Pagan Beliefs Deity is both imminent and transcendent and therefore a part of everyone and everything. Deity is perceived as male, female and androgynous, depending on the tradition All expressions of deity are acceptable; God, expressed as the male aspect, Goddess, expressed as the female aspect Pagans do not believe that an absolute good and an absolute evil exists, they believe all things exist in there own place and extremism does not have a place within the philosophy Most pagans believe in reincarnation, cyclical life patterns do not end cease to with death of the physical body. There exists within the pagan religion no concept of heaven or hell Northern Pagan traditions have a belief in a heaven and hell like realm but unlike Christian beliefs, The pagan " Hell" Is not a place of damnation. "The Summerlands" is a place where souls rest before being re-born.     Each pagan religion has it's own philosophy about the afterlife and reincarnation. There is no set dogma or set of teachings which Pagans follow. Paganism is one of the so-called "Mystery Paths" where each individual experiences a direct divinity. In the Pagan religion each person is a priest or priestess in their own right. Pagans do not worship nature but rather revere the divine forces within it, as with every other thing in the universe - Divinity is within everything. Pagans do not worship a savior or any leader and Paganism is therefore not a cult.    Pagan Customs Individuality reigns supreme in paganism but there are few widespread customs. Sanctity of nature, environmental concerns acceptance and social responsibly   are the bases of the few customs, which are more frequently  practiced. There are no prohibitions within the philosophy and no dietary requirements. There are no laws of blasphemy - conflict remain between concerned  individuals. There are no penance's or religious punishments. Paganism does not have certain laws on moral or ethical concerns. It does not promote or condemn  practices related to sexual activity, procreation, and alcohol  or any other mind altering substances. There are certainly pagans who have personal viewpoints on these subjects but they are very much just that individuals opinion. Pagans regard both sexed equally and do not suppress female the way many other religions do. Pagan Priestess has the same status as Priests, leading the same religious practices. Pagans acknowledge "Elders" who are individuals who are more knowledgeable and experienced and look to them for guidance A fundamental aspect of paganism is that each individual must take absolute responsibility for their own actions.   Pagan Practices Pagans believe that individuals have the right to worship in their own way; there is no legislation or prescribed manner of worship. Some worship in a formal  way and some more instinctively. Some worship in private and some worship in groups and in that way make their worship a communion between them as well as with the god and goddess. Paganism has a Rite of Passage, a formal set of rituals for Birth, marriage and death Pagans follow the "Mystery path" which has an initiation rite. Practices like this do not include animal or human sacrifices nor any other practice which violates pagan ethics. The birth ritual includes a naming ceremony but does not promise the child to the religion. The pagan parents will ask for divine guidance and protection of the child. Children are taught to honor their family and friends, to have integrity, honesty and loyalty; to treat earth as sacred and to love and respect all  forms of life. Children are encouraged to question their own spiritual path.   There are a number of Festival Celebrations held throughout the year though within each tradition there are slight variations, the best known is the Cycle Festivals. There are eight festivals; Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Spring Equinox (Ostara), Beltane Litha (Mid-Summer), Lammas and Autumn Equinox (Mabon). These come from different Celtic and Saxon sources and they have remained alive through folklore and rural traditions. Other pagan's traditions celebrate the turning of the seasons. The emphasis of all practices is always on what is meaningful to each pagan rather that the physical set of rituals performed. Pagan Traditions There are various Pagan traditions. All share a common String, their individual practices and beliefs may differ. Most emphasize gender equality Here is a summary of some of the various traditions Astru / Norse Paganism: Originated in Northern Europe and is practiced by those who have an affinity with Nordic and Teutonic ancestry or are interested in studying Saga, Eddad and Runes. Asatru and North Paganism encourages responsibility and spiritual growth in a noble warrior context. Celtic Paganism: Native to Celtic and Gaelic races and widely practice in Australia Essence of Celtic teachings originated from ancient legends handed down orally through history. Modern Celtic pagans are attempting to re-integrate the rich mythological knowledge into the modern world Dianic Witchcraft: This tradition honors and celebrates the feminine aspect of divinity. Women are greatly respected and rituals are mostly designed to empower women in their sense of spirituality and value Druids: Modern Druid's emphasizes artistic skills like music and poetry and encourages member to practice and study these skills as well as academic and disciplinary skills. Modern druids usually follow a seasonal cycle of celebrations. Environmental Paganism: Pagans tend not to follow specific traditions but most actively work to save the earth from harm, and honor Earth's sacred position as the representative of Mother Earth. This method has no formal rites of worship but encourages individuals to honor divinity by caring for Earth. Ethnic Paganism: Many pagan traditions originate from the practices of particular ethnic groups, some modern and some ancient. Hellenic, Roman and Egyptian Paganism fall under this category as well as Voodoo, Santeria and Native North American traditions. This also includes native pagan  Traditions of the Pacific and Australia's aboriginal people.   Shamanism: Shamanism uses things such as travel in the spiritual realms, tree lore, herb lore and the use of totems. Tribal Shaman were the ones responsible for the spiritual matters of the tribes and also for the traditional birth, death and healing ceremonies. Shamans are the ones who were capable of  communication with the spirits of ancient ancestors and therefore gain knowledge. Modern day pagans use these practices. Wicca: Modern Revival of ancient folklore and magical practices of Europe. Wiccans generally think of divinity as the god and goddess who represent many different aspects. Most celebrate eight festivals each year and meet in  time periods synchronized with the phases of the moon. Wicca itself has it's own set of traditions, rituals and practices. Witchcraft: Witchcraft was originally believed to be an ancient fertility religion. It is also called the Old Religion. Modern witches are often skilled herbalists and healers and their practices and technique are similar to the tribal  Shamans. Some Wiccans call themselves Witches, there are Witches who do not Practice Wicca. The two are not mutually exclusive but Witches of Northern Traditions have little in common with Wiccan Practices yet both are pagan  practices.           Web Page Created By ©Graphics R US