As Paganism is a very diverse religion with many distinct though related traditions, the forms of Pagan worship vary widely. It may be collective or solitary. It may consist of informal prayer or meditation, or of formal, structured rituals through which the participants affirm their deep spiritual connection with nature, honour their Gods and Goddesses,…
paganism
Samhain Pagan calendar
Samhain (pronounced ‘sow’inn’) is a very important date in the Pagan calendar for it marks the Feast of the Dead. Many Pagans also celebrate it as the old Celtic New Year (although some mark this at Imbolc). It is also celebrated by non-Pagans who call this festival Halloween. Samhain has been celebrated in Britain for…
Lammas (Lughnasadh) Tradition
Then let us toast John Barleycorn, Each man a glass in hand; And may his great posterity Ne’er fail in old Scotland! Traditional Scottish poem Lammas (also called Lughnasadh) Lammas, also called Lughnasadh (pronouced loo’nass’ah), comes at the beginning of August. It is one of the Pagan festivals of Celtic origin which split the year…
‘Ancient paganism’ or ‘Neo-paganism’
There is ancient paganism, the following of the old pre-Christian religions and gods. There is neo-paganism, the repackaging of the old faiths for modern minds. There is imported Hinduism, the following of eastern gods. Then there is eastern philosophy, the adapting of far-eastern belief systems. There is idolatry, the symbolic use of artefacts of creation…
The Pagan Autumn Equinox
Autumn Equinox (also known as Mabon or Harvest Home) is celebrated when day and night are of equal duration before the descent into increasing darkness and is the final festival of the season of harvest. In nature, the activity of the summer months slows down to the hibernation for the winter. For many Pagans, now…
The Pagan Summer Solstice
Solstice, or Litha means a stopping or standing still of the sun. It is the longest day of the year and the time when the sun is at its maximum elevation. As the sun spirals its longest dance, Cleanse us As nature shows bounty and fertility Bless us Let all things live with loving intent…
The Pagan Spring Equinox
Spring Equinox Spring Equinox celebrates the renewed life of the Earth that comes with the Spring. It is a solar festival, celebrated when the length of the day and the night are equal (this happens twice a year, at Spring and Autumn Equinox). This turn in the seasons has been celebrated by cultures throughout history…
‘Beltane’ in Edinburgh, Scotland
Beltane in Edinburgh Every year on 30th April on Calton Hill in Edinburgh thousands of people come together for a huge celebration to mark the coming of summer. The evening begins with a procession to the top of the hill led by people dressed as the May Queen and the Green Man (ancient God and…
Heathenry
Heathenry is a term used to describe the religious practices of two main groups of people, one historical and one modern. The original Heathens were the pre-Christian North European peoples who lived a thousand and more years ago in the lands around what is now called the North Sea. These included the peoples of Anglo-Saxon…
The Pagan Year
Wheel of the Year The Pagan seasonal cycle is often called the Wheel of the Year. Almost all Pagans celebrate a cycle of eight festivals, which are spaced every six or seven weeks through the year and divide the wheel into eight segments. Four of the festivals have Celtic origins and are known by…