just a part of this larger and more powerful Energy.

I am hoping to begin veneration and work with this Energy soon - I will need to find a suitable name to refer to it (just as I use Mother Nature to refer to the goddess that I worship, who has no real name) and I am cautious to begin as I know that if I work with it, I will only be working with a watered down, tailored version of it that the Energy has created in order for me to comprehend and understand it.

And I would like to say that I do not believe that this makes anyone's deities "lesser" just because they were formed from something else. The deities are each their own beings, powerful and to be respected. And I do not mind if others believe different from me - if you are of the belief that deities predate their myths, that they were discovered not created by humans then that is your belief and it is as valid as mine.

[happyk44]

Nico giving a "what are you, Catholic?" response to something and the other person is just "Nico, you're Catholic" and he's just "yeah, but not a good one"

[namedvesta]

If you ever get the chance to visit the Louvre in Paris or the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, take a detour to the Ancient Near Eastern Art Gallery. Keep walking until you find yourself in front of one of those cubic display cases, whose bulletproof glass protects a treasure barely bigger than your little finger. We call them Eye Idols. Carbon-14 tells us that they were made between 3000 and 3700 BC.  Look closely, or at least think you're looking at them, because in reality it's quite the opposite. It's the Idol staring back at you; with the same puzzled, indecipherable look she gave the man who carved her out of stone 5,000 years ago. Those eyes have seen the first man, every man since, and they will be wide open long after the last man has closed his. For those eyes, your whole life will pass in less than a thousandth of a second. For them, there is only the eternal now. Feel how that look nails you to the ground and how your own can never have the same effect.

— 𝐕.