Understanding Pagan Origins
To understand Pagan beliefs you must understand the Pagan Origins. Paganism is a broad term used loosely in today’s world. It can, today, embrace many different spiritual paths. Many Wiccan, Druids, Sharmans, to name only a few all-state they are part of the Pagan beliefs. To describe every belief of every spiritual path would take up volume after volume, and has.
Pagan Origin, however, in antiquity writings are referencing (in the most part) the people in historic times were those who worshiped in a nature-based theme. During the Stone Age, even men evolved a working philosophy of life. Even back into Paleolithic man, it can be seen that Man had reverence for nature and its powers. This is seen again in Neolithic periods. Cave drawings reveal man changing from hunter to tamer. The motivation for this change is hidden from us, but there are many writers of antiquity and today that believe the change occurred due to a kinship that man developed with animal. Regardless of whether this is true, we can see from cave drawings that man did believe that certain animals held to honor, certain rites called to the forces of nature and certain respects were given to all living things.
The Basis of Paganism
Even into the late 300 BCE time era, when we begin to see the fantastic Celtic artwork of Paganism, there is defined evidence of the bond between man and world around him, above him, and beneath him. This is the basis of Paganism that I personally follow. Every Pagan will have a different twist upon the beliefs, where they came from and what path is the “true” path. There is only one “true” path, that is the one that is true for each of you.
Primitive man sought out a solution not of his world alone, but for the Universe as a whole (which he believed only was his local Universe that he could see). He was a part of that Universe and he knew he played a role in its success or failure. His actions held consequences – sometimes even life or death.
True nature of Paganism
The same thing holds true today, we seek out a solution to the true origins of Paganism only to find they mirror the characteristics of our own universe in which we live in. The true nature of Paganism is reverence and honor to all things. Not only to one thing. It is my belief that Paganism was, is and will always be a part of the Universe. Its beliefs will entwine and run through the fibers of every spiritual person regardless of whether they call themselves, Pagans, Wiccans, Christians, Jews, or Muslims. I believe that all mankind has begun once more to take heed to the energies of nature, be it perceived positive energy or negative energy.
I pray (yes Pagan’s pray) that the dominant mode of thought that will be held in the midst of our highly developed and complex world of today will open their minds and spirits and begin once more to embrace all of life, all of the Universe, all that is living and nonliving and stop trying to determine who is right and who is wrong in belief, spirituality and moral.
